"Chicago Tribune" Reader

"Chicago Tribune" Reader

Obama hits out personally at Romney ads on ‘you didn’t build that’

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 02:44 PM PDT

Obama hits Romney on the economyIn a new campaign ad, President Barack Obama hits back personally at Republican charges that he thinks entrepreneurs don't deserve credit for building their own businesses. Obama's direct-to-the-camera appeal may be a sign that the latest onslaught from his opponents has rattled reelection strategists in Chicago. "Those ads taking my words about small business out [...]

Outing Sally Ride: Her sexual orientation has nothing to do with space ships

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 02:26 PM PDT

Sally Ride, First U.S. Woman in Space, DiesMaybe the idea of gays in space is just so exciting that it has overwhelmed Sally Ride's eulogists, who really should be parsing her achievements in astrophysics, accident investigations and middle-school education, rather than trying to make hay out of her mellow lesbian romantic life. Commenters just seem like gay astronauts. After all, the first [...]

Colo. victim scholarship fund reaches goal in less than 24 hours

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 03:52 PM PDT

This undated photo provided by the family shows Jessica Ghawi. Ghawi is one of the 12 people killed when a gunman barged into a crowded theater, set off gas canisters and opened fire as spectators dove for cover and tried to flee, Friday, July 20, 2012, in Aurora, Colo. Dozens of others were injured, including 11 in critical condition. (AP Photo/Courtesy of the family)A journalism scholarship fund set up by the family of Jessica Ghawi, one of the 12 people killed in the Aurora, Colo., theater shooting during a screening of "Dark Knight Rises," has reached its goal of $20,000--a day after a campaign seeking donations was launched. The Jessica Redfield Sports Journalism Scholarship Fund "will be seed [...]

Republican endorses Democrat in Hawaii Senate primary

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 01:33 PM PDT

Rep. Don Young is anything but conventional. Still, the Alaska Republican appeared to take that reputation to a new level Tuesday by crossing oceans and party lines to make a very unusual endorsement. Young announced his endorsement of Democratic Rep. Mazie Hirono in the Hawaii Democratic Senate primary. "Here's what's important, Hawaii: If you're looking [...]

Report: Shooting survivor plans to sue theater

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 01:32 PM PDT

A young man who survived Friday's shootings in an Aurora, Colorado movie theater is planning to file suit against Cinemark, TMZ reported Tuesday. Torrence Brown, Jr. was also close friends with one of the 12 people killed in the attack, 18-year-old A.J. Boik. Neither of Brown's parents would confirm the planned lawsuits Tuesday afternoon, referring [...]

Iran nuclear energy facility hit with malware that plays AC/DC at full volume

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 01:38 PM PDT

Malware can be a major pain for anyone with a computer or mobile device, as it can lead to security risks like identity theft. But when a virus targets a nuclear facility, the stakes are much much higher. According to … Continue reading →

Dunkin’ Donuts spritzes buses with coffee aroma to boost sales

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 01:41 PM PDT

Here's some hot news from the land of the world's tallest Lego tower. It turns out that Dunkin' Donuts recently staged an all-out nasal assault in the war for South Korea's coffee consumers, and not even their city buses were … Continue reading →

See’s Candies creates 7,000-pound lollipop; world’s largest

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 02:09 PM PDT

See's Candies marked National Lollipop Day by crafted the world's largest lollipop, standing nearly six feet tall, 3 feet six inches wide, and weighing 7,003 pounds. The chocolate-flavored lollipop was constructed at the company's factory in Burlingame, California, before being displayed in San Francisco on July 20. The lollipop also includes an 11-foot 10-inch stick, [...]

Christian Bale visits 'Dark Knight Rises' theater-shooting victims

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 04:05 PM PDT

Batman actor Christian Bale turned up today at the Medical Center of Aurora, visiting and chatting with survivors as well as posing for photos.

'The Jeffersons' star Sherman Hemsley dies at 74

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 03:26 PM PDT

File photo of Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford, the stars of the popular television series "The Jeffersons"Actor Sherman Hemsley, best known for his role as George Jefferson on "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," has died at the age of 74 of natural causes at his home in El Paso, Texas.

CPS to hire 477 teachers for longer day; both sides claim win

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 02:44 PM PDT

In a deal that allowed both sides to claim victory, Chicago Public Schools will hire nearly 500 teachers to accommodate a longer day for students that will only marginally increase the workday for teachers.

Company recalls more than 200,000 strollers; 1 death reported

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 09:34 AM PDT

Peg Perego recalled hundreds of thousands of strollers Tuesday because children can become trapped and strangled between trays on them. One death has already been reported.

Emery upbeat as Bears open camp

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 02:03 PM PDT

General manager Phil Emery addressed the media as his team reported to camp Tuesday, answering questions about Matt Forte, Johnny Knox, Jay Cutler and more.

Obama has ‘no tolerance for leaks,’ White House insists

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 12:51 PM PDT

Jay Carney speaks about the situation in Syria during a briefing at the White House in WashingtonThe White House insisted on Tuesday that President Barack Obama "has no tolerance for leaks" of national security secrets as Mitt Romney accused the Administration of disclosing sensitive information for political gain. "There are two experienced federal prosecutors investigating the leaks in question," press secretary Jay Carney told reporters aboard Air Force One as Obama [...]

Colo. gun sales spike after shooting

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 09:14 AM PDT

Background checks carried out on customers as they buy guns were up 41% in ColoradoGun sales in Colorado have spiked since last week's massacre, The Denver Post reports. Background checks jumped more than 41 percent since Friday's shooting that left 12 dead and 58 injured during a midnight screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" at an Aurora movie theater. Over the weekend, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation approved background [...]

Romney: Obama 'diminished leadership' around the world

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 12:52 PM PDT

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Romney addresses the 113th VFW National Convention in RenoMitt Romney accused President Barack Obama of having "diminished American leadership" around the world with his foreign policy approach and suggested his administration had put the lives of American service members at risk by leaking classified national security details to the media. In a hard-hitting speech before the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Reno, [...]

How much would repealing Obamacare cost?

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 12:44 PM PDT

Doctors protest against individual mandate in President Obama's health care reform in front of U.S. Supreme Court in WashingtonRepealing the health care law passed in 2010 and upheld by the Supreme Court in June would increase the federal deficit by $109 billion over 10 years, a new Congressional Budget Office analysis estimates. The CBO on Tuesday rated the health care repeal bill passed by the House earlier this month and found that "the [...]

Donors give nearly $2 million to help Aurora shooting victims

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 09:19 AM PDT

Signs drawn on fabric are seen hanging from a tree at a memorial for victims behind the theater where a gunman opened fire on moviegoers in AuroraAURORA, Colo.—A horde of mostly anonymous donors has contributed nearly $2 million to a network of nonprofits that are helping those injured in the Aurora movie theater shooting that occurred on Friday. Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures are among the contributors, but most who gave have asked to remain anonymous, according to Colorado Gov. John [...]

Eagle Scouts return medals over organization’s anti-gay stance

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 11:45 AM PDT

Boy Scouts Receive Petition On Gay RightsThe Boy Scouts of America's stance of not allowing openly gay people to serve as troop leaders or members has inspired several Eagle Scouts to return their hard-earned medals and renounce their membership. Boing Boing writer Maggie Koerth-Baker first posted a story about how her husband, Christopher Baker, a former Eagle Scout, returned his medal [...]

Cheetah cubs make their debut at National Zoo

Posted: 24 Jul 2012 11:58 AM PDT

A pair of three-month-old cheetah cubs made their inaugural appearance at Washington's National Zoo on Tuesday. As part of their public debut, the Smithsonian announced it will hold a contest to name the cheetah brothers. Zoo officials say they use the cheetah's tails to separate them, noting that a cheetah's tail is similar to a [...]