President Obama gestures while making a statement regarding the budget fight in Congress and foreign policy challenges in the White House press room on Friday. (Charles Dharapak/AP)
Obama, Iran make nice?
During a brief statement this afternoon, President Obama said that he had spoken with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, the first such conversation between a U.S. and Iranian president in 30 years. Obama noted hope for resolution with regard to Iran’s nuclear program. And while he had the pulpit, Obama also took some shots at the GOP and their budget shenanigans, saying, “Nobody gets to threaten the full faith and credit of the United States just to extract political concessions.” [Sun-Times, C-SPAN]
Prison break
One of the inmates involved in last December’s daring escape from the MCC in the Loop wrote to us telling us all about the experience and why it’s not one he wants to relive. [Sun-Times]
Senate votes
The U.S. Senate voted to pass the House’s bill to fund the government a little longer but not before stripping out the House’s language that would have defunded Obamacare. [WaPo]
Felon
Turns out a man just sentenced to prison for sexual assault and child pornography has worked in City Hall, the Chicago School system and UNO in the last 20 years. [Sun-Times]
Bucktown blowout
Big changes for shopping in Bucktown are on the way, including a new Paul Kahan joint, which means lots of new food in my belly. [Crain’s]
Small win for same-sex marriage
A judge ruled today that lawsuits challenging the State of Illinois’ ban on same-sex marriage may continue. [Sun-Times]
Wacky
The inventor of Whack-a-Mole blew up a building in Florida while fooling around with experimental fuel. [Miami New Times]
Power poll
Ranking the top 10 villains of Breaking Bad before Sunday’s series finale. [Sun-Times]
Bear down!
Bears rookie offensive lineman Kyle Long isn’t worried about the Lions’ Suh, or anything else this weekend. Other than winning, that is. [Sun-Times]
Da coach
Mike Ditka is actually pretty good at picking football games. [Deadspin]
The Bright One
Speaking of Da Bears, did you know the Bill Swerski Super Fans almost were made into a movie? Brandon Wall shares the tale. [Voices]
Commute
Sudoku; Weather; Traffic; CTA; Metra; Flight delays
And finally
What your coffee habits say about you. What does putting Jameson in mine say about me? [WTOP]
