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September 30, 2004Last of the Fests!SEPTEMBER OCTOBER Glenwood Avenue Arts Fest, Oct. 2-3 Italian Market Festival, Oct. 4-8 Chicago International Film Festival, Oct. 7-21 DANK-Niedersachsen Oktoberfest, Oct. 9 Double 10 Parade, Oct. 9 October Blaze, Oct. 9 Mayor Daley's Kids & Kites Festival, Oct. 9 West Fest and East Village Arts Walk, Oct. 9-10 Royster with the Oyster, Oct. 15-22 Posted by at 05:45 PM
September 25, 2004Go Irish!SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Brady Quinn tied a school record with four touchdown passes to lead Notre Dame to a 38-3 victory over Washington on Saturday. Washington (0-3), which hasn't had a losing season since 1976, is off to its worst start since 1969. The Huskies lost their first nine games that year before beating Washington State in the season finale. Quinn's fourth TD pass tied a school record done eight times previously, the last time by Carlyle Holiday. About the only disappointment for Notre Dame on Saturday was that after playing their best half offensively, the Irish couldn't move the ball in the second half. It was especially disappointing because Notre Dame coaches had stressed the need to finish strong after letting Michigan State stay in the game a week earlier. But the Huskies -- who were held without a touchdown for the first time since a 16-3 loss to Arizona in 1992 -- never got back in the game. The three points were the fewest allowed by the Irish since a 42-0 win over Rutgers on Nov. 23, 2002. Quinn guided Notre Dame to scores on five of its eight first-half possessions. He started the run on Notre Dame's second possession. He pump faked a screen pass, then threw 24 yards into the end zone to Shelton, who was wide open. Two possessions later, Quinn capped a 79-yard drive -- Notre Dame's longest scoring drive of the season -- with a 27-yard pass to Shelton. The Notre Dame defense, which had set up or scored half of Notre Dame's touchdowns entering the game, set the offense up again on Washington's next play. Nose guard Trevor Laws jarred the ball loose from tailback Kenny James, then recovered the ball on the Washington 18. The Irish scored on the next play when Quinn threw an 18-yard TD pass to Fasano, giving Notre Dame a 21-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Washington made it 21-3 on a 26-yard field goal by Michael Braunstein. But the Irish went ahead 28-3 on a 15-yard TD pass from Quinn to Fasano in the second quarter. Notre Dame moved ahead 31-3 when D.J. Fitzpatrick kicked a 45-yard field goal with 34 seconds left in the half. Only two of Washington nine first-half possessions lasted more than five plays. The Huskies were held to 29 yards rushing on 15 carries and had just 159 yards total offense in the half. The Irish went ahead 38-3 on a 17-yard run by freshman Darius Walker, who finished with 81 yards on 23 carries. The Huskies held Notre Dame to 146 yards on 46 carries a week after giving up 424 yards rushing against UCLA. Casey Paus was 10-of-26 for 130 yards in the first half with four passes deflected at the line, three by Irish defensive end Kyle Budinscak. Carl Bonnell played in the second half and was 7-of-18 for 93 yards with one interception. It marked the first time Notre Dame coach Tyrone Willingham has defeated the Huskies. Willingham's Stanford teams were 0-5 against Washington. The Huskies are now 0-5 against the Irish, losing by combined scored of 194-51. Posted by at 09:15 PM
September 24, 2004RatesOvernight mortgage rates continue downward trend 30-year down at 5.27%; 10-year Treasury up at 4.02% Long-term mortgage interest rates dropped further Thursday, and the benchmark 10-year Treasury bond yield climbed to 4.02 percent. The 30-year fixed-rate average dipped to 5.27 percent, and the 15-year fixed-rate sank to 4.69 percent. The 1-year adjustable was unchanged at 3.2 percent. The 30-year Treasury bond yield increased to 4.79 percent. Rates are current as of 7:15 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Mortgage rate figures are according to Bankrate.com, which publishes nightly averages based on its survey of 4,000 banks in 50 states. Points on these mortgages range from zero to 3.5. In other economic news, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 70.28 points, or 0.7 percent, finishing at 10,038.9. The Nasdaq was up 0.72 points, or 0.04 percent, closing at 1,886.43. Stock and bond figures are current as of 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Posted by at 04:23 PM
September 23, 2004Home Buying: What You Really Need to KnowAre you at the point where you want to stop paying rent and start building up some equity? Learn the secrets and tips you need to know to purchase your own home. CHRISTIE DAY, of Property Consultants, will cover the complete home buying process from A to Z. Whether you are buying your first, second, or third home, learn ways to make the process less stressful and more profitable. Bring your questions! Posted by at 11:19 AM
Convergence on Jane's RestaurantThe www.GreatChicagoRealEstate.com team would like to thank Brent Kleinheksel for taking the time to meet with us. We all had a fantastic time at Jane’s restaurant. Jane’s, located at 1655 W. Cortland, Chicago, is a fantastic eatery in Bucktown. Amazing food, lobster and crab stuffed ravioli, need I say more, and a very inviting, intimate ambiance. It is highly recommended that if you are in the Bucktown area you check out Jane’s. Again, thank you Brent for allowing us the opportunity to meet with you. Posted by at 10:35 AM
September 22, 2004#1 real estate web site in ChicagoChicago Real Estate Chicago Real Estate Chicago Real Estate "Real" Chicago MLS Access Hot Property Residential Chicago Real Estate Real Estate Chicago Chicago-Rogers Park Condo Local results for real estate near Chicago, IL
Chicago Real Estate Chicago Tribune | Chicago real estate search engine. Thousands of Chicago Real ... Realestate Journal Baird & Warner Chicago Real Estate Chicago Real Estate, Hotels, Cars, Jobs, Dining, Events, Personals ... Chicago Real Estate - Chicago Homes Welcome to Rubloff.com, Chicago's premier online real estate ... Chicago Real Estate - Find Realtors and Chicago Homes using ... Posted by at 04:43 PM
September 11, 2004Irish Win!SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame used an unlikely hero to earn another surprising victory over Michigan. Freshman Darius Walker had two fourth-quarter touchdowns and the Fighting Irish renewed hope for a turnaround season by upsetting the eighth-ranked Wolverines 28-20 on Saturday. Walker, who did not play in Notre Dame's opening game, ran for 115 yards on 31 carries -- the first Irish freshman to rush for more than 100 yards since Julius Jones had 146 yards against Navy in 1999. Notre Dame (1-1) earned its first win over a top-10 team since beating fifth-ranked Michigan 25-23 two years ago. Since that game, the Irish were 0-4 against top-10 teams, losing by a combined 164-27 -- including the 38-0 loss to Michigan last season. The Wolverines (1-1) lost their opening road game for a fifth straight year. The victory was reminiscent of how the Irish played two seasons ago in getting off to an 8-0 start. The defense kept them in the game, the defense and special teams set up touchdowns and the offense came up with big plays when it had to. The biggest surprise, though, was the play of Walker -- especially in the fourth quarter. Walker, who is from Lawrenceville, Ga., ran for 61 yards on 14 carries as Notre Dame took control. It was especially impressive considering the Irish were held to 11 yards rushing a week earlier in a listless loss to Brigham Young -- their worst total in 39 years. The Irish were trailing 12-7 late in the third quarter when Wolverines freshman Chad Henne threw high to Braylon Edwards. The ball bounced high off Edwards' hands and cornerback Dwight Ellick intercepted it at the Michigan 29. Brady Quinn completed a pair of passes to Maurice Stovall for 19 yards, the second pass to the 6-yard line. Walker ran around right end untouched for the TD to give the Irish a 14-12 lead. On Michigan's next possession, the Wolverines went three-and-out. On the punt, Jerome Collins broke up the middle and Chase Anastasio came in around the right end and they combined to block the punt. Corey Mays recovered the ball on the Michigan 5. Walker scored on the next play, this time going untouched around left end. The Irish pulled away in the fourth quarter when Rashon Powers-Neal caught a play-action pass from Quinn for an 8-yard touchdown to make it 28-12. The Wolverines closed to 28-20 with 2:27 left on a 25-yard TD pass from Henne to Steve Breaston. Henne and Breaston then connected for a two-point play. But Notre Dame clinched the win when Stovall recovered the onside kick. The game came as a relief to Irish fans, who had seen the Irish lose twice to USC by 31 points over the past two seasons and once to Florida State by 37. Then there was the 38-point loss to Michigan, the most lopsided game of the series which the Irish used as motivation all offseason. Notre Dame students ran out on the field to celebrate the win, turning the field into a sea of green with their green T-shirts. Quinn was 10-of-20 passing for 178 yards with three interceptions and a fumble. Stovall had five catches for 82 yards. Henne, making just his second start, was 25-of-40 passing for 240 yards. Edwards had 12 catches for 129 yards. Notre Dame's last three wins over Top 10 teams have all been against Michigan. Notre Dame ended a scoreless streak of six quarters against the Wolverines when Quinn threw a 46-yard touchdown pass to Matt Shelton. Shelton leaped up over Michigan cornerback Markus Curry, caught the underthrown ball and fell backward into the end zone. Both defenses came up with big plays in the first half, with the Irish defense forcing Michigan to settle for three field goals and the Wolverines stopping Notre Dame tailback Ryan Grant on a fourth-and-1 in the second quarter. Garrett Rivas kicked four field goals for the Wolverines. His 47-yard field goal in the third quarter matched his career long set against Iowa last year and put Michigan up 12-7. The win allowed Notre Dame to reclaim the title as the winningest program in college football at 75.56 percent, compared to Michigan's 74.54 percent. The Wolverines had moved past Notre Dame a week earlier when they won and the Irish lost. Posted by at 07:59 PM
September 05, 2004Real Estate & the WebRealty Web site hit with complaint from Realtors By Chris Reidy As the Internet rewrites the rules for buying and selling homes, the New Hampshire Association of Realtors has filed a complaint with the state against the real estate website ISoldMyHouse.com for allegedly acting as an unlicensed broker. Officials at ISoldMyHouse.com, based in Danvers, Mass., denied the allegations, saying their Web site is similar to a newspaper that advertises homes for sale. It charges for ads but doesn't get commissions. General manager John F. Gallagher said the complaint was motivated by Realtors' fears of losing commissions as Internet rivals of traditional brokerages offer consumers more choices. The Internet, he said, has made Realtors "superfluous" in many cases. "This is a restraint of trade," Gallagher said of the complaint. "It's sour grapes. It's totally frivolous." ISoldMyHouse.com, according to the Realtors, is not just about advertising; it also charges fees, offers advice and matches sellers to buyers. Such activities fall within New Hampshire's definition of a broker, Realtors said. "Their Web site describes them as a `virtual real estate agent,' " said John M. Sullivan of Preti Flaherty, the Realtors' law firm. "What ISoldMyHouse.com does is end up misleading consumers by telling them that the process of selling a house is a lot simpler than it really is." In their complaint to the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission, Realtors asked the commission to "protect the public" by requiring ISoldMyHouse.com to repay fees collected from New Hampshire residents and by imposing sanctions "commensurate with the scope of violations." The Massachusetts Association of Realtors is not contemplating legal action against ISoldMyHouse.com, said its president, Judy Moore. "It's kind of surprising it's New Hampshire, the Live Free or Die state where capitalism supposedly flourishes," Gallagher said. Sullivan said the Realtors decided to take action after hearing complaints from customers who said they had bad experiences with ISoldMyHouse.com. When ISoldMyHouse.com was launched in 2000, it was a free service. About a year ago, it began charging $95 to sellers wanting to advertise on the site. Advertising packages, which can include ads in newspapers, cost $295 and up. Charging a fee underscores the case that ISoldMyHouse.com acted as a broker, Sullivan said. If ISoldMyHouse.com had continued to be free, he said, "It might have been a different analysis." ISoldMyHouse.com is a sister company of 1-800 East/West Mortgage Co. House-hunters who see an ad on ISoldMyHouse.com and contact the site are told they need to be preapproved for a mortgage by a lender before they can talk to the seller. If the buyer is not preapproved, they're encouraged to contact East/West for mortgage services. In their complaint, the New Hampshire Realtors said that East/West has "a significant track record of consumer complaints." In June, East/West agreed to revise its procedures for fee disclosures after federal and Massachusetts regulators determined its practices violated regulatory guidelines. As part of the agreement, East/West's parent company neither admitted nor denied any wrongdoing. It paid no fines. Gallagher said East/West does a huge volume of business and that complaints represent only a tiny percentage of transactions. Typically, real estate agents offer consumers a wide range of services in return for a commission. Because a home transaction is such an important financial decision, consumers need guidance from trained professionals, agents argue. But with the Internet, which makes it easier to gather information and market homes, some consumers have opted to set their own sales prices, buy ads and host open houses. Some sellers are also looking for new kinds of firms that offer a menu of real estate services on a fee basis as an alternative to an agent who charges a commission.
Posted by at 08:53 PM
September 04, 2004Notre Dame scheduleKind schedule should make Irish even better Put away the tea leaves and tarot cards. Set aside those horoscopes. If you want to know whether Notre Dame will be competitive this fall, you need look no further than the calendar. So the 2004 Irish are in line for their customary upswing after last year's disappointing 5-7 record. "Coming off the season we had last year, we know we're a lot better than that," junior defensive end Justin Tuck said. "We're real hungry this year--you can tell from the look in people's eyes. People want to get back on the field. . . . We want to disregard last year, put it in the past." Not that the past is ever that far off at Notre Dame. Since Ara Parseghian arrived on campus in 1964, Irish coaches have been divided into two distinct categories--champions and everybody else. Parseghian, his successor Dan Devine and Lou Holtz all won national championships in their third year. Gerry Faust and Bob Davie didn't. Irish coach Tyrone Willingham is entering his third season in South Bend. Can he vault himself into the Parseghian group, or will he remain lumped with Faust and Davie? While national championship hopes may be a bit heavy to shift onto the shoulders of sophomore quarterback Brady Quinn, the calendar favors the Irish in one other way--by keeping them home through much of the early going. Yes, the Irish play two of their first three games on the road, but their toughest game of the first month will be at Notre Dame Stadium, Sept. 11 against Michigan. The Wolverines are likely to be tough for the Irish, but they should begin the season with victories at Brigham Young and, if this is a hex-free year, at Michigan State. After that, Notre Dame doesn't play at another school's home field until Nov. 6, when it takes on Tennessee at Neyland Stadium. Notre Dame does have a couple of tough games between Michigan State and Tennessee. But it should also have several easy contests. Washington, which Notre Dame plays host to Sept. 25, struggled last season. And with little returning experience at quarterback, the Huskies don't seem likely to be much better in 2004. Plus, in the last 19 games in which Washington scored fewer than 30 points, the Huskies came away with just four victories. Notre Dame's defense should be capable of keeping the Huskies under 30. The Irish also should beat Stanford on Oct. 9. And while the Irish will leave Notre Dame Stadium once in October, it will be to play a neutral-site game in East Rutherford, N.J., against Navy, an annual opponent that has not beaten the Irish since John F. Kennedy was in the White House. Notre Dame will face always-tough Purdue before Stanford and nemesis Boston College after Navy. But those games take place in October, which until last season had been a good month for the Irish. Between 1998 and 2002, Notre Dame lost just one game in October, going 19-1 before falling to 1-2 last year. If they can reclaim their October magic and play up to their capabilities, the Irish could enter November's matchup at Tennessee with a 6-2 record. "Anytime you have a chance to play at home, most coaches will tell you that you have to play extremely well," Willingham said. "Hopefully being at home, having that kind of success, catapults you to a very good position as you get into the November part of the season." Copyright © 2004, The Chicago Tribune Posted by at 05:46 PM
September 02, 2004Rates!Long-term mortgage interest rates were lower Wednesday, and the benchmark 10-year Treasury bond yield remained at 4.12 percent. The 30-year fixed-rate average dropped to 5.37 percent, and the 15-year fixed-rate sank to 4.78 percent. The 1-year adjustable was down at 3.19 percent. The 30-year Treasury bond yield stayed at 4.93 percent. Rates are current as of 7:15 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Mortgage rate figures are according to Bankrate.com, which publishes nightly averages based on its survey of 4,000 banks in 50 states. Points on these mortgages range from zero to 3.5. In other economic news, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 5.46 points, or 0.05 percent, finishing at 10,168.46. The Nasdaq was up 12.31 points, or 0.67 percent, closing at 1,850.41. Stock and bond figures are current as of 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Posted by at 11:11 AM
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