Musical Moments: Boyle, Auld Lang Syne

Happy New Year...

Susan Boyle.

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

Here's Susan Boyle and her beautiful Auld Lang Syne: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rCZduGdax8

Best wishes for a wonderful new year.

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report:

Darien Posts Real Estate Gains for 2017.

Smile: Fun Videos to Kickoff Your New Week and Year

Enjoy...

For fun videos:

-- Amazon: Give a little bit: http://www.adweek.com/creativity/amazons-holiday-ad-full-of-singing-boxes-is-one-of-its-cutest-spots-yet/

-- Esurance: Perfect Match: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar356DuRC0g

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

-- Snickers: The Brady Bunch: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/7X30/snickers-super-bowl-2015-the-brady-bunch-featuring-danny-trejo

-- Progressive: The Closet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jR3z1qdi28

-- CDW: Helping Santa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4dL9L0tsZg&t=42s

-- Coca Cola: A Bridge for Santa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOPhBWlF5bo

Photo: Tumblr.

Next time on The Allen Report: 
Musical Moments: Boyle, Auld Lang Syne.

Darien Ends Slow Real Estate Week

Weekly update...

Happy New Year.

Darien ended a slow residential real estate week today.

Results, according to the Darien MLS, were:

-- No new listings of property for sale;

-- No price changes;

-- One accepted offer;

-- One property going under contract, and

-- No closings.

For more:

Photos: Tumblr.

Next time on The Allen Report:

Smile: Fun Videos to Kickoff Your New Week and Year.

The Higgins Group Unveils Attractive, Powerful New Website

New features for clients, customers and agents...

An opening scene on the new Higgins Group website introduced this week.

The Higgins Group, one of the leading real estate firms in Connecticut, unveiled its attractive and powerful new website this week.

"We always want to be ahead of the curve.  And with this new website we're offering our clients, customers and agents capabilities unique to The Higgins Group," Rick Higgins, CEO of Higgins, said.

New Higgins offices

The Higgins Group marked its 20th anniversary in business in 2017.  It is one of the fastest growing real estate firms in Connecticut.  It opened three new offices in 2017 -- Milford, Stamford and Stratford -- and its new Westport office will begin operations in early 2018.  

Record sale in Stamford

Jordan Dolger, with the new Higgins office in Stamford, listed and sold the most expensive residential property in Stamford in 2017.  It closed in early December at $4,160,000.  I sold the same property in 2009 for $3,200,000.

The most expensive residential real estate sale in Stamford in 2017.

The Higgins Group has about 500 agents in 12 offices, Higgins said.

It is affiliated with Christie's International in several Fairfield County communities in Connecticut and began a new association this year with Leverage Global Partners, an international real estate firm, he said.

A scene from the new Higgins website.

The closing scene from the introduction to the new Higgins website.

The new website can be seen at: http://www.higginsgroup.com/

Photos: Higgins Group, Smart MLS.

Next time on The Allen Report:

The Latest Darien Real Estate Update.

Machine Learning on a Quantum Computer

An important computer application...

A Rigetti Computing 19Q quantum processor.

Rigetti Computing announced that it was able to demonstrate unsupervised machine learning on its new 19-qubit quantum computer, Lucian Armasu reports on tomshardware.com.

The company achieved this with a quantum/classical hybrid algorithm for clustering data. Clustering analysis is one of the most common ways to do unsupervised machine learning in order to find hidden patterns within the analyzed data. It's often used in advertising, credit scoring, and image segmentation, Armasu wrote.

For more, including a fascinating video of Chad Rigetti, founder of the new company, discussing quantum computing and its potential as well as what goes into the success of a start-up company: http://www.tomshardware.com/news/unsupervised-machine-learning-quantum-computer,36144.html

Chad Rigetti.

Photos: Rigetti Computing, Google.

Next time on The Allen Report: 

The Higgins Group Unveils Attractive, Powerful New Website.

Keeping up With the Kims: The Utah Blogger Who Watches North Korea

An "accidental expert"...

Michael Madden, a largely self-taught analyst on North Korea, works from a dark basement  in Salt Lake City.

North Korea's leadership might just be the toughest intelligence nut to crack, Anna Fifield reports on washingtonpost.com.

Kim Jong Un hasn't traveled outside the country since becoming its leader at the end of 2011. In those six years, he's met only a handful of outsiders. They include the usual cast of communist-linked characters — Chinese, Cubans, Syrians — as well as the less expected delegations led by American former basketball star Dennis Rodman, Fifield wrote.

Otherwise, there's no human intelligence on Kim and his cronies. Just state propaganda and satellite photos and rumors. Lots of rumors, she added.

But Michael Madden has become, as he puts it, an "accidental expert" on the men, and the occasional woman, who run the world's most isolated country. From his couch in a dark basement in Salt Lake City, Madden operates the website North Korea Leadership Watch, documenting the appearances — and the telling absences — of Kim and the people around him, Fifield wrote.

For more of an intriguing and timely report: https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/world/asia_pacific/keeping-up-with-the-kims-the-salt-lake-blogger-who-watches-north-koreas-elite/2017/12/21/610a1c58-e024-11e7-b2e9-8c636f076c76_story.html

Photo: Google.

Next time on The Allen Report:
Machine Learning on a Quantum Computer.

King Charles II and the Power of Art

Art as a royal PR tool...

Charles II, c. 1676, by John Michael Wright.

On his 30th birthday, May 29th 1660, King Charles II entered London in triumph. His return marked the end of the Commonwealth, a decade-long experiment with republicanism following the civil war and the trial and execution of his father, Charles I, in 1649, Martin Oldham reports on The Economist's 1843magazine.com.

The restoration of the monarchy was met with widespread popular rejoicing, but Charles II knew his place on the throne was far from secure. The powerful men who had put him there could just as readily unseat him, Oldham wrote.

He was keenly aware of the need to project the right image of kingship: one that would reestablish the splendor of the monarchy, without alarming those subjects who feared a return to royal absolutism, Oldham added.

One of the means to achieve this was through art. The current exhibition at The Queen’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace, “Charles II: Art & Power” examines the vital role the arts played in rebuilding the authority and legitimacy of the king. It explores the rebirth of princely grandeur and tradition, art as a token of diplomacy, the reestablishment of the royal art collection and the revival of courtly culture, he wrote.

For more on a wonderful exhibition which runs until May 13, 2018: 

 https://www.1843magazine.com/culture/the-daily/king-charles-ii-and-the-power-of-art

The Sea Triumph of Charles II, c. 1674, by Antonio Verrio.

Photos: 1843magazine.com.

Next time on The Allen Report: 

Keeping up With the Kims: The Utah Blogger Who Watches North Korea.

Musical Moments: Handel -- Hallelujah

Merry Christmas...

The Adoration of the Magi, Fray Juan Bautista Maino, 1612.

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

Today's selection is Handel's classic, Hallelujah:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp_RHnQ-jgU

For more on Maino's masterpiece and other wonderful paintings: https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-adoration-of-the-magi/3f1f4d63-0476-4ac0-904f-776713defe78

Photo: Pinterest:

Next time on The Allen Report: 

King Charles II and the Power of Art.

Smile: Santa's On His Way

Fun...

Last minute shopping.

For fun videos to start your new week:  

-- Alfa Romeo: Stelvio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJRl-V87epg

-- Consumer Cellular: Mastery: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wKxD/consumer-cellular-age-of-mastery

-- GEICO: Lost keys: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wzjj/geico-star-captain-the-lost-keys-featuring-steve-talley

-- GEICO: Lighten up: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wC3s/geico-lighten-up

-- Hershey:  We wish you:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe4IZ7aGikw

Photos: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report: 
Musical Moments: Handel -- Hallelujah.

Musical Moments: Christmas Canon

Wonderful...

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

Here's a video of a wonderful seasonal classic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cP26ndrmtg

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report: 

Santa's On His Way.

Darien Real Estate Activity Slows

Weekly update...

Waiting for Santa.

Darien's residential real estate activity slowed in the week ending today.

Results, according to the Darien MLS, were:

-- No new listings of property for sale;

-- No price changes;

-- Two accepted offers;

-- One property going under contract, and

-- Four closings.

For more:

 Next time on The Allen Report: 

Musical Moments -- Christmas Canon.

What the Tax Bill Means to Homeowners

Direct impact on housing...

The tax bill could affect buyers and sellers.

Many homeowners, buyers and sellers are left wondering how the tax reform legislation will affect them, Kathy Orton reports on washingtonpost.com.

The plan, which is expected to lower income tax bills next year for many households, is the most significant overhaul to the tax code since 1986, Orton wrote.

Several provisions that have a direct impact on the housing market were added, taken away or altered during the legislative process, leaving confusion about what remains in the bill, she added.

Below is a look at what the final version contains and what it means to homeowners, buyers and sellers: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/where-we-live/wp/2017/12/20/how-the-tax-bill-impacts-homeowners-buyers-and-sellers/?utm_term=.432d8866fc39

Photo: Giphy.

Next time on The Allen Report:

The Latest Darien Real Estate Update.

Tips on Tipping During the Holiday Season

Tis the season...

A nice touch.

Who should you tip and how much should you give during the holidays? Those are questions consumers grapple with every year, and there’s no clear-cut answer, Octavio Blanco reports on consumerreports.org.

 But there are guidelines, depending on the kind of worker you’re tipping, Blanco wrote.

When considering how much to give, etiquette and tipping experts say a good place to start is to consider an amount equivalent to the cost of one service. If you feel you’ve received exemplary service throughout the year, you can then add to that base amount, Blanco added.

For a guide on tipping suggestions: https://www.consumerreports.org/gift-giving/tips-on-tipping-this-holiday-season/

Photo: Tumblr.

Next time on The Allen Report: 

What the Tax Bill Means to Homeowners.

IBM Taps Samsung, JPMorgan, Daimler, Honda in Quantum Computing Push

Beyond the capabilities of any conventional supercomputer...

The IBM Q Computation Center, IBM Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, N.Y.

IBM has signed up several prominent banks as well as technology companies to start experimenting with its quantum computers, Jeremy Kahn reports on bloomberg.com.

JPMorgan and Barclays Bank are among 12 organizations IBM selected to get early access to its latest quantum computer technology, which could eventually help solve problems that are beyond the scope of any conventional supercomputer, Kahn wrote.

Others in the group include technology giant Samsung, automakers Daimler and Honda and specialty metals company Hitachi Metals, Kahn added.

For more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-14/ibm-taps-samsung-jpmorgan-daimler-in-quantum-computing-push

Photo: IBM, bloomberg.

Next time on The Allen Report: 
Tips on Tipping During the Holiday Season.

The Sounds of IBM: IBM Q

Colder than outer space...

The IBM Q Lab at the IBM Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, N.Y.

Welcome to the first IBM Q computation center, where the commercial quantum systems used by the Q Network live, IBM reported last week.

IBM Q Network collaborators will work with IBM scientists and engineers to explore potential applications for quantum systems, the company said in releasing a fascinating new video of its advanced quantum research.

The video offers a unique experience -- the sounds of the IBM Q computation center -- at work. 

Temperatures in its new systems are colder than outer space: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-FyH2A7Ed0&feature=youtu.be

Photo: IBM.

Next time on The Allen Report:

IBM Taps Samsung, JPMorgan, Daimler, Honda in Quantum Computing Push.

The World's Most Expensive Home?

At $300M, a mere bauble for a Saudi prince...

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, heir to the Saudi throne.

When the Chateau Louis XIV sold for over $300 million two years ago, Fortune magazine called it “the world’s most expensive home,” and Town & Country swooned over its gold-leafed fountain, marble statues and hedged labyrinth set in a 57-acre landscaped park. But for all the lavish details, one fact was missing: the identity of the buyer, Nicholas Kulish and Michael Forsythe report on nytimes.com.

Now, it turns out that the paper trail leads to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, heir to the Saudi throne and the driving force behind a series of bold policies transforming Saudi Arabia and shaking up the Middle East, they wrote.

The 2015 purchase appears to be one of several extravagant acquisitions — including a $500 million yacht and a $450 million Leonardo da Vinci painting — by a prince who is leading a sweeping crackdown on corruption and self-enrichment by the Saudi elite and preaching fiscal austerity at home, they added.

For more about life in another world:  https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/16/world/middleeast/saudi-prince-chateau.html

Chateau Louis XIV set in a 57-acre landscaped park.

For more on the chateau:

-- Fortune: The World's Home Expensive Home: http://fortune.com/2015/12/15/worlds-most-expensive-home/

-- Town & Country: This French Chateau Is the World's Most Expensive Home: http://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/news/a4579/worlds-most-expensive-home/

Photos: nytimes.com.

Next time on The Allen Report:
The Sounds of IBM: IBM Q.

What You Need to Know About the FCC's Net Neutrality Repeal

Dismantling net neutrality...

Oh, but they did.

The Federal Communications voted Thursday to dismantle its net neutrality regulations, Klint Finley reports on wired.com.

But that won't end the fight over rules that prohibit Internet service providers from creating fast lanes for some content, while blocking or throttling others, Finley wrote.

Most immediately, the activity will move to the courts, where the advocacy group Free Press, and probably others, will challenge the FCC's decision.

For more: https://www.wired.com/story/after-fcc-vote-net-neutrality-fight-moves-to-courts-congress/

New York attorney general announces multi-state lawsuit

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a leading voice in the fight against the FCC’s net neutrality rules repeal, has stepped forward with one of the first legal challenges to the commission’s controversial vote, Taylor Hatmaker reports on techcrunch.com.

Citing his investigation into the FCC’s public comments process preceding the vote, Schneiderman declared his office’s intention to sue to “stop the FCC’s illegal rollback of net neutrality” — a forthcoming legal challenge that’s sure to be in good company. In response to questions from TechCrunch, Schneiderman’s office noted that he will spearhead a multi-state lawsuit and that we can expect it “in the coming days,” Hatmaker wrote.

For more: https://techcrunch.com/2017/12/14/new-york-attorney-general-announces-a-multi-state-lawsuit-challenging-the-net-neutrality-vote/

What the changes mean to you and more

(The FCC's) decision opens the door for very different consumer experiences on the Internet. The rules will go into effect in the coming weeks, Cecilia King reports on nytimes.com.

Here is a guide to what will happen next, King wrote: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/15/technology/net-neutrality-repeal.html

What's next after the FCC's net neutrality ruling

President Donald Trump's FCC has put the kibosh on controversial Obama-era net neutrality regulations, Marguerite Reardon reports on cnet.com.

At its monthly meeting Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission, led by Republican Chairman Ajit Pai, voted to repeal regulation passed in 2015 that prevented broadband companies from blocking or slowing access to websites or services. The rules also prohibited broadband companies from offering paid-priority services that could lead to internet "fast lanes," Reardon wrote.

For more, including an overview of the issue: https://www.cnet.com/news/fcc-net-neutrality-repeal-ajit-pai-what-you-need-to-know/

How some see the future of the Internet as a result of last week's FCC action:

Photos: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report:

The World's Most Expensive Home.

Smile: Here Comes Your New Week

Fun...

For fun videos to start your new week:

-- Evil little girl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNFAsKwCCHw

-- The smart guy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPa_NGIIn0c

-- Do you speak English?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSkgWYXJxJU

-- IBM:  Why do you work?: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wT97/ibm-cloud-why-do-you-work-song-by-giuseppe-verdi

-- Funniest English class ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAPWmZoOUow

Photos: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report: 
What You Need to Know About the FCC's Net Neutrality Repeal.

Musical Moments: Beethoven -- Ode to Joy

Happy birthday...

Beethoven.

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

An old favorite is Beethoven, whose birthday is thought to be today.

Here's his wonderful Ode to Joy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbJcQYVtZMo

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report: 

Smile: Here Comes Your New Week.

Accepted Offers, Closings Top Darien Real Estate Results

Weekly update...

The last of autumn's leaves.

Accepted offers and closings topped Darien residential real estate results in the week ending today.

Results, according to the Darien MLS, were:

-- One listing of property for sale;

-- Three price changes;

-- Five accepted offers;

-- No properties going under contract, and

-- Three closings.

For more:

Next time on The Allen Report:

Musical Moments: Beethoven -- Ode to Joy.

Italian Rules and Mysterious Rituals for Coffee

Unwritten laws...

Perfetto.

Coffee -- it's something many can't start the day without, Sylvia Poggioli reports on npr.org.

In Italy, it is a cultural mainstay, and the country is perhaps the beverage's spiritual home, she wrote.

Here's a chance to brush up on some Italian rules and rituals for coffee for an enjoyable visit to Italy.

For some things to watch out for:  http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/07/14/535638587/italys-coffee-culture-brims-with-rituals-and-mysterious-rules

Photos: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report: 

The Latest Darien Real Estate Update.