The Tinkerers - Interview w/ Alec Foege

(QQQ)(DIA)(SPY)(GLD)(FB)

by DeWayne Reeves

"The Tinkerers"  by Alec Foege
The Amateurs, DIYers, and Inventors Who Make America Great

On today's broadcast we had the distinct pleasure of speaking to Alec Foege, author and magazine journalist. A former contributing editor to Rolling Stone, he is the author of four books and also founder and director of Brookside Research LLC, which delivers exclusive primary research to top-tier hedge funds, funds of funds, private equity firms, mutual funds, venture capital firms, and corporate investigative firms.

"The Tinkerers" has received a stellar review from the Wall Street Journal, has been chosen the "Weekly Read" by Fortune Magazine and even made it onto The New Yorker's Page-Turner Blog. Just when Alec was pinching himself black and blue, thinking life couldn't possibly get any better.... the call came in (email actually) - an invitation to appear on the venerable talk radio network - CFRN.

You need to listen to the interview. Click the headphones above to really get a feel for Alec's depth of character. I mean come on... the guy wrote for the Rolling Stone back in the day. Amazingly, his short term memory seems to be completely intact. Now lets get to the book -

“Foege still believes in tinkering, and so should we.”
—Fortune.com

“At a time when domestic manufacturing is in decline and the national mood is somewhat grim, Foege makes a case that a return to tinkering might show us the way forward.”
—New Yorker, Page-Turner blog

“Once you acquire the tinkerer’s mindset, as described in Alec Foege’s engrossing book, the world becomes a gigantic spare parts bin, inviting you to become a creative participant, rather than a passive consumer, in your manufactured environment.”
—Mark Frauenfelder, Editor-in-Chief, MAKE

Perhaps you had a Dad that spent most of his spare time in the basement if you're an east coast dweller, or the garage if you're a west coast cat. Did you? Was he always puttering and muttering? Tearing something apart just to see if he could put it back together again? No matter what broke around the house he fixed it himself no matter how much it ended up costing? I didn't. (have a Dad like that)

But I've heard of 'em. My wife had one. I know a few. I am so not that guy. No way Jose'. In fact, when something breaks at my house (here in Phoenix), I call Jose'. However, I really admire those guys and after talking to Alec on the radio program I feel a little better about myself. Turns out, it doesn't have to be a transistor, a burned out toaster, or a carburetor. Turns out, if you like to play with words or ideas, you might be a tinkerer. Or maybe before podcasting went mainstream, you figured out how to cobble together an old PC, a telephone coupler, a peavey amp and beam your signal around the world when everybody was standing there saying "that won't work", you might be a Tinkerer.

How awesome is that? Alec suspects there just may be a little Tinkerer in all of us and that our tinkering spirit which made America great in the beginning, just may save our collective bacon in the end. Click the book cover above and go grab a copy. As you read it, share your thoughts in the comment box below or email us - comments@cfrn.net . 

News Flash - He's coming back.

That's right, Alec has a deep well. He's written a book about right wing radio "Right of the Dial: The Rise of Clear Channel and the Fall of Commercial Radio" a topic I just so happen to know a thing or two about.

He's also written "The Empire God Built: Inside Pat Robertson’s Media Machine" which as the founder of CT Global Media and CFRN, I also know a thing or two about. 

But wait... there's more as Ron Popeil would say. On top of everything else, he tells Hedge Funds what to do. I've told a few what to do, but no one ever suggested putting it in a book. 

The bottom line faithful listeners? I think we've found a new friend, a kindred spirit. The fact that we don't agree on eveything means nothing.. after all David has been on the show every day for the past 7 years and that hasn't stopped us. In fact, it leads to intersting conversations and great radio.

Do me a favor, drop Alec a line and tell him how much you enjoyed the show (or your fired). You can email him here info@alecfoege.com . 

You can also leave a review on our iTunes channel HERE.

Connect with us:

Interview w/ Alec Foege Author of The Tinkerers