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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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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wonderHow time flies. Five months have past since I last wrote a single word on Aye Wonder. But I have come to the conclusion that writing is good for me because 1. I like writing 2. it’s a great release of frustration 3. it keeps me curious about the outside world. Another big reason I am writing again is that many of you have said that you missed my shoot from the hip musings. You like going to the dentists too, huh? Well, I am grateful for your support. That all said, I’m a little rusty, a little less quick witted and full of tales from the last five months. Bear with me. And without further adieu, today’s Aye Wonder Tuesday.

☞Last year at this time, we were knee deep in McCain/Obama. I wrote regularly back then because there was so much to talk about. Nothing has changed. There is still plenty to talk about. Since Obama became President, we have fractured even further as a nation. Yesterday, I received this photo from an old friend and former boss.

image001

My answer? Ahh. NO. Has President Obama done a good job? No. Not really. Has he done a bad job? I don’t think he has done a bad job either.

Lets give a quick look at some of the eveidence. First of all, we are talking to the rest of the world again. That has to be good. He has more diplomacy in his little finger than George Bush ever exhibited. He’s done a great job instilling family values; not by policy but by example. Personally, I think an overhaul of the health care system is needed in this country and Obama is tackling that issue not with aplomb but he’s getting it done. The economy is a different issue all together.  He has failing marks from me on that issue but I emphasize that the grading period isn’t over.

This period in our history is vastly different than anything we have experienced in our lifetime. There are no quick fixes. We have a serious demographic problem. Baby Boomers, the largest demographic body to ever move through any society in the history of the world, are liquidating. They are getting old and selling everything they bought in the 80’s and 90’s. But here’s the dilemma. Who do they sell to? If you were the largest demographic group in history who will replace you? Who will buy your vacation homes? President Obama can’t do much about that.

☞Enough of that. Did I tell you I was managing a band for the past nine months? Endway is their name and they have made great strides over the past nine months. Breakout is imminent. College students love them. Their third album, Running Man, is an outstanding summer soundtrack but can be listened to anytime especially when you need to feel great. (By the way, you can get the band’s album for free at www.endway.com) Some days are great. I make new contacts, rekindle old ones and generally have fun. But there are other days when I throw my hands up into the air because of the failings of collaboration. All in all, it’s the good, the bad & the ugly. Yesterday = very ugly.

☞If any of you are golfers and love going to Scotland, I posted a PDF on my Golf in Scotland page above. Even if you are not a golfer but enjoy amazing scenery, you might want to take a peak at it. A Boston based developer recently opened a new course in Argyll on the Kintyre Peninsula. It’s called Machrihanish Dunes. And it is truly a gem. I can’t wait to play there.

☞And speaking of Scotland, I have not been in over two years, the longest drought in my life since I was twenty years old. It has been surprising to me that I have missed it every day. I can’t think of another place or thing, for that matter, that I have yearned for. All that yearning is hopefully coming to an end when I make my way back to St Andrews at the end of October. It’s a trip that’s long overdue and eagerly awaited.

☞Have you been reading about the new movie studio moving into Massachusetts in Plymouth? It is a massive undertaking. Two years ago, the state legislature approved a tax rebate to those making movies or tv shows in Massachusetts. Since then, revenue to the state from this industry has sky rocketed. Governor Patrick intends for the entertainment business to be one of the top 5 industries in the state over time. Lets hope that we don’t drive them out as we have in the past to other industries after welcoming them with open arms.  You’ll be reading a lot more about this.

☞Sometime ago, I started reading the Daily Beast. If you want to stay informed on a variety of subjects but don’t have loads of time, this may be for you. The Daily Beast is the quickest read ever. Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200. Go directly to www.dailybeast.com.  You will amaze and amuse your friends and family with your new found knowledge of current affairs and dirt.

☞I never stop listening to music. Music is a great support mechanism. Aye Wonder Tuesday has always been the place that I keep tabs on the music I am listening to at the moment. I am introducing you to two artists, Gin Wigmore and Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers. They couldn’t be more dissimilar. Gin is from New Zealand by way of Australia. She’s 22, has a unique voice and seems to me to be a good natured (and beautiful) Amy WInehouse. Oh My by Gin is your first track. Stephen Kellogg has been around for awhile. He’s 32! Ha. His music has kind of an alt-country sound to it and his song Born in the Spring hit me hard the first time I heard it. Listen up and see if you agree.

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☞And what Aye Wonder Tuesday would be complete without a quote of the week. This is dedicated to all of the know-it-alls of the world. You know who you are.

When you don’t know what you don’t know, you think you know it all.
~My Dad

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is your first installment in what promises to be ( threatens to be? ) the return of Aye Wonder.

Aye still wonder.
And hope you do too.

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wonderIs it Tuesday already? Goodness. If you live in Boston, you no doubt know that the Marathon was in town yesterday. That’s upwards of 26,000 official runners and their friends and families coming into town. That means it’s time to party. I’ve long said that Boston is a drinking city with a sports problem and yesterday proved it once again. The cash registers never stop ringing for bars and restaurants at or near key viewing points of the race. Nothing comes close to Marathon Monday with the possible exception of New Year’s Eve. It makes for a very long Tuesday. Trust me.

While Marathon Monday’s Tuesday hangover prevented me from writing earlier, I am here with the regularly scheduled Aye Wonder posting. Some of my random thoughts may be muddled (like one of the drinks I had yesterday) but I trust you will make sense of them. So here goes.

☞When he pitched in Boston, I loved him but when he left I saw Roger Clemens for what he is. Now, the world will get another look at him through the soon to be published book entitled American Icon: The Fall of Roger Clemens and the Rise of Steroids in America’s Pastime. Sports Illustrated is publishing an excerpt from the book that will undoubtedly raise further talk of Clemens’ lies to a Congressional committee. I wouldn’t want be him.

Can you help me? I can’t inject in my booty.

Those were the fateful words that began the friendship between legendary pitcher Roger Clemens and the trainer who would ultimately betray him, Brian McNamee.

☞I want to say I don’t believe in torture but something inside of me asks this question: If the balance of the country’s stability and safety can be upheld by getting information from one person, would I torture to get that info? I would have a difficult time saying no, I think. I know it is inhumane but a terrorist attack of innocent people is more inhumane. Is this a simple case of two wrongs don’t make a right?

☞Geez Norm. Haven’t you had enough appeals by now? Apparently Norm Coleman doesn’t think so because he is now appealing a lower court ruling from last week that awarded the Minnesota senate seat to Al Franken. Minnesota has been underrepresented now for 4 months because of Coleman. I would be willing to bet that if the election were held again, Coleman would lose in a landslide because all throughout the process, he has put his own interests ahead of the interests of the Minnesotans. People generally don’t like that.

☞I had a great laugh when I read this story. It reminded me of the time that there was a bank robbery in a Massachusetts north shore community and police were waiting for the criminal when he got home to Charlestown. Apparently, the genius thug was wearing his Charlestown High School football jacket when he perpetrated the robbery in full view of the bank’s surveillance cameras.

☞A week ago, I never heard of Shawn Lee. Now, I can’t stop listening to his new album, Shawn Lee Presents Soul in the Hole. It’s amazing to me that Lee recorded this album in this decade. It has such an authentic 70’s soul sound with some electronics thrown in. Have a listen to the same titled opening song and see if you agree. WOW.

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☞If you live in Boston or plan to visit, make certain the new Lansdowne Pub is on your dance card. It is a brand new Irish Pub with a 67 foot long bar. They will be serving traditional food and lots and lots of beers including 2 Guinness taps. The fixtures are stunning and they will have live bands starting this Friday night. Endway does a residency there for 5 weeks. Here’s the poster. (of course, it’s a self-serving post!)

lansdowneendway

☞In my effort to keep it real here, I found this video about waterboarding. The journalist bets he can endure 15 seconds of waterboarding. Its not difficult to watch but it is enlightening.

☞And lastly today’s Aye Wonder quote is from Michael Levin, philosophy professor at City University of New York. He writes in favor of torture here.

There are situations in which torture is not merely permissible but morally mandatory.

Aye wonder about this.

And I am certain you do too.

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wonder1I think about blogging all the time. I think about how much I love doing it, how much I hate it and how much time it requires. The time factor is what always stops me dead in my tracks. It’s not really about how long it takes to write. That part is easy. It’s about how much consideration I pour into writing. It may not get written about but whenever I sit down to think about all the wacko things I think about, I end up spending 2, sometimes 3, hours on a single Aye Wonder post. Wouldn’t you agree that it’s difficult to carve out an extra 2-3 hours out of your day? All that aside, if it appears here, sometimes it becomes a weight that has been lifted, if you will. I think about it less. I feel like – if you are thinking about it now too that somehow it lightens the load for me. I know it’s not true. I was telling a friend of mine that sometimes I think of the strangest things. For example, on a recent trip to St Barth (alternatively spelled St Barths, St Bart or St Barts), I began thinking about why some of the towns named after a saint have a “s” at the end; St Andrews immediately comes to mind. Was the town named after 2 or 3 or more St Andrews? I know that’s not true, so why the multiple insinuating “s?” Was it possessive and over time the apostrophe was dropped? Try googling that one puzzle-master. I don’t know what to say. My mind is constantly in motion and I suppose…it beats the alternative. Over the past several months while I wasn’t writing, I have been thinking and thinking and thinking. Sometimes I ponder about the most mundane of issues and other times, most other times, about the issues that plague us as a nation and as a world. Lucky you. I am sharing today.

☞Since President Obama was elected, I thought his demeanor and thoughtfulness would win over some of his detractors. So far? I couldn’t be more wrong. Yesterday, the Pew Research Center produced a study that shows that the partisan gap in approval ratings is the highest in 4 decades. In other words, 88% of Democrats think that the President is doing a bang up job while only 27% of Republicans think the same. How is it possible that we can all look at the same body of work and come up with such disparate opinions? I know the argument; Democrats think that government is the solution and Republicans think that government is the problem. Is it possible that we are all mired in thinking that is conventional and not reflective of the times? Just wondering.

chart

☞Bernie Madoff is really the scum of the earth.

☞In 1976, George Harrison lost a lawsuit that claimed Harrison’s My Sweet Lord was plagiarized from the Chiffon’s He’s so Fine. Since then, there have been many claims of copying songs but the most recent instance will definitely draw a lot of publicity. Coldplay was in court yesterday defending themselves against claims that their Viva la Vida was directly copied from Joe Satriani’s If I Could Fly. Have a listen for yourself and remember….there are only 8 notes.

YouTube Preview Image

☞Many of you have asked about how my recent foray into band management is going. Hmm…great, terrible, rewarding, frustrating, exciting, depressing…well you get the idea. It’s like parenthood. ENDWAY is five incredibly talented, mid-twenty guys who want success and they want it now. We have had some exciting moments together. The band played SXSWin Austin, TX., the largest independent music festival in the world. Tomorrow, Morgan Dorr, ENDWAY’s lead singer, belts out the National Anthem at Fenway Park where the Red Sox host the Tampa Bay Rays in the night game home opener. But in fairness, we also have had our struggles. In all, I love doing it. The guys are genuine, big-hearted and open to learning the process. We have a plan that requires execution and will surely give us a leg up in the industry. Stay tuned for the unearthing of the plan. Below is the press release for tomorrow and underneath that is a clip of Morgan singing the Anthem.

***MEDIA ALERT***

MORGAN DORR TO BRING ENDWAY TO FENWAY
Lead Singer, Boston Favorite to Sing National Anthem at Red Sox Game

WHAT: Morgan Dorr, lead singer of Boston’s very own Endway will make his “major league” debut as he sings the National Anthem at Fenway Park in Boston, MA, as the Red Sox take on the Tampa Bay Rays for the first night home game of the 2009 season.

WHO: Morgan Dorr, lead singer of Endway will perform the National Anthem, with the sideline support of band members, Kevin McHugh (Guitar / Vocals), Scott James (Drums), Brian Lempert (Keyboard) and Alex Sandman (Bass / Vocals). Their album, Action, was released in the summer of 2008 and follows their successful self-titled 2005 release. Following their recent performance at SXSW in Austin, TX, the band drove an additional eight and a half hours to go to New Orleans to volunteer for the Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO) with animals that were abandoned and lost during Hurricane Katrina.

Also, while touring in Costa Rica in January 2008, Morgan, Kevin, Brian and Scott worked hands-on with the Roberta Felix Foundation, a charity that benefits underprivileged children with special needs. “During the day we were contributing in any way that we could,” says guitarist Kevin McHugh. “It was an eye-opening experience to see that every little bit counts.”

Four songs from the debut album are featured on five successful MTV shows including The Real World, Road Rules, and The Hills. Endway has shared the stage with national acts: All Time Low, Brand New, Boys Like Girls, Hoobastank, Dashboard Confessionals, A New Found Glory, Fair To Midland, Damone, The Lost Prophets, and The White Tie Affair.

WHEN: Wednesday, April 8, 2009
7:00 pm National Anthem

WHERE: Fenway Park
4 Yawkey Way
Boston, Massachusetts 02215

CONTACT: Traci Coulter / traci@tcopr.com / 917.776.9184

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☞Two weeks ago, a senior Chinese official floated the idea that the dollar should be dropped as the key reserve currency. While our financial leadership, Geithner & Bernanke, rejected the Chinese proposal, don’t think for one second that issue is going away because we want it to. Given our domestic financial conundrum, we are no longer dictating policy to the world. Expect China to push this issue. What happens with it may be the key to our future.

☞In my last post, I mentioned my disappointment over Scarlett Johansson’s decision to trade in her blond locks for brunette ones. I misreported and I am happy to say, she is not brunette but a redhead. I am perfectly fine with this. That is all.

☞I just made myself a lovely little sandwich for lunch. It had soppressata, provolone cheese, oregano, fresh basil and a glisten of extra virgin olive oil. I would have loved to put it all on a richly sliced French boule but I settled for a more diet conscious wheat wrap. I think I mentioned this awhile ago here that I love to make sandwiches. Combining ingredients across a variety of different cuisines to make a mouth watering lunch appeals to me. If you are ever in Boston, venture over to La Verdad on Lansdowne St. Make certain that you are hungry and then order Ken Oringer’s Chicken Milanesa Torta. It is a griddled sandwich that has oaxaca cheese, molasses-chipotles, avocado, Mexican herbs, refried bean & mayonesa. (It is also served with Yucatan slaw and spiced plantain chips.) It is an amazing amalgamation of heat and cool, firm and messy, contrasting textures and all round goodness. It is without question the best sandwich I have EVER had. So there.

☞My friend, Mary Grace knew North Carolina was going to win the NCAA Championship last night. And while my hat is off to her, I will go out on a limb and predict that your Boston Red Sox will win the 2009 World Series. Jed Lowrie will turn out to be the second coming of Dustin Pedroia. Jacoby Ellsbury will be the league’s most potent leadoff hitter and his play in centerfield will be a marvel to watch. Most importantly, the pitching staff will be the envy of all. 100+ wins is within reason. You heard it here first.

Aye wonder if I should be in the prediction business.

And so should you.
Welcome back.

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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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