Thanks a lot, Mother Nature

Just about everything in nature has a useful purpose: Fires regenerate forests, lightning fixes nitrogen in the soil, and blizzards recharge aquifers. But ice storms? They just coat streets, break tree limbs, and leave a third of Oklahoma without power. And now it's Iowa's turn. Gee, thanks. As of 1:00 in the morning, we already had almost 1/8th of an inch of ice everywhere.