Connecticut's Massive Honeybee Loss Continues

Major concern...

Dwindling numbers.

Connecticut beekeepers reported losing nearly half of their honeybees during the summer and winter of 2015-16, according to a new report, a die-off rate even higher than the national average of 44 percent, Gregory Haldky reports on courant.com.

State and national experts call the continuing losses of honeybees — which are essential for pollinating crops humans depend on — a major concern and unsustainable in the long run.

For more:  http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-ct-bee-losses-20160511-story.html

Photo: Pinterest. 

Four Seasons to Close Following Shuttering of Brasserie

New York favorites...

Power lunching at Manhattan's Four Seasons.

New York  will say goodbye to the Four Seasons restaurant on July 16, Kelly Belknap reports on bloomberg.com.

After 57 years in the Seagram Building, patrons of the power lunch will have to seek refuge elsewhere, Belknap wrote.

For a fascinating video about an iconic restaurant: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2016-05-11/four-seasons-restaurant-shares-secrets-with-cooking-class

For the closing of the nearby Brasserie, another old favorite over the years:  http://ny.eater.com/2015/6/23/8830827/everythings-falling-to-pieces-at-the-seagram-building-brasserie

Photos: Pinterest. 

Dive Into the New Week With a Smile

Enjoy...

Ready? Go!

Dive right into your new week with a smile or two:

-- BMW: Jump for Joy:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cgy7eWf6QTc

-- John Deere: How Well You Mow Fast:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7LGZHb-_YQ

-- Old Spice: Rocket Car:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3V6vcmjv20XJcK80g5K5ow?v=giJxJdSuq74

-- Audi: Commander:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diU_09jb4bI

-- State Farm: Never: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1Z91YkPatw

Photo: Pinterest. 

Musical Moments: Beethoven, 6th Symphony - Pastoral

In memoriam...

A dedicated guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.

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

This week's selection is Beethoven's beautiful 6th Symphony - Pastoral, which is dedicated to all those we honor on this Memorial Day weekend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMJPZ-mu-Ts

Honor guards at Arlington are on duty around the clock throughout the years..

Photo: Pinterest.  

Darien Sees Real Estate Sales Gains

Weekly update...

A time to remember.

Darien saw a gain in residential real estate sales in the week ending today.

Results, according to the Darien MLS, were:

-- Ten new listings of property for sale;

-- 12 price changes;

-- Eight accepted offers;

-- No properties going under contract and,

-- Seven closings.

For more: 

The Origins of Hemingway's Famous The Sun Also Rises

90th anniversary...

Ernest Hemingway's 1923 passport photo.

Ernest Hemingway's famous novel The Sun Also Rises marks its 90th anniversary this year, Lesley Blume reports on vanity.com.

After many false starts, all the elements for Hemingway's first successful novel began to fall into place in June 1925.  He was just one fateful event from getting the material he so desperately needed, Blume wrote.

For more of Blume's excellent article about one of my favorite writers: http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2016/05/the-true-story-of-the-booze-bullfights-and-brawls-that-inspired-ernest-hemingways-the-sun-also-rises?mbid=social_cp_fb_tny

Photo: vanityfair.com.  

New Black Tower Coming to Manhattan's East Side

Near the UN...

New East River tower.

American architect Richard Meier has unveiled the design for an apartment block on New York's East River, eschewing his signature white palette for black glass facades, dezeen.com reports.

The 42-storey tower will sit on the corner of 39th Street at 685 First Avenue, a few blocks south of where my office with IBM World Trade was many years ago when we were across from United Nations headquarters.

Unlike most buildings by Pritzker Prize-winner Meier, which include the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art and the Getty Center in Los Angeles, the tower will feature black frames and dark glass, according to dezeen.com.

The monolithic block will comprises 828,000 square feet (76,900 square metres) and include 556 apartments, split into two-thirds rental properties and one-third condominiums.

For more: http://www.dezeen.com/2016/05/23/685-first-avenue-residential-tower-manhattan-new-york-city-skyscraper-richard-meier-partners/

Photo: dezeen.com.  

Making Twitter Easier to Use

Coming soon...

Making tweeting easier.

Twitter is overhauling some of its rules to try to make itself simpler to use and more attractive to newcomers, Dave Lee reports on bbc.com today.

Members will be able to add multimedia to tweets -- including pictures and videos -- without eating into the 140-character-a-post limit, Lee wrote.

For more, including a video with Jack Dorsey, Twitter's chief executive: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-36367752

Photo: Pinterest.  

Marketing: Let's Hear it For Patriotism

Bandwagon effect...

Budweiser's flag-waving rebranding.

Anheuser-Busch’s move to rebrand its Budweiser cans “America” this summer marks a new extreme in a shift toward patriotic corporate marketing, a trend boosted by Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, Jennifer Kaplan reports on bloomberg.com.

Hershey Co. changed the lettering on its chocolate bars last month to red, white and blue for the first time in 122 years, a nod to its sponsorship of the U.S. Olympic team, Kaplan wrote.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has sought to stock stores with more “made in the USA” products. And the Carl’s Jr. fast-food chain created a sandwich last year called the Most American Thickburger (slogan: “Because America, that’s why”), she added.

For more, including an interesting video:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-11/bud-s-america-cans-mark-trump-fueled-surge-in-usa-marketing

For cheers and jeers about the Budweiser rebranding: http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/bud-s-america-rebrand-draws-cheers-jeers/304010/

Photo: bloomberg.com.  

Smile: We're Off to a New Week

Fun ahead...

Oh, man. Ambushed by a box.

Want to start your new week with a smile?

Check out a few of these:  

-- Allstate: A Warm Spring Breeze: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6WcVEH4WQM

-- Chase: Preparing for Retirement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRtMZ3YTYTM

-- BankAmerica: Shooting Hoops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GXod_Ad4wg

-- Allstate: Pure Power: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ghl19lJJ_mA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GXod_Ad4wg

-- Subaru: A Man, His Dog and Willie Nelson:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-wXT1t5FTE

Photo: Tumblr.com.  

Musical Moments: Tsujii Plays Listz's La Campanella

Musical magician...

Nobuyuki Tsujii.

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

Featured this week is Nobuyuki Tsujii, a musical magician, performing Listz's very difficult La Campanella:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbAoeZZvntk

Photo: Pinterest. 

New Listings, Price Changes Top Latest Darien Real Estate Results

Weekly update...

Metro Bicycles, John Salminen.

Fifteen new listings and 19 price changes topped Darien's latest residential real estate results for the week ending today.

Other results, according to the Darien MLS, were:

-- Seven accepted offers;

-- One property going under contract, and

-- Six closings.

For more:  

World's Largest Plane: It's Hard to Believe it Can Fly

Huge...

The jumbo of jets.

When the largest plane on the planet comes to town, it tends to attract attention. Like, more than 10,000 people turning out to the airport and causing mega traffic jams just to get a look, wired.com reports.

That’s what happened in Perth, Australia this week, when the 32 wheels of the Antonov An-225’s landing gear met the tarmac. Also known as the Mriya (that’s Ukranian for “dream”), the most jumbo of jets is 275 feet long and 288 feet wide, and entered service in 1988, according to wired.

The Soviet Union designed the plane to carry its space shuttle on its back, but went out of business before it could deliver more than one. The Antonov stacks up superlatives—it’s the longest bodied, longest winged, and heaviest plane in the sky. Six engines and a twin tail let the 600-ton aircraft haul 250 tons of cargo, loaded through its nose.

For more about the huge plane:  

-- From wired.com's report:  https://www.wired.com/2016/05/antonov-225-mirya-perth-australia-traffic/

-- From a fascinating video about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRBHkeP_y5k

The Antonov 225 parked next to a Boeing 747.

Photoa: Pinterest. 

Award-Winning Cheesecake Factory Coming to Stamford

Top dining choice...

Banana Cream Cheesecake.

The Cheesecake Factory, which just won a national first place award for casual dining, is opening a new restaurant in the Stamford Town Center this fall, according to Stamford Patch.

The popular chain was recently named America's favorite casual dining restaurant in the annual Consumer Picks survey from Nation’s Restaurant News, Suzy Strutner reports on huffingtonpost.com.

For more: 

-- About the new restaurant in Stamford,: http://patch.com/connecticut/stamford/cheesecake-factory-coming-stamford-0?utm_source=alert-breakingnews&utm_medium=email&utm_term=business&utm_campaign=alert

-- And the chain's award, including the top 10 of America’s favorite casual dining restaurants for 2016 (view the entire top 40 here), according to Strutner: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/americas-favorite-restaurant-cheesecake-factory_us_57309099e4b0bc9cb0474c2a

Photo: Pinterest.

Update: Washington's Young Eagles Are Growing Fast

Eaglets...

Washington's youngest eagles in their D.C. nest today.

Washington's newest eagles hatched in March are growing fast, according to eagles.org.

The pair's parents, Mr. President and the First Lady,  built a nest for the new family high above Washington's National Arboretum earlier this year.

You can visit the nest at any time and watch the D.C. newcomers and their parents on two video cams at: http://www.eagles.org/dceaglecam/

Photo: eagles.org.  

House Hunting Tips in a Seller's Market

Tough time...

In demand: Smaller houses.

A scarcity of homes for sale is pushing up prices and making house hunting a challenge, especially at the entry level, Ann Carrns reports on nytimes.com.

The dearth of inventory is particularly acute for entry-level homes, said Svenja Gudell, the chief economist at the real estate website Zillow. “First-time homebuyers are having a tough time,” she said, “because so few homes are available,” Carrns wrote.

For more:  http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/12/your-money/tips-for-house-hunting-in-a-sellers-market.html?smid=nytcore-iphone-share&smprod=nytcore-iphone

Photo: Pinterest. 

Busted: Live TV's Worst Hot-Mic Slip-Ups

Loose lips...

Recently, Chris Matthews, anchor of MSNBC’s “Hardball,” was caught on a live microphone ogling Melania Trump, wife of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, during the network’s coverage of the Indiana primary, Katie Van Syckle reports on variety.com.

Apparently unaware that he was being recorded, Matthews said of the former model: “Did you see her walk? My god is that good. I could watch that runway show,”  Van Syckle wrote.

With his comments, the historically outspoken pundit joins an illustrious crowd of world leaders busted by recording devices. Here, a quick history of the greatest slips, according to variety.com: http://variety.com/2016/biz/news/chris-matthews-caught-in-hot-mic-slip-up-1201770680/

Photo: variety.com.  

Musical Moments: Prince, While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Amazing...

Prince.

Eric Clapton, my favorite guitarist, recalled Prince as "a true genius and huge inspiration."

For one of Prince's amazing performances: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SFNW5F8K9Y

For more of Clapton's recollections, including a video of his Holy Mother that was inspired by Prince: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/eric-clapton-prince-depression_us_571bf3b4e4b0d0042da97b11

Photo: Pinterest.  

Darien Real Estate Active During Special Week

Weekly update...

Darien's residential real estate market was active during the week ending on this special Friday.

Results, according to the Darien MLS, were:

-- 14 new listings of property for sale;

-- 12 price changes;

-- Five accepted offers;

-- No properties going under contract, and

-- Six closings.

For more:  

Boeing's First 747-400 Retires

An old favorite...

A high-flying 747.

Boeing's first 747-400 has been retired after flying more than 61 million miles between 1989 and 2015, cnn.com reports.

The 747 was an old favorite that took me many places over the years.

For more about the 747:  http://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2016/05/01/boeing-747-400-retires-orig-pkg-vstop-bpb.cnn

Photo: Pinterest. 

11 Bathroom Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Problem solving...

A beautiful, mistake-free bathroom.

Your bathroom is where you go to get clean, right, huffingtonpost.com asks.

 Don’t answer that just yet, huffington advises.

In the spirit of better bathroom experiences, huffington partnered with Cottonelle to bring you a list of common lavatory lapses that are affecting your everyday life in grosser ways than you can imagine. The good news is that there are some dirty little tricks that can help you clean up your act, the service added.

For 11 mistakes and how to fix them:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/28/bathroom-mistakes_n_4461993.html

Photo: Pinterest. 

Outrageous: The Great Carbonara Crisis

Carbonaragate...

Pseudo-carbonara has provoked outrage in Italy.

Mama mia!  What is the world coming to many Italians are wondering with virtually instant spaghetti alla carbonara popping up in France and the U.S.

I was introduced to carbonara while stationed in Italy.  It was magnifico and is still a great favorite.

If you haven't heard about The Great Carbonara Crisis some are calling Carbonaragate, take a few minutes and enjoy Adam Gopnik's eccellente report on newyorker.com that includes a video of the offending dish many Italians find outrageous: http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/carbonara-purists-cant-stop-the-pasta-revolution?mbid=social_facebook

Photo: newyorker.com.

IBM Wants Everyone to Try Quantum Computing

Available online...

An IBM scientist working on a quantum computer.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada grabbed international headlines recently with a simple explanation of a cutting-edge technology called quantum computing, John Markoff reports on nytimes.com.

Now IBM is trying to do something similar by making a research-oriented quantum computer and a — relatively — simple tutorial available online for anyone to try, Markoff wrote.

For more about Markoff's report:  http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/04/technology/ibm-wants-everyone-to-try-a-quantum-computer.html?mwrsm=Email&_r=0

For another report on IBM's new and advanced computing offering:  http://techcrunch.com/2016/05/03/ibm-brings-experimental-quantum-computing-to-the-cloud/

Photo: IBM.

Start Your Week With Some Celeb Fun

Egad...

A classic John Cleese skit.

Celebs, including a Trump, join in the fun for a smile or two to start a new week:

-- Verizon: Ricky Gervais: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFM-1y9Ed3s

-- Aflac: Melania Trump:  http://adland.tv/commercials/aflac-experiment-2005-030-usa

-- Buick: Odell Beckham: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf33Z0vy2uo

-- Audi: Captain America Chase: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhYrHjbwfWE

-- Etrade: Kevin Spacey and Robert Duvall:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g20mzPYnj4M

Photo: Pinterest.

Musical Moments: Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 21

Happy Mother's Day...

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

This week's selection is a Mozart masterpiece, the Piano Concerto No. 21, which many will recall was featured in the film Elvira Madigan.

With best wishes to mothers everywhere:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df-eLzao63I

Photo: Pinterest.  

Darien Finishes Busy Real Estate Week

Weekly update...

Moon over Mystic.

Darien finished a busy residential real estate week today.

Results, according to the Darien MLS, were:

-- 22 new listings of property for sale;

-- 15 price changes;

-- Eight accepted offers;

-- No properties going under contract, and

-- Eight closings.

For more:  

Vamonos: A Wonderful Tan Solo Tu

Maravilloso...

Viva Mexico.

Vamonos! 

Here's a special treat for Cinco de Mayo: Alejandra Guzman and Franco Da Vita's maravilloso performance of the hit, Tan Solo Tu.

See why this wonderful video has had more than 100 million views: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfOsu6Lvi6A

Photo: Tumblr.com.  

U.S. Navy Begins Building New Attack Sub

Powerful...

A dolphin swims in front of the USS John Warner, 

a Virginia-class attack sub, in sea trials last May.

The U.S. Navy has begun construction on its newest Virginia-class submarine, as Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden and the sub's sponsor, hosted the keel laying ceremony for the USS Delaware in Newport News, Virginia, last weekend, Zachery Cohen reports on cnn.com.

The 377-foot USS Delaware will weigh 7,800 tons and be able to operate at roughly 30 miles-per-hour under water.  It is expected to enter service in 2018.

For more:  http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/01/politics/uss-delaware-keel-laying/index.html

Photo: U.S. Navy, cnn.com.  

Kate Stars on Vogue

Cover girl...

Stylish.

The Duchess of Cambridge’s style is nothing short of iconic. Now, it has an iconic magazine cover to match. For the first time ever, she’ll be the cover star of Vogue UK, Jamie Feldman reports on huffingtonpost.com.

The June issue marks 100 years of British Vogue, which can only be described as the holy grail of fashion, and features a 10-page spread of the media phenomenon previously known as Kate Middleton. It’s shot by British photographer Josh Olins and is the first fashion magazine shoot she’s ever posed for, Feldman wrote.

For more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/kate-middleton-vogue-
cover_us_57261940e4b0b49df6ab9475

Photo: huffingtonpost.com.