Amazon Dash: Shopping on Steroids

by John Horvat II

It’s called Amazon Dash. It’s the latest and greatest gadget in the line of instant purchase. “Have it now” takes on a new meaning when you dash an order off to Amazon in real time.

Amazon Dash involves a new hand-held device that allows customers to order products by simply speaking into a microphone or scanning bar codes. When a product runs out, the consumer can reorder in seconds and arrange for same- or next-day delivery.

Is Technology Ruining Your Life? Take A Quick Quiz To Find Out By Clicking Here.

For now, Dash is limited to the AmazonFresh program that focuses on grocery products. It is currently being tested at several locations on the West Coast. The use of these new magic-wand-like gadgets is expected to expand to other fields including industrial and electrical supplies.

 Amazon marketers are quick to point out how Dash can provide fun for the whole family. They imagine exciting scenes of empty cereal boxes and children exuberantly scanning or calling in replacements for instant delivery. Families are told to hang the wand on the refrigerator where it can be handy for those unexpected emergencies. According to the company, Dash recognizes more than 500,000 items on AmazonFresh.

 “We want you to go from ‘I want that’ to ‘I bought that’ in 30 seconds or 10 seconds,” says Amazon’s Paul Cousineau, in an interview with the technology site Recode.net.

Such frantic activity is to be lamented since it is part of the ever-quickening pace of purchase that marketers use to sell more. Such shopping no longer involves pondered choices or restrained decisions. It is now reduced to point-and-shoot purchases as a means of accelerating consumption. In the process, shopping has lost that human element that gives spice to life. Even buying fresh produce, which shoppers used to examine before purchase, is on steroids. Dash now assumes all produce is equal as it zips off orders to AmazonFresh and delivers vegetables sight unseen.

All of this is done to save time. But time for what? More consumption? More time on
devices? Instead of dashing here and dashing there, perhaps it would be better to put aside the frenetic intemperance of the times and ponder why shoppers need access to 500,000 items in ten seconds. Maybe it is the case to think instead about the affairs of family, faith and all those things that really matter.


Amazon Dash: Shopping on Steroids | Return to Order

Saint Bernard on Devotion to Mary

In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties,
think of Mary, call upon Mary.
Let not her name depart from your lips;
 never suffer it to leave your heart.
And that you may obtain the assistance of her prayer,
neglect not to walk in her footsteps.
With her for guide, you shall never go astray;
while invoking her, you shall never lose heart;
so long as she is in your mind, you are safe from deception;
while she holds your hand, you cannot fall;
under her protection you have nothing to fear;
 if she walks before you, you shall not grow weary;
if she shows you favor, you shall reach the goal.

St. Bernard of Claivaux

Affirm your Faith! Click HERE to Protest Against Blasphemy

Catholic Hospital Enables Last Abortion Facility in South Texas to Remain Open

 

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas –Controversy is brewing in Texas over a Catholic-run hospital that is accused of enabling the last remaining abortion facility in South Texas to remain open.

Under a recent Texas law that took affect in November, those who perform abortions are required to obtain admitting privileges at a local hospital within a 30-mile radius. However, Christus Spohn Hospital in Corpus Christi has reportedly already been granting admitting privileges to abortionist Eduardo Aquino for decades, enabling his Coastal Birth Control Center— the last remaining abortion facility in the area—to remain open.

 For more, read below:

Catholic Hospital Enables Last Abortion Facility in South Texas to Remain Open

Pro-life, pro-family 17-year-old beats 2-time incumbent in West Virginia

 by Teresa Platt

 CHARLESTON, WV, May 15, 2014 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Running on an explicitly pro-life and pro-family platform, Saira Blair a 17-year-old high school student beat out two-time incumbent Larry Kump to represent the Republicans in the November race for the state House of Delegates.

Blair, a strong Catholic said on her election signs: “I am a Fiscal Conservative, I’m pro-life. I’m pro-marriage I’m pro-family. I’m pro-second Amendment. I’m pro-business. I’m pro-jobs I’m pro West Virginia. These are my personal and political beliefs!”

On another campaign sign she repeated those same stances adding, “I will not compromise on these beliefs.” Saira’s father, State Senator Craig Blair, was surprised by the result figuring that his daughter’s age would negatively affect her chances.

The Tuesday primary result saw Blair narrowly overtake Kump 872-728. She will face Democrat Layne Diehl in November. In a message to her fellow youth she says: “Why wait till your 40, 50 or 60 to realize that conservative principles are the pathway to prosperity and success.”

Black Mass Stopped: How God Won at Harvard

By John Ritchie

May 19, 2014

What few people thought even remotely possible happened:  The "satanic black mass" at Harvard University was unexpectedly canceled on May 12.  A grave sacrilege was averted.  Lucifer lost.  God won.  The Virgin Mary and Saint Michael the Archangel were victorious against this open and brazen attempt to mainstream the darkest sort of evil at America's oldest Ivy League university.

But why was a black mass even considered in the first place?  Why did a student club invite the Father of Lies to sow darkness in Harvard's renowned halls of higher learning?  When did sacrilege against God become an "educational" enterprise?   And what real and effective measures will Harvard officials now take to ensure that something so outrageous does not reoccur in the future?

Get the whole story by clicking on the link below:

Black Mass Stopped: How God Won at Harvard

Time to Stop the War on Inequality

by John Horvat II
 

Advocates of equality are only too eager to overthrow the present economic structures in the name of fairness and opportunity. According to their logic, inequality begets a two-tiered society where moneyed interests rule, while all others languish. In this oversimplified ever richer/ever poorer scenario, some kind of action is deemed necessary to level the playing field. Hence, the need for a war on inequality.

This war has taken on a new emphasis with the recent bestseller, Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty. The author claims that while capitalism is an excellent tool to allocate resources, it is grossly insufficient when allocating income. 

Naturally, the leveling instrument of choice is the government. Only government has the size, power and capacity to tax and regulate the richness out of the rich. It need not take all riches, but rather focus upon the “excessively” rich -- whatever that means. 

Read the rest of the article by clicking here.

VIDEO: Protest at Harvard Against Cancelled Black Mass

Satanic Black Mass Canceled at Harvard After Catholics Pray and Protest

 "Shame on Harvard!" followed by "Down with sacrilege!" and "Reparation, reparation, reparation!" echoed across campus as faithful Catholics gathered outside Harvard University's Memorial Hall on Monday to protest against the Satanic Black Mass scheduled to be held there. Thank God, the sacrilege did not happen due to a storm of peaceful yet robust protest that broke out over Harvard.

Misleadingly billed as "educational," the sacrilegious black mass not only attacks the Holy Eucharist and the Catholic Church, but also reveals a broadening agenda to destroy the very notion of "one nation under God." In addition, it aims to mainstream Satanism in America, which must not be allowed to happen.

One thing was clear: Catholics refused to be indifferent or remain silent in face of the vile outrage. In that spirit, a contingent of TFP members traveled from Pennsylvania to Massachusetts on March 12 where, starting at 6:50 PM, they joined forces with the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts and other local Catholics in a prayerful act of reparation and protest. Several priests were present for the event.

The protest featured the recitation of the Rosary, the prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel and hymns to the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose image was present under the invocation of Our Lady of Fatima, escorted by four members wearing the TFP ceremonial habit. America Needs Fatima volunteers held a banner behind Our Lady and students of Saint Louis de Montfort Academy played bagpipe renditions of God bless America, Immaculate Mary and Hail Holy Queen Enthroned Above.

Since the spiritual battle between good and evil has never been more visible, Saint Michael, Captain of the Angelic Hosts, was invoked repeatedly over the bullhorn. As we prayed, a group of individuals dressed mostly in black with satanic insignia gathered in little groups to jeer and mock the prayers. One even muttered "Hail Satan!" as he passed by the statue of Our Lady of Fatima. But this did not in the least deter those on the sidewalk who continued praying the Rosary at the intersection of Cambridge and Kirkland streets until 8:35 PM.

Earlier in the day, TFP Student Action submitted the results of its online petition drive against the black mass to the president of Harvard University, Dr. Drew Faust. The number of signatures gathered in just three days topped 44,000 and is still climbing by the hour. The sheer volume of visits to the TFP's online protest page caused the web site to freeze from time to time, unable to cope with the great number of people demanding that the black mass be canceled.


Around 8:00 PM we heard the news that some 30 minutes earlier the Harvard Extension Cultural Studies Club--having been encouraged by the Dean of Students and Alumni Affairs to move the sacrilegious event off campus, and having failed to find a new venue--announced that the black mass was canceled. When I gave the news to Our Lady's brave defenders, they cheered and applauded. We had come, we had seen, and Our Lady won.


To conclude the protest, Saint Louis de Montfort's Consecration to Mary was recited. This last prayer seemed to especially unnerve the satanists nearby. Two of them came up and aggressively yelled insults against Christianity in our faces. Then others, also dressed in black, were overheard saying, "smash the statue," referring to the beautiful replica of the International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima that wept repeatedly in New Orleans in July 1972. Their hatred was explicitly directed against Our Lady. With this, TFP volunteers formed a protective perimeter around Our Lady, escorting her safely to the van, while being trailed by those who wished to smash her.


It is opportune to recall St. Louis de Montfort's own words on this topic based on Genesis: "God has only made and formed one enmity; but it is an irreconcilable one, which shall endure and grow even to the end. It is between Mary, His worthy Mother, and the devil -- between the children and servants of the Blessed Virgin, and the children and tools of Lucifer... The humble Mary will always have the victory over that proud spirit, and so great a victory that she will go so far as to crush his head, where his pride dwells.”


And Saint Maximilian Kolbe adds: “There is much evil in the world, but let us not forget the Immaculate is more powerful yet, and that she will crush the infernal serpent's head.”


Viva Cristo Rey! Viva!

God: 1, Satan: 0

Satanic Black Mass Canceled at Harvard After Catholics Pray and Protest

Send to All Your Friends: Protest Satanic Black Mass

	A Satanic Black Mass at Harvard University is scheduled for Monday, May 12th —  we cannot remain silent! So send your protest message now: Sign your "Stop the Black Mass"  protest petition I regret to inform you that according to news reports, emails and flyers posted at locations around Harvard University: The Satanic Temple will perform a Satanic Black Mass at Harvard University on Monday, May 12, at 8:30PM. This is a most grave sin. And a direct insult and act of defiance against God. And Catholics must SPEAK OUT before it happens! In fact, the Archdiocese of Boston has just called on all Catholics to express their "strong opposition" to the plan to stage a "black mass" and urged the faithful to ask that Harvard disassociate itself from the event. So I urge you to — Sign this petition against the Satanic Black Mass at the  Queen’s Head Pub at Harvard University. Just listen to this: According to the flyer being passed around at Harvard University: “May 12th, 8:30PM. The Harvard Extension Cultural Studies Club is hosting a reenactment of a Satanic Black Mass performed by the Satanic Temple.” (CampusReform.org May 6, 2014). According to Deacon Greg Kandra: Elizabeth Scalia has confirmed it: The Harvard Extension Cultural Studies Club is indeed hosting a Black Mass on Monday night. (Patheos.com May 7, 2014). Typically, at black masses a Consecrated Host is used to desecrate Our Lord Jesus Christ in the most vile way possible. Can you believe this! 1. The Satanic Temple is the same group that is working to get a Satanic monument built on state grounds in Oklahoma City and in other locations across America. 2. Allowing a Satanic Black Mass at America’s most prestigious university is a sin that offends God deeply and begs the question: are we still one nation under God? 3. To invite Satan into your soul isn’t a joke. It’s a terrible sin that brings devils to the earth and provokes God to withdraw His graces and blessings from America. 4. To dismiss the Satanic Black Mass at Harvard as a publicity stunt is not to understand the grave nature of the sin that is happening here. There is no such thing as a publicity stunt with Satan. Satan plays for keeps. No joke. For these reasons, please: Sign the petition: “Stop the Satanic Black Mass” Here’s what’s at stake: 1. A huge step forward for Satan. 2. An attack on Our Lord and the sanctity of the Catholic Mass. You see, Satan wants men to worship him and mock God. But since you love God, I want you to have an opportunity to say: "Stop the Satanic Black Mass" Thank you! Fighting the good fight,
	John Ritchie Tradition Family Property, Student Action www.tfpstudentaction.org
	P.S. — Please call the president of Harvard: Dr. Drew Faust Tel: (617) 495-1502 Fax: (617) 495-8550 Email: president@harvard.edu

Satanic Black Mass With Consecrated Host Planned at Harvard University

May 7, 2014 By Deacon Greg Kandra

Yes, it’s true.

Elizabeth Scalia has confirmed it: the The Harvard Extension Cultural Studies Club is indeed hosting a Black Mass Monday night. And the group staging this event, The Satanic Temple, has announced plans to use a consecrated host.



The Extension School issued a vague and rather passive aggressive statement about this “controversial event,” without actually saying what the event is, or even mentioning what it entails or why it might be in the least bit controversial. It’s an independent group, they say. We don’t endorse it, they say.  They can do what they want, they say.

Read more:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2014/05/what-the-hell-is-harvard-thinking/

Rush Limbaugh Mentions TFP Student Action At Notre Dame

Officials at the University of Notre Dame revoke permission for TFP Student Action's pro-marriage table, telling these young Catholics to “cease and desist” promoting natural marriage on campus.

Listen to Rush Limbaugh's coverage of the incident.


Audio:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dv0l713une6oqpe/Rush%20Limbaugh%20Notre%20Dame.m4a

One Interesting Photo - The Koreas at Night

 

  This is a NASA satellite photo of North and South Korea from space at night, saying something about the difference of their populations and lifestyles. One is communist and the other is not...

China’s Copper Caper Threatens America

Written by John Horvat II

World copper prices are tumbling again and fingers are pointing at China's ailing financial system. China is sitting upon huge stockpiles of copper that it uses not as a commodity but a financial instrument. This copper scheme that has seen price drop forty to fifty cents a pound since January is a good example of the frenetic intemperance of certain reckless sectors of the economy that throw off restraint to the detriment of the whole market.

Observers in the global copper market report that much of the metal filling up Chinese warehouses is not finding its way into products. Some believe that as much as a third to a half of warehoused copper (40% of world supply) is entangled in financing dealings. With Chinese banks tightening the supply of credit, traders are resorting to a shadow banking system which accepts copper as collateral for cheap loans. This cheap money is in turn leveraged and invested in higher-yielding assets for large profits. The result is frenzied activity around the metal that is turning markets upside down.

Economists now believe that Chinese rush for cheap money through copper could lead to a downward spiral.  As even China’s shadow banks have started to tighten their credit lines, huge unused inventories could depress prices, cool demand and heighten risks. The volatility around this important metal creates a climate of uncertainty and turmoil that harms business not only in China but all over the world.

Such financial shenanigans are affecting American business since on any given dayAmerica manufacturers and distributors of copper wire and cable, for example, have inventory levels approaching $1 billion dollars. The key to profitability and productivity is the stability of copper prices which generally should not fluctuate significantly. This allows wire and cable companies to manage inventories utilizing a variety of copper strategies based on the metal’s price at the time of
order fulfillment.

Thus, in a truly free market, business can generally deal with minor fluctuations based on normal market conditions. However, if copper becomes unstable with volatile drops over a succession of days, the users of copper products put a halt on purchases until there is some stabilization. In addition, high volume purchasers of copper, such as electrical contracting companies, are often force to sell low with great loss or ‘write down’ inventory which, of course, has a negative impact on profitability. Contractors, depending on the agreements they have with their clients could also ‘lose’ if they have a metals clause in their contracts. Finally, copper de-escalation can have dramatic affects on the workforce; including lay-offs and reductions in income. All of these effects could affect American business because Chinese speculators are using natural resources as bargaining chips for high-risk leveraging.

The last copper crash in late 2008 is a good example of just how devastating a copper crunch can be. At that time, copper plummeted from its near $4.00/lb price to well below the $2.00/lb. range resulting in huge losses. The industry has still not recovered from the market’s collapse even after six years. While company profits continue to grow and “prosper,” a large part of the growth is built around cost cutting and reductions rather than product growth and innovation.

Today, most companies focus on “stripping out cost” from their transactions by outsourcing processes and services or rewriting specifications that allow for cheaper less reliable raw materials to be used in manufacturing. Many companies have arrived at the conclusion that most market sizes are fixed and have little to no growth in their future leaving large corporations to execute strategies of growth by acquisition rather than market share gain.

As another copper crash could loom on the horizon, every American company that utilizes copper at any level is put at risk. Given the present instability of China’s economy and its lack of a real rule of law, this is just one of many areas of concern. A steady stream of news reports tell of similar market capers, ghost cities, a devalued yuan plus faltering financial data, all of which is setting off alarms. China’s juiced up system of economic expansion that runs on frenetic intemperance is slowing down. The copper caper may be just the beginning.

China’s Copper Caper Threatens America