$.38 per chicken nugget or else

Submitted by Rhonda Overbey on Fri, 2013-11-01 10:10 Farewell McDonald's dollar menu. Company spokesmen say Monday will be the last day of the dollar menu. McDonald’s needs to raise prices on some of its items to increase profit. Duh. Example, they're moving the 4-piece nuggets off the dollar menu to a (new and improved) "dollar menu and more" so they can charge $.375 per nugget. That's an increase of $.125 per nugget. That's steep!! But with the way the cost has increased at the supermarket, I'm not surprised. I look forward to the day our community gets really smart and starts thinking bigger than itself. Why are we shipping milk from the Simon's dairy in Faulkner County to the east coast yet consuming milk being shipped to Conway from Texas. It's a movement. A locavore - a person whose diet consists only or principally of locally grown or produced food. Growers will say the food may not cost less -they're saving on fuel and shipping costs- but no longer getting bulk sales. But consider the impact on the environment and sustaining local farmers and merchants. I want to dig a little deeper into this so please be patient with me. I think it's a model we should consider when moving forward. As a consumer, I want to start looking harder at ways to support local growers because eventually, transportation costs will rise to the point that it doesn't make sense to ship items across the world or country and still have a profit at the point of sale.

Neophobians beware! New stuff ahead.

Submitted by Rhonda Overbey on Fri, 2013-11-08 11:46 The founder of Polaroid, Edwin Land, had a great quote, "It’s not that we need new ideas, but we need to stop having old ideas." New ideas that aren't based on fear but are rooted in vision are exciting (and sometimes scary), but regardless, there's no turning back now. Economic development plans that 'worked' 50 years ago, do not 'work' anymore. I'm over the big Christmas tree discussion and I'm over the Central Landing and new and old airport conversations and talk about whether or not we need another hospital. Why? These things have been in the works for a decade. They didn't happen overnight. Some residents aren't happy with the pending changes and new developments; there are hundreds of U.S. communities rehashing old ideas where these people would feel right at home. #rememberthegoodoledays But I want you here. Because I think we can be different than other communities our size. Most of the changes you're seeing aren't happening on the fly. You're welcome to be part of daily debates in small groups and committees; get involved. We can be geeky, progressive, chickens in the backyard, small business boosting, composting, best-educated, God-fearing, healthiest, wealthiest, gun toting, support-your-neighbor's-lifestyle tree huggers or whatever we want to be. And there are so many community needs that have yet to be addressed. It will take all of us to make Conway the place our kids want to live. Neophobia: Fear of new things http://phobias.about.com/od/phobiaslist/f/What-Is-The-Fear-Of-New-Things.htm

My "I don't get it" list

Submitted by Rhonda Overbey on Wed, 2013-11-13 14:10 Adding to my list of "I don't get it" this week is the public's fascination with Damien Echols. Is it the fact that he was wrongly accused and spent half his life on death row or because celebrities got behind his cause or because Johnny Depp is in talks to play him in a movie or what? I don't get it. There are a lot of people in jail who claim they're innocent. Didn't you see Shawshank? When it comes to celebrities, I can usually spot people try to use their 10 minutes of fame (Octomom) and why the public is fascinated with them (Screech). Oh, yes, I can spot crazy from a mile away. (Undiagnosed crazy. Not speaking clinically of course because my nursing friends don't like when I just toss the word 'crazy' around.) Crazy is fine. It's borderline brilliant - Charles Manson, Jodi Arias, Courtney Love, Gary Busey. Then there's the people who aren't crazy, just weird - Miley Cyrus, Carrot Top, Angelina Jolie, Marilyn Manson. And then there's the whole separate category of, who cares? - Weird Al, Johnny Knoxville, Charlie Sheen. Echols definitely falls closer to the just weird end of my sliding scale but I'm not sure what will come of his fame just yet. It's too soon. Here are the ones on the fence for me at the moment: Honey Boo Boo Lady Gaga and now Damien Echols

Depp with enough talent to play all three of the WM3 I don't get it.

November 22, 1963

Submitted by Rhonda Overbey on Mon, 2013-11-18 19:16 Fifty years older and my how we've changed. My mother would often talk about hearing the announcement that JFK had been shot. This Friday makes 50 years ago. She was sitting in her typing class at Conway High School. I heard the story so many times, I should have all the details memorized but what I really remember was her feeling the story evoked. So much sadness. All you could hear in the halls of Conway High was silence punctuated with sobbing. Even the people who didn't know about politics loved Jackie. This was B.P. (before the pods), in 1963 the high school was the building on the southwest corner of Davis and Prince streets, my old junior high school building and currently part of the 'East' campus - whatever that means. So much changed that day. In the last 50 years we've become cynics, conspiracy theorists, skeptics and disheartened Americans. Vietnam, Watergate and Obamacare have added to our country's lack of unity. With the exception of 9/11, it's tough to recall a time when we as a nation sobbed together.

Front page of the Log Cabin Democrat from Fri., Nov. 22, 1963. Since Kennedy was shot at 12:30 p.m. I can only guess that the Log Cabin was an evening paper but I wouldn't be surprised if Mr. Robins had printed a special evening edition if the daily Log Cabin was normally delivered in the morning.

$1 can change a child's life

Submitted by Rhonda Overbey on Mon, 2013-11-25 14:17 Here's your chance to help those in need in Faulkner County. You can donate as little as $1 or as much as you want, to the Community Christmas Card. Each year, the Log Cabin Democrat publishes a list of names on Christmas Day of people who give to this effort to help our local kids. We collect the money and then based on the number of students at each school we divide the pile up and give the money to school counselors. The school counselors use the money where they see a need. For example, if a child needs a new pair of glasses or a trip to the dentist, or a winter coat and the guardians are unable to assist, the Community Christmas Card comes to the rescue. Not being able to see the chalkboard or being cold, basic needs that distract them from learning can be solved by your donation. This article really explains it better: http://thecabin.net/news/2013-11-04/community-christmas-card-faulkner-county-students#.UpOe9J3nbcc You know I must say that over the last month, there's been a lot of talk about our community needs. It's great to see this brought to the forefront during this season. I encourage you to be part of the solution! http://tinyurl.com/mmenslz

Bezo's drone army

Submitted by Rhonda Overbey on Wed, 2013-12-04 I don't know how much money Jeff Bezo earns annually but I know he's got money to invest in building flying drones. And buying big newspaper companies. It's a few years in the making but on a slow news day, Bezo's drone was everywhere. Order from Amazon and like a pizza, your purchase will be delivered to your house in less than 30 minutes. Not really a step into the digital future but a move into the Star Wars age. Oh, I can just imagine young Anakin building and repairing little drones on Tatooine. Nevermind, those were droids, not drones. (And just like that, George Lucas earns another penny.) Anyway, in my line of work, I'm more interested in Bezo's investment and modifications to his most recent big purchase, the Washington Post. In my tiny brain, I'm seeing a fleet of drones cost-effectively and efficiently delivering the morning newspaper to every porch in the country. He could build an army of drones. Like take one perfect drone and clone it millions of times. No, wait, those are storm troopers I'm picturing. Pay Mr. Lucas.

Political season: Is that it?

Submitted by Rhonda Overbey on Wed, 2013-12-11 11:41 My anticipation for the 2014 elections peaked the first week of November. The focus has shifted to gathering signatures for judicial candidates, a few tasteless television commercials (Tom Cotton's mother really really loves him) and who's tweeting what and to how many followers who may or may not actually vote. There are still a few names being whispered about town who may run for a position, districtwide or statewide. There 's still a little time to announce. Will there be a swing in political party power in state government? How will the governor's race impact the House and Senate races? And locally, we're seeing judicial shifts, a new city attorney, and I'm still anticipating a few local officials to seek higher office. Along with toys in his sleigh, let's hope Santa brings us a few more political announcements so at least each race is contested.