When someone gets a big salary, we say they earn "telephone numbers". A man in New York is suing the city for so much it is difficult to think of a comparison. Anton Purisima is suing for two undecillion – a two followed by 36 zeros. Only astrophysicists and astronomers might need this figure. Two undecillion dollars is more than all the money in the whole world, and more than all the wealth created in history.

So what did New York City do so wrong? Mr Purisima is suing the city, hospitals, LaGuardia Airport, the transportation system, a bakery and a dog owner for many things. These include civil-rights violations, personal injury, discrimination, attempted murder, and emotional distress. All because a "rabies-infected" dog bit his finger on a bus; then, a "Chinese couple" took photos of him without asking; and he pays too much for coffee at LaGuardia Airport.