"Chicago Tribune" Reader

"Chicago Tribune" Reader

U.S. to Russia: Syria is 'out of control'

Posted: 18 Jul 2012 02:08 PM PDT

U.S. President Barack Obama meets with Russian President Putin in Los CabosPresident Barack Obama telephoned Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday to discuss escalating violence in Syria after Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned the country was "rapidly spinning out of control." There appeared to be no breakthrough. The White House said Obama and Putin "noted the differences our governments have had on Syria" but "agreed on [...]

Obama vows to help bring Bulgaria attackers to justice

Posted: 18 Jul 2012 01:22 PM PDT

An unidentified injured Israeli tourist is carried in front of Borgas hospital after an explosion at Burgas airport, outside the Black Sea city of Burgas, Bulgaria, some 400 kilometers (250 miles) east of the capital, Sofia, Wednesday, July 18, 2012. A bus carrying young Israeli tourists in a Bulgarian resort exploded Wednesday, killing three people and wounding at least 20, police said. Witnesses told Israeli media that the huge blast occurred soon after someone boarded the vehicle. (AP Photo/ Bulphoto Agency) BULGARIA OUTPresident Barack Obama vowed to help "bring to justice" those behind the "barbaric terrorist attack" against a bus carrying Israeli youth in a Bulgarian resort Wednesday, killing at least six people and wounding 32. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately blamed Iran for the blast. "I strongly condemn today's barbaric terrorist attack on Israelis in [...]

Chick-fil-A president slams gay marriage

Posted: 18 Jul 2012 01:11 PM PDT

Chic-fil-A Mania Grips WilkesboroThe president of Chick-fil-A, the fast food chain with more than 1,600 restaurants and $4 billion in revenue, has come out against same-sex marriage. "I think we are inviting God's judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say, 'We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage,'" Dan [...]

Great Wall of China allegedly longer than previously reported

Posted: 18 Jul 2012 02:35 PM PDT

A visitor takes a picture of a section of the Great Wall at Jiayuguan Fort near Jiayuguan cityThe Great Wall of China is already the longest man-made structure in the world but we may have to start calling it the Greater Wall of China. A five-year archaeological survey done by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH) found that the total length of...

Zimmerman says he prays for Martin's parents

Posted: 18 Jul 2012 04:12 PM PDT

Zimmerman makes his first appearance on second degree murder charges in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin in courtroom J2 at the Seminole County Correctional Facility in SanfordGeorge Zimmerman says he prays daily for the parents of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

Being vetted for VP? Prepare to talk about sex

Posted: 18 Jul 2012 01:47 PM PDT

Ever wonder what it's like to be vetted by a national campaign for the vice presidential slot? To find out, GQ magazine's Jason Zengerle put himself through the process. He met with Ted Frank, a Washington D.C.-based attorney who contributed to John McCain's VP search. As Zengerle quickly discovered, the process is, well, penetrating. Here's [...]

Car stuck by lightning won't turn off after removing key from ignition

Posted: 18 Jul 2012 11:13 AM PDT

Lightning Zapped Car Won't Turn Off After Key Removed From IgnitionAntun Tuskan's Car Continued to Run Without the Keys After the Lightning Strike

Video: Naked Cowboy vs. Naked Indian: Times Square showdown

Posted: 18 Jul 2012 03:26 PM PDT

The famed Naked Cowboy of New York City's Times Square is facing down some unexpected competition in the form of The Naked Indian. Robert John Burck, aka The Naked Cowboy, has been a near-constant presence in Times Square since 1998 when he first showed up carrying an acoustic guitar and wearing only boots, underwear and [...]

School board, teachers union reject fact-finder's report

Posted: 18 Jul 2012 04:09 PM PDT

The Chicago school board and the teacher's union voted unanimously to reject a fact-finder's report that recommends pay raises for teachers totaling 35 percent over the next four years. The rejections likely set in motion an intense period of negotiations to avert a teacher's strike.

Target puts finishing touches on State Street store, urban concept

Posted: 18 Jul 2012 02:32 PM PDT

City Target set to open next week in Carson's spot

There are no big red concrete balls and the bulls-eye is tucked discretely behind a second-floor window. But shoppers entering the former Carson Pirie Scott building will know it's a Target store.

French firm buys Hancock Observatory, plans revamp

Posted: 18 Jul 2012 02:53 PM PDT

Plans a revamp to boost attendance to 600,000 in 3 years

A Paris-based observation-deck operator bought the No. 2 spot for a bird's-eye view of Chicago with plans to make a more aggressive run at the Willis Tower.

600-year-old linen bras found in Austrian castle

Posted: 18 Jul 2012 12:24 PM PDT

This undated picture publicly provided by the Archeological Institute of the University of Innsbruck, shows a medieval bra. The bra is commonly thought to be little more than 100 years old as corseted women abandoned rigid fashions and opted for the more natural look. But that timeline is about to be revised with the discovery of four brassieres from the Middle Ages in a debris-filled vault of an Austrian castle. The find, formally announced Wednesday July 18, 2012 by the University of Innsbruck, is being described by historical fashion experts as revolutionary because it indicates that the bra was already worn around 600 years ago before being abandoned for the stiff stays dictated by the form-hugging clothing that become the mode for centuries. (AP Photo/University Innsbruck Archeological Institute)A revolutionary discovery is rewriting the history of underwear: Some 600 years ago, women wore bras.

Israel blames Iran for Bulgaria bus bomb

Posted: 18 Jul 2012 03:39 PM PDT

An unidentified injured Israeli tourist is carried in front of Borgas hospital after an explosion at Burgas airport, outside the Black Sea city of Burgas, Bulgaria, some 400 kilometers (250 miles) east of the capital, Sofia, Wednesday, July 18, 2012. A bus carrying young Israeli tourists in a Bulgarian resort exploded Wednesday, killing three people and wounding at least 20, police said. Witnesses told Israeli media that the huge blast occurred soon after someone boarded the vehicle. (AP Photo/ Bulphoto Agency) BULGARIA OUTAn explosion ripped through a bus carrying Israeli holiday-makers in Bulgaria and killed at least six people on Wednesday in an attack the government in Israel blamed on arch foe Iran.

Hoping for a 'rain dance' to end worst drought in 25 years

Posted: 18 Jul 2012 12:12 PM PDT

Corn stalks struggling from lack of rain and a heat wave covering most of the country lie flat on the ground Monday, July 16, 2012 in Farmingdale, Ill. The nation's widest drought in decades is spreading. More than half of the continental U.S. is now in some stage of drought, and most of the rest is abnormally dry. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack warned Wednesday that the worst drought in 25 years would drive food prices up later this year and said the situation was bad enough to make him wish for divine intervention. He also warned consumers to be on the watch for food price gouging. "I get on my knees every day, [...]

Romney: Lack of primary cash has limited ad spending

Posted: 18 Jul 2012 11:28 AM PDT

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks at a Victory town hall in Bowling GreenSome Republicans have criticized Mitt Romney for being slow to respond to President Barack Obama's attacks on his record at Bain Capital. But in an interview with the Toledo Blade's Tom Troy, the presumptive GOP nominee, for the first time, acknowledges that primary spending limits has kept him from responding as aggressively as he'd like [...]

George Zimmerman grants first interview to Fox News

Posted: 18 Jul 2012 10:36 AM PDT

Undated handout photo of George ZimmermanGeorge Zimmerman has granted his first non-court-related interview to Fox News' Sean Hannity. The hourlong interview, which will air at 9 p.m. EDT Wednesday on Hannity's show, is Zimmerman's first since being charged with second-degree murder in the Feb. 26 shooting death of Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman was released on $1 million bond on July 8, [...]

Romney to Ohio voter: Obama isn’t a ‘monster’

Posted: 18 Jul 2012 12:29 PM PDT

AKRON, Ohio--For the second day in a row, Mitt Romney offered a more aggressive posture toward President Barack Obama, accusing his Democratic opponent of starting a class war that threatens to "tear America apart." Speaking to a rally in Bowling Green, Romney accused Obama of putting his re-election ahead of efforts to improve the economy [...]

Washington to offer voter registration via Facebook

Posted: 18 Jul 2012 10:57 AM PDT

Want to make your voice heard in this year's presidential election? Do you live in Washington State? If so, you can register to vote using the state's newest online registration system — one that allows you to do so via … Continue reading →

Homeland Security gives states immigration data to aid voter purge

Posted: 18 Jul 2012 10:33 AM PDT

The Department of Homeland Security is opening up its immigration database to several battleground states that want to identify and kick off non-citizens from their voter registration rolls, NPR reported. Homeland Security initially denied Florida's request to access the database, arguing it would violate voting rights laws, before a federal judge sided with Florida and [...]

71-year-old web surfer chases off his would-be robbers

Posted: 18 Jul 2012 10:53 AM PDT

If you've been thinking about robbing an internet cafe in Florida, you might want to reconsider. When a pair of masked robbers tried robbing the Palms Internet Café in Central Florida, they encountered quite a surprise: A 71-year-old web surfer … Continue reading →