Whole Foods Sees "Tectonic Shift"

1,500 layoffs...

Imploding chocolate heart.

The grocery industry is undergoing massive change, according to a Whole Foods executive.

"It's a tectonic shift that's going on in the food marketplace right now. Absolutely tectonic," Whole Foods co-CEO Walter Robb said Monday at a conference in Austin, Hayley Peterson reports on businessinsider.com.

Rising demand for organic food and sustainably farmed products is driving the change, he said.

Customers also want cheaper prices and a more convenient shopping experience.

Robb made the remarks the day after Whole Foods announced that it would be firing 1,500 employees to save money.

For more:  http://www.businessinsider.com/whole-foods-ceo-were-facing-a-tectonic-shift-2015-9

Facebook Privacy Hoax Returns

Beware...

It's back, like Jack...

Don’t trust your Facebook friends, Maria Vultaggio reports on ibtimes.com.

There’s a viral rumor circulating on the popular social media site that has scared users into sharing a Facebook status about privacy settings -- except it’s not true, Vultaggio wrote.

It’s actually a hoax that has been around -- and debunked -- for a while. The idea is that Facebook users must post the status so that their pictures and information still belong to them. But in truth, anything posted to Facebook belongs to the user, regardless of any status update, according to Vultaggio.

For more:  http://www.ibtimes.com/facebook-privacy-policy-changes-dont-fall-hoax-again-2117504?ft=95p2z

Hasselblad Goes Digital: High Res, High Cost

New digital back...

Hasselblad has been called the Porsche of photography

Bloomberg Pursuits' Stephen Pulvirent spent some time using the new Hasselblad CFV-50C digital back, bloomberg.com reports.

The attachment brings the brand's classic camera bodies into the digital age, but does the price tag keep it out of the realm of all but the most serious professionals and photography nuts?

See what it costs and more in this interesting video:   http://bloom.bg/1IjOB0u

Wedding Day Surprise

Oh, no...

To have and to hold.

The bride planned and worked for months to make everything perfect on that special day.

And then this happened:  http://mashable.com/2015/09/18/wedding-cake-prank/?utm_cid=mash-com-Tw-main-link#bFzxFT91mPkL

Musical Moments: Mendelssohn, Wedding March

Renowned...

 A wedding!

Musical Moments features music and artists I enjoyed over the years.

Today's feature is Mendelssohn's renowned Wedding March.

I hope you'll enjoy it:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Oo4z37OUEI

Darien Real Estate Market Active as Fall Begins

Weekly update...

Signs of autumn.

Darien's residential real estate market saw activity across the board with the onset of fall in the week ending today.

Results, according to the Darien MLS, were:

-- Nine new listings of property for sale;

-- 12 price changes;

-- Five accepted offers;

-- One property going under contract, and

-- Eight closings.

For more:

Pope's Powerful Address Before Congress; Pontiff Leads Vespers Service at St. Patrick's in Manhattan

Land of dreams...

 Vice President Joe Biden and Speaker John Boehner welcoming Pope Francis to the joint session of Congress today. 

Pope Francis, the first pontiff in history to address Congress, praised the United States today but at the same time challenged it.

He applauded America as the land of the free and home of the brave as well as a land of dreams and a place of opportunity.

He also challenged Congress and by extension the mightiest nation in history on Thursday to break out of its cycle of polarization and paralysis to finally use its power to heal the “open wounds” of a planet torn by hatred, greed, poverty and pollution, Peter Baker and Jim Yardley wrote on nytimes.com.

For more on the pope's address, including a video: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/25/us/pope-francis-congress-speech.html?_r=0

Pope Francis arriving at St. Patrick's in Manhattan this evening.

This evening, the pope led the evening prayers at St. Patrick's in Manhattan.  At their conclusion, Timothy Dolan, cardinal of New York, said to the pope, "When you came through those doors off Fifth Avenue this evening, you became an honorary New Yorker."

He ending by joking with the pope, "Thank you for stopping by and come back soon," much to the pontiff's delight.

And in case you're wondering just who are those people in the pope's entourage, Dan Zak on washington.post.com has the answer.

The group is about 100 people, which makes it less of a flock and more of a herd, Zak reports.

For a rundown on those traveling with the pope:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/whos-that-with-pope-francis-the-seven-kinds-of-people-you-meet-in-a-papal-entourage/2015/09/22/545822fc-5e30-11e5-9757-e49273f05f65_story.html

Pope Francis arriving at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington on Tuesday.

Finally, if you're wondering about the pope's schedule:  usatoday.com

Remembering Yogi Berra: Great Catcher, Great Wit

Great loss...

Yogi Berra, the consummate Yankee.

Yogi Berra, the beloved Hall of Famer and legendary Yankee catcher, died Tuesday.

Berra, the 18-time All-Star and 10-time World Series champion, also was famous for his great wit.

Take a few minutes and treat yourself to some of Berra's greatest quotes:  http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/the-50-greatest-yogi-berra-quotes/ar-AAeFH7R?li=AAa0dzB

So. Where Did That Come From?

So annoying...

So

Perhaps you've noticed it:  People more and more seem to begin comments on radio and TV with So.

Why and where in the world did that annoying habit begin?

To listen to the media tell it, "so" is busting out all over, Geoff Nunberg reports on npr.org.

New York Times columnist Anand Giridharadas calls "so" the new "um" and "like"; others call it a plague and a fad, Nunberg wrote.

It's like a lot of other grammatical fixations: Not everybody cares about it, but the ones who do care care a whole lot. When NPR's Weekend Edition asked listeners last year to pick the most-misused word or phrase in the language, that sentence-initial "so" came in in second place, right behind "between you and I" and ahead of venerable bugbears like misusing "literally" and confusing "who" and "whom." That's a meteoric rise for a peeve that wasn't even on the radar a decade ago, according to Nunberg.

To my ear, that backstory "so" is merely a little geeky, but it rouses some critics to keening indignation. A BBC host says speakers use it to sound important and intellectual. A columnist at Fast Company warns that it undermines your credibility. A psychologist writes that it's a weasel word that people use to avoid giving a straight answer, Nunberg reported.

For more: http://www.npr.org/2015/09/03/432732859/so-whats-the-big-deal-with-starting-a-sentence-with-so

Making Life Easier: 12 Facebook Tips and Ideas

Easier to use...

 Facebook logos.

Facebook was a lot easier to use and understand a few years ago, cnn.com reports.

Managing its growing sea of features can be daunting, but there are ways to make Facebook more to your liking.

Here are 12 tips and ideas you might want to consider:  http://money.cnn.com/2015/09/14/technology/facebook-better/index.html

  

Replay

Replay

A Good Start to the New Week

Smile time...

I don't believe it.

Some fun and interesting ads to help start off the new week:

GEICO: Family dinner unskippable:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvcj9xptNOQ

IKEA: There's no bed like home:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1p3hj9WDHc

Chevron: Doers doing:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5hc8l_VPdk

Johnsonville: Family Favor:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh-BytAuxDQ

Unstoppable: Like a girl:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjJQBjWYDTs

Musical Moments, Sibelius, Finlandia

Masterpiece...

Summer evening.

Musical Moments features music and artists I've enjoyed over the years.

Today's feature is Sibelius' Finlandia, accompanied by a video about Finland's countryside and some of its natural inhabitants.

I hope you'll enjoy Finlandia:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5zg_af9b8c 

Winter flurry.

Darien Real Estate Builds, Adjusts Inventory as Fall Nears

Weekly update...

We had a tiny visitor like this to our fuchsia this week.

Darien's residential real estate market saw 15 price changes and 10 new listings in the week ending today as the local home market heads into fall.

Other results, according to the Darien MLS, were:

-- One accepted offer;

-- No properties going under contract, and

-- Six closings.

For more: 

Fed Leaves Interest Rates Unchanged

Holding rate...

Janet Yellen, Federal Reserve Chairwoman

Federal Reserve officials left interest rates unchanged today, opting to delay an increase amid stubbornly low inflation, an uncertain outlook for global growth and recent financial-market turmoil, Christopher Condon reports on bloomberg.com.

The move is good news for many economic sectors, including real estate.

“Recent global economic and financial developments may restrain economic activity somewhat and are likely to put further downward pressure on inflation in the near term,” the Federal Open Market Committee said in a statement Thursday in Washington, Condon wrote.

In holding their benchmark federal funds rate at zero to 0.25 percent, policy makers showed they are still not convinced inflation will move gradually back to their 2 percent target, despite continued gains in the labor market. Unemployment in August fell to 5.1 percent, its lowest level since April 2008, according to Condon.

For more of Condon's report:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-17/fed-leaves-interest-rates-unchanged-at-zero-0-25-target-range

For a video of Chairwoman Yellen making today's announcement:  http://blogs.marketwatch.com/capitolreport/2015/09/17/live-blog-and-video-of-fed-decision-and-janet-yellen-press-conference-2/

The New Broad in Los Angeles: Designed to Delight

Wonderful...

Finishing touches on the exterior of The Broad. 

Billionaire Eli Broad's unique new museum designed to be the permanent home of his collection of some of the most valuable contemporary art in the world is about to open in Los Angeles.

 

The new museum in downtown Los Angeles is called The Broad and opens September 20.  It will be free to the public.

 

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Eli Broad is worth $7.4 billion.  He built two Fortne 500 companies: KB Homes and SunAmerica.  Since then, Broad's focus has been on philanthropy, according to bloomberg.com.

For a video offering an exclusive and wonderful look at the museum:

http://bloom.bg/1LvXNB2

Eli Broad with Jeff Koons' work to be on permanent display in the new museum.

New Google Logo: What if Others Made Similar Changes?

New look...

Coke's leaner look with a different type face 

  

Is everything better in sans serif?

The trailblazing, all-knowing, all-encompassing tech giant Google has charted new territory by changing their classic, serif font logo in favor of a youthful, sans serif font they're dubbing Product Sans, Bob Al-Greene and Andrea Romano report on mashable.com.

Google's sleeker, flatter look can easily be translated to other brands, they write.

For a look at some famous logos after a make-over:  http://mashable.com/2015/09/02/google-sans-serif-logos/

Are they actually better in sans serif?  What do you think?

For a  good, short video on the many ways the Google logo is changing in a big way:  Google's iconic logo is changing in a big way

Start the Week with a Smile

Kick-off...

Gotcha.

A few entertaining and inspiring commercials to help kick-off the new week: 

Progressive, Flo:  I’ll  Stand by You:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcNIATGa6cI 

GEICO:  Pig and photo at DMV:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_xWEummq04

Buick: Test drive:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjqxljCGADE 

VW:  Year-end sales event:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx4xGlJyk8g

VW:  Rear-end event:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnYuCVhRgK8 

Norfolk Southern:  Just another day:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9mZWAkRY6U 

USAA:  We know what it means to serve:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UDdowk4j20

Musical Moments: Adele, Make You Feel My Love

Tribute...

Adele

Adele's Make You Feel My Love, a tribute to Amy Winehouse at the Royal Albert

 Hall: https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2048262210690389164#editor/target=post;postID=8673103809436089916;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=1;src=postname

Darien Kicks-off Fall Real Estate Season

Weekly update...

Evening sea breeze

Darien kicked-off the fall home-buying and -selling market season this week with 14 new listings of property for sale and 17 price changes.

Other results in the week ending today were:

   -- One accepted offer;

   -- No properties going under contract, and

   -- Four closings, according to the Darien MLS.

For more:

Sold Out: BB-8 Toy Based on Newest Star Wars' Star

Cute new droid...

New BB-8 toy checking out its new neighborhood.

Star Wars has another hit: A cute new toy based on its newest star, the rolling droid called BB-8.

In fact, the BB-8 toy is such a hit, it's sold out.

For a report on the new toy's sales success:  http://bloom.bg/1JUlDoT  

For a report on the development of the new hit and how it works:  http://techcrunch.com/2015/09/03/sphero-bb8/#.ux1bev:wGV2

Making new friends.

Recap: Highlights of Apple's Announcements Today

Slew of announcements...

 

New iPhone6S with 3D touch screen.

A couple hundred hints later, Apple has finally revealed what Siri had up her sleeves… along with a slew of other announcements the company made today, Natt Garun reports on  thenextweb.com.

Here’s a quick recap of everything you need to know from today’s keynote.

As always, click through to the full articles for more details:  http://thenextweb.com/apple/2015/09/09/everything-apple-announced-at-its-september-2015-event/

For another recap:  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/10/technology/apple-tv-iphone-6s.html?_r=1

 

Large, new iPad Pro.

New finishes for the Apple Watch were announced today.

Rolls-Royce Rolls Out New Dawn Convertible on the Internet

Top drawer...

New Rolls-Royce Dawn

Rolls-Royce introduced it latest model today, the new Dawn convertible, turning mainly to the Internet for its announcement. 

With the move, Rolls wrote a new page in the history of automobile launches, shunning an announcement at a major auto show.

 

Instead, it focused its efforts on the web as a way to reach the younger buyers it seeks.

If your ship has just come in and you're looking for a new car that makes a statement, take a look at the Dawn.

It's a beauty.

For more about the unusual Internet launch and the Dawn:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/11851644/Rolls-Royce-seeks-younger-drivers-with-new-Dawn-convertible.html

For more on the Dawn, including a slide show and video:

http://www.theverge.com/2015/9/8/9272095/rolls-royce-dawn-convertible 

For another video:  http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2015/09/08/new-rolls-royce-convertible-dawn-delivers-super-luxurious-effortless-experience/71870222/

 

Boeing Opens New Space Facility, Adopts Starliner Name

New space shuttle...

Artist's concept of new Starliner space shuttle.

Starting in 2017 or 2018, Boeing will begin ferrying NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station, Joseph Stromberg reports on vox.com.

On Friday, at the opening ceremony for the Florida facility where it'll build its spacecraft, Boeing also announced the vehicle's name: the Starliner.

The Starliner (previously known as the CST-100) is a cone-shaped capsule designed to be launched into orbit atop a rocket, carrying up to seven people into space. Along with SpaceX's Dragon, it will run regular crewed missions to the space station, replacing NASA's Space Shuttle, which was retired in 2011.

Commenting on the change to Starliner, Astronaut Thomas Stafford said, "It's a great name." Stafford, 84, flew to the moon on Apollo 10, two months before the first manned moon landing in 1969.  He said the spacecraft is reminiscent of the capsules from the Apollo moon program.

For a good video on the Starliner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh5WaiZTK0k

For the NASA report on the new facility and Starliner:  http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/09/cst-100-starliner-boeing-processing-facility-kennedy/

Working on new Starliner crew capsule.

Happy Labor Day: Willie Nelson, September Song

Dwindle down...

A Labor Day welcome.

Here's wishing you a happy Labor Day with Willie Nelson:  http://kenallensforum.blogspot.com/2014/08/musical-moments-september-song-willie.html