Notre Dame in 2:11

I don't know if it's the Vangelis playing in the background, but this video got me a little choked up. There's nothing more rewarding than seeing your fellow man reach the pinnacle of their chosen path:



I can't wait for Officer O'Brien's wedding.

For the dawgs

Some neat pet-related news:

PetSmart's Results Hold Up
By JAY MILLER
»PetSmart Inc.'s fiscal third-quarter net income rose 22%, as the company's product mix helped it weather tough economic times and match its expectations.

The company also offered fourth-quarter guidance that brackets Wall Street expectations and lowered its 2008 earnings guidance.

Wall Street shrugged off the lowered guidance, helping the shares rebound 7.7% to $14.35 in after-hours trading. The shares were down 12% during the regular session. LINK

This doesn't surprise me. After all, what's better than a loyal dog to stave off the challenges posed by the economic crisis--to say nothing of the mere thought of pirates, remind me to never take a cruise?

And if you don't believe me about how great dogs are, don't take my word for it...
Free TV : Ustream

Puppy cam is latest Internet sensation
Millions of viewers flock to Web site to peek at brood of six puppies

By Michael Inbar
TODAYShow.com contributor
updated 10:48 a.m. ET, Sat., Nov. 15, 2008
It takes a village of some 4 million to raise six cuddly pups, or at least to ogle them for hours on end.

What began as a way for a San Francisco couple to keep tabs on their pet Shiba Inu dog Kika’s litter while they were at work has become an unlikely Web sensation. Viewers flock to the Internet site Ustream.com to monitor the 5-week-old brood’s growth, watching the energetic pups paw and play with one another and have at it with their chew toys. LINK

Sec. Wynne Finds a Ring

While we've been critical of Air Force leadership here at morganobrien.com, there is no denying that this is a special story:

Brother’s ring returned 40 years after crash

By Michael Hoffman - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Nov 17, 2008 17:33:09 EST

Four decades after his brother died in a plane crash 25 miles from the Chinese border in North Vietnam, former Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne was handed his brother’s 1963 Air Force Academy class ring by a complete stranger at a Cincinnati airport.

Maj. Patrick Wynne’s F-4 slammed into the North Vietnamese hillside on Aug. 8, 1966. His ring went through the hands of a Chinese family that tried to rescue Patrick, and finally an American businessman before his younger brother got it back. What gets Michael Wynne is that his brother was never supposed to be on that mission in the first place. Patrick Wynne stepped up after another pilot got sick. LINK

What a story: it's got the Air Force, it's got brothers and it's got redemption. It's funny how things work sometimes.

While his early termination may have left a bitter taste in his mouth, it was actually refreshing to see that this borderline miracle enabled Sec. Wynne to put things in perspective and gain some closure:

“The day I signed into my first duty station was the day he was shot down. It was like the baton pass of duty from him to me.

“Now, I retire from the highest position in the Air Force, and out of the blue comes this ring,” Michael Wynne said. “Life is so circular sometimes.”

Breaching the Iranian Firewall

Read this today:

Iran blocks access to over five million websites: report

Nov 19 01:34 PM US/Eastern

Iran has blocked access to more than five million Internet sites, whose content is mostly perceived as immoral and anti-social, a judiciary official was quoted as saying on Wednesday.

"The enemies seek to assault our religious identity by exploiting the Internet," Abdolsamad Khoram Abadi, an advisor to Iran's prosecutor general, was quoted by Kargozaran newspaper as saying.

The Internet "inflicts social, political, economic and moral damage, which is worrying," he said, adding that "social vice caused by the Internet is more than that by the satellite network," Mehr news agency reported. (link)

However, I was relieved to note that Internet Free Iran (a/k/a morganobrien.com) is not blamed for social vice and continues to reach the otherwise disenfranchised masses:



So to my Iranian fan(s), thank you. So long as you wish to read about the Air Force, pedestrians on Long Island, and funny commentary on drunk drivers, you will always find refuge at morganobrien.com.

Well duh...

Found this nugget to be incredibly interesting, and yet another example of the Air Force's firm positioning behind the power curve in understanding strategic communications, public affairs and personnel strategy:

Public affairs, strategic communications merge
By Erik Holmes - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Nov 17, 2008 11:47:05 EST

The Air Force is consolidating its public affairs and strategic communications functions.

The reason, said the service’s public affairs chief Nov. 13, is to get its message out more proactively to airmen and to the public, and better coordinate its communications.

“The bottom line is communication,” said Brig. Gen. Darren McDew. “Sometimes people think in order to do strategic communication, it needs to be a separate organization from public affairs, and it doesn’t. (link)

What I found most interesting about this article wasn't the rationale for combining the communications functions (although, I have to admit that Gen. McDew's reasoning seems to show that they finally "get it") but the fact that the Air Force finally realized how demoralizing it was that the careerfield was lead by a pilot rather than a trained PA--meaning that even the most skilled PA's basically had zero chance of earning a star, regardless of their officership.

McDew said the long-standing tradition of public affairs being led by an officer from another career field eventually will be a thing of the past. Both McDew and his predecessor, Brig. Gen. Michelle Johnson, are career mobility pilots and commanders.

“I think it’s important to completely professionalize this career field and have a career field that is sustainable and that will produce someone who … understands the full spectrum,” he said.

“The folks around me that have been doing this for 20-some-odd years are better at it than me. So we have got to get to the point where we can produce someone who does this for a career … and will eventually grow up to be the director of public affairs.”

I wouldn't characterize this as a long-standing tradition--morganobrien.com favorite Ron Rand ran Air Force Public Affairs until 2004. Nonetheless, you can understand how demoralizing this was for junior officers looking to excel, especially when the careerfield was being pillaged without prejudice:

The number of public affairs officers fell from 470 in 2005 to 246 today, a 48 percent reduction. He said it is too early to talk numbers, but some of those positions could be restored.

While this news would not have impacted my decision to leave, I can't help but smile to myself as the institution finally figured out what every junior officer facing force shaping knew to be true a couple years ago. It is a shame, though, that the service lost some solid PAO's due to lack of foresight.

4-star General, Ann Dunwoody

Congratulations to New Yorker (and fellow ROTC Grad!) Ann E. Dunwoody (Wikipedia bio, because the Army hasn't quite figured out how to organize flag officer bios), who smashed the "brass" ceiling to become the first female to earn the rank of full general (four stars) in the history of the greatest fighting forces that have graced this planet:

Dunwoody becomes first female four-star general

Nov 14 01:48 PM US/Eastern
By ROBERT BURNS
AP Military Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Call it breaking the brass ceiling. Ann E. Dunwoody, after 33 years in the Army, ascended Friday to a peak never before reached by a woman in the U.S. military: four-star general.

At an emotional promotion ceremony, Dunwoody looked back on her years in uniform, said it was a credit to the Army—and a great surprise to her—that she would make history in a male-dominated military.

"Thirty-three years after I took the oath as a second lieutenant, I have to tell you this is not exactly how I envisioned my life unfolding," she told a standing-room-only auditorium. "Even as a young kid, all I ever wanted to do was teach physical education and raise a family. (link)

In a male-dominated military that still makes things incredibly tough on women (and where I was often shocked to see that women are often the biggest hurdles faced by other women), today's a banner day. We all must accept that the armed forces will always be as imperfect as the people that comprise them. That said, for all the flaws of the military, it is great to see the military lead the way in yet another barrier shattered.

This week on Imus, CBS News anchor Bob Schieffer spoke of race relations in America and mentioned that having grown up in the segregated South, he hadn't so much as shaken hands with a black person (for lack of opportunity, not for lack of character) until he was in the Air Force. While this was a secondary point as he was trying to explain how far we've come as a nation, I couldn't help but take great pride in the fact that it was the egalitarian world of Air Force that exposed generations of Americans like Schieffer to the fact that we're all equal.

On this note, kudos to the Air Force on this recent Roll Call piece regarding the importance of diversity in uniform: (Link).

Billy Lyons: The Sixth Man

This kind of enthusiasm might get me rooting for the Celts!

No Relation

As if I needed another reason to love Newsday's Wall of Shame:

No Relation

What in the Hell is this guy supposed to be?

Quick hits from today's Newsday

Long Island Pedestrians continue to live in dangerous conditions:
As we reported earlier this week, conditions continue to remain unsafe to walk/jog/cycle around these parts.

Here's hoping Newsday does some hard-hitting reporting and figure out what's going on here. Maybe all these accidents are just the cost of doing business around here, but it sure feels dangerous.

Pedestrian critically hurt in Southampton accident
BY JOSEPH MALLIA | joseph.mallia@newsday.com
7:45 AM EST, November 14, 2008
A pedestrian was critically injured Thursday night when he stepped off a sidewalk onto a Southampton highway and into the path of a passing car, police said.

The man, 25, whose name was not released pending notification of his family, was listed in extremely critical condition at Southampton Hospital and was expected to be transferred to the trauma center at Stony Brook University Hospital, police said.

The 9:43 p.m. accident took place as a 1989 Buick sedan was traveling west in the left lane of County Road 39 near a Burger King restaurant, and the man stepped off the north curb onto the road, police said.

The Buick's driver, Paulina Loretto Castro Duarte, 27, did not see the man because he was wearing all dark clothing, police said. EMPHASIS MINE-ed. LINK

Wall of Shame Returns
This actually goes part in parcel with my theme of road safety. It's hard enough to focus on the road sober, but to get behind the wheel intoxicated puts me in danger. And that's unacceptable.

While I agree with the original format of this program--where those accused of DUI were posted--I recognize the need to respect the rights of the innocent.

Also noteworthy is that this now enables me to post pictures of the guilty with my witty commentary. God bless America.

Abridged version of 'Wall of Shame' back up on Web site
BY ANN GIVENS | ann.givens@newsday.com
7:37 PM EST, November 13, 2008
Nassau County's "Wall of Shame" returned Thursday to the county Web site in a much slimmed-down version, this time including the names only of people who have been convicted - not merely accused - of drunken driving.

The revival of the wall includes the names and photos of 113 people who have been convicted of drunken and drugged driving offenses since Memorial Day weekend. It comes three weeks after County Executive Thomas Suozzi pulled it down following a judge's decision that the wall violated the rights of a woman whose name and photo were posted there. LINK

Girl Almost Falls Off Cliff

Caught this video on tv today and couldn't believe it--nice move by the cousin to rescue the adorable Alaina from a 150-foot fall:

Toddler Survives Near-Cliff Fall
Toddler Nearly Falls Off Cliff; Saved By Cousin
By IMAEYEN IBANGA
Nov. 13, 2008 —

When the Pitton family stopped to capture images of its coastal Oregon tour, things briefly took a scary detour when 3-year-old Alaina Pitton tumbled through a fence perched above a 150-foot cliff.

The family had stopped to snap a photo in Oregon's Ecola State Park when, to the shock and fear of her mother, the toddler fell backwards through a wide opening in the fence.

"We were going to take a picture of the girls when they were standing against the railing," said Alaina's mother Charlotte Pitton. "Alaina just kind of stepped back."

"If she would have stood back up," Pitton said, "she would have been gone."

But acting quickly, cousin Craig Wulfekuhle managed to grab the child before she fell down the cliff.

"Craig, our cousin from Iowa, had started to jump over the fence before Alaina finished falling," Pitton said. (link)

Nice job by CBS to post the video.

Putting the 'I' in UCI

It's been a while, but rest assurred, Morganobrien.com stands vigilant. After all the guff this guy gave me after my team owned our ORI in '06, I can't let this guy get his picture in the Hanscom paper reviewing an Inspection and allow it to go unchecked (I mean, I guess I could, but that wouldn't be very fun).

Plus, I'm sure he broke some sort of record by injecting himself and his experiences into the briefing--just look at the jacket he's rocking indoors; I know Mass. is chilly in Nov (I was up there this weekend), but spare us--so I'm compelled to recognize the effort:

UCI Outbrief
Brig. Gen. Voldemort, Electronic Systems Center vice commander, presents the results of the recent Unit Compliance Inspection and Targeted Readiness Inspection at the Hanscom Base Theater Nov. 10.

Morgan O'Brien's WIGO 11.13.08

In recent weeks, the Air Force has announced some exciting programs available for line officers/senior captains. Not enough to make me wish I was back, but very cool opportunities nonetheless.

First is the opportunity to work as a defense attache:

Apply now to work in U.S. embassies overseas

Want to trade your CONUS base assignment for something a little more exotic? The Air Force has the job for you.

The Air Force Personnel Center announced Wednesday that the Air Force is accepting applications until Dec. 5 from senior captains, majors and lieutenant colonels to fill various defense attaché positions. Officers selected for attaché duty will begin training for advertised positions in January 2010.

Air Force Times

And I love that they're allowing non-rated officers (and potentially enlisted personnel) fly UAVs:

Air Force creates new pilot programs for drones
By LOLITA C. BALDOR – Oct 23, 2008
WASHINGTON (AP) — Scrambling to meet commanders' insatiable demands for unmanned aircraft, the Air Force is launching two new training programs, including an experimental one that would churn out up to 1,100 desperately needed pilots to fly the drones over Iraq and Afghanistan.

As many as 700 Air Force personnel have expressed some interest in the test program, which will create a new brand of pilot for the drones, which are flown by remote control from a base in Nevada. That new drone operator will learn the basics of flying a small manned plane, but will not go through the longer, more rigorous training that their fighter jet brethren receive.
AP

In some bothersome news, guess who gets hurt by the latest shenanigans at Kirtland...leadership? No.

The folks at the Shandiin Child Development Center? Well, there bottom line will be hurt.

But the true victims are the hardworking men and women trying to make ends meet who'll no longer be able to conveniently drop their kids off in the morning en route to work or PT. No, now it looks like now they'll have to spend time searching out alternate, and most likely less convenient, daycare options. Talk about life being unfair. Thanks to an irresponsible few, the hardworking men and women of Kirtland and Sandia will now have to pay (that's Chaminade alum Dick Knipfing at the anchor chair):

Childcare center on base may close
Center must find new government sponsor by Nov. 20
Last Edited: Wednesday, 12 Nov 2008, 10:58 AM MST
Reporter: Maria Medina
Web Producer: Todd Dukart
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (KRQE) - A childcare center on Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque may close at the beginning of the year unless a government sponsor steps in soon.

The Shandiin Development Center's previous sponsor pulled out after base security said marijuana and drug paraphernalia were found in the cars of three workers last month. KRQE

Finally, while I typically avoid nuke news for a variety of reasons, one line I read from an Albuquerque Journal article caught my eye as this week's unfortunate metaphor.

“I’m going to be the Wal-Mart for all nuclear weapons for the United States Air Force,” (Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center Commander Brig. Gen Everett)Thomas said.

Unfortunately, I'd say he isn't far off the mark, considering some recent headlines...

5th Bomb Wing flunks nuclear inspection
Malmstrom missile wing fails nuke inspection
Malmstrom AFB officer charged with sexual assault

Hopefully Gen. Thomas is something of a turnaround specialist, because he's got his work cut out for him:



With my greatest respect,
Morgan

Kenny Mayne's Mayne Street

My favorite ESPN personality of all time, Kenny Mayne, is spearheading an awesome new endeavor: a bunch of Webisodes under the handle "Mayne Street". The bits cast Mayne as a bumbling sports reporter thrust into wacky situations and hilarity ensues.

All kidding aside, Mayne's got a teriffic sense of humor and it shows in the first episode. Interestingly, the inaugural bit pairs Mayne with Scott Van Pelt, who would rank in the top five of semi-celebrities I think I'd love to hang out with. The list would also include Shelly Duncan, McGuffy the running back from Michigan, Joe C (RIP), and John the Baptist.

I had the pleasure of meeting Kenny at the ESPN Zone in Times Square once, and he was gracious and cool and took a photo that I need to find and post here. I actually saw Van Pelt outside Yankee Stadium before the All Star Game, but it was crowded and I didn't want to make a big deal and draw attention.

ESPN.com will post new Webisodes every Tuesday and Friday, so be sure to check them out (link).

Long Island Roads Unsafe for Bicyclists, Pedestrians

One major difference I've found since moving back to Long Island is that the congestion here doesn't lend itself to long distance running nor long distance cycling.

And judging by the last few weeks in Newsday, it would seem that this problem has developed into a widespread epidemic with much too many lethal results. For example, I found this story disheartening because it is the route Mrs. Morganobrien.com and I run:

PEDESTRIAN HIT BY CAR IN CRITICAL CONDITION
MATTHEW CHAYES
October 26, 2008
A pedestrian was in critical condition after a Honda hit him yesterday in Oceanside, Nassau police said. Michael Spinelli, 82, sustained severe head trauma about 1:43 p.m. after he was hit by an East Rockaway woman driving north on Lawson Boulevard near Concord Avenue, police said. Spinelli was trying to cross east on Lawson, police said. The driver, Michelle Malvito, 20, was not injured, and was not charged, police said. link

Then there's this "only on Long Island" incident...I mean seriously, batteries?...:

East Meadow man charged with rupturing bicyclist's spleen
BY PATRICK WHITTLE | patrick.whittle@newsday.com
10:05 AM EST, November 9, 2008
Police arrested an East Meadow man early this morning after he allegedly threw a radio at a 16-year-old bicyclist and ruptured the victim's spleen.

The East Meadow resident, 22-year-old Christopher Criswell, was a passenger in a vehicle traveling on East Meadow Drive when he threw a "detached radio from the moving vehicle," police said. The incident, which police have termed an assault, occurred at 6:55 p.m., police said.

The victim, who was not named, was knocked off his bicycle, police said. The victim was transferred to Nassau University Medical Center where he underwent surgery to remove his spleen, police said. link

And then there's the scumbag teen drug abuser that cuts short a productive member of society's life:

Teenage suspect pleads not guilty
Eyewitness News
HUNTINGTON -- A teenager driving an SUV under the influence of drugs slammed into two runners out for an evening jog, killing one of them - a beloved schoolteacher - and seriously injuring her friend, police said Friday.

Shea Rosen, a 19-year-old from the exclusive village of Brookville on Long Island's "Gold Coast," was being held in lieu of $1 million bond after pleading not guilty at his arraignment. Rosen's attorney, former federal prosecutor Joseph Conway, declined to comment on the high bond amount, but said his client's family was unlikely to post it on Friday. link

And those headlines are only from the past couple weeks. So there's the problem, now what's the solution?


- For starters, runners, cyclists and pedestrians can start by wearing reflective belts. Even during the daytime and especially during the winter (even though it starts getting dark around 4:30 nowadays), wearing a reflective belt can help otherwise preoccupied drivers notice you.

- We need to promote bike lanes. Considering the potential for a green revolution over the next four years, there's no reason local politicians don't jump on this bandwagon. At the same time, LIRR stations should all add a bike rack or two--including those with covers to protect from the weather--to promote cycling.

- Morons and entitled Gold Coast trust fund kids could stop driving under the influence/throwing things at pedestrians.

- Drivers need to recognize that there is a need to share the road. Long Islanders have a certain sense of entitlement, in fact we have a number of a-hole drivers on Long Island, but there needs to be an Island-wide push to promoting safer driving.

- And who better than Newsday to promote issues like this? By tying together this recent rash of accidents, Newsday could take a stand and promote the need to address this problem.

People are needlessly dying and entering intensive care, and we must come together for a solution. Whether you're running, cycling or driving, be sure to keep your eyes open out there.

Happy Veterans Day!

Me and Homer

Had the terrific honor of seeing our commander-in-chief rechristen the Intrepid today in New York Harbor. It was a fitting tribute to our nation's heroes.



Happy Veterans Day to all those who served. And in honor of the day, here's one of my favorite reflections:

It is the VETERAN, not the preacher,

who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the VETERAN, not the reporter,

who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the VETERAN, not the poet,

who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer,

who has given us freedom to assemble.
It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer,

who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the VETERAN, not the politician,

who has given us the right to vote.

It is the VETERAN,
who salutes the Flag,
who serves under the Flag.

God Bless our Veterans.

Congrats, Sen. McCain

While we should all take great pride and hope in President-elect Obama, here's hoping that history is kind to John McCain, a true American hero who embodies honor and integrity. He campaigned as well as could be expected considering the circumstances and his own personal strengths (he outperformed the generic Republican by wide margins).

It will be interesting to see the details of the infighting in the McCain campaign as they'll surely come out. I'm not so interested in the back-biting--finger pointing at this point is so useless--but more about the strategy and focus on harnessing McCain's 'maverickness'.

As I've long maintained, when it came to choosing this year's candidates, we got it right. Either way, next January's inauguration was going to install a patriot and great American story as our chief executive.

That said, this Onion story was a little real...Happy Veterans Day, Capt. McCain.

McCain Gets Hammered At Local VFW
November 5, 2008 | Issue 44•45

PHOENIX—After conceding defeat in the 2008 presidential election, former Republican candidate John McCain reportedly got completely hammered Tuesday night at the Veterans of Foreign Wars bar in Phoenix. "I saw this old guy just kind of slumped over his drink for a couple hours before I realized who it was," bartender Rob Dubbin said of the former Navy officer, who sources confirmed arrived at the VFW community tavern around 9 p.m. wearing his lieutenant commander's jacket and cap. "He must have had about eight or nine boilermakers in all. I heard him muttering something about 'Pennsylvania,' I think, but other than that he was pretty quiet." Sources said McCain continued to drink alone until well after 3 a.m., at which point fellow patrons had to carry the sleeping senator to a couch in the back office. LINK

New Rules for Veterans and Saluting

Over the next week, I'll pepper these pages with important information about veterans. Don't forget that next Tuesday is the 11th day of the 11th month.

(Ed's Note:This Veterans Day, I'm registered at Amazon.com and Neiman Marcus, for those of you keeping score at home.)

Here's some interesting news on new rules for saluting, which you might find handy at Yankee games...

10/31/2008 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Veterans and servicemembers not in uniform can now render the military-style hand salute during the playing of the national anthem, thanks to changes in federal law that took effect in October.

"The military salute is a unique gesture of respect that marks those who have served in our nation's armed forces," said Dr. James B. Peake, secretary of Veterans Affairs. "This provision allows the application of that honor in all events involving our nation's flag." (link here)

Warning: Do not confuse these new regulations with how you're supposed to act during God Bless America at Yankee games:

The Commander in Chief

God Bless America, home of the American Dream!