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 over personal space when flying. The skies seemed reasonably friendly until August 24, aboard United…
DetailsAs 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 world and refuses to leave. Portmanteau food. Quick English lesson: A portmanteau is two words…
DetailsWRITER’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 I’m co-anchor Teri Sullivan.” “We’ve got Gerry in the weather center…” “Oooh, today’s going to…
DetailsWhen 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 matters into my own hands and dealing directly with the Russians, specifically the crime ring…
DetailsLast 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 waved open purses and backpacks in my direction, assuming I was there to inspect both.…
DetailsMy 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 daughters vigorously interrogate the television. “What are your yearly sales?” they ask, before Dallas Mavericks…
DetailsThe 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 to do with 12 soccer stadiums that were either built or refurbished specifically to host…
DetailsIt’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 years of academia. Specifically, how to master a rock climbing wall. I say this after…
DetailsUntil 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 vacation destination that will play host to my family later this month. I had heard…
DetailsAs 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 down as the tournament’s most controversial moment. That, or Dutch winger Arjen Robben’s boo-boo, resulting…
DetailsFive 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 while steering the car through barely-crawling city traffic. “I’m embarrassed to say mine was Celine…
DetailsA 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 a baby.” “Oh, you both are having a baby,” Kunis replied. “You AND your wife…
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