Reviving the Supersonic Airliner

Boom Technology...

An artist's concept of Boom Technology's proposed airliner.

More than a decade after the Concorde was retired, we finally seem poised to achieve commercial supersonic flight once again, Jan Bennett reports on popularmechanics.com.

Boom Technology, an aerospace company based in the Denver area, has revealed the engineering design information for their XB-1 demonstrator aircraft -- a two-seater supersonic jet that will serve as a one-third scale test aircraft to ultimately develop a 45 to 55 person passenger aircraft capable of achieving a cruise speed of Mach 2.2, or 1,450 mph, Bennett wrote.

For more of Bennett's report: http://www.popularmechanics.com/flight/a23892/boom-demonstrator-jet-commercial-supersonic-flight/

For a video on Boom Technology and its new planes: http://mashable.com/2017/04/28/affordable-supersonic-flight/#OnOSAqstFSqE

For a report on last week's pitch by Boom executives to start supersonic service to Dubai: http://mashable.com/2017/04/28/boom-jets-pitch-dubai/#pUpl19cNCkqR

A Concorde preparing for takeoff.

The only known photo of a Concorde flying at Mach 2.

Photos: Pinterest.

Tomorrow on The Allen Report: 

Turning Negative Thinkers Into Positive Ones.

Smile: Welcome to Your New Week

Fun...

Oops. Murphy's law strikes again.*

For some fun videos:

-- GEICO: Guardians of the Galaxy:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cthjod9awzI

-- Progressive: Prank Protection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l01CbHp2YgE

-- Adobe: The Heist:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9jNxl0U6_8

-- Ford: Stack of Tires:  https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wV87/ford-big-tire-event-stack-of-tires-feat-dwayne-johnson

-- GEICO: Hail, Caesar Salad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSNeWpXH2LI

-- Chase: Jon Batiste, For Once in My Life:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK5iMG1NVK8

-- Ford: The Best Ford Commercial Ever:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNHc69Uvczo

*  Murphy's law is an adage or epigram that is typically stated as:  Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

Tomorrow on The Allen Report: 

Reviving the Supersonic Airliner.

Musical Moments: Sledge, When a Man Loves a Woman

Old favorite...

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

Today's selection is an old favorite, When a Man Loves a Woman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHS8LAqHyHs

Photo: Pinterest.

Tomorrow on The Allen Report:

Smile: Welcome to Your New Week.

Darien Sees a Spring Housing Market Surge

Weekly update...

A forest stream in spring.

Darien saw a surge in residential real estate market activity in the week ending today.

Results, according to the Darien MLS, were:

-- 13 new listings of property for sale;

-- 28 price changes;

-- Nine accepted offers;

-- Two properties going under contract and,

-- Seven closings.

For more: 

Tomorrow on The Allen Report: 

Musical Moments: When a Man Loves a Woman.

Beautiful and a Little Trippy

New exhibition...

A Chihuly chandelier.

The New York Botanical Garden is featuring works of the renowned artist Dale Chihuly, known for his uniquely shaped and vibrant glass sculptures. The exhibition will be on display April 22-October 29.

For a video of awesome and mesmerizing glass sculptures: https://twitter.com/mashable/status/855122146934128640/video/1  (If audio doesn't play, stop and restart video.)

Chihuly with a couple of his unique creations.

Photos: Pinterest, mashable.com.

Tomorrow on The Allen Report: 

The latest Darien Real estate update.

NASA's Cassini to Dive Between Saturn and its Rings Today

Uncharted territory...

A Cassini photo of Saturn and its rings.

NASA's Cassini spacecraft is set to make its first dive through the narrow gap between Saturn and its rings today.

The $3.26 billion spacecraft will fly through the danger zone at 76,000 mph -- 17 times faster than the fastest jet in history.

For an excellent video on the amazing mission:  https://twitter.com/businessinsider/status/857071758851022848/video/1 (If audio doesn't play, stop and restarn video.)

For a NASA fact sheet on Cassini's milestones: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/cassini-s-first-grand-finale-dive-milestones/

Cassini's historic dive is featured on Google's main search page today:

: 

An artist's concept of Cassini nearing Saturn.

Photos: Pinterest, Google.

Tomorrow on The Allen Report: 

Beautiful and a Little Trippy.

Did You Know Your iPhone Maps Where You've Been?

Little known feature...

It knows where you've been.

There's a feature on your iPhone that tracks your frequent locations on a map and logs the times you arrived and departed, businessinsider.com reports in a recent video.

Here's how to access it and turn it off, in case this freaks you out: https://twitter.com/businessinsider/status/778468066648731648/video/1 (If audio doesn't play, stop and restart video.)

Photos: Giphy, Pinterest.

Tomorrow on The Allen Report:

NASA's Cassini to Dive Between Saturn and its Rings Tomorrow.

Obamacare: High Risk Options Under Consideration

Repeal and replace?

What plan covers what conditions and for how much?

What are the main points of contention in the debate in Washington about the future of Obamacare?

What options are Republicans and Democrats considering?

Dylan Scott on vox.com offers a look at just how complicated this medical coverage question is and how the issue is seen in Washington: http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/4/20/15306068/trump-obamacare-hostage-threat-cost-sharing-explained

Photo: Pinterest.

Tomorrow on The Allen Report: 

Did You Know Your iPhone Maps Where You've Been?

Smile: A New Week's Here

Fun...

Just another day at the office.

Start your new week with some fun:

-- VW:  My Son:  https://www.ispot.tv/ad/A4Ij/volkswagen-three-and-easy-event-father-son

-- VW: Salmon: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/A_Nw/2017-volkswagen-golf-alltrack-salmon

-- Charles Schwab; Lower Cost, Again:  https://www.ispot.tv/ad/A3P9/charles-schwab-weve-just-lowered-the-cost-of-investing-again

-- Allstate; Toddler: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khDdRExFF-k

-- GEICO: Massage Crushed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zpjcC3P2MQ

Photos: Giphy, Pinterest.

Tomorrow on The Allen Report:

Obamacare: High Risk Options Under Consideration.

Musical Moments: Mozart, Symphony No. 40

World famous...

The sound of beautiful music.

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

Today's selection is Mozart's world famous Symphony No. 40: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTc1mDieQI8

Photo: Pinterest.

Tomorrow on The Allen Report:  

Smile: A New Week's Here.

Darien's Active Spring Real Estate Market Continues

Weekly update...

Spring splendor.

Darien's active spring residential real estate market continued in the week ending today.

Results, according to the Darien MLS, were:

-- 14 new listings of properties for sale;

-- 17 price changes;

-- Four accepted offers;

-- No properties going under contract, and

-- Nine closings.

For more:  

Tomorrow on The Allen Report:  

Musical Moments: Mozart, Symphony No. 40.

Russia's Deadliest New War Machines

Advanced weapons...

 President Putin checks out the latest stealth Sukhoi fighter.

Russia has dramatically increased its military spending on tanks, submarines and stealth planes, Fox Van Allen reports on cnet.com.

A report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute suggests Russian military has nearly doubled its spending since 2006, Van Allen wrote.

For more of a fascinating photo essay of some eye-opening, advanced Russian weapons: https://www.cnet.com/pictures/russias-deadliest-new-war-machines/?ftag=ACQb4020c1&vndid=1859370524&nan_pid=1859370524&ad_id=5286006

Photo: Google.

Tomorrow on The Allen Report: 

The latest Darien real estate update.

Yosemite's Spectacular Horsetail Fall

February phenomenon...

Seasonal sensation.

Horsetail Fall, located in Yosemite National Park in California, is a seasonal waterfall that flows in the winter and early spring, according to wikipedia.com.

The fall occurs on the east side of El Capitan.  If Horsetail Fall is flowing in February and the weather conditions are just right, the setting sun illuminates the waterfall, making it glow orange and red.

For more:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horsetail_Fall_(Yosemite)

For a neat video of the fall:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fAz0bOI3KE

Photos: Giphy, Pinterest.

Tomorrow on The Allen Report: 
Russia's Deadliest New War Machines.

A Positive Outlook May Be Good For Your Health

Cockeyed optimists...

“Look on the sunny side of life,” Jane Brody reports on nytimes.com.

“Turn your face toward the sun, and the shadows will fall behind you.”

“See the glass as half-full, not half-empty.”

Researchers are finding that thoughts like these, the hallmarks of people sometimes called “cockeyed optimists,” can do far more than raise one’s spirits. They may actually improve health and extend life, Brody wrote.

For more:  https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/27/well/live/positive-thinking-may-improve-health-and-extend-life.html?smid=nytcore-iphone-share&smprod=nytcore-iphone&_r=0

Photos: Giphy, nytimes.com

Tomorrow on The Allen Report: 
Yosemite's Spectacular Horsetail Fall. 

A New Skyscraper is Reshaping San Francisco's Skyline

Tallest west of Chicago...

A woman views the city and bay from the 61st floor of the new Salesforce Building. The new skyscraper supplanted the TransAmerica Pyramid as San Francisco's tallest.

Builders have laid the final beam for Salesforce Tower, a $1 billion skyscraper in San Francisco that now stands as the tallest office building west of Chicago, Kenneth Hughes reports on bloomberg.com.

The 1,070-foot tower is set to be finished this summer, with its main occupier Salesforce.com, now the city's biggest tech tenant.

For more, including terrific photography by Michael Short: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/photo-essays/2017-04-07/san-francisco-skyline-reshaped-by-tallest-office-building-on-the-west-coast

Photos: Bloomberg.com

Tomorrow on The Allen Report:  
A Positive Outlook May Be Good For Your Health.

Church Ceilings Reaching for the Heavens

Happy Easter...

The Creation of Adam, Michelangelo, on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome.

By nature a church is meant to inspire, to give its patrons hope in something bigger than themselves, Nick Mafi reports on architecturaldigest.com.

Often, that mantra is translated into the structure's design, specifically church ceilings, Mafi added.

For a slide show of some of the most beautiful church ceilings in the world:  http://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/most-beautiful-church-ceilings-from-around-the-world?mbid=social_twitter

Photos: Pinterest.

Tomorrow on The Allen Report: 
A New Skyscraper is Reshaping San Francisco's Skyline.

Musical Moments: Handel, Hallelujah Chorus

Outstanding...

Handel memorial, Westminster Abbey.

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

Today's selection is Handel's outstanding Hallelujah Chorus, which is especially fitting for Easter and Christmas:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp_RHnQ-jgU

Photo: Pinterest.

Tomorrow on The Allen Report:  

Church Ceilings Reaching for the Heavens.

Darien Ends Active, Early Spring Real Estate Week

Weekly update...

Spring beauty.

Darien ended an active, early spring residential real estate week today.

Results, according to the Darien MLS, were:

-- 10 new listings for sale;

-- Six price changes; 

-- 10 accepted offers;

-- No properties going under contract, and

-- Two closings.

For more: 

Tomorrow on The Allen Report: 

Musical Moments: Handel, Hallelujah Chorus.

Your Rights if Your Flight is Overbooked

Passenger rights...

Making the best of a flight delay.

Imagine the next time you're flying, Julia Horowitz reports on cnn.com.

You arrive at the gate.  The attendant announces that your flight is overbooked and asks for volunteers and offers a travel voucher.

That's not what happened this week in the infamous United Airlines incident, but it underscores what passengers need to know about their rights..

Here's what fliers should know:http://money.cnn.com/2017/04/11/news/united-passenger-flight-rights/index.html?sr=twCNN041317united-passenger-flight-rights0625AMVODtopLink&linkId=36466270

For a video of the United incident:https://www.buzzfeed.com/aliciamelvillesmith/a-man-was-dragged-off-united-plane-after-the-airline?utm_term=.fxLO2pJ7P#.bxlyb2OE8

Photos: Pinterest.

Tomorrow on The Allen Report: 

The Latest Darien Weekly Real Estate Update.

Watches Favored by Powerful Moguls in Finance

Timing is money...

And we need to be there on the dot.

With the help of Crown and Caliber, businessinsider has put together a list and commentary about the wristwatches worn by some of the most powerful men in the financial services industry.

For the new video:  https://twitter.com/businessinsider/status/845350513373732865/video/1 (If audio doesn't play, stop and restart video.)

Photos: Giphy, Pinterest.

Tomorrow on The Allen Report: 

Your Rights if Your Flight is Overbooked.

First Flight of Boeing's New 787-10 Dreamliner

Stressing testing...

 Boeing's powerful Dreamliners look like fighters taking off.

The latest, longest variant of the tech-stuffed, efficiency-focused Dreamliner took off from Boeing’s new factory in Charleston, South Carolina, on March 31 on its maiden flight.

For a video of the first flight of Boeing's 787-10 and its upcoming test program:  https://twitter.com/WIRED/status/850544433225388032/video/1 (If audio doesn't play, stop and restart video.)

For a Boeing video of the new Dreamliner's maiden flight:  http://www.kansas.com/news/business/aviation/article142416824.html

Roll-out of the first Boeing 787-10.

Photos: Giphy, Pinterest.

Tomorrow on The Allen Report:  

Watches Favored by Some Powerful Moguls in Finance.

How Deep is the Ocean? Deeper Than You Think

New animation...

A visitor from the deep.

Just how deep is the ocean? Deeper than you think.

 A new animation puts the ocean's depth into perspective, showing a vast distance between the waves we see and the point called Challenger Deep.

For a fascinating video:  https://twitter.com/businessinsider/status/845811795864444928/video/1 (If audio doesn't play, click to stop video and restart it.)

Photos:  Giphy, Pinterest.

Tomorrow on The Allen Report:  

Flight Testing Boeing's New 787-10 Dreamliner.

How Your Ancestors Beat the Heat

Cool ideas...

Nothing like an open car to cool off.

Before air conditioning in the 20th century, humankind didn't just suffer the heat. We met it with creativity and a whole lot of cool, Lori White reports on upworthy.com.

Here are five ways our ancestors beat the heat:  http://www.upworthy.com/top-5-signs-your-ancestors-were-geniuses-at-beating-the-heat

Photos: Giphy, Pinterest.

Tomorrow on The Allen Report: 

How Deep is the Ocean? Deeper Than You Think.

Smile: We're Off to a New Week

Fun...

French comedian Jacques Tati checking out an old house.

For some fun to start your new week:

-- Kia: Melissa McCarthy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO8W1he3X5k

-- John Deere:  It's Not How Fast You Mow...:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgC30zIky30

-- John Deere: It's Not How Fast You Mow...: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aWdn63bNh4

-- Progressive: Social Etiquette: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvILztPM5Gg

-- GEICO; Great Answer:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0RpqXi3LiE

-- Allstate: Burglar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhyQgskfjNc

Photos: Giphy, Tumblr, Pinterest.

Tomorrow on The Allen Report: 

How Your Ancestors Beat the Heat.