Bears refuse to look back // Wannstedt already has his sights set on Super Bowl goal

For their final practice before their victory Sunday over theSt. Louis Rams, the Bears went to their new practice facility, touredthe buildings and fields and listened to a short speech by Bearspresident Michael McCaskey.

"The whole point was that we're going forward," Bears coach DaveWannstedt said. "We're not sitting here talking about what couldhave been. We're going to get this thing going and start talkingabout what we're going to get done in the offseason. It was just away to let everyone know this is a positive step to where we want toget, and that's to the Super Bowl."

It might be difficult to hear talk of the Super Bowl the dayafter the Bears were …

Man pleads not guilty to trying to kill Obama

WASHINGTON (AP) — An man accused of firing shots at the White House pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges that he tried to assassinate President Barack Obama.

A lawyer for Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez entered the plea on his client's behalf during a brief appearance in U.S. District Court in Washington. Ortega did not say anything during the proceedings and will remain held without bond. He has another court date next month.

Prosecutors say Ortega used an assault rifle with an attached scope to fire a series of shots at the White House from long range on the night of Nov. 11. Obama and his wife, Michelle, were out of town at the time. In the months before the shooting, …

French Open at a glance

A look at the French Open on Monday:

Weather: Cloudy and windy. High of 66 degrees (19 C).

Men's Fourth-Round Results: No. 2 Rafael Nadal def. No. 24 Thomaz Bellucci 6-2, 7-5, 6-4; No. 3 Novak Djokovic def. Robby Ginepri 6-4, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2; No. 19 Nicolas Almagro def. No. 7 Fernando Verdasco 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4; No. 22 Jurgen Melzer def. Teimuraz Gabashvili 7-6 (6), 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Women's Fourth-Round Results: No. 1 Serena Williams def. No. 18 Shahar Peer 6-2, 6-2; No. 4 Jelena Jankovic def. No. 23 Daniela Hantuchova 6-4, 6-2; No. 7 Sam Stosur def. No. 22 Justine Henin 2-6, 6-1, 6-4; Yaroslava Shvedova def. Jarmila Groth 6-4, 6-3.

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CURIOUS TIMES

ALIEN LIFE RAINS DOWN

A chemical analysis of a strange red rain which fell upon Kerala, India, for about two months back in 2001 has finally concluded that the rain may have contained biological material from outer space. Scientists from Mahatma Gandhi University in Kottayam, India, have published a paper claiming that the red rain was caused after an exploding meteor dumped particles into the atmosphere above Kerala. The red rain began back on July 25, 2001, and at least five tons of the red particles fell to Earth during the rains that followed for about two months. The particles turned out to be microbes of a "biological cell-like nature" consisting mostly of carbon and oxygen …

PAIR

Sixth and Main has long been an epicenter of post-adolescent hormonal rage, intermingled with alleged adults who furtively scramble after dismissive youth that flitter by wearing little more than their regrettable tattoos. But an antidote to this Clockwork Orange bacchanalia exists through the doors of Pair. Concrete floors, Persian rugs, Arne Jacobsen-styled chairs, Emeco stools and floor-to-ceiling windows create an environment suitable for a Soho loft.

I repeatedly invited my dear friend and neighbor the neurosurgeon to join me, but he was always busy. His wife confided that he was afraid I'd make fun of him. As it turns out, the neurosurgeon had previously dined at Pair, …

Bush sending Rice to India in aftermath of attacks

President George W. Bush is sending Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to India in the wake of the terrorist attacks that killed nearly 200 people, including six Americans.

White House press secretary Dana Perino says Rice is scheduled to leave Sunday night for London for a NATO meeting and then will travel to New Delhi on …

Meda H. Archer

Meda H. Archer, 87, a former resident of Highland Park andMundelein, died July 29 in Tallahassee, Fla.

Mrs. Archer was the widow of Ralph C. Archer, vice president ofInternational Harvester and a director of the La Salle National Bank.During nearly 50 years in the …