Our client is a subsidiary of a prestigious European financial organisation which offers leasing as a financing solution to businesses.? Due to their continued success, our client has a requirement for an experienced Senior Credit Underwriter to join them.
Key Responsibilities:
Key Skills:
You will already be experienced in credit underwriting / risk assessment in a broad range of industry types, including construction, transport, healthcare, IT, agriculture and office equipment.
You should have sound working knowledge of balance sheet analysis, ideally from within an Asset Finance environment although, candidates with a commercial lending background from elsewhere may also be considered.?
You will be an excellent communicator at all levels and will be a customer service minded individual with good documentation skills.??
A?keen eye for detail and an excellent telephone manner are essential.
Candidates should have a good understanding of regulatory lending requirements, including compliance.?
You should be well educated with first class communication skills.
An excellent range of benefits, including a generous bonus, accompanies the attractive salary package.
Contact: Jennifer Dan jdan@theoaklandpartnership.com 020 7822 8640
Toxic mercury, accumulating in the Arctic, springs from a hidden sourcePublic release date: 21-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Caroline Perry cperry@seas.harvard.edu 617-496-1351 Harvard University
Harvard study finds circumpolar rivers most responsible for high levels of mercury in the Arctic
Cambridge, Mass. - May 21, 2012 - Environmental scientists at Harvard have discovered that the Arctic accumulation of mercury, a toxic element, is caused by both atmospheric forces and the flow of circumpolar rivers that carry the element north into the Arctic Ocean.
While the atmospheric source was previously recognized, it now appears that twice as much mercury actually comes from the rivers.
The revelation implies that concentrations of the toxin may further increase as climate change continues to modify the region's hydrological cycle and release mercury from warming Arctic soils.
"The Arctic is a unique environment because it's so remote from most anthropogenic (human-influenced) sources of mercury, yet we know that the concentrations of mercury in Arctic marine mammals are among the highest in the world," says lead author Jenny A. Fisher, a postdoctoral fellow in Harvard's Atmospheric Chemistry Modeling Group and the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS). "This is dangerous to both marine life and humans. The question from a scientific standpoint is, where does that mercury come from?"
The results of the study, which was led jointly by Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), have been published in the journal Nature Geoscience on May 20.
Mercury is a naturally occurring element that has been enriched in the environment by human activities such as coal combustion and mining. When converted to methylmercury by microbial processes in the ocean, it can accumulate in fish and wildlife at concentrations up to a million times higher than the levels found in the environment.
"In humans, mercury is a potent neurotoxin," explains co-principal investigator Elsie M. Sunderland, Mark and Catherine Winkler Assistant Professor of Aquatic Science at HSPH. "It can cause long-term developmental delays in exposed children and impair cardiovascular health in adults."
Mercury is considered a persistent bioaccumulative toxin because it remains in the environment without breaking down; as it travels up the food chain, from plankton to fish, to marine mammals and humans, it becomes more concentrated and more dangerous.
"Indigenous people in the Arctic are particularly susceptible to the effects of methylmercury exposure because they consume large amounts of fish and marine mammals as part of their traditional diet," Sunderland says. "Understanding the sources of mercury to the Arctic Ocean and how these levels are expected to change in the future is therefore key to protecting the health of northern populations."
Sunderland supervised the study with Daniel Jacob, Vasco McCoy Family Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry and Environmental Engineering at SEAS, where Sunderland is also an affiliate.
Mercury enters the Earth's atmosphere through emissions from coal combustion, waste incineration, and mining. Once airborne, it can drift in the atmosphere for up to a year, until chemical processes make it soluble and it falls back to the ground in rain or snow. This deposition is spread worldwide, and much of the mercury deposited to Arctic snow and ice is re-emitted to the atmosphere, which limits the impact on the Arctic Ocean.
"That's why these river sources are so important," says Fisher. "The mercury is going straight into the ocean."
The most important rivers flowing to the Arctic Ocean are in Siberia: the Lena, the Ob, and the Yenisei. These are three of the 10 largest rivers in the world, and together they account for 10% of all freshwater discharge to the world's oceans. The Arctic Ocean is shallow and stratified, which increases its sensitivity to input from rivers.
Previous measurements had shown that the levels of mercury in the Arctic lower atmosphere fluctuate over the course of a year, increasing sharply from spring to summer. Jacob, Sunderland, and their team used a sophisticated model (GEOS-Chem) of the conditions in the Arctic Ocean and atmosphere to investigate whether variables like melting ice, interactions with microbes, or the amount of sunlight (which affects chemical reactions) could account for the difference.
Incorporating those variables, however, was not enough.
The GEOS-Chem model, which is backed by rigorous environmental observations and more than a decade of scientific review, quantifies the complex nuances of the ocean-ice-atmosphere environment. It takes into account, for example, ocean mixing at various depths, the chemistry of mercury in the ocean and the atmosphere, and the mechanisms of atmospheric deposition and re-emission.
When the Harvard team adapted it for their Arctic mercury simulations, the only adjustment that could explain the spike in summertime concentrations was the incorporation of a large source to the Arctic Ocean from circumpolar rivers. This source had not been recognized previously.
As it turns out, approximately twice as much mercury in the Arctic Ocean originates from the rivers as from the atmosphere.
"At this point we can only speculate as to how the mercury enters the river systems, but it appears that climate change may play a large role," says Jacob. "As global temperatures rise, we begin to see areas of permafrost thawing and releasing mercury that was locked in the soil; we also see the hydrological cycle changing, increasing the amount of runoff from precipitation that enters the rivers."
"Another contributing factor," he adds, "could be runoff from gold, silver, and mercury mines in Siberia, which may be polluting the water nearby. We know next to nothing about these pollution sources."
As the contaminated river water flows into the Arctic Ocean, Jacob says, the surface layer of the ocean becomes supersaturated, leading to what scientists call an "evasion" of mercury from the ocean into the lower atmosphere.
"Observing that telltale supersaturation, and wanting to explain it, is what initially motivated this study," says Fisher. "Relating it to Arctic rivers was detective work. The environmental implications of this finding are huge. It means, for example, that climate change could have a very large impact on Arctic mercury, larger than the impact of controlling emissions to the atmosphere. More work is needed now to measure the mercury discharged by rivers and to determine its origin."
###
Fisher, Jacob, and Sunderland were joined on this work by co-authors Anne L. Soerensen, a research fellow at SEAS and HSPH; Helen M. Amos, a graduate student in EPS; and Alexandra Steffen, an atmospheric mercury specialist at Environment Canada.
The work was supported by the National Science Foundation's Arctic System Science Program.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Toxic mercury, accumulating in the Arctic, springs from a hidden sourcePublic release date: 21-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Caroline Perry cperry@seas.harvard.edu 617-496-1351 Harvard University
Harvard study finds circumpolar rivers most responsible for high levels of mercury in the Arctic
Cambridge, Mass. - May 21, 2012 - Environmental scientists at Harvard have discovered that the Arctic accumulation of mercury, a toxic element, is caused by both atmospheric forces and the flow of circumpolar rivers that carry the element north into the Arctic Ocean.
While the atmospheric source was previously recognized, it now appears that twice as much mercury actually comes from the rivers.
The revelation implies that concentrations of the toxin may further increase as climate change continues to modify the region's hydrological cycle and release mercury from warming Arctic soils.
"The Arctic is a unique environment because it's so remote from most anthropogenic (human-influenced) sources of mercury, yet we know that the concentrations of mercury in Arctic marine mammals are among the highest in the world," says lead author Jenny A. Fisher, a postdoctoral fellow in Harvard's Atmospheric Chemistry Modeling Group and the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS). "This is dangerous to both marine life and humans. The question from a scientific standpoint is, where does that mercury come from?"
The results of the study, which was led jointly by Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), have been published in the journal Nature Geoscience on May 20.
Mercury is a naturally occurring element that has been enriched in the environment by human activities such as coal combustion and mining. When converted to methylmercury by microbial processes in the ocean, it can accumulate in fish and wildlife at concentrations up to a million times higher than the levels found in the environment.
"In humans, mercury is a potent neurotoxin," explains co-principal investigator Elsie M. Sunderland, Mark and Catherine Winkler Assistant Professor of Aquatic Science at HSPH. "It can cause long-term developmental delays in exposed children and impair cardiovascular health in adults."
Mercury is considered a persistent bioaccumulative toxin because it remains in the environment without breaking down; as it travels up the food chain, from plankton to fish, to marine mammals and humans, it becomes more concentrated and more dangerous.
"Indigenous people in the Arctic are particularly susceptible to the effects of methylmercury exposure because they consume large amounts of fish and marine mammals as part of their traditional diet," Sunderland says. "Understanding the sources of mercury to the Arctic Ocean and how these levels are expected to change in the future is therefore key to protecting the health of northern populations."
Sunderland supervised the study with Daniel Jacob, Vasco McCoy Family Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry and Environmental Engineering at SEAS, where Sunderland is also an affiliate.
Mercury enters the Earth's atmosphere through emissions from coal combustion, waste incineration, and mining. Once airborne, it can drift in the atmosphere for up to a year, until chemical processes make it soluble and it falls back to the ground in rain or snow. This deposition is spread worldwide, and much of the mercury deposited to Arctic snow and ice is re-emitted to the atmosphere, which limits the impact on the Arctic Ocean.
"That's why these river sources are so important," says Fisher. "The mercury is going straight into the ocean."
The most important rivers flowing to the Arctic Ocean are in Siberia: the Lena, the Ob, and the Yenisei. These are three of the 10 largest rivers in the world, and together they account for 10% of all freshwater discharge to the world's oceans. The Arctic Ocean is shallow and stratified, which increases its sensitivity to input from rivers.
Previous measurements had shown that the levels of mercury in the Arctic lower atmosphere fluctuate over the course of a year, increasing sharply from spring to summer. Jacob, Sunderland, and their team used a sophisticated model (GEOS-Chem) of the conditions in the Arctic Ocean and atmosphere to investigate whether variables like melting ice, interactions with microbes, or the amount of sunlight (which affects chemical reactions) could account for the difference.
Incorporating those variables, however, was not enough.
The GEOS-Chem model, which is backed by rigorous environmental observations and more than a decade of scientific review, quantifies the complex nuances of the ocean-ice-atmosphere environment. It takes into account, for example, ocean mixing at various depths, the chemistry of mercury in the ocean and the atmosphere, and the mechanisms of atmospheric deposition and re-emission.
When the Harvard team adapted it for their Arctic mercury simulations, the only adjustment that could explain the spike in summertime concentrations was the incorporation of a large source to the Arctic Ocean from circumpolar rivers. This source had not been recognized previously.
As it turns out, approximately twice as much mercury in the Arctic Ocean originates from the rivers as from the atmosphere.
"At this point we can only speculate as to how the mercury enters the river systems, but it appears that climate change may play a large role," says Jacob. "As global temperatures rise, we begin to see areas of permafrost thawing and releasing mercury that was locked in the soil; we also see the hydrological cycle changing, increasing the amount of runoff from precipitation that enters the rivers."
"Another contributing factor," he adds, "could be runoff from gold, silver, and mercury mines in Siberia, which may be polluting the water nearby. We know next to nothing about these pollution sources."
As the contaminated river water flows into the Arctic Ocean, Jacob says, the surface layer of the ocean becomes supersaturated, leading to what scientists call an "evasion" of mercury from the ocean into the lower atmosphere.
"Observing that telltale supersaturation, and wanting to explain it, is what initially motivated this study," says Fisher. "Relating it to Arctic rivers was detective work. The environmental implications of this finding are huge. It means, for example, that climate change could have a very large impact on Arctic mercury, larger than the impact of controlling emissions to the atmosphere. More work is needed now to measure the mercury discharged by rivers and to determine its origin."
###
Fisher, Jacob, and Sunderland were joined on this work by co-authors Anne L. Soerensen, a research fellow at SEAS and HSPH; Helen M. Amos, a graduate student in EPS; and Alexandra Steffen, an atmospheric mercury specialist at Environment Canada.
The work was supported by the National Science Foundation's Arctic System Science Program.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
As the online video marketplace grows dramatically, companies flounder to find a video strategy that works but OMC's David Twigg says face to camera is the best starting point.
Brisbane,Queensland,Australia (PRWEB) May 21, 2012
Last week comScore produced their US Online Video rankings and US Online Video Ad Property rankings, which showed that 181 million American internet users watched just under 37 billion videos in the month of April and Video ads were shown 9.5 billion times with a reach of just over 50% amongst the US population.
As would be expected YouTube was the main contributor to this vast marketplace, lumped in with all Google sites there were17 billion video views at an average of 7.2 hours of video per user for the month, which works out to just under 15 minutes per user per day. In terms of video ad views Hulu produced more than the Google portfolio (including YouTube), 1.6 billion vs 1.3 billion and also a much higher frequency with the average user receiving 49 ads vs Google's 18, ESPN averaged 27 ads per user with a total of 514 million ads delivered. The difference in ads shown per user between content on Premium channels Hulu and ESPN vs YouTube is understandable, watching expensively produced TV would seem to deserve advertising partners more compared to the raft of amateur produced (though often very high quality) content of video sharing channels.
Despite this rapid rise of the amount of online video content, Businesses are still struggling to understand how best to leverage this medium. As small mass video camera technology has improved so much in the last 2 years, face to camera videos can be created on a very limited budget,software editing packages and skilled editors are also a relatively cheap commodity, so creativity in the form of video is no longer determined by budget. In fact in 2012 there have been many viral videos that were produced for nothing and getting viewed millions of times.
David Twigg of OMC says ?Online Video is now becoming a fundamental communication tool for businesses, whether it be a simple way of distributing news or as a sales tool. Face to camera has been shown to get more views than leveraging slide presentations like powerpoint or keynote.? YouTube Pay Per View Advertising took a new direction with True View earlier this year, it is too early to tell if this will ever be as powerful as Google adwords advertising but certainly for visual products like software and perhaps experience driven products like luxury cars there seems to be a great opportunity to target prospects through keyword targeting.
So how are companies leveraging this growing marketplace? The big brands have poured a lot of money into slick professional productions and plenty of bricks and mortar and ecommerce operations are using cheaper screen recording platforms but the vast majority of businesses are still video virgins. "Often it's vanity that precludes business people from wanting to put their face on the internet or the view that it is only for the younger generation but the reality is that video is now one of the strongest forms of communication we have, so to avoid it is allowing the competition to steal a march. I think by the end of this year there will be a lot more companies experimenting with face to camera videos".
Technology certainly makes this media far more accessible than it has ever been before.
ABOUT OMC
Online Marketing Consultants Pty Ltd was launched in 2009 to solve a fundamental business challenge, how to get new leads cost effectively. Through substantial testing and hundreds of client campaigns a clear strategy emerged that revolved around the 2 main factors of traffic and conversions. To read the company's latest views and information go to http://onlinemarketingconsultants.com.au/blog
For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/5/prweb9527162.htm
Show also features tributes to Whitney Houston, Donna Summer, MCA and Robin Gibb. By Gil Kaufman
Justin Bieber performs at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards on Sunday Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images
Sunday night's (May 20) Billboard Music Awards were a bittersweet affair, balancing the promise of decades of entertainment from a new generation of record-smashing young artists like Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift with fond memories of a number of recently departed musical icons.
In a three-hour show heavy on performances, chart staples LMFAO helped kicked the show off with a typically hyped performance of their inescapable party anthems that featured a cabbage-patching teddy bear and zebra and more animal prints than a Flintstones family reunion.
Justin Bieber was the night's first winner, taking the Top Social Artist award for his huge online presence. The singer swaggered up to the stage and, in an uncharacteristically emotional moment, said, "I just want to say how much of a blessing it's been ... the past three or four years, growing up in front of everybody. ... I want to thank all my fans, because the Internet is where I got my start, and all my fans have helped me get to this position."
Co-host Julie Bowen took a moment out of the program early on to pay tribute to late Bee Gees member Robin Gibb, who died earlier in the day Sunday after a long battle with cancer. The night also featured a touching tribute to recently passed disco queen Donna Summer by Natasha Bedingfield and a segment devoted to music legend Whitney Houston with a medley of her indelible hits performed by John Legend and Jordin Sparks.
Daughter Bobbi Kristina accepted the Billboard Millennium Award on behalf of her late mother. "I just really want to say thank you to everyone who supported us through it all," she said. "Not just when it was good, but when it was bad too ... thank you so much for showing that much love, because she deserved it."
Katy Perry was handed the Spotlight Award for tying the record set by Michael Jackson of five #1 hits from the same album, for her handful of smashes from Teenage Dream. Dressed in a floor-length sparkling silver gown, her hair a muted dark purple, Perry said she was "incredibly honored" to be in the same category as someone like Jackson.
"Most of all, of course, I always say that the people have the power, so I want to say thank you to the glittering, gorgeous community of fans out there," she added to wild applause, while finding a spare few seconds to plug her upcoming 3-D concert film, "Part of Me." Oh, and she said she couldn't wait to do shots later that night with her 91-year-old granny, who was in the audience.
The ladies had a great night, as Taylor Swift was honored with the Billboard Woman of the Year award, acknowledging her stadium full of impressive credits, including a place as the only woman in music history to score three #1 albums in a row, each of which has sold more than 5 million copies. Swift, 22, dressed in a flowing red evening gown and ever gracious, thanked her legions of fans, saying, "I just love you so much, I'm just so humbled and honored by this."
As Miley Cyrus noted, you're only new to the game once, so it was fitting that red-hot rapper Wiz Khalifa best the competition for the Top New Artist trophy. "I'm up here shakin', man," the rapper admitted as he thanked his whole crew and label family, as well as his "beautiful fiancée," Amber Rose. "She's my world and she puts up with my crazy butt, too," he smiled, as Rose beamed from her seat in the audience.
Some other men got a bit of attention as well, with an absent Lil Wayne beating out Chris Brown, Drake, Bruno Mars and Justin Bieber for Male Artist of the Year.
Hot 100 Song of the Year was a tight race featuring smashes from Adele, Perry, Maroon 5 and Pitbull. But could it have gone to anyone but LMFAO for "Party Rock Anthem"? With six weeks atop the Hot 100, the uncle/nephew duo scored the third longest-running top 10 hit of all time. "This is a dream come true," said singer Redfoo. A short time later, Khalifa shouted out the Beastie Boys' MCA before LMFAO were up on the stage again for the Top Duo or Group prize.
Brown got his chance a bit later with a win in the R&B Artist of the Year category, Foster the People took Top Rock Song for "Pumped Up Kicks," Coldplay were named Top Rock Artist, U2 Top Touring Act, Lady Gaga Top Dance Artist and an Icon Award for Stevie Wonder. For a full list of Sunday night's winners, head to Billboard.com.
Among the night's other performers, Kelly Clarkson made the televised debut of her rocking ballad "Dark Side" and British boy banders the Wanted were busy "Chasing the Sun" and saying they were "Glad You Came" above the sound of shrieks from their female admirers. Brown rode his glowing BMX bike out for a high-energy lip-synched run through "Turn Up the Music," while Usher got all gothic and mysterious with a flashy, Las Vegas-worthy, high-concept staging of "Scream."
Bieber stalked the DayGlo stage for a clown- and geisha-assisted future-funk performance of "Boyfriend," followed by his protégé Carly Rae Jepsen singing "Call Me Maybe" and Carrie Underwood standing her ground amid a sea of blowing fans during "Blown Away."
In addition, the performance-heavy show had Linkin Park cranking up the flames for "Burn It Down," Nelly Furtado sporting "Big Hoops," Alicia Keys jamming with Icon winner Wonder, Perry doing a high-wire act in the virtual clouds during "Wide Awake" and Cee Lo Green and Goodie Mob joined by a one-legged Cirque du Soleil break dancer on "Fight to Win" and a stage full of dancing kids for a cover of the Beasties' "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party)" in another nod to MCA.
What was your favorite part of the Billboard Music Awards? Let us know in the comments below!
??????So you want to start a business.? One decsion you will have to make is whether to create an entity for this new business.? As important is deciding what type of entity you should form,? Most small business owners end up deciding between a New York S corporation and a New York limited liability company (LLC) when choosing a formal legal structure for their New York business.? Both entities offer limited liability and a start-up friendly tax treatment. So, which entity is the best for one for your?enterprise and individual circumstances? ???? In the next few blog entries we will answer many of the questions you may have when considering forming a business entity. ???? An S corporation is a (regular) business corporation that elected a special tax treatment with the federal tax authorities and/or the New York State tax authorities.? Otherwise, an S corporation?s characteristics are just like a regular business corporation, which means that it is a legal entity that can be formed by one or more persons.? Once a corporation is formed, the S corporation (not its owners in their personal capacity) will enter into all contracts, issue all invoices and undertake all business activities.? Remember too that professionals can only form a professional corporation. ???? On the other hand, a limited liability company (LLC) is a business entity that can be formed by one or more persons or other business entities.? Once an LLC is formed, the LLC (not its owners in their personal capacity) will enter into all contracts, issue all invoices and undertake all business activities.? As with professionals and corporations, professionals can only form a professional limited liability company.
FAQ: ?? How do I form an S Corporation? You start by forming a regular business corporation. The formation of a corporation requires the filing of a ?certificate of incorporation? with New York?s Department of States. Once the corporation is in existence, you will have to elect S corporation status with the federal and state tax authorities.? How do I form an LLC? The formation of an LLC requires the filing of ?articles of organization? with New York?s Department of State.
Who can form an S Corporation? Only individual U.S. citizens or U.S. residents can form an S corporation. Who can form an LLC? Any person or business entity.
How many Shareholders can an S Corporation Have? An S corporation can only have a maximum of 100 shareholders all of which have to be individuals (some exceptions apply). How many Members can an LLC have? An LLC can have an unlimited number of members.
Who are the Owners of an S Corporation? The owners of an S corporation are called shareholders.? The corporation issues share certificates to the shareholders in exchange for something of value, like cash, services or property. Who are the Owners of an LLC? The owners of an LLC are called members.? You become a member by contributing something of value (cash, services, property) to the LLC and receiving a membership interest in return.
How much does it cost to form an S Corporation? It costs about $235 to form a corporation in New York, excluding legal fees. How much does it cost to form an LLC? It costs about $800 in fees to form a limited liability company in New York, excluding legal fees.? The main costs of formation stem from the fact that limited liability companies are required to publish their formation in two newspapers.? Depending on your location, this publication requirement can be quite costly.? The estimated cost of formation above is based on Monroe County?s approved rates for newspapers newspapers (about $500); it is less in other counties and much more (up to $1000.00) in the New York City Area.
How long does it take to form an S Corporation? For about $200 in fees, your corporation will be in existence within 24 hours.? However, you normally have to wait a couple of days to receive the necessary documents in the mail to prove that your corporation has been formed.? This may be necessary for opening a bank account. How long does it take to form an LLC? You can form an LLC within 24 hours.? However, you normally have to wait a couple of days to receive the necessary documents in the mail to prove that your LLC has been formed.? This may be necessary for opening a bank account.? Many banks will also require you to show an operating agreement (see discussion below) before they will open an account for your LLC.? The publication requirement has to be completed within 120 days of formation. Notwithstanding, you can start doing business with your LLC as soon as it is born.? If you fail to fulfill the publication requirement, your business loses the authority to conduct business in New York with the expiration of the 120-day period.
The Rev. Marvin Winans preaches during a Sunday morning service at Perfecting Church in Detroit, Sunday May 20, 2012, his first appearance before the whole congregation since being beaten and carjacked this week. The 54-year-old gospel singer and pastor of Detroit's 4,500-member Perfecting Church told congregants Sunday that he was never afraid during Wednesday's attack but feels a lingering regret over what it says about the state of the community. (AP Photo/Detroit News, David Coates) DETROIT FREE PRESS OUT MBO (REV-SHARE)
The Rev. Marvin Winans preaches during a Sunday morning service at Perfecting Church in Detroit, Sunday May 20, 2012, his first appearance before the whole congregation since being beaten and carjacked this week. The 54-year-old gospel singer and pastor of Detroit's 4,500-member Perfecting Church told congregants Sunday that he was never afraid during Wednesday's attack but feels a lingering regret over what it says about the state of the community. (AP Photo/Detroit News, David Coates) DETROIT FREE PRESS OUT MBO (REV-SHARE)
This March 17, 2008 photo shows Pastor Marvin Winans at the Perfecting Church in Detroit. Winans was assaulted and carjacked Wednesday afternoon, May 16, 2012 at a gas station on the city's west side. The suspects fled with an unknown amount of cash and Winans' SUV, police said. (AP Photo/Detroit News, David Guralnick) DETROIT FREE PRESS OUT; HUFFINGTON POST OUT
This undated handout photo provided by the City of Detroit Police Department shows Montoya Givens. Givens is one of the three young men arraigned Sunday, May 20, 2012, in the assault and carjacking of popular Detroit pastor and gospel singing icon Marvin Winans. They are charged with carjacking, unarmed robbery and conspiracy. (AP Photo/City of Detroit Police Department)
This undated handout photo provided by the City of Detroit Police Department shows Brian K. Young. Young is one of the three young men arraigned Sunday, May 20, 2012, in the assault and carjacking of popular Detroit pastor and gospel singing icon Marvin Winans. They are charged with carjacking, unarmed robbery and conspiracy. (AP Photo/City of Detroit Police Department)
This undated handout photo provided by the City of Detroit Police Department shows Christopher Moorehead, 20. Moordhead is one of the three young men arraigned Sunday, May 20, 2012, in the assault and carjacking of popular Detroit pastor and gospel singing icon Marvin Winans. They are charged with carjacking, unarmed robbery and conspiracy. (AP Photo/City of Detroit Police Department)
DETROIT (AP) ? Three young men were arraigned Sunday in the assault and carjacking of popular Detroit pastor and gospel singing icon Marvin Winans.
The office of Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy identified the suspects as Detroit residents Montoya Givens and Christopher Moorehead, both 20, and Brian K. Young, 18, of Macomb County's Clinton Township. They are charged with carjacking, unarmed robbery and conspiracy, said Maria Miller, Worthy's spokeswoman.
The charges carry up to life in prison.
The men appeared in Detroit's 36th District Court and were ordered held on $200,000 bonds. Their preliminary examinations, in which a judge decides where there's enough evidence for the case to go to trial, are June 1.
A prosecutor's spokeswoman said Sunday she didn't think the defendants had lawyers yet.
Winans, 54, was attacked Wednesday afternoon while pumping gas in Detroit. The robbers took his sport utility vehicle, Rolex watch, cash and credit cards.
"This is just an example of the diligence that our officers put forth when investigating criminal cases," police Chief Ralph Godbee said in a statement Sunday.
Worthy said she also was pleased with closing the case, but got in a dig at the effectiveness of Detroit police. She said she was "buoyed by the fact that this case was well investigated by the police and that we were able to charge this case quickly. However, with the proper resources this could be done in all cases."
She also said the city should be concerned about an increase in crime, especially offenses that never make it into police records.
Godbee said he agreed with Worthy that "reported crime ...has slightly increased." He called on citizens to make sure crimes are reported and that they cooperate with investigators in solving solve them.
Winans sustained bruises and scrapes and was treated at a hospital and released. He is pastor of the 4,500-member Perfecting Church and delivered singer Whitney Houston's eulogy in February.
"I'm just saddened that it has come to this," Winans said shortly after the attack. "This kind of nonsense just has to stop. It's just the savageness of what's happening in the street."
He continued with that message Sunday, as his congregants welcomed him with cheers and applause.
Recalling what he said to a woman who gave him a ride to his church after the attack, Winans said he told her, "I'm just sad ... to think we have reared young men to prey ? P-R-E-Y ? on people that they think are weaker."
Winans told reporters before the service that he believes Detroit can be turned around.
"The city is fixable, and it starts with the men of the city, in particular the black men," he said. "And I ... want to urge all of you men who hear me to go and get your sons. I'm not bitter. I'm not upset. I'm saddened by what has taken place. But I'm also inspired. We have to make a change in this city."
___
Follow David N. Goodman at http://twitter.com/davidngoodman
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.
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Public release date: 21-May-2012
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