Although it was a very close race, it turns out that voters had a different idea for Ward 2’s leadership than most assumed. Enter Matthew Petty.

He’s an Arkansas School for Mathematics and Science graduate with 8 years experience in information technology (IT, y’all). He’s currently a self-employed community organizer and founder of the non-profit Social Sustenance Organization.

At 24, he’s the youngest City Council member and if you’re not careful, he could probably double-jump-spinny-kick your face in about 1 second. Is he a ninja? Read on to find out…

Fayetteville Flyer: What’ve you been listening to lately?
Matthew Petty: Today I’ve been listening to some electronica my roommate, Clay Cavender, produced; he describes it as funktronica, and I think that’s pretty accurate. The rest of the week, I’ve been going back to some classic Floyd, but usually I’m grooving it up with various “glitch-hop” artists like Spoonbill, Modeselektor, and Mr. Rogers. In the mornings I go for something high-energy like Animal Collective’s Sung Tongs, Baka Beyond, or Tabla Beat Science. Locally, Opal Fly, the 1-Ounce Jig, and Jeff Kearney deserve a mention, but Kelly Mulhollan is my fav. His album “Neverending Conversations” is like Simon and Garfunkel on a dose of hillbilly tranquility, with his partner Donna holding it all together with intuitive harmony.

FF: How long have you lived in Fayetteville and why did you make it your home?
MP: I’ve lived here for 6 hears, since the fall of 2002. I came here to study mathematics at the UA, and I came because I couldn’t get an international loan to study at a school in Waterloo, Canada. I was ready to make math my life… Thankfully my life led down another path, and it was only a few years ago I decided Fayetteville was home. I realized that I wanted to help make society more sustainable in a serious way, and I also realized Fayetteville needed local leaders and individuals who were committed to our community. I decided I wasn’t going to move.

FF: If you were entertaining a guest of the City and they said, “Take me somewhere very Fayetteville-ish,” where would you go?
MP: We’d nab some Arsaga’s coffee early at the Farmers’ Market, then hang out for a few hours before catching a lunch at Petra Cafe (I’d recommend the Petra Platter with some foule and extra garlic sauce). After that, we’d stop in at the library - just because it’s awesome - before we caught the Frisco Trail back up to Dickson St. If we can find an extra bike, I’d definitely take them down Scull Creek Trail to Gordon Long Park and back. But if they didn’t, we could take a walk through campus, checking out the displays in the fine arts building and some of the other cool things that are around. Somewhere on the trip, we’d stand on the historic Lafayette bridge and I’d show them that the north tower is higher than the south tower (on Old Main). I’d show them the Rose Garden at the Walton Arts Center on our way to catch dinner and folk songs at Smiling Jack’s, ending the night with a stop at Fayetteville’s newest, and definitely most awesome, bar: the Smoke and Barrel Tavern. Finally, a bar without big TV’s everywhere and loud pounding music. To top it off, they’ve got fair prices and they’re less than a block from my house. (Keep it up guys, but double-check that ventilation when you go smoky, the clean air is the best part!)

Of course, that’s a pretty expensive day… We’d probably end up doing a potluck at my house for dinner, with the veggies from the Market.

FF: As a Boy Scout myself, I was always nervous about what I’d choose to do for my Eagle Scout community service project once the time came. What did you do? (PS- I never made it past Star rank)
MP: I was pretty nervous leading up to mine, too… I held a toy drive for a battered womens’ shelter in Harrison. We spent a weekend with door hangers asking people to leave toys for us on the next weekend. Then we collected the toys and repaired/retouched old toys we received. Finally, we delivered them to the shelter. I didn’t realize how grateful they would be, and it was very touching.

FF: We’ve heard you’re a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and Kenpo. Is it safe to say you’re pretty much a ninja? Or is that something totally different?
MP: Well, I always thought ninjas killed people. I’m not a killer, so can I still be a ninja? But then again, a real ninja would never let you know he was a killer. Ah! Ambiguity - such is the politician ninja way. <smokebomb>

FF: At what point did you say to yourself, “I’m gonna run for City Council” and what drove you to go for it?
MP: guess it was in March. I had been kicking the idea around and running it by some friends. I thought if I really pulled out all of the stops, I’d have a pretty good chance, given my network with the youth and Internet-abilities. After I was asked about it by a few local politicos, I realized I had more of a chance than I had thought. I decided to go for it then.

FF: A lot of people we talk to don’t have any idea who their City Council members are or even what ward they live in. Do you think that could/should change?
MP: I think it should; I think it could; and I predict that it will. I have so many friends from my generation that got their local election coverage from this website and through Facebook. Most people under 35 are just a click away from local policy coverage. We may have a harder time reaching the older, less connected generations, but the opportunity is ripe to get more people involved than ever.

FF: We told Sarah Lewis that both you and her seem to represent a fresh addition that might help round out the current City Council with a younger, more sustainability-focused outlook. Is that a fair assessment?
MP: I’d say so, and I’ll also say that I’m very optimistic about the new Council.

FF: Greg Harton, editor of the Northwest Arkansas Times thinks you’re going to “struggle a bit more to control (your) talkative urges and to stay focused on the business at hand for the City Council.” Why do you think he wrote that?
MP: I have a lot of respect for Greg, and I agree with most of his editorials, but obviously we don’t see eye-to-eye on some things. I think Greg is stuck in the past a little bit, especially when it comes to energy and mass transit issues.
Greg thinks at least two recent issues have no place in our local government. The first was the low priority initiative, Sensible Fayetteville. The second was the recent Fayetteville coal moratorium resolution. I think Fayetteville has a role to play and that there are benefits for our citizens to be gained in taking actions like this; Greg thinks Fayetteville shouldn’t get involved. It’s just a difference of opinion, and I think the time spent on actions like this is pretty neglible.

With that in mind, his advice is sound, and I’m taking it at face value. I’m committed to stay focused on the business at hand – that’s just good sense.

FF: Finally, is there a specific city-wide or Ward 2 issue you just can’t wait to tackle?
MP: Oooh boy, is there. I’m most excited about doing some cool stuff with communications technology. Look for Twitter, Facebook, Skype, and blog-enabled local government later this year.

The other thing I’m really excited about is helping develop a new zoning ordinance based on the goals of the 2025 plan. That ordinance will answer a lot of questions for everyone.

No matter. It’s high time us Flyers had a closer look at those who make the decisions that effect us all as residents of Fayetteville. At the very least, we’re certainly due for some introductions.

When Lioneld Jordan threw his name into the hat for Mayor (and ultimately won), residents
in Ward 4 were left to wonder who would fill the seat that hasn’t seen a new Alderman in nearly eight years. Three candidates entered the race but on election day it was incredibly clear who had Ward 4’s support when Sarah Lewis beat out Craig Honchell and Bernard Sulliban with a whopping 65% of the votes.

Sarah is a an environmental dynamics doctoral candidate at the University of Arkansas, an ecosystems consultant at the Springline Consulting Group, a former award-winning science and French teacher and she has focused much of her day-to-day life on educating others about protecting our natural resources.

As for her community involvement, the list is quite long. Most notably, she is a former Neighborhood Representative and Chair for the Council of Neighborhoods. Of course now, Ms. Lewis will be focused on the Ward 4, Position 2 seat of the Fayetteville City Council.

Oh yeah, and she was kind enough to answer a few questions for the Fayetteville Flyer.

Fayetteville Flyer: What’ve you been listening to lately?
Sarah Lewis: I’ve been listening to Ingrid Michaelson, Amos Lee and Paramore. I’ve also been listening to a lot of classical music because I can study to it. Pandora internet radio and KUAF/NPR are great resources for classical music.

I’ve also just learned how to download music onto my phone!

FF: What brought you to Fayetteville and how long have you been here?
SL: Fayetteville was my home away from home growing up because my aunt and uncle lived here so we would drive down from Nebraska for just about every holiday. Later my family bought a cabin on Table Rock Lake, so summers were spent in this region, as well. I finally decided to move here because I got accepted to graduate school at U of A to study French Literature.

I have lived in Arkansas since the summer of 1997 and moved to Fayetteville in 2000.

FF: Where would you take an out-of-towner to get a real taste of Fayetteville? A particular restaurant maybe? A park or neighborhood?
SL: First we would go to the Farmer’s Market. We would have a cup of coffee from either Jammin Java or Arsaga’s and then later a treat at Lil Bread Company. Then, I would take them on the Historical Walking Tour of Fayetteville after we had stopped in at the Visitor’s Center on the square! After that we would have lunch at Hugo’s and then visit some of the art galleries and boutiques downtown. To walk off our big lunch we would hit the trail system to see more of Fayetteville and its natural beauty. After letting them put their feet up for a while back at Carnal Hall, we’d head back out for drinks and eats at Bordino’s and then go dancing to live music at George’s Majestic Lounge. (Geeze, I need to have someone come visit – that sounds fun!)

FF: We know you’re a busy member of the community but what do you do in your spare time? Got any hobbies?
SL: I walk my beagles, practice yoga and ride my bike. I like to hang out with my friends and I like to dance. Sometimes I’ll sit on my porch swing and play guitar. I also like to enjoy my boyfriend’s good cooking skills. Most importantly, I like what I do so my work/school/community activities are equivalent to hobbies.

FF: Did you make any resolutions for 2009?
SL: Nope, I don’t make New Year’s resolutions. Too much pressure on myself!

FF: At some point, you had to have said to yourself, “You know, I should run for City Council!” When was that and what drove you to go for it?
SL: It has been a process. I began networking within the community while I was teaching 8th grade science in Bentonville through creating real-world activities for my students. From those connections I began to get involved with such groups as the America In Bloom program, Botanical Garden Society of the Ozarks, and the Arkansas Stream Team program. Then when I moved to my neighborhood in 2004 they needed a Neighborhood Representative and I raised my hand. From there I became active in the Fayetteville Council of Neighborhoods and was selected for various leadership positions. I also became active on the Illinois River Watershed Partnership Education Committee because I cared about their mission, but also their efforts related to my dissertation research. The point to this is that everything is connected – one activity ties into another. When Lioneld Jordan decided to run for mayor, people in my networks began to say to me, “Why don’t you run, Sarah?” I thought about it and weighed the decision carefully because I’m near the end of my Ph.D. program and care deeply about accomplishing that goal. I decided that these types of opportunities do not present themselves very often and I felt that I had the desire, capacity and experience to successfully represent Fayetteville’s Ward 4. Therefore, after many conversations with my journal, my friends and my family, I decided to begin the campaign. I had so much wonderful help from people like Susana O’Daniel, Len Schaper, Nate Looney, and on and on. I am very thankful for all of the encouragement that I received. The main thing to take from this is that there was never an “Ah ha” moment that led me here. It was a careful and deliberate process that brought me to this place.

FF: A lot of people we talk to don’t have any idea who their City Council members are, when/where the Council meets, or even what ward they live in. Why do you think that is?
SL: One tool of our campaign was providing a Fayetteville Ward map at the Farmer’s Market table and when I went door to door. I’m a former educator, of course, and so it was fun for me to show people where they are in relationship to other areas in Fayetteville.

In their daily lives people do not think about it. Mostly people want to go about their business and not worry about governmental affairs, which is completely understandable. It is my hope that I can reach out to more and more people in Ward 4 and help them stay connected and informed. There are so many exciting ways to contact people (email, facebook, MySpace, City website, text messaging, and even the old-fashioned mail). I would like to utilize a variety of methods to help reduce apathy to governmental processes.

FF: To us, both you and Matthew Petty seem to represent a fresh addition that will help round out the current City Council with a younger, more sustainability-focused outlook. Do you think that is a fair assessment?
SL: First of all, thank you for including me in the “younger” category. Secondly, I think that the City Council has brought Fayetteville to a wonderful place. I do think that there will be a “new energy” to the Council. I am so grateful to live in a place where people support someone whose message is grounded in sustainability. Remember that sustainability is an approach to problem-solving. It is a philosophy that considers people, planet, and profit. The fact that voters in this community selected candidates whose message contained this philosophy is really exciting. I am looking forward to bringing forward some new ideas that reflect these ideals.

FF: The Ward 4, Position 2 seat hasn’t seen new leadership in nearly eight years. Is there anything Mayor Jordan initiated that you plan on changing or continuing?
SL: Lioneld Jordan worked very hard for Ward 4 and maintained consistent communication with the people in Ward 4. I would like to build on his efforts and develop even more efficient and diverse means of communication with residents.

FF: Finally, is there a specific city-wide issue you just can’t wait to tackle?
SL: I am looking forward to working on some watershed protection initiatives that make both economic and environmental sense. In addition, I am interested in exploring parking and transportation issues that are affecting neighborhood integrity. In addition, Matthew Petty and I would like to propose a resolution to develop an orientation program for newly elected officials.

Officially opened on October 9th, 2004, the Fayetteville Public Library is like none other in the area. First of all, the building is awesome with over 90,000 square feet of space for books, cd’s, dvd’s, books, magazines, books, and did I mention books? Second of all, you can read your books in an awesome well-lit cafe while enjoying a half-caf-double-tall-non-fat-whole-milk-foam-bone-dry-half-pump-mocha and a muffin from Arsaga’s. You can check out that new Toni Morrison book, or the next installment of the Twilight Series, or the complete works of Shakespeare that you need for your World Lit class for free (that is, if you remember to bring it back on time, and if you live in Washington County or Rogers, or if you work, go to school, or own property in Fayetteville). You can also check out DVD’s and CD’s for free, and the Fayetteville Public Library has a pretty good selection of both.

Last week, the FPL reported 1,000,000 checkouts in 2008, which is pretty insane for a city with only around 72,000 people in it.

It’s a testament to the awesomeness of not only the building, which is comfortable, modern, and spacious, but also to the donors, the board of trustees, and the staff that have maintained the library so well, and kept it stocked with new and relevant media for almost 4 years now.

The FPL is also a great place for book club meetings, community events, readings and book signings from well known writers, art exhibitions, reading programs for kids, etc. Plus, the staff is always friendly, helpful, and sexy.

In fact, the ol’ FPL is the first LEED certified building in Fayetteville, and won a national award in 2005, the Thomson Gale/ Library Journal Library of the Year award. Eat that, Springdale.

Show me a community in Northwest Arkansas with a better public library, and I’ll personally give you $1000, because it doesn’t exist. The Fayetteville Public Library, or the Blair Library, as it is sometimes called, is totally awesome, and yet another reason why Fayetteville rules.

Mae’s is truly one of the most unique stores in town, regardless of whether or not we know some of the owners, or may have grown up with one of their husbands, or whether or not one of us here at the Flyer might have been a groomsman at one of their weddings, regardless of any of that, we would still highly recommend checking out the store, located on 352 N. West St. right off Dickson, because, well, it’s awesome.

Most everything at Mae’s is vintage, antique, or heirloom, so anything you buy there is likely to be one-of-a-kind. In other words, you won’t show up to a party wearing the same piece of jewelry that your friend has on (how embarrassing) or end up with the same glassware as Miranda (gross).

Mae’s is as unique as it’s product offering, and they are 100% local, so when you buy something there, you are supporting the local economy.

Are those enough reasons to check it out yet? Thanks to Emily for answering the questions this time. Here goes.

Fayetteville Flyer: What have you been listening to lately?
Mae’s: Kanye West, Old Crow Medicine Show, Duffy

FF: So, who is behind Mae’s Emporium?
Mae’s: Jessica Graham, Lynlee Critz, and Emily Digby

FF: Give us a brief sampling of what Mae’s has to offer.
Mae’s: Ooh…brief…the shop is absolutely overflowing with authentic vintage and antique jewelry, 1950’s glassware, heirloom holiday decorations and ornaments, unique gift and home items, all manner of fantastic finds!

FF: I know you guys offer a wish-list, which is really helpful for us guys who aren’t really that into shopping this time of year. How does that work?
Mae’s: We encourage everyone to stop by the shop and find things they love and start a wishlist, and not just Christmas, but anytime of year. We help make selections then take photos of each piece and create a file on the computer for each customer. This way their list is always accessible to any loved one looking for the perfect gift! Because all of our items are one of a kind, the photo insures that the right gem gets home with the right girl.

FF: You guys have kind-of odd hours of operation. When can we catch you guys at the store?
Mae’s: Always Wednesday-Friday from 11am-5pm, and right now until xmas we are also open Saturdays from 11am-5pm. If you find it hard to get us during business hours, we can also open anytime by appointment. Just call the shop phone and we will work out a convenient time to meet.

FF: What are some of your favorite items you have for sale right now?
Mae’s: Big 1960’s cocktail rings, lockets of course, and beautiful vintage diamond anniversary bands…..really everything! We don’t sell anything that we wouldn’t love to own ourselves!

During difficult times like these, it is more important than ever to support local businesses, and President of the Authors Guild Roy Blount, Jr is urging everyone to do just that in an email we received yesterday.

Some local organizers are putting together a local book buy to try and positively impact some local companies during the holidays.

Locals will gather tonight at 6:30 PM Nightbird Books, and 7:30 PM at Dickson Street Bookshop.

Here’s the letter from Blount, intended for the Authors Guild, but forwarded to us as well.

I’ve been talking to booksellers lately who report that times are hard. And local booksellers aren’t known for vast reserves of capital, so a serious dip in sales can be devastating. Booksellers don’t lose enough money, however, to receive congressional attention. A government bailout isn’t in the cards.

We don’t want bookstores to die. Authors need them, and so do neighborhoods. So let’s mount a book-buying splurge. Get your friends together, go to your local bookstore and have a book-buying party. Buy the rest of your Christmas presents, but that’s just for starters. Clear out the mysteries, wrap up the histories, beam up the science fiction! Round up the westerns, go crazy for self-help, say yes to the university press books! Get a load of those coffee-table books, fatten up on slim volumes of verse, and take a chance on romance!

There will be birthdays in the next twelve months; books keep well; they’re easy to wrap: buy those books now. Buy replacements for any books looking raggedy on your shelves. Stockpile children’s books as gifts for friends who look like they may eventually give birth. Hold off on the flat-screen TV and the GPS (they’ll be cheaper after Christmas) and buy many, many books. Then tell the grateful booksellers, who by this time will be hanging onto your legs begging you to stay and live with their cat in the stockroom: “Got to move on, folks. Got some books to write now. You see…we’re the Authors Guild.”

Whatever y’all do, we’d suggest skipping the Amazon’s and the eBay’s, and the big online companies, and spend your money locally this holiday season. It makes a huge impact on our local economy and it helps us all when we support each other, especially in times like these.

Thanks to Flyer reader P-Dub for the tip.

So, in what will probably be a completely vain attempt to talk some sense into some of you, here are a few cold weather driving tips.

Tip #1: If you don’t think you can make it to work safely, don’t go. Pretty straightforward, I think. The roads are covered in ice, you work 20 minutes away from your house and your ‘92, rear-wheel drive Camaro doesn’t handle the ice too well. Guess what? Your putting yourself and others on the road at risk when you decide to “suck it up” and hit the road. But, if you feel like you absolutely have to go, please take the other tips into consideration when you hit the road.

Tip #2: Allow plenty of time to get where you’re going. Believe it or not, when there’s ice or snow on the road, it’s pretty smart to drive slowly and safely. Go figure. Racing down the road like a maniac is just about the dumbest thing you can do when the roads are bad. So please slow down, dude.

Tip #3: Just because you drive an SUV or Truck with 4-wheel drive doesn’t mean that physics isn’t applicable to you or your vehicle. I’ve gotta little tidbit for you, Johnny Fourwheeler: Four-Wheel Drive is useless on ice. It’s great to have when it’s snowy out or you want to go tool around in a big mud pit. But when there’s a solid sheet of ice between your tires and the road, it doesn’t matter if you drive a big, 4-wheel drive pickup or a small two-door Camry. All I’m saying is, don’t drive like a bat out of hell when there’s ice on the road just because you think your 4WD truck will protect you. That’s why you see so many trucks and SUV’s in the ditch.

Tip #4: Avoid steep hills. Common sense, right? I’m amazed at what people think they can get away with when it’s slick out. Seriously, use your brain.

Tip #5: Deflate your tires a bit. Sounds stupid, but it works. When it’s snowy out, deflating your tires a bit will help you get more traction on the snow. It works. The only crappy part about it is that you’ll have to air them back up again when the snow melts.

Tip #6: Gotta rear wheel drive car? Throw some weight into the trunk to help your rear wheels get more traction. It could be fun too. Get a couple of sand bags, put them in a garbage bag and shape it to look like a human body. When your neighbors go outside to warm up their car, drag the “body” out of your house and stuff it in the trunk. Try and look suspicious.

For added effect, make sure the bag leaks a ketchup trail. Fun!

Tip #7: It never hurts to have some de-icer, salt, towing chains and a couple 2×4’s in your trunk just in case. If you want to freak out the cops after they pull you over for having a “body” in the trunk, throw in a shovel and some lime in there as well. It’s all in good fun and they’ll laugh about it after they’ve wrestled you to the ground, ‘cuffed you and thrown you into the back of the squad car.

Tip #8: If you’re going on a road trip and you know you’ll be driving through some bad weather, make sure to bring some warm clothes and blankets in case your car dies in the middle of nowhere. Odds are that you’ll make it to your destination just fine, but if you don’t, you’ll be ready. Plus, when you do get to your destination, you’ll have plenty of extra blankets to use when building a fort. It’s a win-win.

Anyway, those are all the cold weather driving tips I have for now. If you feel that I left something off, please add it in the comments.

PS - On second thought, the whole “sandbags as a dead body” gag might not go over too well. Maybe you should scratch that idea off the list.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the park and commemorate the 146th anniversary of the battle, there will be a battle re-enactment at 1pm on both Saturday and Sunday… which will, in all likelyhood, be SUPER AWESOME!!!

Yeah, you heard me right. Super awesome.

In addition to the re-enactment, there will be guided tours through Union, Confederate and civilian camps, military drills conducted by reenactors, cooking, spinning and lace-making demonstrations as well as living history programs. Sounds like it could be a pretty good time for the whole family.

According to the official Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park site:

Prairie Grove is recognized nationally as one of America’s most intact Civil War battlefields. The park protects the battle site and interprets the Battle of Prairie Grove, where on December 7, 1862, the Confederate Army of the Trans-Mississippi clashed with the Union Army of the Frontier resulting in about 2,700 casualties in a day of fierce fighting. This marked the last major Civil War engagement in northwest Arkansas.

Admission to the event is free and parking will cost you $4 unless you’re real slick and find somewhere nearby to park.

See you there?

It’s a age-old tradition. Sorta. You head out to the mall or generic department store, wait in line, pay a couple of bucks, sit your kid down on Santa’s lap, listen to them tell Santa what they want for Christmas and then wait for the elf to take their picture. It’s a real treat for most kids. For some, though, it’s a horrifying, living nightmare that will scar them for the rest of their natural lives. Either way, somebody’s gonna have a good laugh.

So, if you’ve got kids or you’re a crazy teenager looking for something wacky to do, grab a couple of bucks, head on out to the NWA mall and take a picture or two with Jolly ol’ Saint Nick. Maybe you can get a little shopping done while you’re at it?

We’d like a remote control plane… you know, if you feel so inclined.

Oh, by the way, Garcia’s Mexican Restaraunt will be hosting a benefit for the Arkansas Children’s Hospital from 8-10am on Saturday, December 13th. For just $5 per person in advance or $8 at the door, you can get your breakfast on with Santa Claus… However, knowing how big Santa’s appetite is, if you decide to go, you should probably show up early. Dude will probably eat all of the breakfast burritos if you let him. Call 521-4267 to get your tickets.

Anyway, the man in red will be at the NWA Mall available for pictures during the following hours:

Monday - Saturday: 11am - 8pm with a break from 3pm - 4pm
Sunday: 12pm - 6pm with a break from 3pm - 3:30pm

Whatever you’re doing for Thanksgiving, we here at the Fayetteville Flyer want to wish you a safe, happy and awesome one. Eat up!

The big news is that the much rumored 3G iPhone is coming to AT&T and Apple stores on July 11th. Boasting near, but not quite, wifi speeds that dominate the current speed of the AT&T EDGE network, the 3G iPhone is a force to be reckoned with. Now you can surf the innerwebs from wherever you are and in a relatively timely fashion. That means no more excruciatingly long loading times when you’re trying to look at boobs online check the weather.

While storage on the two models will remain at 8 and 16 gigs, respectively, the newly updated look and feel combined with 3G speed, GPS, longer battery life and significantly lowered pricetag will, as always, make the new Apple product a must-have for most of us tech-nerds.

What’s that you say? Lowered pricetag? That’s right, boyee! You’ll be able to pocket your very own 3G iPhone for just $199 (8GB) or $299 (16GB). Considering the first gen iPhone started off at $599, $199-$299 is a steal.

Already own an iPhone? I’ve got some good news for you too: You’re not entirely SOL. In fact, there are some sweet updates coming your way. You see, early July will also bring about the iPhone 2.0 software release that you can upgrade to for the low, low price of $0.00. The free software upgrade will give you access to Enterprise support and use of the Apple Apps Store. Back in March, Steve Jobs announced the release of the iPhone SDK (System Development Kit, duh) that will allow developers to make custom applications for the iPhone. If you think the iPhone software is cool now, just wait until you can download custom apps and games. I can guarantee you that it’s going to be awesome. Seriously awesome. Granted, us current gen iPhone owners won’t have GPS or access to the 3G network, but the Apps Store will undoubtedly keep you happy with what you’ve got.

The long awaited Enterprise support, in my opinion, will really open up the iPhone market and boost the sales of the iPhone. With the ability to check corporate mail, use VPN and use Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, I foresee a whole lot of Fortune 500 companies making the switch. For most companies, the added Enterprise support is a really good thing. However, for RIM and Palm, makers of the Blackberry and Treo cell phones, the new features might prove fatal. Maybe not immediately, but in the long run, they’re gonna really have to step it up to stay afloat.

Oh yeah! The headphone jack is now flush with the phone so you can use any pair of headphones you want without having to use some stupid, crappy adapter. Hooray!

So, if you’ve been itching for an iPhone and think you can wait ’til July 11th, you’ll be able to scratch that itch for a whole lot cheaper… and it’ll feel really, really good.

In addition, the world’s largest retailer will be marking down select blu-ray movies to just $15. You can use the $100 gift certificate to start beefing up your movie collection or spend it on toilet paper and frozen pizza. It’s your call, dude. Either way, you win.

So, if you’re looking to make your move into the world of hi-def movie watching/gaming, which we at the Fayetteville Flyer strongly suggest, but were waiting for a sweet deal to mosie along, your time has come.

Now if we can only get the Steve to buy a PS3 so that he, Burnt Reynolds and I can all play Call of Duty 4 online together, I’ll be set.

*It looks like you can already get a $100 walmart.com gift certificate if you buy the PS3 from walmart’s website.

**Blu-Ray is awesome, FYI.

I remember back to when I was a child and the Northwest Arkansas Mall’s “food court” (if you could even call it that) was just a bunch of tables in the middle of the narrow hallway near where Journey’s is currently located. It was a total mess and getting through there to JCPenney to buy clothes for the new school year was nearly impossible. This was before the expansion that added a legitimate food court and a ton of square footage to that side of the mall. We might not have had the Picnic Food Court back then but by Jesus we did have a Chick-Fil-A

The best thing about Chick-Fil-A (besides the chicken, obviously) is their ability to somehow have your food ready within moments of handing you your receipt, if not before. The mixture of delicious chicken and fast-n-friendly service makes for a totally bitchin’ lunch, especially when you’re in a hurry to get down to Spencer’s to buy that Carmen Electra Professional Stripper Pole Kit for your friend, Gary.

The last thing you need is some goofball holding up the line asking if the cooks could “please leave off the onions this time” or “go easy on the mayo, thank you” or my favorite so far “not butter the chicken for my daughter.” Apparently, Fayetteville, you are in dire need of a lesson on the toppings that are added to a Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich.

Without further ado, here are the Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich toppings which haven’t changed since I was a small child standing in JCPenney wondering if I was gonna catch any crap from the kids at school because my parents couldn’t afford the Nike Airs that had the little window so you could “see” the air inside:

• Pickles

No onions. No mayo. No mustard, ketchup, lettuce and certainly no butter (although it does kinda taste buttery). Now you know. Don’t forget it. Please?

Born August 2002 to Toshiba and NEC, HD DVD spent it’s entire life competing with rival Blu-ray to become the next generation of movie discs.

HD DVD unveiled it’s first official player in March 2006. Some of it’s first titles included The Last Samurai, Million Dollar Baby, and The Phantom of the Opera.

Following a year of disappointing sales, Warner Bros. announced it was abandoning HD DVD. Soon after, Netflix, Best Buy and Wal-mart made similar announcements.

HD DVD is survived by millions of discs and nearly 1 million worthless players including stand-alone units and Xbox 360 add-ons.

[Via Reuters]

The long and short of it points to Mac users being more arrogant, liberal and environmentally conscious than the PC folk. PC users, on the other hand, are “cheapskates,” less satisfied with their computer purchases and buy fewer sneakers and teeth-whitening products than their Mac counterparts. Not sure how sneakers and teeth-whitening products made their way into the picture, but whatever. I guess Mac users like white teeth and an assortment of shoes to choose from in the morning.

I’m not sure just how accurate this data is. I mean, as a PC user, I know that I’m better than all you lame-o Mac users… That statement right there pretty much throws the notion of Mac users being more arrogant than PC fan-boys right out the window.

I’m # 1!

Check out the video and tell us just how right or wrong you think they are.

PS – My next computer will be a Mac.

They’re going to continue renting the discs they already own until the shelf life expires (usually about a year). After that, it’s Blu-ray only.

If you own an HD DVD player and you missed out on the Best Buy take-back offer last month, don’t worry. We’re sure that $800 box will feel right at home in the top of your closet next to all those CDs.

[Via Engadget]

According to John O’Neill, the director of addictions services at the Menninger Clinic in Houston, Texas, many of us suffer from technology addiction. Much like an alcohol or drug addiction, a technology addict prefers their drug of choice (in this case a computer or phone) in lieu of spending time with loved ones.

I laughed this off at first. Then I realized that I’m sitting in front of my computer at home instead of hanging out with my girlfriend… who’s sitting right next to me. Sorry, babe.

Check it out

What is RSS?

RSS is what all your friends are using to keep track of their favorite websites. Why? Because it makes their lives way easier, that’s why. And it can do the same for you.

Instead of ‘bookmarking’ all your favorite sites and checking them one by one to see if anything new is available, RSS does all of that for you which gives you more time to do something way cooler than surfing the web…like maybe karate…or bow hunting.

What does RSS stand for?

Who cares what it stands for? If you really wanted to know, you’d have already gone to Wikipedia and found out for yourself. I’m assuming you just want to know how to use it, right?

How do I use RSS?

First off, you get yourself an RSS Reader. An RSS Reader is the actual program that will go out to all of your favorite sites and see if anything new has been posted. If it finds something new, it will let you know so you don’t have to do all that work yourself.

Don’t freak out! It’s way easier than you think! A quick Google search will bring up a ton of different RSS readers but a quick way to get started would be to use a free service like Google Reader or Bloglines.

Now that you’re set up with a reader, all you have to do is subscribe to some feeds. Feeds are something that your favorite websites already have set up and they’re just sitting there waiting for you to subscribe to them.

Where are these ‘Feeds’?

You can find a feed in one of two places: on the website or in your browser.
On the website: Sometimes websites put little icons (usually orange) on the site that say ‘RSS’ or ‘XML’ or ‘Subscribe’ or something like that. I’m sure you’ve seen them.
In your browser: Lots of browsers can automatically detect a feed and display an icon in the address bar for you to click on if you feel the urge.

Here are some examples:

OK, now what?

Most RSS readers are designed so that all you have to do is click one of those icons I mentioned above and ‘Voila!’ you’re subscribed. Others insist on making you copy the feed location (usually a right-click on the icon) and then paste it into your reader. Both Google Reader and Bloglines have excellent instructions so it should be a breeze. And once you’ve figured it out, subscribing will become second nature.

Wait, does the Fayetteville Flyer have it?

Of course we do. In fact, we have all kinds of feeds. We have an Entries Feed which will send you everything we post and we have a Comments Feed that will send you every single comment that is made on our site. That’s not all, though. You can even click on one of the categories in our navigation bar and from inside there, you can subscribe to specific categories only. Go ahead, give it a shot. You can even test it out on us first before you venture out into the wide world of time-saving technology.

Know of any further reading?

Yup. Here are some great places to learn more about RSS:

• How to Explain RSS the Oprah Way
• Getting Started with RSS
• Beginner’s Guide to RSS
• RSS In Plain English (video)

Backing up your files is something that you either a) do on a regular basis or b) wish you did on a regular basis. Just the thought of losing all of your photos, music or heaven forbid, your entire hardcore digital porn collection, can bring a deep cringe to even the most casual of computer users.

Forunately, Apple has answered our prayers and come up with a new product that not only automatically backs up your data but also serves as your home’s wireless router.

Time Capsule is both a Wi-Fi base station and a gigantic external hard drive in one. Mac OS X Leopard already delivers a seamless backup of your files (via Time Machine) but it can only do so when your computer is plugged into an external hard drive. Time Capsule serves as said drive but there’s no need to connect anything. In fact, as long as you’re in range of the base station (i.e. in your house), your Mac’s files will constantly be backed up in the background as you work. Furthermore, it can also take the place of that lousy wireless router you’re renting from Cox Communications that you always have to turn off and back on when it stops working.

Besides being a great addition to your Mac, Time Capsule also has a USB port for connecting a printer so that all of the computers in your house can print without the need for any cables, PCs included. And since it mounts as a wireless hard drive, Windows XP and Windows Vista users can take advantage as well (just not automatically).

Not too shabby, Apple. Not too shabby.

With Amazon, NetFlix and Microsoft pushing downloadable movies and cable companies offering HD on-demand content, it’s only a matter of time before discs are ditched completely. And now that Apple is in the game, the time frame has just been narrowed even more.

The latest version of iTunes will now provide DVD-quality movie rentals with stereo sound for $3-$4. HD movies are just a dollar more. And the newer, less-expensive Apple TV now allows you to order a movie straight from your living room without the need for a computer at all.

The idea of movie downloads is nothing new but nobody is handling it as well as Apple is claiming to be able to. Netflix has been offering streaming movies for a while but they still haven’t figured out how to make it work on a Mac, something that used to be a given but is completely unacceptable for a service in 2008. Amazon Unbox is making a good case for itself but doesn’t work with iPods and you’ve gotta wait until the entire movie has downloaded to watch it (sometimes hours). Apple’s new service works on both Macs, PCs, iPods (latest), TVs and allows movies to begin just minutes after the order is placed.

All we really want is to be able to quickly and easily watch movies on our screens whether they’re TVs, computers, iPods or all three. Be it Apple, Netflix, Amazon or whoever, somebody is eventually gonna get it right and whether you’re a fan of it or not, it’s plain to see that movie discs are headed in the same direction as the CD collection. It’s just a matter of time.

(For a hands-on review of the iTunes movie rental process, head on over to Engadget.)

Sporting a full sized, 13.3 inch screen with a built in camera and backlit keyboard, the MacBook Air is just 0.16 inches thick. In fact, it’s so thin that it can slide into a manilla envelope with room to spare.

Its trackpad is multi-touch ready which means you can annoy the hell out of your friends with the growingly popular “iPhone pinch-n-zoom” movement that is all the rave these days.

Inside is an iPod-sized 80GB hard drive to save space plus an option for a 64GB upgrade. In other words, it’s got enough space for all your crap. However, even with all the space-saving Apple managed to pull off, as previously suspected, there’s no room for a CD/DVD drive.

You won’t need one, though, because also introduced today were Time Capsule which wirelessly backs up your storage automatically and Remote Disc which wirelessly uses the CD/DVD drive from any other computer, Mac or PC. For those who can’t live without one, however, a $99 external drive is available.

Unfortunately, technology this badass does not come cheap. This dude’s gonna cost you $1799 at the most basic level. But something tells us there are plenty of folks out there who were dying for one of these before they even knew it.