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Masses, Adoration held across US in reparation for Harvard event

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Cambridge, Mass., May 12, 2014 / 05:20 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Catholics across the U.S. and around the world are gathering to hold Eucharistic Adoration and Masses in reparation for the re-enactment of a satanic black mass being held Monday evening at Harvard University.

Despite the “great evil” of the sacrilegious ceremony, Harvard senior Aurora Griffin told CNA May 12, “there’s been some very good things coming out of the opposition to it.”

She explained that the response to Catholics concerned about the event “has been overwhelmingly positive” and that she has witnessed an “increased affection for the Eucharist” on campus.

The Harvard Extension Cultural Studies Club sparked controversy when it announced plans to host a re-enactment of a satanic black mass on campus May 12.

Connected to witchcraft and demonic worship, a black mass is a sacrilegious ceremony structured as a parody of the Catholic Mass. Invoking Satan, the ritual is centered around the desecration of the Eucharist, which is generally done by stealing a consecrated host from a Catholic church and using it in a profane sexual ritual, or defecating and urinating on it.

A spokesperson for The Satanic Temple, which is staging the event, initially told media outlets that a consecrated host would be used, although the temple and the Cultural Studies Club both later denied this, insisting that only a plain piece of bread would be used.

Amid widespread opposition from across the country, the Cultural Studies Club announced late on the afternoon of May 12 that it would be moved to an off-campus location.

In Cambridge, where Harvard is located, the community has organized Eucharistic exposition and a procession May 12 from the chapel of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to St. Paul parish, where a Holy Hour will be held at 8 p.m.

St. Paul’s is the university parish and student ministry center on the edge of Harvard’s campus.

In Merrimack, N.H., Thomas More College is holding three days of penance and prayer, from May 12 to 14, in response to the black mass.

“Harvard’s sad decision to go forward with this event despite pleas at all levels indicates, at best, an ignorance of the gravity of this matter,” said the college’s president, William Fahey.

“I have encouraged the student body to remain focused on their final days of study, but to add a degree of spiritual intensity. We are approaching this as an opportunity for reparation for those involved who clearly do not understand what they are doing or the spiritual realities behind even alleged re-enactments of Satanic worship.”

Fahey has asked that all members of the community at Thomas More College make some act of penance and reparation May 12. In addition to Mass, the college will pray a Chaplet of Divine Mercy and sing Vespers.

“Some of our students will show their solidarity with the Catholic communities at Harvard and MIT by driving down and joining the planned Eucharistic Procession from the MIT chapel to St. Paul’s in Cambridge,” Fahey said.

“Our students have the spiritual zeal you would expect of young, ardent Catholics. I think everyone here realizes that this so-called ‘Mass’ does not have the support of many at Harvard, but still, it is a manifestation of evil we wish to counter with acts of prayer and sacrifice.”

A Facebook group organized in response to the event at Harvard has garnered more than 1,900 members who have pledged to go to Adoration on May 12 in reparation.

In addition, an online petition by TFP Student Action calling on Harvard to cancel the event attracted more than 38,000 signatures.

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, a parish of the Archdiocese of Denver located in Littleton, Colo., will hold a Mass of Reparation said at 5:30 p.m. The Mass will be said by Fr. Joseph Hearty, FSSP, and will be followed by a rosary and Benediction.

In Alice, Texas, outside of Corpus Christi, Our Lady of Guadalupe parish will hold a Holy Hour at 6 p.m.

In the Diocese of Orange, Blessed Sacrament in Westminster will hold a Holy Hour of reparation.

Holy hours will also be held at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Bath, Pa., and at St. Mary’s in Alton, outside of Springfield, Ill.

Catholics from around the world, including the Philippines, have also pledged to pray in reparation for the black mass.

The monks of Norcia at the Monastery of San Benedetto, Italy, announced a Chaplet of Divine Mercy in reparation as well.

Harvard junior Jim McGlone told CNA that despite the “tragedy” of the event, he has been touched to witness the Catholic community rallying together with Christians and others who have offered their support.  

“I’m really moved to see the way the community has responded to this in action and in prayer,” he reflected, saying that the event has transformed into an “opportunity to come together in the faith.” Reported by CNA 10 hours ago.

Satanic black mass 'postponed indefinitely' amid outcry

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Cambridge, Mass., May 12, 2014 / 06:05 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- A satanic black mass re-enactment being planned by a student group at Harvard University has been ‘postponed indefinitely’ and will not take place May 12.

The news was announced by the school’s newspaper, The Harvard Crimson, just over an hour before the event was scheduled to occur May 12.

Originally, the black mass re-enactment was to take place on campus, at a pub in the basement of Memorial Hall. The Harvard Crimson reported late on the afternoon of May 12 that the event had voluntarily been moved to The Middle East nightclub, a short distance from campus. However, shortly afterward, the general manager of the nightclub told the publication that negotiations had fallen through and the event would not be hosted there.

Subsequently, in a breaking news update at 7:45 p.m. Eastern time, the publication reported that the black mass “has been postponed indefinitely and will not take place tonight, according to (a) Satanic Temple spokesperson.”

Connected to witchcraft and demonic worship, a black mass is a sacrilegious ceremony structured as a parody of the Catholic Mass. Invoking Satan, the ritual is centered around the desecration of the Eucharist, which is generally done by stealing a consecrated host from a Catholic church and using it in a profane sexual ritual, or defecating and urinating on it.

A spokesperson for The Satanic Temple, which is staging the event, initially told media outlets that a consecrated host would be used, although the temple and the Cultural Studies Club both later denied this, insisting that only a plain piece of bread would be used.

The plans for the black mass had drawn strong opposition from the Archdiocese of Boston, along with many students, alumni and members of the broader Catholic community.

Harvard senior Aurora Griffin told CNA that she presented university president Drew Faust with petitions against the event that had garnered more than 60,000 signatures.

In her cover letter, Griffin explained that the event does not promote an appreciation for cultural understanding, but instead ”promotes contempt for the Catholic faith,” adding that “supporters of genuine tolerance and  civility are rightly offended and outraged that Harvard has permitted such an event.”

Dr. Faust had released a statement May 12 condemning the event as “flagrantly disrespectful and inflammatory,” and the club’s decision to hold it as “abhorrent.” However, she stated that the ceremony would be allowed to continue due to the university’s “commitment to free expression.”

Faust had said that as a sign of respect, she would attend a Eucharistic Holy Hour being held by the Catholic community at Harvard in response to the black mass.

Jim McGlone, a junior at Harvard, told CNA while he was “glad” to see the university president use “the strongest language possible” to condemn the event, he disagreed that all speech and expression should be protected in a university setting, given the fundamentally offensive nature of the event.

“It’s too much of a desecration of our Lord and a mockery and parody of our Faith,” he said, to be “an attempt at dialogue – it’s really just an obscenity.”

Rather than merely offering a safe haven for all kinds of offensive speech, he continued, the purpose of free speech is “getting at the truth through discourse,” among people who may have disagreements.

Freshman Bella Gomez told CNA that rather than using freedom of speech and religion to make Harvard a “safer welcoming community for all,” Catholic students “are being solely victimized by it.”

She said she felt “uncomfortable” at the idea of entering campus facilities that had been used for a satanic ritual, indicating that the space would “no longer feel comfortable or safe” for her.

The Cultural Studies Club had defended the black mass re-enactment as educational and dismissed critics as demonstrating a close-minded “paranoia.” The group had told CNA that those offended by the event hold outdated views “based on intolerance and ignorance,” which are “arrogant and egocentric.” Reported by CNA 9 hours ago.

Baytex Energy raises offer for Aurora Oil & Gas

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Reported by SeekingAlpha 21 hours ago.

Elle Fanning Covers 'Company' Mag for June 2014; Talks All About Princess Aurora

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Elle Fanning Covers 'Company' Mag for June 2014; Talks All About Princess Aurora Elle Fanning graces the June 2014 cover of Company magazine. The 16-year-old actress, who stars in this month’s Maleficent, leads the annual Young Hollywood issue alongside Olivia Cooke, Sarah Hyland and more. During the Maleficent press conference, Elle spoke about bringing her Princess Aurora to life in the film. “I think in the original animated [...] Reported by Just Jared Jr 20 hours ago.

Driver thrown from SUV on E-470 dies of injuries; alcohol suspected

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A driver who was thrown from an SUV on E-470 died of his injuries. Dusty Davis, 35, of Aurora, was driving southbound Monday on E-470 near Quincy Avenue when the front end of his 2009 Nissan Reported by Denver Post 20 hours ago.

TSX little changed as energy gains offset miners' losses

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Canadian shares were little changed as gains among energy producers following higher oil prices overpowered declines in raw-material producers.

The benchmark Standard & Poor’s/TSX Composite Index (TSE:OSPTX) was little changed at 14,655.59 at 12:15 p.m. in Toronto. Five shares declined for every four stocks that advanced as half of the ten main groups gained. 

The energy sector, the main index's second most heavily weighted group, added 0.2 percent as oil, Canada’s largest export, reaches a two-week high. 

Encana Corp. (TSE:ECA), Canada’s largest natural gas producer, gained 0.9 percent to C$24.81 after it reversed to profit in the first quarter, beating analysts' expectations, helped by higher prices for the heating and power-plant fuel.

Aurora Oil & Gas Ltd. (TSE:AEF) surged 6 percent to C$4.25 after Baytex Energy Corp. (TSE:BTE) increased its offer for the company.

Suncor Energy Inc. (TSE:SU), the nation's largest energy company by market value, increased 0.6 percent to c$43.05. 

West Texas Intermediate oil for June delivery picked up 0.7 percent to $101.30 a barrel at 11:33 a.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Financials, the index's most heavily weighted sector, slipped 0.1 percent. Royal Bank of Canada (TSE:RY), the company with the highest weighting in the index, lost 0.1 percent to C$73.44. Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSE:TD), the second-largest bank, was flat at C$52.18.

The materials sub-index, which includes mining shares, decreased less than 0.1 percent as prices of gold and copper fell.

Barrick Gold Corp. (TSE:ABX) sagged 0.4 percent to C$18.85, and Goldcorp Inc. (TSE:G) sank 1 percent to C$26.88. First Quantum Minerals Ltd. (TSE:FM), a copper miner, gave up 0.9 percent to C$21.84.

Gold futures for June delivery was little changed at $1,295.40 an ounce at 12:05 p.m. on the Comex in New York. Copper futures for delivery in July slid 0.6 percent to $3.132 a pound.

Blackberry Ltd. (TSE:BB), the beleaguered Canadian smartphone maker, rose 1.2 percent to C$8.19. The Waterloo, Ontario-based company launched a low-cost touchscreen device in Jakarta, the Z3. 

Hudson’s Bay (TSE:HBC), Canada's largest department-store chain, sank 4.2 percent after saying a group of shareholders has agreed to sell 7,870,000 shares of the retailer, or about 10 percent of their holdings, at C$17.80 each in a secondary offering.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (CVE:OSPVX) slid 0.1 percent to 987.60. Spartan Energy Corp. (CVE:SPE), the heaviest stock in the gauge, surrendered 0.5 percent to C$3.87.

In the U.S. market, shares advanced mid corporate deals activity and data that showed retail sales in March were higher than initially reported. The S&P 500 (INDEXSP:.INX) and the 30-company Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) each inched up 0.1 percent at 11:14 a.m. in New York. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC) edged down 0.1 percent. Most followed shares included DirecTV, Keurig Green Mountain, Pfizer, McKesson, Elizabeth Arden, Valeant Pharmaceuticals, Merck & Co, BP, Rackspace Hosting, and Blackberry

 

 

 

  Reported by Proactive Investors 18 hours ago.

Tuesday's most followed in Canada including Encana, Aurora Oil & Gas, Crocotta, Endeavour Silver, Crocodile Gold, BlackBerry, Hudson's Bay, Valeant, Iplayco, Supreme Pharma

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Toronto's main market was little changed as gains among energy producers following higher oil prices overpowered declines in raw-material producers.

In corporate activity, Encana Corp. (TSE:ECA), Canada’s largest natural gas producer, gained 1.8% to C$25.05 after it reversed to profit in the first quarter, beating analysts' expectations, helped by higher prices for the heating and power-plant fuel.

Aurora Oil & Gas Ltd. (TSE:AEF) jumped 6% to C$4.26 after Baytex Energy Corp. (TSE:BTE) increased its offer for the company.

Crocotta Energy Inc. (TSE:CTA), a junior oil and natural gas company operating in Western Canada, dropped in morning trades after reporting a lower-than-expected profit increase in the first quarter. Crocotta skidded 2.5% to C$3.57 by Tuesday afternoon.

The materials sub-index, which includes mining shares, decreased less than 0.1% as prices of gold and copper fell.

Endeavour Silver Corp. (NYSE:EXK)(TSE:EDR), which operates three underground silver-gold mines in Mexico, said Tuesday it is well ahead of its production plan for the year, despite a first quarter that was hurt by weak precious metals prices. The company reported this morning strong production and cost performance in the first quarter, even though profits and revenues dropped in spite of higher grades and recoveries at all three mines. The stock slid 1.5% to C$4.67 in Toronto.

Australia-focused gold miner Crocodile Gold Corp. (TSE:CRK)(TSE:CRK.DB)(TSE:CRK.WT)(OTCQX:CROCF) continues to increase production and improve cash costs, in spite of a tougher precious metals price environment, as seen in the company's first quarter results released Tuesday. The company's stock shed over 4%, however, as it swung to a net loss.

In other stock news, Blackberry Ltd. (TSE:BB), the beleaguered Canadian smartphone maker, rose 0.9% to C$8.16. The Waterloo, Ontario-based company launched a low-cost touchscreen device in Jakarta, the Z3. 

Hudson’s Bay (TSE:HBC), Canada's largest department-store chain, sank 3.5% after saying a group of shareholders has agreed to sell 7,870,000 shares of the retailer, or about 10 percent of their holdings, at C$17.80 each in a secondary offering.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. (TSE:VRX) edged up 0.4% to C$142.51 on Tuesday after it said it plans to improve its offer for Allergan Inc. later this month to show its commitment to completing the takeover of the Botox maker. The company is planning to provide further details on the revised bid during a webcast on May 28. The news follows Allergan's formal rejection of the $46 billion unsolicited takeover offer on Monday.

Moving to junior markets in Canada, Iplayco Corp (CVE:IPC) is ramping up orders with the maker of children's play structures announcing two more sales agreements amounting to C$1.2 million to design, manufacture and install large indoor play equipment for a customer in the Middle East. Shares jumped to a new 52-week high of 85 cents on Tuesday.

Supreme Pharmaceuticals (CSE:SL) (OTCBB:SPRWF) surged 50% after it announced its second acquisition target in the medical marijuana space, signing a letter of intent to buy a Southern Ontario green house facility that has already been approved for a pre-build license under Canada's new federal regulations. Less than six weeks since the new Federal rules kicked in that are aimed at commercializing the industry, companies are moving quickly to assert themselves in a market that is set for explosive growth by anyone's standards. 

Avrupa Minerals (CVE:AVU) has unveiled results from recent drilling at the Sesmarias target on its Alvalade joint venture project in Portugal, which is operated by the company and funded by Antofagasta plc. The junior company said the results of the drilling "clearly indicate the potential for a large-scale mineralized system", and that an ongoing review of historic drilling also supports this idea. Reported by Proactive Investors 16 hours ago.

Baytex hikes up offer price for Aurora Oil

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Baytex Energy Corp. (TSE:BTE)(NYSE:BTE), a Canadian heavy crude producer, has increased its offer price for Aurora Oil & Gas (TSE:AEF) to A$4.20 per share from A$4.10 per share previously. 

The company also said that shareholders representing over 17% of Aurora plan to vote in favour of the proposal in the absence of a superior bid.

The meeting of Aurora's shareholders to approve the deal is currently slated for May 21, with at least 75% of the votes cast by Aurora shareholders required for the transaction to go through.

The deal, initially announced in February, is expected to wrap up in the first half of June, Baytex said.

Baytex is working to expand its U.S. shale portfolio. The acquisition will allow the company to add output from the Eagle Ford shale formation in Texas. Baytex has earlier made purchases in North Dakota’s Bakken and Three Forks shale formations.

The takeover will also lift Baytex’s output of higher priced light oil, instead of the heavy oil that currently represents 75 percent of production. Reported by Proactive Investors 16 hours ago.

Backyard Farms Launches Regional Chef Network

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New England’s largest year-round grower of tomatoes partners with premier local chefs to deliver delicious tomato inspired recipes

Madison, ME (PRWEB) May 13, 2014

Maine based tomato grower Backyard Farms today announced a new partnership with a select group of premier New England chefs. The Backyard Farms Chef Network will collaborate with Backyard Farms to develop a lineup of original tomato centric recipes and will incorporate the company’s tomatoes into a range of dishes at their respective restaurants from Maine to Massachusetts.

The new Backyard Farms chef network includes:
·    Lise Desrochers from the College of the Atlantic
·    Cheryl Lewis from El Rayo Taqueria
·    Carla and Christine Pallotta from Nebo Cucina & Enoteca
·    Michael Serpa from Neptune Oyster
·    Executive Chef Richard Rayment from the Seaport Hotel & Seaport World Trade Center
·    Shannon Bard from Zapoteca

“We’re fortunate to welcome this top notch roster of New England chefs into the Backyard Farms community,” said Tim Cunniff, EVP of Sales and Marketing. “Not many growers are able to say they have a group like this collaborating with them. We look forward to enjoying their inspiring new dishes featuring our fresh-off-the-vine tomatoes, and to sharing their recipes and tips with our loyal and passionate Backyard Farms fans throughout the year. We’re hoping this program will get existing customers to enjoy our tomatoes in new ways and excite others into trying them for the first time.”

Backyard Farms will kick off its Chef Network with a “state of the tomato” summit, hosting all chefs at its Madison greenhouse. These premier chefs will connect directly with the company’s gardeners and have the opportunity to experience firsthand all that goes into growing Backyard Farm’s delicious, quality tomatoes to provide greater perspective in helping them develop their original recipes. Tomato tips and recipes developed by the new Backyard Farms Chef Network will be featured on the company’s website and social media pages.

"I am committed to using local ingredients at both of our restaurants, so I was very pleased to be chosen to participate in this program," said Chef Shannon Bard of Zapoteca. "It will be a joy to work with these delicious locally grown tomatoes to create new recipes with an authentic Mexican flair."

About Backyard Farms
Backyard Farms operates 42-acres of greenhouse growing space in Madison, Maine that provides the Northeast with fresh, locally grown Backyard Farms tomatoes year round. The company has based its business on the principles of taking care of its employees, giving back to local communities and treating the earth with respect. Backyard Farms tomatoes are left on the vine to ripen and shipped within just a day of harvest, creating a tomato that is sweet and bursting with flavor. For more information about Backyard Farms please visit its website at
http://www.BackyardFarms.com or visit our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/BackyardFarms.

About Backyard Farms Chef Network

Michael Serpa | Neptune Oyster | Boston, MA
Michael Serpa was born into a family of Cuban cooks and chefs. His father, two uncles, and grandfather are all chefs so it seems to run in their blood. Michael began cooking at 13 in his dad’s restaurant in Miami during summer vacations from school. During high school he worked part time after class as a line cook. After landing an externship at Todd English’s Olives in NYC, Michael worked as sous chef at Olives in Charlestown. In July of 2008 he took a sous chef job at Neptune Oyster, and in April 2009 Michael was promoted to Executive Chef at Neptune where he’s been since.

Carla and Christine Pallotta | Nebo | Boston, MA
Carla and Christine were born and raised in the North End, Boston’s very own Little Italy, in a home where food was the focal point of everything. Nebo has been a runaway success since its doors opened in 2005. What makes it so universally loved by everyone from neighborhood old-timers to chic Bostonians, celebrities, players from the Celtics and generation-next neo-North Enders is that feeling of realness. It’s the unmistakable bite of the hand-rolled pasta. It’s the Sunday Gravy that, as one reviewer said, “only Italian mammas know how to make.” And most of all, it’s Carla and Christine.

Shannon Bard | Zapoteca Restaurant | Portland, ME
Shannon Bard is an innovative chef of two highly regarded restaurants, as well as a wife and mother of four. She has been honored with numerous awards, including “Best of New Hampshire”, New Hampshire Magazine and “Top Of The Crop Best Farm To Table Restaurant” Finalist, Portland Harvest On The Harbor. She recently cooked at the James Beard House in New York City, and made her national television debut on the new television series “Beat Bobby Flay” on the Food Network. Her work has been featured in publications such as Bon Appetit, Food Network Magazine, Maine Magazine, DownEast, and Portland Magazine. She is a guest cooking instructor at Stonewall Kitchen and an avid philanthropist, donating her time regularly to Share Our Strength, Maine March of Dimes and Good Shepherd Food Bank.

Cheryl Lewis | El Rayo Taqueria | Portland, ME
Chef Lewis has been stove-side in Maine since 1985. In this time, she owned and operated the renowned Café Always from 1985-1995, one of Portland’s leading fine dining restaurants. In 1997 she opened Aurora Provisions, one of the first specialty food stores with chef-prepared gourmet meals for take out. Lewis was the Executive Chef at the Stonewall Kitchen restaurant when it opened in York in 2003. In 2007 she was the Executive Chef at Black Point Inn for the relaunching of its two restaurants. Her latest projects are the day-to-day operations of El Rayo Taqueria in Portland and the development of a new El Rayo Taqueria in Scarborough.

Richard Rayment | Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center | Boston, MA
A native of London, England, Chef Richard Rayment’s career has taken him around the world and yet, he continues to return to Boston. Chef Rayment has worked at many renowned restaurants and hotels including onboard a luxury liner in the P & O Cruise Line fleet; the Four Diamond, Four Star Royal Westminster Hotel in London; the Fairmont Hamilton Princess in Bermuda; and the St. James’s Club in London. He worked for Ritz-Carlton Hotels for many years at both the San Francisco and Boston flagship property.

Lise Desrochers | College of the Atlantic | Bar Harbor, ME
Lise Desrochers was raised in Southern Maine and grew up working in the family restaurant. She has cooked professionally in Bar Harbor, Maine for over 20 years, serving as Co-Director of Food Service at College of the Atlantic. COA is perennially ranked in the top 10 for best college food in the United States by the Princeton Review. She also works as a private chef in Maine and California and is the author of 2 cookbooks. She loves farmer’s markets and hugging trees. Reported by PRWeb 15 hours ago.

WTF Headline Of The Day: Harvard Group Cancels "Satanic Black Mass"

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What is this country coming to? (when your standard every day Satan worshipper is repressed from his (or her) 'black mass' by protesting students)...

 

 

As Bloomberg reports,



*Harvard University extension school students planning a “satanic black mass” canceled the event after an outcry by administration, students, faculty and religious leaders.*

 

The Harvard Extension Cultural Studies Club had decided to move the event off campus last night after widespread objections, and no other location was willing to host it, according to an e-mailed statement from the group.

 

“Given that no other location has been willing to intercede, we will no longer be sponsoring this black mass,” the group said.

 

...

 

*The university had decided not to block the event, even though President Drew Faust said she opposed it.*

 

...

 

*About 60,000 people, many of them Harvard students, faculty and alumni, signed online petitions protesting the black mass and urging Harvard to stop it*, said Aurora Griffin, a senior at the college.

 

...

 

“Vigorous and open discussion and debate are essential to the pursuit of knowledge, and we must uphold these values even in the face of controversy,” Faust said yesterday in a statement. “*Freedom of expression, as Justice Holmes famously said long ago, protects not only free thought for those who agree with us but freedom for the thought that we hate*.”

 

...

 

“What do we really think that religious freedom and free speech demands of us?” Robichaud said. *“Does religious tolerance demand only tolerance of rituals that aren’t offensive?”*

 

...

 

“*If this had been a re-enactment of a Nazi rally or a lynching, the university would have stepped in quickly and stopped it*,” he said in a telephone interview. “I’d be concerned that the university is saying, we just allow student groups to do what they want.”



Nothing... we have nothing... Reported by Zero Hedge 15 hours ago.

Aurora passes final pot regulations

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Aurora has passed final regulations for recreational marijuana, clearing the way for an Oct. Reported by Denver Post 14 hours ago.

Magna Amends Normal Course Issuer Bid to Increase Purchase Limit

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AURORA, ON, May 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ - Magna International Inc. (TSX: MG, NYSE: MGA) announced today that it has received approval from the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") to amend its normal course issuer bid (the "Bid") in order to increase the maximum number of Common Shares that... Reported by PR Newswire 13 hours ago.

7 Aurora Police Officers Honored for Saving Batavia Girl From Drowning

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7 Aurora Police Officers Honored for Saving Batavia Girl From Drowning Patch Batavia, IL --

The officers came to the girl's rescue after the vehicle she was riding in crashed into a retention pond at I-88 and Diehl Road last March. Reported by Patch 12 hours ago.

Thousands swarm Harvard campus for prayer, protest

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Cambridge, Mass., May 13, 2014 / 06:00 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Amid the last-minute cancellation of a planned satanic black mass re-enactment, some 2,000 people gathered on Harvard's campus to take part in a May 12 Eucharistic procession and adoration.

“This is essentially the best response we could have asked for as a diocese,” Harvard student and Catholic Students Association president Todd E. Jones told school newspaper The Harvard Crimson.

The publication said Catholics were joined by Christians and other supporters from the Boston area, “carrying crosses and singing the words ‘Jesus, I adore you.’”

A Eucharistic procession began at MIT and ended at St. Paul’s Church in Harvard Square, where a Holy Hour was then held.

Diocesan newspaper The Boston Pilot estimated that there were approximately 2,000 people in attendance. One student, a senior at Harvard, told The Harvard Crimson she had never seen the church so full.

University president Drew G. Faust was among those in attendance, the Boston Globe reported. Faust had earlier that day voiced her intent to be present at the Eucharistic holy hour as a sign of respect for the Catholic community.

In her May 12 statement, the university president had condemned the black mass re-enactment as “flagrantly disrespectful and inflammatory,” saying that the decision by the Harvard Extension Cultural Studies Club to host it was “abhorrent.” However, she said the ceremony would be permitted for the sake of “free expression.”

Although the black mass re-enactment was initially scheduled to take place on campus, The Harvard Crimson reported late on the afternoon of May 12 that the event had voluntarily been moved to The Middle East nightclub, a short distance from campus.

However, shortly afterward, the general manager of the nightclub told the publication that negotiations had fallen through and the event would not be hosted there.

Subsequently, in a breaking news update at 7:45 p.m. Eastern time, the publication reported that the black mass “has been postponed indefinitely and will not take place tonight, according to (a) Satanic Temple spokesperson.”

It was later reported that a smaller version of the event may have been held elsewhere.

Connected to witchcraft and demonic worship, a black mass is a sacrilegious ceremony structured as a parody of the Catholic Mass. Invoking Satan, the ritual is centered around the desecration of the Eucharist, which is generally done by stealing a consecrated host from a Catholic church and using it in a profane sexual ritual, or defecating and urinating on it.

The plans for the black mass had been met with widespread opposition from students, alumni and the broader Catholic community. The Archdiocese of Boston had spoken out against the event, and Catholic groups across the country and internationally had planned Masses, holy hours and prayers of reparation for it.

Harvard senior Aurora Griffin told CNA that she presented university president Drew Faust with petitions against the event that had garnered more than 60,000 signatures.

In her cover letter, Griffin explained that the event does not promote an appreciation for cultural understanding, but instead ”promotes contempt for the Catholic faith,” adding that “supporters of genuine tolerance and  civility are rightly offended and outraged that Harvard has permitted such an event.”

Adding to the controversy were statements by a spokesperson for The Satanic Temple, which was to stage the event, claiming that a consecrated host would be used. While the temple and the Cultural Studies Club both later denied this, insisting that only a plain piece of bread would be used, some critics voiced doubt.

The Cultural Studies Club had defended the black mass re-enactment, saying that those were offended held views that were “arrogant and egocentric.” The group argued that its critics’ beliefs were “based on intolerance and ignorance,” calling them outdated, paranoid and presumptuous. Reported by CNA 10 hours ago.

Chicago Airports Cancel 1,120 Flights After Electrical Problem In Radar Facility

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CHICAGO (AP) — About 1,120 flights were canceled Tuesday at Chicago's two major airports after an electrical problem sent smoke into a regional radar facility's control room, forcing officials to temporarily halt all air traffic at one of the nation's busiest aviation hubs.

The Federal Aviation Administration said all personnel were evacuated from the radar facility in suburban Elgin at about 11:30 a.m. They were allowed to return about three hours later. The Chicago Department of Aviation said a limited number of landings and departures had resumed by late afternoon.

Elgin Fire Capt. Anthony Bialek said a bathroom exhaust fan in a ceiling overheated and melted insulation on some wires, and smoke was pushed through the facility's ventilation system and into the control room.

Bialek said it took about an hour to find the source of the smoke at Chicago Terminal Radar Approach Control, or TRACON. There were no injuries.

Controllers at the TRACON facility are responsible for managing the region's air traffic as it leaves and approaches all of the area's airports. Once an aircraft is within about 5 miles of an airport, TRACON workers hand over control to that airport's tower.

Inbound flights already in the area at the start of the shutdown were handled by a backup air traffic facility in the city of Aurora, just west of Chicago. Some flights were diverted to other airports.

Aerial TV footage Tuesday afternoon showed a large backup of aircraft along taxiways at O'Hare International Airport. Inside the terminals, people trying to rebook on later flights formed long lines.

David Winter of Sarasota, Florida, said he and his wife, Denise, would stay overnight in Chicago after their flight was canceled.

"My wife hates to fly ... so she literally asked me if we could rent a car and drive," Winter said, adding that they ruled it out and were rebooked on a Wednesday flight.

Instead, the retired couple stopped off at an airport cocktail lounge.

"So, obviously, we're not in dire straits," he said.

As of about 3:30 p.m., arrivals at O'Hare were about 75 percent of normal — 72 an hour compared with the normal of about 106 per hour, said Doug Church, a spokesman for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, the union that represents controllers. Departures were operating normally, he said.

O'Hare is the second-busiest airport in the country by numbers of passengers and is a major hub. Around half of passengers there are connecting to other flights.

Any disruption to its operations has an enormous ripple effect on the nation's aviation system.

The Chicago Aviation Department said departures were delayed about 90 minutes late Tuesday at O'Hare and 2½ hours at Midway International Airport.

A computer glitch at a similar facility last month forced a 45-minute shutdown at Los Angeles International Airport. Reported by Huffington Post 3 hours ago.

Seahorse Bioscience Wins SBANE “2014 New England Innovation Award”

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Awarded by the Smaller Business Association of New England, Inc. (SBANE)

Billerica, MA (PRWEB) May 14, 2014

Seahorse Bioscience, the industry leader in metabolic analyzers and assay kits for measuring real-time cell metabolism, announces that it has been named the winner of the 2014 New England Innovation Award, from the Smaller Business Association of New England (SBANE). Seahorse was selected from 210 innovative organizations to compete in the final phase of this competition. Winners and finalists of this prestigious award were honored at the “Evening of Innovation” Gala Dinner on May 7, 2014 at the Westin Hotel, Waltham MA.

Innovation is at the heart of economic prosperity and SBANE continues to recognize those companies and organizations that have transformed their innovative ideas into a product or service that delivers proven value to customers. SBANE has been honoring ingenious companies throughout New England for 27 years, and this prestigious award boasts some of the most recognizable companies in its “Circle of Excellence” such as Staples, Nantucket Nectars, Ben & Jerry’s, Brooks Automation, Direct Tire, Genzyme Corporation, Security Dynamics, Imagitas!, KRONOS, Aurora Imaging Corporation and iRobot.

“This honor further recognizes Seahorse’s worldwide leadership position in cell metabolism analysis technology, the fastest growing sector in the life-science tools industry," said Jay Teich, CEO at Seahorse Bioscience. “Our products are the gold standard for the industry providing the easiest and most comprehensive assessment of cell metabolism available today.”

The SBANE award recognizes Seahorse Bioscience’s heritage of continuous development of its emerging and transformative XF technology. XF extracellular flux analyzers are the driving force behind cell metabolism research, providing functional data that is enabling a greater understanding of cell metabolism among scientists and leading medical researches around the world.

Seahorse XF metabolic analyzers and XF stress test kits enable the simultaneous measurement of the two major energy-producing pathways within the cell - mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis - in real-time, in a microplate. This knowledge is enabling our customers to better understand the connection of physiological traits of cells with genomic and proteomic data, and this knowledge is generating new insights into cell metabolism and mitochondrial function, leading to a greater understanding and treatments of disease.

About the Smaller Business Association of New England, Inc. (SBANE)

SBANE was founded in 1938 and is a private not-for-profit association of approximately 600 member companies located throughout the six-state region. SBANE was established to provide a legislative voice for small business at the state and federal levels and to make practical information available to help business owners grow their companies. SBANE runs diverse, educational programs each year and has active chapters in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The membership is characterized by a high degree of participation, reflected in a large and dynamic committee structure, addressing a range of topics from international trade to human resources. Visit SBANE at http://www.sbane.org.

About Seahorse Bioscience

Seahorse Bioscience XF instruments are the industry standard in cellular bioenergetic measurements. Over 2,500 scientists worldwide are advancing their research in understanding the role of cell metabolism in Neurodegeneration, Aging, Cancer, Cardiovascular, Cell Physiology, Toxicology and Hepatobiology, Immunology, Infectious Diseases, Mitochondrial Diseases, Model Organisms, Obesity, Diabetes, Metabolic Disorders, Screening, and Translational Medicine. Founded in 2001, Seahorse Bioscience is headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts, U.S., and has regional offices in Copenhagen, Denmark; and Shanghai, China. To learn more visit: http://www.seahorsebio.com.

Media Contact:
Naomi Goumillout
Marketing Communications Manager
Seahorse Bioscience
ngoumillout(at)seahorsebio(dot)com Reported by PRWeb 4 hours ago.

ITsavvy Awarded VMware MHEC Partner Status

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ITsavvy just announced that it has joined an elite group of technology solution providers who are approved MHEC (Midwestern Higher Education Compact) VMware partners.

Addison, Ill. (PRWEB) May 14, 2014

ITsavvy, one of the fastest growing companies of its type in the U.S., just announced that it has joined an elite group of technology solution providers who are approved MHEC VMware partners. The Midwestern Higher Education Compact allows educational and government organizations in its 41 member states to broaden their pool of resources and expertise in order to gain advantage in the marketplace.

ITsavvy Client Executive Derek Jatko said, “This is a really big honor for us since MHEC has a national contract for VMware--the number one virtualization software. Most education and government clients are looking to virtualize their servers, so this contract will give our existing clients the best price and will bring in new business immediately.”

The contract, which is through Arrow Electronics, is in effect until 2019 and has pre-negotiated rates that eliminate the necessity of getting 3 quotes. Other benefits include: elimination of competitive procurement; pre-reviewed terms and conditions; and the allowance of ELAs (enterprise license agreements) and deal registration. Those eligible to purchase under the compact include:·     Higher education institutions (public and not-for–profit)
·     K-12 districts and schools
·     Municipalities
·     Counties
·     Other local governments
·     State government

ITsavvy has already been approved and is currently listed as an official MHEC VMware partner. Mike Theriault, President and CEO of ITsavvy, said, “We are more than ready, willing, and able to serve education and government-related organizations in MHEC member states. Our long-term relationship with VMware makes us preeminently qualified to recommend, engineer, sell, and install just about everything that VMware has to offer.”

ITsavvy, one of the fastest growing companies of its type in the U.S., is a recognized leader in tailored end-to-end IT product and service solutions. ITsavvy built its reputation as a value-added reseller with industry-leading product availability, design and implementation, client support and delivery speed through 46 distribution centers across the U.S. ITsavvy also has data center locations in New Jersey, Illinois and New York. The company’s new, user-friendly website provides hundreds of concise, leading-edge IT decision-making resources, including an e-commerce site with real-time pricing and availability. ITsavvy is headquartered in Addison, IL, with offices in Chicago’s Loop; Hauppauge, NY; New York, NY; Warren, NJ; Aurora, IL; Davenport, IA; Hayward, CA; and Beavercreek, OH. Call 1-855-ITsavvy (1-855-487-2889), email: info(at)ITsavvy(dot)com, visit: http://www.ITsavvy.com. Reported by PRWeb 1 day ago.

Confirmit Announces 2014 Best Use of Feedback Solutions ACE Awards Winners

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Organizations recognized for outstanding use of feedback to drive positive business results.

New York, NY and Oslo, Norway and London, UK (PRWEB) May 14, 2014

Confirmit, the leading global solutions provider for Customer Experience, Employee Engagement and Market Research, today announced the winners of the 2014 Confirmit ACE (Achievement in Customer Excellence) Awards for Best Use of Feedback Solutions.

The Best Use of Feedback Solutions Awards are presented in addition to the annual Confirmit ACE Awards. They recognize the organizations that best use feedback solutions to drive positive business change, enhance processes and increase Return on Investment.

The following companies are the winners of the 2014 Confirmit ACE Awards for Best Use of Feedback Solutions:·     Siemens Industry, Inc.

Winner, Best Use of Feedback Solutions for Voice of the Customer, acknowledging the organization that best uses its feedback solution to capture, analyze and respond to customer feedback to improve the customer experience.

·     AIG Asia Pacific

Winner, Best Use of Feedback Solutions for Voice of the Employee, acknowledging the organization that best uses its feedback solution to capture, analyze and respond to employee feedback to improve the employee experience.

·     SimplexGrinnell

Winner, Best Use of Innovation in Customer or Employee Engagement, acknowledging the organization that has shown the greatest innovation in the application of its feedback solution to strengthen customer or employee engagement.

·     RONIN Corporation

Best Use of Insight through a Market Research Agency, acknowledging the organization that has made the best use of insight gathered from Market Research to improve processes or drive business change.

·     Best Buy Co., Inc.

Winner, Best Use of Feedback Solutions to Drive Overall Business Impact, acknowledging the organization that best uses its feedback solution to listen, analyze and act upon feedback to achieve business results, improve business processes, or institute change.

·     21st Century Insurance and Infor

Joint winners, Best Use of Feedback Solutions in the Contact Center, acknowledging the organizations that best use their feedback solutions to listen, analyze and act upon feedback to improve contact center operations and results.

“The winners of the 2014 Best Use of Feedback Solutions ACE Awards have all demonstrated that they are using feedback in a wide variety of ways to enhance business processes and improve the customer or employee experience,” said Henning Hansen, President and CEO of Confirmit. “We’re delighted to work with such innovative organizations, all of whom have shown their commitment to using feedback solutions as an important tool in driving positive business results.”

There were so many strong contenders for this year’s Confirmit ACE Awards for Best Use of Feedback that Confirmit also announced Honorable Mentions in each of these categories:

·     ANSYS, Inc. and The Hanover Insurance Group

Best Use of Feedback Solutions for Voice of the Customer

·     BNSF Railway and Philadelphia Insurance Companies

Best Use of Feedback in the Contact Center

·     ITV

Best Use of Innovation in Customer or Employee Engagement

·     Survey Sampling International with partner Epiphany RBC

Best Use of Insight through a Market Research Agency

·     EarthLink

Best Use of Feedback Solutions to Drive Overall Business Impact

All Best Use of Feedback companies are also winners of 2014 Confirmit ACE Awards; the 2014 Confirmit ACE Award winners were announced on May 8, 2014.

###

About the Confirmit ACE Awards
The ACE (Achievement in Customer Excellence) Awards program was established in 2005 to recognize outstanding achievement in customer satisfaction. Receiving a Confirmit ACE Award is a distinct honor that demonstrates both rigorous application of customer feedback processes and outstanding performance as measured by those processes.

All Confirmit customers are eligible for Confirmit ACE Awards for their company, business units, or segments of a business. To be eligible for a 2014 Confirmit ACE Award, organizations must have conducted one or more Voice of the Customer surveys between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2013, and must have met a range of qualitative criteria based on recognized industry best practices. For further information, please visit http://www.confirmit.com/community/ace-awards.aspx.

About Confirmit
Confirmit is the world’s leading SaaS vendor for multichannel Voice of the Customer, Employee Feedback, and Market Research applications. The company has offices in Oslo (headquarters), Chengdu, Cologne, Grimstad, London, Moscow, New York, San Francisco, Vancouver, and Yaroslavl. Confirmit's software is also distributed through partner resellers in Madrid, Milan, Salvador, Sydney, and Tokyo.

Confirmit powers Global 5000 companies and Market Research agencies worldwide with a wide range of software products for feedback / data collection, panel management, data processing, analysis, and reporting. Customers include Aurora, British Airways, Cross-Tab, Dow Chemical, Farmers Insurance, GfK, GlaxoSmithKline, GMO Research, JTN Research, Keep Factor, Morehead Associates, Nielsen, Research Now, Swapit, Swisscom, Symantec and The Wellcome Trust. Visit http://www.confirmit.com for more information. Reported by PRWeb 22 hours ago.

Mercury, Mars, Jupiter & Saturn To Parade Across Night Sky On May 14

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If you go out tonight (May 14) about half an hour after sunset and have clear weather, you will see a number of bright objects in the sky. The brightest of these celestial lights are four of five planets visible to the naked eye this month, with the full moon completing the view — a sight you won't want to miss.On May 14, 2014, just after sunset, nearly all of the naked-eye planets and the moon will be visible, strung out across the southern sky. From west to east, these are Mercury, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, and the moon.
To begin our planet parade in May's night sky, let's look low in the northwest. There you can find the tiny speck of Mercury, never far from the sun. You may need a binocular to spot it.

A bit higher in the west is Jupiter, long past its opposition on Jan. 5, and now sinking rapidly behind the sun. If you have a telescope take a look to see Jupiter's four bright moons.

Due south is Mars, now well past opposition on April 8, and fading fast in brightness. If you have a powerful telescope, you might still spot the Red Planet's tiny northern polar ice cap. [Amazing Night Sky Photos for May (Gallery)]

*May full moon and more*

Rising in the southeast, just ahead of the full moon, is the planet Saturn, just four days past opposition.

The rising moon and Saturn mark the midpoint of the night: they will be high in the southern sky at local midnight (1 a.m. local time in most areas because of Daylight Saving Time).

If you go out about an hour before sunrise tomorrow morning (May 15), the moon and Saturn will have moved to the southwest, where they are setting. Notice how much the moon has moved relative to Saturn during the night.Just before dawn on May 15, 2014 morning, the rest of the planets will be visible, though you will need binoculars to see Uranus and Neptune. From west to east, these are Saturn, the moon, Neptune, Venus, and Uranus.

Venus will have risen low in the southeast, still very bright, although it soon will be lost in the sun's glare.

In the southeastern sky you will need binoculars to spot Neptune, the farthest planet from the sun.

Finally, Uranus, also requiring binoculars, will be close to Venus for the next few nights.

*A planet parade in the night sky*

Notice how all seven planets and the moon fall close to the green line which marks the ecliptic — the path the sun follows across the sky. In the sky maps in this guide, I've adjusted the view to emphasize that it is a straight line, but this is not always obvious when you see it spread across the sky. Having it marked by so many bright planets helps to visualize it.

Because all the planets and the moon follow courses close to the ecliptic, they frequently have close encounters, called conjunctions, as they pass one another. Sometimes one planet may even pass in front of another as seen from Earth, resulting in eclipses, transits, and occultations.In April, stargazers on Earth saw two eclipses: a lunar eclipse on April 15, when the Earth cast its shadow on the moon; and an annular solar eclipse on April 29, when the moon passed in front of the sun.

This month, we will have a conjunction of Uranus and Venus on May 15 and an occultation of Saturn tonight. However, the Saturn occultation will occur while the planet and the moon were below the horizon in North America, so stargazers there will miss it. Observers in Australia, however, are well placed to see the event.

Tonight, and for the next few weeks, all seven planets are visible, making it a great opportunity for a "Solar System Marathon." How many Solar System bodies can you see in a single night?

You can also seek out an asteroid or two, a telescope view of two comets, the zodiacal light, and a meteor or two. If you are really lucky, there will be a bright display of aurora, though these have been few and far between during the current subdued solar maximum. Be sure to count the moons you see circling Jupiter and Saturn!This article was provided to Space.com by Simulation Curriculum, the leader in space science curriculum solutions and the makers of Starry Night and SkySafari. Follow Starry Night on Twitter @StarryNightEdu. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.· Close Saturn, Planets and 2 Meteor Showers | May 2014 Skywatching Video
· Night Sky: Visible Planets, Moon Phases & Events, May 2014
· Best Binoculars for Skywatchers and Observers

Copyright 2014 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Reported by Huffington Post 18 hours ago.

Regatta Plaza redevelopment spurred after Aurora urban renewal plan

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AURORA — A renaissance for Aurora's stagnant Regatta Plaza shopping centeris inching forward, guided by a recently adopted urban renewal area plan after years of negotiations between the Reported by Denver Post 16 hours ago.
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