Faster Internet Speeds?

I have just moved from copper dsl to fiber-optic internet, but I'm really not seeing much of a change. When I surf the net, the limiting factor seems to be the hundreds of ads that open and load before I can read content. They don't seem to come any faster, but hang the page, loading the same slow way. I guess advertisers pay enough, so no demands are ever placed on them to facilitate a better internet experience.

Iraq Quickly Falling Apart?

Days after the last US troops depart, we now have a series of terror bombings in Baghdad, as the Iraqi vice president is hiding from arrest in the Kurdish controlled north. He claims the Shiite Prime Minister of Iraq is now following orders from Iran.

The Iraq war cost a billion dollars, 4000 US deaths, 26,000 US wounded and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi casualties.

Hard Freeze

We had no fog today, and will be rewarded with a hard freeze tonight. Temperatures are forecast to get down to 25F, so not only do I cover the fruit trees, but I heat them. The avocado trees get a 40 watt light bulb, and the lemon tree gets an electric heater, set to low. About 11 PM, I turn on the juice. All the trees still look good, and if I nurse them against the cold this winter, I just might get some avocados next year. As the trees get bigger, they'll also become more cold tolerant. They did blossom a little last year, but no fruit set. I'm slowly learning all the tricks, and the shade structures I built this summer were of huge benefit.