I slowly dialed the FBI field office in Chicago and listened to the numerous voice prompts. Not sure what to press, I eventually chose ‘3’ since I am a media representative. A female agent answered. “Who would I speak to…
Legendary football coach Vince Lombardi once uttered the phrase, “The best defense is a good offense.” I plan to turn those words into action the next time I fly coach class. By now everybody is familiar with the escalating brouhaha…
As the summer winds down and my stomach thanks me for my generosity during three months of barbecues, graduation parties and neighborhood festivals, I am still proud of myself for shunning a food group that has burst into the culinary…
WRITER’S NOTE: This column was written after a summer spent traveling the country and watching random morning news shows. The writer vows never to do that again. “Rise and shine. This is The Morning News Zoo. I’m Barry O’Brien.” “And…
When it comes to international relations, I’ve always preferred to sit on the sidelines and let experienced politicians like John Kerry and Hillary Clinton negotiate with everyone from Israeli military leaders to Venezuelan dictators. No more. This time I’m taking…
Last week I briefly stood outside the gates of one of the year’s biggest music festivals, wrestling with my age. As the Chicago skyline shone directly to my west, thousands of teens and 20-somethings wearing plastic wristbands streamed past me. Some…
My kids’ current favorite show is Shark Tank, where budding entrepreneurs pitch ideas to a team of corporate tycoons who double as potential investors. While listening to concepts for, among other things, collapsible kayaks and colored fur spray for dogs, my…
The property market in Brazil appears to be heating up and, mark my words, I plan to dive in with the zeal of seasoned real estate pros like Donald Trump or that Barbara woman from Shark Tank. At issue is what…
It’s time to stop trashing this nation’s crop of college graduates for not knowing common facts — the name of the U.S. Supreme Court’s chief justice for example — and start applauding them for what they did learn after four…
Until recently, I didn’t know it was possible to talk to God via voice prompts. Now I’m not so sure. My religious epiphany occurred in the midst of trying to locate the concierge at the Grand Wailea hotel, a Maui…
As the World Cup ambles toward completion, the much-maligned Fédération Internationale de Football Association continues holding its breath in hopes that the “did he or didn’t he/yuck, I guess he did” biting incident involving Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez will go…
Five dudes in an SUV on a Saturday night, heading to Chicago for a rock music extravaganza. As tunes from satellite radio filled the vehicle’s interior, naturally the conversation turned to concerts. “Last one you attended?” I asked my companions…
A very “with child” Mila Kunis recently showed up on Jimmy Kimmel’s couch to discuss her latest movie and her pregnancy. Soon the conversation took an unexpected, although scripted, turn. Kunis objected when Kimmel, an expectant father, said, “We’re having…
Golf Ball Exploritorius – The unexplained and incurable desire to search for other peoples’ lost golf balls in the midst of a round. I’ll admit it; I suffer from this disease, which I just coined. It’s an affliction that has netted…
I have never been a fan of rewriting the rule book when it comes to sports. I wept a little on April 6, 1973 when New York Yankees first basement Ron Blomberg strode to the plate as baseball’s first designated…