Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti: Smashing Space Records

Back today...

Samantha Cristoforetti on the International Space Station

Three astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS) returned to earth today, bbc.co reports.

Samantha Cristoforetti of Italy, one of the astronauts, even set a some world records.

She spent the longest time in space than any other woman on a single mission, according to the website.

Cristoforetti's flight is also the longest mission taken by any European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut, male or female, which is a record she broke by about a week.

For videos of some of the interesting things Samantha did during her extraordinary time in space: http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/33096620

For more:  Smasher of space records: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/06/11/three-cheers-for-samantha-cristoforetti-smasher-of-space-records/

This is My Whole Heart

Happy camper...

Rafting in Grand Canyon

Rowing a dory in the Grand Canyon is considered by some as the most coveted job in the world, says veteran boatman John Shocklee in a new video.

It can take 20 years of paying your dues to earn a seat, he says.  It's easier to get a PhD than to get a dory here, Shocklee says.

For 27-year-old Amber Shannon, that's the job she wants. This is my whole heart, she says.

Watch how she earns her oars in this inspiring video:  http://venturingangler.com/2015/06/08/video-rowing-the-grand-canyon-in-in-current/

Carl Sagan and the Baloney Detection Kit

Think...

 

Carl Sagan

Carl Sagan was many things -- a cosmic sage, voracious reader, hopeless romantic and a brilliant philosopher, Maria Popova reports on brainpickings.org.

But above all, he endures as our era's greatest patron saint of reason and common sense, she wrote.

In The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark -- the same volume that gave us Sagan's meditation on science and spirituality -- Sagan shares his secret to upholding the rite of reason, even in the face of society's most shameless untruths and outrageous propaganda, Popova writes.

In a chapter titled The Fine Art of Baloney Detection, Sagan reflects on the many types of deception to which we're susceptible.

For more of this intriguing report: http://www.brainpickings.org/2014/01/03/baloney-detection-kit-carl-sagan/

 

With thanks to my old friend Bill Goldberg for letting me know about this terrific report.

$195M Mansion: America's Most Expensive Listing

Mega-home...

 America's most expensive listing

One of the biggest homes in US history is rising on a Los Angeles hilltop, and the developer hopes to sell if for a record $500 million, Ramy Inocencio reports on bloomberg.com.

For a video of the new house and a tour of the Beverly Hills mansion that is the most expensive house on the market in America:   http://bloom.bg/1I8Euyv

Copper Beach Farm in nearby Greenwich, CT, which closed last year, was the most expensive house ever to sell in the US, according to forbes.com.  It sold for $120M, according for forbes.com: http://www.forbes.com/sites/erincarlyle/2014/04/16/copper-beech-farm-for-120-million-is-americas-new-most-expensive-home-sale/  

Copper Beach Farm

For more about the Beverly Hill mansion when it first came on the market last year: http://kenallensforum.blogspot.com/2014/11/195m-asking-price-for-most-expensive-us.html

Fun TV Commercials

Enjoy...

 Oh, no!

 Something different to kick-off the week: A collection of fun commercials:

VW: Don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDkvGoUo46c

GEICO: Scapegoat:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r2r0Cfs8DI

Chevy in-car electronics: Kids focus group:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkUKiE7Bb-o

Doritos: When pigs fly:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D8tOG8GOFs

Allstate: Mayhem: Lost phone:

http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7iac/allstate-mayhem-lost-phone

Allstate: Downspout:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot8OmHTGUbU

Musical Moments: Mendelssohn, Symphony No. 4 Italian

Bellissimo...

Taranto's citta vecchia (old city)

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

Today's selection is Felix Mendelssohn's bellissimo Symphony No. 4 Italian:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HX_jF1_Tgc

Reminds me of my time in Taranto, Italy while in the service.

Night view of part of Taranto's famous swing bridge over the channel connecting its inner and outer harbors and separating the city's old and newer parts

Taranto aerial, showing the old city left, with the channel and swing bridge and the new city on right.  My first apartment was in a building to the right of the bridge, up near to top of the photo.  Our building overlooked the docks where the four ships are tied up.

For more on Taranto, including some very good videos: https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2048262210690389164#editor/target=post;postID=4493151421116288698;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=2;src=link

For background on the Apulia Region, which includes Taranto: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apulia

For a quick video tour of the region: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfJUDFvZpLE

Darien Home Market Adds Listings, Adjusts Prices

Weekly update...

A quiet moment in the garden

Eleven new listings and 15 price changes led Darien residential real estate market activity in the week ending today.

Other results, according to the Darien MLS, were:

-- Seven accepted offers;

-- Three properties going under contract, and

-- Five closings.

For more: