Tuesday, April 15th, 2014

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Fish-tastic Feng Shui 

Black Pearl Aquatics Adventures

March 17, 2014

A couple of weeks ago, I bought and set up a 15 gallon column aquarium in the hopes of attracting prosperity for this start-up business.  The fish symbol has long been associated with abundance and wealth in feng shui.  Feng Shui asserts that with the proper placement of an aquarium, with the proper fish, in the wealth corner of your home or office (or in my case my home office) is said to attract Wealth Chi.  

Umm...yes, please!   

An aquarium is an all-in-one solution for your wealth corner because it contains all 5 of the feng shui elements; water, wood, metal, earth and fire.  

As with any feng shui cure, the aquarium and it's inhabitants need to be well tendend to.  The water must be kept clean and the fish must be carefully fed and watched after.

One of the first two fish that I purchased for my aquarium died on Saturday.  :( So, on Sunday I stopped by Black Pearl Aquatics Adventures to see if I could adopt a new fish friend.   After learning that I had a brand new tank, the friendly staff began explaining the process of stabilizing a new aquarium and even offered to test the water for me.  

Long story short, this locally owned and operated business was far more knowledgeable than the non-local business that I purchased the fish and aquarium from. Yes, I am utterly ashamed.  

I adopted the little beauty seen in the photo (Persephone) and I expect that she will have a long life after following the recommendations of Black Pearl Aquatics and will bring Wichita much prosperity.  

Black Pearl Aquarium Aquatics can be found on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/BlackPearlAquatics

Or in Delano at 

1709 West Douglas Ave

Wichita, Kansas 67213

316.210-0124

Please visit them for all your feng shui aquarium needs.  Tell them Large Marge sent ya...just kidding!

If Feng Shui interests you and you would like more posts on how to improve your chi using feng shui, please let us know.  

The Jovial Blue Giant

THE JOVIAL BLUE GIANT ~

      Part One

      Why the Low Price Comparison Argument Holds No Water

      April 1, 2014

In my research on the effects that Big Box retailers have on the economy and how much of an impact our spending really has on our lives, I have run across some truly astounding facts and figures.

The argument I hear the most against spending local is the low price comparison.  "But, it's so much cheaper at Walmart" or "I can't afford to purchase from local businesses".  

Believe me, I get it. I have lived below the poverty line for the majority of my adult life, so I am no stranger to trying to stretch your dollar out as far as you can.  BUT, I have learned that trying to save a dollar can end up costing you more in the long run depending on how or where you stretch it.

In the documentary, “Walmart the high cost of low price” employees, many of them managers who had worked for Walmart for 15 plus years, reveal the systemic intention of the powers that be to make health insurance for a majority of their employees inaccessible due to the high cost of the premiums, deductibles and co-pays.  They also claim that Walmart instructed all managers to understaff in order to keep employee earnings down.

Most people have heard how Walmart and McDonalds openly encourage their employees to take advantage of state health benefits, food stamps, child care assistance, WIC, and LIEAP. 

Who pays for those benefits?   You do, when you pay your taxes.

The office of Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), ranking member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, released a report extrapolating that a single Walmart in Wisconsin could account for $900,000 in public assistance for the working poor. 

ONE Walmart?  Yikes!!!

How many Walmarts do we have in Wichita, again? And what about all of those Walmart Marketplace stores that are popping up all over the place?  And now, Walmart is “testing out” gas stations too?

"There are only two places that workers get their income -- they either get it from their employer, or they get it from the taxpayer, in the form of public assistance. That's basic economics," said Miller, who was joined by Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Grace Napolitano (D-Calif).

So in reality, when you swipe your card at the Wal-Mart check-out line you are not only spending your money on the goods in you put in your shopping cart, but you are also unwittingly paying for the employee standing in front of you to have benefits so that Walmart doesn’t have to pay for them. 

Walmart, who for the 2013 tax year reported gross profits of $125 BILLION dollars. 

Are you ready for the reality check trifecta? 

Stay tuned for Part 2

Citations and references to follow.

                                           Click Here to Take the Pledge for Prosperity

In the Spotlight: R Coffee House 

March 28, 2014

What fun I had getting to know the owner of R Coffee House, Angelo Rodriguez, and his family.  
The first time I met him we instantly hit it off.  I think his first words to me were "It's a wonderful world".  

I hope you enjoy reading the article that I wrote about Angelo and R Coffee House as much as I enjoyed producing it.  

- Kat

All a seed needs is a little bit of sunlight in order to grow

Angelo Rodriguez outside his business "R Coffee House"
Photo by CMR Snapshots

Shamrock Lounge and The Artichoke

Where better to celebrate St. Patty's Day than at an Irish bar?  

March 14, 2014

I'm a traditionalist when comes to certain things and since I am Irish, St. Patty's Day is one of those things.  My firm belief is that St. Patty's Day should be celebrated in an Irish bar.  I also believe in drinking real Irish beer on St. Patty's Day.  Sorry, green beer fans, but it screams of, "I'm not actually Irish and I don't really like beer".  

Obviously, I am also pretty staunch about supporting local businesses and luckily Wichita has some "bona fide" local Irish bars that I have spent many a St. Patrick's Day celebrating in.  
The Shamrock & The ArtichokeBoth of these businesses are proudly Irish all 365 days of the year long and they both have been established for as long as I can remember.  I love that I can walk in to both of these places and feel the history that has happened there.  I have also formed some of my own fond memories in these establishments.   
Who wants to spend this majestic once a year occurence in a bar that serves graham cracker crust rimmed martinis or that has sports memorabillia and flat screen TVs all over the place?  Not me. Those bars have the rest of the year to impress us with their high tech gadgets, collections of posters, and fancy drinks.  I'll take a good old fashioned Guiness on tap please.