Daddy Warbucks

China and Tyson ready to hatch a deal?
First, came a sweetheart deal for Tyson in India and now it’s China. The international folks at the world’s largest protein shop have been jet setting for profits of late. Tyson is seeking a 60 percent stake in a Chinese chicken processor to make a footprint into the world’s most populous and potential protein market. The majority acquisition of the Shandong Xichang Group could mean major future bucks and market share in the overseas markets by Tyson. SXG is located in the Shandong Provinces with a population of 90 million, with 76 million of those people living in the urban area of Quingdao. Can you just smell the chicken nuggets at that factory wafting over downtown? Smells like money to me. Let’s watch and see if this international boost, can indeed, boost the shares of Tyson Foods.
DOCTORS TRENDING
A new trend in medicine? The local MANA group sent letters to its patients saying that the Fayetteville Diagnostic Clinic docs won’t be making hospital calls any more. Why? Well the explanation is that the doctors at the hospital will take care of you there. And get this…the clinic doctors will now have more time to see you in the clinic. Shorter waits to see the doctors. More attention to your disrobed and freezing frame. Who can’t wait to be treated like a second-class citizen (or worse) with their HMO, PPO or other employer provided health plan? And not to mention the waiting room enjoyment of thumbing through the 2003 issues of Field & Stream that every disease infected person over the last five years has handled.
CELL CUT
Cletus Lee Knuckledragger on his backhoe, once again knocked out AT&T Cellular and some landline service in NWA last week. Sheer panic on some folks faces. It was the same day that the new I-phone was trotted out. Some technology huh?
FUDDRUCKERS FAILING
After the close of the Fayetteville Fuddruckers almost two years ago, the building still stands empty. Now the owners of the NWA franchise rights are in bankruptcy court. Remember they decried that the location was the reason for their demise? Yet just across the street sits the Olive Garden, always one of the top revenue generators in the restaurant sector. Oh, well.
ALLMAN’S COMING
Bikes, Blues and Barbecue may have hit a sleeper in booking the Allman Brothers for the upcoming festival. Will there be a surge in ticket sales? We shall see. September 26 isn’t that far off.
MAY TRAFFIC
The little airport that Alice (Walton) built is still chugging along even in this recession. The May 2008 traffic at XNA was down some compared to a year ago. Freight was also off. Tulsa showed an increase in passengers, while Fort Smith stayed about even.