Wal-Mart Market Saturation in North America

I recently purchased a Wal-Mart Atlas which lists all of the Wal-Marts in North America. Interestingly Wal-Marts are densely located in large southern cities, but almost non-existent in large northern cities.

For example, there are 18 Wal-Marts in Phoneix, and that doesn't include the 7 in Glendale, 11 (!) in Mesa and 5 in Chandler - all Phoneix surburbs. Houston boasts the largest number in the United States, with 31 stores.

Other American cities with lots of Wal-Mart options include Las Vegas (23), Albuquerque(17), San Antonia (17), Oklahoma City (16), Dallas (15), Louisville (15), Orlando (14), and Jacksonsville (14).

Conversely there is only 1 Wal-Mart in Seattle, and 0 in New York City, Minneapolis and Detroit.

Calgary has the most number of Wal-Marts in Canada with 8 stores.

But it's Mexico City that wins the award for most Wal-Marts in North America, edging out Houston by 1 store with 31 outlets.

God Moves in A Mysterious Way

God Moves in A Mysterious Way
William Cowper - 1774

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

The Collect

Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning : Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, marklearn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy Holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Collect (The Second Sunday in Advent) - Book of Common Prayer

Quote of the Day

Sheila Bair, chairwoman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

“Sustainable homeownership is a worthy national goal. But it should not be pursued to excess when there are other, equally worthy solutions that help meet the needs of people for whom homeownership may not be the right answer.”


Like, you know, renting. The point is: the financial crisis might well have been avoided if we as a culture hadn’t invested so much political and psychological capital in the idea of owning a home.



Joe Nocera, "Wake-Up Time For a Dream", The New York Times, 7 June 2010. Accessed 11 June 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/12/business/12nocera.html?hp=&pagewanted=print

Hebrews 4:12

"For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 NIV

Quote of the Day

Purging moral questions from politics is both impossible and undesirable. But today's tendency to turn every contentious issue into a moral confrontation is divisive. One way of fortifying people's self-esteem is praising them as smart, public-spirited and virtuous. But an easier way is to portray the "other side" as scum: The more scummy "they" are, the more superior "we" are. This logic governs the political conversation of both left and right, especially talk radio, cable channels and the blogosphere.

Source: Robert Samuelson, The Poisonous Politics of Self-Esteem, 5 April 2010, Accessed 10 April 2010. Available:

Cotton on Calling

Cotton Mather

A Christian At His Calling (1701)

Every Christian ordinarily should have a calling. That is to say, there should be some special business, and some settled business, wherein a Christian should for the most part spend the most of his time; and this, that so he may glorify God...
There is a variety of callings in the world; even as there are various objects, about which the callings of men are conversant, and various designs unto which the callings of men are intended.

Some callings, are more immediately, to serve the souls of our neighbors; and some their safety and some their defense; and some their bodies; and some their estates; and some their delights. But it is not lawful for a Christian ordinarily to live without some calling or another, until infirmities have unhappily disabled him. Indeed a man cannot live without the help of other men. But how can a man reasonably look for the help of other men, if he be not in some calling helpful to other men?...

A Christian should have it contrived, that his calling be agreeable, as well as allowable. It is a wonderful inconvenience for a man to have a calling that won't agree with him. See to it, O parents, that when you choose callings for your children, you wisely consult their capacities, and their inclinations; lest you ruin them...

It is the singular favor of God, unto a man, that he can attend his occupation with contentment and satisfaction. That one man has a spirit formed and fitted for one occupation, and another man for another, this is from the operation that God, who forms the spirit of man within him... Count not your business to be your burden or your blemish. Let not a proud heart make you ashamed of that business wherein you may be a blessing. For my part, I can't see an honest man hard at work in the way of his occupation, be it never so [insignificant] (and thoí perhaps driving of a wheel barrow) [without finding] my heart sensibly touched with respect for such man. It is possible, you may think, that you may see others in some greater and richer business; and you may think that you might be, yourselves greater and richer, if you were in some other business. Yea, but has not the God of heaven cast you into that business, which now takes you up?


Source: http://www.constitution.org/primarysources/mather.html