Got a Will? What About Other Estate and Emergency Plans?

Estate planning...

Experts advise developing well thought out estate and emergency plans.

Your last will and testament shouldn't be the last word on your end-of-life wishes, Kelli Grant reports on cnbc.com.

"We all prepare ahead of time for what we know is coming up," Amy Florian, chief executive of Corgenius, told advisors in Chicago last week, Grant reports.

But on end-of-life matters, Florian said, we're notoriously remiss. A 2014 American Journal of Preventive Medicine study found that 74 percent of adults have no health care proxy, living will or advance directives; only 42 percent have a will, according to a survey earlier this year from Caring.com, Grant wrote.

"Anyone remember the death rate in the United States?" Florian asked. "It's like one per person. Nobody is getting out of here alive. We never know when death will happen, just that it will."

Experts recommend everyone develop a well thought out estate plan.

Here are 11 planning documents -- some that might surprise you -- to consider implementing, in addition to a will: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/15/12-financial-planning-documents-to-handle-health-end-of-life-care.html

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report:
The Latest Darien Real Estate Update.

How to Use Social Media in Your Career

Why use social media?

A simpler time.

Do you think you should be on social media but don’t know where to start? What should you post, and how often should you post it? What's more powerful, a like or a retweet? 

Here's what you need to know about the most popular social media platforms for professional settings, whether you are looking to expand your network, build a business or find a new gig, Sree Sreenivasan reports on nytimes.com.

For tips on using some of the major social media platforms: https://www.nytimes.com/guides/business/social-media-for-career-and-business?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report:

Got a Will? What About Other Estate and Emergency Plans?

Buying a House Under Trump's Tax Cuts

About as bad as you thought...

The housing market may see big changes as a result of Trump tax cuts.

So: You spent the summer cruising all the real estate sites, and you're gunning to buy a house in 2018, Megan Johnson reports on architecturaldigest.com.

But there's a monkey wrench that's about to be thrown with the big guy's tax plan, Johnson wrote.

President Trump's controversial tax reform bill makes some serious changes to the real estate world -- and that can severely alter your chances of purchasing a home, she added.

For more: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/how-to-buy-house-under-trump-tax-cuts?mbid=social_cp_fb_tny

Photos: Giphy.

Next time on The Allen Report:

How to Use Social Media in Your Career.

Phone Companies' New Tools to Block Spam Calls

What you can do...

Don't recognize that number? Don't answer it.

Phone companies will have greater authority to block unwanted calls from reaching customers as regulators adopted new rules to combat automated messages known as robocalls, nytimes.com reports.

Rules adopted Thursday by the Federal Communications Commission represent the latest tools against robocalls, which pester consumers, sometimes multiple times a day, and often push scams, the news service wrote.

The Times' report also suggested a number of steps you can do to protect yourself from spam callers: https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/11/16/technology/ap-us-tec-kicking-robocalls.htm

For more protection tips:

-- CBS: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/8-tips-to-stop-annoying-robocalls/

-- Wired: https://www.wired.com/story/robocall-getting-worse-but-help-is-here/

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report:

Buying a House Under Trump's Tax Cuts.

Smile: Have a Great New Week

Fun...

Al-together-NOW!

For fun videos to start your new week:

-- Chevrolet Equinox: Add it up: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wr8j/2018-chevrolet-equinox-add-it-up

-- Progressive: Group session: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wlFY/progressive-group-session

-- GEICO: Dawg show: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wjfq/geico-randy-jacksons-dawg-show

-- Sling TV: Craft beer: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wyks/sling-a-la-carte-get-picky-craft-beer-featuring-danny-trejo

-- Sling TV: Dating feature: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wTKK/sling-a-la-carte-get-picky-dating-featuring-danny-trejo

-- The Man Who Invented Christmas: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wrH1/the-man-who-invented-christmas-movie-trailerH

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report: 

Phone Companies' New Tools to Block Spam Calls.

Musical Moments: Bocelli: Autumn Leaves

An old favorite...

The end of autumn nears.

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

Today's selection is an old favorite by Andre Bocelli, Autumn Leaves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNKhpG3apQU

Photos: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report: 

Smile: Have a Great New Week.

Darien Sees an Uptick in Real Estate Sales

Weekly update...

Enjoying a quiet, fall afternoon.

Darien saw an uptick in residential real estate sales in the week today.

Results, according to the Darien MLS, were:

-- Two new listings of property for sale;

-- Two price changes;

-- Six accepted offers;

-- No properties going under contract, and

-- One closing.

For more:

Next time on The Allen Report:

Musical Moments:   Bocelli: Autumn Leaves.

Remembering Les Simon

I was sorry to learn yesterday of the passing of my old friend and colleague, Les Simon.

Les was manager of executive communications for IBM when I met him after joining the corporate information staff.

He worked with such notable writers as Michael Lazare, formerly with Forbes; Harrison Kinney, who had been with The New Yorker; Chet Hansen, aide to Gen. Omar Bradley and Bill Ewald, speech writer for President Eisenhower.

Les asked me to join his staff in Washington when he became IBM's director of public affairs and later helped me become manager of corporate information back in Armonk.

He went on to become vice president, external affairs, for IBM Europe in Paris and vice president, communications, for IBM in New York.  

He was a brilliant public policy expert and an accomplished author.

He was active in a number of public policy organizations, including the State Department and the Conference Board.

He was senior policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington.

Les was an outstanding and generous man who cared deeply for his family and associates.

My sincerest and deepest condolences to his wife Ruth and their sons.

Photo: Pinterest

Next time on The Allen Report: 

The Latest Darien Real Estate Update.

2018: American Home Design Trends

New looks for next year...

White and stainless steel sinks are being replaced by new materials like this concrete model.

If you're thinking about remodeling your home next year, now might be a good time to start planning, Mark Matousek reports in businessinsider.com.

With Black Friday approaching, hardware stores will be offering discounts on any tools or building supplies you can imagine, he wrote.

And Houzz—a website which offers products, ideas, and the names of contractors for home remodeling and decoration projects—has just named the 10 home design trends it expects to see most frequently in 2018, he added.

Here's what may be coming: http://www.businessinsider.com/home-design-trends-for-2018-2017-11/#more-color-in-kitchens-1

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report:
Remembering Les Simon.

The New FCC Internet Proposal is Worse Than You Think

What you can do...

Demonstrating about net neutrality.

Few who follow the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the history of its efforts to enshrine network neutrality rules into law were surprised yesterday when Chairman Ajit Pai announced that he would make public a proposal to deregulate broadband Internet access by “reclassifying” it as an information service under the Communications Act of 1934, Gigi Sohn reports on mashable.com.

But many expected the Chairman to at least propose retaining some of the rules that protect consumers and competition online, like a prohibition against broadband providers blocking or throttling online content and services, Sohn wrote.

After all, since 2002 FCC chairs of both parties believed that at a minimum, FCC policy should ensure that consumers are able to access the content, applications, and services of their choosing without interference by gatekeeping broadband providers, she added.

Not Pai. In doing away with the 2015 rules that prohibit broadband providers from discriminating against or favoring certain content, applications and services (that is, no blocking, no throttling, no fast lanes and a general rule against discrimination), Pai has radically departed from bipartisan FCC precedent. This opens the door for companies like Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, and Charter to pick winners and losers on the Internet by controlling which online companies get faster and better quality of service and at what price, Sohn wrote.

For more, including how you can participate in the net neutrality discussion:
 http://mashable.com/2017/11/22/net-neutrality-proposal-worse-than-you-think/?utm_cid=mash-com-Tw-main-link#i7hI2JG9hOqW

Congressman Ro Khanna's view of proposed Internet changes.

For more reports: 

-- How the End of Net Neutrality will Change the Internet: https://www.wired.com/story/heres-how-the-end-of-net-neutrality-will-change-the-internet/

-- FCC's Next Step in Net Neutrality: Blocking the States: https://flipboard.com/@flipboard/-fccs-next-step-on-net-neutrality-blocki/f-0e00f51cd9%2Fpolitico.com

-- These are the Arguments Against Net Neutrality -- And Why They Are Wrong: https://flipboard.com/@flipboard/-these-are-the-arguments-against-net-neu/f-466b3acfc1%2Ftechcrunch.com

-- How the FCC Can Save the Open Internet: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-the-fcc-can-save-the-open-internet-1511281099

-- Net Neutrality Can't Fix the Internet: https://flipboard.com/@flipboard/-network-neutrality-cant-fix-the-interne/f-d3d450f989%2Ftheatlantic.com

Photos: Mashable, Ro Khanna

Next time on The Allen Report:

2018: American Home Design Trends.

Tesla Unveils New Electric Semi-Truck, Sports Car

Fast and powerful...

Elon Musk and Tesla's new electric semi-truck.

You'll often hear automakers brag of a sports car's zero-to-60 performance but less often for a big-rig truck.

Last Thursday, Tesla boasted of both, Peter Valdes-Dapena reports on cnn.com.

Tesla revealed an all-new version of its Roadster sports car that can go from a stop to 60 miles an hour in 1.9 seconds, a figure that would make it the fastest-accelerating production car ever, Valdes-Dapena wrote.

That was after Tesla unveiled its new semi-truck, which CEO Elon Musk said can go zero-to-60 in five seconds with an empty trailer, Valdes-Dapena added.

For more, including a video: http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/17/technology/tesla-semi-truck-reveal/index.html

For a wired.com video on Tesla's new truck: https://www.wired.com/story/what-does-teslas-truck-mean-for-truckers/?mbid=social_twitter

For another excellent video on the Tesla announcements: https://www.wired.com/story/tesla-truck-revealed/

Walmart has ordered 15 Tesla trucks, according to the verge.com: https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/17/16670632/walmart-tesla-semi-truck-preorder

Tesla burns through nearly half a million dollars an hour: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-21/tesla-is-blowing-through-8-000-every-minute-amid-model-3-woes

Tesla's new, smackdown Roadster.

Photos: Google.

Next time on The Allen Report:
The New FCC Internet Proposal is Worse Than You Think.

FCC Moves to Gut Net Neutrality

Allowing Internet "fast lanes"...

Proposed new FCC rules would change the Internet.

The Federal Communications Commission will publish on Wednesday its plan to reverse Obama-era net neutrality rules that banned internet service providers from blocking or slowing down content, or creating so-called "fast lanes" for companies willing to pay extra to deliver their content more quickly, Klint Finley reports on wired.com.

The new FCC order will throw out almost all of the agency's 2015 net-neutrality rules, including the prohibitions on blocking and throttling content, senior FCC staff said during a conference call with reporters Tuesday. The order will also ban states from imposing their own net-neutrality rules to replace the federal regulations, Finley wrote.

For more:  https://www.wired.com/story/fcc-prepares-to-unveil-plan-to-gut-net-neutrality/

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report:

Tesla Unveils New Electric Truck, Sports Car.

Facebook's New Push Into Real Estate

A major new contender...

Mover over, here comes FB.

Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, Redfiin.  All household names in the real estate listing world, right, Ben Lane asks on housewire.com.

Well, those companies now have some serious competition from a company that boasts an audience that dwarfs all of those sites put together -- Facebook, Lane wrote.

That’s right. Facebook is coming to real estate listings.

Now, anyone who’s “friends” with a real estate agent on Facebook is likely used to seeing real estate listings show up in their news feed, but it appears that Facebook has much bigger plans for real estate listings through its own platform, Lane added.

Facebook announced last week that it is significantly expanding the real estate listings section on its Marketplace, which is Facebook’s attempt to take on Craigslist, eBay, and other e-commerce platforms.

Rental listings on Facebook Marketplace.

For more: https://www.housingwire.com/articles/41797-facebook-launches-massive-push-into-real-estate-listings#.Wg61dP2ybnA.facebook

Photos: Pinterest, housewire.com.

Next time on The Allen Report: 
FCC Plans to Gut Net Neutrality.

Anthony Bourdain: You're Doing Thanksgiving Wrong

"Stunt turkey"...

Thanksgiving with style by Anthony Bourdain.

If there’s one meal at which family drama is on full display, it’s Thanksgiving, Laurie Woolever reports on bloomberg.com.

Expectations and emotions run high, and there are a lot of moving parts to cause friction. Even Anthony Bourdain, who is seemingly immune to the criticism of others, feels the pressure to pull off the most anticipated meal of the year, Woolever wrote.

Below, a list of exactly what you’re doing wrong for the big day: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-14/you-re-doing-thanksgiving-wrong-says-anthony-bourdain?utm_campaign=news&utm_medium=bd&utm_source=applenews

Dave Barry

And Thanksgiving wouldn't be Thanksgiving without some Dave Barry fun

First, Barry's Cold Turkey: https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/magazine/2000/11/19/cold-turkey/ec6643a5-6513-4641-98a2-846ee53b4f85/?utm_term=.d8749b80fbe6

And his wonderful, We'd Rather Eat Turkey: http://amp.miamiherald.com/living/liv-columns-blogs/dave-barry/article1937197.html

Dave Barry.

Photos: bloomberg.com, Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report: 

Facebook's New Push Into Real Estate.

Smile: Good Luck With Your New Week

Fun...

Monday morning and the race begins.

For fun videos to start your new week:

-- VW: Nuts: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/w6Cr/volkswagen-tiguan-nuts-song-by-giorgos-zampetas

-- VW: Rain: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wD_4/volkswagen-people-first-warranty-rain-song-by-joe-cocker

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

-- esurance: Pass it on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXP18QRqgEw

-- Audi: Weatherman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wo9_M1ZzYtU

-- VW: Snowplow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABcckOTVqao

Photos: Giphy, Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report: 

Anthony Bourdain: You're Doing Thanksgiving Wrong.

Musical Moments: Vivaldi, Autumn

Popular classic...

Autumn beauty.

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

Today's selection is Vivaldi's popular classic, Autumn, from his Four Seasons collection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7hGiZ579cs

Photos: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report: 

Smile: Good Luck With Your New Week.

Darien Ends a Slower Real Estate Week

Weekly update...

Darien ended a slower real estate week today.

Results, according to the Darien MLS, were:

-- One new listing of property for sale;

-- Five price changes;

-- Two accepted offers;

-- Two properties going under contract, and

-- Four closings.

For more:

Next time on The Allen Report:

Musical Moments: Vivaldi, Four Seasons: Autumn.

A Delightful Dictionary for Canadian English

Scholarly and scrappy...

A new dictionary on Canada's 150 anniversary this year.

Canadian English, like other varieties of the language, is decidedly a real entity, despite a certain perception among Americans (and even some Canadians) that it is more or less an exaggerated version of Minnesota speech, peppered with “eh” and a funny way of saying “about,” Jesse Scheidlower reports on newyorker.com.

We all know about "eh" but many might a bit mystified by such other Canadianisms as "guichet," "parkade," "garbuator" or "double-double."

Fortunately, there's a new edition of the dictionary for Canadian-English that came out just earlier this year.

For more of a delightful report: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/a-delightful-dictionary-for-canadian-english?mbid=social_facebook

Photo: Tumblr, Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report: 
The Latest Darien Real Estate Update.

Online Retailing's Huge Impact on Stores

10,000 stores closing in 2017...

The retail pain from store closings is acute.

Traditional retailing has had it rough lately, economist.com reports

In America, the pain is acute.

Chains that weren't faltering even before Amazon's ascent are now in even deeper trouble, the service wrote.

A consultancy expects 10,000 stores in America to close this year, the service added.

For more: https://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21730545-painful-metamorphoses-physical-shops-stores-are-being-hit-online-retailing?fsrc=scn/fb/te/bl/ed/storesarebeinghitbyonlineretailing

For another report, including a chart of major retailer cutbacks: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-retail-apocalypse-has-officially-descended-on-america-2017-3?utm_content=buffer77d60&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

To see how Nike plans to "focus" its traditional retailers from 30,000 to 40: http://www.businessinsider.com/nikes-stock-price-plan-to-survive-the-retail-apocalypse-2017-10

Photo: businessinsider.com.

Next time on The Allen Report:
A Delightful Dictionary for Canadian English.

IBM Announces Advanced, New Quantum Computer

"It's a big frickin' deal"...

IBM's new 50-qubit quantum computer.

IBM established a landmark in computing on Friday, announcing a quantum computer that handles 50 quantum bits, or qubits. The company is also making a 20-qubit system available through its cloud computing platform, Will Knight reports on technologyreview.com.

IBM, Google, Intel, and a San Francisco startup called Rigetti are all currently racing to build useful quantum systems. These machines process information in a different way from traditional computers, using the counterintuitive nature of quantum physics, Knight wrote.

“We are really proud of this; it’s a big frickin’ deal,” Dario Gil, who directs AI and quantum computing at IBM, told MIT Technology Review. 

IBM has a storied history in quantum computing. The company’s researchers helped create the field of quantum information processing, and it has pursued fundamental research in the area for decades, Knight added.

For more: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/609451/ibm-raises-the-bar-with-a-50-qubit-quantum-computer/?utm_campaign=add_this&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=post

Photo: technologyreview.com.

Next time on The Allen Report:
Online Retailing's Huge Impact on Stores.

A Mighty U.S. Show of Force off Korea

A sampling of American firepower...

Astonishing power.

The world's largest aircraft carriers arrive on Kim Jong-un's doorstep in a U.S. show of force against a North Korean despot, thesunco reports.

For the past few weeks the American ships have been travelling to Asia to form a single three-carrier strike group tasked with carrying out the largest exercise of its kind in recent memory, Patrick Knox reports on thesunco.

For more on a fascinating look at a sampling of American firepower: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4889670/north-korea-us-navy-aircraft-carrier-battle-group-war-games-korean-peninsula/amp/

U.S. Navy F-18s preparing for action.

The U.S. Air Force's iconic B-52.

Photos: thesuncouk.

Next time on The Allen Report: 

IBM Announces Advanced, New Quantum Computer.

Smile: Your New Week Awaits

Fun...

 Jacques loves a good open house. He's everywhere at once.

For fun videos to start your new week:  

-- Ally Bank: Dream Home: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/w5jY/ally-bank-seriously-anything-dream-home

And then there's:

-- Ally Bank: Hitchhicker: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/AxNQ/ally-bank-nothing-stops-us-hitchhiker

But back to a lighter side: 

-- VW: Open House: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wy_d/volkswagen-sell-down-event-open-house-2017-jetta

-- Ally Bank: Expert Saver: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wbHU/ally-bank-expert-saver#

-- Ally Bank: 7,500 Allys:  https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wbHr/ally-bank-7500-allys

Photos: Giphy, ispot.tv.com, Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report: 

A Mighty Show of U.S. Force Off Korea.