Mick Jagger, Jeff Beck on 'SNL': Some NBC stations censor song

by on May 20, 2012

Bay Area-born and raised drummer extraordinaire Terry Bozzio (who plays the Regency Ballroom Fri/18 with reunited band UK) has performed with Frank Zappa, Missing Persons, Jeff Beck, Fantomas, and a host of other

Mick Jagger was born in 1943. think about that number. It makes me think of World War II which still had a couple years to go. Still, Mick Jagger WHOOPED.

Jeff Beck is famed now for his wild whammy pyrotechnics, volume swells and an avant-garde sense of melody, but once upon a time he was a hard-hitting player who expanded on his early love of blues. from the late '60s to mid-'70s, Beck tended to favor

Not to mention Mick Jagger, Jeff Beck and Arcade fire, key players in a planned all-star jam. Still, in a sign of true showmanship, Dave Grohl assured the crowd that his first priority was the festival, and the band had a solution.

Mick Jagger took to the “SNL” stage with legendary guitarist Jeff Beck to perform “Tea Party,” a political song Jagger wrote about this year's presidential race.

SNL’s Mick Jagger Episode: 5 Best Scenes

by on May 20, 2012

On Election Day in 1996, TheAtlantic.com launched a weekly editorial cartoon feature drawn by Sage Stossel and named (aptly enough) “Sage, Ink.” Since then, Stossel’s whimsical work has been featured by the New York Times Week in Review, CNN Headline News, Cartoon Arts International/The New York Times Syndicate, The Boston Globe, Nieman Reports, Editorial Humor, The Provincetown Banner (for which she received a 2009 New England Press Association Award), and elsewhere. Her work has also been included in Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year, (2005, 2006, 2009, and 2010 editions) and Attack of the Political Cartoonists. Her children’s book, On the Loose in Boston, was published in June 2009.

Sage Stossel grew up in a suburb of Boston and attended Harvard University, where she majored in English and American Literature and Languages and did a weekly cartoon strip about college life, called “Jody,” for the Harvard Crimson. From 2004 to 2007, she served as Books Editor of the Radcliffe Quarterly

After college she took what was intended to be a temporary summer position securing electronic rights to articles from The Atlantic‘s archive for use online. Intrigued by The Atlantic‘s rich history and the creative possibilities in helping to launch a digital edition of the magazine on the Web, she soon joined The Atlantic full time. as the site’s former executive editor, she was involved in everything from contributing reviews,  author interviews, and illustrations, to hosting message boards and producing a digital edition of The Atlantic for the Web.Stossel lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Solar Eclipse 2012 time: ‘Burning ring of fire’ solar eclipse dazzles in the sky above Asia and Western U.S.

by on May 20, 2012

PUBLISHED: 20:57 EST, 20 may 2012 | UPDATED: 22:21 EST, 20 may 2012

Millions of people across Asia and the western United States watched as a rare ‘ring of fire’ eclipse crossed their skies.

The annular eclipse, in which the moon passes in front of the sun leaving only a golden ring around its edges, was seen in the western U.S. late Sunday afternoon and in Asia early Monday.

In some parts of the U.S., special camera filters for taking photographs have been sold out for weeks in anticipation of the big event.

Viewing parties were held in Reno, Nevada, Oakland, California, and elsewhere.

Scroll down for video

The big C: the annular solar eclipse is spotted in the sky above Chandler, Arizona

Fire in the sky: this photo shows the solar eclipse from downtown Fort Worth, Texas

People from neighboring states and Canada traveled to Albuquerque, N.M., to enjoy one of the best vantage points. Members of the crowd cheered and children yelled with excitement as the moon crossed the sun and the blazing halo of light began to form.

In Japan, ‘eclipse tours’ were arranged at schools and parks, on pleasure boats and even private airplanes.

Similar events were held in China and Taiwan as well, with skywatchers warned to protect their eyes.

The eclipse was broadcast live on TV in Tokyo, where such an eclipse hasn’t been visible since 1839.

What a sight: An aeroplane flies past the annular solar eclipse from Taguig city, east of Manila, Philippines

Light show: the eclipse is seen reflected in a pool of water in Beijing, China

Awe: from the astronomy student, left, to the gaggle of schoolboys, right, no one could keep their eyes of the phenomenon

Japanese TV crews watched from the top of Mount Fuji and even staked out a zoo south of Tokyo to capture the reaction of the chimpanzees – who didn’t seem to notice.

A light rain fell on Tokyo as the eclipse began, but the clouds thinned as it reached its peak, providing near perfect conditions.

‘It was a very mysterious sight,’ said Kaori Sasaki, who joined a crowd in downtown Tokyo to watch event. ‘I’ve never seen anything like it.’

At the Taipei Astronomical Museum in Taiwan, the spectacle emerged from dark clouds for only about 30 seconds. But the view was nearly perfect against Manila’s orange skies.

Sky stunner: the solar eclipse, in which the moon passes in front of the sun leaving only a golden ring around its edges, is seen briefly during a break in clouds over Taipei, Taiwan

‘I’ve never seen anything like it’: A partial eclipse is seen from Tokyo as the sun and moon aligned over the earth in the rare astronomical event

‘It’s amazing. we do this for the awe [and] it has not disappointed. I am awed, literally floored,’ said astronomical hobbyist Garry Andreassen, whose long camera lenses were lined up with those of about 10 other gazers in a downtown Manila park.

Hong Kong skywatchers weren’t so lucky.

View: A plane flies above the annular solar eclipse in a stunning image from Irving, Texas

Several hundred people gathered along the Kowloon waterfront on Hong Kong’s famed Victoria Harbor, most of them students or commuters on their way to work.

The eclipse was already underway as the sun began to rise, but heavy clouds obstructed the view.

The eclipse will follow a narrow 13,700-kilometer (8,500-mile) path for 3 1/2 hours.

Halo: An annular eclipse is similar to a total eclipse except that the moon doesn’t block the entire sun, as seen in this 1994 photo

The ring phenomenon will last about five minutes, depending on location. People outside the narrow band for prime viewing will see a partial eclipse.

“Ring of Fire” eclipses are not as dramatic as a total eclipse, when the disk of the sun is entirely blocked by the moon.

The moon is too far from Earth and appears too small in the sky to blot out the sun completely.

Doctors and education officials have warned of eye injuries from improper viewing.

Before the event started, Japan’s Education Minister Hirofumi Hirano demonstrated how to use eclipse glasses in a televised news conference.

Police also cautioned against traffic accidents – warning drivers to keep their eyes on the road.

Path: the eclipse begins in eastern Asia on Monday then crosses the north Pacific to end in western U.S.

 

Obituary: Robin Gibb

by on May 20, 2012

20 May 2012 last updated at 19:08 ET Share this page

A look back at the life of Bee Gee Robin Gibb

The quavering voice of Robin Gibb was one of the key ingredients in the sound and success of the Bee Gees.

Over a period of 40 years, Robin – alongside twin brother Maurice and older brother Barry – racked up a string of hit singles and albums.

From their early incarnation as pop troubadours to their dramatic reinvention as the kings of disco in the mid-1970s, they notched up more than 200 million album sales worldwide.

They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.

But it was a bumpy road with inner tensions in the band causing a brief split. The Gibbs also had to deal with the pain of losing younger brother Andy at an early age and the death of Maurice at 53.

Robin Gibb was born in Douglas on the Isle of Man on 22 December 1949, just 35 minutes before Maurice. Music was an early part of his life as the boys' father Hugh was a drummer and bandleader.

The family moved to Manchester in the 1950s, before undertaking the long journey to Australia. There they settled in one of Brisbane's poorer neighbourhoods.

Robin, together with Maurice and Barry, began playing gigs under a variety of names before settling on The Bee Gees.

In 1963 their first single, The Battle of the Blue and the Grey, made the charts in Sydney and earned them an appearance on a local TV station.

They continued to play and record and in 1965 the single The Spicks and Specks gave them their first Australian number one.

Frustrated by the limited potential in Australia, the band moved back to the UK in 1966.

There they were auditioned by impresario Robert Stigwood, who got them a recording contract with Polydor.

Split

Their first major hit was new York Mining Disaster 1941 which reached the Top 20 in both the UK and US – helped on its way by rumours that the record had actually been recorded by The Beatles.

The disc received a lot of air play, particularly as Stigwood had sent out the demo singles in white covers with just the title of the song on the label.

Their second single – To love Somebody, co-written by Robin – became a pop standard and over the years was covered by hundreds of artists.

Robin Gibb with brother Barry in 2004

The lead vocals on the record were taken by Barry. This led to considerable tension in the band, with Robin accusing Stigwood of favouring his brother as the lead vocalist.

The band hung together for more chart successes, including Massachusetts and Words. But when his song Lamplight was relegated to the B-side of Barry's First of May in 1969, Robin quit the group.

He had one hit single, Saved by the Bell, but was unable to follow it up and decided he was not cut out for a solo career.

In 1970 the band reunited and achieved an immediate chart hit in the US with Lonely Days, which they followed up with How can You Mend a Broken Heart?

The Bee Gees' brand of soulful ballads was no longer in fashion and there was a real danger they would fade into obscurity.

But Stigwood persuaded them to switch their sound towards disco and their next single, Jive Talkin', saw them make a chart comeback in both the US and UK.

Turning point

The turning point came when they produced the soundtrack for the film Saturday Night Fever, which turned them into international stars.

It spawned the singles How Deep is your love, Stayin' Alive and Night Fever, their most successful track.

Despite the band's success Robin Gibb continued to pursue a solo career, but his music enjoyed more success in Europe than it did in either the UK or US.

He also continued writing songs for other artists, co-writing four of the tracks – among them hit song Woman in love – on Barbra Streisand's Guilty album with brother Barry.

Robin also co-wrote material for Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick and Kenny Rogers.

Gibb was seen in 2008 performing at the Electric Proms

In 1988 the Gibb family was hit by tragedy when Andy, their youngest brother and a solo star in his own right, died at the age of 30 from myocarditis – an inflammation of the heart muscle.

One, the Bee Gees' 1989 album, featured a song dedicated to Andy, called wish You Were here.

The Bee Gees continued to record and perform and achieved some chart success.

But Barry had been suffering from a number of health problems including arthritis, while in the early 1990s Maurice sought treatment for his alcoholism.

In 1997 they released the album Still Waters, which sold more than four million copies, and were presented with a Brit award for outstanding contribution to music.

In 2003 tragedy struck again with the sudden death of Maurice at the age of 53. Following his death, Robin and Barry disbanded the group.

Bomber memorial

Robin continued to tour and record and reunited with Barry in Miami in 2006 for a charity concert, prompting rumours of a possible reformation.

In 2008 he was at the forefront of the campaign for a permanent memorial in London to the men of Bomber Command.

Two years later he sang the Bee Gees hit I've Gotta Get a Message To You with a group of soldiers in support of the Poppy Day appeal.

Gibb was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2011

In 2008, Robin performed at the BBC's Electric Proms, marking the 30th anniversary of Saturday Night Fever topping the UK charts.

But ill health dogged him. in 2010, he cancelled a series of shows due to severe stomach pains and went on to have emergency surgery for a blocked intestine.

In late 2011 it was announced that Robin, at the age of 61, had been diagnosed with liver cancer. His gaunt appearance prompted suggestions that he was close to death.

However, he went into remission and had been in recovery in recent months. "I feel fantastic," he told BBC Radio 2 in February. "I am very active and my sense of well-being is good."

His final work was a collaboration with his son, RJ, on The Titanic Requiem, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the naval disaster.

Robin Gibb was a talented singer and songwriter whose best work came from his collaboration with his brothers.

Together they sold more records than the Rolling Stones, Abba or Elton John, but Gibb always felt the band had not received the recognition it deserved.

"There are songs we wrote in 1968 that people are still singing," he told one interviewer in 2008. "There's very few artists with that kind of history."

Obituary: Robin Gibb

James and Wade power Heat past Pacers

by on May 20, 2012

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – LeBron James finished with 40 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists and Dwyane Wade had 30 points as the Miami Heat beat the Indiana Pacers 101-93 Sunday to level their series at 2-2.

Miami Heat forward LeBron James (L) collides with Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert during the first quarter of Game 4 of their NBA Eastern Conference second round basketball playoff series in Indianapolis may 20, 2012. Photo by Brent Smith, Reuters.

Wade also had nine rebounds and six assists for the Heat, which rebounded from an embarrassing 94-75 loss in game three in which Wade didn’t hit his first shot until the third quarter.

But Wade and James were back on the mark Sunday and they now head home to Miami for game five of the Eastern Conference series on Tuesday, where they will try to take a 3-2 series lead.

James and Wade scored 48-of-50 points for the Miami in the time between the end of the second quarter and the early part of the fourth.

"They’ve been through quite a few battles," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of James and Wade.

"we went through quite a bit last year. All the series we went through were highly-competitive, so they understand with one of our main components out that they have to step up."

Miami is still smarting from the loss of forward Chris Bosh, who went down in game one with a lower abdominal strain and isn’t expected to be available for the series.

Heat forward Udonis Haslem chipped in late in the game, scoring eight of his 14 points in the fourth quarter.

Danny Granger led the Pacers with 20 points, Darren Collinson came off the bench to score 16 while Paul George had 13 and Roy Hibbert added 10.

The Pacers looked to be in control in the opening stages of the game Sunday before James and Wade took over.

"We’re a complete team. We’ve handled runs like that all year," said Indiana coach Frank Vogel. "we tried to handle it, but we didn’t handle it enough.

"you get the ball out of one of those guys’ hands," said Vogel, "and it finds its way to the other guy."

The Pacers regrouped and pulled within 76-70 at the end of the third.

The Heat led by nine points with under five minutes remaining and Indiana cut the deficit to five points with 1:35 left but that was a close as they would get.

The Pacers, who started the game on a 9-0 run, took exception to Wade’s rough treatment of Hibbert during the second quarter.

Wade and Granger got in each other’s faces after Wade was wrapped up under the basket by Hibbert on a hard foul.

Wade pushed Hibbert’s hand away even though it appeared that Hibbert was trying to hold him up and then words were exchanged.

"this is the epitome of a 2-3 matchup," said Miami’s Spoelstra. "It’s a long series and right now it’s just survival."

Miami won three of the four from Indiana in the regular season. the only other playoff meeting between the Pacers and Heat was eight years ago in the East semi-finals with Indiana winning in six games.

© 1994-2012 Agence France-Presse

James and Wade power Heat past Pacers

Robin Gibb Dead at 62

by on May 20, 2012

McCarthy/Hulton Archive, Getty Images

Robin Gibb, one-third of the legendary Gibb Brothers  better known to the world as the Bee Gees, has passed away today (May 20) at the age of 62. The news was given via an official statement:

The family of Robin Gibb, of the Bee Gees, announce with great sadness that Robin passed away today following his long battle with cancer and intestinal surgery. The family have asked that their privacy is respected at this very difficult time.

Gibb had been battling both liver and colon cancer, and though it was thought he had won the fight and was in recovery, things recently took a turn for the worse. Last month, he slipped into a coma following intestinal surgery. He regained consciousness a week later, but unfortunately, he was unable to make a complete recovery.

Robin was born on December 22, 1949 along with his twin brother Maurice. The family soon moved from the U.K. to Australia, where the brothers would grow up. not yet in their teens, they joined up with older brother Barry to form a singing group. this group, that would eventually become known as the Bee Gees, started performing wherever and whenever they could, eventually attracting the attention of noted local disc jockey bill Gates and promoter bill Goode. The initials of both their names would provide the basis of the groups name.

They signed with Festival Records in 1963 and released a handful of singles. But it wasn’t until their 1966 single ‘Spicks and Specks,’ which shot to number one in Australia, that the flight to stardom took off. Robin was only 16 years old at the time. things in motion, the brothers moved back to England and contacted Beatles manager Brian Epstein who in turn put them in touch with Robert Stigwood, the man who would become their longtime manager.

The band singed with Polydor in the U.K. and Atco in the States and would soon issue their classic ‘Bee Gee’s 1st’ album. Their recorded output in the 1960s is a spectacular body of work, on par with many greats of the day. Hits like ‘to Love somebody,’ ‘New York Mining Disaster 1941,’ and ‘Massachusetts’ only tell a fraction of the story. Albums such as ‘Horizontal’ and ‘ Odessa’ are true treasures.

At the dawn of the 1970s the band was adrift, internal bickering led Robin to leave the group in late 1969, issuing his solo album ‘Robin’s Reign,’ which is an interesting artifact of the era. a second album, ‘Sing Slowly Sisters,’ was recorded, but never released (sadly, since it contains some wonderful moments — trust us, we’ve heard it!). Robin and his brothers soon set aside their differences and got the Bee Gee ship sailing again.

Though ”Lonely Days’ and ‘ How Can you Mend a Broken Heart’ shot into the Top Ten in the early-70s,  the next few albums that followed, failed to do much, leaving the band pondering their next move. With their 1975 album ‘Main course,’ and the singles ’Nights On Broadway’ and ‘Jive Talkin,’ their path was in place.

We all know what happened next, a low-budget ‘disco’ movie called  ’Saturday Night Fever,’ featured a couple new Bee Gees songs. The film took on a life of its own and became the phenomenon of the late-70s. Disco was everywhere, and the Bee Gees were at the forefront. Massive hits like  ’Stayin’ Alive and ‘Night Fever’ were only the beginning. The band sold millions of records and became huge stars for a second time in their career.

Eventually, tides turned, as they often do, and the oversaturation of all things disco led people to grow tired of the dance floor sounds and hence, the Bee Gees paid the price. The ‘Sgt. Pepper’ movie didn’t help either, but that’s a story unto itself. As the years moved on, all was forgiven and, though never to have any more major hits, respect for the band’s legacy grew over the years, leading to their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in 1997.

Bee Gees music is still everywhere. from the huge disco hits back to the early recordings, appreciation for the music Robin and his brothers made has grown and grown over the years. that appreciation and the success of those records, is due in no small part to the voice of Robin Gibb, that fragile quiver in his voice, added that certain special something to their sound. The death of Robin leaves elder brother Barry as the sole Gibb brother still alive. The youngest, Andy, died in 1988 and Robin’s twin, Maurice, passed in 2003.

Gibb is survived by his wife, Dwina, their son, Robin-John, and two children from his first marriage, Spencer and Melissa.

Thank you for the music, mr. Gibb.

Watch the Bee Gees Singing “Massachusetts” on ‘Top of the Pops’ in 1967

Obama and the NATO General: Different views on Afghanistan

by on May 20, 2012

President Obama, his re-election in the balance and polls showing Americans increasingly opposed to the war in Afghanistan no doubt on his mind, opened NATO’s Chicago summit Sunday emphasizing the day when “the Afghan war as we know it is over.”

Skip to next paragraph

But the NATO Commander in Afghanistan, Marine Gen. John Allen, had a different message. Noting “there is a narrative out there” that combat involving the US will end in 2013, General Allen said the reality is that US soldiers would be fighting right up until NATO ends its combat mission in December 2014.

The difference in the two men’s messages reflects their two different offices: One must appeal to voters who are anxious for the war to end, and the other must command a war taking into account the reality he confronts on the ground.

RECOMMENDED: How well do you know Afghanistan? take our quiz.

The two interpretations, while not harmonious, are not contradictory. the statements came at a summit where leaders are expected to accelerate the handing over to the Afghans of the lead role in combat operations. that could happen by mid-2013. NATO leaders had already decided in 2010 to end the alliance’s combat mission in December 2014.

Obama did say, as he always does in speaking of Afghanistan, that “difficult days” still lie ahead. But his emphasis was elsewhere when he said the summit ending Monday was about “painting a vision post-2014 in which we have ended our combat role, the Afghan war as we understand it is over, but our commitment to friendship and partnership with Afghanistan continues.”

For his part, Allen acknowledged that the Afghans will take the lead of the war in the coming year, but he said “it doesn’t mean that we won’t be fighting, it doesn’t mean there won’t be combat,” he said.  That’s important, he added, “because there is a narrative out there that combat operations for the US stops at milestone 2013. that is not, in fact, correct.”

Allen also said that the scheduled drawdown of US forces to some 68,000 by September – in effect the withdrawal of the “surge” forces Obama ordered in late 2009 – does not mean the US and NATO won’t return to fight the Taliban in areas they’ve turned over to Afghan responsibility.

“If we detect that there is in fact a Taliban presence beginning to surge in behind our forces [who have left],” Allen said, “we have forces that are available that we intend to put in … to prevent that from happening.”

NATO leaders are also expressing optimism that the international community will come up with the money to keep the Afghan security forces up and running after 2014, but no hard figures are so far on the table.

At a press conference closing out the summit’s first day Sunday, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said he was confident that international support would be forthcoming. “I’m optimistic about reaching the overall goal of finding about $4 billion a year for financing the Afghan Security Forces,” he said.

As one of the world’s poorest countries, Afghanistan simply does not generate the revenue to finance on its own the army and police it needs, especially as it faces an active and in some areas resurgent insurgency.

The Chicago summit is “not a pledging conference,” Mr. Rasmussen noted, but he said that a number of financial commitments already announced were encouraging. the early assumption is that the US would pick up about half of the annual $4 billion price tag, but some experts say it is unclear where the other $2 billion would come from.

Rasmussen said it would not just be NATO and partner countries who would be expected to contribute financially to Afghanistan’s security, but the wider international community. that is one reason, he said, that the NATO summit would not provide a full picture of funding for the security forces.

“Don’t expect exact figures from this summit,” he said, “but I am confident we are on the right track.” 

RECOMMENDED: How well do you know Afghanistan? take our quiz.

Obama and the NATO General: Different views on Afghanistan

KGWN –Cheyenne, WY– Scottsbluff, NE News,Weather, SportsMen accused of plotting attacks around NATO summit

by on May 20, 2012

By MICHAEL TARM and RYAN FOLEYAssociated Press

CHICAGO (AP) – three activists who traveled to Chicago for a NATO summit were accused Saturday of manufacturing Molotov cocktails in a plot to attack President Barack Obama's campaign headquarters, Mayor Rahm Emanuel's home and other targets.

But defense lawyers shot back that Chicago police had trumped up the charges to frighten peaceful protesters away, telling a judge it was undercover officers known by the activists as “Mo” and “Gloves” who brought the firebombs to a South side apartment where the men were arrested.

“This is just propaganda to create a climate of fear,” Michael Deutsch said. “My clients came to peacefully protest.”

On the eve of the summit, the dramatic allegations were reminiscent of previous police actions ahead of major political events, when authorities moved quickly to prevent suspected plots but sometimes quietly dropped the charges later.

Prosecutors said the men were self-described anarchists who boasted weeks earlier about the damage they would do in Chicago, including one who declared, “After NATO, the city will never be the same.”

At one point, one of the suspects asked the others if they had ever seen a “cop on fire.”

Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy dismissed the idea that the arrests were anything more than an effort to stop “an imminent threat.”

“When someone was in the position (of having) Molotov cocktails – that's pretty imminent,” he said. “It was not a completed investigation.”

The men allegedly bought fuel at a gas station for the makeshift bombs, poured it into beer bottles and cut up bandanas to serve as fuses.

The suspects are Brian Church, 20, of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Jared Chase, 24, of Keene, N.H.; and, Brent Vincent Betterly, 24, of Oakland Park, Fla.

If convicted on all counts – conspiracy to commit terrorism, material support for terrorism and possession of explosives – the men could get up to 85 years in prison.

Outside the courtroom, Deutsch said the two undercover police officers or informants were also arrested during the Wednesday raid, and defense attorneys later lost track of the two.

“We believe this is all a setup and entrapment to the highest degree,” Deutsch said.

The suspects were each being held on $1.5 million bond. six others arrested Wednesday in the raid were released Friday without being charged.

The three who remained in custody apparently came to Chicago late last month to take part in May Day protests. Relatives and acquaintances said the men were wanderers who bounced around as part of the Occupy movement and had driven together from Florida to Chicago, staying with other activists.

Court records indicated no prior violent behavior.

Longtime observers of police tactics said the operation seemed similar to those conducted by authorities in other cities before similarly high-profile events.

For instance, prior to the Republican National Convention in 2008 in St. Paul, Minn., prosecutors charged eight activists who were organizing mass protests with terrorism-related crimes after investigators said they recovered equipment for Molotov cocktails, slingshots with marbles and other items.

The protesters, who became known as the RNC Eight, denied the allegations and accused authorities of stifling dissent. the terrorism charges were later dismissed. Five of the suspects eventually pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges, and three had their cases dismissed altogether.

Molotov cocktails are dangerous weapons, but it “kind of stretches the bounds to define that as terrorism,” said Michael Scott, director of the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

He said police have a history of abusing such tactics, sometimes infiltrating purely peaceful protest groups to search for troublemakers.

But if the allegations are true, police were justified in moving quickly to take the men off the streets, even if the terrorism charges don't stick.

Just one week before their arrest, at least two of the suspects were involved in a minor confrontation with police captured on a video that was then posted on YouTube and aired widely by Chicago media, said another defense attorney, Sarah Gelsomino.

The men had been stopped by police after turning their car into a private driveway.

In the video, one officer asks another what Chicago police would have said in 1968 when they clashed with demonstrators at the Democratic National convention.

“Billy club to the … skull,” the officer responds. another officer says to the men in the car, who the police take as protesters, “We'll come look for you.”

Documents filed by prosecutors in support of the charges in Chicago painted an ominous portrait of the men, saying the trio also discussed using swords, hunting bows and knives with brass-knuckle handles in their attacks.

Relatives and acquaintances painted a starkly different picture.

Activist bill Vassilakis, who said he let the men stay in his apartment, described Betterly as an industrial electrician who had volunteered to help with wiring at the Plant, a former meatpacking facility that has been turned into a food incubator with the city's backing.

“All I can say about that is, if you knew Brent, you would find that to be the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard. He was the most stand-up guy that was staying with me. He and the other guys had done nothing but volunteer their time and energy,” he said.

Betterly appears to have a history of minor run-ins with law enforcement.

Earlier this year, he was cited for disorderly intoxication in February in Miami-Dade County, Fla., but the case has been dismissed, according to online court records.

Authorities in Oakland Park, Fla., said Betterly and two other young men walked into a public high school last fall after a night of tequila drinking and took a swim in the pool, according to a report in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

They stole fire extinguishers from three school buses, discharged one and smashed a cafeteria window with another. the vandalism caused about $2,000 in damage. Betterly was charged with burglary, theft and criminal mischief, the newspaper said.

Chase grew up in Keene, N.H., and moved to Boston a few years ago before becoming active in the Occupy movement, said his aunt, Barbara Chase of Westmoreland, N.H.

Jared Chase's father, Steve Chase, died about five weeks ago after a long struggle with a disease that left him disabled, Barbara Chase said. the family had been waiting for him to come home before having a funeral.

She said she was stunned to learn of the charges against her nephew.

“That surprised me because he's not that dumb,” said Barbara Chase. “He always seemed harmless, but who knows? outside influences sometimes can sway people to do things that they normally wouldn't do.”

Elsewhere around Chicago, demonstrations remained relatively small. Scattered groups of protesters gathered in some neighborhoods, including several hundred who marched to the mayor's house.

Late in the day, another group gathered in the Loop business district and marched down the city's famous Michigan Avenue. Police on horseback and bicycle kept them away from diners at outdoor cafes who ventured downtown despite wide-ranging security precautions.

The largest protests were expected Sunday, when thousands of people were expected to march from a band shell on Lake Michigan to the McCormick Place convention center, where NATO delegates will meet.

Associated Press writers Jason Keyser, Jim Suhr, Tammy Webber and Nomaan Merchant also contributed to this report.

Copyright 2012 the associated Press. All rights reserved. this material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Illinois Housing Market News

by on May 20, 2012

Existing home sales in Illinois rose for the sixth consecutive month as low housing prices, low current Illinois mortgage rates, and attractive distressed properties fueled demand for houses.

Sales of existing homes and condos in the Chicago area rose 32% in February compared to the previous February. nearly 40% of home sales in Chicago last month were distressed properties. In the past distressed properties were synonymous with ramshackle houses in run-down neighborhoods in dire need of repair. In the current economic climate, however, there are many distressed properties in good condition that are move-in ready. These foreclosed houses are selling at bargain prices and are depressing prices for homes that are not distressed that have to compete with low prices. Over the past sixth months the median house price in the Chicago area dropped 17%.

Foreclosure filings in Illinois were up 21% in February. The upside to this is that before the recovery in the housing market can truly take hold, the market will have to absorb the supply of distressed homes. This process will definitely cause hardship for many sellers, but is a necessary process.

What does all this mean to the average home-buyer in Illinois? it is surely a buyer’s market right now. Prices are at low levels that have not been seen for years. for those who qualify, current mortgage rates are very near their historic lows. The average national 30 year fixed mortgage rate was 4.96% last week. Total Mortgage offers Illinois mortgage rates well below the national average:

Rate
APR

Illinois 30 Year Fixed Conventional Mortgage

4.5%
4.710%

Illinois 15 Year Fixed Conventional Mortgage

4.0%
4.363%

Illinois 30 Year Fixed FHA Mortgage

4.5%
5.422%

Illinois 30 Year Fixed Jumbo Mortgage

5.5%
5.716%

Illinois 15 Year Fixed Jumbo Mortgage

4.0%
4.352%

Illinois 5/1 ARM Conforming Mortgage

3.0%
3.249%

Illinois 5/1 ARM Jumbo Mortgage

3.625%
3.303%

* All rates shown are for 30 day rate locks. Longer locks available. The APR for conventional loan amounts is calculated using a loan amount of $417,000, 2 points, a $495 application fee, $500 loan processing fee, $715 underwriting fee and a $16 flood certification fee. The APR for jumbo loan amounts is calculated using a loan amount of $500,000, two points, a $495 application fee, $500 loan processing fee, $715 underwriting fee and a $16 flood certification fee. The APR for FHA loan amounts is calculated using a loan amount of $295,000, two points, a $495 application fee, $500 loan processing fee, $715 underwriting fee and a $16 flood certification fee. Some rates and fees may vary by state. All interest rates listed are for qualified applicants and are subject to mortgage approval. All rates are subject to change without notice. All rates assume a credit score of 740+ and are subject to change. Rates are quoted from Totalmortgage.com as of 12PM on Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010.

If you are in the market for a home in Illinois, Total Mortgage would be proud to help find you the right mortgage for your situation. for more than a decade we have offered some of the best mortgage rates in the industry and exceptional customer service. We know the market inside and out and are able to use our in house processing and underwriting to cut costs and save you money. call us today at 877-868-2503 and learn how we can save you money today.

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →