Time for an AWT Good News Edition

On 01.12.10, In Aye Wonder Tuesday, By Mike

Every year for the past 25 years, I sustain from drinking during the month of January. It’s not a detox but rather a slowing of momentum from the holiday season. The Christmas parties, dinners and boys’ “board meetings” all invariably have a social element to them that includes drinking wine or the odd shot of holiday tequila. I’m not complaining but to make certain it doesn’t get out of hand, I kibosh the drinks for 30 days. It’s not a big deal, I just like to stay disciplined. But as I opened the newspaper this morning, there was nothing but bad news staring at me. I flipped through page after page of black and white, searching for a good “news” story and… there were none. Gulp. Even Simon Cowell is leaving American Idol, for God’s sake. Time for a drink? Nope. Time for the AWT Good News Edition. Slap on your Ray-Bans and lets roll.

☞I don’t know if you have ever noticed this but a sign o’ the times is always reflected in music. In the 00’s, you never saw a song entitled Celebrate or Sunny or We Built this City (on Rock n’ Roll)!  Instead we listened to Misery, Misery Business and this from Tom Waits, Misery is the River of the World. No more, boys and girls. We need an new soundtrack. And today’s AWT song of the week comes from a 60’s icon, Ringo Starr. Ringo knocks it for six with Everybody Wins off his new album, Y Not. We should be off to a good start here because Everybody Wins is a wonderful song with a topical message. Listen and smile.

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☞I know this doesn’t seem like much but I think it is significant. Ford won the Car and Truck of the year in 2010 for their Fusion and Transit Connect. This is a big boost for the American automobile industry. Ford was the only Detroit automaker spared from bankruptcy and this award and recognition will raise their tide even a little more. If you’re looking for good news, this is a place to start.

☞I think Massachusetts has 3 solid picks (Scott Brown, Martha Coakley and Joseph Kennedy) running for Ted Kennedy’s US Senate seat even though they differ greatly on the issues. I like Scott Brown a lot though I differ with him on the issue of marriage and equality. I like Martha Coakley because of her tenaciousness and finally, I like Joe Kennedy because he makes a lot of sense on the issue of government spending. The point here is the voters have a real and viable choice on who represents them and that is very good news. If you are from Massachusetts, be sure to vote on Jan 19th.

☞If you like to cook as I do, the winter season presents a challenge for fresh ingredients. I found a handy chart for finding peak season ingredients. Have a look at this guide.  For my friends in the UK, Leon Restaurants offers a similar chart that can be downloaded here. You can’t say we’re not a full service blog around here! By the way, Leon Restaurants offers a vision that other restaurant groups should emulate. It’s about sustainability, freshness and good nutrition. I really like what they are doing even though I have never had a bite there. Take a look.

☞Here’s a good news/bad news story. Jay Leno will no longer be on prime time television as of Feb. 12! The bad news is he’s going back to his old slot and ousting Conan O’Brien. Damn. See, you can find good news if you look hard enough.

☞The Rolling Stones announced that they were not going to be touring in 2010. Many think this is because the band wants to replace the troubled Ronnie Wood who is struggling with alcoholism. I think their decision not to tour is good news because it proves once and for all that a rolling stone can gather moss.

☞Today’s AWT quote is all about news and succinctly explains the world we live in.

For most folks, no news is good news; for the press, good news is not news.
~Gloria Borger

This explains why it’s so difficult to find something good to hang your hat on.  Call your friends and family. Make plans. Celebrate. Sing. Dance. Laugh and love. Make your own good news!

Aye Wonder. Aye Wonder.

And I’m sure you do too.


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A New Decade AWT – I Feel Better Already

On 01.05.10, In Aye Wonder Tuesday, By Mike

Happy New Decade to you. We wished for the end of the (n)aughts and we got it. Lets be sure we take control of the 10s and make it count. I will say that the prior decade has left me with plenty to mull over and when better than Aye Wonder Tuesday to discuss it with you.  Ready? This decade’s first AWT begins now.

☞Dick Cheney makes my blood boil. He had his go during W’s two terms, can’t he just shut (tf) up now? Is his discourse even relevant? Makes you wonder if you can make an exception to the 1st amendment.

☞How about something from the 00’s that was good? Richard Swift released one of my favorite albums of 2009 called The Atlantic Ocean. It’s an indie pop sparkler that hints of the Beatles and Beatles-wannabe Harry Nilsson. Here’s the title track for your enjoyment.

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☞Christine and I sat together and watched 3 episodes of Jersey Shore back to back to back. We wanted to see what the hoopla was about. A couple of observations: if they picked the cast to invoke a reaction…then they succeeded. The self-proclaimed Guidos and Guidettes are a vile stereotype of Italian-Americans. I can’t think of basis upon which MTV could justify this show. Imagine a show that picked another ethnic group instead. That’s one. Two – it’s so bad, you can’t help but watch it. There’s an old expression about car racing on TV – you only watch to see the cars crash. It may be a little like that but nevertheless it is impossible to overlook the stereotypes despite the charm of The Situation, Snooki, Sweetheart, JWoww et all. Not.

☞I just want you to know, I still have plenty of positive energy coursing through my veins. For example, I am absolutely convinced that Apple’s new tablet computer/viewer will save the magazine industry, breathe life into broadcast television and put a dent in Amazon’s Kindle market share. The Wall Street Journal reported today that the product will ship in March. If you are an iPhone user, it will be an easy jump to Apple’s next technological pièce de résistance. Gizmodo has, what they are calling, ‘the exhaustive guide to the Apple Tablet rumors.” You techies can read more right here.

☞Ever notice that when people talk about change, they are for it but not necessarily in their neighborhood? Need lights on your high school football field, neighbors will always speak up against it. New prisons? Great idea but not in my neighborhood. Alternative energy solutions are just what we need in this country but no one wants them in their backyard. One of these brilliant ideas will soon come to conclusion after 9 years of bickering. US interior secretary, Ken Salazar is bringing the contentious parties to the table to end the long battle to erect a wind farm 10 miles off the coast of Cape Cod in the Nantucket Sound. The urgency of the Obama administration’s interest in the project came when the National Park Services agreed with two Native American Tribes that the Nantucket Sound should be on the National Register of Historic Places. This ruling exemplifies what I have been talking about here for years. There is a death of common sense in this country where we let the little things get in the way of the big picture. Obama’s immediate interest in this project is a very, very good sign.

☞Here’s another song from 2009 that I love. The poorly named yet Google proofed, The xx, released a wonderful self titled debut album that included the the restrained yet intense, spacey yet intimate and sexy Crystalised. A debut album like this comes around rarely. Have a go with Crystalised.

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☞By the way, regarding the aforementioned common sense, please do not take this as an endorsement of Glenn Beck’s book entitled Common Sense purportedly inspired by Thomas Paine’s book of the same name. I have read both – though it “Pained” me to spend a nickel on Beck’s drivel. Thomas Paine’s book/pamphlet was the biggest seller of its time where he implores the citizenry of the importance to declare their independence from British rule (you can read it free here). Beck’s book, on the other hand, is a ranting narrative just like his tv show. Don’t expect common sense, expect a book that riles up both sides without bringing them together on a common theme. Common sense, my arse. Glenn Beck, go away.

☞If you love photography, particularly animal and nature photography, visit this site. The photos are astounding. Here’s a sample.

Photobucket

☞I could go on, as you know, but I think that’s enough for the first AWT of the year. Make it a resolution to comment here more so we can ratchet up the dialogue. For this new decade and for today’s AWT quote, you need to remember these 10 two letter words:

If it is to be, it is up to me.

And there is the first AWT done and dusted. Hope you enjoyed it.

Aye Wonder.

It’s time we all did.

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AWT is on the Record

On 12.29.09, In Aye Wonder Tuesday, By Mike

Happy New Year one and all. ‘Tis the last Tuesday of 2009 and for the first time ever, AWT is publishing our fearlessly feckless 20 predictions for 2010. It’s quite scary committing your thoughts to public record but if you have something to say, you may as well say it. The scope of these forecasts will be both personal and global, micro and macro. Some will be tongue-in-cheek, others are not. (I will decide at year end which is which!) If you’d like, we can reconvene at year end 2010 with the scorecard and put me to task. You ready? Lets get going.

  • 2010 will be better than 2009 but only at the margin. We are nowhere close to being done with the jobs recession. Want a better economy? Raise confidence. It is a simple equation but a complicated task.
  • Learning about the sex life of our politicians, celebrities and sports figures will explode into a major industry. Why? “Enquiring” minds want to know and…it sells.
  • Guantanamo Bay will not close in 2010 especially if we are led to believe that prisoners released from there were involved with the terrorist plot on NWA Flight 253.
  • Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Nancy Bachman, Joe Lieberman, Deval Patrick and Sarah Palin will continue to suck. A further prediction, this is the year that Sarah Palin’s tank runs dry and everyone begins to see her for the fraud that she is.
  • There will be further schisms between the North and the South, the red and the blue. If we are not careful, we could see the end of another “empire” in future years.
  • 2010 will take us another step closer to a cure for cancer and the Kanzius Machine will play a part in its cure.
  • Magazines will rise again (428 closings in 2009!) and on-demand television will flourish. Apple’s new tablet computer will drive this but it will mostly be because people will continue to want home entertainment as a way to save money.
  • MTV will come to its senses and cancel Jersey Shore. Oh wait, MTV comes to its senses?? I may have to rethink this one.
  • The stock market will lose value in 2010 but companies who grow their market share in a bad economy will flourish.
  • We will not hear from Octomom, Balloon Boy and Levi Johnson ever again. I wish that the same fate could be conferred on Glenn Beck, Charlie Sheen and Bernie Madoff.
  • Personally, I will end this retirement experiment and find gainful employment looking around corners which I do better than most, this prediction stuff notwithstanding.
  • Iron Man 2 will be as bad as Oceans 12. Maybe worse.
  • Joseph Gordon-Levitt will become a household name.
  • President Obama will enjoy a surge in popularity that his administration will squander.
  • The New Orleans Saints will win the Super Bowl. They deserve it. They have played impeccably on both sides of the ball and the city sure could use the boost.
  • Tiger Woods will play in the 2010 Masters. It’s what he lives for (well, that…and you know). AND he will not get divorced.
  • Interest in Twitter will fade like a Tim Wakefield knuckle ball. It’s a one dimensional technology that is crying the emperor has no clothes. Don’t waste anymore of your time with it.
  • The album will die – even online. Artists will release songs more often and on the internet. Free music will be the order of the day since there is no money to be made on music sales to the consumer. It will take awhile but you will see it begin to happen in 2010.
  • I am taking Spain in the 2010 World Cup. They play with precision, heart and discipline. If the Italian squad learned discipline, they would be my pick. But alas
  • Eliot Spitzer will rise again. He may have messed up but he’s done a lot of things right since then and you just can’t hold down someone who is as intelligent and ambitious as him.  The same fate does not await Mark Sanford.

And there you have it…20 fearless predictions/forecasts for your final AWT of 2009. Thank you for visiting and offering your opinions. It’s best when there is a dialogue. I wish you great things in 2010, good health and good cheer, prosperity and hope. It is a new decade that we get to write the blueprint for. Lets make it amazing! All the best.

Aye Wonder.

And so should you!

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The Decade in Review – The AWT version

On 12.22.09, In Aye Wonder Tuesday, By Mike

I never like wishing time away. I think I have mentioned this on numerous occasions here. However, this decade may be an exception. As a result, I thought I would spend this Tuesday’s AWT reviewing the decade from a DiCarlo family perspective.

One of my life policies is to get the bad news out of the way early. As a result, I thought I would disclose here that I am Tiger Wood’s nookie bookie. Tiger has come to me on numerous occasions (more than the currently disclosed fourteen) and asked me to secure willing women for him. The cue that sprung me into action was Tiger singing “I’m dreaming of a White Mistress.” While at the outset I took to my new job with zest, I quickly realized its baseness. As a result, the selection process suffered and my choices for Tiger most often came from the dregs of the gene pool. I offer my deepest and most sincere apologies for anyone I may have hurt along the way.

Since I am sharing bad news, there’s this. It was recently disclosed that Christine was notified that, despite her performance early in the decade, she will not be immortalized in the Shopping Hall of Fame (SHOF). Apparently, but unbeknown to me, Christine has not been putting up SHOF type of numbers over the past three years. She is taking this notification very personally and recently dented an old purse when she threw herself in front of a parked car.  I know you will continue to lovingly support Christine, as I do, while she goes through this most difficult and challenging time.

Another member of our family – Grover, our beloved Brussels Griffon Terrorist, has been with us for the last half of the decade and has yet to really experience the high life. As a result, all he does is sleep, eat and lick himself. We are extremely concerned that this type of behavior may be habit forming and have scheduled a preliminary appointment with noted dog psychiatrist, Doctor Iwanna Bleedu-Dry. After consulting with Dr. Bleedu-Dry, we decided that the 100 session pricing on a per session basis was most economical. We’re hoping that soon Grover will be able to read and write. Wish us luck!

In 2oo7, we were hopeful that our Scotland project would bear fruit. It was such an amazing and unique project that even an idiot could make it a success. It turns out that we over estimated idiocy and the project failed famously. There was one benefit to failure, our reality TV series, Watching Wasserman Wallow, has been picked up by NBC to replace the Jay Leno Show. The pilot was an amazing success. We’re positively pleased as punch.

If everything goes as planned, Christine and I (and the sleeping, eating & licking, Grover) will finally relocate to our new mud hut in Jalalabad, Afghanistan on the Pakistan border. We have been talking about this move for the past 3 years and after considering, Flint MI, Bridgeport CT, Biloxi MS, Camden ME and Gary IN, we finally settled on Jalalabad because the name is so fun to say. (Djibouti came in a close second and Spitsbergen a distant third) The clincher for us was when we heard that Jalalabad has an active comedy scene. We will keep you apprised as we near the move date.

Early in 2000, I predicted correctly that the stock market would regularly go up and down. This incredible bit of prognostication has led me to consider some other new directions in life as I return from retirement and begin the job search.  Offers to predict the weather are pouring in. Yesterday, Farmers Almanac came calling. With our impending move, I may have to tell them that it would be a temporary position.

As 2010 beckons, Christine and I know that we can count on your continued support and love as we await the results of Grover’s testing, our impending move and the success of our reality tv show.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

Dourly,

The DiCarlos

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An Old Year’s AWT. The New Decade on its Way.

On 12.15.09, In Aye Wonder Tuesday, By Mike

wonder1Another Tuesday, another installment of Aye Wonder Tuesday. Can you take it? We’re running out of Tuesdays in 2009 but there is no shortage of news to talk about. The health care reform bill is making me ill as is Joe Lieberman. I am still confused by the entire climate change issue. The Tiger Woods saga is becoming folkloric. When will this decade end? It’s the decade of bad decisions. That’s what I am calling it, it’s not catchy but it does sum up everything.

Joe Lieberman you’re up first.

☞Joe Lieberman has leaped from #3 to #2 on my 5 least favorite public officials list. (Nancy Pelosi is and always will be #1) Lieberman has once again held the Democrats hostage over a bill that he alone had the ability to stop. The short version of Lieberman’s discretion is this: he wants to remove the Medicare buy-in option for people aged 55-64 that was attached to the new health care bill. I am not saying it was a good idea or a bad one but Lieberman came out in favor of this 3 months ago. It is symptomatic of why things never get done in Washington. Blame the President but the real blame belongs in Congress. By the time a concept goes through the legislative process, it is tagged with more earmarks and appropriations rendering the bill infective at birth. Lieberman recognizes that his vote is vote 60 and as a result can get what ever he wants and played his trump card at the appropriate time. How much longer will the people of Connecticut continue to reelect  this democrat/republican/independent pretender?

☞Music, we need music. Since we are at the end of the year, let me introduce you to my favorite song of 2009. Phoenix’ 1901 is what a rock song with a pop overcoat is all about these days, a little synth, a little jangle guitar and a hook that keeps on giving. It is bright and shiny and it’s from France. Have a listen to AWT’s song of the year.

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☞Speaking of music, are you enjoying the upbeat song a day posting? They are moral boosters. Be sure to listen.

☞As mistress #14 steps out of the shadows, Tiger Woods has a new problem. His Canadian doctor is now under FBI investigation for providing athletes with performance-enhancing drugs/treatments. According to the New York Times, the doctor made four visits to Woods’ Florida home after Tiger’s knee surgery. Guaranteed the punters are putting 2+2 together to equal 5.

☞More and more people are questioning the climate crisis issue’s validity after thousands of emails were found showing that scientists were fudging data to convince the public and the media. The claim now is that we should just “trust them” because the scientists perpetrated this hoax to get everyone motivated for the inevitable. Admittedly, I don’t know what to think. Will we stop recycling? No. Will we continue to be more observant about waste and our impact in a macro world? Yes. Will ever believe Al Gore again? I never said I did in the first place.

☞This is an age old complaint but there is NOTHING good to watch on television. Now that Californication, Mad Men, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Entourage have completed their season’s runs, there is nothing to watch. Do you have anything that you would recommend these days?

☞If you live in Boston, there’s a new restaurant you will want to try. Ken Oringer’s newest offering is a wonderful Italian enoteca on Shawmut Avenue in the South End called Coppa. Personally, I love eating like this, a little salumi, some antipasti, a little pasta, a little red wine. It reminds me of another favorite place, Mario Battali’s Lupa in NYC. Coppa is a charming hole-in-the-wall with amazing eats and the height of creativity on the drinks side. Take a look. Get ye to Coppa.

☞Speaking of food, one of the things that I have been doing much more often is cooking. I love to cook and bake. (Who’d a thunk it?) One of the things that got me cooking again is the “light bulb is on” recognition that cooking has a huge knowledge base. I always enjoy a task when I can study, then practice and the final scorecard is the end result. The end results have varied from great to not-so-great but fixing the not-so-greats is the best thing about cooking. We should be so lucky with other things.

☞The AWT quote of the week is from the elder statesman of good advice:

Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.
~Benjamin Franklin

So goes another AWT. I hope that this one finds you in good spirit and good health as the holiday season envelops us all.

Aye Wonder. Yes. I do.

What about you?

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AWT Looks at Justice, Tiger and the Spiral Starecase

On 12.08.09, In Aye Wonder Tuesday, By Mike

Tiger, Tiger, Tiger. Before our very eyes he is morphing into OJ Woods. OK. He didn’t kill anyone but he has gone from saint to sinner in the public eye in 10 days. What do we think of all of this? Amanda Knox, guilty in Italy or scapegoat? It must be AWT because we have lots to cover and we should get right to it immediately.

☞I made the executive decision that today’s soundtrack would be uplifting. The AWT song of the week is one you’ve heard, one you’ve sung to and one you need to hear again today. The Spiral Starecase were one hit wonders but if you are going to leave a legacy, this is how you want to go out. For your enjoyment pleasure (and mine), More Today than Yesterday.

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☞Ok. Lets go to Perugia, Italy. I have to admit the Italians have an odd system of justice. Amanda Knox’ jury consisted of 6 jurors that were not pre-screened for biases and two judges, the sitting judge and an auditor. If the 8 votes are cast with the result ending in a tie, the sitting judge casts another vote, his/her second vote, to break the tie. In other words, someone can be convicted of murder on a 5-4 vote. In Amanda Knox’ case, she was convicted unanimously. I dare say that there is little chance that she would be convicted in the US. Obviously, I can’t say whether she committed this crime or not but think about this for one second; how is it possible that the only DNA in the room was from the murdered roommate, Meredith Kercher and the person already convicted, Rudy Guede? Did they think that Knox returned to the room and cleaned the crime scene? It all doesn’t make sense and one has to wonder if there was something else afoot here.  In the meantime, I am banning Perugia chocolate from our house. Italian wine is still welcome.

☞Tiger, Tiger, Tiger. If you are keeping a scorecard, there are now 10 women who have come forward. Yes, 10. An eleventh, who has yet to identify herself, has reportedly delivered naked photos of Tiger to Playgirl. I think you can only say one thing here. WTF??? Was Tiger not watching the Late Show with David Letterman when Letterman came clean? This has escalated to the point where the most revered sports figure in the world is quickly becoming OJ Woods. Like it or not, it is a fact that there is a type of woman who throws themselves at men with some combination of power, fame and money. Marital status is not a factor. Tiger’s perfect tri-fecta meant he was particularly going to see more than his “fair share” if he made himself available, which he clearly did. I cannot think of a bigger celebrity meltdown than this. Perhaps it’s because Tiger is plummeting from such great heights but it’s amazing to me that he hasn’t done a thing about it. What gives here? You guys have any thoughts?

☞This blog will never become celebrity centric but I have to call attention to this. 50 Cent, the in-da Club rapper wants to record with Susan Boyle, the doughty winner of the UK has Talent television show. Dusty moneyed East Lothian meets the rough Jamaica neighborhood of Queens. Music along with politics makes for some strange bedfellows.

☞Do today’s bombings in Baghdad prove that we will never bring stability to regions outside our control? Should we learn this lesson before we double commit to Afghanistan? Should we be placing more emphasis on securing our country internally and at our own borders? I wonder. I do. Seems to me, it would cost a lot less money, money that we don’t have these days. But what do I know.

☞2/10ths of 1 percent doesn’t seem like a big number but it got big attention on Friday of last week. The unemployment rate dropped from 10.2% to 10% for the November reporting period. That’s the first decline in unemployment in 2 years and if you’re looking to hang your hat on some potentially good news, this is it. Confidence is the key to the economic recovery and jobs fuel confidence. If this continues, it could, I repeat–could, be a game changer. Cross your appendages.

☞A couple of weeks ago I promised to post a blueprint for bands trying to make it the cruel, cruel music industry. I haven’t forgotten. I am just trying to generalize the plan (rather than show you Endway’s specific plan) before posting it. But I will post it. Thanks to those of you who expressed your interest.

☞Tom Brady doesn’t look the same to me. I will grant you that the New England Patriots are light on the skill positions of running back and wide receivers but to this untrained eye, Brady seems to be over throwing to all of his targets. One thing is clear to me, ever since my brother Phil changed his allegiance from the Jets to the Patriots, the New England squad has not been the same. Is there anything we can do here?

☞Finally, today’s AWT quote of the week:

Justice denied anywhere diminishes justice everywhere.
~Martin Luther King Jr.

And that, ladies and germs, is another Aye Wonder Tuesday for your consideration and amusement. I find myself only able to crank this out once a week at the moment but I swear I’ll try to be better. Honest.

Aye Wonder who, what, where, when and why.
Do you?


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AWT’s Good Riddance to the Decade from Hell

On 12.01.09, In Aye Wonder Tuesday, By Mike

wonder1I have never been one to wish time away. Not ever. And though I am happy to see this decade disappear, you can count on me enjoying the last 31 days. But lets face it, this has been one of the worst periods in modern history. We have had two significant market crashes, one in 2000-01 and the other in 2008, the tragic attacks of Sept 11, an event that has changed virtually everything we do, Katrine, the Tsunami, Madoff, the contested 2000 Presidential election, the jobs recession, foreclosures, Iraq, Afghanistan, H1N1…should I go on? It’s been miserable any way you look at it.  So goodbye Oughts, we’re happy to see you go but undoubtedly you will leave with a roar that will be felt for years to come.

☞I have been following the Amanda Knox trial in Perugia, Italy for some many months. If you’re unfamiliar with the case, it’s about a Seattle co-ed who while studying abroad in Italy is accused, along with her Italian boyfriend, of killing her roommate in a bizarre sex game request that went pear-shaped. There are two others who have been accused, one now convicted for his part in the crime. If you look at Knox and her former boyfriend, they look like they stepped out of a J. Crew catalog. It’s hard to imagine that they would commit the crime for which they are accused. The prosecution has now rested. Their closing arguments consisted of a character assailment of Amanda Knox with no mention of the evidence. The defense will present their closing arguments shortly with a verdict due on Friday. No one wins in this case. The fallout has been all encompassing to anyone who touches this case. If you’re interested in reading more, I suggest these two articles which you can read here and here. I think Knox goes free this week. Her parents think so too. Knox’ airplane ticket to Seattle says so.

☞I heard a song, an old song, yesterday that blew me away. In 1969, the Stones released Get Yer Ya Ya’s Out! a live concert album recorded at Madison Square Garden. Since this is the 40th anniversary of that show, a new release has been born of that entire concert. I’ve always loved this album and thought it was one of the best live albums I’d ever heard but I’d never heard the opening performances by Ike and Tina Turner and BB King. Until now. This week’s AWT song is Tina Turner belting out the old Otis Redding/Jerry Butler shouter I’ve Been Loving You Too Long. It is an impassioned version that will make your toes curl. Check it out.

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☞I love this. The truth hurts.bloggers

☞Everyone is putting out end of the decade lists these days and I am not going to be any different. Staying true to my lists of 5, I present my favorite movies and albums from the worst decade ever.

MOVIES

  1. Crouching Tiger/Hidden Dragon
  2. The Lord of the Rings trilogy
  3. Slumdog Millionaire
  4. Ray
  5. The Departed

ALBUMS

  1. Blue Guitars (11 album set) – Chris Rea
  2. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot – Wilco
  3. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb – U2
  4. Speakerboxxx, The Love Below – OutKast
  5. Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand

The Chris Rea box set is a masterstroke, 11 albums and 137 songs. The songs represent Rea’s interpretation of blues around the world and were written when Rea was at death’s door after his 7th operation in 2000 leaving him without a gall bladder, pancreas and duodenum. Blue Guitars is an under known, under owned gem. Get it.

☞Yesterday, Politico published a great article entitled 7 stories that Obama doesn’t want told. You can read it here. I want to weigh in on the President’s job performance for his first year in office- kind of. I think it is premature to judge the job he is doing. His critics are all over him for everything but what do they really know at this point. Yesterday, Dick Cheney said that the President was projecting weakness on Afghanistan. As opposed to what? The frivolous manner that he and George Bush sent our young men and women to war in Iraq after a mysterious bogeyman? I would rather have a President who takes his time to weigh the options and make informed decisions. When President Obama took office, we were clearly in a domestic and international mess. In order to fix things, you have to start from the ground up. That’s what he is doing. Whether this turns out to be a sturdy, well constructed house, time will tell. But there are few people who can look at things that are under construction and see what the finished product looks like. I say give the man time.

☞We are just about to enter 2010 and this is a current news story: A bill currently before the Ugandan parliament (pdf) proposes seven year prison sentences for discussing homosexuality; life imprisonment for homosexual acts; and death for a second offence. Amazing. Sickening.

☞Say it ain’t so, Tiger. Please refer to David Letterman.

☞Time time time. It’s all we have and all we don’t. This week’s AWT quote is all about time.

Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.
~Writer, Henry Van Dyke

That’s it for today. Another AWT in the bank. There are 4 more coming before the end of this crazy, awful decade. Good riddance, I say. But lets have fun till the end.

Aye Wonder.

What about you?

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Belichick is still A-Ok in AWT

On 11.17.09, In Aye Wonder Tuesday, By Mike

wonder1I am really struggling to write on a regular basis. It’s odd because I thought that was going to change since I am no longer involved with Endway. I have far more time in principle but somehow that isn’t the case. For the moment, it seems like I am consigned to one random thoughts dump here on AWT and that’s it. Perhaps it will change soon but I can’t predict it. Rather than write any more about not writing anymore, lets get going here. It’s Tuesday after all.

☞One thing that I think might benefit a lot of musicians is if I publish the strategic plan that I put together for Endway. It is forward thinking, comprehensive and it addresses the new music industry. It is not a blueprint for every band or musician though every band or musician will be able to take something from it to adapt to their own unique circumstances. One thing that I will say is this; forget about selling your music. It’s small potatoes in a big potatoes game. Selling albums at a merch table or on iTunes is missing the entire point of the new music paradigm. Get the music in the hands of the consumer and they will tell you quickly if you’re good enough to make a living making music.  Look for the game plan later this week. AND good luck.

☞I don’t deny that I suffer fools badly. It is one of my worst personality traits. This is why Sarah Palin makes me miserable. Now, I don’t think she is dumb by any stretch of the imagination. But I think she’s missing the point that most people are interested in her because they want to be around to see the fiery crash when it happens. And it will happen. Today, her new book hits the shelves and I believe it will show that the Emperor has no clothes.

☞Today’s song is a favorite of mine from the Proclaimers. You likely know the Proclaimers from their huge hit called I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles). The brother duo Craig and Charlie Reid were once thought of as the Scottish Everly Brothers for their ease with melody and their good-natured songs. Today’s song, a Letter From America, is about those left behind in Scotland and how much they miss their friends who immigrated to America. It’s a forlorn tale of missing a friend or family member. My ex-pat friends must love/hate this song. I love it because it is so emotional.

I’ve looked at the ocean
Tried hard to imagine
The way you felt the day you sailed
From Wester Ross to Nova Scotia
We should have held you
We should have told you
But you know our sense of timing
We always wait too long
When you go will you send back
A letter from America?
Take a look up the railtrack
From Miami to Canada.

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☞How about this breaking news: Tokyo now has more 3-star Michelin restaurants than Paris! Tokyo’s sheer size has something to do with it.  But if you’re comparing apples to apples or in this case, Big Apple, New York has 4 3-star Michelin restaurants to Tokyo’s 11.  Paris has 10, by the way. Ladies and Gentlemen, the new gastronomic  capital of the world, Tokyo.

☞For those of you who look at the stock market hitting new 2009 highs and think how is this possible? Here’s my opinion. Two things are at work here but one overrides everything. First of all, interest rates are at historic lows. That makes everything else better from an investment perspective. Secondly, the uncertainty is gone. Yes, our economy is still in the dumps but now we know why and as a result, we can deal with it. You may have heard this old saw before but it really is true; Wall Street knows how to deal with bad and good news. If there is uncertainty, look out below. Simple but true.

☞I feel like I have to say something about Bill Belichick’s seemingly knucklehead-ed decision to go for a first down on fourth and 2 from his 28 while leading by 6 points with 2:08 to play against the Indianapolis Colts. Instinctively, everyone is asking why would you do it? BUT if you look at the empirical evidence, it’s not so clear cut. This is from a website called advancednflstats.com and it’s difficult to argue with their logic.

New England coach Bill Belichick is taking a lot of heat for his decision to attempt a 4th down conversion late in the game against the Colts. Indianapolis came back to win in dramatic fashion. Was the decision a good one?
With 2:00 left and the Colts with only one timeout, a successful conversion wins the game for all practical purposes. A 4th and 2 conversion would be successful 60% of the time. Historically, in a situation with 2:00 left and needing a TD to either win or tie, teams get the TD 53% of the time from that field position. The total WP for the 4th down conversion attempt would therefore be:
(0.60 * 1) + (0.40 * (1-0.53)) = 0.79 WP
A punt from the 28 typically nets 38 yards, starting the Colts at their own 34. Teams historically get the TD 30% of the time in that situation. So the punt gives the Pats about a 0.70 WP.

Statistically, the better decision would be to go for it, and by a good amount. However, these numbers are baselines for the league as a whole. You’d have to expect the Colts had a better than a 30% chance of scoring from their 34, and an accordingly higher chance to score from the Pats’ 28. But any adjustment in their likelihood of scoring from either field position increases the advantage of going for it. You can play with the numbers any way you like, but it’s pretty hard to come up with a realistic combination of numbers that make punting the better option. At best, you could make it a wash.

I think we have to let this one go in the Coach’s favor though every bone in my body still hurts from the result of his decision. At least, the decision itself wasn’t as flawed as all of us would like to think.

☞Just an aside, it seems to me that every where I look on TV, there is a British actor. Hugh Laurie, the irascible Doctor House, may have created this mini-British Invasion but he’s hardly alone. Tim Roth plays Cal Lightman on Lie to me, Joseph Fiennes is an FBI officer on FlashForward, Jared Harris is in Mad Men and the beat goes on. Some are playing Brits but others like Laurie, have our accents down cold. Apparently the word is that it is mostly driven by economics. British actors and actresses are cheaper than their American counterparts. And some say they are easier to work with and can act their way around the competition!

By the way, if you’re unfamiliar with Laurie before he came to the US, watch this brilliant comedic piece from the BBC show Fry & Laurie.

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☞Lastly, today’s AWT quote of the week is our version of The Secret. If success is what you crave, put this one on your fridge.

If you are failing to plan, you are planning to fail.
~Many

And that is AWT for today.

I sit here and aye wonder.
What about you?

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AWT – The Has Steven Tyler Lost His Mind (again) Edition

On 11.10.09, In Aye Wonder Tuesday, By Mike

wonder1After writing on a fairly regular basis, missing a couple of days makes it feel today like it’s been months since I last wrote. I wanted to write but I had nothing to say. Since returning from Scotland, I had my head down trying to get caught up on my different projects. Now that all the balls are back in the air, we have a few things to talk about. Lets get started then, shall we?

☞What better way to start than to present for your consideration this week’s song. The name of the band is Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros and the song, 40 Day Dream. Edward Sharpe is the alter ego of Alex Ebert. The 11 piece band has a cultist feel to them with Ebert, not only their founder but their messiah as well. They are odd in a Polyphonic Spree kind of way but without the robes. But you can’t quibble with the music. Sonically, the music has soul and yet an indie feel to it also. I get the impression of Sly and the Family Stone meets the Beatles. I know odd but so are they. Have a listen, won’t you?

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☞Speaking of music, lets talk about the 10 ton elephant in the room; what the hell is Steven Tyler thinking? I want to start this conversation off by saying that there are three and only three great front men in the music industry today, Mick Jagger, Peter Wolf and Steven Tyler. We can argue this another time but Bono is terrific as is Billie Joe Armstrong but hey don’t compare to the aforementioned. Publicly, it all began after Tyler broke his shoulder falling from the stage at a Sturgis, SD concert. Then it came to light that his heavy partying may have contributed to his fall. Now, months later, Tyler reportedly has walked as the frontman of Aerosmith. Question: who was the last front man to leave his band and go on to the same level of success as his band? Daltry? Plant? Hagar? Wolf? It happens rarely. Sting and Phil Collins have enjoyed successful careers post band but neither left at age 60 as Tyler is doing. Drugs and alcohol aren’t known for facilitating clear thinking and seem to be the impetus for this impetuous move. What say you?

☞A week ago today, Tom Menino handily won reelection to his fifth term as Boston Mayor. I grew up with the Mayor. I was 15 when I worked on my first political campaign with him. Back then as now, he was a hard working and honest guy who loves the city. He pays attention to the details and if he ran for another unprecedented term in four years, I would vote for him again. You can make fun of the way he speaks but not of what he says. If Quincy Market was Kevin White’s legacy, then development of the waterfront will be Tom Menino’s. Guaranteed that only one of those projects was/is handled above board and without reproach.

☞This bit of news just sounds crazy. Would you believe that Dunkin’ Donuts lobbies the Federal Reserve? This from the Huffington Post: In a statement to the Huffington Post, Dunkin’ Brands emphasized the fact that its franchises across the country are small businesses, and said its lobbying is on behalf of its franchises and “our nation’s entrepreneurial spirit.” Since when did making donuts become this complicated? Further more, isn’t this precisely what the Fed should be thinking about without Dunkin’ Donuts ringing their bell?

☞One of the things that I noticed when I flew to Scotland 10 days ago is the pricing structure of flights. Moments ago, I received an email from British Airways touting extremely low fares from Boston to London. However, when I went to investigate further, it appears that while the flight price may be inexpensive, the add-on fees more than double the cost of the trip. Look at this math: fare from Boston to London round trip =$346.00 Fees = 387.24 for a total of $733.24.”Taxes, fees, charges and surcharges per person” are the extras and I think it’s time to break down their costs. Part of the cost, the largest part is a fuel surcharge. The fuel surcharge was instituted when jet fuel was at $4.35/gallon. Today it stands at $2.01/gallon. Have we seen any relief on the fuel surcharge? Don’t be silly. It’s no wonder that these flights are half full.

☞This is on the front page of AyeWonder.com but if you haven’t seen it, I wanted to repeat it here. What a very funny parody!

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☞I know I must be missing something but why is Sarah Palin relevant? Come on. Someone tell me.

☞I redesigned the Monarchs House website when I got back from Scotland because I felt like the old site was just that…old. Have a look and let me know what you think. You can get there by clicking here.

☞And lets end with this week’s AWT quote of the week. Steven Tyler take note.

First the man takes a drink; then the drink takes a drink; then the drink takes the man.
~ Old Japanese Proverb

That’s it for AWT. Seems like I had a couple of things to write about after all. I wanted to post a video of my wife but she threatened bodily harm plus I always listen to her anyways.  <cough, cough>

Aye Wonder, Aye Wonder.
What about you, my lovelies?

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Aye Wonder Tuesday – The Fudge Doughnut Posting

On 11.03.09, In Aye Wonder Tuesday, By Mike

wonder1You may be wondering; the doughnut posting, has he gone mad? Not at all. You’ll understand shortly as more of my narcissistic ramblings are unveiled here on AYT. Doughnut anyone? Lets get a move on.

☞On Saturday, I walked by Fisher and Donaldson, the bakery that sells the aforementioned doughnuts.  And there they were sitting pretty in the window coaxing me. I could feel their gravitational pull and crossed the street to disengage from their power. I am telling you that these doughnuts are so good that I won’t even have one anymore. Because I can’t. You can’t. No one can have just one. They make Krispy Kreme, at the the peak of their Krispy Kremiest, seem like a Girl Scout Trefoils. My wife, the most health conscious person I know, had a fudge doughnut once and still talks about them. Guaranteed that readers of this blog who have had the doughnuts will experience something similar to the delirium tremens as they read about them. And without further ado, Fisher & Donaldson Fudge Doughnuts.

doughnuts

Fight the Power

And they are warm, straight from the oven. Yep, that’s right. WARM.

☞The Flaming Lips from Oklahoma have been making great music since 1983. Their albums often times seem other worldly and never can be “got” on the first listen. But if you are willing to invest with them, the Flaming Lips always payoff big. Their new album, Embryonic, is my favorite of 2009. It’s slightly experimental, it’s slightly psychedelic, it’s always intriguing. Here is the accessible, beautiful, Impulse. Now go have a doughnut.

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☞If world travel is in your future, British Airways through London/Heathrow is now a viable option. For years, travel on BA through Heathrow meant a maze of changing terminals by rickshaw, razor skateboards and a variety of other nonsense. Now that they have consolidated in one terminal, Terminal Five, travel on BA is now a breeze. Put that in your back pocket for future non-recession use.

☞The EU is slowly turning into the US. Tony Blair, once considered to be a shoo-in for the first EU Presidency, is now facing fading hopes. Predictably, all the other European states are now turning up their own candidates at the same time that they are knocking Mr. Blair. The bickering has taken on a North/South, Democrat/Republican aura about it. Sarkozy, the French president, and Merkel, the German chancellor, have failed to stand behind Blair despite their early indications of support. The way this shakes out will be very important to the US. It should be over by Novemeber end.

☞It’s November 3rd. Baseball is still being played. Anyone besides me think that the season is too long?

☞One of the things that I watch closely is the number of takeovers and mergers on Wall Street. I have always taken the view that a good sign of a bottom is when companies begin buying up other companies. I still haven’t seen much in this area but it may be beginning to percolate. Watch the news for big takeovers. It’s a good sign in this case. It means a return of confidence.

☞How about this rare moment of responsibility: a woman in Wisconsin called 911 to report herself as a drunk driver. “I don’t want to hurt anybody. I’m drunk,” said Mary Strey. The dispatcher told her to pull over, put on her emergency lights and wait for police.  She may have saved a life if not her own.

☞Time for the AYT quote of the week. This is truly one of my favorites. Resolve yourself to be a traveller and not a tourist henceforth. Museums and churches will only get you so far.

The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see.
~G.K. Chesterson

☞This should fall under the heading “Not all kisses are greated equal.” I happened across this photo by happenstance but then found a lot more blog worthy kisses here. Contain yourself.

☞Am I wrong to think that kids under 16 year shouldn’t be on Facebook? I know the social network started for college age kids and has now become a cultual phenomenom but it seems to me that the sites put undo peer pressure on kids. Making things up or outright lieing seems to be facilliatated by Facebook et al. If you want to have kids on there, then parents should police it. Maybe I’m old fashioned but I see it happen right in front of me.

☞A fellow named Bruce Buschel writes a great blog for the New York Times. Last week in one of his postings, he wrote a piece entitled One Hundred Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do (Part 1). I was so pleased to see #41 Saying, “No problem” is a problem. It has a tone of insincerity or sarcasm. “My pleasure” or “You’re welcome” will do. YAY!  And that’s not just for restaurant staffers, it’s for everyone. See items 1-50 here.

And there we have another wacko edition of Aye Wonder Tuesday. You may have forgotten that it was originally called Random Thoughts Tuesday. Anyway, there you have it. I am happy to be back in the USA but sad to have left Scotland.

Aye Wonder what tomorrow brings.
What about you?

18updateMany of you seem fascinated by the Fudge Doughnut. I told you there was gravitational pull. Fisher and Donaldson in St Andrews is responsible for bringing us this amazing epicurean delight. The rest of their offerings can be found here. Who knows, maybe you could convince them to deliver.

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I have written…. 

  • Time for an AWT Good News Edition
  • A New Decade AWT – I Feel Better Already
  • Happy New Year One and All
  • AWT is on the Record
  • The Insanity Continues
  • Two Days Remain
  • Marvellous. Just Marvellous.
  • The Decade in Review – The AWT version
  • I Feel So Good, I’m Gonna Break Somebody’s Heart Tonight
  • Has Anyone Seen the Winter Sun
 

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