Sears Tower is no more, made obsolete by a company with an edifice complex.
The 110-story Chicago giant will be renamed Willis Tower under a leasing deal announced Thursday. The New York-based owners signed a lease with Willis Group Holdings Ltd., an insurance broker, for 140,000 square feet plus the naming rights.
Willis is the third-biggest company in its field, but it's taking on No. 1, Chicago's Aon Corp., in its own backyard. Like Aon, Willis likes to plaster its name on big buildings.
Under Chairman Joseph Plumeri, Willis put its name on a new London office building that opened last July amid pomp featuring the duke of York.
In Chicago, Willis will have bragging rights with its name on the former Sears Tower, the nation's tallest building. Aon, whose founding chairman is the name-conscious Patrick Ryan, attached itself in 2001 to the former Amoco Building, the fifth-tallest building in the United States and No. 2 in Chicago.
While fighting each other for business accounts worldwide, the two companies now have competing architectural symbols in Chicago.
Willis said it will consolidate five Chicago area offices and move 500 employees into the tower. The company said it is paying $14.50 per square foot in rent and that the naming rights come with no additional cost.
But the Sears Tower owners immediately disputed that point. Also, many Chicagoans hit the Internet to criticize the renaming, with some doubting it would take hold in the public's mind. Some of the tower's tenants were mad, too.
The relocation is expected to be done by late summer.
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Via: The Chicago Sun-Times
A court convicted an Iraqi journalist of assault Thursday for hurling his shoes at George W. Bush and sentenced him to three years in prison, prompting an outburst from his family and calls for his release from Iraqis who consider him an icon for a nation decimated by war.
Muntadhar al-Zeidi, 30, defiantly shouted, "Long Live Iraq!" when the sentence was imposed, according to defense lawyers. Some of his relatives collapsed and had to be helped out of the courthouse. Others were forcibly removed by guards after shouting "Down with Bush!"
"This judiciary is unjust," al-Zeidi's brother, Dargham, said tearfully.
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In case you forgot what happened...
Via: Yahoo
Singer Chris Brown has recorded a song with his reported girlfriend, Rihanna, just days after charges were filed against him for allegedly assaulting her, the record's producer said Thursday through a publicist.
The singers completed a duet, said producer Polow Da Don's publicist, Laura Wright. She did not release any other details.
"My heart goes out to both Chris and Rihanna for what has happened in the past," Da Don said in a statement. "They are both great artists to work with, and I wish them well."
The Los Angeles, California, district attorney filed two felony counts against Brown, 19, last week relating to a February 8 incident in which police said he assaulted Rihanna, 21.
A police statement said the incident began when Rihanna, whose full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, found a text message on Brown's cell phone from "a woman who Brown had a previous sexual relationship with," according to court documents released last week.
Brown issued a public apology to his fans last month.
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Unlike some people, I have no problem with them getting back together. What two grown people decide to do is their own business. And watch everybody love the song they put. It'll probably be dope.
Via: CNN
