Photo, left: The ancient, magnificent city of Aleppo, seat of some of the world's most important history; 1754 engraving
 
JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW
 
Hour One
Friday  7 October 2016 / Hour 1, Block A: Jim McTague, Barron’s Washington, in re: The Jobs Data in 10 Charts.  Economists: ‘Stubbornly Average’ Report.  Hilsenrath: Data Ensures No November Rate Increase. The pound sterling and the bots.
. . . In many accounts, though, Friday’s move was likely accelerated by computerized trades at a time of thin market volumes.A recent increase in sharp movements in markets has prompted some analysts to blame the array of sophisticated computerized trades that can spark automatic trading under some market conditions. Heightened volatility, media headlines perceived as negative, or the appearance of overselling can intensify the momentum driving market movements.
“Events like what we’ve just seen for sterling are supposed to be extremely rare, particularly in the foreign exchange market,” said Athanasios Vamvakidis, foreign-exchange strategist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. “But the truth is that such events keep happening.”
BAML says that the market impact of a given volume of currency trading is around 60% higher now than it was in 2014. Mr. Vamvakidis pinned some of this to the growing importance of algorithmic trading.  http://www.wsj.com/articles/pound-plunges-in-tumultuous-session-putting-spotlight-on-computerized-trading-1475848480
Friday  7 October 2016 / Hour 1, Block B:  Dan Henninger, WSJ editorial; in re: The extreme nightmare of Aleppo. http://www.wsj.com/articles/aleppo-is-obamas-sarajevo-1475709247?tesla=y
Friday  7 October 2016 / Hour 1, Block C:  Josh Rogin, Washington Post, in re: White House working to weaken Syria sanctions bill for Russia and Iran.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/josh-rogin/wp/2016/10/06/white-house-working-to-weaken-syria-sanctions-bill-for-russia-and-iran/  The Principals Meeting of Wed October 5.
Obama administration considering strikes on Assad, again. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/josh-rogin/wp/2016/10/04/obama-administration-considering-strikes-on-assad-again/
Friday  7 October 2016 / Hour 1, Block D:  Joshua Green, Bloomberg Businessweek  in re: Republican Chairman of Wall Street Committee Held Fundraiser with Official from ‘Domestic Terrorist’ Group   Republican Representative Scott Garrett of New Jersey, a seven-term incumbent locked in a close re-election race, headlined an Oct. 1 breakfast organized by an official for an antigovernment group that New Jersey’s Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness considers a “domestic terrorist threat.” At the breakfast, Garrett hailed the official, Edward Durfee, as an “unsung hero.” Durfee is regional coordinator for New Jersey Oath Keepers, a group state officials list as “militia extremists [who] pose a moderate threat to New Jersey.” Durfee also co-founded the American Bedrock Foundation, which co-sponsored and collected payments for the Garrett breakfast. “The American Bedrock Foundation is basically the fundraising arm for the Oath Keepers and other pro-Constitution groups,” Durfee said in an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek. “That’s what our purpose is.”  http://twitter.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a0fd6f3f123ded4f1a8830ee8&id=d93388b10a&e=6226aef03e
 
Hour Two
Friday  7 October 2016 / Hour 2, Block A:  Michael E Vlahos, Johns Hopkins, in re:  US Accuses Russia, Syria of War Crimes; France Seeks UN Vote   . . . wounding 100, describing what would be the latest strike by Russia or its ally in Damascus on a civilian target. A spokesman said the attack occurred Thursday outside Damascus, while human rights group accuse the
U.S. - Print Headline: "US Accuses Russia, Syria of War Crimes; France Seeks UN Vote"  (1 of 2)
Friday  7 October 2016 / Hour 2, Block B:   Michael E Vlahos, Johns Hopkins, in re:  US Accuses Russia, Syria of War Crimes; France Seeks UN Vote   (2 of 2)
Friday  7 October 2016 / Hour 2, Block C:   Gene Marks, Washington Post, in re:
Economy
The IRS is cuttting 7,000 jobs - will this reduce your chances of audit?  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/on-small-business/wp/2016/09/29/the-...
IMF lowers U.S. economic forecast, warns of risks of anti-trade policies http://fw.to/e722ARJ
Euro zone business growth at 21-month low in September http://www.reuters.com/article/us-eurozone-economy-pmi-idUSKCN12510R @reuters
IBM announces $200m investment in Watson IoT business http://www.econotimes.com/IBM-announces-$200m-investment-in-Watson-IoT-business-333356 @econodaily
Credit card giants sued over chip readers http://money.cnn.com/2016/10/04/news/chip-card-lawsuit/index.html  @CNNMoney
Startups
Meet the strangest business in all of New Jersey https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/on-small-business/wp/2016/10/03/meet-the-strangest-business-in-all-of-new-jersey/
Twitter study says that responding to tweets pays off for businesses https://techcrunch.com/2016/10/05/twitter-customer-service-study/ @anthonyha @techcrunch
Foodies
This startup is making dog food that's so safe and nutritious, even humans can eat it  http://www.businessinsider.com/ollie-startup-safe-healthy-pet-food-2016-10  @averyhartmans @sai
Fancy some rabbit and squirrel gravy for breakfast? https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/on-small-business/wp/2016/10/04/fancy-some-rabbit-and-squirrel-gravy-for-breakfast/
Why food trucks are 'on the brink' in Chicago https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/on-small-business/wp/2016/09/27/why-food-trucks-are-on-the-brink-in-chicago/
Local business owners encouraging Austinites to eat tacos and vote  ttp://www.kvue.com/news/local/local-business-owners-encouraging-austinites-to-eat-tacos-and-vote/328999000  @JenniferAuh @KVUE
Airborne treat: Frozen yogurt business tests drone delivery http://www.dailyprogress.com/airborne-treat-frozen-yogurt-business-tests-drone-delivery/article_42204b6c-2de2-59f1-b61f-ecec7f7688b0.html  @dailyprogress
It's a bird. It's a plane. It's a burrito . . . delivered by drone http://bloom.bg/2cOYW1b via @technology
Hallowe’en
‘Scary clown sightings’ affecting real clown business in Memphis http://wreg.com/2016/10/04/scary-clown-sightings-affecting-real-clown-business-in-memphis/  @3onyourside
Hallowe’en Spending Expected to Reach $8.4 Billion, the Most in NRF Survey History http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2016/09/22/halloween-spending-expected-to-reach-84-billion-most-in-nrf-survey-history.html  (1 of 2)
Friday  7 October 2016 / Hour 2, Block D:  Gene Marks, Washington Post (2 of 2)
 
Hour Three
Friday  7 October 2016 / Hour 3, Block A: Francis Rose, NationalDefenseWeek.com (WMAL) and francisrose.com, and now Channel 7 in Washington; and Channel 8 daily: "Government matters";  in re: Lawmakers push VA for evidence of suicide hotline fixes ; One-Third of VA Suicide Hotline Calls Go Unanswered due to . . .  ; Orange County Register: Make VA hotline work right, with or without ... ; Poliquin, Young join call for answers about VA crisis line shortcomings ; Allegations fly over Young's stalled vets' suicide hotline bill ; Fired over VA Wait Times  FactCheck.org  http://www.factcheck.org/2016/10/fired-over-va-wait-times/  Speaking at a CNN town hall about the military, President Barack Obama suggested that his administration “fired a whole bunch of people who were in charge of some of these facilities” involved in the wait-times scandal at the Department of Veterans Affairs. That’s not the case.
Miller Statement on Continued Delays and Death at Phoenix VA — Today, Chairman Miller released the below statement regarding a newly-released Department of Veterans Affairs Inspector General report revealing that veterans are still dying while waiting for care at the Phoenix VA Health Care System and that delays may have contributed to the death of at least one Phoenix-area veteran. Read the report here. 
“More than two years after the Phoenix VA Health Care System became ground zero for VA’s wait-time scandal, many of its original problems remain, and this report is proof of that sad fact. Although the report’s extensive use of confusing bureaucratic 
http://ktar.com/story/1300289/lawmakers-question-credentials-of-new-phoenix-va-director/
Chairman Miller Demands VA Secretary McDonald Comply with Subpoena  — On Friday, Chairman Miller wrote Department of Veterans Affairs Sec. Bob McDonald regarding the department’s failure to comply with the committee’s Sept. 7 subpoena for information on VA art expenditures and the replacement Denver VA medical center, the biggest construction failure in VA history. Read the letter here.
VA’s Sept. 28 subpoena response failed to meet the terms set out by the committee, with the department turning over just 18 of 71 items related to the Denver project while providing incomplete and misleading information on art expenditures.
Additionally, Chairman Miller released the below statement today regarding VA’s failure to comply with the subpoena. “As a taxpayer-funded organization, VA has a responsibility to explain its actions to Congress and the public. Right now, it is failing in that responsibility. We simply will not tolerate VA’s attempts to keep information related to its wasteful art expenditures and the biggest construction failure in VA history shrouded in secrecy. Sec. McDonald must immediately comply with the terms of this subpoena.” – Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
 
Chairman Miller Letter to Secretary McDonald Re: Subpoena ;VA offers partial response to Congress, leaves big questions unanswered
Veterans Affairs Apologizes for High-End Art then Sets Rules for More
Another long, hot summer at U.S. Veterans Affairs (VA) is in the history books without necessary reforms. Over the past two months, veterans,  . . .  (1 of 2)
Friday  7 October 2016 / Hour 3, Block B:   Francis Rose, NationalDefenseWeek.com (WMAL) and francisrose.com, and now Channel 7 in Washington; and Channel 8 daily: "Government matters";  (2 of 2)
Friday  7 October 2016 / Hour 3, Block C:  Hotel Mars, episode n.  David Livingston, he Space Show; and Ashwin R Vasavada, Senior Scientist, NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory (present) Research scientist in the Planetary Geology and Geosciences Group; in re: Concern that rockets arrival may contaminate Mars – no one thought that Mars had a history of water and thus possibly of life forms similar in some way to those on our planet. http://www.nature.com/news/mars-contamination-fear-could-divert-curiosity-rover-1.20544
Curiosity health and happiness and next two-year mission aim in general http://www.asianage.com/science-health/nasas-curiosity-rover-begins-exploring-new-mars-destinations-733  (1 of 2)
 
Friday  7 October 2016 / Hour 3, Block D:   Hotel Mars, episode n.  David Livingston, he Space Show; and Ashwin R Vasavada, Senior Scientist, NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory (present) Research scientist in the Planetary Geology and Geosciences Group (2 of 2)
 
Hour Four
Friday  7 October 2016 / Hour 4, Block A:  Henry Miller, Hoover, in re:  hurricanes are bad news re mosquito-transmitted diseases: Although the winds blow the mosquitoes away during the storm itself, it leaves vast amounts of standing water where the mosquitoes can breed.  Also, because hurricanes like Matthew disrupt infrastructure, there's an interruption of spraying and other control measures for an extended period.
Friday  7 October 2016 / Hour 4, Block B:  Michael Ledeen, FDD and Pajamas Media, in re: A hypothetical letter from Pres Obama explaining his Administration.  https://pjmedia.com/michaelledeen/2016/09/27/obama-to-world-i-failed-but-its-their-fault/
Friday  7 October 2016 / Hour 4, Block C:  Patrick Tucker, DefenseOne, in re: Beyond Big Dog: The US Army Searches for an Infantry Squadbot.  Service officials have a concept of operations and a plan to deploy a cargo-carrying robot alongside dismounted soldiers in 2019. But can the acquisition system keep up?
GM Has Built a Stealth Truck for the Army A new hydrogen fuel cell truck could put snipers behind enemy lines, in style.
See: ROBOTSTECHNOLOGYARMY
Army Racing to Catch Up to Russia on Battle Drones  After watching UAVs dominate eastern Ukrainian skies, the service is seeking counter-drone tech and new families of flying robots. (1 of 2)
Friday  7 October 2016 / Hour 4, Block D:   Patrick Tucker, DefenseOne (2 of 2)
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