Great Lakes ice cover developing; earliest in over 40 years.  Well that's good news, I guess, unless you're a climate change politician.

Philip Greenspun: How to feel better about your country: be confused about numbers.  "I’m kind of curious about how people who spend the time to put together a story to be broadcast nationally could have missed the difference between 3.9 percent and 16.5 percent."  Just like with climate change, you pick the facts to suit your story. 

Meanwhile: the largest solar plant in the US is officially up and running.  It is rated for 550 megawatts, will be most interesting to see how much it actually can produce; many solar plants fall short of their generating targets.  For comparison, this is about 1/4 the output of a typical nuclear power plant. 

Powerline: Renewable energy will never work, but can nuclear?  "Whenever somebody with a decent grasp of maths and physics looks into the idea of a fully renewables-powered civilized future for the human race with a reasonably open mind, they normally come to the conclusion that it simply isn’t feasible."  Read the whole thing.  I have always been confused as to why climate alarmists are not big fans of nuclear power... 

Too cool: stunning drone video of the Tower of Utrecht, in the Netherlands.  I think drones have pretty much revolutionized this kind of video, in very short order. 

Kottke: beautiful portraits of animals by Brad Wilson.  Way cool.