Smile: Have a Great New Year

Enjoy...

For fun videos to kick-off your new year:

GEICO: Massage Chairs: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/Iwbv/geico-massage-chairs-reduce-home-buying-stress

GEICO: Soothing Sounds: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/IA0j/geico-soothing-sounds-at-the-office

GEICO: Spicy Wings: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/dSU1/geico-motorcyle-spicy-wings

GEICO: Easiest Workout: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/dayd/geico-the-worlds-easiest-workout

GEICO: Weightlifter: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/dQT8/geico-car-insurance-weightlifter-wins-track-race

Photo: Tumblr.

Next time on The Allen Report:
Darien Reports Mixed 2018 Real Estate Results.

Musical Moments: Something

An old favorite...

Along Abbey Road.

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

Today's selection is an old favorite -- Something: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_TgjM_ccno

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report: 

Smile: Have a Great New Year.

How the GRU Became Russia's Muscle in Duels With the West

Putin's "bad-assed guys"...

An emblem for Russia's GRU intelligence agency.

Nina Loguntsova arrives at school early to stand at soldier-like attention, and leaves late after extra classes that have included cryptography. Three different military uniforms hang in her closet, Anton Trolanvski and Ellen Nakashima report on washingtonpost. com.

The 17-year old student is part of an expanding military-education program at Moscow's public schools that aims to inculcate respect for security services and boost the math and computer-knowledge of potential recruits, Trolanovski and Nakashima wrote.

One of the program's partners is the Russian military intelligence agency known as the GRU -- whose fingerprints, the West claims, are increasingly found on suspected Kremlin-ordered operations around the world, they added.

For more of a timely and fascinating report: https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/world/europe/how-russias-military-intelligence-agency-became-the-covert-muscle-in-putins-duels-with-the-west/2018/12/27/2736bbe2-fb2d-11e8-8c9a-860ce2a8148f_story.html?noredirect=on

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report:

Preventing Muscle Loss as we Age.

Musical Moments --- Handel: Hallelujah

Extraordinary...

Merry Christmas.

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

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

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report:

How the GRU Became Russia's Muscle in Duels With the West.

Smile: May Your Days be Merry and Bright

Enjoy...

For fun videos to start your new week:

McDonald's UK: Christmas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whYvzjwGTe8

Sainsbury: Christmas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvXBbsRU83Q

Macy's: Space Station: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHF0YP1LKsI

Mercedes:  Christmas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0avISE3IVTI

John Lewis: Boy and Piano: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNbSgMEZ_Tw

Heathrow Airport: Christmas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5TkTj7Lqec

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report:

Musical Moments: Handel --- Hallelujah.

Musical Moments: Vivaldi -- Winter

Wonderful...

Winter beauty.

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

Today's selection is Vivaldi's wonderful Winter:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGdFHJXciAQ

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report:

Preventing Muscle Loss as we Age.

Republicans, Don't Fool Yourselves -- Donald Trump is in Serious Trouble

Campaign-finance laws...

Donald Trump,

In response to the emerging evidence that Donald Trump directed and participated in the commission of federal crimes, all too many Republicans are wrongly comforting themselves with political deflection and strained legal argument, David French reports on nationalreview.com.

The political deflection is clear, though a bit bizarre, French wrote.

The recent wave of news about Trump's porn payoffs is somehow evidence that investigators and critics are "shifting focus" from the Russia investigation to alleged campaign-finance violations, he noted.

For more:  https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/12/republicans-dont-fool-yourselves-donald-trump-is-in-serious-trouble/

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report: 

Musical Moments: Vivaldi -- Winter.

Senate Report: Russians Targeted Robert Mueller

Russian disinformation campaign...

Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Russia's online disinformation campaign targeted special counsel Robert Mueller on multiple social media platforms, posting messages that sought to frame Mueller as corrupt and untrustworthy, according to a new report prepared for the Senate Intelligence Committee, Emily Birnbaum reports on thehill.com.

Researchers with the firm New Knowledge found that the Russian troll farm known as the Internet Research Agency (IRA) posted images and memes seeking to discredit Mueller as one method of sowing discord in the US, Birnbaum wrote.

Across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media platforms, Russians sought to amplify negative messages about Mueller, Birnbaum noted.

For more: https://thehill.com/policy/technology/421799-report-finds-russian-disinformation-campaign-targeted-mueller?amp

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report:

Republicans, Don't Fool Yourselves -- Donald Trump is in Serious Trouble.

Senate Report: Russia Used Social Media to Help Elect Trump

Millions of Russian postings...

A new Senate report finds Russia used virtually all social media to help elect Trump.

A new report prepared for the Senate concludes that Russia used every major social network to support Donald Trump during the 2016 election and continued to support him after he was elected president, Mike Murphy reported on marketwatch.com today.

The Washington Post reported on Sunday that it had obtained a draft copy of the report, which studied millions of social media posts on Facebook, Twitter, Google and other platforms, for the Senate Intelligence Committee, Murphy wrote.

For more: https://www.marketwatch.com/amp/story/guid/7B82686E-0185-11E9-B1F9-997B4EB642DF

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report: 

Senate Report: Russia Targeted Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Smile: Your New Week's Here

Enjoy...

White knuckle time.

For fun videos to start your new week:

Allstate: Mayhem: Snow: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/IVKj/allstate-mayhem-snow

Allstate: 500 Year Storm: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/dzO9/allstate-500-year-storm-featuring-dennis-haysbert

Gold Bond: Microscope: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wRwO/gold-bond-mens-essentials-microscope-ft-shaquille-oneal

Progressive: Future Son: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/dlz9/progressive-future-son

Progressive: Experts: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wFlA/progressive-experts

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

Photo: 

Next time on The Allen Report:
Senate Report: Russia Used Social Media to Help Elect Trump.

Musical Moments: My Sweet Lord

Great...

Altogether now with a Happy Birthday for Paul McCartney.

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

Today's selection is a great song, My Sweet Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRBTlkScyEA

Photos: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report:

Smile: Your New Week's Here.

A Funny Story About the SR-71 Spy Plane

Flying fun...

An SR-71 at the Smithsonian Museum near Washington.

Pilots are a breed apart, and they can be very competitive.

One fall afternoon a Navy pilot hot-dogging across California's Death Valley caught the attention of an Air Force crew streaking over Arizona in their SR-71 Blackbird spy plane.

For the funny story of what happened next: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILop3Kn3JO8

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report: 

Preventing Muscle Loss as we Age.

Hope You Have a Great New Week

Enjoy...

For fun videos to start your new week:

-- USAA: Salute to Service: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/Ah0n/usaa-nfl-salute-to-service-throughout-the-year

-- USAA: Salute to Service II:  https://www.ispot.tv/ad/AFE_/usaa-salute-to-service-since-the-beginning

-- Doritos: Dinkladge and Freeman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey01ZlAoYes

-- Old Spice: Talk to the Land: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/dqlO/old-spice-captain-red-collection-talk-to-the-land

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report: 
A Funny Story About the SR-71 Spy Plane.

Darien Featured in The New York Times

Schools, sports, volunteering...

Darien in late autumn.

It was during the home inspection on their 1920s colonial in Darien, Conn., that Josh Pescho got the sense that he and his wife, Kristy, had chosen not just the right town, but the right neighborhood, Jill Capuzzo reports on nytimes.com.

"School had just let out, and there were kids coming out of every nook and cranny, cutting across our lawn and everyone else's," said Mr. Pescho.  

"There are no fences, and we're right in the middle of it.  It's a shared area, so of course you've got to like that kind of thing."

For more: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/05/realestate/darien-conn-an-old-new-england-town-with-a-busy-social-life.html

Photo: K. Allen

Next time on The Allen Report:
Hope You Have a Great New Week.

Have a Great New Week

Enjoy...

And all fall down!

Start off your new week with some fun videos:

-- GEICO:  Arm wrestling and basketball champion: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/dzsE/geico-arm-wrestling-and-basketball-champion

-- GEICO:  An unexpected lawn mowing win:  https://www.ispot.tv/ad/dzrY/geico-an-unexpected-lawn-mowing-win

-- GEICO: The Gecko sells an apartment: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/dzMT/geico-renters-insurance-the-gecko-sells-an-apartment

-- GEICO: The first heckler:  https://www.ispot.tv/ad/w8oX/geico-the-first-heckler

-- GEICO: Gary plays hooky: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/w2xx/geico-motorcycle-gary-plays-hooky-song-by-canned-heat

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report: 

Darien, CT Featured in The New York Times.

Musical Moments: Shearing -- Autumn in New York

An old favorite...

Autumn in the park.

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

Today's selection is an old favorite -- George Shearing's wonderful Autumn in New York: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqtpSST-AEQ

Photo; Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report: 

Have a Great New Week.

Darien Ends Busy Fall Real Estate Week

Weekly update...

A touch of autumn gold.

Darien ended a busy fall residential real estate week on Friday.

Results, according to the Darien MLS, were:

-- Five new listings of property for sale;

-- 12 price changes;

-- Seven accepted offers;

-- Four properties going under contract, and

-- One closing.

For more:

Next time on The Allen Report:

Musical Moments: My Sweet Lord.

Rowayton Posts Lower YTD Real Estate Results

Update...

A quiet day on Five Mile River between Rowayton and Darien

Rowayton posted lower YTD residential real estate results for 2018 compared with the same period a year ago.

Highlights of the year-to-date and year-over-year comparisons, according to the Darien MLS today, are: 

-- Total active listings: -10
-- Number sold: -38
-- Sold volume: -29
-- Average sale price: +15

For more:

Photo: Google.

Next time on The Allen Report:
Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age.

Darien YTD Real Estate Results Slip

Update...

Ring's End in the fall of 2014.

Darien YTD residential real estate results for 2018 slipped compared with the same period a year ago.

Highlights of the year-to-date and year-over-year comparisons, according to the Darien MLS today, are: 

-- Total active listings: +4
-- Number sold: -20
-- Sold volume: -17
-- Average sale price: +2

For more:

The house shown at the top of this page was demolished in September.

A new, larger house is planned for the site, according to reports.

Photos: K. Allen, Peter Kenna from Facebook.

Next time on The Allen Report:
Rowayton Posts Lower YTD Real Estate Results.

Kick-off Your New Week With a Smile

Fun..

What a team.

For fun videos to start your new week:

-- Doritos: Middle Seat: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/7xYj/doritos-super-bowl-2015-middle-seat

-- Doritos:  Ultrasound: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/AOim/doritos-super-bowl-2016-ultrasound

-- Doritos: Fetch: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/wGs7/doritos-fetch

-- Doritos: When Pigs Fly: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/7x7x/doritos-super-bowl-2015-when-pigs-fly

-- Doritos:  Doritos Dogs: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/AOm4/doritos-2016-crash-the-super-bowl-finalist-doritos-dogs

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report:

Daren YTD Real Estate Results Slip.

Musical Moments: Nelson, Stardust

Beautiful classic...

Willie Nelson.

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

Today's selection is Willie Nelson with Hoagy Carmichael's beautiful classic Stardust: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hf5UvKjCDUU

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report:

Kick-off Your New Week With a Smile.

Darien Real Estate Builds Inventory, Adjusts Pricing

Weekly update...

Star gazing.

Darien residential real estate primarily built inventory and adjusted prices in the week ending today.

Results, according to the Darien MLS, were:

-- 19 new listings of property for sale;

-- 11 price changes;

-- Five accepted offers;

-- No properties going under contract, and

-- Two closings.

For more:

Next time on The Allen Report:

Musical Moments: Nelson, Stardust.

Musical Moments: Vivaldi -- Autumn

Beautiful...

Autumn splendor.

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

Today's selection is Vivaldi's beautiful Autumn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7hGiZ579cs

Photo: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report:

Darien Real Estate Builds Inventory, Adjusts Pricing.

Darien Ends Active Real Estate Week

Weekly update...

Fall solitude.

Darien ended an active residential real estate week today.

Results, according to the Darien MLS, were:

-- 10 new listings of property for sale;
-- 13 price changes;
-- Six accepted offers;
-- Two properties going under contract, and
-- Three closings.

For more:

Next time on The Allen Report:

Musical Moments: Vivaldi, Autumn.

NASA Marks its 60th Anniversary

An incredible six decades...

NASA's Apollo 11 mission enabled Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin
 to become the first men to land on the moon in 1969.

NASA is turning 60, Eric Mack reports on cnet.com.

Over six decades, it's had a remarkable run of rocketeering and exploratory achievements, from the moon landings to the space shuttles, from the surface of Mars to destinations far beyond our solar system, Mark wrote.

For a review of past glories and the future for America's space agency: https://www.cnet.com/news/nasa-60th-anniversary-all-about-the-space-agencys-past-present-and-future/

Earth seen from space.

A simulated NASA rover landing on Mars.

A concept of NASA's Cassini mission to Saturn.

A Hubble space telescope image of the Pillars of Creation.

A Hubble image of a star forming.

Photos: Pinterest.

Next time on The Allen Report:

Darien Ends Active Real Estate Week.