I'm not surprised that there are companies out there making larger annual profits than health insurance companies, but I had no idea their profit margins had sunk this low:

Health insurance profit margins typically run about 6 percent, give or take a point or two. That's anemic compared with other forms of insurance and a broad array of industries, even some beleaguered ones.

Profits barely exceeded 2 percent of revenues in the latest annual measure. This partly explains why the credit ratings of some of the largest insurers were downgraded to negative from stable heading into this year, as investors were warned of a stagnant if not shrinking market for private plans.

Of course there are good insurance companies out there, but there are sharks out there too.

Speaking of insurance, who do you recommend for car insurance? I have a 2007 Camry that needs (I guess) the standard coverage, and I'm thinking about switching companies. The last ticket I received was for a fender-bender in 2004, and otherwise I'm a good, defensive driver who maintains my car. But I want to switch from a state provider (who used to be less expensive) to one of the larger ones (because with a larger client pool, their rates are now lower). Got any good or bad experiences with any of the big boys?

I did not know this:

Many people think that a nose gets congested (stuffy) from too much thick mucus. This is incorrect. The nose becomes congested when the tissues lining the nose become swollen due to inflamed blood vessels.

And more useful information:

Medicines are not the only way to relieve a stuffy or runny nose. Often, gentler solutions are better. Try these steps to thin the mucus, which can help you breathe easier and get your nasal secretions back to normal:

Use gentle saline nasal sprays.

Increase the humidity in the air with a vaporizer or humidifier.

Drink extra fluids. Hot tea, broth, or chicken soup may be especially helpful.

Allergies are fun.