Friday--

The eye exam went well but, with the pupil dilation, I didn't want to be outside much.  Too bright.  I see some tasks I should do: a couple of plants I should remove, pots to clean out, and more spearmint I should cut.  I have to check everything else in case they need watering.  I am collecting all of the sale papers that come in the mail to cover the bare soil over the winter.

An interesting article on internet ads asking the question: how much of the traffic is fake?  Evidently--a lot.

Much of the technology described in this article isn't really surprising.  The speed with which it is being developed is breath taking but then the government is sponsoring the development and they have a lot of our money to spend.

So propaganda goes higher tech--what else is new?  At least they don't have a gun to our heads--yet. It is annoying but perhaps a bit late getting on the bandwagon.  The manipulators say they have had good results in the initial phase of the program.  However, thinking about how resistant we have become (in our household) to the advertisements, I wonder how effective the full program will be and for how long.  Speaking of manipulation Market Watch this morning noted that Dow futures were up and the market itself opened with the Dow jumping over 170 points crediting Yellen's remarks yesterday about the real possibility of a rate hike before the end of the year.  Isn't it amazing how every time the stock market takes a dip someone says something (realistic or not, true or not) that gets the speculators giddy.

John Boehner is resigning his Congressional seat at the end of October.  It makes sense logistically for the party.  He has been under fire from the Tea Party Repthuglicans and their allies for some time. I saw a brief news bite last week that a cabal of them were hoping to unseat Boehner before the Pope arrived so he wouldn't be on the podium during the joint session address.  Why do I think it makes sense logistically.  Well, he will have to be replaced to maintain Ohio's representation either by special election or by appointment by the Republican governor (who is running for the Republican presidential nomination.)  That replacement will have some time to solidify his support for his own election to that seat which enhances Republican chances to keep it in the party.