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Northrop Grumman, Colorado State University and Cherry Creek Schools Sponsor Area's First STEM/Cybersecurity Summer Camp

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AURORA, Colo., Aug. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC), the Colorado State University (CSU) College of Engineering and Cherry Creek Schools teamed up this summer to get kids excited about careers in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM)... Reported by PR Newswire 17 hours ago.

Police Identify Man Whose Body Was Pulled From Fox River in Downtown Aurora

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Police Identify Man Whose Body Was Pulled From Fox River in Downtown Aurora Patch St. Charles, IL --

Police have identified the man whose body was pulled from the Fox River, according to a report by The Beacon-News. Reported by Patch 12 hours ago.

$94M in metro Denver apartment building deals

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Couple of big apartment building deals to report today. First off (bigger price tag always gets top billing), New York, N.Y.-based Sentinel Real Estate Corp. picked up the Broadstone Cornerstar Apartments, 16045 E. Easter Circle, Aurora, for $68.908 million, according to public records. That’s more than $172,000 per unit for the 387,480-square-foot, 400-unit complex near the Cornerstar Shopping Center. The seller is Alliance Residential LLC, doing business as Broadstone Cornerstar LLC (it names… Reported by bizjournals 14 hours ago.

Bill Jacobs BMW Holds Ultimate Driving Experience Test Drive Event Saturday 8/10

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Now is the time to reserve a spot in the driver’s seat at the Ultimate Driving Experience Event at Bill Jacobs BMW in Naperville, IL. The dealership will be hosting a fun opportunity for customers to drive all of the latest luxury BMW models alongside some of their competitors, like Audi, Mercedes and Lexus, in a unique test drive sampling experience.

(PRWEB) August 08, 2013

Now is the time to reserve a spot in the driver’s seat at the Ultimate Driving Experience Event at Bill Jacobs BMW in Naperville, IL. The dealership will be hosting a fun opportunity for customers to drive all of the latest luxury BMW models alongside some of their competitors, like Audi, Mercedes and Lexus, in a unique test drive sampling experience.

This no pressure event will run from 9:00 am until 4:30 pm this Saturday 8/10. Walk-ins are welcome, but spaces are already more than half filled, so customers are encouraged to go online at bmwusa.com/ultimatedrive or call 1-800-956-4BMW (4269) to reserve a time slot that will work best with their schedule.

“The Ultimate Driving Experience is a great opportunity for customers to test the performance of a BMW and feel the way the car handles a curve, then also experience it in a competitive model. It’s rare that dealerships provide a chance for customers to judge their brand alongside competition all in one location, so we are excited to be hosting an event of this nature,” said Greg Joutras, General Manager.

Bill Jacobs BMW is encouraging everyone to come see why BMW stands out from the other luxury vehicles on the market as the ultimate driving experience. As a thank you, those who attend will receive an exclusive driving allowance of $1,500* toward the purchase or lease of a new BMW along with a very generous discount off MSRP on most new BMW models. *See dealer for complete details. Expires 8/10/13.

About Bill Jacobs BMW

As one of the largest BMW dealerships in the Chicago-land area, Bill Jacobs BMW is fully committed to creating a shopping experience for their customers that matches the luxury products they represent. In keeping with the Bill Jacobs tradition, they promise to provide a customer-friendly purchasing experience, as well as a responsive and reliable experience in their service department. With over 50 years in the automotive business, Bill Jacobs BMW is a name you can trust.

For additional information, visit Bill Jacobs BMW at 2495 Aurora Avenue, Naperville, IL 60540 or by calling (866) 516-8010. Visit Bill Jacobs BMW online at http://www.billjacobsbmw.com/ Reported by PRWeb 4 hours ago.

Neal Communities’ July 2013 Sales Over 60% Higher Than Last Year

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Lakewood Ranch-based, privately owned & operated builder, Neal Communities, reports another strong month of sales -- setting up 2013 as a record-breaking year.

Lakewood Ranch, Florida (PRWEB) August 08, 2013

Neal Communities marked 72 new home sales in July, a more than 66-percent increase from its 44 sales in July 2012. This continues a record-breaking year for the Lakewood Ranch-based, new home builder.

“We are seeing a growing trend of a year round real estate market in Southwest Florida and cash buyers who don’t have to wait on the banks to finalize their purchase,” said David Hunihan, director of sales for Neal Communities. “No longer are the days of a major slowdown in the summer months as buyers now are taking advantage of favorable market conditions that may not last, and our great variety of products – including inventory homes that are available immediately,” said Hunihan.

Notable neighborhoods this month included Grand Palm in Venice with 14 sales, Central Park at Lakewood Ranch with 16 sales, and Villa Palmeras in Estero with nine sales. Neal also sold two homes in Sugar Mill Lakes, a new community in Palmetto, in advance of the models or sales center opening, which will take place later this month.

Only four homes remain at Sawgrass in Venice and Arlington Cove in Englewood is now completely sold out. July sales took place across seventeen communities from Manatee County to Lee County.

Neal Communities was named one of 2012's "America's Best Builders" by BUILDER Magazine. The company is ranked #1 locally by Metrostudy and by Hanley Wood Market Intelligence based on number of home sales and ranked #64 nationally among home builders by BUILDER Magazine. To date, Neal has built over 9,000 homes in Southwest Florida. As the area's largest and most established, locally-owned and operated private builder, Neal Communities is continually striving for excellence in every aspect of the home building and development business. John Neal Homes, Neal Signature Homes, Charlene Neal PureStyle, Waterscapes Pools & Spas, and Allegiant Title Professionals all contribute to the firm's continued, record-setting local success. The company's honors and accolades include 29 Parade of Homes 2013 awards, 49 Aurora Awards, 5 Best in American Living Awards, and hundreds of local and regional industry awards. For more information, please visit http://www.nealcommunities.com/. Reported by PRWeb 5 hours ago.

Motorcycle driver killed in Aurora, van turned in front of bike

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A man driving a motorcycle died Wednesday night after striking a van that turned in front of him. Reported by Denver Post 23 hours ago.

Development of Type 1 Diabetes Linked to Infant’s Exposure to Solid Foods

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Chemist Direct reviews infant exposure and development of Type 1 diabetes mellitus through food antigens.

London (PRWEB UK) 8 August 2013

Type 1diabetes is one of the most common diseases in the modern world, and is the fourth or fifth leading cause of death in most high-income countries. Diabetes Mellitus is caused when the immune system destroys the cells of the pancreas that release insulin, leaving the patient unable to control his own blood sugar.

Diabetes is undoubtedly one of the most challenging health problems in the 21st century, with an estimated 552 million people afflicted in the next 16 years. 1 What is most surprising is the rapid increase of type 1 diabetes among children, with 78,000 affected each year, even in those younger than five years of age.

Various studies have been conducted to pinpoint the cause of this sudden increase in children with diabetes with theories being put forward – this includes the 'hygiene hypothesis' that suggests exposure, or rather the lack of exposure, to infectious disease when young might be linked to the development of autoimmunity.

One study conducted to explore this theory suggests it is possible that the increasing global incidence of type 1 diabetes may be linked to lack of exposure to pathogens during early life. The authors are keen to use further studies to identify other environmental factors which may predispose to type 1 diabetes.

Study leader Professor Stephen Fava, Consultant in Diabetes and Endocrinology at Mater Dei Hospital, Malta & Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Malta, said: "Our data shows that type 1 diabetes rates were highest in countries where markers of exposure to infectious disease were lowest.

Incidence of type 1 diabetes was significantly linked to mortality from a variety of infectious diseases and to the local susceptibility of a common bacterium to antibiotics. These data provide support for the notion that the immune system can somehow become disordered and attack the body's own cells if it is not trained by regular exposure to micro-organisms -- the so called hygiene hypothesis.

More research is needed to try to identify other environmental factors that may be linked to the continuing conundrum of rising type 1 diabetes rates." This increase suggests that encounters between the developing immune system in young children and micro-organisms such as bacteria and parasites are part of human evolution and may therefore protect against the development of auto-immunity.

Another theory being explored is the infant diet, which has been of particular interest in the origin of the disease, with Brittni Frederiksen, M.P.H., Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Aurora, and colleagues examining the associations between prenatal and infant exposures, especially early infant diet, and the development of type 1 diabetes.

The Diabetes Autoimmunity Study in the Young, a 10-year project conducted at St. Joseph's Hospital in Denver, studied 1,835 children by screening the umbilical cord blood for diabetes susceptibility and the presence of insulin-targeting antibodies and with type 1 diabetes.

These children’s progress was then followed from birth, with the focus on when solid foods were introduced, what foods were eaten, and whether the child went on to develop type 1 diabetes. Babies who ate their first solid food either before four months or after six months of age were more likely to develop type 1 diabetes than those who were exposed to solids when they were between four to five months of age.

53 of the children observed developed type 1 diabetes later on, although the study found babies that continued to be breastfed during the introduction of wheat and barley saw a lessened risk. The introduction of vegetables and meat did not have an impact, researchers said. "Our data suggests multiple foods/antigens play a role and that there is a complex relationship between the timing and type of infant food exposures and diabetes risk.

The authors conclude there appears to be a safe window in which to introduce solid foods between 4 and 5 months of age; solid foods should be introduced while continuing to breastfeed to minimise type 1 diabetes risk in genetically susceptible children. These findings should be replicated in a larger cohort for confirmation,"

ChemistDirect Superintendent Pharmacist Omar El-Gohary states: “Whilst the current research in this area is promising, it is still too early to make recommendations on the basis of this research until more research is done in this area. Currently parents are advised to wait till around 6 months before feeding their baby solid foods, parents should ensure that they are able to swallow, they are able to pick up the food and put it in their mouth by themselves, and they are able to sit upright and hold their head steady.”

References

1)    http://www.idf.org/diabetesatlas/5e/the-global-burden
2)    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130318203334.htm
3)    http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/263106.php
4)    http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1707785 Reported by PRWeb 22 hours ago.

Westell Provides Additional Products and Services for New York Subway System Project with Transit Wireless

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Westell Provides Additional Products and Services for New York Subway System Project with Transit Wireless AURORA, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Westell provides turnkey cabinet solutions to Transit Wireless for phase two of the New York City subway system wireless network project Reported by Business Wire 22 hours ago.

Sandy Hook's Avielle Foundation Teams with Columbine High School, Aurora Tragedies Survivors' Support Groups to Host First Annual Brainstorming 5K

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NEWTOWN, Conn. and DENVER, Aug. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Avielle Foundation today announced it is teaming with Phoenix 999 and The Rebels Project, support groups formed after the Columbine High School and Aurora movie theater tragedies, to host the first annual Brainstorming... Reported by PR Newswire 22 hours ago.

Leaked Democrat Document Explains How to Use Tragedies to Push Gun Control

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Leaked Democrat Document Explains How to Use Tragedies to Push Gun Control Politics

What’s the best way to push gun control? A newly leaked Democratic document gives legislators advice on how to use national tragedies as a way to push gun control. The document, “Preventing Gun Violence Through Effective Messaging,” is more than 70-pages long and was created by a group of Washington DC consultants who did research for a Washington state gun control advocates. It was written in 2012 before the Sandy Hook shooting tragedy.

The document states that "The most powerful time to communicate is when concern and emotions are running at their peak." The document adds, "The debate over gun violence in America is periodically punctuated by high-profile gun violence incidents including Columbine, Virginia Tech, Tucson, the Trayvon Martin killing, Aurora, and Oak Creek. When an incident such as these attracts sustained media attention, it creates a unique climate for our communications efforts.”

Further, the document suggests using “emotionally powerful language” to promote the gun control cause.

The document also gives advice for how to attack the National Rifle Association. It warns that many people view the NRA as a positive force, so politicians should portray the NRA as being reckless or misguided rather than evil or profit-driven.

This document is simultaneously unsurprising and depressing. On the one hand, politicians on both sides of the fence regularly use tragedies and major events to push political agendas. While one politician points to Columbine and claims that guns need to be taken off the streets, another politician will argue that Columbine proves people need more guns to protect themselves. On the other hand, though, explaining how to exploit a national tragedy in a strategic document portrays gun control advocates as being callous.

How do you feel about this document? Do you think that political strategies such as this one are a dime a dozen in the modern political sphere? Are you appalled by how cold and calculated the document is? 

Source: Examiner

1 Reported by Opposing Views 21 hours ago.

Ritz-Carlton Denver: We didn't sign Gaylord petition

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The Ritz-Carlton Denver said Friday that it wasn’t a signee to a July 19 petition, which asked the Colorado Economic Development Commission (CEDC) to reconsider Aurora’s application for a tax subsidy aimed at building Gaylord Entertainment’s hotel-convention center and resort complex near Denver International Airport. A group of hotels, as well as Denver and Colorado hotel and lodging associations, sent the petition to Ken Lund, executive director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development… Reported by bizjournals 13 hours ago.

Aurora 2Q13 net EPS of NT$1.06 hits record

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Aurora, a Taiwan-based distributor of office automation (OA) machines and office furniture, posted net EPS of NT$1.06 for the second quarter of 2013, its highest quarterly level on record, company spokesman Emest Ma said at an investors conference on August 8. Reported by DigiTimes 8 hours ago.

Magna Announces Second Quarter and Year to Date Results

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AURORA, ON, Aug. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ - Magna International Inc. (TSX: MG; NYSE: MGA) today reported financial results for the second quarter ended June... Reported by PR Newswire 3 hours ago.

3D Projection Mapping Event to Light Up the North at Black Bear Casino and Resort

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Chicago Projection Mapping to provide one-night-only, 10,000-square-foot display for Minnesota-based Casino and Resort.

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) August 09, 2013

Chicago Projection Mapping (CPM), a Chicagoland-based content and 3D projection company, revealed specifics for their next major showcase, set to be held at Black Bear Casino and Resort in Carlton, MN on August 17th. The outdoor display promises to be one of the most ambitious in Minnesota history, including a ten-story, 10,000-square-foot visual centerpiece constructed around the architecture of the Black Bear hotel building.

The twelve-minute display, custom-designed in collaboration with Black Bear and CPM, tells a compelling story that spans the four seasons, including local flora, wildlife, history, and the aurora borealis. The one-night-only event is estimated to bring between five and ten thousand attendees to the resort and casino, and will feature a live band and special promotions. The display includes the world premiere of Black Bear's new commercials for 2013/14, which brings new focus to the the award-winning architecture of the hotel and casino. CPM will present the display three times the night of the 17th, starting at 9:15, with an additional rain date set for the 18th.

"Black Bear is creating an experience like you'd normally see in a big city like Las Vegas or New York," said Mark R. Smith, owner and creative lead for CPM. "They're doing this because they know it works, and its exciting to see how we're uniting their brand and architecture with 3D projection mapping."

The event comes shortly after Chicago Projection Mapping's recent successes across the United States, including a marquee display in conjunction with acclaimed singer Amanda Brown at OnCue 2013, and private corporate displays at the Wang Theater in Boston. By uniting brands with top-level content creation and projection, CPM continues to offer unmatched creative potential and ROI for live events, corporate showcases, product and brand launches, and trade shows. For inquiries or a free quote, please email info(at)ChicagoProjectionMapping(dot)com.

About Chicago Projection Mapping: Based in Chicago, IL, Chicago Projection Mapping is a full service content creation and 3D projection mapping company, serving the corporate, event, meeting, and convention sectors. For more information, please visit http://www.ChicagoProjectionMapping.com, or call 630-620-0000. Reported by PRWeb 1 hour ago.

Magna shares lift to greater highs on Q2 net income gains

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Shares of Magna International (TSX:MG) (NYSE:MGA) are on the rise after posting double-digit gains on both the top and bottom lines in the second quarter on the strength of North American vehicle production. 

Net income for the Aurora, Ontario-based auto parts manufacturer increased 19 per cent to $415 million, compared to $349 million in the second quarter of 2012.

Sales rose 16 per cent to $8.96 billion from $7.73 billion in the same prior-year period, ahead of the $8.8 billion composite analyst estimate.

Adjusted EBITDA in North America, which accounted for three-quarters of the total, rose to $422 million from $415 million last year, while in Europe adjusted EBITDA nearly doubled to $120 million from $65 million despite weak auto production on the continent. 

Magna, which supplies parts to the world's biggest automakers, expects between $33.3 billion and $34.7 billion of sales in fiscal 2013. The range is about $700 million higher than Magna's outlook in May when its first-quarter results came out.

The stock rose 2.7 per cent in early Friday's trading, hitting a new intraday record.  Reported by Proactive Investors 22 hours ago.

Canadian stocks sink on unexpected job losses in July

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Canadian shares fell on Friday after the labor market surprisingly weakened in July, hinting at a sluggish economic start to the third quarter, and earnings of companies from Dorel Industries to Black Diamond Group lagged behind analysts' predictions.

The Standard & Poor’s/TSX Composite Index (TSE:OSPTX) skidded 0.2 percent to 12,533.76 at 12:02 p.m. in Toronto on Friday.

Canada lost a net 39,400 jobs last month, and the joblessness rate accelerated to 7.2 percent from 7.1 percent in June, Statistics Canada said on Friday. Economists polled by Reuters had predicted the creation of 10,000 new jobs in July, and no change in the unemployment rate.

Financials, the main measure's most heavily-weighted sector, dropped 0.6 percent, as six of the gauge's ten share groups declined. Royal Bank of Canada (TSE:RY), Canada's biggest lender, fell 0.9 percent to C$63.43. Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSE:TD), Canada’s second-largest lender by assets, retreated 0.6 percent.

Black Diamond Group Ltd. (TSE:BDI), which provides temporary workspace for urban and industrial customers, lost 6.1 percent to C$23.60 as the company posted lower-than-estimated profit. 

Energy producers, the main index's second most heavily weighted sector, inched down 0.1 percent. Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. (TSE:CNQ), Canada’s second-largest energy company by market value, lost 0.8 percent to C$31.55.

The consumer discretionary group rose 0.5 percent. Magna International Inc. (TSE:MG), North America’s largest auto-parts maker, climbed 3.1 percent to C$82.67 after touching a lifetime high of C$82.82. The Aurora, Ontario-based company posted a 16 percent jump in second-quarter sales to $8.96 billion. Net income increased 19 per cent to $415 million. 

Dorel Industries Inc. (TSE:DII.B), a bicycle and baby gear maker based in Montreal, Quebec, tumbled 15 percent to C$31.20 after reporting earnings short of projections and announcing plans to cut its workforce. Net income declined to $13.2 million, or 41 cents a share, from $30.3 million or 95 cents a share a year earlier. Revenue dropped to $600.4 million from $633.7 million. 

Information technology shares gained 0.5 percent, paced by Blackberry Ltd. (TSE:BB), the embattled smartphone maker. The stock advanced 4.5 percent to C$9.94 after reaching C$10.24, the highest intraday price in more than a year, after a media report said the company mulls going private. The company’s board may seek a buyer to take it private, Reuters reported on Friday, citing unidentified people familiar with the talks. The Waterloo, Ontario-based smartphone maker hasn’t started a formal sale process, according to the report. 

The materials group, which includes mining shares, advanced 1.5 percent. Goldcorp Inc. (TSE:G) added 0.7 percent to C$28.25. Barrick Gold Corp. (TSE:ABX) rallied 2.8 percent to C$18.10.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (CVE:OSPVX) edged down 0.1 percent to 914.64 at 12:12 p.m., stretching this year's losses. The 393-member measure surrendered 25.1 percent since the beginning of the year through Thursday.

In commodities, crude for September delivery advanced 2.2 percent to $105.66 a barrel at 11:58 a.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange, while gold futures for December delivery rose 0.3 percent to $1,313.30 an ounce at 12:15 p.m. on the Comex in New York. 

In the U.S., shares wavered on Friday as material producers climbed on data from China and investors expanded pondering whether the Federal Reserve may pare bond purchases in September as the economy strengthens. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) fell 0.7 percent and the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:.INX) slipped 0.4 percent at 11:11 a.m. in New York. 

 

  Reported by Proactive Investors 19 hours ago.

ICE Frees Colorado Immigration Activist Jeanette Vizguerra

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From The Colorado Independent's Julia Gonzales.

What would you do if your mother, thousands of miles away, was dying and it would jeopardize your immigration status to see her one last time?

It was February 2, 2004, my junior year at college. I’d just stepped out of my linguistics class when my dad phoned to tell me that my mom’s diabetes had worsened. She was in Intensive Care at a hospital in San Antonio, Texas. He told me that I needed to come home. I freaked out. I didn’t have any money for a plane ticket to get home from New Haven, Connecticut. Thankfully, my friends sprang into action. My roommate did my laundry, packed my suitcase, and rushed me to the airport, where I flew home with a ticket bought by my dean that afternoon. My dad picked me up at the airport just hours before mom passed away early the next morning. At least I was able to hold her hand at the end.

In the years since, given my work with immigrant communities, I often find myself reflecting on that frantic day. Even as a broke college student, it was easy for me to drop everything to be with my family when it mattered most.

But for my friend Jeanette Vizguerra, an immigrant rights activist and undocumented mother of three kids who are U.S. citizens, the September 2012 phone call about her mother’s rapidly progressing terminal cancer presented her with a far tougher set of decisions. By the time the call came from Mexico, Jeanette had been battling for three years to stay in the United States. A 2009 traffic stop had landed her in immigration proceedings, and the government had ordered her deportation from the country (the feds prefer the antiseptic word “removal”). Jeanette and her lawyer were fighting the order in the hopes that, while her appeal was pending, the laws might change and allow her to remain in the country she had called home for more than fifteen years.

Jeanette’s first decision was whether to stay in the United States or travel to Mexico City to be with her mother in the final days of her battle with cancer. By leaving, she risked permanent separation from her husband and three young children, ages 9, 7, and 2, and also jeopardized her legal case at the Board of Immigration Appeals. Still, with the possibility of never seeing her mom alive again being too much to bear, she left for her bedside. But by the time she arrived in Mexico City, her mother had already died. Devastated, all Jeanette could do is wonder, “¿Y ahora qué? What now?”

After burying her mother, Jeanette grew depressed in the six months she spent in Mexico City, scrambling to find a job where there were none. Her kids back home in Aurora were struggling emotionally without their mom. Then came the second decision: to risk her life to return to her family. Each year, the bodies of hundreds of migrants who die while attempting to enter the United States are recovered from the U.S. – Mexico border. The journey would be dangerous, but for her family’s sake, Jeanette figured it was a risk she had to take.

Despite what all the anti-immigrant politicians say, the border is more secure than ever. Jeanette was promptly arrested by the Border Patrol on April 20, 2013, near Presidio, Texas, a tiny town in the Big Bend area. But instead of being immediately deported, she was shuttled for the next six weeks through three different holding facilities and immigration detention centers. Her appeal was dismissed. On June 7, in an unusual move by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Jeanette was temporarily released from the El Paso detention center and allowed to reunite with her kids under an ICE detainee supervision program, but rearrested during her first supervisory check-in six weeks later. She was detained at the GEO Detention Center in Aurora, just a few miles away from husband and kids who struggled to make do without her.

Jeanette’s only hope to stay in the U.S. was for ICE to grant her a discretionary stay of removal. Friends and immigrant rights organizations circulated petitions, organized vigils outside the detention center, and met with various members of Congress to urge ICE to grant her stay. Jeanette’s application for a stay of removal was initially denied on Aug. 5, but following waves of phone calls, rallies, and a hunger strike in front of the ICE administrative offices, authorities on Aug. 8 approved her stay and released her from detention.

Sure, decisions have consequences. There are those who will say Jeanette deserves what happened to her. Yet, what purpose is served by not allowing a daughter the ability to see her mom before she dies? What good comes out of locking a mother in an immigration jail at taxpayer expense mere miles away from her kids? And what’s the point of ripping her away from her children’s lives just as her own decision to make a living in the U.S. ripped her from her own mother in Mexico?

Every single day, 1,200 immigrants are removed from this country, and nearly one in four deportees is the parent of least one child who’s a U.S. citizen. Those decisions have consequences, too.

The immigration system in this country is byzantine bordering on ridiculous. The reform package currently being discussed in Congress is at best incomplete and driven by electoral considerations instead of good policy sense. Deportations are at an all-time high, and so are the emotions on all sides of the debate.

This is the backdrop against which I begin “Hustlin’ for Justicia,” my guest-contributor blog for The Colorado Independent. Each Tuesday, I will offer dispatches on immigration, race and culture here at coloradoindependent.com. I welcome your comments and insights. Email me at juliegonzales@me.com. Reported by Huffington Post 20 hours ago.

Friday's most followed in Canada including Black Diamond, Magna, Dorel, Brookfield, BlackBerry, BNK, Orvana, Silvercorp Metals, Canada Fluorspar, RESAAS

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Toronto's main market slipped on Friday despite encouraging data from China, as Stats Can reported that employment in Canada decreased in July. 

In corporate news, earnings reports continued to flow on Friday. 

Black Diamond Group Ltd. (TSE:BDI), which provides temporary workspace for urban and industrial customers, lost 6% to C$23.63 as the company posted lower-than-estimated profit. 

Magna International Inc. (TSE:MG), North America’s largest auto-parts maker, climbed 3.3% to C$82.78. The Aurora, Ontario-based company posted a 16 percent jump in second-quarter sales to $8.96 billion. Net income increased 19 per cent to $415 million. 

Dorel Industries Inc. (TSE:DII.B), a bicycle and baby gear maker based in Montreal, Quebec, tumbled 9.5% C$33.21 after reporting earnings short of projections and announcing plans to cut its workforce. Net income declined to $13.2 million, or 41 cents a share, from $30.3 million or 95 cents a share a year earlier. Revenue dropped to $600.4 million from $633.7 million. 

Brookfield Asset Management (TSE:BAM.A) also fell 0.9% to C$38.25 after reporting $802 million U.S. of net income and $464 million U.S. of funds from operations in the second quarter, with both results more than double figures from a year earlier.

Information technology shares gained 0.5%, paced by Blackberry Ltd. (TSE:BB), the embattled smartphone maker. The stock advanced 6.2% to C$10.16 after reaching C$10.24, the highest intraday price in more than a year, after a media report said the company mulls going private. The company’s board may seek a buyer to take it private, Reuters reported on Friday, citing unidentified people familiar with the talks. The Waterloo, Ontario-based smartphone maker hasn’t started a formal sale process, according to the report. 

In oil and gas stocks, Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp. (TSE:PRE), the Canada-based operator of Colombia’s largest oil field, dropped to the lowest price this month, after reporting a lower-than-predicted 74 percent slump in second-quarter profit, hurt by a weakened Colombian peso and lower oil prices.

BNK Petroleum's (TSE:BKX) surged ahead more than 32% after reporting that its second quarter loss narrowed from the same period a year ago. The Camarillo, Calif.-based company, which has operations in Germany, Poland, Spain and the U.S., said its loss in the three-month period shrunk to US$929,000 or one cent a share, compared to US$2.6 million or two cents a share for the same period a year ago. 

Caza Oil & Gas (TSE:CAZ) (LON:CAZA) chief executive Mike Ford said he is very pleased with the group’s ongoing operations in the Bone Springs play. This work involves drilling and completing wells, and adding new production. In the second quarter Caza increased production of oil and natural gas liquids by 16% to 11,059 barrels, but overall production decreased 19% to 20,330 barrels of oil equivalent. This was largely a  result of the disposal of the San Jacinto property in July.

Forbes Energy Services Ltd. (TSE:FRB) (NASDAQ:FES), an oilfield services contractor, swung to a second-quarter loss as revenue dropped amid tough competition in oil transportation services. Net loss for the three months that ended June 30 was $969,000, or 4 cents a share, compared with a profit of $826,000, or 12 cents a share, in the year-earlier period, the Alice, Texas-based company said in a statement on Friday.

In mining stocks, shares in Orvana Minerals Corp. (TSE:ORV) were trading up Friday, after the Toronto-headquartered precious and base metal miner posted record gold production from its principal Spanish property at the El Valle-Boinás/Carlés mine with the company reaffirming its guidance for the year, notwithstanding curtailed production following an incident necessitating repairs at one site.

Lower gold and silver prices took their toll on Mandalay Resources’ (TSE:MND) second quarter but the group said its mines are still profitable and generating cash at current price levels. Mandalay’s key operations are the Costerfield gold and antimony mine in Australia and the Cerra Bayo gold and silver mine in Chile.

Silvercorp Metals (TSE:SVM) (NYSE:SVM) has also managed to avoid the disastrous fate of many of its mining brethren, with the Vancouver-based silver producer reporting in its first quarter results improved costs and increased production that did much to offset the plummeting price of its chief commodities, with the company also suspending operations at three of its mine sites in light of the price declines. 

In junior Canadian stocks, Canada Fluorspar (CVE:CFI) says it has closed a non-brokered private placement financing of nearly $290,000 to extend the drilling program at its Grebes Nest property in Newfoundland based on recent results. The company issued 1.5 million flow through common shares of the company at 19 cents apiece. 

RESAAS Services (CNSX:RSS) has added the Anderson Real Estate Group to its social networking platform designed for real estate professionals, the latest addition to the growing company's business. The Southern California-based full service real estate firm deals with residential, investment, foreclosure and short sale properties.  Reported by Proactive Investors 18 hours ago.

Experience: I was a bartender in Antarctica

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'It was pretty much a given that anyone who had applied for a job on the base was trying to escape something'

Looking back, there was a clear omen of what was to come within minutes of my arrival in Antarctica. The first pallet offloaded from the plane that had brought me contained nothing but beer, and was greeted with a great cheer as it was wheeled into the research base where I was to spend the next year.

I'd wanted to visit Antarctica ever since I was a child, but in the end it was a wearying job in Silicon Valley that led me to make the leap. After a particularly bad day at the office, I thought, "Where's the farthest I can go to get away?" To my delight, a quick internet search revealed work was available at three US research stations. I convinced the right people I was the man they needed to look after the liquid nitrogen and helium used as coolants for the radio telescopes at the South Pole Station.

The bar there, probably the most remote on Earth, was called Club 90 South. Despite being surrounded by ice for 800 miles in every direction, and 8,000 miles away from the local bars I knew, it seemed completely familiar to me: there were six bar stools, a scattering of tables and couches, a pool table, TV and music.

One Saturday night soon after I arrived, I walked in and the seat behind the bar was the only one free. Someone said, "Hey, can you get me a beer?""Do I look like a bartender?" I asked. "Well," he said, "you're behind the bar. Do you know how to mix anything?" I was 26, and had picked up a few tricks at parties. "As a matter of fact, I do," I said. And there I stayed for the rest of the year.

On special occasions, I combined the new role with my job and served what I called "cryogenic cocktails". The first one I made was for a boss who came to a party one evening and asked for a martini. I poured in some nitrogen, blew away the fog and scooped out all the frost-distilled water that was left floating in it, taking the proof of his cocktail up to about 130% abv. He downed it, disappeared and returned with a brace of Swedish researchers. "I want you to make them what you made me," he said.

The temperature outside fell below minus 50, and the base went into lockdown during the six-month night; we lived in near constant darkness, and most of the 200-strong crew left us. The responsibilities of the 58 "winterovers" dwindled, and they were more likely to head to the bar in the evening. Soon I was on duty most nights, mixing drinks into the small hours. There was no chaplain at the base; I think I was the nearest thing to one. People with latent seasonal affective disorder really began to suffer, and I heard many tales of relationships crumbling under the strain of separation.

It was pretty much a given that anyone who had applied for a job on the base was trying to escape something. In Alcoholics Anonymous parlance, it's known as "pulling a geographic". The hope is that by being somewhere else, your existing problems won't apply any more. Sometimes that's true, but I saw a lot of people at the end of the world with nowhere left to run.

I made it a point of honour to be the last person to leave the club each night, and would often find myself pouring whiskey after whiskey for some of the regulars. I learned to spot the signs that someone was likely to wander drunkenly into the Antarctic night, and had heard too many stories of people returning to base with hypothermia and frostbite. My theory was that it's easier to recover from too much drinking than to grow back a missing limb; I was happy only when everyone was safely tucked up and accounted for, even if it meant leaving them passed out on the bar's couch.

I wasn't just a detached observer, though; I was as enthusiastic a drinker as most of the patrons. One drawback was the hangovers: after a particularly heavy session, I would have to nip outside to be sick. Any liquid that came into contact with the ice froze immediately and, if left alone, it would remain so for ever. It was a point of honour to clear up after yourself, which meant chipping away with a pickaxe.

A decade on, I'm a radiation safety specialist, but still take time out to demonstrate my cocktail-mixing craft; liquid nitrogen remains a favourite. I'd go back tomorrow if the opportunity arose. Watching the aurora with a cocktail in your hand isn't an experience you let go of easily.

• As told to Chris Broughton

Do you have an experience to share? Email experience@theguardian.com Reported by guardian.co.uk 5 hours ago.

Pit Bull Service Dog Rules OK in Denver/Aurora, Lawsuits Dismissed

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Pit Bull Service Dog Rules OK in Denver/Aurora, Lawsuits Dismissed U.S. District Court Judge Marcia Krieger has ruled that Aurora and Denver have done enough to allow Pit Bulls as service dogs. Late last month she threw out lawsuits by the Animal Law Center against the two Colorado cities regarding their Pit Bull bans--specifically, when Pit Bulls are used as service dogs.

Denver and Aurora originally had banned Pit Bulls--even as service dog-- but altered their rules after a 2011 federal ruling.

Both cities now allow Pit Bulls as service animals, but Denver officers are essentially told to look the other way when they encounter them in that capacity.

Aurora requires owners of Pit Bulls to follow more restrictions than service dogs of other breeds. The restrictions are meant to protect others from the animals, city officials contend.

Both cities otherwise ban the breed.

Two lawsuits were filed by the Animal Law Center alleging that the cities didn't follow federal law in regard to service dogs. AttorneyJay Swearingen, who represented the plaintiffs — two war veterans and a visiting dog-show judge — said he plans to appeal Judge Krieger’s decision. The lawsuits were combined into one, reports the Denver Post.

Denver City Attorney Doug Friednash said, in a written statement, that the city is pleased about the court dismissal of the case.

"We believe the court correctly determined that none of the plaintiffs were harmed by Denver's ordinance or animal control policies," he said. "Denver has and will continue to respect the rights of individuals with service animals."

Aurora City Attorney Charlie Richardson said the ruling was a fair one considering the changes the city made after the 2011 ruling by the federal government that updated regulations to the Americans with Disabilities Act and clarifying the definition of a service animal.

War veterans Allen Grider and Glenn Belcher, and Valerie Piltz, the dog judge, sued the city several years ago “It's the fact that their dog is treated differently ... than if it were a golden retriever," Swearingen said. "They run into more issues than the average person with a non-Pit-Bull service dog."

Aurora impounded Grider's Pit Bull-mix in 2009 for more than a week. Grider, who says he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, says he then had to keep his dog at a friend's house outside the city for several months.

Belcher, a Persian Gulf War vet, said he suffers from depression, anxiety and other physical disabilities and needed his dog.

Piltz was visiting the Denver area to judge in the United Kennel Club Dog Show. She was able to secure a temporary permit to have her two pit bull service dogs in Aurora, where the competition took place, but not from Denver, where she was staying with her sister, the Denver Post reports.

"The judge made a ruling on the law," he said. "Naturally, we respect the judge's ruling, but we disagree with it."

In a discussion of the Denver ban, Assistant City Attorney Kory Nelson recently told the San Francisco Chronicle that:

“Since 1989, when that city instituted a pit bull ban, ‘we haven’t had one serious pit bull attack,’ said Kory Nelson, a Denver assistant city attorney. His city’s assertion that ‘pit bulls are more dangerous than other breeds of dog’ has withstood legal challenges, he said.

‘We were able to prove there’s a difference between pit bulls and other breeds of dogs that make pit bulls more dangerous,' he said."

Sources: Denver Post

1 Reported by Opposing Views 21 hours ago.
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