Saipan Saipanuvian Speaks

1 Moral Coward Outed; 1 Maybe

2009-10-04T17:44:00.014+10:00

So it turns out the cowardly scumbag who hides his identity under the name pragmatic plato is actually glen hunter. It is fitting that the backbiting weasel who misnamed his phony on-line persona after a thinker turns out to be the actual backbiting weasel glen hunter.

Enjoy being outed, glen.

I wonder if you bothered to ask your boss at Pacific Trading if it was okay with him to spearhead a boycott of one of his own customers? Something tells me that the weasel in you won out on this one and that your moral cowardice caused you to ‘forget’ to mention that to him. Why don’t you run on over to his office and fess up before the word gets back to him that you are a traitor to your own company? It will go easier on you that way.

As the common law wife of Rep Tina Sablan I’m wondering if she has pussy whipped you to the point that you just can’t own up to your own opinions by putting your name on them or if you were just as big a moral coward before she met you? By the way, that effete Communist Che beret is the perfect topper for you.

May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your underwear.

* * * *

While we are on the subject of cowardly anonymous scum, I should be remiss without a short mention of the douche that called herself lil (referring to brainpower) hammerhead. Called herself, that is, until a few months ago when she/he/they ran away from home after being ID’d by another blogger.

Unlike Mr Brainiac, glen hunter, who outed himself by careless stupidity, the equally slimy hammerhead vociferously denied it and claimed that she was not Roberta Guererro. Whoever it was closed shop and ran away shortly after the identification was made making many all the more sure that it was in fact she that spewed shit under cover of the hammerhead alias.

Since I can’t be sure about the hammerhead ID since I have not seen the smoking gun that Jeff saw, I will leave that bit of doubt open. I’ll be an agnostic rather than an adherent to the theory that it was Guerrero and not another as the main culprit. I’m just not sure.

However, having read the stinking dung posted by hammerhead on several different blog sites I can’t help noticing that she either was psychotic to the point of actual split personalities or there was more than one person writing the hammerhead sleaze. Style, content, even viewpoint changed radically from post to post making me think Jeff may have uncovered only one of a cabal of ‘cunning runts’, and perhaps not even that.

So since I can’t be absolutely sure of just who this one really is I will close by saying “Whoever you are hammerhead, I want you to visualize me walking up to you , hawking up a big slimy (matching you) green lunger and spitting it right in your face. I know that is better than you deserve, but consider it my gift to you whoever you are.” May those fleas working on glen move into your undies when they are done there.

So which schizo freak is he/she/it really?

Plenty of time to gripe later.

2008-12-28T04:40:00.002+10:00

HAPPY HOLIDAYS !!

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

HAPPY, HAPPY - JOY, JOY !!

Come and Enjoy

2008-10-25T16:10:00.006+10:00

As you have probably noticed, I have not been very active blog-wise for the last several weeks. That will probably continue for the foreseeable future. Certain monkey picture creatures and similar cretins are probably ecstatic since they can preach to their choir without serious objection to their idiotic pabulum now. All six of you will just be sick with worry.

You may or may not know that I have taken on the responsibility for marketing Saipan, Tinian and Rota to our major markets, Japan, Korea, China, Russia and the US. I am working with the MVA team to try and develop new markets while growing the existing ones.

Since we are a one-legged economy now, it is especially important that we keep that leg active and growing. Any gout symptoms in that last remaining leg will leave all the hangers-on without anything to hang on to, so we are working extra hard to keep tourism alive and well in the Marianas.

I’m having a good time and the task is both interesting and challenging. Come by or call/email MVA headquarters with your ideas, comments, questions or challenges. I’ll be happy to listen and take the best you have to offer and try and apply it to the task at hand.
***
The Emerald is back in the water and running well after an annual refit/preventative maintenance check. If you are interested in weekend diving, snorkeling or fishing give me a call. Unlike the anonymous blog assholes, I am in the book.

Coincidence

2008-10-13T14:12:00.004+10:00

The world is full of coincidences, a few real, some imagined, most staged.

Miura, after 7 months in the Saipan hoosegow, volunteers to waive extradition when a California Judge correctly rules it would be double jeopardy to retry him for the murder of his wife after the high court in Japan already ruled him innocent. Now that he is almost sure to get let out on bail after sitting in the CNMI can for 7 months, he decides freedom is just too much responsibility and kills himself in an LA jail cell. Right.

I’m believing that one about as much as I’m going for the coincidence of US DEA storm troopers harassing 147 out of 187 Chinese passengers aboard an inaugural flight from Shanghai with tourism officials aboard “just because it’s their job”. Strange that they never performed their job that way before. Strange that they ‘didn’t profile’ but chose as their victims of intimidation and harassment 100% Chinese citizens. The nazi-like DEA stormtroopers claim they were ‘tipped off’ to a drug smuggling operation. Of course having found no, repeat no illegal drugs on the flight or in any of the bags which were checked three separate times, or on any the 147 persons whose underwear they checked and whose private parts they fondled repeatedly leaves one wondering about just who tipped them off. I say try checking Allen Stayman, or one of his henchmen. There is your likely ‘coincidence’. Find the ‘informer’, you will find the motivation for the outrageous harassment episode.

2008-09-23T09:14:00.002+10:00

It’s a Pinto
Drug needle
I have heard several folks criticizing local and federal law enforcement for their failure to stop the importation of drugs found in a Chinese garment worker’s car recently. I do not agree. Trying to stop this kind of thing at the border seems almost impossible.

While 176 grams sounds like a lot (and is a lot if it is being used by a relative who is destroying his family with it) it is really a tiny amount size wise. About 6 ounces of anything, illegal drugs, shredded carrots or beach sand is a pretty small package and could be hidden most anywhere.

Before finding fault with DEA or FBI or CPA or DPS think about how difficult it would be to find that needle in a haystack. Interdiction of large quantities is probably possible because of the physical size of the contraband package. How on earth would you expect to find something that small on a regular basis? I’ve heard of drug smelling dogs but would that work on something sealed airtight and really tiny in size? My guess would be probably not. Any experts in the field willing to give an opinion?

So it seems that solving the problem by reducing demand or by curbing illegal usage would be a far more profitable use of DPS/FBI/CPA/DEA personnel time than trying to find that tiny needle in the haystack of incoming people, baggage, merchandise, ship and air cargo.

Congratulations are due to the patrol officers who were observant enough to catch this guy during a routine traffic stop and get him and the drugs off the street.
* * * *
Up the wrong tree
Recently a group of people assembled at fishing Base to vent their frustrations at the power outages that have plagued our island for the last few months. Why the leaders of the event waited to protest until after the problem was temporarily solved by the Aggreko generators is a mystery only they know the answer to.

What they want is reliable and affordable power. That is a laudable goal. The way they want to do it is a throwback to the failed mechanisms of yesteryear. Individually and collectively they are calling for and insisting that ‘affordable’ power is a right assured to everyone. It is not a right; electric power is a commodity and has a price like any other good or service.

They are asking for a regression to the old days that they themselves in the next breath call for an end to. Then as now the local government owned and operated the power plants. Here on Saipan there used to be relatively reliable power and it was affordable as well, it was cheap in fact based on what it actually cost to produce it. It was cheap because the rate paying customers were not charged as much as it cost to make the power. The difference was made up for by government subsidies. They took all the money paid by the ratepayers into the system and used it for operations, plus they took more funds wrested from other sources and threw them in on top to keep the lights on. Little or nothing was spent on a decaying infrastructure as we all know and now it has come home to roost. They kept rates artificially low and that was the problem, not the solution. So to call out now for artificially lowered rates is irresponsible and won’t work this time any better than it did last time.

We should look to someone other than our government’s Administration, this one or any other one, to come up with answers to the affordability question. Likewise we should look elsewhere to find a professional operations company if we don't want to see this emergency fiasco repeated endlessly into the future. Rate setting and reliable operations should be done by a responsible and professional third party company or co-op, not the government. Let’s leave upside pricing oversight to a well trained Public Utilities Commission and downside pricing to real costs and reasonable profits. We will all pay less and have the reliability we all want to boot.

Privatize CUC with a completely open, no strings attached bid process. Then we have a chance for reliable affordable power. Begging another government group to take the reins from this government group is begging for more of the same.
* * * *
Which color horse?
Last week’s Sour Grapes had a section about the importance of consistency of purpose between the local Administration and the new Officer we are about to elect called a Non Voting Delegate. As a side issue in that piece I wrote, “Our elected Washing Rep is still in office though he is running for another office and the Constitution says he should resign.” Pete, and a couple of other people have sent me emails offering a different interpretation and claiming that he need not resign. Pete had a copy of that email printed as a Letter to the Editor citing his reasoning. Hopefully you read it.

Pete claims that the new federal law that mandates the new NVD office was written so as to define his old job to be the same as the new job he hopes to be elected to even though they are completely different. Maybe that is true.

Note that Pete A. currently works for the CNMI and is paid by the CNMI treasury. His title is “Resident Representative to the United States”, he is an elected and paid lobbyist for the CNMI. The new position he hopes to be elected to is the “Delegate to the House of Representatives”, a different animal entirely. Whoever wins will be paid by the United States Treasury. This is clearly a different job with a different title, different responsibilities, different authority and a different paymaster. To say he is running for the same office is not factual and at best constitutes semantic pandering. Note also that the office term of Washington Rep does not even expire until 2010. Maybe the reason for the language calling an apple an orange is so there are not two representatives from the CNMI floating around Washington at the same time, and not so the current Rep does not have to resign before running for a different job.

So it is a matter of interpretation whether the current Resident Representative should resign to run for the Non Voting Delegates office. However, the time frame is so short now that I guess it doesn’t make much difference so I won’t continue to beat this different colored horse of an argument any longer.

One other point deserves mention. Some think I bring this up because I don’t like Pete A. Nothing could be further from the truth. I like and respect him. In fact I find him to be an engaging man with enough intelligence and diplomatic capability to do the job if he is elected by the people of the CNMI. I don't agree with his new philosophical position nor do I want to personally back someone who has 'flipped' positions, but he is certainly capable if elected which is also true for most of the other candidates.

Anyway Pete, good luck and thanks for reading Sour Grapes.
* * * *
Quote of the week: When you point your finger at the moon, you want others to look at the moon, not your finger. Zen Homily

2008-09-17T08:13:00.004+10:00

Copy tax

Light or dark
Everyone who lives here has been impacted by the power outages of the last few months. Let’s face it though, it was an inconvenience, not a life threatening situation. I was frustrated, you were frustrated, they were frustrated, we all wished we had 24/7 power. Life hasn’t been as convenient as it could have been, but no one was in danger, no one lost their life, no one’s house was washed out to sea.

I have noticed that those who wailed the loudest for “something to be done”, continue to wail once something has actually been done. Apparently the something was not what the wailers would have done so like children who didn’t get it their own way, they continue the tantrum. A temporary solution was decided on by bringing new rental power generators to the island to restore full power while repairs are made to the main engines. This sounds like a reasonable solution to any reasonable person who wants to see the power turned back on 24/7, but the griping continues, and even increases. I would pose the question: would you rather sit in the dark and bitch or would you rather have the power on while you find fault with the solution?

If all you are trying to do is discredit the current managers so you can try to become the Executive decision maker yourself then I suppose you would prefer that the rental generators not be here so you could gripe in the dark…it makes a better case for you. If you really want what you say you want, the power back on and a plan to keep it that way, then you should be happy to be sitting in that air conditioned room googling on your electric computer. Power outages are bad for business but so is never ending public media dissention. That keeps public confidence down and that keeps discretionary spending down and that keeps investors away and existing businesses from growing.

I might recommend that if you don’t like the decisions made by CUC managers that you either go get an electrical engineering degree and spend a few years working in the power generation field or that you back a process that aims to hire an already trained Power Plant manager. The other (and better) option is to sell, or give, or pay someone to take the current power plant off the government’s hands who will then run it privately. A coop of local ratepayers could own it, or a private company could own it, or a public stock company could own it. Either way, someone who benefits from making it run efficiently owning it is the best long term solution to reliable power. Getting another government to run it is just a recipe for more failure.

Meanwhile, I for one am pretty darned happy to have the freezer on and the little LED lights on my computer winking merrily away as I sit here bathed in a blaze of fluorescent splendor. Now show me the long term plan and the means to achieve it and I am a happy camper…an electric camper.
* * * *
Don’t vote - for the same thing
Our elected Washing Rep is still in office though he is running for another office and the Constitution says he should resign. He is once again of a different mind than the also elected Governor of the Commonwealth and is, once again, presenting a different message to Washington than the Administration. That rift causes confusion and lessens the likelihood that either message will be taken seriously.

Until we elect and send a Non Voting Delegate (NVD) to the US House, we will continue to rely on a very expensive, but often not very effective lobbyist; namely, the Washington Representative. The problem over the last couple of years after the current Rep changed his position and decided to bow down to the new power elite in Washington to gain his ends, is that his position was at loggerheads with the Commonwealth’s elected leader, the Governor. That difference of opinion cost us dearly, in terms of presenting a non united front to the US government. It also cost us dearly in that it necessitated the hiring of expensive lobbyists to do the work that could have been done by our already extremely expensive WashRep lobbyist (1.3 Million a year). In the future, let’s hope that the newly elected NVD not-votes for the same things that the Governor wants to not-vote for whatever that is. If both are on the same page it will save a lot of grief and a lot of money. We might even make some progress if both are asking for the same thing.

At least we won’t be paying for it anymore, whichever way it works out; mainland taxpayers will foot the bill for the NVD as they do with real honest-to-goodness voting Congressmen.
* * * *
Charge a fee tax?
The fees charged for all government offerings should be set at a level that pays for the service or regulatory requirement. Charging more in order to later ‘reprogram’ those monies into the CUC coffers for fuel subsidies, or to buy more equipment for some other Department is taxation plain and simple. Come on legislature, if you want to raise taxes, have the gumption to come out and say “we are broke, so in future we will be taking a bigger tax bite from you personally and from all the companies you do business with.” That would be the honest way to approach this shortfall.

The one I agree with most is the marriage license fee increase. It should be pegged at $5,000 and a rider fee of $100,000 should be required for each new child born (a birth license fee) to make up for the cost of government services the kid will surely use over his lifetime. Kidding here…that could be just a bit much and entirely too fair for a government to consider. Getting reelected after passing that one would prove pretty difficult. Divorce lawyers are not likely to be happy about the $5K marriage certificate either as it would cut into business. Paternity attorneys would be happy as clams though.

* * * *
Quote of the week: A cynic is not merely one who reads bitter lessons from the past, he is one who is prematurely disappointed in the future. Sidney J. Harris (1917 – 1986)

2008-09-10T17:42:00.002+10:00

Dive Deep
Excellent new business
We are a one legged economy right now…tourism. That leg is showing some signs of wear as it hops along trying valiantly to keep the CNMI afloat without much aid from any other sector. Just like a family needs income to survive, so does a country. Tourism and alms from the US bring the only significant income into the CNMI right now. MVA works hard to bring tourists here but needs our help every day to give them a quality experience during their visit. A satisfied visitor replaces himself many times over. A dissatisfied one keeps hundreds of other potential visitors away.

Many of our visitors come here to scuba dive in our fantastic dive spots. They are likely to be repeat customers if they have a good experience. That is why I am so stoked that a new outfit is willing to invest their time, effort and money here. Since I am a scuba diver myself this may seem more important to me than to others, but I ask you to think about the value of this to our Islands even if you are not a diver.

A new business is starting on Saipan. It is a dive charter boat. Built in the US the Newton 46 foot special built dive boat is a welcome addition to the fleet here on Saipan. An outfit called Saipan Sun Company headed by Eric Lister has commissioned this boat at a cost nearing one million dollars and has had it shipped out here to the Marianas. The boat, named the Sun Rider will act as a platform for local dive companies, interested individuals and other divers who want a fine dive experience. Dive motivated tourists are sure to love this boat

We should not forget the other dive boats here like Captain Fred’s outstanding Dolphin Quest and Scott’s orange semi inflatable ‘No Limts’ boats. Many other great dive boats ply the waters here but the new Sun Rider deserves mention as being a notch above in size and load capacity. Plus she is brand new and still smells of fresh fiberglass.

I tried her out the other day and found the boat to be stable, fast and very accommodating in terms of space, amenities and ease of entrance/egress even for older divers like me. The crew is new but learning the customer service ropes. The captain is experienced and good at the job. I had a blast.

I for one wish the new venture the best of luck as they cater to our tourists who come here to dive the crystal waters of the Marianas. Please join me in welcoming these folks to Saipan.

Saipan Sun – Sun Rider Reservations: 287-7802 http://www.saipansun.com/
Dolphin Quest reservations: 287-6533
No Limits reservations: 233-8633
(I will happily give equal space to other dive charter boat’s contact information if owner/operators will forward it to me : bbateman@pticom.com).
* * * *
Who controls our success?
There are those among us that by implication and by direct actions show that they believe our lives as citizens in a free society are controlled by the actions of government. They blame the current or past administrations here and elsewhere for the success or failure of our economy. They are wrong. Successful economies depend on entrepreneurs willing to take financial risks and work hard now in order to make gains later. It also depends on workers and managers and professionals willing to work hard and dedicate themselves to the success of the company they work for in return for a share of the gains made. Governments neither control nor even guide this process. They only benefit from it by skimming enough off the top of the monies produced by others to sustain their own existence and provide some generally needed (and a lot of completely unneeded) services. Government policies can help or hinder this progress but cannot control its destiny. Only we can do that. Only we as individuals do, do that.

We as citizens and workers, investors and businessmen control that economy. It is influenced far more by our collective and personal attitudes than by the nudging and siphoning actions of government. We are all personally responsible for its success or failure. The concept that a government entity shoulders that responsibility for us and that we are dependant upon them for our daily bread and existence is not just wrong, it is immoral and leads relentlessly to a self fulfilling prophesy of an unfree and completely regulated society doomed to failure. It suggests we should abrogate our rights and responsibilities to an entity, which at its heart, produces nothing at all.

Governments worldwide only exist by using force to siphon off wealth from those workers who produce it. It is a parasitic relationship. The best of them allow citizens enough freedom to keep the economic engine turning and producing so they can take some and share it around with their friends. The worst and greediest try to take more than the producers can produce and go down the totalitarian tubes eventually.

If you have been convinced by those who believe government controls your economic life that, well government controls your economic life, I’ve got good news for you. You and your neighbors are in control and have been all along. Take off and sail your ship to success. Chart your own course. Don’t wait on some government wand to ‘improve the economy’, you’ll wait a lifetime…for nothing.
* * * *
Quote of the week: Desire! That’s the one secret of every man’s career. Not education. Not being born with hidden talents. Desire. Bobby Unser (1934 - ).

2008-09-04T12:41:00.003+10:00

But CUC told me so
I will mention only two brief items about our power provider this time.

First, someone has coined the term “power innages”; this pretty much describes the state of our infrastructure right now. Second, I see there is a ‘countdown to Agreko’ in the newspaper right now. Let’s hope there is some semblance of accuracy about the date those 15 temporary megawatts are going online.

I was thinking since the official (but usually unheeded) schedule now calls for 3 three- hour blackout periods for all of us it behooves us to come up with a term for the 15 hours per day our power is officially on, versus the time that it is actually on. Say ZEN Power time versus ZAP Power time.

The difference can be readily discerned by a competent appliance technician. When a toaster is connected to a household outlet, if toast is produced you are Zap time, if your reflection on the side of the toaster is all that is produced, or if only slightly stale bread comes out of the slot, you are on Zen time irrespective of official CUC pronouncements about the schedule. You can test this system yourself by sticking your finger into any handy electric outlet, but I don’t suggest it.

So standing around the water cooler at work the conversation might go something like this: “Hey Bob, what’s the weather for tomorrow? Gosh, I dunno, my house was on Zen time all morning while I was having breakfast so I couldn’t watch the news. How about you? Me too, that’s why I asked. Maybe we could talk to Joe Boy, he has two gerbils running in a cage that produce more power than our CUC hook ups, maybe he caught the weather report this morning. Don’t count on it, his wife Martha invited Betty and I over for gerbil stew the other night. She said something about the price of rice being higher than her car payment. Anything else cooking? Only my son, he got confused and stuck his finger in a socket during a non-official innage and found out the hard way we were on Zap time. Yeah, I know what you mean, my kid got 2nd degree burns from the toaster the other day while using it as a mirror.”
* * * *
To sue or not to sue.
It’s not about whether ‘federalization’ will be good for us or not (although I, like many, think it will be disastrous). It is about whether the US can run roughshod over the CNMI and abrogate its commitment via the Covenant to assist the NMI in its efforts to be self governing. The initial NMI negotiators were foolish enough to give away their right to control their own immigration, but that is water under the bridge. What they did not give up is the right to control their own labor laws or to govern themselves internally as they, not an unelected US bureaucrat or US elected politico, sees fit.

What is happening right now is the US is pushing against the Covenant as hard as they can to see how much we are willing to let them get away with. Purpose: unknown. Perhaps they want to vastly expand their military presence here and turn this into a military economy again with them pulling the strings once more. Maybe it is something else entirely different. For sure they are making noises like they want to take Pagan as well as Tinian and use them for military ‘training’ and have mentioned several other islands as well. An ‘environmental’ monument that encompasses the northernmost three islands and forbids most uses is proposed but coincidentally excludes the US military and allows them to do as they wish. Maybe that is innocent, maybe not. Perhaps there are other, more personal forces at work or maybe it is just the relentless leaning of the big on the small as seen throughout history. Whatever their intent the pressure against our freedoms is intense and seems to be growing.

As I see it, the proposed suit will try to make a line in the sand and state for all to see that the CNMI is trying to be something other than a US colony, a lackey to be tossed the occasional bone when the mood strikes and to be given the short stick the rest of the time. A pat on the head and a few dollops from the petty cash drawer as they have their way with us are supposed to pass for the right, yes, right, to self rule as stipulated in the governing document, the Covenant. Four Hundred Thousand, or whatever the Freedom Suit costs, is a paltry sum when compared to the loss of those rights. I must admit that since the government is running short of cash, choosing where to get the 400K is not easy. Critics will gnash their teeth and say it will come from the baby’s milk fund. I’m sure Legislators can find a little pork to trim by four hundred thousand if they look hard enough. The children and grandchildren of the CNMI will thank them for finding it.

The spin we are getting from the disaffected left (meaning those who believe that government control trumps personal freedom and responsibility) is that we cannot sue the federal government to try and protect what is left of our right to self government and from their encroachment on it and at the same time ask for disaster aid or other aid from FEMA or Insular Affairs etc. This is a clever ploy but absolutely incorrect. This pro federal propaganda move makes it sound like the US Fed is a homogenous single entity, a person in short, who acts and reacts as a unit. Nothing could be further from the truth. Each of these behemoth organizations inside the fed grinds along doing it’s own work based on entrenched regulations and self interest not on whether someone is suing some other part of the fed for a redress of grievances.

The 50 States sue the feds regularly for perceived encroachment into their rightful spheres of influence. The Federal government is not like some little child (or naïve lawmaker) who, if you confront them with a wrong, throws a fit or refuses to dispense required services or voluntary aid. To claim we have no chance of receiving FEMA or other assistance because we are suing to cure a breach of a contractual obligation is nonsense and shows both a lack of understanding and a huge disrespect to the concept of a freely self governed Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands.

Sure we need to keep an open dialog going with each of the four US bureaucracies that will wield authority over labor policy here if the suit fails to protect our rights. Sure stakeholders and leaders should not just help but go out of their way and even demand if necessary that they be part of the regulation drafting process. This does not mean we can’t sue simultaneously to protect our contractual rights and the right to internal self government.

Everyone who opposes this is not evil incarnate. There are many who think the US Congress’ slam dunk is a done deal and no amount of suing will win the point. Count my wife among the majority who think it is just a waste of time and that the 400 thou could be better used elsewhere. Several political leaders like Diego Benevente have called for talking instead of litigation. While I respect the views of these folks, I still think we can do both. At the same time we are talking and trying to help write the regulations we can be trying to mitigate some of the damage the labor takeover would cause. The only way to do that is to get the US Justice Department to curb some of the excesses created by the US Legislature. Then we can have the best of both worlds.

This is a question that needs desperately to be addressed by the courts and it needs to be done immediately. I hope the legislature, at least those responsible adults in the legislature, respond by appropriating the requested funding immediately. This is probably the most important priority we have at the moment. Lack of electric power is an inconvenience; lack of freedom is a crushing blow to human dignity and future progress. Once the burglar’s pry bar is stuck in the door you can either push it back out and call for legal help or you can let him break open your door and take your rightful belongings. If he sees something he likes, you can bet he will be back for more later.

Far from being a ‘waste of money’ as some contend, it is the sworn responsibility of the legislature to uphold the Constitution and the Covenant. This cause needs their positive action to uphold that pledge. Elected Public Representatives, please appropriate those funds.
* * * *
Quote of the week: For in reason, all government without the consent of the governed is the very definition of slavery. -Jonathan Swift, satirist (1667-1745)

2008-09-02T07:38:00.001+10:00

Peace, Love, Flower Power
Some years ago there was a movie produced called Network. One of the characters, a TV newscaster, Howard Beale, said, “I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take this any more”. He called on his viewers to go outside and shout that slogan in unison, partly as protest, partly as catharsis. In due time he got millions of his viewers to stand outside and chant that slogan. It brought people together in a common cause and it announced their message to the powers that be. He claimed that getting mad was the only answer to their many problems.

In the spirit of that film we, the residents of Saipan, could do something similar. Now we could go outside and vent our anger and frustration about power outages but everyone is pretty much doing that already with no success. So I suggest we try something in a positive vein. We could go outside at noon tomorrow and shout out “Keep trying CUC, we know you can do it !!”. Why might we want to do that instead of continuing to carp? Because as individuals we are helpless to do anything about it short term except give moral support to those trying to get the job done. (Unless you are a billionaire philanthropist and want to donate a power plant). There are long term solutions we citizens can help with but shouting revolutionary slogans will not get the job done.

Several people have written or spoken recently about how CUCs woes have been caused by poor management, bad planning etc. and are not the fault of the day to day workers, the linemen or the plant workers or the secretaries in their offices all of whom simply take their orders and carry them out as best they can. They too go home to find they can’t cook dinner or finish their homework because the power is out. They too are in the middle of a shower or ready to flush about the time the lights dim and go out. I agree, and what’s worse it can’t be easy to keep up employee morale in a place where the prime mission, delivering reliable electric power and water, is not working too well (okay is failing miserably).

Lack of money, lack of a coherent plan, lack of leadership, skyrocketing petroleum costs, lack of training, engines and delivery infrastructure worn out from wear and neglect. This is the mantra we’ve all heard chanted repeatedly as the cause of the electric power emergency we find ourselves in today. Collectively, they are the reason you can’t watch TV tonight, or make toast tomorrow morning.

So how do we get out of the mess? Marching, suing or shouting in frustration isn’t going to help. The temporary solution they are trying now is to rent some reliable generators and use that power to try and tide us over until the main engines can be repaired. I’m sure they would rather just go down to the generator store and order up a new power plant but our credit card is maxed out and the cash in the till won’t even pay current expenses, not to mention make a major purchase.

Maybe we can get Uncle Sugar to help us out. Maybe we could get the US military to help us out. Maybe we could apply for a loan at the World Bank or the IMF or the Asia Development fund or Household Finance Company or from Sam the Shark. The thing is, if we had that help in hand right now, today, it would be two years down the line before we saw new engines or a new power plant or new alternative energy producers shining in the sun. Unless we can get the Electric Power Fairy to wave a wand over Lower Base and fix it all overnight, the strategy of using a temporary patch on the flat tire of power generation seems the best solution short term.

Once the temporary generators are in place we need to work like the dickens to fix those broken main engines so the power can stay on while other plans are made. Meanwhile we need to develop a long range plan of action and decide once and for all what direction to go in the future. Maybe we could order three of those new generation nuclear power plants, one for each island. Maybe we could convert to coal like most of the rest of the world uses. Maybe we should opt for more of the same and buy a new petroleum based power plant even in the face of rising fuel costs. There are other alternatives too, but the point is we need to look at the options and make a firm decision and then carry that plan out if we are ever to really solve the power problem that stares us in the face. To get there at all we need to go to the private sector to get the job done and not rely on the government anymore. The alternative to planning and execution is to get used to cooking over a wood fire and going to bed at sunset.

Why bitch when it accomplishes nothing? Let’s get on the ‘we’re behind you’ bandwagon and give as much support to the hundreds of hardworking CUC employees as we can. These Worker Bees are all that stands between us and the real world of lives without electricity right now. We and our businesses and institutions have evolved too far and gotten too soft to live without it anymore.

Getting mad about it may have worked in the movie mentioned above but here in reality land we just need to help all we can, plan the best we can and then execute our plan without quitting. Divesting CUC from its government overlord is the first step in the healing process. As we have seen, you can’t legislate your way out of the problem and you can’t cure it by executive fiat. Let’s approach the problem like grown ups, responsible for our own actions.

In closing I will relate what my 4 year old said just after the power went off the other night. Standing in the yard shaking his fist at the sky he said “____ing CUC !! (expletive deleted). It seems that the outage interfered with Pooh while he was explaining math skills via DVD. When the power went off, so did my son. I can’t imagine where he heard such language.

Quote of the week: "Government never furthered any enterprise but by the alacrity with which it got out of its way." -- Henry David Thoreau (1817 – 1862)

A New Blogger Etiquette

2008-08-23T20:07:00.007+10:00

Well, it looks like the, even the slow witted nonys like lil knucklehead have begun to figure it out after a few months so I guess it is time to stop experimenting with them, fess up and propose:

A New blogger etiquette

While sitting at home enjoying an evening with your family an unwashed crazed looking man with a ski mask over his face to conceal his identity runs up to your house gesturing wildly and begins to pontificate on social and political issues of the day, claiming to be the messiah of information and the guru of opinion. He hurls insults at you, spouts inanities and nearly wets himself in rage if you express an opposing view. Or maybe you are standing around a picnic table down by the beach and along comes an unwashed, stinking bum demanding that you owe him an explanation for something or other. To top it off, Mr. Malodorous Intruder is wearing a mask to deliberately hide his identity. What do you do?

You:
1. Laugh uncontrollably
2. Sic your dog on him
3. Listen thoughtfully to his rantings, and beg to sit further at the feet of the master.
4. Call the police
5. Explain to you children why it is not a good idea to talk to or listen to strangers.
6. Offer him a beer and let him sit next to your kids.
7. Tell him what an idiot you think he is and send him on his way.
8. Punch him in the face, then tell him to go away as he lays there on the ground.

The analogy to be drawn here is that the crazy acting masked man on the beach or in your home has precisely the same level of believability, the same level of trustworthiness, the same aura of sleazy, hide in the grass cover up quality as an anonymous blogsite and its motivation hidden author have. None. Credibility: likewise none.

*****

In the blogsphere we find a handful of these crazed crackpots; identities masked to hide their real affiliations and who is paying them to spout their drivel.

The point ? These are not people, they are thugs, liars and crackpots hiding behind a mask. They try to hold you hostage to a courteous and traditional system of communication while refusing to take part themselves. They don’t have the courtesy to even introduce themselves yet they make claims on you to respond politely to their raving rants. You owe them nothing. To offer them civil discourse in exchange for their lies and treachery simply eggs them on. Just say no. Or just say screw you.

They do not deserve to be treated as persons because they are not. They are unpersons, perhaps non persons. They are only phony facades and like a like a movie stage set, there is no substance behind them. No reality. Just a thin veneer of doggeral over the recently used toilet bowl of their existance.

I suggest we just say no to conversing with them. Or if we choose to say yes, we treat them with the contempt they deserve every time honest people respond to them. Towit:

I propose a sliding scale of civility for responding to bloggers and blog comment section entries. On a scale of 1 to 4 where 1 is the most civil attitude response, 2 is neutral 3 is decidedly uncivil, and 4 is glaringly nasty. I propose the following:

1 is reserved for people who fully identify themselves and who post on their own blogs and comment on others blogs with reasonable courtesy and consideration. They can certainly be direct in their comments and can declare and defend any position no matter how unusual or farfetched as long as they identify themselves and maintain moderate decorum. “You know, Bob, I hear what you are saying but think you are in error because of X, Y and Z.”

2 can be used for occasional, infrequent or 1 time anonymous commenters and for those identified blogers who are just crabby natured. “Geeze, Bob, (or Listen up Nony), that is the same line of crud you were trying to feed us last week. It didn’t fly then and is not likely to now. Here is why you should at least rethink that position.”

3 is for anyone so ashamed of his or her ideas and comments that they hide behind a rock of anonymity and run out to squat and pee their comments or their posted blog entries, then scuttle back behind their moldy rock. Also itching for a 3 rating are those who constantly harp the same disrespectful and tired messages day after day, week after week. “We grow tired of your hogwash Dildo Breath, that line of reasoning is about as convincing as your Mom’s sales price.”

4 Especially earning a trash job are those who would be character assassins while hiding their own identities to avoid retribution or having their true motivations exposed. (Perhaps there should be a 5th level for these scum). Also deserving a level 4 response would be the ‘pontificating anonymous crackpot’ (PAC) with an opinion about everything and a snide comment about everyone else’s opinion. Feel free to imagine an appropriate reply, like “Jane, you ignorant slut, (sorry SNL) May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your HIV infected underwear. My dog could argue the point better than you do, asshole. So go fuck yourself, as no one else is likely to.”

In General: The sliding scale of civility would have us respond to those four ‘types’ with roughly the same level of courtesy and forthrightness they display with additional points docked and insults added for cowardly anonymity, a la the eye for an eye rule.

****

I further propose that those #3 and #4 folks have ‘floating names’. By that I mean that any anonymous commenter or blogger should be called whatever comes to mind when responding to them since they are afraid to provide a name themselves. Example: “What are you using for evidence to support that contention Lame Brain?” …as opposed to “What are you using for evidence to support that contention, Bill?”, where the italicized nomen is rotated at the responders whim and indicates the identified responders level of agreement or disagreement with the anonymous coward’s viewpoint. Severe disagreement would lead to “What are you using for evidence to support that contention, Shithead?” etc. Maybe the most egregious offenders should be verbally trashed whenever they peep out from under their rock. Something like: “Sorry shit-for-brains, if you want to identify yourself we don’t mind listening. If not, get the fuck off my blog, dirtbag.”

****

I’ve been practicing this on a limited scale for a time and think there is some merit in confronting the scum instead of mollifying them. I won’t claim it makes the pitiful anonymous clowns any less clownish, but I do submit that it makes me feel better to confront their cowardice with every turn of the screw, especially if there are deep seated philosophical differences. On the other hand, a competent shrink might think I have gone off the deep end. Either way, I am enjoying it and suggest you too climb on board the Raspberries to Nonys train. You may be amazed at how good it feels to return the thumb of the nose they give you when they respond anonymously to you.

So go ahead, be openly hostile, feel free to be insulting, talk bad about their mothers. There is no reason to be polite or even minimally courteous to someone who hides their identity. They deserve your derision. They deserve your contempt. They deserve to be crapped on.

Like terrorists, bandits and criminals, there is a reason they hide. They fear you will find their real connections and laugh out loud at their silly arguments once you know who they actually represent. If you know one, out him. If you don’t, trash one at every opportunity. Remember they are sniveling cowards and most are also blogging at work and thus stealing time and money from their company or from the government (meaning you) with every post they make. Why else do you think they hide?

An intelligent observer I know notes “Craving attention anonymously, what a concept”. In a short sentence he distills the essence of these pathetic jerks.

Well, it has been fun playing with them, especially the child molester who pretends to be a mom, lil knucklehead. Even the Pusillanimous Putz, Mr. Playdoh, has returned to the blogsphere, enthralling us with his verbosity. (Read tickled us with his childish posts). It must be admitted that he may just be the copy, paste and spam king of the blogs. If only there was some substance.

So pile on. Stick it to ‘em. Any attention you give them, helps them sublimate their tired, hidden lives, so even if you are nice at heart, you are helping them by giving them some of the attention they so desperately crave, but are afraid to ask for. Be nice, flip ‘em off. Anonymous bloggers, you too should pitch in and ream another nony.

Addendum

You don’t have to be crude or use swear words as I have done in the above examples, but there is no need for you to be polite to these cretins either. Remember that at the heart of every anonymous blogger is unabashed dishonesty. So treat them as you would any other extortionist, mugger, rapist, sneak thief or bank robber.

2008-08-19T14:01:00.003+10:00

Sensation Sells

What the heck is it?
Rydlime, like all chemicals in its category, uses powerful acids and other agents to dissolve ‘rocks’. When calcium or other hard water mineral deposits build up in cooling towers or system radiators they either have to be dismantled and ‘rodded out’, an expensive process, or they need to be ‘descaled’ chemically. Chemical descaling is usually cheaper and if done right can be very effective.

The use of purified water in these systems vastly reduces the buildup, but descaling or rodding still needs to be performed if the cooling system is to continue doing its job. Just like the engine in your car overheats and eventually stops if the radiator fails and the motor gets too hot, so a large engine in a power plant stops or even destroys itself if allowed to overheat. A utility with lots of cooling systems to treat and a high mineral content in its water source could use vast quantities of a descaling agent.

Rydlime, the chemical at the bottom of the current CUC/Lt. Governor flap, is a legitimate product with a good reputation for doing what it is designed to do. Many utilities and other companies around the world use it and other similar products to good effect.
Why would you buy so much?
Chemicals, like other commodities, are subject to price rises over time so companies, including utilities, often buy large quantities of a chemical and stockpile it to hedge against the coming price increases. As an example, if CUC bought 8000+ gallons of Rydlime as reported in the newspaper and used all but 1400 gallon over 10 years they saved a lot. The savings would amount to several times the original cost.
Or pay so much?
Sole sourcing to ones sister may not be the legal, but chemical pricing at 400% is not uncommon. Want to guess how much that three dollar bottle of Joy dishwashing liquid you bought last week actually cost to make? About 15 cents. Do your own math. That detergent bottle and most of the other bottles sitting under your sink and in your laundry have mark ups far greater. In fact, the plastic bottles and labels cost more than the chemical inside by far. You pay a much higher markup than 400% every time you go to the store.
Rumor or truth?
There is speculation that some of the product was actually disposed of rather than used. If true that is a terrible thing. I have even heard a rumor that CUC personnel were actually ordered to dispose of the product. But a rumor is just that. It is a story without proof. Stories like that are usually from a hidden source and often with a hidden agenda. It is easy for someone with a grudge against someone to make up a story. It is much harder to make that phony story hold up under the scrutiny of an open court trial. Let’s wait and see what actually comes out in court. If that unfounded rumor is true, heads should roll at CUC and above. If false, the rumormongers should be tracked down and their heads should roll instead.
Guilty or not?
My friend Harry Blalock reminds us on his radio show that ‘just because you are decreed not guilty in court does not mean you didn’t do it” because a good attorney can find a way to get you off. I would remind Harry, and you too, that just because a sharp prosecuting attorney accuses you of something does not mean that you did do it. Remember it is the job of the prosecuting attorney to ‘get you’ whether you did it or not and it is the job of the defense attorney to ‘get you off’ whether you did it or not. Again, let’s wait and see the real evidence as offered under oath in court.

So there is nothing wrong with buying Rydlime if you need it and there is nothing wrong with buying lots of it and stockpiling it for future use. In fact it is the smart way to do it. There is also nothing unusual about large markups over cost of chemicals or most other products. There is definitely something wrong with declaring an emergency purchase and then buying enough of a commodity to last a decade. There is definitely something wrong with sole sourcing a contract to close family members and depriving the agency of a chance to source the same or similar product at a lower cost benefit ratio. But are these accusations true? One last time I will call for us to wait and let the court system do its job before a man and his reputation are sullied by gossip and allegation. There is plenty of time to vilify him if proven guilty in court…or to apologize if the accusations prove untrue.
* * * *
Temples – not Shirley
Ruth Tighe , in talking about the new Buddhist Temple to be built along the roadway in previously unspoiled Marpi says we need to ‘hoard our public lands’ as one our most important natural resources. I agree. Don’t build on it she says. Keep it forever she says. She then goes on to say in the same article that we should give away the northernmost three islands in our terribly scarce land resource by ceding them to the US Federal government for all time. I point out this inconsistency not to be mean, but just to say that supporters and advocates of one project or another sometimes can’t see the Forest for the trees (or the Temple in the trees). Sometimes the horrible details outweigh the puppies and babies feel-good rhetoric about saving the planet. Sometimes not.

The Temple might just improve the looks of the tagan tagan bramble thickets up there…and maybe not. Lets see the plan. Then we can approve it or not based on real evidence. Sort of like we should first see the plan for the PEW proposed Northern Islands Monument. Why on earth would we want to approve it first, (or allow the federal government to force approval of it on us) and only then bother to look at the actual plan. Does that sound like putting the cart before the horse? Yes it does. Worse, it sounds like having the cart, horse and all shoved down your throat, then a guy comes along and says, hey, your throat sure looks sore, if you are a good little boy I’ll give you some salt water to gargle. Then it will be all better. Maybe it will be better and maybe it will be a lot worse. Shirley (sorry - groan) we can do better than that. Let’s negotiate the details first, then decide whether to declare a monument and give land and ocean to the US national parks system for all time. It may be a wonderful plan, it may suck.
* * * *
Quotes of the week: Human beings are perhaps never more frightening than when they are convinced beyond doubt that they are right. -Laurens van der Post, explorer and writer (1906-1996)

The sky is not less blue because the blind man does not see it – Danish Proverb.

2008-08-15T06:52:00.002+10:00

Personalities

Wetback labor?
I’ve noticed that Mr. Delano from Camacho, California has found his typewriter while rooting through the attic. It seems we are to be blessed with some of his 14 page diatribes once again during this election season. He seems to appear as if by magic when the charming candidacy signs sprout by the roadside. I’m wondering if it is the campaign fertilizer (BS) that gets him going. I can’t help but be impressed with a guy that doesn’t live here and has no stake in the place caring so much and having so much profound advice to offer. Will he swim over from California to visit us?

Now where is Holani Smith when we need him?
* * * *
Bored with education
Now that Board of Education has unanimously chosen Rita Sablan as the new Commissioner, will Ambrose Bennett, the competing candidate for the spot, sue the Board to keep the entertainment factor going? Ms Sablan has agreed to drop her suit alleging injustice in choosing Mr. Borja as the last leader. That suit has kept headlines going for the last couple of years so it seems the least Mr. Bennett could do to help keep the reading populace amused is to hie on down to the nearest attorney and sue claiming discrimination.

All kidding aside (and I was kidding above) the parents of the CNMI have high hopes and high expectations of competent action from the new Commissioner. School systems throughout America have funding woes. They always have and they always will. Some manage to win through to victory and provide excellent educations to their students even in the face of insufficient funding. Other systems seem content to complain that the money is not enough. It is a key function of leadership in any school system to see that educational opportunities are there for students whether the coffers are full or not. It can be done and it is the responsibility of leadership to see that it is done.

Ms Sablan has opted to come out of retirement and take on a very tough job. While we applaud her spirit and energy, parents will also be watching closely to see the results she brings to the system. Welcome aboard, now get to it please.
* * * *
As the world turns
Tina Sablan has recently accused Cinta Kaipat of being biased against foreign workers and implies she should not hold a position of responsibility at the Department of Labor. Could Cinta turn that around and accuse Tina of being biased toward foreign workers and favoring them over her own local constituents in Precinct 1? Should Tina Sablan be recalled and lose her seat in the House of Representatives? Should Cinta Kaipat be fired from the Department of Labor? If personal bias is bad for the goose is it also bad for the gander?

Both these women feel strongly about particular causes and how the people of the Commonwealth are affected by labor and immigration laws whether enacted from within or imposed from outside. These two former allies now find themselves at loggerheads as they each try to champion a different group of working people. Does it have to boil down to local residents against foreign contract workers with their respective adherents jousting for a win? No it does not. Accommodation is possible. I think they are both seeking justice, not bias.

Many believe that the current Labor law tries to balance the forces of worker abuse with the forces of the workers themselves abusing or ‘playing’ the system. Others think that the law goes too far, or not far enough depending on their viewpoint or their own self-interest. Treading the fine line between maximizing opportunities for citizen employment while providing a foreign workforce large enough to sustain a country’s economy is a task faced by Countries all over the world. The CNMI is not alone in trying to balance the needs and aspirations of these two groups. Across Europe, the Middle East and back in the USA the quest for fairness and firmness goes on. While it may not be possible to make everyone happy it probably is possible to reach reasonable compromises. One thing is for sure. Having people who are here and really care about what is going on make those regulations is a lot better than having some bureaucrat’s assistant from Washington do it without knowing what is really happening here.
* * * *
Judging the traffic
Several folks have offered up their opinions on how traffic fares at controlled intersections when the power is out. Recently a couple of letters complained of unsafe conditions and possible fatal consequences. I find those views to be held by very few individuals I’ve talked to and I would question the driving skills of those complainers.

My own experience is just the opposite. First, traffic seems to flow more smoothly with few or no cars backed up when the power is off and the traffic signals are not functioning. Not only does traffic flow more quickly and smoothly, there seems to be a great deal more consideration shown to other drivers than when the power is on and a machine is controlling traffic as opposed to when human drivers are in charge. Since traffic actually flows better and the situation is safer with the stoplights off I would suggest that we leave them off all the time and save the electricity.

I would recommend taking a driver’s education course for the nervous nellies, the worriers and those not comfortable with their own decision making skills while behind the wheel. If you are not comfortable, you are probably not competent either.
* * * *
14 hour blackouots
Well, it finally happened. On Saturday, August 9th. we had more hours without power than with it in our Village. By our count we had 10 hours of electric power and 14 hours without.

While this may be good for our power bill as it promotes conservation (okay forces conservation) it is doubtful that the benefits outweigh the penalties. Sweating one’s way through another sweltering evening while trying to sleep or having any gainful work be constantly interrupted when the power goes out for the 6th or 7th time makes it seem a doubtful advantage. It sort of reminds me of being drug through a sand burr patch in order to get rid of the weeds by making them stick to your skin and clothes. There are probably more pleasant ways of getting the job done.

Happily, Sunday came and went without a single outage. Someone may have been asleep at the “OFF” switch all day. As I pen this, there have been two more outages causing a couple of expletives to escape my lips and a delay in getting this and other projects done. You? A while back one of the local vocal bloggers posed the question, ‘when will the power go off for 24 hours straight for the first time?’ The answers ranged from immediately to next year sometime while the consensus seemed to think it would occur sometime during 2008. We are not there yet, but we are not far off either. We seem to be on the downhill slide, and gaining speed.I’m glad I have a magnesium fuel cell to generate a little electricity.
* * * *
Quote of the week: Be not too hasty to trust or admire the teachers of morality; they discourse like angels but they live like men. -Samuel Johnson, lexicographer
(1709-1784)

AYE CHE WA WA

2008-08-10T13:20:00.003+10:00

Well, it finally happened. Yesterday, Saturday, August 9th. we had more hours without power than with. By our count we had 10 hours of electric power and 14 without.

A while back Glen D posed the question, when would the power go off for 24 hours straight? We are not there yet, but we are not far off either.

I’m glad I have a magnesium fuel cell to generate a little comfort.

Premature Ejaculation

2008-08-07T11:59:00.005+10:00

The papers are reporting on who the "official Candidates" for Non Voting Delegate are. Polls (you know, the ridiculous, unscientific, internet/blog type polls) are springing up with the list of supposed candidates.

The truth of the matter is that we don’t really know who the certified candidates are until September 20th. The last day for the Election Commission’s “action on nominating petitions and candidacy documents.” Meaning, the last day for the signatures on the nominating petitions to be verified and the last day for the EC to determine that all the other candidacy requirements have been met by the applicants... not to mention making sure that their checks didn't bounce.

September 20th might be a pretty good day to start a results-are-likely-to-be-wishful-thinking-while-preaching-to-the-choir poll found on local blog sites.

Think premature ejaculation.

2008-08-06T08:40:00.003+10:00

Riding up the Hill

Hell’s Coconuts
Motorcycle clubs don’t have the best reputations. What with sex and violence biker movies starting in the fifties and hitting a real stride in the seventies and continuing to today is it any wonder that popular culture sees the Harley rider as an anti social and even criminal element. In these films, and there have been scores of them, nomadic groups of
armed thugs do drugs, commit serious crimes and indulge in wanton revelry at every turn.

There may well be (or once have been) groups that deserved such a reputation but today’s biker, individually or in groups tends to exhibit a quite different persona. At the annual gathering of the Harley tribe in Sturgis, South Dakota you are far more likely to encounter a high dollar lawyer or a successful middle aged businessman robed in that biker jacket than you are to find a wandering misfit with a rap sheet. This year’s rally to celebrate the Harley riding lifestyle is the 68th annual event and will play host to about a half million aficionados (as opposed to desperados).

Part of the reason for the move to ‘upscale’ bikers is cost. These motorcycles don’t come cheap and by the time you have bought one, customized it and outfitted it with the latest geegaws you have ten’s of thousands invested. While 15 thousand might buy you a basic model it takes 10 times that amount, 150 thousand, to ride one of the themed customs that come out of the top design shops around the country. For a hundred miles and more surrounding Sturgis the air resounds with the ring of cash registers working overtime during rally week. Riders spend literally millions on entertainment, lodging, bike stuff and biker stuff. It takes a fair amount of cash to attend the rally and it takes a lot of the green stuff to ride a Harley as a hobby, even if you stay in your own hometown.

Here on Saipan we have a group called the Taga Riders, composed of motorcyclists from an array of different backgrounds. The club is small as biker groups go numbering maybe 20 or so. Don’t expect to see them ravaging a local malt shop, terrorizing the womenfolk or robbing the Bank of Guam, however. These guys and gals will be found gathering toys for an annual toys for tots Christmas event, or securing donations for the needy at the CHC hospital, helping the man’amko or doing lots of other positive community services they volunteer for each year. You will see them riding proudly at the Liberation day parade and you will see them around the island from time to time just riding for fun.

The Taga Riders spend part of their Sundays cruising up the sun dappled shady roads in Marpi or gliding the curves on Isa Drive (cross island road). You can see them stopped to enjoy a cold refreshment at one or more local watering holes on any given Sunday afternoon. You can hear the distinctive sound as their Harleys rumble past your Village on their way to enjoy the day with the wind blowing their hair and the sights, sounds and smells of Saipan Island droning past them.

They say you can always tell a happy Harley rider by the bugs on their teeth. This year from August 4th through the 10th in Sturgis there will be plenty of need for toothpicks if the joyous gatherings of years past are any indication. While our club members here on Saipan won’t have the opportunity to ride to Sturgis (unless they are sporting around on the new submarine version of the Electra Glide) they will be there in spirit, I’m sure.

So smile, honk and wave at the Bikers you see as they burble past your windshield. Even if they are off to work instead of riding for fun, you will probably see a great big smile on their faces as they ride the roads of Saipan Island. There are a couple of places to rent bikes, big and small, in Garapan so that rider you smile and wave at just might be a tourist enjoying our fair island by touring on two wheels. They like to be waved at too, so indulge yourself in a friendly gesture of welcome if you please.
* * * *
A cut above
I see where Washington Rep Pete Tenorio and Senator Louis Crisostimo both turned in their petitions and other paperwork to be certified candidates for the watching-but-unable-to-vote position of Non Voting Delegate to the US Congress last Friday. I also noticed that neither man resigned their current elected office. The ranks of those coveting the $170,000 per year job are swelling and now include the above two plus John Gonzales, Juan Lizama, Chong Won, David Cing, John Davis and Gregorio Sablan. The others who held public office or government jobs have resigned as the law stipulates. Are Messrs Tenorio and Crisostimo above the law or are they reading a different rulebook?

There is still a bit of time before the August 6th deadline for turning the official documents in to the Election Commission office on Capital Hill so don’t be surprised if another candidate or two shows up on the doorstep wanting to get in on the largesse available to congressional delegates. Can we get to 10?
* * * *

Quote of the Week: Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law. -Louis D. Brandeis, lawyer, judge, and writer (1856-1941)

2008-07-30T19:01:00.003+10:00

Renuzit
Capitol Punishment
So there I was, about to get my drivers license renewed in record time, when …you know what happened, don’t you? Sure you do, the power went out. That of course brought the whole process to a grinding halt.

Careful research had indicated the correct day and hour to make that trip to BMV so the line would be at its shortest. With the proffered renewal application firmly in my sweaty grasp I was off walking to the Guma Hustisia building next door to pay my now-doubled fee and to get a traffic clearance from the Department of Justice computer. I walked. I paid. The recipient smiled.

I walked on over to room #1 and lined up to get that computer generated, hand-stamped-with-the-big-official-seal document that proved I had not been caught doing anything wrong while driving. I made it to the front, handed over my receipt and my application with the old license now dutifully stapled to the top. The nice man smiled. He hand entered the info into his computer console and just at the moment when the printer was about to spit out my form……….bzzzzt bzzzzzztt, zap, click,….dark.

A few seconds later the back up generator came on and …. flash, bzzzzt, bzzt, lights on, blink off, flash again, lights on. Funny clackity noises emanated from around the room as fax machines and other electronic gee gaws reset themselves. It’s pretty familiar to all of us now. It usually happens just when the shampoo is running into your eyes, or when the soufflé is just about to reach maximum altitude.

Now comes the fun part. Some 10 to 15 minutes pass while the now punch drunk DoJ computer tries to reboot and bring itself back to full electronic consciousness. In the embarrassing silence I talk to the now not smiling man about the state of the long suffering populace and the much abused computing machines. I ask the obvious question, why should that computer have to reboot….isn’t it hooked to a battery backup and surge protector? Yep, sure is, but the back-up is broken from so many black-outs and no longer functions. I ask the next obvious question the answer to which is that there is no money forthcoming to replace the battery back up boxes. Hmmmm. Let’s see, a computer costs $1500 and a battery box that keeps the computer from melting down costs $100. So the answer is…you guessed it.

Further queries around the Guma reveal that most of the building’s many computers are not properly surge protected. The IT staff wants and asks for the proper machinery, the DoJ working staff wants and needs their computers to function properly so they can help provide judicial services to the people of the Commonwealth. No money arrives, no batteries are bought, the computers and other gear go unprotected until the day arrives when they go up in flames from neglect. Your tax dollars are not at work, they are on vacation.

After a decent mourning period, the machine comes back to life and grinds out the needed form. The friendly but frustrated man stamps it and hands it over. I don’t need the form just yet as the main BMV building has no generator so is in darkness until CUC removes the handcuffs and lets them get back to work. Once their power is back on the friendly, smiling folks at BVM process my papers, snap my photo and produce the brand new license quickly and efficiently. All is well for 3 more years of driving by which time the topic of conversation in the license renewal waiting line will be Article 12 land alienation and why we are still having power outages for the six people left who can afford $20 per KwH electricity.
Wahhhhhhhh
Some observations: First, let me say that while I could certainly use the exercise that short walk provided, it seems a bit counterproductive (as in slide the dollars over the counter) to remove the Cashiers Window from a known revenue generator like the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. It would also make a great deal of sense to have the BMV computer be able to talk to the DoJ computer located right next door since it contains the information they need to renew your license to motor-vate. A simple piece of coaxial cable and voila!

Second, it seems the old adage “penny wise- pound foolish” never got transmitted to the good folks who dole out the ill-gotten government cash to the subsidiary agencies. To withhold a hundred which is almost certain to cost the eventual expenditure of $1500 is not the action of a rational human.

So unsqueeze that purse string Mr. Scrooge and let go a few pennies to buy those battery backups for each necessary government computer. One less round trip first class airfare aught to pay the bill nicely.
* * * *
Performance gap
While we are talking about airfares, let’s call up Philippine Airlines to come and take over that empty office at Saipan International recently vacated by Continental. I’m betting they would be happy to fly some full airplanes back and forth between Manila and Saipan. They might even be persuaded to make hops to Honolulu or Seoul or Hong Kong or Narita or Shanghai or Hagatna or Houston from here too. Maybe PAL could use Francisco Ada Saipan Airport as its US entry port and near Asia hub for flights to and from the US. These callous connies aren’t the only kids on the block.
* * * *
Blue Lagoon?
Has anyone else noticed that in the Outer Cover Marina there are no trash cans? There are plenty of new signs telling you not to litter, but no trash barrels to put the litter in. Maybe the enforcement arm of the US Parks Department got its check from Uncle Sugar before the maintenance department. There are plenty of tourists that use that docking facility and there are plenty of local boaters that use it to accommodate the tourists. All could use a place to toss the day’s trash. Form the signs into a trash bin??
* * * *
Quote of the week: Patience is something you admire in the driver behind you, but not the one ahead. Bill McGlashen

More CUC - but different

2008-07-24T14:07:00.003+10:00

I was reading Boni's blog for the first time in a couple of weeks. She was ranting about CUC. We are all ranting about CUC. A nony in the comments section points out, rightly, that all the griping in the world does nothing...what we need is the money (and I would add, a plan to spend it). Ed jumps in to say even if we had the money, what he calls the OBN would waste it.

Here is my take on it:

Let's use OPM, other people's money.

Why? Because Marching is a waste of time. Suing ourselves is a bigger waste of time, because if we win, we lose since we are the ones who have to pay.

So here is a solution that will actually work: get the activists/advocates/to spearhead a Popular Divestiture Petition that if passed by the 2/3rds majority needed, forces the gov't to divest itself completely of CUC and allow a competent private firm to come in and do what is necessary to get the power on reliably.

Forces, as in an immediate order to sell at whatever (if anything) they can get someone to pay for it. There are small population power producers that specialize in just our dilemma. One or more will want to come into this market and make a buck. If this is backed by a competent PUC to oversee the monopoly and prevent it from abuse, we have our wish come true: we don't have to think about the power any more and we can get on with the important things that need to be done.

The rest of the rant: Why bother to read the published outage schedules? You know there is a 50/50 chance that it will occur on or around the published time anyway. You may bet your bottom...err bottom on the fact that you will also experience one or more other unscheduled outages as well. I agree with Ken, most of expect one of these days the power will blink a few times, switch out and just not come back on for days or weeks. I hope we are in time to do something before that happens.

Popular Petition forcing divestiture. It will work. But only if we force it to happen.

2008-07-24T03:05:00.002+10:00

Roadside Pleas(e)
Thou shalt not give
I see an odd contradiction in the fact that many of the same people ranting indignantly about how unsafe it is for groups to stand by the road to solicit funds for some cause, seem to be perfectly happy with groups of people standing by the road to protest some policy of CUC. Apparently it is only unsafe if the complainers have to shell out a couple of bucks for a cause. Apparently it is only unsafe if the complainers are not the ones standing there beside the road themselves showing their ‘solidarity’ with some other protest group with a sign waving campaign.

It is both common practice and traditional here to use the ‘traffic method’ of fund raising for everything from cancer awareness to baseball clubs. Sometimes roadside fund raisers are trying to generate money for the catastrophic personal illness of a loved one or friend so they can have a chance at life. Sometimes it is students trying to get money for a field trip or for some extracurricular sports activity that PSS has no funds to support.

In those rare cases where there really might be a safety violation, there are plenty of applicable rules on the books that DPS can use to quash unsafe roadside activities. We do not need laws on top of laws to micromanage our lives and the lives of those who simply want to get a message out or to try to raise a buck for a good cause.

Making a law that forbids this practice based on the assumption that “someday” someone may be hurt standing beside the road is an intrusion into the rights of every citizen to gather and state their case. Spending time making laws against this kind of benign behavior is simply a waste of time and effort. There are plenty of important things for our lawmakers to focus on. This is not one of them. This is a prime example of a proposed regulation that inhibits our freedoms while pretending to save us from ourselves. We can take care of ourselves thank you. Parents can decide for their own children whether this is a practice they want them to engage in. We don’t need another law to restrict our choices.

Whatever the reason a group has for roadside fundraising, be it serious or flippant, do they not have the right to ask for your support? You can then decide whether to help their cause or not. Do you need a law that forbids you from donating? I submit that you do not.
* * * *
Party crasher
I dropped by the home of a friend that was doing some work for me to discuss the strategy of repairs. When I drove up there was a gathering of folks sitting around tables under a tent obviously enjoying a party of some sort. In US culture it would be considered rude to invite yourself to a party, so I was about to drive off and come again some other time. Luckily here in the Marianas, close to Asian culture and with centuries of welcoming tradition by the indigenous islanders, I was welcomed; no I was commanded to join in the festivities. This was a birthday party thrown by Filipinos but only the language being spoken and some food variations differentiated it from the many wonderful Chamorro and Carolinian gatherings I’ve been invited to join. The welcome was the same.

I was helped to embarrassing quantities of delicious food and was ‘forced’ (yeah sure) to drink some beer, chat happily and enjoy fellowship with the group, most of whom I had not met before. It was a refreshing and fun experience. One that I have had repeatedly here and one that I hope to repeat many times in the future. What a wonderful experience it is to meet new people and share their ideas. Celebrating life is one of the best things we humans do. It helps to make up for the times when we do harm to each other.

The point is that in the rush to be more American, to assimilate that financially successful culture and make it part of local island life, it is possible to lose some of the core beliefs that make this culture unique. The ‘separate individual’ culture nurtured in the US where people often live for years in an area where they do not know or associate with their neighbors is not something this place should emulate. I am not suggesting a return to full communal life, but I am sounding a warning that taking on the mantle of change offered by those who come here from afar or from those who leave here to be educated elsewhere is not always advisable. That mantle of change can be protective, and it can also be destructive. In the midst of all the technical things that need improvement here resides the reality of a wonderful place to live. I for one am thankful to be here, power outages or not.

When I first came here many years ago I was happily surprised by the welcoming nature of the people’s who call these islands home. I still find myself enthralled by the giving and friendly nature of the Marianas population. Carolinians and Chamorros hosting Filipinos, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thais, and even a few US mainlanders, Russians, Bangladeshis, Europeans and others who all manage to get along pretty well here. Better than most disparate populations get along, that’s for sure. The level of mutual assistance and reciprocal aid is refreshing too.

For all our faults and petty grievances, this is still a great place to be, and a traditional party is a great way to express our joy. Now where did I put that abs toning machine?
* * * *

Post Toasties
Note to Postmaster Medina: I read your letter in the Saipan Tribune. My latest ‘lost’ package arrived. It took a month to get here by Priority Mail, and had been smashed, dashed, crashed and hashed enroute. It had been cut open; I suppose to check on the suitability of children’s clothing and a package of yellow rice being used as fodder for terrorists. Usually when a package goes missing, that puppy is gone forever. This one at least arrived. Thanks for tracking it down...and thanks for reading Sour Grapes.
* * * *
Quote of the week: You only have to bat a thousand on two things; flying and heart transplants. Everything else you can go 4 for five. Beano Cook (1931 - )

B-52 Bomber crashes off Guam

2008-07-21T15:04:00.003+10:00

HONOLULU - The Air Force says a B-52 bomber carrying six crew members has crashed off the island of Guam.
Coast Guard says two people have been recovered from the waters. Their condition was not immediately available.
Rescue crews from the Navy, Coast Guard and local fire department are searching for the others.
Officials say the crashed occurred about 25 miles northwest of Apra Harbor.
The accident is the second for the Air Force this year on Guam.
In February, a B-2 crashed at Andersen Air Force Base in the first-ever crash of a stealth bomber. The military estimated the loss of the aircraft at $1.4 billion.
********** *********
The above is off the AP wire a few minutes ago.

Looks like all the airplane activity around Guahan is causing some pilot rust to show through. Lets hope they find the other crewmembers safe and sound.

2008-07-19T06:42:00.002+10:00

Fishing for Bombs
Let’s eat tomorrow too
Fishing requires only three things: Fish plus the skills and equipment to catch them. Well okay, water is helpful.

Right now we have an abundance of fish around most of the CNMI but we have one place that is losing fish populations on a daily basis. The Saipan Lagoon is over fished and “subsistence” fishermen are killing the resource. Many more fisherman are fishing and most are using modern technology to make their catches, making it easier for them to strip the waters.

Responsible catch limits on numbers and size of fish taken can allow fish stocks to replenish themselves inside the Lagoon so Saipan families can continue to be fed far into the future. That is not happening now. Those who will be leaving may not care.

Hoards of fishermen, hundreds every day, ply the waters of the Lagoon taking every thing that lives. Every fish, no matter how small, every shellfish, every invertebrate, every crustacean; all are taken. When all, including the babies and the breeders are taken and eaten too few survive to breed and sustain the fishery.

Indigenous peoples sustained large populations in these same islands solely by the use of local resources. They did not import food or other commodities. They managed to sustain themselves through internal regulation. Chiefs and elders strictly controlled fish takes. They even had ‘no take’ zones such as we see today. It was forbidden to fish in some zones altogether and others were regulated by fishing only at certain times or seasons. All zones were restricted to members of certain groups. Others fished there literally on peril of their lives. In short, they made fishing rules and enforced them stringently. That indigenous system is no longer in place and needs to be replaced with another.

The fishing license proposed by some is a start. Then we know who is fishing. It would also give any new size/take regulations some enforceable teeth. No License, no fishing. Regulation offenders could be barred from the waters for a time or have other punishments (short of death) meted upon them.

As times get tougher many, local citizens and foreign nationals alike, are turning to the Lagoon to provide extra food for the table. The problem is too many are taking too much for the fish to survive. We must remember that the Lagoon acts like a nursery for fish and other aquatic life of all kinds. Sea life outside the Lagoon abounds and thrives but close in fish populations will crash if over fishing continues. The Lagoon will die, not 50 years from now, but soon if unregulated, ‘scorched earth’, take everything fishing is allowed to continue. Already, the catch is fewer and fewer…smaller and smaller.
* * * *
Attention CUC Protesters
Standing around with a protest sign will not get your power turned back on or fix the generators or make the cost of fuel go back down. At best it is an exercise in futility, at worst it is a waste of your time and money.

Here is a suggestion. Here is something you can do right now, today, that will actually have an effect. Take your business elsewhere. It’s that simple, just unhook yourself from the CUC grid and do without that electricity. Build yourself a small fire in the back yard to do your cooking on, or buy a gas stove.

Get a generator, buy a flashlight and a big box of candles. Use them daily. Put a catchment tank on the roof and use gravity to feed water into your house. Then there is no need to support CUC by buying water from them either. Now you are really doing something that counts. Now you have some punch behind your protest. Get your friends to join you.

We electric users are all aggravated by the continuing outages and ultra high bills, but protesting just doesn’t feed the bulldog. Standing at the side of the road will net you a soggy sign if it rains, and not much of anything else. This may be the reason so few of you showed up.
* * * *
Another Suggestion
Advocates, protestors, carpenters, kings and just about everyone in the Commonwealth has an interest in power production, its reliability and its costs today. The newly formed Public Utilities Commission met this weekend to discuss just what to do about the problem. Want to guess how many interested advocates and revolutionaries cared to show up? None. Thanks Ken.

Electricity users, if you really want to be part of the solution instead of just another voice in the kilowatt wilderness, make it a point to attend the PUC meetings, the CUC board meetings, the public addresses by CUC and the Legislative committee and other meetings where allowed. Find out what is being done. Make a reasonable suggestion if you have one and have the opportunity to speak. You might just make a difference that way.
* * * *
Since I seem to be harping on electric power again, it seems only right that I point out we had our first outage in over a week on Sunday. It was of mercifully short duration. Thanks CUC, something went right seven days in a row. I’m grinning.
* * * *
Effete war mongering
An article in the Wash Post last week was headlined “Pentagon to opt for less deadly bombs”. That caught my attention. The upshot of the unsigned Associated Press article was that Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. thinks our bombs work too well, but not always. This sounds like your tax dollars at work all right. Hey instead of those dastardly cluster bombs that go around killing people, maybe they could start using cardboard boxes filled with Styrofoam ‘shrapnel’? To really teach those military foes a lesson we could print “BOOM” on the side of the box. That would show ‘em who’s who. I’m not sure if that bit of nastiness would pass muster with the Geneva Convention folks though.

Speaking of Geneva, several of our NATO allies also call for the US to stop making these deadly explosives. Are these the same Europeans who were quite happy to have dear old Uncle Sam come over and slap that nasty Mr. Hitler around a few years back? Why yes, I believe they are. Now they would prefer us to smack ‘em around with powder puffs and silk blouses.
* * * *
Quote of the week: A critic is a gong at a railroad crossing clanging loudly and vainly as the train goes by. Christopher Morely (1890 – 1957)

Justice is Expensive

2008-07-11T13:45:00.004+10:00

I spent the morning on Capital Hill in the House Chambers inhaling the Chief Justice's State of the Judiciary speech.

In a nutshell, as you might guess, the majority of the time was spent in pursuits other than speechifying. A 2 hour time block netted a speech lasting about 45 minutes in which a direct message of perhaps 5 minutes was given inside of which there were nearly 45 seconds of actual hard data delivered.

Here is the crux of the biscuit: Times are tough, the judiciary is important, we work hard, please don't interfere with us, please don't cut our pay or our budget. We'll give up 10% without a fight. Applause, cookies & water.

Such is the state of formalized grade-card announcements. Demapan gave as good an address as you normally find under such circumstances and better than a lot I’ve heard.

I enjoyed talking with everyone afterward.

2008-07-08T16:19:00.002+10:00

Package Deal
Snail Mail
Something happens to mail on Saipan. Much of the time it works well, considering we all live thousands of miles from the nearest sizable hub and even more thousands away from the US mainland, our mail manages to get here most of the time. True, a Priority Mail envelope takes a week or 10 days or two weeks to get here, but it does get here, most of the time. But not all the time.

Everyone I have talked to about the ‘disappearing’ mail seems to have experienced it. In casual conversation it has come up many times. That tells me it is a significant percentage of loss, one worth talking about. After you read this, start asking around. I’m betting you will find most everyone you talk to about it has either sent mail that did not arrive or has waited to receive mail that never got here, multiple times.

I have noticed that a package sent from the States to be received here has a much greater chance of being ‘lost’ that one being sent the other way. I’m not sure why that would be, but it is noteworthy. I have noticed that a package sent “insured” for any amount has a far greater chance of being received than one that is not. Insurance provides not just a financial buffer against possible loss but also a mechanism for tracking. Perhaps the tracking capability is what causes the successful delivery ratio to rise.

Missing mail is not just an inconvenience; it is a crime…and a Federal crime at that. Mail that goes missing is almost unheard of in the US, maybe that is because the penalties for stealing it are so severe. A recent case in North Carolina turned out to be an inside job where a USPS employee was stealing mail that looked like greeting cards. She would keep any cash, then destroy all the checks and the cards themselves. She kept quiet about it but still got caught because of internal security systems in place. Those systems don’t seem to be working too well on the route that gets mail out here.

The above is a rare event Stateside, an inside job doesn’t happen all that often. Mail is sometimes stolen from corner pick up boxes (which we don’t have here) or from exposed multiple outside mail delivery boxes near apartments or office buildings (which we also don’t have). Those mail thieves are usually caught and do severe prison time. We had a case a while back where someone broke in and stole mail from the Capital Hill post office branch and was caught fairly quickly.

I think it is more than distance, more than coincidence, more than a logistically complex path of mail delivery. I think there is a security breech somewhere up the line and that someone inside USPS internal affairs needs to take a hard look and find the cause of Saipan’s “Missing Mail”. Since it travels via commercial air carrier, maybe that is the source of the leaking mailbags.

Missing or not, we should count our blessings about having access to one of the best, most efficient and even with all the increases, one of the cheapest forms of mail and package delivery on the planet. It is a pretty darned good deal to send a letter from here to Omaha or Boston, for the same price it takes to send it to Chalan Kanoa or Guam. I would just like it to arrive more often.
* * * *
Own-lee fie dolla
I see in the news where ex attorney general Pam Brown is ringing in with her negative opinion about whether or not our government should sue the US government to get the Federal Court’s opinion about the legality of interference with our local labor laws.

Is this the same Pam Brown who has remained conspicuously absent from public scrutiny since her foray into paid ‘philanthropy’ a couple of years back? Pam’s ‘last great hurrah’ as attorney general was a regulation change snuck into the Commonwealth Register public record under a phony cover name so it would hopefully not be discovered.

Her scheme to kidnap Vietnamese hookers, bring them to Saipan and 'rehabilitate' them for fun and profit was a low point in CNMI history and rightfully drew mass public criticism when Ruth Tighe (perhaps the only person who actually reads the Register) exposed the sordid affair. Ms. Brown didn't even show up at the 'hookers for hire' public meeting, she was so embarrassed at being caught.

Right…her’s is an opinion I sure want to give a lot of credence to. Not.
* * * *
Ace of Spades
On a more important note, the legal question posed above is an interesting one. It is a question I would like to see answered, and one that many other residents and business owners and a good number of attorney’s and scholars in the CNMI would like to have answered. Does the US Constitution trump the CNMI Covenant when the only reason the US Constitution has any sway here at all is through the enabling provisions inside the Covenant itself?

The answer to the question may well determine the fate of ‘local self government’ as promised in the Covenant and as promised to the people who voted to accept the help and assistance of the US as they transitioned from a public ward to a free people. A promise was made to the world. Will it be kept?
* * * *
Quote of the week: The right of voting for representatives is the primary right by which all other rights are protected. To take away this right is to reduce a man to slavery, for slavery consists in being subject to the will of another, and he that has not a vote in the election of representatives is in this case. Thomas Paine, patriot and philosopher (1737 – 1809)
Put another way: He who’s representative does not have a vote, has no representative. That person and that nation of persons without representation are slaves and colonists, not free men. Bruce A. Bateman, pundit and curmudgeon. (1918 - )

Bon Voyage Turbitt Family

2008-07-03T09:08:00.008+10:00

Another positive asset has flown the CNMI coup. Irascible Jeff Turbitt, writer, teacher, diver, ex-bon vivant – now family man, has packed up his family and moved to the desert southwest. Phoenix will be richer; Saipan will be poorer for his move.

He follows scores, nay hundreds of others who have left and precedes hundreds, maybe thousands more who will follow him on the exodus out of Saipan.

Jeff and I seldom agreed on things political or philosophical but managed to become good friends and scuba diving buddies none the less.

Jeff fell in love on Saipan and married Cynthia, a charming girl and inherited a 2 child instant family and recently added Baby Ashley to his tribe. So he came as a bachelor and returns to the States as a family of 5.

Bon Voyage Jeff and Family. May you find green pastures and blue skies.

2008-07-03T07:45:00.007+10:00

A-Ten-Hut
Butt out
First, I will tell you that I don’t smoke. No one in my family smokes. I don’t plan on taking it up. Next, I will tell you that trying to legislate the personal choice of whether to take the risks involved in smoking is futile and it is intrusive and it won’t curb smoking, it will only curb business and piss people off. Making laws that tell people what they can inhale and what they can’t, when or where they can inhale it and in whose presence they may inhale it is a window dressing law made to try and garner a few votes from the virulent non-smoking set. They forget it will lose as many or more votes from those who do smoke.

If questionable science attributing all kinds of terrible things to second hand smoke can be used to force otherwise law abiding citizens to not light up, then I wonder just what else is on the horizon. Will the crazed nanny government ban mayonnaise? Why not? That level of fat has been shown to be bad for your health. What about those french fries and the great burgers found here? They could be a contributor to diabetes, so will they be banned? What about the foods found at just about every local barbecue? Will parties and Rosaries be legislated out of existence because they are ‘bad’ for us according to the legislature?

What about other harmful practices? People die every day from drowning, so should they make laws forbidding you to enter the water? Why not? Driving kills plenty of people. Will they have us all walking so as to protect us from ourselves? People fall and hurt themselves and others, should our lawmakers draft legislation banning all ladders? Stairs? Elevators? Trees? You get the point. Attempting to legislate your complete safety is impossible and directly inhibits your constitutional right to pursue happiness as you see it.

So if you don’t like second hand smoke, vote with your feet. Vote with your wallet by not patronizing those places which allow people to smoke or not as they choose. If you prefer a place which forbids smoking, then by all means go there. If you prefer a place that let’s you choose, then give them your business. But do not expect the legislature to turn those business owners and other customers into slaves to your particular desires. This is a question that should be answered by business owners and by customers, not by bureaucrats, proselytizers and lawmakers.
* * * *
Washington Speaks
In an informal interview our Washington Representative, Pete A. Tenorio, said that the current attempt to designate a no-take monument in the CNMI’s northernmost three islands will die, as it requires the actual support of the local community and its government, which it does not have.

Relating what the White House Director of Ocean and Coastal Policy, Dr. Gerhard Kuska, told him, Pete A. claims neither the President nor his administrative folks have received the CNMI Legislative Resolution about not wanting the monument designated without prior locally approved negotiation. He claims further that no one in DC has received the letter penned by Governor Fitial flatly refusing the ‘offer’ proffered by PEW and it’s local champions. This is surprising news. The dog ate it?

Mr Kuska advises both the Legislature and the Governor to resubmit their responses to President Bush via fax, email or through his (Pete A.’s) office to make sure they are received this time. Once the ‘no thanks’ letter and the legislative resolution are received, the motion to designate a monument in the CNMI will ‘die immediately’ says Mr. Tenorio.

Pete A. goes on to say “To me, there is no doubt that the White House will not move on the matter unless and until our government requests for such exchange.” So it appears that a formal request would need to be given. Since that is not likely to happen, perhaps the PEW induced mini frenzy and the surrounding controversy will sink, for good or for ill, peacefully into the western sunset. Or not, depending on how much cash PEW is willing to throw at it.
* * * *
Sergeant CUC?
While chatting about a variety of topics with friends at lunch the other day an interesting idea came up. Why not ask the US Military to assist us in our hour of need, electrically speaking. The idea is not as far fetched as it sounds. If the US, so eager to take over immigration and labor to our economy's detriment, would help us as they help other places around the globe, we might have our answer to reliable electric power until a new power plant can be built.*

The military owns barges with complete “plug in” powerhouses capable of supplying all the electricity we need here on Saipan. They offer aid to other places with disasters and power outage emergencies, why not us? If our citizens can be cannon fodder for US wars, if aid can be sent to completely foreign countries in need then why would they not directly help a Commonwealth/colony that is politically aligned with them?

If we ask, they might just be willing to help out. Hey There! Mr. General Sir, Mr. Admiral Sir, send us a barge or two, please. We’ll have the hook up ready by the time you get here. We only need about 50 megawatts to get us by. For less than the cost of a single tank or plane you can gain the gratitude of over 50 thousand people. Besides, it would be a good place to open a recruiting office.

* For a discussion of IPPs and possible new power plants see Dr. Arkle’s excellent overview letter at http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=81266&cat=15 in which he describes several alternatives.
* * * *
Quote of the week: Of all tyrannies a tyranny exercised for the good of its victim may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated, but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. - C.S. Lewis. (1898 – 1963)

2008-06-26T18:07:00.002+10:00

The CUC Blues
Creative power outages
Part of our disaffection with CUC in recent months is a simple lack of communication. Ever since Pam Mathis left we have been experiencing dismal and unimaginative reporting of errors, gaffs, natural causes and bugaboos that are associated with our frequent power outages. What we need is a new Public Information Officer over at CUC.

Now if I had that job you would read something like this in your morning paper: ALIENS LAND, sap power from feeder 7. Ufologists have gathered to touch the saucer shaped object in awe saying “See, We’ve been saying it for years!!” Power is expected to resume in the Marpi, San Roque and Tanapag areas as soon as repairs are made to the zirconian crystals aboard the craft. Captain Ffleebwoofzip, from Altair 4, apologized and said it was simply ‘common sense’ that we should allow him to use a little of our power to jump start the craft and get his spaceship going again. -- Now that kind of story would make us all feel better about the rotting meat in our powerless refrigerators.

The next day we could have something like this: TORNADO downs power lines in Chalan Kanoa – flying debris from Lil Knucklehead’s trailer house seen careening into Hopwood Junior High injuring several students and shutting down power in the southern part of the island when portions of his bowling ball and used condom collection crashed into local power transformers. Power will be coming back on in a day or two as cleanup of drivel and slime from the demolished trailer continues day and night. -- See, that beats the heck out of: “Engine #4’s radiator caused overheating and had to be repaired for the 29th time this week.”

Your aircon may still have melted down during the 12th outage of the day and your fax machine may still be smoking from the last power surge but by golly you wouldn’t you feel a lot better about it if the excuse had a little zip to it? Sure you would. So please CUC, get someone to fill that PIO spot, and make sure they use a little imagination in those press releases. I can be reached at 670-28-Crank. I’ll be glad to help.
* * * *
Try not to help so much
Let’s hope that Rep.Tina Sablan’s latest endeavor at public activism turns out better than her last one. Last time between petitions and law suits she and Cinta managed to force gerrymandering of voting districts to make government smaller, but forgot to do her homework. The result? Bigger government instead of smaller. Now, thanks to her direct intervention we have 20 congressional representatives for a diminishing population, instead of the 18 we had before she “helped” us. The cost to taxpayers is nearly a half Million a year in extra payments to supernumerary lawmakers, not to mention the redistricting costs and the added election costs incurred. On the other hand, she ran and got one of those extra congressional seats herself, so I guess all was not lost, at least from her standpoint.

Now she wants to “improve CUC” using a similar tactic. I’m not sure we can afford to have her help us anymore than she already has. This time she may be costing us millions and her interference may cause just the opposite of what she intends, again. Can you imagine the power outages getting more frequent and the costs escalating even more as a result of this round of meddling? Well can you imagine those extra two lawmakers sitting up there pontificating right now at your expense? They are.

A recent anti CUC rally held at the Multipurpose Center to gain support for Sablan’s demands is a case in point. While their 5 “demands” seem mostly reasonable except for an over reliance on the legislature, their methods to force the action they seek sound expensive and counterproductive. Notice also that a freshman member of congress wants congress to oversee CUC. Is this the same congress that has passed innumerable pieces of legislation “fixing’ CUC over the years? Now we are led to believe that it will all be better because a freshman congressperson with 6 whole months of experience will be writing the bill? Ridiculous.

The five “demands” (think Moses and stone tablets –1 broken): 1. That a competent, certified utility management specialist should be hired to run CUC. Spot on. The sooner we do it the sooner the pain will stop. 2. That legislative ‘oversight’ is necessary to make CUC successful and responsive. Ridiculous. The legislature has passed, unpassed, repealed, re- repealed and repassed uncountable bills about CUC for years. Results…nothing. 3. Privatization. Great idea. Been around for 2 decades. Simple to accomplish, if we keep the politicians out of the equation…all of them. Just put out a totally open bid request for someone to buy CUC outright. Then rely on a competent PUC to oversee and do watchdog duty over the successful bidder/buyer/owner/operator. 4. An Energy Summit where government types will decide what is best for us ornery citizens and make 200 page rule books explaining it to us. Probable farce. Possible incubator of some great new ideas. 5. Correct our water problems – easy, spend the effort on getting the power on 24/7 so the water pumps can operate full time, then put Diego Benevente back on the job as our Water Task Force guy. We seemed to be making progress during that period. Focus on the electric power first, then bring all the guns to bear on the water problem, not before.
* * * *
Can we make it worse? Yes.
Of the methods suggested at a recent rally to attempt to force positive action on CUC the organizers, Cristina Sablan and Ed Probst, suggest a class action law suit and/or mass billing disputes as a way to ‘get the attention’ of the folks at CUC. Either or both will use personnel resources and cost CUC a lot of money. Lawsuits cost a lot of money, time and aggravation. Who do you suppose will pay for it? You will pay for it. Yes you will pay for those extra expenses as part of your power bill. Even if an award is won, someone has to pay that award. They will either tax you to get it or they will increase your power bill to get it. You will pay, not CUC, not the government, You will pay.

As for mass disputes where people frivolously refuse to pay their bills and cause CUC not to collect enough to pay for the fuel, who do you suppose will have to pay for that? Right again. You will pay, of course. This is 60’s flower power activism at its’ worst masquerading as sound policy. Hogwash. You will pay, and pay dearly for the feel-good BS spread by these 200 interlopers refusing to pay their bills. You will pay for their bill and yours too. Ready to cheer them on? Break out your wallet.

Their third method, a favorite of theirs a ala last December’s futility march, is a demonstration at capitol hill to expose the electric users, the legislature and the Administration to the idea that there is a problem with CUC that needs correcting. No kidding. Do they think that no one has noticed there is a problem? How quaint. How ridiculous. At least it will not cost us electric users anything more for them to pat themselves on the back as ‘public advocates’ and pretend to make a problem, already widely known, known. March away. March happily. Lets hope is does more good than the last debacle where we found those who will be thrown out of work and sent home by the Feds, marching to get them to do it. There is certainly nothing wrong with Departmental accountability and transparency (the favorite buzzword this season) but marching does not get you there. Plenty talk. Plenty self aggrandizement.
* * * *
Quote of the week: Did you ever see an unhappy horse? Did you ever see a bird that had the blues? One reason why birds and horses are not unhappy is because they are not trying to impress other birds and horses. Dale Carnegie (1888 – 1955)

Mobama

2008-06-22T12:03:00.003+10:00

Obama, who has been running strong, may have hit a major snag in his campaign this week. Al Gore, inventor of the internet, regional high priest in the church of global warming, and perpetual loser/second banana has come on board to endorse Obama and vows to ‘help him’ get elected. Obama should run – not walk – to the nearest exit before the ooze rubs off on him.
* * * *

2008-06-17T09:22:00.002+10:00

Fly Me to Goat Island
East China Air?
Saipan to Manila direct flights have been cancelled by our friends at Continental. Citing a diminishing NCLEX clientele they have decided to abandon a route that typically flies fully loaded. CPA and the Fitial Administration should actively seek a replacement airline. Perhaps Philippine Airlines or some other carrier would want to pick up the twice weekly non stops between capitals.

While the flights are infrequent, there remains a constant market for workers plying back and forth and the occasional tourist wishing to make the trip. It seems prudent to go out and actively solicit a replacement by letting several alternative airlines know that the route is available and offer them an attractive deal and a chance to make some money.
* * * *
Weeding the racetrack
Patrick Calvo announced his candidacy for the position of delegate to the US congress last Tuesday. By Friday he was being accused of a new rehash of some old long since dismissed charges from a decade ago. Call me cynical if you wish but the timing on these new charges seems a bit more than coincidental. Sounds like someone may have called in a favor to try and reduce that field of candidates by one more. A little smearing goes along way during a campaign.

Thursday evening also saw the Republican Party tap Pete A. as the horse to back in the coming race after two other candidates voluntarily stepped aside allowing him to run unopposed by any other sponsored Republican. It also saved the Party the cost and aggravation of a primary election. Both candidates, Ray Yumul and Vince Torres, had meetings with Pete A. prior to backing down. I would have liked to be a fly on the wall during those meetings. Rep Yumul cited the possibility he will be called back to active military duty. If so will he stay on the Legislative payroll again this time?

There are still plenty of ponies in the first-ever running of the CNMI Delegate Derby and plenty of time to get those bets down.
* * * *
Smooth
It is nice to see Tinian getting some infrastructure improvements. The paving of ‘Route 202’, a two lane road from Broadway down to the port, is finally underway after several delays. Many of the roads on Tinian are potholed and in need of repair. Problem is, at 2 Million dollars a mile, not many of them will be getting much attention. Yep, that is how much this project is costing. Divided island, limited access freeways built to Interstate Highway standards cost less to construct than this little 2 lane side street.

With so many roads and sidewalks needing work there is seems a shame to spend so much and get so little. I’m sure that road, less than a mile long, will be a real beauty. At that price it aught to be. For that kind of cash they could have repaved every road in San Jose. Every one in town, except the tire dealer, would probably like to see that happen. Maybe the Governor’s CIP task force, given credit for getting the current project underway, will again hit Federal Highway Administration paydirt but spread it around to many smaller projects next time.

Hey, I’ve got a friend who lives out in the Marpo Valley who needs a high ground clearance HumVee and a tow truck just to get home the road is so bad. Several of Tinian’s tourist attractions have access via roads that might be better called an obstacle course than a highway. So there is lots to do and the long suffering folks over in Tinian deserve to get some of the federal loot buttering their bread. Just spread that butter and jam a little further next time, please.
* * * *
Gambling Festival
This year the AGs office sort of took the Constitution seriously and banned some forms gambling at the Liberation Festival at Fishing Base. You can still play “Instant Massive Bingo” so I guess that must not be gambling. Let’s see, in Blackjack you place your bet, you win or you lose money. But in Bingo, you place your bet and you win or lose money. See the difference?

At other venues for other causes, gambling is okay. Depends on what color your collar is or whether you are wearing a tie I guess. Being an AG is hard. So many definitions to choose from.

Last year the last minute rule change tricks played on the booth operators caused many of them not to return this year. Last year promises were made and rules involving sales of alcoholic beverages were outlined during several pre festival meetings at the mayor’s office. Then on the day the Festival opened, they changed the rules drastically causing many booth operators to lose money during the event. Several considered suing. Wonder why there are fewer booth operators this year? A little grape just told you.
* * * *
Nude Goats
Last week’s column on nudity caused one reader to write me and suggest that nude tourism could be a big seller. It got me thinking about the fact that we need a new tourist draw in the worst way. Casino gambling, the fastest way to stimulate tourism, went down to a 5 to 3 defeat from the Puritan Purist vote back in ‘06. Maybe this nude suggestion, if properly hidden and isolated would gain the approval of those folks. On the other hand, nothing in the Constitution bars baring ones buns so we wouldn’t have to take this to the voters. All we need is a place and an investor.

We could designate a nude only beach site and have the unclad from all over the globe come here to disrobe and get a bit closer to nature. Goat Island would be the perfect venue for this ‘back to basics’ kind of eco-tourism. “Let the bees see your knees” could be the new Goat Island motto. Signs warning the tourists to “Bend over Carefully” and “Caution Goat Crossing” could be placed around the island to promote safe nudity. Sunscreen vendors would come flocking. The prospects for jocularity are endless.
* * * *
Quote of the week: I believe I found the missing link between animal and civilized man. It is us. -Konrad Lorenz, ethnologist, Nobel laureate (1903-1989)

2008-06-12T15:36:00.001+10:00

Backside candidacy
Who’s on first?
To dispel some rumors about who is and who is not running for the soon to be hotly contested and unquestionably too highly paid Non Voting Delegate seat here is the list.

As of last week there were 10 people who had picked up a candidates validation packet at the Election Commission Office. This is the necessary first step to tossing one’s hat in the ring. Here they are:

Greg Sablan
Ray Yumal
Pete Tenorio
John Gonzalez
Juan Lizama
David Attao
Luis Chrisostimo
Paul Wm. Camacho
Me
Juan Guerrero

I think there will be plenty more where those came from.

We won’t know until deadline day, August 6th, who has actually turned in their paperwork and voter petitions and will even be trying for validation. We won’t know who has actually succeeded in being placed on the ballot until September 20th, which is the final day for the Election Commission to act on and validate nominating petitions and candidacy documents.
* * * *
Draft David M. Sablan
Noted author and economist, William Stewart, has proposed David M. Sablan as the best candidate for the new post of Non Voting Delegate to the US Congress. Uncle Dave has a track record consisting of a highly successful business career coupled with 40 years of meaningful community service, and is one of the CNMI’s brightest and most talented people. He has the moxie to recognize the crooks in DC and not be steam rollered by the politically powerful as would most of the other candidates currently interested in the job. So I tend to agree with Bill Stewart, Mr. Sablan would be the best man for the post.

Problem is: why would he run? A successful election would probably result in a pay cut for him. His various business interests here would suffer in his absence. He is smart enough to see the futility in a lackey’s 2nd banana position as a delegate without a vote. Where he now enjoys almost universal popularity, as a politician he would of necessity make a lot of enemies no matter what his actions were. For these reasons and many others, I don’t think we could talk him into running. We could draft him, but he would probably be smart enough to head for Canada.
* * * *
Pete Z
Pete A. Tenorio should change his middle initial to Z for Zorrie. As the flip-flop king, he should take on the correct identifying moniker. When elected he stood for CNMI self governance and used to play golf with the pro Commonwealth labor lobbyist, now not his friend anymore-so there, Jack Abramoff. When the political guard changed a while back he dumped all the above and jumped on the pro federalist bandwagon. His price? A non-voting delegate seat outside in the hallway next to the bathroom of the US Lower Congressional House is all it took. He didn’t have the skills to get the seat on its, or his, own merits so he sold himself, his country and his constituents for it.

Now he wants to run for the office he sold us out to get. What ideology do you suppose he will switch to if we are foolish enough to elect him to not-vote for us in DC?
* * * *
Yearning to be free
Certain freedoms are allowed children that just aren’t available to the adult population. My son aged three likes to run outside sans clothing and sometimes cannot be persuaded to see the ‘civilizing influence’ that wearing pants, as an example, confers upon him. Why Dad?

I’m not sure where he acquired the phrase ‘naked butt butt” but acquire it he has. It aptly describes his favorite mode of dress. He has no time for embarrassment. He has no patience with convention. He has a direct and obvious self-interest position: it’s cool and comfortable. Nothing needs to match anything else color wise. No pants leg to tangle in the bicycle chain. No fear of parental retribution if the shirt gets snagged on an inconveniently placed tree limb and rips.

I am a bit surprised that Mom’s don’t climb on this naked butt butt bandwagon. Think of the hours of laundry it would save if all the children just un-dressed for success. You don’t need to iron an arm or a stomach. Collectively, jillions of hours could be saved just on getting kids dressed and off to school each day. There are other obvious advantages.

What brings this line of rumination up is power outages. Never-ending, inconvenient, uncomfortable and untimely CUC induced power outages. It came to me in a flash the other evening as I tried to sleep in my 150° F oven-like concrete house during the 14th power outage of the day. I could get up and go sit on the porch and enjoy the cooling breeze, butt butt just think how much more comfortable it would be sitting out there with all those skin pores exposed. Nature set us up with a natural evaporative cooling system which we inhibit by wearing clothes. We sweat; the moving air evaporates the moisture and cools us down. But when we wear clothing, we sweat; the cloths become soaked and we swelter.

While a three year old can enjoy the freedom and comfort that nudity confers, we adults would only run afoul of a puritanical, European based legal system that prohibits allowing nature’s cooling system to function unfettered by clothes. No shoes, no shirt, no service. No pants, no serape and it’s off to jail for ‘indecent exposure’. Just which part is the indecent part? Before the Spanish came along and conquered this place with canons and muskets 400 odd years ago, there weren’t any indecent parts. That traditional system of un-dress makes perfect sense when your body is located 15 degrees above the equator and temp/humidity heat index makes it feel like it’s a hundred ten degrees outside instead of only 85. While reading to my three year old from the excellent CNMI textbook “History of the Northern Mariana Islands” by Don Ferrell, we learned about the smart indigenous solution to hot, humid, tropical weather…nudity. See, Dad?

There may be one saving grace in sending us off to jail if we adults are caught without all the politically correct items of clothing: it’s cool inside there. As a local assistant attorney general has pointed out, we would not want to inconvenience our prisoners so they have a taxpayer paid generator to keep that A/C humming and those TV’s a clamoring when CUC flubs the power yet again. It’s the least we can do for thieves, child molesters, murderers and …nudists.
* * * *
Quote of the week: No drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power. -P.J. O'Rourke, writer (1947-)

Sour Grapes for Tuesday, June 3rd., 2008

2008-06-04T13:45:00.003+10:00

Planetary maps
Mars
In perhaps the most important piece of news in a long time the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena has successfully landed a remotely controlled robotic explorer on the surface of our near orbit neighbor, Mars. For the first time in over 30 years we have achieved a soft landing like the one future astronauts will need to use when arriving to explore the surface of the red planet in person.

Maybe they will find useful minerals; maybe they will find it possible to terraform part of the planet for human use. They might find it basically unsuitable and then the focus should be on another planetary candidate or a moon to explore. Right now, though Mars seems to be the best candidate.

Like other advocates I dream about what the space program could have done with the hundreds of Billions we have spent on Middle East and other wars. Socialists think of the welfare checks it would have bought. Ranchers think it could have put a buffalo in every pot. Too late for all of that, the moolah has long been spent and at least we got some interesting new technologies for our money. What we can do is allocate more funds in the future and make space exploration a higher priority than we have. To do so a worthy and singular goal is needed. Finding a new place to go and inventing a way to get there is such a goal.

Finding new planets to colonize and/or mine for resources should be a high priority for a species which appears likely to breed itself into abject poverty or even extinction on this mud ball we call Earth. There are only three cures for overpopulation: Reduce the birth rate, increase the death rate or find a new place to live. All but China seems willing, even eager, to continue the population explosion, so reducing birth rate is not likely. Famine, war, disease, and euthanasia are about the only real population reducers…none are too popular. That leaves us with sooner or later finding a new place to live. The faster the species breeds the sooner it will need that liebestram, that new place to park the extra human population. If we don’t find a suitable planet or moon to move some of the excess people to, we will have to resort to one of the extremely unpleasant alternatives listed above.

Conservatives, which is what environmentalists really are, seek to save or conserve as much of the natural wealth of the planet as they can. That strategy simply cannot keep up with the ever increasing birth rate. Rapid technical advancements have helped improve farming, ranching and fishing efficiency but all have limits. The sad truth is that humans can reproduce faster than their own food supply.

We humans are a long way from reaching the goal of finding and learning to colonize other planets and it seems likely that famine or some other unsavory force will beat us to the punch and kill off a large segment of the population first. But we can try; and space seems like the place to find more resources and maybe even a new place to live.
* * * *
Redraw the PEW map
One of the sticking points of the proposed PEW monument seems to be that PEW came along and drew an arbitrary blob on a map without consulting anyone locally whether that was an appropriate area for conservation or not. Further, the PEW proposed boundaries cover 3 islands belonging to the NMI but bills itself frequently as the ‘Marianas Trench Monument’ yet the monument they envision only includes a tiny fraction of the Marianas Trench.

Maybe if PEW backed off it’s somewhat ham handed initial approach and asked for local cooperation in redrawing the boundaries of a proposed monument, all parties could be assuaged and an agreement could be reached.

Here is my idea for a possible alternative to discuss with NMI stakeholders when redrawing the boundaries. If we redraw the borders of the proposed park to include a swath of ocean that narrowly bounds the actual Marianas Trench much like the boundaries of the oft compared Grand Canyon Park do, it would not involve taking any land from the CNMI.

The deep parts of the trench (The Challenger Deep) are not near the NMI’s northern islands anyway but lie well south of Guam. A park might start at the extreme northern limit of US/CNMI controlled waters directly above the Trench. The park could be a narrow10 or 20 mile wide J shaped strip that runs north and south out in the ocean on the east side of the CNMI well offshore, that then curves back west below Guam and extends to the end of the US jurisdiction. There is not likely to be interference with fishing in that deep water and there is not likely to be any mineral extraction even possible in those ultra deep waters so potential conflict with commercial uses is avoided.

There is no need whatsoever for the park to encompass any of the CNMI islands if it is to be a ”Marianas Trench Monument”. Stick it out in the ocean where the Marianas Trench actually is. Sounds like a great idea but notice that I too did not consult the real stakeholders, I just made up something that sounded reasonable. The above is just one possibility.

Don’t like that one? Here is another possibility. Make that monument a no take zone within 50 feet of that big red Hawaiian mango tree in my backyard. Only 3 mango jam specialists and myself are to be allowed in there to munch those juicy mangos. Damit we owe it to our posterity to ensure those mangos will be there in a thousand years. See that sounds reasonable. What would not sound reasonable is if I designated the mango tree in my neighbors yard then told him he couldn’t get those mangos anymore, only I and a few select mango specialists could access the now “saved” mango tree area in his backyard. I might be happy, but the neighbor probably would not. If the neighbor and I both sat down and jointly decided which mango tree to save, if any, the controversy would probably end. Either way, I like my neighbor and I like those mangos too.
* * * *
I will resign
Just in case you were wondering. Yep, I’m willing to resign from whatever it is I should resign from in order to run for the Non-Voting Delegate slot. It’s a bit easier for me since I don’t have a government job to begin with nor am I an elected official. But hey, I’ll resign from something if necessary.

It seems that some potential candidates would rather not resign from their current government jobs as the Constitution dictates before declaring themselves a candidate for the NVD job. Others, with just as much to lose have already done the right thing and resigned their posts in order to run as the law stipulates. The saying goes: You can’t have your cake and eat it too. (Although the author of that tidbit may not have been so well connected as some). Resign already if you want to run, it’s the ethical thing to do. Besides, it’s the law.

So here is my promise: I will resign, but I will not vote. You can pinch me or punch me, I still won’t vote.
* * * *
Quote of the week: An act has no ethical quality whatsoever unless it be chosen out of several, all equally possible. William James (1842 – 1910)

Sour Grapes for Tuesday, May 27th., 2008

2008-05-29T10:11:00.004+10:00

A statute in the lobby
Thanks Firefighters
Last week was EMS Week and I hope you had a chance to thank a rescue worker, a firefighter or some other EMS person for the 24-7 protection they provide us with. They are severely undermanned and endure very long duty hours. If you did not attend any of the functions last week you can still stop in to any fire station and say thanks to those guys for putting their butts on the line for us. They will appreciate knowing that we appreciate them.
Thanks Veterans. Yesterday was Memorial Day. I took my son up to Marpi for the Veterans Memorial Service. It’s hard enough to explain dying to a 3 year old, but explaining why it can sometimes be good taxed my powers of persuasion. Anyway, he enjoyed the marching band and was impressed by the soldiers in uniform. My hat is off to all who have served and paid the ultimate price.
* * * *
He’s in the Foyer
Saipan Congressman Joseph N. Camacho has introduced legislation (HB 16-96) that attempts to restrict the hiring of lobbyists without the permission of the legislature. If passed, this law would have the effect of hamstringing this and all future Executive Branch administrations and would give undue powers to the Legislative Branch, the very branch that wants to pass the law.

I should disclose that I am not a detractor of Joe Camacho. In fact I ‘lobbied’ in his favor and worked directly to help his election bid. That does not mean we agree on all issues, we don’t. That does mean, though, that I have high regard for Rep Camacho’s abilities and his sense of providing fair and balanced government. In the case of this legislation, however, it seems that Joe has lost part of that sense of balance that is so important in staving off unwarranted concentration of governmental power. This bill is wrong for the CNMI and wrong for any government wanting to provide a limited representative democracy to its people. We citizens should be wary of allowing the Legislative Branch too much leeway in interfering with the Executive Branch. This law would allow way too much.

Hiring consultants and trained lobbyists is a legitimate, albeit expensive, way for smaller regional governments to make their positions known to the massive and often uncaring central US government. It is often the only way to gain favorable action which fosters those local positions and goals. Like it or not, that is how the US system works. We ignore that reality at our peril.

An example might be the most recent case of lobbying in which a specific remedy of $15 million is sought to offset some of the additional expenses that will be incurred because of federalization of our immigration and labor departments among other things. (Frankly I think they should have asked for $50 million or $100 million, either of which is a pittance to the cash rich US federal treasury). That aside, without asking for the aid and without using a lobbyist to push for that agenda, we are unlikely to get the cash no matter how little it is.

There are some few here, especially those in the pro-federalist camp, that will applaud this legislation as necessary to keep the Executive from lobbying against their personal wishes. You can see their vitriolic complaints in that regard spinning across the blogsphere and their oft repeated letters to the editor. Wait and see, those same folks will be singing a different tune someday if a liberal (excuse me, ‘progressive’) minded governor is elected and decides to push via legitimate lobbying efforts some agenda close to their left leaning hearts and does not have the flexibility to provide essential lobbying efforts to gain that, probably distasteful, result. These same people will be squealing for the right to hire lobbyists then.

So please, Congressmen, don’t pass this ill-conceived piece of law. It is not in the best interest of the Commonwealth and will probably wind up hurting you along with everyone else should it become law. Joe Camacho can do better than this.
* * * *
You can’t make me
I am planning to join the pack and run for the new Non Voting Delegate seat in November. I will run on a simple one-plank platform: I shall not vote! As your non-voting delegate it is my blood oath to you that “I-will-not-vote”. Come hell or high water, even if they hold me down and try to make me, I will abstain from voting.

In addition to a platform, all political candidates must make promises. Here are mine:

First, I promise to fly 1st class wherever I go, and will only stay in the best hotels. I will do both as often as possible. Remember, the CNMI is off the hook. The US government will fund all the expenses and salary for the NVD from now on. So let’s stick it to those dumb saps paying taxes out there in Nebraska.

Second, I promise to keep my eyes peeled for an opportunity to sponsor some legislation actually written by some other congressman with an axe to grind or a score to settle. Like Ms Christensen of the Virgin Islands, I won’t care who takes it in the shorts as long as I get some nice benefits tossed to the CNMI in return. I further promise to do it in an underhanded and sneaky way and to bring aboard lots of ‘advocates’ for this and that so the dirty deed looks palatable, even laudable, to average person on the street. Who knows, we may save polar bears, we may grant a munificent living to needy sea slugs (or land slugs) all while secretly hiding a bill to run Aunt Tilly’s Laundromat over in Scotts Bluff out of business because it is competing against the local congressman’s Mud Pie and Laundry Emporium. Who knows what kind of devilment-for-profit we can come up with. (Sorry, Cornhuskers, if I seem to be picking on you. Feel free to substitute ‘Kansas’ and ‘Coogan’s Bluff’ if you so choose).

Third, I will bring home the bacon. I will sponsor one or more pork barrel bills designed to bring some of that US loot back here to the CNMI. We should be able to shake those funding trees and get a few hundred million to drop out and be tossed our way easy.

Fourth, at the taxpayer’s expense I will send you some great looking but totally fictional reports on what I’ve accomplished while there. They will be on glossy paper with lots of charts, graphs and pictures.

Fifth, I will not subject you to the embarrassment of being seen around Washington in a cowboy hat. A beret, even a Scottish tam, but never a cowboy hat.

Sixth, I also promise to have my picture taken 10 times per day and send it to all the papers here in the CNMI for publication.

Okay, so much for promises. I’ll come up with some more later to give you a good reason to cast a vote my way. If I keep throwing spaghetti promises against the wall one or more are likely to be favorable to you and will perhaps persuade you to shove that vote up my ballot box once in the privacy of the voting booth.

Some politicians promise to be transparent good little girls and boys, some promise to improve your life with grandiose public works, some promise you a job due to economic upturns, etc, etc. All those promises are made to be broken and most, sure enough, will be broken, mine included. Remember though, whatever else happens…I WILL NOT VOTE!

There will be 30 or 40 people vying for this position. Why not? It pays a buck seventy a year. Contract deliverables are….nothing. You can pretend to do this job and run a profitable business on the side in your spare time. It has lots of prestige…you can put on your resume’ later that you dazzled ‘em in the halls of Congress. (Literally in the halls because they won’t let us NVDs into the actual voting Chamber). You’re almost certain to come back rich after a few years of cutting side deals in DC. So please don’t be distracted by posers. Plenty are running but only one is really qualified to not-vote. Cast your vote for the guy who absolutely will not vote. Me.

One other thing. We need to have a political party in order to look like a serious candidate for election. Independent is so trite and overused. Instead, I am forming the All Night Party. You can send your donations (in an unmarked brown envelope) to:

The Bruce to Monte Carlo Fund
PO Box 2 or 3
Twisted Sense of Humor (Right next to Truth or Consequences)
New Mexico 77666
* * * *
Quote of the week: Lobbyists are in many cases expert technicians and capable of explaining complex and difficult subjects in a clear, understandable fashion. They engage in personal discussions with Members of Congress in which they can explain in detail the reasons for the positions they advocate. Because our congressional representation is based on geographical boundaries, the lobbyists who speak for the various economic, commercial, and other functional interests of this country serve a very useful purpose and have assumed an important role in the legislative process. - John F. Kennedy ( 1917 – 1963)

Sour Grapes for Tuesday, May 20th, 2008

2008-05-27T07:34:00.005+10:00

Stop the Bus
The silly idea of mass transit on our tiny island is rearing its head again. The huge waste of money that would result from big buses careening around the island belching black ash and diesel fumes would be shameful. A mental image of near empty buses picking up an occasional straggling passenger waiting in the rain comes to mind.

Even in large cities with big populations, the mass transit systems usually lose huge amounts of money and have to be subsidized by the taxpayers. The idea of having that type of time scheduled, large capacity transportation actually work here on Saipan is an impossible dream, or rather nightmare that will cost us dearly if enacted.

It should be pointed out that we had a perfectly workable ‘mass transit’ system operating here until a few weeks ago. It was working so well that you could go anywhere on the island, at a time of your own choosing, for a paltry $3. We had access to good, reliable transportation without the huge costs associated with government run boondoggles. In fact, it cost taxpayers here or in the US nothing at all. So what did we do to help that working transportation system along? Arrested the producers.

I’m referring to the meterless ‘illegal’ taxi industry that has blossomed here on Saipan providing reliable and near instantaneous pick up and delivery of people to where they wanted to go. Not only was this system affordable even to the lowest paid workers on the island but by running the business efficiently, it was quite profitable to the operators of such taxies. They bought and paid for brand new, fuel efficient cars and used an on the go mobile telephone dispatch system that would be the envy of big taxi companies anywhere. All for 3 bucks a ride.

The private sector can do this job a lot more efficiently, environmentally cleaner and a heck of a lot cheaper than some rambling, top-heavy government bureaucracy can. I suggest we let them do what they do best; provide us all with cheap reliable transportation when we want it. Let them alone and let them do the job. They benefit and we benefit, so what is wrong with that?

The sticking point seems to be that the government does not get it’s cut if done the way it was in the past. There is a simple remedy for that. I recommend a moderate increase of the fee to $4 a ride. We still pay the taxi man $3 for a comfortable air conditioned ride, but we also pay the CNMI Treasury $1 per ride. Now everyone should be happy. The taxis keep operating and provide us with a necessary and useful service, and the government collects money for…um, being able to.

The last thing we need are big empty busses roaring around the island adding to pollution and using lots of fuel at the taxpayers expense.

* * * *
A lotta regatta
Well the 33rd running of the Saipan Laguna Regatta is in the books. It is the sailboat race held annually in the Lagoon and is the longest continuously running sporting event in the Marianas (some say all of Micronesia). Hobie Cat sailors gather each year to duke it out and see who has the best skills and the most capable strategy to win the most points during several heat races held over two days.

This year the team of Tony Sterns and Janet McCullough won the coveted ‘Brass Bat’ 1st prize given and took possession at the awards banquet held at Porky’s Beach Bar in Garapan Sunday evening. Tony and Janet have won several times consecutively and seem to be the team to beat in next year’s Regatta as well.

Ron Smith and Ted Parker amassed enough points to place second while Lino Olopai and Amada Rabauliman finished third. Fourth place went to the husband and wife team of Tyce and Angie Mister. These winners and all the competitors finished the 2 day event with smiles on their faces.

To see photos of this year’s race, the Managaha picnic and the awards banquet go to http://www.otryc.org/ where photo galleries from the last several races are cached. You can also find other information about the Over the Reef Yacht Club, sponsor of the annual event at that web site or contact the club’s Commodore, Ron Smith, via the website for membership or scheduling information. The club holds weekend “fun sails’ off Oleai Beach from time to time and offers free rides and free lessons so come on out and have some fun sailing around Saipan’s beautiful Lagoon. You might be the one to beat Tony and Janet next year.
* * * *
People with Power
Recent promises by the new CUC Director, Mr. Tony Muna, pave the way to a ray of hope. If he can nudge CUC into keeping the promises made at a recent Saipan Chamber of Commerce meeting we will see the last of the rotating ‘brown out’ power outages “sometime in June”. He didn’t specify whether early or late in the month, but the promise of 24/7 electric power for all customers was made. That in itself is welcome relief.

But Muna went on to promise that by September of this year the repairs to all the engines would be complete and CUC will finally be producing more power than consumers use for the first time in quite a while. If true, that bodes well for all businesses and residential users. Instead of struggling along barely able to cope with demand, the powerhouses will have a substantial surplus of available power at long last.

Mr. Muna did not say when he would ask the biggest users, the major hotels, to rejoin the grid but that event will probably signal that the health and reliability of our power generators has been greatly improved.

Another promise he made was to be back at the next meeting of the Chamber next month in June with hard data about the actual costs to produce power and administer CUC broken down by category. He further promised to show up with ledger proven data on how much CUC actually collects versus how much is billed, and who the main non-payers are. This should be very interesting information. Most people don’t mind paying the real cost of producing electricity efficiently, we just want to see what those costs and payments are. Let’s hope he will be able keep all these promises.
* * * *
Or do it yourself
Many islanders are interested in generating their own power using one or more alternative technologies and want CUC to gear up to buy or give future monthly credits for their small excess power sent back into the grid for others to use. A recent law mandates CUC be able to buy this power from individual producers. By producing more power than they use, they will be able to make their meters “run backward” showing that they are due a payment or a credit. The real accounting system is a bit more complicated.

Only a handful of people are set up to take advantage of this ‘sell-back’ option right now but many others seem interested in moving in that direction. As the international price of oil keeps going up and the availability of reasonably priced power goes down locally, these people and their off grid systems will look more and more like self actualizing prophets of the future. Web searches will provide a wealth of information about these systems and the various options that are viable and available to you today. Right now it is still a back up system at relatively high cost but the day is fast approaching when alt power systems may outperform mass generation systems. It is worth checking out.
* * *
Quotes of the week: Life is like a taxi. The meter just keeps a-ticking whether you are getting somewhere or just standing still. Lou Erickson (

It’s just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up. Muhammad Ali ( 1942 - )

Midget Firefighter rescues Turbitt

2008-05-25T16:43:00.003+10:00

Thanks for your Support

2008-05-25T14:11:00.008+10:00

The fundraiser drew a nice crowd and a good time was had by all. Back pats should go out to Boni for putting this together and taking on a third full time job. Thanks.
]
The Manta Jazz Ensemble played many notable (okay, cut me some slack) tunes. The sound was fabulous. Thanks.

Everyone liked the gourmet Chinese food buffet. Thanks to Olive and the inspired staff. Thanks

Danny saved the day by welding Tony’s broken Trombone. Thanks.

Anthony Gomez, Trini MacDuff, David Bautista, Michio Nagata and Raegina Castro, hopefully soon to be on their way to Beijing, all say “Thanks”.

Most importantly, there is still time for you to donate to this wonderful cause. Contact Boni Gomez, principal at Garapan Elementary School, or Will DeWitt the Bandleader at Saipan Southern High School. Thanks

This is the CNMI's only chance to have a presence at the Summer Olympics and it's worldwide audience so please kick in whatever you can afford to help them defray expenses. Thanks.

Fundraiser This Saturday May 24th. 6PM

2008-05-20T12:40:00.002+10:00

5 musicians will represent us in the opening ceremony at the Beijing Olympics. Please come out and help them raise enough money to participate.

Sour Grapes for Tuesday, May 13th, 2008

2008-05-19T14:35:00.005+10:00

A Merry ‘Ol Soul
I read with interest Bill Stewart’s 2005 revised and republished article about alternative energy in last week’s paper. The argument makes perfect sense as he and several others have pointed out over the years, as our local power generation crisis has grown steadily worse.

Coal powered, steam driven turbine generators provide stable, reliable, cost effective electricity to most of the people on the planet. In our case it bears looking at for several reasons:

First, the cost of refined oil products, especially the expensive top grade diesel fuel our generator engines have been converted to burn, is going up and will continue to go up. Those price increases, already difficult to bear, will soon become impossible to bear causing ever more people and businesses to abandon the CNMI.

Second, the technology to build and run coal powered steam generators has been refined and honed to an easy to manage science over the years. They are simple and safe to run.

Third, it is fast (which we desperately need) and comparatively cheap to build steam generators. We can afford it.

Forth, the fuel, coal, is the most abundant and by far the cheapest form of fuel to be found on planet earth and is located in huge abundance nearby and at a cost we can afford to pay. It is easy to buy and easy to transport.

Fifth, we live on a tiny island and where the trade winds cleanse the air continuously. The tiny plants needed to provide us with affordable, reliable electricity can be built using environmentally sensitive technologies that won’t do substantial harm to the rest of the world either. We won’t notice and neither will they.

Sixth, if we don’t do something soon we will all be standing down by the beach rubbing two coconuts together.

I like the idea of alternative energy. Whether a modern version of nuclear as our researcher from Tinian suggests, harnessing the awesome power of the ocean by converting water motion into electricity, or using the alternative carbon based fuel, coal, each has an appeal. On a smaller scale, wind and solar can be used by individual households and businesses that want to help even more.

We need to ask, beg, cajole, and finally demand that our leaders stop putting their fingers in the CUC dike with short term band aid fixes and cure the root problem of insanely high power costs and increasingly unreliable electric power. The power house is worn out. The engines, once converted from the heavy oil they were intended to run on have never worked properly and are the primary reason for our current electric woes. Let’s replace them with a modern coal fueled plant and solve our problems once and for all.
* * * *
Wild Pigs
Do you know how to catch wild pigs?

You catch wild pigs by finding a clearing in the jungle and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come every day to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day you build a fence down one side of the clearing. When they get used to the fence they begin to eat again and you put up another side of the fence in the clearing. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence erected and a gate in one side. The pigs, now used to the free corn, start to come through the open gate to eat some more. That’s when you close the gate on them.

At first the pigs run around and around inside the fence squealing in protest, but they are caught. They have lost their freedom. Soon, they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for food to feed themselves anyway, so they accept their captivity. There is only one reason why you would want to spend all that ‘free” corn to catch those wild hogs. You know it.

Think about it the next time you see someone cash in their food stamps, or hear about yet another ‘free’ government handout program, or feel inclined to seek a no-need-to-repay government grant. Think about it again as you line up at the TSA counter to be and show your ‘papers’ so you can travel. Think of it again as you see a man’s property confiscated without due process or see a farmer paid to not grow crops. Think of it when someone comes along and wants to decide for you who comes and goes through your borders or who you can employ and how much you should pay them. Think of it when you take that ‘free’ check from the government economic stimulus program in an election year. There ain’t no free lunch.
* * * *
Quotes of the week: If there are no stupid questions, then what kind of questions do stupid people ask? Do they get smart just in time to ask questions? Scott Adams (1957 - )

Government is actually the worst failure of civilized man. There has never been a really good one, and even those that are most tolerable are arbitrary, cruel, grasping and unintelligent. HL Mencken (1880 – 1956)

2008-05-14T10:26:00.006+10:00

$15.00 gets you a Chinese Dinner and two free drinks plus a sampling of the talent that will represent the Marianas and the Public School System in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. You may even get a chance to play Rock Band! Bloggers: please help spread the word. Tickets available soon from Boni, Tony Jr., Saipan Southern High School, Porky's or shoot me an email!

****** ******

The above is posted as copied from Boni's Blog (stolen rather, without permission).

The occasion is a fundraiser for the 5 music students here on Saipan who have been chosen to play in the opening ceremonies for the upcoming Beijing Olympics. The kids are working hard and will essentially give up their entire summer holiday to practice, travel and perform.

They need funds to get them to Guam where they will continue the practicing and then to get them to Beijing and maintain them.

Please come out on Saturday the 24th and support these fine students and their mission to positively portray the Marianas in the upcoming Olympic Games. You'll have a great time, the food will be excellent and the cause is a good one. See you there!

Sour Grapes for Wednesday, May 7th., 2008

2008-05-07T16:31:00.002+10:00

PEW? or PEE-EEW?
My friend, with whom I occasionally agree, Angelo Villagomez is the spokesman for the PEW groups attempt to get Dubya to sign on to a US national park or monument encompassing our 3 northernmost islands and about a third of our national waters. The proposed monument is huge at about 115,000 square miles or roughly the size of the whole state of Arizona.

So far, I neither support it nor do I oppose it. Why? Because so far there is no proposal to look at. There are no concrete points to even talk about. We have only a moderately slick PowerPoint sales presentation with none of the specific blanks filled in. Who will administer this monument? Who will enforce the regulations? Who controls access? Who will draft the regulations? Will the US government, so reluctant to provide Coast Guard security to the northern islands now, come through and do so because there is a monument? Will jobs formed benefit the local population? Will anyone be able to visit this park after the ‘transition period’ other than a handful of government scientists? Will tourism jump start itself as suggested or fall flat as it did years ago? Where will the mentioned but not promised ‘visitor center’ be sited …Saipan, Maug, Pagan? Will tourists even be allowed to go up there? Would we lose access to all natural resources there forever? Will we lose the chance of gaining control over the whole 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zone for ourselves through continued litigation? How is PEW involved before and, if instituted, after the monument is formed? There are a lot more unanswered questions right now.

More than a year has passed since this was initially suggested and PEW has made several trips here (3, I believe) but still there is no concrete proposal to look at. General mistrust of government programs (having seen most of them end in endless money wasting snafu’s) makes me skeptical about the prospects, but the lure of a possible major benefit makes me stay open minded and non committed until we hear real details. I am hoping that will be soon.

Prudence tells us we should have as much information as possible before making up our minds, on this or any other question. We should leave the door wide open to this proposal, when and if they come up with a formal proposal. That does not mean we should place undue emphasis on the incoming ‘economic study’ paid for by the very people trying to sell the park idea to us. Let’s gather our own facts. Lets look hard at all the real data pro and con and at the actual proposal when drafted; if the project is in our best interest, then sign on as wholehearted supporters. If not, dump it.

Be wary and remember that every good salesman tries to create a ‘sense of urgency’. Do not be fooled into thinking this is the ‘last opportunity’ or that ‘time is running out’. Balderdash…the next US prez is as likely (or maybe more so) to want to fatten his enviro-wallet resume’ with an ‘Ocean Park’ of monumental (sorry ) proportions. Bush is not the only person who can make this happen. We need some time to see what it really entails and to decide how best to proceed or if we should proceed with it at all. Let’s take our time looking and not be rushed along.

It is as ridiculous to stop the dialog now before we learn as much as we can, as it is to mindlessly jump on board as a supporter when we have no real information to go on yet. Neither position makes sense…neither furthers our cause. Is see hell-bent supporters that have signed on to the idea without a shred of hard data or real written promises to go on. I also see adamant opposition from some folks without waiting to find out if the myriad details can in fact be worked out to the benefit of the CNMI. The pro-siders seem hopeful that the US government can be trusted to wield the whip gracefully and in our interest not theirs. The opposition groups raise substantial and important questions. But no one really knows what is actually being offered, or what is to be lost. There are no specific terms and conditions to talk about yet, so let’s wait and see.

On the negative side We don’t need a national park to start tourism to the Northern Islands. We don’t have to let the Federal government get their hooks into us via an intractable regulatory system. We don’t need them to set up a visitor center or to restrict access. We can do all those things as a STATE park and still get some federal funding. The islands themselves are already protected by our CNMI Laws and Constitution. On the positive side, if this can be made to work without the CNMI losing complete control of a third of its sea assets we need to try to work out the details when they are made public because we stand to gain access to positive international attention, some money from the feds (watch for strings) and the possibility of creating meaningful jobs.

The idea that this is somehow a good move even if it is bad for the CNMI is ludicrous. The extremist mentality that we somehow benefit our children by setting aside huge tracts of the planet that no one but chosen government workers can enter (usually the ones who touted the area’s set aside in the first place) is just silly. Our children and their children are best served by making sure that every facet of our scarce resources are used and maximized to the benefit of the NMI as a whole. Specifically we must be very wary of releasing ever more control of those resources and of our very lives to the hulking bureaucracy of the United States. There may be a way this can work, but we should enter those negotiations carefully and make it abundantly clear that we must have a final say in the drafting process. We must not let them slam dunk us with a park by executive writ and then be stuck trying to make the best out of a bad deal. We must negotiate first, then and only then allow them create their park from our lands and waters. To do it the other way around is to invite disaster.

Let’s hope it works out. Angelo is a good man and should provide us with some answers soon.
* * * *
Quote of the Week: Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening. Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809 – 1894)

Sour Grapes for Tuesday, April 29th., 2008

2008-05-03T10:22:00.003+10:00

Scattergun
5 ul get ya 10
There has been a movement afoot to force CNMI Judges to accept a pay cut along with other government employees. You might think that Judges are earning too much, but without question they could be earning a lot more in private practice. To attract and keep reasonably talented persons as judges we need to offer them reasonable incentives. Salaries in the very lowest six-figure range seem fair compensation for such work. We rely on them to be fair and to make difficult and often unpopular decisions for us. They should be paid well to keep them from being too easily swayed by outside influences.

Our CNMI Constitution forbids, and rightfully so, the reduction of a sitting judge’s salary. If the legislature or the executive branch was allowed to reduce salaries of the Judicial Branch, judicial independence would be lost and the basic tenet of separation of powers would be lost. Without that separation too much power would devolve to the other branches leaving the citizenry open to more exploitation.

Contrary to some opinions, I see no reason why a Judge cannot voluntarily act to reduce his own salary as a show of solidarity and equality with his fellow government workers should they have to have their pay cut. A judge could opt to donate 10% of his salary to the general fund, a particular Agency or to some favorite charity if he so chooses. It is extremely important, however, that he or she makes that decision without forceful intervention from other branches of government for the reasons outlined above.
* * * *
Twenty more lashes
On another subject, maybe that public job/private job salary difference is what has caused Judge Govendo to jail the Malite estate attorneys for 30 days because he thinks they were paid too much for their services. They got a million-two for their work and he only got a buck twenty for his. They were released after serving their ‘contempt’ time as stipulated. Now he apparently wants to jail them indefinitely without even a hearing, not to mention a trial, until they make him feel better by coughing up the fees. How long can he keep them in jail without a trial? I’m not an attorney, I don’t even play one on TV, but I seem to remember something about due process being required to incarcerate people.
* * * *
Bring your DD-214

As a reminder to all veterans of the US armed forces, the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs urges all Veterans to register with that office as a CNMI resident Veteran. It costs nothing but a few minutes of your time and might just lead to getting a VA sponsored clinic on island if there are enough vets to warrant it. Call Ruth Coleman at 664-2650.
* * * *
Book ‘em Dano
Our new DPS department head, Clyde Norita, seems hell bent on enforcing the laws around here. I don’t agree with some of them, the taxi sting, where private property is confiscated without due process as an example …but that is not the point. Clyde’s job is to enforce the law and that is what he is doing. Others have the responsibility to make or change the law. Still others have a responsibility to point out inconsistencies or injustices and try to get lawmakers to amend existing laws or to generate new ones.

Fair, even handed and equal enforcement of existing statutes is vital to keeping the social fabric intact and gaining the respect and cooperation of citizens in abiding by our laws. Mr. Norita seems intent on making the presence of the Police visibly known and making sure they enforce as fairly as possibly. He and his officers should be commended.
* * * *
Advertisio Flagranto
A case in point would be false advertising claims. A matter for the Attorney General rather than the police. We see a lot more of the ‘bait and switch’ tactic advertisements published around here than would be allowed in a US market or other world markets. In this scheme, an item is advertised, when the customer arrives it is not in stock and no ‘rain check’ is allowed for later purchase. It is of course suggested you buy the higher priced item they just happen to have.

Airlines seem to be among the most flagrant violators of false prices advertising. You know the drill, the $329 to Hong Kong fare emblazoned across the newspaper ad really adds up to a $740 ticket when all the fine print is read and they are finally ready to charge your credit card. In fact there is a phrase called “plusplus” currently in use here that describes this, I’m sure you have heard it many times. “How much is the new airfare to Hawaii?” goes the question. “$1200 plus plus plus plus plus.” Goes the response.

Others similarly guilty would be grocery stores, department stores and others offering sales on items they actually have in very limited stock. Another area that could use some enforcement is price tags on merchandise. The law clearly stipulates that all items will carry price tags. They are actually found on less than 30 % of the items in stores here. These gripes fall pretty far down on the priority list of enforcement when budgets are cut to the bone and affected agencies are short of personnel.
* * * *
Bigamy gets expensive
While I am a proponent of user fee based charges for government services, one that rankles is the ‘police report’. A couple of years ago one stood in 2 different lines at the Guma’ Hustisia, paid $5 and came away with a sheet of paper that said you had no adverse police record. Now we still stand in the lines but pay $15; the fee has tripled. If the House of Representatives has its way, we will soon pay $30 for the same 4 milliseconds of computer time and 1 minute of personnel time. Can we say gouge?

HB 16-90 seeks to increase user fees for a variety of licenses, permits and services offered by or enforced by our government. In a couple of months you will be paying more, a lot more, for your drivers license, your car and boat registration, your copies of public documents and a many more items required by government fiat. Even marriage licenses are due to go up in price. Try not to get more than one.

Hidden inside 16-90 are some other ‘fund raising’ ideas. It calls for a reduction from 18% to 11% on co payments made by the government to employees retirement fund benefit plan. Considering that no, nada, zero payments have been made into the retirement fund the last two years and darned few in the last 8 years, it is hard to conceive of how any money will be saved by paying less in the future. Less than nothing is….well, still nothing.

Some reprogramming of funds by the Governor and the Legislative Councils will be allowed if 16-90 passes into law and CUC will be allowed to spend, yes spend the deposit money it holds in trust for its customers. Additionally, a few million here and there will be shuffled around, mostly to benefit and subsidize CUC so it can buy fuel. Why does CUC need money to buy fuel? Because the Legislature restricted how much they could charge. This sounds a bit like the revolving door principal at work.
* * * *
Quotes of the week: REPRESENTATIVE, n. In national politics, a member of the Lower House in this world, and without discernible hope of promotion in the next. Ambrose Bierce (1842 – 1914)

Moses dragged us for 40 years through the desert to bring us to the one place in the Middle East where there was no oil. Golda Meir (1898 – 1978) former Prime Minister of Israel

Taps plays - 2739 passes

2008-05-01T08:57:00.006+10:00

By nearly a 2 to 1 margin S-2739 passed on 4/29/08 @ 7:18 US time. Miller and Pelosi score knockout!

The QUESTION was : On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass (I wonder if Rep Sablan objects to them suspending the rules in order to get to the vote?).

BILL TITLE: Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008. We are considered a natural resource of the US, to be used, mined and the slag cast off.

With one more signature, self rule ends in the CNMI.

Soon we can bend over and try to work out the best deal we can as a subjugated colony.

Or is there still hope?

Flame Tree Festival 2008

2008-04-29T09:04:00.006+10:00

Like many others, my family and I went to the FTF over the weekend. I had planned to give a quick tour, eat some probably unhealthy food and expose Alexander to more arts, crafts, dance, music and eclectic cultures...maybe a couple of hours at most.

Instead we stayed most of the day on Saturday and came back for several more hours on Sunday. We had a good time and experienced all of the above mentioned luxuries and a few more. I even got a free trip to Pagan Island. Here are a few pics culled from the hundred or so taken during the Festival.

Thanks to our friend Parker Yobei and the rest of the staff at the Arts and Culture Council. They all had to work very hard to put this show on.

My only complaint is about the venue. Once again the event was held at the thin strip of park at the Civic Center and once again it was too small, too dusty, too crowded, had too little parking and they wouldn't let me wear a tutu. Worst of all...not a flame tree in sight. Might I suggest a change of location for next year?

Sour Grapes for Tuesday, April 22nd., 2008

2008-04-23T05:43:00.002+10:00

Welcome USS Higgins
Once again we have a US Navy vessel in port, the USS Higgins DDG76. The Higgins is an Arleigh Burke class Destroyer, meaning she is a modern, extremely well equipped warship carrying a variety of armaments and a finely honed crew of technical experts and professional sailors.

The crew of the Higgins has been on deployment for some time now and are here to get some much deserved rest and relaxation. If you have never been to sea, take it from me that everyone on board works long, exhaustive hours to make and keep a Naval vessel ready to respond instantly to any call. They need a rest.

Sailors, you will find Saipan a very military friendly place to spend some time. The scuba diving is great here fellas, as is the golf…world class in both cases. There are scores of great restaurants, outstanding resort hotels, and good shopping for those items to take back home. Bars, lounges and nightclubs abound too.

Charter fishing, snorkeling and many other water sports are available (I will volunteer to take a few of you sailing if you want to go - many others will volunteer to help you out too). Hikers will find lots of jungle trails to keep them busy (check out the Hash Run each Saturday at 3:30PM – meet at the Bank of Guam parking lot across from the Hard Rock). The Flame Tree Festival sporting food, music, dancing plus arts and crafts is coming this weekend too. Finally, Saipan and Tinian are filled with historical and cultural sites that invite exploration.

We welcome you, Officers and Crew, one and all!!
* * * *
Will I live to see 80?
A friend of mine wrote to me recently saying:

I recently picked a new primary care doctor. After two visits and exhaustive lab tests, he said I was doing 'fairly well' for my age. A little concerned about that comment, I couldn't resist asking him, “Do you think I'll live to be 80?” He asked, 'Do you smoke tobacco, or drink beer or wine?” “Oh no,” I replied, “I'm not doing drugs, either.”
Then he asked, “Do you eat rib-eye steaks and barbecued ribs?” I said, “No, my former doctor said that all red meat is very unhealthy!” “Do you spend a lot of time in the sun, like playing golf, sailing, hiking, or bicycling?” “No, I don't,” I said. He asked, “Do you gamble, drive fast cars, or have a lot of sex?” “'No,” I said .

He looked at me and said, “Then, why do you even give a darn?”

I find this exchange pretty enlightening. Its allegory bids us to do the things we are interested in doing while we can still do them. If you like to dance, well then dance before arthritis or gout sets in and leaves you sitting on the sidelines.

This advice seems to work for countries as well as individuals. Pozzolan is in the news again, and according to the last expert hired to go up and take a look at the stuff lying around Pagan, because of erosion there is a whole lot less of it now than was reported to be there 15 years ago. The money that natural resource could have provided to the whole CNMI during the last 10 years of economic decline might have made up the difference and our lives and infrastructure might be a lot better now. Maybe we would have a first-world power generation system instead of what we have.

One thing is for sure, we can’t go back 10 years for a redeux, so all we can do now is fret over lost opportunities and vow to do better in the future. Self interest, eco-advocates, court cases, shady deals, investors with another agenda, political pandering, all have played a role in seeing nothing productive happened. Meanwhile the pozzolan ash slides off Pagan into the sea. Maybe the greatest single cause is simple procrastination. We expect the stuff will still be there as a resource forever so we put off tapping the resource. Some few individuals think it may be bad for us so we all put off enjoying the fruits until now it may be becoming too late to enjoy them at all.

This pozzolan pickle is not the only time we will be faced with a similar dilemma. Do we harvest our resources? Do we reserve the right or fight for the right to harvest our countries resources so we may make use of them when the time is right as other more prosperous nations do? Or do we leave the steak on the platter and die without tasting its abundance?
* * * *
Water Power
An interesting alternative to the electric power generation problem we have was proposed a number of years ago but languished and went nowhere because the money was rolling in the early 90’s and we could afford all the then-cheap diesel we needed to run our generator’s engines.

Proposed by Seimens, one of the world’s biggest technology companies, the idea was to have the never-ending action of the sea, power our generators using water movement like many other hydroelectric systems do. Water is trapped and released and its moving energy is tapped to drive electricity generating turbines. They wanted to place it facing into the prevailing seas direction up in Marpi. Back then $45 million would have bought the system, but would undoubtedly cost a lot more now.

The lure was 10 cent per kilowatt power generation payback until the system was paid for then 3 cents per kilowatt cost from then on. Compared to our current costs of 41cents commercial and 25 cents (17 this month, maybe) residential it sounds pretty darned good. The question is, is it still a viable alternative? Is this a real possibility, or just a pipe dream? Having been spurned 15 years ago would Seimens be willing to make another proposal? Someone should take the lead and start checking into this alternative as we look at ways to make our power stay on 24/7 and be affordable. Who will step up to the plate?
* * * *
Fire Safety
New regulations will soon require business owners to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy from DPW requiring safety checks and adherence to the Uniform Building Code as before, plus a newly created Certificate of Compliance issued after inspections by DPS Fire Division to ensure compliance with the Uniform Fire Code and the CNMI Fire Safety Code.

Pursuant to Public Law 11-56 the new inspections and Certificates will be implemented soon at a proposed cost of $25 for the 1st inspection and additional fees for the certificate itself and for more inspections if a passing mark is not met the first time.

DPS will interact and educate the business public with seminars held at the Rotary Club, the Saipan Chamber of Commerce and other venues. Improved fire safety and prevention measures help insure that all of us are less likely to be victims of fire. If you have ever seen or known a burn victim, as I have, you will be more aware of fire safety and be willing to do most anything to prevent it happening to you, your loved ones or the general public.
* * * *
Quote of the Week: We should try to be the parents of our future rather than the offspring of our past. -Miguel de Unamuno, writer and philosopher (1864-1936)

CROSHEE

2008-04-21T10:49:00.008+10:00

Saturday afternoon I met Missy and Deece at their weekly knosh and knit function at Coffee Care. They were kind enough to show me how to perform the initial slipknot/braid base that all crochet starts with.

I'm sure the initial attempts were pretty laughable. Unlike the photos you see above of nice crochet work, mine looked more like a miniature dog leash, after the dog has chewed on it for a while. My son, Alexander, pretty much stayed away from the manufacturing table sensing pending embarrassment at his Dad's gnarly attempts at craftsmanship.

My homework for the week is to buy some yarn and practice that procedure until it looks better and the loops are even. Then they will teach me to add rows to the edges. I should be able to make whole dog collars within a year or two.

Thanks, Ladies, I had a good time. The conversation was fun and I learned a lot about the process. The food was good and afterward I met up and had a few beers with Heinz Stauffler who was hanging around there too, but not (or knot) knitting.

Oh yes, in southern-speak it's called "Cro'shee" instead of the correct pronunciation "Cro-Shay' "

Sour Grapes for Wednesday, April 16th, 2008

2008-04-16T13:31:00.004+10:00

Welcome USS Columbus and Ingraham
Last week we welcomed the USS Curts to our fair shores and this week it is the US Navy fast attack Submarine USS Columbus SSN 776 and the Frigate USS Ingraham FFG61 that are stopping by for a few days rest and recreation for their hard working Officers and Crews. US military personnel like to come here to enjoy our beautiful weather, fine beaches, great food, friendly people, historic sights and many fun things to see and do. Plus it is a safe place to take liberty and it is a very ‘military friendly’ place to spend some quality time ashore.

Once again we should thank the crew of the USNS Safeguard for working to remove those impediments in our shipping channel, which were keeping large deep draft ships from entering our port. Now that the channel is clear, many more US Navy and other large ships will be calling on Saipan for much deserved liberty calls.

We welcome you all to Saipan and hope you enjoy your stay in the enchanting CNMI!!
* * * *
Human Lottery
There was a Reuters article in the paper some days ago relating the story of how within hours of the opening of the application period for workers H visas, the US Immigration Department was “flooded” with more than 3 times the number of applicants for the available slots to be filled.

Manufacturing associations in the US point out that the system currently in place is woefully inadequate to keep the US competitive with the rest of the world because it allows too few skilled foreign workers to he hired. The US system allows for only 65,000 worker slots in a country of 300 million people and millions of private businesses. They actually hold a random drawing, a lottery, to choose who will have a job and who will not be allowed in.

This has been a problem in the US for a long while and appears to have no solution in sight even though it is in their best interest to correct it. The political will to change the system is just not there. Congressmen fear for their reelection hopes if they allow more foreign workers to come into the country.

It makes me wonder just how receptive this same group of US politicians and bureaucratic agency staffers will be to carefully balancing our labor needs here in the CNMI if they take over the system. According to some sources we need about 20,000 workers here, many skilled, many not. Do you think the politicians 10,000 miles away and far out of sight will really care how we fare out here? Do you think that any 3 or 4 of the 91 Senators that just voted to have the US system take over out here could even find Saipan on a map, much less be bothered to see that Immigration regulations to be drafted by the Homeland Security folks will really address our needs? When they don’t care enough to solve the same problem in their own backyard do you think they will go out of their way to see to it that the problem is solved here in the CNMI 10,000 miles over the lonely horizon? I doubt it seriously.

I would not want to be a foreign national guest worker under contract here if the crazed Senate committee staffer (Stayman) and two obsessed US Congresspersons (Miller and Pelosi) finally get their way and the CNMI’s labor and immigration laws are superceded by the uncaring cadre over in Washington DC. It looks to me like most will be going back to their home countries whether they want to or not. With about 19,000 guest workers remaining here and 15 or 20 thousand already gone back home that means that once the US system is put into place some 3,800 workers will have to leave the CNMI each year in order to reach the goal of zero workers remaining that US immigration wants to achieve 5 years after they take over. Will you be one of the ones ‘chosen’ to leave next year? Will they do it by ‘lottery’? Will you draw or be issued a number and have your fate determined by blind luck the way they do it in the US right now? Homeland Security and US Immigration will have to come up with some way of removing all those workers, what is your best guess about how they will do it?

Maybe we don’t really need 20,000 contract workers here, I can’t say one way or another. It appears we are about to find out as they begin to be sent home by the thousands by the US Immigration system they themselves have marched in ‘unity’ to see put into place. If that is not ironic, I don’t know what is.
* * * *
Veterans Clinic on Saipan?
A friend of mine who, like me, is a veteran of the US Military has suggested something that would be of great help to all military veterans and other military personnel here. He learned that by registering ourselves, one and all, with the VA Office up on Capital Hill we might reach that critical tipping point of having sufficient numbers of potential users to have a Veterans medical clinic be installed right here in the CNMI. That would remove some pressure from CHC and Vets would not have to travel to Guam for simple check ups and other procedures.

Ruth Coleman, our Military and Veterans Affairs Office Director thinks there may be as many as 1000 US Military veterans here on the island. No one knows for sure because many, like me, have not registered themselves as resident veterans.

Ruth will welcome the opportunity to help you register with the VA and with the local M&VAO. I understand it is a simple procedure and one that does not require a lot of time. Veterans need to drag out a copy of that DD214 and bring it along to the Saipan office up on the Hill in building number 1362 on Anatahan Drive, phone 664-2650.

Please note that Memorial Day is just around the corner and there is a meeting each Tuesday Morning at 9AM at the M&VA office to organized and prepare for the events that will take place on that important Holiday. If you have some time on your hands and can be of help please volunteer. Because of government cut backs, Ruth has many responsibilities and no one on staff to assist her. Please contact her as above. Any assistance will be gratefully accepted.

One last scheduling note: on Thursday April 24th at 1PM representatives from the Guam Vet Center will arrive on island to provide private counseling for any and all combat veterans and their spouses. These sessions will be held at the Army Reserve Center in Puerto Rico and are, of course, free of charge.
* * * *
Instead of a Quote of the Week this week, I will give you a reminder instead: The 4th Annual Mahi Mahi Fishing Derby will be held this weekend. Sign up to participate or just come out to enjoy the daily weigh ins and the family style gathering that takes place. Registration is Friday evening at Smiling Cove Marina. The Derby is on Saturday, all day. Bring beer and a chair. You might get to taste some fresh Mahi sashimi.

Sour Grapes for Wednesday, April 9th, 2008

2008-04-09T18:10:00.003+10:00

Welcome USS Curts
Supremes say figure it out yourselves
Well the day was appropriate; April 1st marked the day the Supreme Court declined to answer teacher representative succession questions posed by Bennett (ex rep and wanna be new temporary Rep) and Benevente (ex board chair). The Supreme Court ruled their request did not meet the constitutional requirements for answering official questions, as they were both on the same side of the issue.

After all this bickering and interference back and forth from several sides, maybe the teachers can go back to deciding for themselves who they want to represent them. Maybe they already have. Maybe not. If not, one would think a ballot sent around to each teacher to be marked and returned sealed when they pick up their pay checks, or by such and such a date certain, would solve the issue once and for all. The newly elected rep could then begin attending School Board meetings to make sure PSS teachers have some input there.
* * * *
Glowing report
On a positive note, a CUC line crew working in the area, when asked to, replaced the light sensitive switch on the street light near my house. Now it shuts off during daylight hours as it is supposed to. Before it was lit all the time. This is one small step toward saving some power currently being paid by all of us CUC customers as ‘line losses’ or ‘public use’.

I'm sure that light burning 24/7 chewed up a lot of kilowatt hours. A reader told me “if it's the typical 175 watt street light, @ 24/7 would be 126kWh per month. at .41/kWh, that’s $51/month, or $1.72/day.” I’m not sure of those figures but it sounds reasonable.

$612 per year for just one street light burning means we should all keep our eyes peeled for lights burning in the daytime and report them when seen. We can save half that amount by having them fixed to light up only at night. The CUC crews are happy to repair them, as long as they have the parts and are close by.

I'm betting there are lots more of them out there. Now that I am looking, I have noticed several already.

Thanks CUC crew!!
* * * *

More equal than others
A few days ago in the Philippines the elected President of Palau was asked to submit to a standard pre-boarding security check along with his fellow passengers. He was flying on a public flight back to Palau along with some tourists and his fellow countrymen. He reportedly took umbrage and left the airport in a huff rather than be security screened and have his baggage scrutinized.

It brings up some interesting questions. For one, many cultures including many from Micronesia, Asia and SE Asia are rooted in showing respect to elders, hereditary leaders and key family members. This respect is as integrated as breathing or eating and most would not think of ignoring it. But does that unquestioning respect extend to elected political leaders? Good ones, bad ones, indifferent ones? Would that respect extend to all political leaders from all countries no matter how bloodthirsty or avaricial? Should that universal respect be shown by everyone from any other country for any leader of any other country? Hardly.

On the other hand why would it be disrespectful to be checked just like all the other passengers he was about to ride with? How so? Should he, or any other elected leader be above the law? Are they saying “Sorry citizens, we dignitaries don’t have to put up with the rude and mostly useless security screening WE bureaucrats put in place. That stuff is designed to give you citizens a feel-good sense of security but is beneath the dignity of us higher up politicos.” I don’t think they would want to put it that way. I don’t think most of them feel that way, including the President of Palau.

If security exceptions are to be made, where do they stop? What about the President of Continental Airlines? When he flies public instead on his own corporate jet should he be exempted from security checks? What about the President of Exxon, or Enron or Ed’s Barber shop? The former two are, or were, much bigger deals than the Republic of Palau (or Brazil or most other countries for that matter) the latter one differs only in degree. Should the President of Ed’s Barber Shop not be security screened because he is a President? Huge multinational companies have more workers and represent far more wealth and power than a lot of independent countries. Should their Presidents all be exempt?

Perhaps perceived disrespect is not why he elected to leave the airport instead of having his baggage inspected. He had just met with the President of the Philippines (not exactly universally respected by her constituents) who, with her family, is currently accused of some pretty shady cash-under-the-table business dealings. Maybe it had less to do with disrespect than with not wanting his carry on baggage checked. Maybe he was just having a bad day. Maybe he would rather ride on the later proffered private jet back home with a nice bottle of free champagne. Maybe he forgot his toothbrush.

Truthfully, I don’t see any disrespect in Continental’s actions at the Manila airport. I don’t think it is any different to perform security checks on a President, or a Governor than on a Mr. or a Mrs. or anybody else, or even a nobody else. What about you?

Now if they want to exempt me from further checks the next time I fly, well then I’m all for it! (J)

* * * *
Make mine neat, no rocks
Thanks to a survey done earlier and reported back to maritime authorities and thanks to recent additional work accomplished in our shipping channel by the Officers and Crew of the USNS Safeguard, US Navy ships and other large vessels can once again enter our harbor safely.

Most recently docked and still in port today is the US Navy Frigate Curts. Welcome to Saipan to her Officers and Crew!

Each of these R&R visits gives our military men and women a much needed rest and introduces them to the wonders of Saipan and the CNMI. Much need revenue comes to our shores but more importantly, we send out ambassadors who tell friends family, neighbors and fellow personnel on other ships and shore stations what a great place the CNMI is for liberty, rest and relaxation. All who come here for liberty enjoy the diverse culture, friendly residents, great food and world class sporting activities found here. US military personnel are always welcomed with open arms here and they appreciate that. They like the diving, the golf, the entertainment and the weather. We like them. Please come again.
* * * *
Quote of the week: The long unmeasured pulse of time moves everything. There is nothing hidden that it cannot bring to light, nothing once known that may not become unknown. Sophocles (496 - 406 BC)

Photo above stolen shamelessly from the Saipan Tribune. Credit to Jacqueline Hernandez.

Back to Austerity Fridays

2008-04-05T10:28:00.006+10:00

The Senate passed the Austerity Bill without ammendment (5 for, 1 abstention, 3 missing in action) placing it on the Governor's desk.

The Governor gets additional reprogramming authority.

Many Government workers will have every other Friday off, unpaid. (The scuttlebutt was about doing it EVERY Friday).

3 unpaid Holidays, Memorial, Labor and Liberation Day.

Underpaying the Retirement fund. (11% contribution across the board)

Of course there are exceptions. PSS exempts its 1100 or so employees. NMC exempts the couple of hundred over there. So call it 75% will feel the Austerity Bite and 25% will go unscathed.

As an interesting side bar, Sen Pete Reyes abstains from voting citing pozzolan income as an alternative to Austerity measures.

CUC Out of Fuel

2008-04-04T17:40:00.005+10:00

They need 2 Million to pay the credit card bill.

Help me with the math on this one. They go short on residential income 1 month late last year (November election time- conveniently) to the tune of about a nickel/kWh. Then they collect full tilt for a few months. Now this month it goes back to under collection (the temp emergency ban expired) but they increased commercial rates more than enough to make up for it. So why are we still 2 Million in the hole? They aren’t even collecting the shorted amounts yet. They are still collecting from full charge months.

Should we be asking/demanding a full audit to see what the real costs are and the real expenditures? Without that piece of data how can they hope to charge at least the true cost of production? Could a privatized CUC guess any better? I don’t think so. Real hard data is needed. If it is already there, why not share it with the public? If it is not in hand, when will it be available?

Marianas Dive Club Meeting, Porky's Wednesday April 2nd 6:30PM.

2008-04-01T17:13:00.004+10:00

This in on the email from Marianas Dive Club. From Jonathan and Mark in lieu of Mike Tripp who is off island:

Hi everyone.
This is a reminder our next meeting is scheduled for 6:30 this
Wednesday at Porkey's. In addition to the great food and company, we
will address the following:
1) Monthly clean up in participation with DEQ's Environmental
Awareness Month Dive Clean-up
2) Wyland's upcoming coral mural for CHC
3) Beautify CNMI service award recap
4) Website (surprise, surprise)
Hope to see you there.
Jonathan & Mark

*********************

You do not have to be a member to attend the get together and share diving stories, some great photos and the good company of the members and guests of the Marianas Dive Club.

Good eats and a great sunset are part of the evenings entertainment.

Sour Grapes for Tuesday, April 1st., 2008

2008-04-01T08:02:00.004+10:00

Umbrellas and Icebergs
FLASH – Corned Beef found to be a potent aphrodisiac by Einstein Medical Center research staff. See below for details.**

Tip of the iceberg
What was the tip-off that it was going to be so expensive?

We learned the other day that a person purportedly quoted $300 for a medical procedure (circumcision) was later charged almost $8,000 for the job. So far we have not heard CHC’s side of the story so jumping to conclusions is not a good idea. There may have been complications, or some other reason to charge such a seemingly high fee for a simple operation. Perhaps it was charged as a cosmetic surgery since the patient was 18 at the time. The customer is not sure what the flap (boo) is all about.

In England, a circumcision operation performed in a certified hospital runs between 1,000 and 1,500 Pounds according to HealthcareUK, whereas in India it can cost up to 2 goats. A hospital in Shanghai was reportedly charging the equivalent of $131 US for the job. I could find no information about comparative costs for an adult operation here in the CNMI, but a local Doctor said he could perform the procedure for $60 and a bottle of Jack Daniels (joking here). The typical fee for infant circumcision runs $250 here in the CNMI and is accomplished in minutes with the use of a medical device and the skilled hands of a Doctor.

On the one hand it seems prudent to pay whatever is necessary to get a quality surgical operation in so delicate a spot. On the other hand an increase in fees from $300 to $8,000 seems a bit excessive. CHC cited Operating Room rental fees and rising costs as the primary culprit in the case at hand.

The moral of the story is to get an estimate before getting an elective operation. A friend of mine (who’s life was saved at CHC, by the way) recently needed a heart artery bypass operation. He was quoted $150,000 in Hawaii and $12,000 for the same operation in a quality facility in Manila. Getting a quote ahead (sorry) of time saved him $138,000 for which I’m sure he can find a good use. So could you.

Circumcision tip: if they quote you $300 then charge you $8,000 maybe you should ask ‘em to sew it back on.

So how much do you tip the surgeon after such an operation?
* * * *
Not a bad payday
Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth Govendo has sentenced lawyers Reynaldo O. Yana and Antonio M. Atalig to 30 days in the Iron Bar Motel for charging what Govendo thinks is too much for their 'services'. He thinks they have contempt for his opinion. He is probably right.Mathematically, it works out pretty nice. At $1,285,500 in fees that pays off at $42, 850 per day in the hoosegow. Not bad pay by most standards. I wonder if they are eating hot dogs or caviar for lunch?
* * * *
Parasol Pete
Senate President Pete Reyes says he will continue to resist holding the annual Joint Session/State of the Commonwealth speech in the recent traditional venue, the Multi Purpose Center. He has quoted cost cutting as the reason he will not allow the Senate to participate in such an event if held there. We should all be grateful to Senator Reyes for thinking about, and doing something about saving precious resources in these bleak economic times. I’m not sure what the rental fees, extra security, chairs and a few hundred bottles of water costs over at the MPC but however much if we don’t spend it then we save it for other purposes.

On the other hand, Senator Reyes suggests the constitutionally mandated State of the Commonwealth address be held instead in the Chambers of the House of Representatives up on the Hill. That venue is so small that it will block access to hundreds of citizens who would otherwise attend the event and hear this important message. Even at the much larger (and properly air conditioned) MPC the crowd that gathers is SRO with just about every inch filled to capacity. In the much smaller House chamber only a small fraction of those wanting to attend will be able to do so plus it is hot and stuffy.Hey, if you really want to save money Senator Reyes, just hold it outside the Legislative Building on the lawn. Then we don't need to spend for electric lighting or aircon inside and everyone who wants to can attend. Give the Governor and the DC Representative a DPS bullhorn (already paid for) and let 'em rip. Attendees: bring an umbrella, and your own chair.
* * * *
Where the heck is Saipan?
Along with a group of a hundred or so other interested persons I attended the recent speech made by Dr. Leroy Laney, the chief economist for First Hawaiian Bank and a professor at the University of Hawaii. His credentials are impressive, the talk he delivered was an interesting but very general account of the state of the US economy and where it might be headed. He then went on to give some predictions about Guam’s economic reactions to the much heralded military buildup.

Dr Laney had just arrived on Saipan after spending a few days on Guam while putting together the first forecast report for that island territory since 2006. What got my attention and what troubled me most about this learned man’s forecasts was that none involved the CNMI directly.

In fact he disclosed that this was his first trip to the CNMI wearing his Chief Economist’s hat since the mid 90’s. He admitted that he “had not even heard the phrase Federalization of Immigration” until he stepped off the plane a couple of hours before delivering his remarks. Think about that for a moment. The Chief Economist for a company that controls about one third of the banking market share for our whole country’s economy hasn’t even looked at our numbers for over a decade. Things have changed just a bit since then.

To be fair Hawaii is a state with a population of millions instead of tens of thousands. They host 7 million tourists a year not a half million like the CNMI so the dollars flowing in and out of their economy understandably take most of this analyst’s time. Even so, one might think a glance in our direction once in a while might be in order.

Luckily we have Ed Stephens and Bill Stewart keeping an eye on the place for us.

* * * *
Quote of the week:
Hey, anybody see the new $5 bill that just came out? The
Treasury has taken steps to discourage counterfeiters, such as making it worth less than a dollar. -- Jay Leno, The Tonight Show. March 20, 2008.

** April fools joke. It wasn’t corned beef after all.

Saturday Fundraiser for Santa Remedios Church

2008-03-28T05:16:00.006+10:00

There will be a fundraiser for a construction project at the Santa Remedios church in Tanapag Saturday, March 29th starting at 5:30PM

The fundraiser will be held at Porky’s Beach Bar and Restaurant and will feature free food, entertainment, prizes and lots of fun with nice folks from the church and elsewhere.

The ukulele stylings of The Fireshot Band start the evening off, then attendees can dance and enjoy the music of The Icon Band. There will be plenty of free food and plenty of good conversation. The event goes on all evening indoors and out by the beach too.

Tickets are $15 and includes all the above plus two free beverages. Please buy a ticket and support this worthy project. Even if you cannot attend the event, please buy a ticket anyway. You won’t miss the $15 bucks and it will help the church a lot!

Proceeds go directly to the Church and will be used for the construction project. The church is converting a couple of containers into a house for the resident priest who now has to commute to housing in CK.

contact 322-0486 or 898-4423 or 287-0687 for ticket information

Sour Grapes for Wednesday, March 26th, 2008

2008-03-28T04:32:00.003+10:00

Buy Petroleum Jelly Stock
Sign me up for that $3 kidney
Here is an article that deserves reviewing. Penned last summer in response to the film made by the Jesus Christ of the liberal left, Michael Moore, this piece takes a closer look at the reality of a socialist medical system.

That the best doctors leave such socialized systems like chocoholics finding themselves in a Jenny Craig meeting is proven the world over. They bail out in droves looking for greener pastures.

The real losers, of course, turn out to be the consumers. Medical consumers are a bit different than other retail buyers, however. When you need your appendix removed it is nice to know that the person removing it did not get his job by bidding the lowest price because he graduated 85th in a class of 87 from Lower Podunk U and that you are forced to use his services, like it or not, should you finally reach the end of the waiting line to have it removed at all.

Why should we be interested? Well, if Billery and company are elected in 2008, you will find yourself neck deep in the swamp of socialized medicine whether you like it or not. That is the sine qua non of the Clinton camp and where they expect to reap their next Whitewateresque benefit. They are after putting Billions into their personal pocket this time not Millions, and socialized medicine (meaning health care dished out by political favoritism) is the method they mean to use to get to that much desired result.

If you think the Clinton group has a chance to reach the presidency, you should probably begin to research what ‘universal healthcare’ really means. Hint: it does not mean that the laws of economics and physics are hereby cancelled and that you will be receiving top notch health care by not paying for it. Guess again, it means you will be receiving 2nd rate health care or none at all and you will be paying far more than you pay now. Stand by with that jar of Vaseline should the Clintons make it into office.

Here is the article: (You may have forgotten this was an introduction after that somewhat lengthy rant).

Hidden costs of Canadian health care system Chicago Sun TimesJune 23, 2007
BY BRETT SKINNER

In a pivotal scene in ''Sicko,'' filmmaker Michael Moore marvels at Canada's single-payer health system, suggesting that it is a medical utopia. ''It's really a fabulous system,'' explains one healthy Canadian, ''for making sure that the least of us and the best of us are taken care of.'' But healthy people don't use much health care. If Moore had interviewed ill Canadians, he would have gotten a whole different story.

In reality, Canada's health care system is not the paradise Moore presents.

I should know: I live there.

Consider Canada's notorious waiting lists. In 1993, Canadians referred by their doctors to specialists waited an average of 9.3 weeks for treatment. By 2006, it was 17.8 weeks -- almost twice what's considered clinically reasonable.

In the words of Canada's Supreme Court, ''Access to a waiting list is not the same thing as access to health care.'' The court used that phrase when it struck down the single-payer system in one Canadian province in 2005. Yet somehow Moore missed this, the biggest story in Canadian health policy in the last 40 years.

Canada's long waits are partially caused by a shortage of doctors. Whereas the United States had 2.4 practicing physicians per 1,000 residents in 2004, Canada had only 2.1. That's a difference of 300 fewer doctors in a city of 1 million residents. New York's population is more than 8 million. Imagine what health care would be like in the Big Apple with 2,400 fewer physicians and you have some idea what it's like in Canada.

Over the last 10 years, about 10 percent of doctors trained in Canada decided to practice medicine in the United States. This is the result of low physician salaries, which are paid by the state. The average Canadian physician earns only 42 percent of what the average U.S. doctor takes home each year. Simply put, single-payer systems exploit medical labor. Any U.S. state that adopts a single-payer approach is going to lose doctors to other states.

Canada's single-payer system is also letting its hospitals rot. While the average U.S. hospital is only nine years old, the average hospital in Ontario, Canada's largest province, has been around for 40 years.

And Canada's system limits the adoption of new technology. Among the 24 Western nations that guarantee access to health care, Canada ranks 13th in access to MRIs and 17th in access to CT scanners. The lack of access to medical technology contributes to longer waiting times for diagnostic tests.

The rationing of medical procedures and drugs is another harmful result of Canada's system. In 2003, twice as many in-patient surgical procedures were performed in the United States per 1,000 residents compared to Canada.

And Canada's ''universal'' healthcare system doesn't offer universal drug coverage. Only about one-third of the population is eligible for government drug programs in Canada -- the rest pay cash or have private insurance.

Canada's cost advantage is also an illusion. True, Canada spends less per GDP on medical care than America -- but so does Ethiopia. Such comparisons are meaningless without considering value for money. And compared to Americans, Canadians get relatively little in return for the money they spend. Canada's single-payer system does not cover many of the advanced medical treatments and technologies that are commonplace in America, and Canadians have access to fewer doctors, fewer treatments and fewer new drugs.

Yet in Canada, public spending on health care is still growing faster than the ability of the government to pay for it. As of 2006, public health spending in six out of 10 Canadian provinces was on pace to consume more than half of total revenue from all sources by the year 2020 -- without even taking into account the added pressures from an aging population. As of 2003, the growing unfunded liabilities for health care reached 46 percent of Canada's total economic output.

These are the hidden costs of Canada's health system, and they're far worse than the monetary price of U.S. medical care. But Michael Moore is not interested in such facts. He makes fictional films.

* * * *
Quote of the week: What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out, which is the exact opposite. -Bertrand Russell, philosopher, mathematician, author, Nobel laureate (1872-1970)

Earthquake at 6:07AM Thurs 3-27-08

2008-03-27T06:07:00.003+10:00

While sitting here at the computer I began to feel a moderately strong tremor. My fishing rods lean against the wall in my office/den/computer room and they began to sway and dance a bit.

No damage, nothing fell off shelves etc so the quake was not a major one, here at least.

Did you feel it where you are?

Parasol Pete

2008-03-26T08:41:00.005+10:00

What can Senate President Pete Reyes have on his mind? What can he gain from this back-bowing resistance to holding the Joint Session/State of the Commonwealth speech in the recent traditional venue, the Multi Purpose Center? Why would he choose to make this particular fight? It just seems silly.

Saving money is what Sen. Reyes claims, and while true, it also blocks access to hundreds of citizens who would otherwise attend and hear this important message. Even at the much larger (and properly air conditioned) MPC the crowd that gathers is SRO with just about every inch filled to capacity.

Hey, if you really want to save money Senator Pete, just hold it outside. Then you don't need to use electric lighting or aircon. Give the Gov and the DC Rep a DPS bullhorn (already paid for) and let 'em rip. Attendees: bring an umbrella.

Not a bad pay day

2008-03-26T05:46:00.003+10:00

Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth Govendo has sentenced lawyers Reynaldo O. Yana and Antonio M. Atalig to 30 days in the Iron Bar Motel for charging what Govendo thinks is too much for their 'services'. He thinks they have contempt for his opinion. He is probably right.

Mathematically, it works out pretty nice. At $1,285,500 in fees that pays off at $42, 850 per day in the hoosegow. Not bad pay by most standards. I wonder if they are eating hot dogs or caviar for lunch?

Sour Grapes for Tuesday, March 18th, 2008

2008-03-18T17:27:00.005+10:00

Dry Hole?
Silly Season
In Formula 1 racing, baseball and other sports the time just before the new season starts is sometimes referred to as silly season. This is the time that deals are made, rumors are started, outright fabrications are floated to cause disinformation and people are hired or fired.

In the sport of US politics, the silly season is upon us. The deals are being cut, territory bought and sold, wannabes are pushing shoving elbowing, trying to get in or trying to get out or being ground into hash as the pre-election cycle of silliness wobbles on. Rumors, fabrications, hatchet jobs and disinformation campaigns abound. Personnel alignments, political favors and back-room alliances are the work of the day as primary candidates scrabble for votes to keep themselves in the race for the gold ring, the US Presidency.

Out of all this finagling, the American people learn who the candidates are, what they claim to stand for (as opposed to what they will really do if elected) and whether they can stand the grueling pace and hardball antics of silly season without blowing their tops.

This year’s event seems about over at this point. The parade will go on until the real season opener, the Republican and Democrat conventions, convene but the die appears to be cast at this point. The only question to be asked is whether Obama and Clinton, or Clinton and Obama will face McCain in the November national election. After the dust settles and the last bamboo shoot has been driven under the electorates’ fingernail we will discover what those two have realized since day one. Whichever one comes out on top, they have no chance against McCain in November unless they team up with each other and go for the special interest/special population vote as partners.

By harnessing the available minority vote and the sex-based vote the Clinbama/Obamton duad has a chance to add that to the regular vote total of voters buying in to the Democrat rhetoric. The result is an almost certain mathematical win. Not all minority voters or sex based voters will cast a ballot for the O/C duo but enough will vote that way to push a fairly tight race over into their favor. McCain and those buying into the Republican rhetoric will be numerically outgunned and will likely go down to ignominious defeat if the C/O partnership forms.

So don’t be fooled by the cat fighting, name calling and arm twisting you see now. Obama and Clinton will be fast friends and will almost surely team up as kissin’ cousins, lifelong pals and natural allies as they try to get their mitts on 4 (or for them, hopefully 8) years of wielding the ultimate power and granting the ultimate favors. No amount is too much to spend; no effort is too great to get to that penultimate goal of the political animal, the White House. The Democrat convention is when you will see these two bitter ‘rivals’ kiss and make up. Sidebar: If they win will they agree to “flip” positions four years from now?
* * * *
How much in the well?
According to local news sources our Governor is in the process of making a contingency plan should the Legislature not pass a budget. He and his advisors will try to work out the math and figure out how to spend via a continuing resolution as we have done in all but 3 of the last 10 years.

He has talked of consolidating government agencies to make them more cost effective, he has proposed payless government holidays as a solution but the time for that has probably passed with nearly half of the fiscal year now gone. He has raised the specter of Austerity Fridays again, this time every week instead of every other week. He has mentioned cutting some agencies, like CUC, independently and at other times he has talked about across the board cuts. He has pointed out that mass lay offs may become necessary but has so far staved them off. I’m sure there are some other possibilities he and his team have not exposed to the light of day yet. Let’s hope so.

One thing is almost certain. He will have to come up with a plan to deal with a looming problem. What do we do when the money runs out about August? We don’t print our own money so just inflating the money supply while deflating the worth of the currency as autonomous countries do is not an option. As a ‘partner’ country we can only borrow and let our kids figure out how to pay for it (so called deficit spending), or we can spend only what we have. It appears that what we have will just run out about the end of July or the beginning of August at current rates of expenditure. I am wondering what the plan will be then?

It may now be too late to stretch the available dollars over the remaining time. The original estimate of $160 million in revenues or so appears to have been a bit high considering additional business closures and declining tax revenue. The options will become much narrower once the well has run dry. I think that is what the Governor and his staff were trying to relate in the memo message of last Friday to various Department and Division heads as reported over the weekend. The options become, shut down overall operations until the new fiscal year starts in October or try to shuffle remaining funds into a few really vital services. Either way they are holding each agency individually accountable, so goes the message from the Administration.

Just like families, governments can only expend what they take in over the long haul. So far, over the years our government has managed to run the deficit to just over 1 full years income*. This administration has not added to it, so far. Lets hope they keep it that way.

*(This figure does not include ‘unfunded liabilities’ - mostly from the retirement fund – which increases that total deficit owing to the equivalent of many years of total income). See Bill Stewart’s excellent series of articles recapping and recounting the woes of the retirement fund over the years in excruciating detail.

Quotes of the week: There are advantages to being elected President. The day after I was elected, I had my high school grades classified Top Secret. Ronald Reagan, 40th US President (1911 – 2004)

I don’t care who does the electing as long as I get to do the nominating. Boss Tweed, Tammany Hall Democrat (1823 – 1878)

(Yes, you probably noticed that I used a picture of a well instead of a picture of Mrs. Clinton to illustrate the dry hole title concept -it's because I am striving for political correctness).

Sour Grapes for Tuesday, March 11th, 2008

2008-03-15T08:45:00.006+10:00

Island Spirit
Off Broadway offering
The cast and crew of The Play Buffet put on a great evening of entertainment in their opening performances last weekend. I was pleasantly surprised by the good scripts and generally excellent performances. Segments ranged from a convoluted plot murder mystery to a heart rending retro childhood piece and a lot of other interesting stuff in between. The nearly full theater at American Memorial Park gave the performers a rousing ovation at the surprising conclusion. It’s the best 5 bucks I have spent in a long time.

I recommend that you go see one of the last two performances. This Thursday Mar. 13th and Friday March 14th again at the AMP Theater, 7PM. The Saipan Swim Club is on hand to supply your snacking needs at intermission. The cookies and fruit snacks are great and the proceeds benefit the team and it’s hard training member’s travel fund.
* * * *
Numbskull-nomics II
A couple of months ago I razzed Ron Hodges for his ill-advised threat letter to the editor. In fairness I will now praise him for a smart move.

I saw another letter to the editor from classroom teacher Ron Hodges last week in which he formally resigned from the Chamber of Commerce. I got a pretty good laugh out of it (breath exhaling smirk-wise) and asked myself the obvious question: what took him so long?It reminds me of the unbalanced, and of course anonymous, birdbrain who posted repeatedly on Jeff Turbitt’s blog a while back about how he disliked it and how badly it was written etc. Jeff answered the guy by stating the obvious; then why do you keep coming back to read it? Jeff went on to ask the guy if he repeatedly went back to restaurants he didn’t like. At least the unhappy blogger wasn’t paying to attend Jeff’s Hypercritical Thoughts blogsite as Ron was paying dues to flagellate himself over membership in the Chamber.

Ron, who disagrees with most everything the Chamber does and says, is probably far better off as a non-member. The Chamber (which I also belong to) may miss out on an important opposing viewpoint from time to time but I’m sure Ron won’t be too shy to post that view in some other forum.Good move, Ron. You’ll feel better now.

With, or without Ron, the Chamber does a lot of good on our small island. From sponsoring a variety of charity events to providing a large number of deserving student scholarships to focusing the attention of the government and the public on many important business related issues. Saipan Chamber of Commerce meetings are held once monthly, usually in a large hotel meeting room and are often highlighted by an interesting keynote speaker. The public is invited and I would recommend you attend a meeting now and again even if you are not part of the business community. Why? Because it is almost always interesting and you will probably learn some interesting facts….the food is usually pretty good too. Membership is open to all but you do not have to be a member to attend meetings or presentations. Contact Kyle Calabrese, the Chamber’s Executive Director at 233-7150 about membership or about monthly meeting times and places.
* * * *
Unfair Advantage
A good friend of mine is having a problem with our government. I’ll not reveal his name so as not to embarrass him but I will relate his difficulty because it highlights a recurring problem many citizens on the island face right now. He owes the government but can’t pay because the government owes him.

Last year legislation was passed that allowed for monetary offsets, both consensual and unilateral between citizens and the various government agencies to which they owed funds or from which they were owed monies. That seemed a pretty good idea and a reasonable one. You owe Pocket A and Pocket B (same government pants) owes you; simply offset the debts and move on. As I understand it that legislation was modified, then repealed and the truth is, I don’t know what the status really is now. Perhaps legislative legal council will write in answer and advise citizens where things stand.

In my friend’s case, he owes CDA for a loan granted him. The loan is secured by a piece of property that was taken from him back in the early 90s and for which he has not yet been compensated. So DPL, of which CDA is a part, owes this man money and has made a written offer to finally pay which has been accepted by the owner. Problem is CDA does not trust DPL to pay off and won’t accept the assignment of a written promise of payment from its fellow agency. To make matters worse, 40 million bucks of the land compensation monies were held in trust by, CDA itself making it seem really odd that it didn’t just pay itself the amount outstanding since the owner had already assigned any money owed to him, back to them.

CDA now want to foreclose and take my friends property from him in five years if the other agency (DLA) which took the land and has not paid for it does not do so within that 5 years. My friend says, and I think rightfully; You guys over there in Pocket A go collect from my funds already located in Pocket B and leave me alone.

This is beginning to sound confusing. It isn’t. My friend has assets and has offered them in payment. The government agency in question won’t accept his payment because payment is coming from its own parent agency, which they apparently don’t trust to pay. The same agency that took the land to begin with and has not yet paid for it. If that sounds fair to you, you must have taken your Economics 101 course from the Attila the Hun College of Slash and Burn Technology.

This is just one example of the many ways in which offsetting debts seems reasonable and should be made available to government agencies and to citizens alike. Not all are this clear cut, not all involve large sums like this. Not all are as easily solved as this one could be but all deserve a reasonable and just resolution. The Government should get its due, as should its citizens.

I don’t have a particular axe to grind in this respect and don’t owe CDA or any other government agency any money. But if I did and they also owed me some money I would think it reasonable if we just swapped paperwork and both went on our merry way. I think my friend and the possibly hundreds of other people who find themselves in the same predicament should be able to do it the easy way instead of the hard way.

Could you folks at the agencies in question please talk with each other and try to settle this? Thank you. I am sure both sides are reasonable and just need the right enabling laws and circumstances to the right thing.
* * * *
Island Spirit
I would be remiss if I did not mention a few words about the moving Dedication Ceremony held in honor of local diver, entrepreneur and friend ‘Ben Ki’ Concepcion at Marpi’s Grotto dive site over the weekend. Attended by scores of friends and well wishers the dedication of a monument to his memory was a heartfelt outpouring of thanks by many on this island and elsewhere around the world that were touched by Ben. Ben always had a smile on his face and had an aura of generosity and kindness about him.

Almost single handedly he was responsible for finding and developing the scuba dive sites tourists and residents alike still use today. He, more than anyone, is responsible for developing that part of the tourist experience here on Saipan, Tinian and Rota. Ben will be and is now sorely missed by many who knew and loved him. The Monument is a fitting tribute to a life well spent.
* * * *
Quotes of the week: Promises make debt, and debt makes promises. Dutch Proverb

What can be added to the happiness of a man who is in health, out of debt and has a clear conscience? Adam Smith (1723 – 1790)

Sour Grapes for Tuesday, March 4th, 2008

2008-03-10T13:06:00.007+10:00

Good news
Soaring on the wind
The Marianas has a new and exciting event that has a chance to begin drawing sizable numbers of people to our fair Isles. Now in it’s third year The Marianas Winds Kite Festival and International Food Fair is showing strong growth and major expansion. The list of sponsors for the Festival ran into three pages so support is becoming widespread although much more is needed as the Festival continues to grow in coming years. Among those donating to the event were MVA, Fiesta Resort and Spa, Hyatt Regency, PTI, Saipan Cell and a host of others. (A complete list would require more space than I have available – the Festival wishes to thank them all for making it all possible).

Starting out as a simple fund raiser for the local Montessori based Brilliant Star School the Festival has rapidly moved in the direction its founders envisioned: it is becoming a major attraction on the annual tourist calendar. Future years hold the promise of a major draw similar to the Flame Tree Festival. What that venue does for arts and culture, the Kite Festival hopes to do for airborne soaring sports and culturally diverse food. It hopes to attract tourists, spectators and participants in ever increasing numbers.

This year saw several hundred tourists and residents enjoying the one day event last Saturday (March 1st ) at the American Memorial Park. Next year’s event will be bigger yet as kite flying teams and soaring associations from around Asia will be invited to participate.

The event was graced by the presence of a group from Asia with a tradition of kite flying that goes back Millennia. The Korean Kite Flyers Association sent a group of five highly skilled professionals, including their President, to Saipan for the event. These talented folks came several days early and held classes and demonstrations of their art. Thanks to them a lot of children (of all ages) now know how to construct their own kites for fun and pleasure. The classes were fun and informative. The Korean Kite Flyers Association members wore traditional attire during the classes and during several flying demonstrations held in the days prior to the Festival. They want to return and we hope to see them back again next year.

Positive press was generated as a group of Chinese Journalists came by and interviewed participants and guests alike. Hopefully next year, groups and teams from China, Japan, Korea and elsewhere can come out and compete. Model airplane gliding clubs and competition kite building and flying clubs abound all over Asia and we all hope they begin to view Saipan and the Northern Marianas as an annual gathering that needs to be attended.

This year saw competitive events in 3 major categories with 8 total events. Next year promises an expanded range of competitions with contestants from several countries vying for prizes and trophies. Please be on the lookout for next year’s event. Dates and times will be published well in advance. You might want to start working on that special kite now, so as to be ready for next year. You can come out just to see and be awed by the many types of kites, to eat the wide variety of cultural foods available or you can come out to participate in one or more of the competitions. Whichever activity pleases you; please plan to attend next year.
* * * *
Fewer jobs bill may be quashed
The minimum wage issue is back in the news with Pete A. wisely waffling back to a more realistic one-more-bump-then-wait-a-couple-of-years stance realizing he may want to return here someday. I’m making fun but I agree with the wait and see part of his strategy. Thanks Mr. Tenorio.

Even US Sen. Bingaman, chairman of the reviewing committee has logged on recently as opposing the hastily enacted wage hike foisted upon the CNMI and Samoa without regard to whether it is sustainable or not. He says there will be a halt on future wage hikes by ‘refining’ the legislation. He also mentions that the halt will have to be enacted quickly to stave off the pending next round juggernaut of increases looming over the CNMI and American Samoa this coming May. Our thanks for noticing our plight.

The idea that governments can somehow legislate prosperity is nonsense. Politicians know this. If they could make a law that mandated everyone makes $100 an hour and drives around in a Rolls Royce they would do it in a heartbeat. They can’t, it doesn’t work for a $1000/hour increase anymore than it does for a $1 increase. Labor is a commodity and subject to the laws of supply and demand like any other.

Those new to the work force straight out of school and others with minimum skills and/or experience will find themselves priced right out of the market for a job. Any company can only afford to hire workers who are productive, meaning they make more for the company than they cost. If those companies are forced, by government, to pay a non profitable wage they will simply not hire, or will replace a worker with a machine as we see happening all around the world.

Increasing the minimum wage is an old and tired trick usually trundled out at election time. It destroys far more people than it helps but those destroyed, the bottom tier of employees, are not very vocal and often don’t vote, so from the politician’s standpoint it is worth sending them down the river to get the votes from the non affected blocks. So if you ‘feel good’ about your support for the ‘downtrodden masses’ suffering under low wages, think again. You are supporting their demise in many cases.
* * * *
Counting beans
I couldn’t help noticing that while the CNMI government scored a rather poor 2.4 on the recently completed ‘Performeter’ scale of economic health that we are doing about twice as good as our neighbor to the south, Guam, who scored a 1.32. Our score showed a slight uptick from last year so all is not lost. Those of you who claim Guam’s already extant US immigration system and universal fee simple land alienation is making it all better, might want to take another look. The study was done by Crawford and Associates and was paid for by the US Department of the Interior.
* * * *
I’ll respect you in the morning
I get a kick out of politicians who go all out to get ‘celebrity’ endorsements from the acting community. I wonder if they are the only ones who don’t see that an actor’s job is to be a professional liar. That is what pretending to be a character one is not is. Only a few can do it really well. Only a few can do it convincingly. Actors bring us wonderful relief from reality and sometimes fantastic insights into the real world via their roles on stage and in films so we should be grateful, even laudatory, in our praise of them. On the other hand, taking that actor’s word on the sterling character of some politician may not be the most trusted source you can find on the matter. It might even be said that an actor’s endorsement should be taken with a grain of schmaltz.

So when Jack Nicholson tells me ‘he’s home’ or that he wants his egg salad sandwich on toast-hold the egg salad, I know I am probably in for a good time. When he tells me I should vote for Mrs. Clinton, I’m out looking for some goose fat to poke in my ears.
* * * *
Quote of the week: A certain amount of opposition is a great help to a man, Kites rise against, not with, the wind John Neal (1793 – 1876)

...he bravely ran away, away, brave brave Sir primate

2008-03-07T12:09:00.005+10:00

Speaking of laughs, I saw over on the Middle Road blog where the Writers now recommend the monkey picture blog because he is so ‘brave’. Marconi must have swallowed something bad recently to spew that kind of idiocy. Of all the possible descriptions of the monkey picture blog, bravery falls somewhere near dead last. There may be redeeming value over there, I don’t know, because I don’t ever visit the cowardly scum’s site, but whatever is there is printed out of sheer pitiful cowardice. He bravely hides under a rock so you don’t know what his motivations, connections or affiliation are nor where his self interest really lies. There is a reason for that, and it is not ‘bravery’. It is pure self interest and he fears you will find him out.

In the same sidebar they commend GlenD for his bravely positioned blog comments. That I buy. Why, because Glen holds very strong opinions and does not hesitate to express them. He also has the conviction to stand behind those statements. When he does, I know that I can search his message and analyze it critically based on what I know or can find about his affiliations and motivations. That way I can weigh what he says with reasonable accuracy. When monkey picture spews bile, I just ignore it knowing he probably doesn’t believe most of the crap anyway and has so little regard for its worth that he can’t muster the courage to even stand behind it.

Anonymous blogers keep their identities secret for precisely the same reason Ku Klux Klan members do. They do not want to take personal responsibility for their own actions. They don’t have the courage to back their weasely opinions. Truth is, they don’t really believe most of it. If you knew who most of these anonymous pundits were you would laugh your ass off that they had the balls to say anything at all about that particular subject. The CEO of a passenger rail line lectures you anonymously on the evils of air travel. The career government worker who anonymously tells you all about the world of business. They fear you will find them to be the charlatans they really are.

Cowardice. That is what keeps them anonymous, period. Nonys try to fool you into believing how much they care. Bullshit. They fear far more than they care. I recommend you stay away from the MONKEY PICTURE blog as it may be bad for your mental health. Looks like it may have driven Marconi a little crazy already. (:-))

Numbskull-nomics

2008-03-05T08:28:00.004+10:00

I saw a letter to the editor from Ron Hodges yesterday in which he formally resigned from the Chamber of Commerce. I got a pretty good laugh out of it (breath exhaling smirk-wise) and asked myself the obvious question: what took him so long?

It reminds me of the unbalanced, and of course anonymous, birdbrain who posted repeatedly on Jeff Turbitt’s blog a while back about how he disliked it and how bad it was etc. Jeff answered the guy by stating the obvious; then why do you keep coming back to read it? Jeff went on to ask the guy if he repeatedly went back to restaurants he didn’t like.

At least the pitiful nony wasn’t paying to attend the Hyper-critical Thoughts blogsite as Ron was paying to flagellate himself over membership in the Chamber.

Good move, Ron. You’ll feel better now.

* * * *

It sort of reminds me of the, (you guessed it), nony who showed up commenting here on Saipanuvian Speaks the other day. He was complaining that his wife was dry and his sex drive only luke warm. Maybe Dr. Bruce could help the guy out if he were a real person instead of a cowardly anonymous puke. Blah.

Marianas Winds Kite Festival

2008-03-03T16:08:00.002+10:00

I spent my Saturday at the Marianas Winds Kite Festival and Cultural Food Fair. What an exciting event. It is growing by leaps and bounds.

The organizers have a vision to make this a showpiece annual event that draws large numbers of tourists as spectators and as participants while remaining a fun event for families and other residents here on Saipan as well.

I wrote a piece about this in Sour Grapes which I will publish here tomorrow, so I won't belabor the point.

Here is somtething interesting that happened to me as I was leaving. A girl and her young brother saw me picking up a rare piece of trash left behind and came over to give me a bond paper trifold handout with reasons and rules about keeping our beaches and Island clean and litter free. They wanted to have the brother take a picture of 'Cilia' and I as part of her school project. I recommended that she get together with Angelo and maybe join one of his groups or get some assistance in growing their own. Maybe some funding would be forthcoming to print her brochures if nothing else. Good going!!

Yeah, I know....where are the photos of the Kite Festival? Welllllll, its a long story so I'll just ask someone else who was there to provide a couple of interesting shots.

Fabulous Leap Day Party at Porky's

2008-02-29T15:23:00.002+10:00

Hello Porky's Fans,

It only happens once every 4 years!!

Friday Feb 29th and Saturday March Ist Porky's will be letting out all the stops to throw a great 2 day party. The fun starts at 7PM both evenings and goes uintil 2AM. You can come by earlier if you want to and have dinner and watch the sunset from our Beach Patio.

There are great food specials like Pollo Loco (Crazy Chicken) marinated in fruit juices and grilled on our outside grill. Wonderful local favorites will be served up.

The Ikon Band and Parker play live back to back. Dance floor, pool, darts, Karaoke and games.

Pacific Trading and Miller products have donated some great prizes that will be given away. All Miller products are offered at discountd prices all day both days.

Drink specials and one-off Leap Year Cocktails abound and all are affordably priced to save you money.

Pacific Trading, Miller Products and Porky's brings you 2 days of fun and frolic. Come on out and have some fun!!

Charlotte, Olive, Ruby, Anne Marie, Samantha, Jovie, Amy, Jimy, The other Jimmy, Chef Hubert, Simeon and Bruce will be there to host you.

We hope to see you here! Leap on over!!

LEAP YEAR DINNER SPECIALS

A. GRILLED POLLO LOCO (chicken) $ 9.50
Half a chicken marinated in a special blend of fruit juices and spices then
grilled to perfection. Served with Saipan (Red) Rice and local pickles

B. PORKY’S BABY BACK RIBS $ 7.50
Slabs of baby ribs marinated with our very own barbeque sauce then grilled
to perfection Served with rice or baked potatoes; local pickles

C. GRILLED MAHI-MAHI $ 8.00
Served with steamed rice and local pickles

Sour Grapes for Tuesday, February 26th, 2008

2008-02-26T04:42:00.002+10:00

Flying High
Airstrip on Pagan
Now here is an idea that seems truly ridiculous. Of all the things we could think of to spend nearly Five Million dollars on, an airport on Pagan has got to be right up there with generating electric power with hamster cages, or an open air ice rink in Garapan.

According to the news source, the Pagan International Spaceport is expected to serve up to two flights of single or twin-engine aircraft per month for the first five years. Wow, that’s a whopping 120 flights for only $4,900,000. What a bargain! Let’s see, that would be a bit over $40,800 for each landing over the next 5 years. This is assuming Pagan does not erupt again spewing lava over the runway like it did last time.

Northern Islands Mayor Valentin Taisakan says this would be a good idea because there may be economic potential in exporting lava rocks, that’s what he said, lava rocks from Pagan to somewhere where they don’t have a volcano closer than 1500 sea miles away, I guess. This in lieu of exporting pozzolan or pizza dough, both of which are pretty much tapped out as highly sought after investment opportunities at this point. Whatever Pagan may be exporting, flying rocks off the island will not be part of the business plan. They may have some valuable, exportable commodities ummm, stashed on Pagan, that can be flown off but if so, no one is specifying the cost per kilo.

Now to get serious. The handful of people who live on Pagan, and the handful that would like to travel there to see the sights would be much better served by buying an unimproved field STOL (short take off and landing) aircraft outright. Such aircraft are used extensively in Alaska, Africa and many other parts of the world where landing fields are unavailable and or where there is insufficient air traffic to warrant large expenditures building airfields. It could be purchased, owned, maintained and operated for far less than the cost of the Pagan Spaceport and could also land without runways anywhere else a few hundred feet of moderately level terrain could be found. Other islands and constituencies could be served, not just Pagan.

Here is another reasonable idea. Buy a boat. You can buy and maintain a pretty sizable craft and operate it for a lot less than $40 Thousand per trip. It can carry a lot more than an aircraft and once again, it can be made to serve more than just Pagan Island. And, hey, you can dangle some lines and haul in a few fish on the way there and on the way back.

One last option. We taxpayers could even afford to charter a helicopter when needed to go to and from Pagan and elsewhere cheaper than the proposed permanent airport’s cost. Remember the proffered 5 million only buys a landing strip and does not include the cost to fly there and back or an aircraft to do it in.

All in all, this is an idea that should be canned immediately before additional funds are wasted on it. If our authorities have a hole burning in their pockets and want to get rid of 5 million smackers anyway, might I suggest finishing the airports on Tinian and Rota where sizable populations live and where reasonable numbers of tourists and residents might be expected to fly in and out. Tinian needs an ILS and a fuel farm to begin using its already expensive runway. Rota, will begin taking in charter flights and as gaming causes the islands economy to take off more scheduled flights will be necessary, both of which will require upgrades to the existing Rota airport.

Spend the money where it will make us some money. Not on a crackpot (did I say pot?) idea to build an airport on Pagan. -- Klingons now arriving at gate 15. Klingons now arriving at gate 15. Please be sure to secure your phasers and tricorders to prevent terrorist access…. Fade to a waiting line of the only 2 passengers being checked out by 6 TSA agents, an x-ray machine and a big bomb-sniffing dog.
* * * *
Bomb Me up Scotty
A B-2 ‘Sealth’ bomber crashed on Guam a few days ago. The pilots got out safely, that’s the most important thing. The plane, however, is totaled. An accident investigation is underway. They will figure out the cause and make recommendations. The oldest B-2s are now about 20 years old but even so the technology is cutting edge.

B-2’s are based on the dream of Jack Northrop of the Lockheed (and later Northrop Aviation) company 60 years ago to build a flying wing. Jack actually began work on the first of his flying wings in 1928 and wound up building large jet powered versions 20 years later (YB-49s). Some say politics killed the revolutionary design back then. The dream, now finally actualized, was to make planes with less aerodynamic drag and more payload capacity. Why have all that other stuff like tails and fuselages hanging off the wing if the wing itself could be made to fly, went Mr. Northrop’s reasoning.

Fast forward to the early 80s when Northrop-Grumman got a contract from the Air Force to try it again. The resulting B-2 bomber’s first flight was in 1989. 21 have been built. They have played major roles in the ‘smart’ bombing of Yugoslavia and later during the early phases of the current Iraq war.

B-2s cost One Billion, Two Hundred Million dollars ($1,200,000,000.00) each. Now that is a fair amount of cash-ola by any standards. I don’t know about you but I have a hard time wrapping my brain around just how big a Billion really is. I know that if I am making $1,000 a day ($365,000 per year) I am doing pretty well. (Heck, with a thousand a day we could turn on the aircon in the living room again!). If I spent the whole thousand every single day it would take me over three thousand years to blow the loot. Yep, at a grand a day I would have had to start 1,279 years before the birth of Christ to finish spending the money it takes to build one Stealth bomber by today. The good old USA has 20 of them left (plus the smoldering ruin at Anderson AFB in Guam). You have to flip a lot of burgers to pay out that much in taxes.

Nowadays we use them to show our presence and enhance our security around the globe. Not to mention strike terror into the hearts of those souls on the ground when one of those smart bombs comes blasting though their window unannounced. B-2s are just one weapon in the US arsenal, but it is a most formidable one. Imagine being attacked by an airplane you can’t see coming. We’ve come a long way, technology wise, since the B-29s that used to take off from Tinian and Saipan.
* * * *
By the way, if you like airplanes, Saipan history and a good story, try reading Rain of Fire B-29s Over Japan, 1945, by Charles L. Phillips, Jr. Colonel USAF (Ret.). It will soon be available at the bookstore at American Memorial Park and possibly at the Museum of History and Culture. It is a fascinating and vivid, firsthand tale of the men and machines that flew from here on Saipan to Japan during WWII. The book can also be ordered from the publisher online at http://www.specialbooks.com/ . I am reading it now and find it very entertaining and very informative. I recommend it highly.

* * * *
Quote of the week: However far you travel, you will never find the girl who smiles out at you from the travel brochure. Unknown source

Lucky Scarface Castro

2008-02-21T11:32:00.002+10:00

Since the Sicilian Mafia seems to be on the downswing in the US according to recent 'bust' features in major national newspapers, I suggest we help revitalize this needy group by overthrowing the now powerless Castro regime and replacing it with some of the good folks who were ousted in 1959. Namely, the Mafioso.

We could keep an eye on them and everyone interested could fly down for a pleasure junket once in a while. Their economy would boom and America would have a new playground once again. Everyone wins, (except Raul...and hey, we could make him a croupier at the Havana Hilton....good tips).

Sour Grapes for Tuesday, February 19th, 2008

2008-02-21T10:39:00.004+10:00

Fronds, Tentacles and Trash
Palms
My wife and I spent the weekend at the new Palms Resort. Our family business is such that we found ourselves hosting others on Valentines Day with no time for us so we decided to treat ourselves to a romantic get-a-way weekend at the Palms to make up for it. That is our story and we are sticking to it.

I’ll start with the negative impression, in honor of the Sour Grapes logo. The new owners have a landscaper on staff who doesn’t like plants apparently. He has been attacking the once lovely gardens at the ex-Nikko Hotel with a chain saw and a small army of machete wielders. Bare dirt is found where there once were luxurious flowering shrubs, stumps where beautiful palms and mature shade providing trees once stood. Even the signature tree that the original pool was built around has fallen to the crazed chain saw murderer. Gravel, yes gravel – as in little prickly rocks, replaces nicely trimmed greenery in a number of highly visible areas, and the desert landscaping concept seems to be growing elsewhere around the grounds.

I don’t own the Palms so I don’t get to choose, but I will point out that tourists come to this place to see and be part of a tropical paradise…a jungle like setting of green and exotic blooming plants, shining crystal seas and the adventure of getting to be near plants, people and animals not found in their homelands. If they wanted a desert they would probably have gone to Arizona, or Egypt. I would suggest you leave every green mature thing you can, commensurate with your plans for expansion. You, of course, can suggest that I refrain from suggesting.

Now I must say that the owner’s taste in things botanical is the only fault we (I) found with the Palms Resort (the rest of the family didn’t seem to mind Sir Hacks-a-Lot and his propensity for dirt). The rest of our experience was refreshing, relaxing, fun and rewarding. The restaurants are serving up fantastic food at reasonable prices. The pool, rooms and public areas are well maintained and clean. The staff is universally gracious and accommodating. We were made to feel right at home from the moment we walked up to the breeze wafted front desk to check in. The service was impeccable. The smiles, authentic. The new owners are doing a great job, that will include finding a world class Hotelier group to act as executive managers in the months to come. The prospects for attracting many new tourists by linking with a world renowned Hotel group are exciting.

There are plans afoot to increase the size of the pool and other projects are underway that will add value and prestige to a facility already steeped in an aura of luxury and accommodation. The Palms deserves our local support. Please find your way to the foot of the hill in As Matuis/SanRoque and enjoy the fine surroundings, excellent food and friendly staff at the new Palms Resort. You’ll be glad you did. (Go soon before the next attack of the Giant Bushcutter).
* * * *
Octopus hat
There has been a bit of controversy about free-dive spear fishing recently. When I was a lad back in the Stone Age, we spear fished using scuba tanks and thought nothing of it except how yummy the fish tasted. Times have changed and a new ethic of conservation surrounds most everything now, including the time honored art of fishing. The use of scuba tanks while hunting fish has been ruled an unfair advantage now that there are a lot more people and probably a lot fewer fish.

The replacement for scuba fishing is an art form that awes me. Free Diving. Part art, part sport, part subsistence activity, part excitement, part commerce, Free Dive spear fishing and the men (mostly) that perform it are a wonder to behold. I will relate a short experience to illustrate why I hold these special fishermen in such esteem:

During the last Micronesian Games the Free Dive team from Guahan came here to Saipan to compete. They needed to reconnoiter the area and someone mentioned I could pilot a small boat and might take them around as they explored the reefs for the best fishing spots. I did and they did. It turned out to be an educational experience for me. I thought free divers would want to go to 20 feet or so, spear a fish and get back to the surface to hunt another. Not so. They search an area from the surface, like pilots flying along over a submarine landscape looking for their quarry. When they find a likely site they take a breath and dive down 50, 60 even 70 feet….they wait, if they take a fish and still can, they wait some more for another…finally they come back to the surface to begin the process all over again. The free divers are pulled along behind the boat on towropes until another likely spot is encountered.

They use specialized gear including very long flippers and long single shot spear guns. Most wear a thin wetsuit to help prevent hypothermia from long hours in the water and to prevent scratches and scrapes from the rocks and coral they swim down to.

The sport is a dangerous one with injury and even death possible for those brave and skilled enough to participate. They usually dive in pairs so one can keep an eye on the other as a safety precaution. When you hold your breath for 3 minutes or so and exert yourself by strong swimming, you can pass out and drown while unconscious. It is a looming threat every time they submerge. I saw these fearless free divers dive to the depths repeatedly over a two day period, maybe 40 or 50 dives each day and I must say it was a spectacular sight.

One day, one of the divers ascended and attached to his dive suit balaclava (skin tight head cover) was a sizeable octopus, holding on for dear life. When he climbed aboard the boat he deftly peeled the octopus from his head, a tentacle at a time and explained to me that it was hard to contain a smart and wriggling octopus once caught, but if you put it on your head the creature would hold on tight and change color to match its new surroundings (your bean) and ride peacefully all the way back to the boat.

I don’t free dive because I don’t have the stamina or the skills to do so. I don’t spearfish anymore preferring instead to comb the depths with a camera discovering the wonders to be found there using scuba tank air so I can stay submerged for an hour or so at a time. I won’t ring in with an opinion on whether certain species fish should be taken or not because there are reasons to do so and reasons not to that are complex and run close to the hearts of people on both sides of the issue. What I will do is gush effusive about the daring (mostly) young men who go out in search of fish with nothing more than their own skill, bravery and endurance to match wits with wiley aquatic creatures adept at skillful escape from predators. My hat is off to them, even if it has no resident octopus festooning it.
* * * *
Tinian rocks
Speaking of things aquatic, the Marianas Dive club (of which I am a member) made a trek to Tinian this past weekend (leaving me to wax eloquently about shrubs ‘n stuff back here on Saipan). They went to expand exposure of some of the scuba diving wonders to be found on that relaxing isle. They went to participate in the Hot Pepper Festival helping to educate folks about the undersea world. They went to help clean up the underwater sections of the main swimming and gathering beach there. They went to explore new dive sites with potential to be used by our tourists. They went to introduce scuba diving to a few new people. They went to have fun. They succeeded all the way around.

The Marians Dive club is a positive force trying to get the word out to the rest of the world that the Northern Marianas offers truly world class scuba diving and it is worth a trip from just about anywhere to get here and see the beautiful and exotic wonders that Saipan, Tinian, and Rota have to offer. Diving can be a big part of tourism here and the Marianas Dive club members work hard to promote that image and to be good stewards while doing so. Please think about joining them to help tourism grow here in the CNMI.
* * * *
Quotes of the week: W.C. Fields (1880 – 1946) was fond of making jokes about water, since he preferred gin. Here are a few:

“You can't trust water: Even a straight stick turns crooked in it.”
"Once, during Prohibition, I was forced to live for days on nothing but food and water.”
“I never drink water. I'm afraid it will become habit-forming.”
“I don’t drink water, isn’t that the substance fish make love in?”

He also said with a straight face:

“I have spent a lot of time searching through the Bible for loopholes.”
"My illness is due to my doctor's insistence that I drink milk, a whitish fluid they force down helpless babies."

All in all Fields was a pretty entertaining character.

Sour Grapes for Tuesday, February 12th, 2008

2008-02-16T13:45:00.004+10:00

Less is less
The real reason
Last week I complained about the static ‘filler’ commercials found on the local cable channel. In the interest of fairness, below you will find reprinted, an email I received from Mark Birmingham of MCV regarding the real reason they don't show commercials during the Super Bowl and many other live sports broadcasts.Bob Coldeen and Jim Barry also rang in to let me know what is going on. Some of you may not know and some of you may already understand the reason. As both Bob and Mark point out, without the AFN (Armed Forces Network) feed, even though restricted, we would not have live sports coverage at all so they, I and probably you should be happy to have what we have, elevator rap and all.Anyway, here it is from the horse’s mouth:

Hafa Adai Bruce,The reason you do not see Super Bowl ads, or any other national ads for that matter, on AFN is because AFN does not show them. They substitute their own Military commercials (you may have seen the start of some inadvertently) and we are restricted from showing those commercials, so we must cover it up with our own ads (preferable because we make money) or"filler" ( just some filler stuff, logos, and stuff). The filler was a static screen that said "Stay tuned for more Sports", but we wanted something with a little bit more movement. Our Graphic Artist is always looking for ideas, so if you have one let me know (Note: It cannot becamera video due to certain issues, but we can do graphic motion, which we do now.) The music is what is called "Music Bed" and is available for free. I cannot tell you how much trouble we can get into if we start putting Beyonce or Nickleback as the background. Unfortunately, Music Bed is basically elevator music.I wish we would sell more advertising and cover up the graphics with ads, but you know how that is. Maybe when the economy improves a bit. Mark

So there you have it. Notice that Mark calls for usable ideas so if you have one, give him a call at MCV headquarters.
* * * *
Smaller spender
Back in the United States, the battle rages over who will be on the ballot in November shooting for the Presidency. Primaries erupt over the face of the country like a “wave” in a football arena – coming and going and leaving not much but a bunch of people sitting there after it passes. The end result of all that ‘waving’, however, will be profound as from it comes the nominees with the only chance of ruling (no running) the country for the next 4 or 8 years. He, She, It will be a Republican or a Democrat. Third parties are not welcome at the table (except sometimes as spoilers). Third party candidates are basically ignored by the media and can’t get a seat at the ‘open debates’. Within that restricted framework of RepubliCrats will come the leader of the most powerful nation on the planet.

I read an article the other day that showed the projected dollar/spending effects attributed to each potential candidate should they be elected and should their respective agendas be put into place. The information is instructive:

New Study: All Candidates But One Will Increase Government Spending

Of all the Republican and Democratic candidates for president, only one is proposing to actually cut government spending. That one, not surprisingly, is libertarian Republican Ron Paul. The rest, Republicans and Democrats alike, are proposing to increase government spending by anywhere from several billion to hundreds of billions of dollars.

That's the startling conclusion of a comprehensive new study from the National Taxpayers Union Foundation (NTUF). NTUF is the research arm of the 362,000-member National Taxpayers Union, a nonpartisan citizen group founded in 1969 that works for lower taxes and tax reform. Their new study provides cost estimates, based on hard data, for more than 450 actual proposals by the presidential candidates.

The leading Republicans love to describe themselves as "fiscal conservatives" and they all pledge to cut back government. But that's all hot air, says NTUF. The truth is, all but Ron Paul are proposing an even bigger, even more bloated, even more intrusive federal government than we have today:

* John McCain's proposals would result in a $6.9 billion spending hike.
* Mitt Romney's programs would result in a $19.5 billion spending hike.
* Mike Huckabee's proposals would result in a $54.2 billion spending hike.

As for the Democrats:

* Hillary Clinton's proposals would result in a $218.2 billion spending hike.
* Barack Obama's proposals would result in a $287 billion spending hike.

What about Ron Paul? The NTUF study notes that only Ron Paul is proposing to eliminate whole departments he considers wasteful, unnecessary and unconstitutional. Among them: the departments of Education, Commerce, Energy, Agriculture, and Homeland Security. He would also end "corporate welfare," or government handouts to business. He has proposed numerous other measures to reduce government spending as well.

Finally, his call for ending America's self-assumed role as policeman of the world would save trillions of dollars over time, as well as American lives.

Bottom line on Ron Paul, according to NTUF:

* Ron Paul's proposals would result in a $150 billion spending CUT.

(Source: National Taxpayers Union Foundation study: www.ntu.org )

So what does it all mean to us, sitting out here in the western Pacific? Probably not much except that if you are wanting to see the federal government get smaller instead of bigger, and you are eligible to vote in the coming election, you might give some thought to researching Ron Paul as a candidate to see if his other platform stances are compatible with your voting philosophy.
*****
Quote of the week: Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job. Douglas Adams (1952 – 2001)

Sour Grapes for Tuesday, February 5th, 2008

2008-02-10T17:09:00.000+10:00

Batter up – Butter up

Spring Forward
A couple of people have recently mentioned in separate Letters to the Editor, the possibility of using baseball as a means of increasing tourist flow to the CNMI. Specifically courting more teams from Korea, Japan and possibly other areas where baseball is played competitively to come here for spring training was mentioned. This proposal seems a sterling idea and an achievable goal.

This concept works well in Florida where spring training camps are a big part of the tourist industry. Likewise Arizona and other locations where, professional teams and their minor league counterparts also hold sway during the months leading up to the beginning of the major league baseball season.

Huge sums of money flow into the coffers of the private sector and the local and State governments as a result of these training camps and exhibition games. Fanatical fans fly themselves and their families out to Arizona and stay for weeks and sometimes months to have a chance to see the teams practice and play each other in warm up games. The stadiums, affordable to build and much smaller than the big league mega arenas they play in during the regular season, are always filled to capacity.

The tourists come for the same reason the teams come, the weather. It’s tough to practice your sidearm screwball when your fingers are frozen. It’s also hard to exercise your baseball watching habit from the bleachers of an empty, cold and possibly snow covered stadium. We’ve got what both parties need: reliable, warm sunny weather. We also have what other spring training camp locations offer: other things to do and see when the teams are not playing and a transportation system flexible enough to bring the fans and the players here and to take them back home when they are ready.

This is a project that would require little in the way of capital infusion, as we could probably get funding assistance to build two or three facilities with assistance from the teams themselves. It would take a concerted effort on the part of MVA, the Administration, local sports authorities and concerned citizens. It would take lots of leg and phone work. That said, it is a project worthy of the time and energy necessary to put it together. If we can attract twenty or thirty thousand fans and a few hundred long-staying team players to our fair isles, the results to the bottom line will be noticeable.
* * * *
Commercial failure
As I sit here penning the above paean to baseball, I’m watching the Superbowl un-commercial that takes up more time than the game itself does here on Saipan. What entertainment!…vapid, endlessly repeating, third rate music (elevator rap?) backed up by a fascinating slide show of NFL team, errrrr logos, yes motionless, ridiculous logos reiterated ad nauseum. Why aren’t the high dollar, extravagantly produced super bowl commercials available to be seen here? I’m sure there is a reason, and I’m sure it’s inane. Go MCV! (Please note explanatory article below).
* * * *
Just gotta spend it
I see where the grant funds offered by OIA to our local government, with gooey strings attached to try to blackmail (too strong a word, – coerce?) particular behavior has been given instead to Karidat and will be strewn elsewhere as well. I also notice the strings attached aren’t quite as stringy as when offered to the government directly. Either way, the money is still here and circulating. Gov Fitial did the right thing by not giving in to the micromanagement demands of David Cohen, now the ex-assistant-deputy-under-beneath-below secretary of the out-of-sight backwoods.

Mr. Cohen it seems has resigned, probably in embarrassment at having co-written the CNMI Shafting Documents (aka theUS house and Senate takeover bills) along with his trusty cohort, Jim Benedetto, much to the dismay of most of our population.

I’ve always thought it is delightfully ironic that insular, ‘outside’, exterior affairs are administered by, who else (?), the Department of the Interior. Are we happy that they have such an all encompassing desire to rid US taxpayers of their hard earned loot? I suppose.

I also suppose that David Cohen will do well in his new incarnation. Since UP/Wharton graduates are among the sharpest pencils in the box, I’m sure Mr. Cohen will parley that innate skill along with his now strong connections inside DOI into a profitable and productive career now that he is back in private practice. Bye.
* * * *
Quotes of the week: If it weren’t for baseball, many kids wouldn’t know what a millionaire looks like. Phyllis Diller (1917 - )

Any pitcher who throws at a batter and deliberately tries to hit him is a communist. Alvin Dark, former baseball coach (1922 - )

Political Strategy Session

2008-02-07T12:25:00.000+10:00

I'm going to take a page out of GlenD's playbook and post an FFE (funny forwarded email) I recieved.

It gave me a giggle, and may do the same for you.

The Real Reason

2008-02-07T11:20:00.000+10:00

In the interest of fairness, below you will find reprinted, an email I received from Mark Birmingham of MCV regarding the real reason they don't show commercials during the Superbowl and many other live sports broadcasts.

Bob Coldeen and Jim Barry also rang in to let me know what is going on. Some of you may not know and some of you may already understand the reason.

As both Bob and Mark point out, without the AFN feed, even though restricted, we would not have live sports coverage at all so they, I and probably you should be happy to have what we have.

Anyway, here it is from the horses's mouth:

Hafa Adai Bruce,
The reason you do not see SuperBowl ads, or any other national ads for that
matter, on AFN is because AFN does not show them. They substitute their
own Military commercials (you may have seen the start of some
inadvertently) and we are restricted from showing those commercials, so we
must cover it up with our own ads (preferable because we make money) or
"filler" ( just some filler stuff, logos, and stuff). The filler was a
static screen that said "Stay tuned for more Sports", but we wanted
something with a little bit more movement. Our Graphic Artist is always
looking for ideas, so if you have one let me know (Note: It cannot be
camera video due to certain issues, but we can do graphic motion, which we
do now.) The music is what is called "Music Bed" and is available for
free. I cannot tell you how much trouble we can get into if we start
putting Beyonce or Nickleback as the background. Unfortunately, Music Bed
is basically elevator music.
I wish we would sell more advertising and cover up the graphics with ads,
but you know how that is. Maybe when the economy improves a bit.
Mark

Sour Grapes for Tuesday, January 29th 2008

2008-02-05T01:45:00.000+10:00

Driving home a No
What is Taotao Tano?
I am not a spokesman for Taotao Tano but I will give you my opinion on what they stand for as I see it. I went to listen and see what they wanted. Here is what I found. They are not against foreign contract workers. They are not in league with, nor do they condone corruption in local government. They are not racist rednecks as some mainlander liberals, and mainland educated liberal locals would have you believe. They are not inarticulate boobs spouting hatred. Some big-government loving ‘liberals’, a few of our US government employees and a few other self interest oriented sympathizers of federalization call them that to try to close your mind to their message.

To me they seem to be a force trying to keep the indigenous peoples of these Islands from being screwed like the Hawaiians and the American Indians and other original native peoples around the world have been screwed. They simply want to stand up and say this is our island; come and visit…even come to stay if you want, but please remember whose islands they are. Don’t promise to give us a helping hand up, then shaft us by taking over our fledgling self government and try running the place according to your best self interest instead of ours. We don’t want to be ‘federalized’. We do not want to be taken over and ruled by you.

That seems to be their message, and if you have missed it, it is because they usually articulate it in their own sovereign language, not yours. Try listening closely with an open mind and you will hear a different message than the stereotype their opponents would have you believe.

(As I said, I am not their spokesman. If the real spokespersons of CNMI Taotao Tano think I am wrong about their message or their goals, I invite them to reply through an unedited message in this column or through a letter to the editor).
* * * *
Don’t let the Red Herrings Sway you
Proponents of ‘federalization’ (a nice way to say US takeover), will try to make you believe the recent CNMI Motorcade protest was about the new labor law (15-108), or about the plight of foreign guest workers, or about a bloated government, or about how many cars showed up to protest, or twenty other off-subject items.

Not so. That grass roots upwelling of residents both driving and watching were trying to show support for an independently governed, self sufficient CNMI. A country simply trying to govern itself as promised.

The small but vocal takeover camp wants to divert your attention into counting cars or claiming some vague discrimination because they don’t want you to focus on the real root of the issue…a big powerful country taking over a smaller, militarily helpless one. That is what it is about. That is what the motorcade and the CNMI citizens sought to bring to the attention of the Island’s leaders and the US government legislators. The motorcade was about protesting that takeover.

Those who participated and most other citizens here are opposed to a federal takeover. It’s that simple. We realize that a house that does not control who comes and who goes or how long they stay does not control its own destiny. It does not govern itself. Its controllers do.

Some of my friends in the mainlander community are in favor of the takeover. Some of them are uncomfortable with the culture here. They don’t believe the local population is capable of governing itself. They want this place to be more like their hometown back on the mainland.

But this is not the mainland. This is not their island. They, and I, are guests of the indigenous people here. Under a UN mandate, the US signed on as a helping hand ‘big brother’ to help lift the CNMI and its people into position to self rule. That promise was codified in the Covenant. Now instead, they want to become George Orwell’s version of “Big Brother” government oppressing the people and forcing its rule on those incapable of fending them off. In short, taking over control now that the UN’s attention is diverted elsewhere and they want control of these Islands for their own use.

The universal claim of the pro takeover groups is that US rule will be somehow better than what we have now. I’ve heard it 20 times at least. It’s got to be better than what we have now they say. Oh? How so? Invisible, uncaring bureaucratic authority 10,000 miles away interested only in their self interest is not my idea of better government. The spirit and the promise of the Covenant was and is self rule, not subjugation.

So don’t be fooled by the many red herring stories or by counting the cars. Focus on Anti-Federalization, on Anti-Take Over, on Pro CNMI independent self rule. That is the core idea behind the recent protest motorcade. That is the core value of the CNMI Taotao Tano and the core value of most of the CNMI’s citizens. They want to promote a free and self-governing CNMI. They try to stave off those who would steal their islands as they stole governing autonomy and land from many other indigenous peoples. It’s that simple. Most of the citizens here don’t want a federal takeover. Pass it around.
* * * *
End of an Era
It was with a great deal of sorrow that my family attended the last Sunday Brunch
hosted by the great Hotel Nikko Saipan two days ago. This hotel closure represents the passing of the last major Japanese investment in the CNMI and as such marks the beginning of a new era in our tourism industry.

There are still plenty of people, companies, and organizations that rely on and contribute to the continuation of a vibrant Japanese tourist market here on Saipan. We should all support their efforts. Other market segments, most notably Korea but China and Russia as well, are growing strong and beginning to replace some of the ground lost from our tourist base in Japan. We should support their efforts too.

I am sure UMDA, the new owners of the hotel, will find top notch operators and do an excellent job of running the hotel and attracting tourists from Japan and elsewhere. We hope they will be able to continue the employment of the gracious staff that works there.

We’ll be going back to try the food and the service when the new Palms Resort gets up and running. Meanwhile I want to personally say thank you to the many pleasant staff persons at the Nikko who, over the years, have made our visits there a wonderful experience.
* * * *
Quotes of the week: Who can protest and does not, is an accomplice in the act. The Talmud

Power always has to be kept in check; power exercised in secret, especially under the cloak of national security, is doubly dangerous. –William Proxmire, US senator, reformer (1915-2005)

Sour Grapes for January 22nd, 2008

2008-01-28T17:10:00.000+10:00

Ban Black Cats?

In defense of fireworks

Another freedom disappears under the rock of oppressive nanny government intervention. This time we citizens are found incapable of celebrating Christmas, New Years and the Liberation Day as we might wish to. Laws have been passed to stop the sale and personal enjoyment of fireworks by CNMI citizens.

Each year around Christmas a small but vocal group trundles out the timeworn complaints of possible injury and noise pollution. You are far more likely to be ‘possibly injured’ crossing the street. Should we outlaw it, or worse, mandate that a government crossing guard accompany you each time to assure your safety? Should you be allowed to play a Wagnerian opera at anything above 25 decibels without a court decree?

Instead of some simple rules to enforce courteous use and a safety course to teach proper handling methods, our knee jerk reaction is to legislate fireworks displays as a permitted, government only, exercise. I can see it now. A Department of Artistic Fireworks and Fanciful Yodeling (DAFFY) with 200 employees and a several million dollar budget. One need only fill out these 62 pages of request forms, have each duly stamped with a notary seal, stop by 6 different offices and voila, within 2 or three years of processing a dandy fireworks display will be forthcoming at your 40^th birthday party. So sorry, Christmas will have to be celebrated on March 14^th next year as the backlog of processing requests won’t be finished by December 25^th. Not to worry, it’s for your own good. Stand by for instructions on how you must cook your morning breakfast, coming soon from your friendly protectors up on the Hill.

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A Donut Tree

Thanks to online blogging articles and comments made recently, I went out and enjoyed one thing I never knew existed and revisited another I had not been to in a long time.

I must have driven past the Galaxy donut shop dozens, maybe hundreds, of times and never even noticed it was there. Not having a sign does not help their marketing effort or their visibility. Delores, the proprietress didn’t seem to care much one way or the other. Having been in the same location since NMC was a hospital instead of a college (1978), most folks know where she is and what she serves. The donuts are what are called ‘sinkers’ in the US, a heavy cake like donut with iced glazing. I liked the simple fare and the homey, comfortable feel of the place. I’ll be going back for some more donuts and another sack of that cooked Pork. Look to the right as you drive from the traffic light to the main parking lot at the College and you will see the nondescript white building above you on the rise. This is not the place to go if you want Internet wifi and a 6 dollar cup of burnt bean bitter yuppie coffee. This is the place to go if you want a good donut, a good cup of coffee, nice company and a screened porch all at a very reasonable price.

My 3 year old son and I visited the Botanical Gardens the other day. It was his first visit and my first in a year or two. We tromped around the paths, climbed up into the tree houses, scrambled up the stairs to the overlook and swung in the hammocks spending several very enjoyable hours there. We drank fresh guava juice at the snack bar and pored over the historic Japanese era pictures and piggy banks made from coconuts in the museum/gift shop. Alexander tested each tire swing for safety and efficacy and found they all passed his stringent examination. This is one of the really nice tourist venues on Saipan and one those of us who live here are fortunate to have at our disposal any time we need a quiet stroll down a garden path to sooth a bothersome day or a bad mood. The descriptive signage is woefully dilapidated making plant identification difficult but the park is well maintained otherwise. This is a joyful way to spend a day of your life. The local-rate entrance fee is minimal, so go on out and give it another try. I bet you haven’t been there in a long time either.

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Fold flap A into slot B

I’ll admit right off as a first time parent there may be some room for improvement in my technique. I noticed immediately there was no operator's manual attached by little ball chain anywhere near Olivia's enlarging belly when she was pregnant so decided I had better hit the library, the bookstore and Amazon to find out how to deal with the Salamander, as I called him then. (The ultrasound gave me little hope that he would turn out to be another Homo Sapiens).

I got about a dozen books expecting to use the best of each and also expecting there to be broad consensus on the most important items of child rearing expertise. Was I ever shocked to discover that just about every book had a different viewpoint and offered wildly different advice on how best to deal with the little buggers once out of the chute.

If there is definitive proof of a superior method, I have yet to run across it so I use some of the suggestions I learned from the how to manuals, especially the first aid stuff and just wing it for the most part on those items I don’t really know the proper method of dealing with.

The best laid plans, however, are sometimes difficult to actually put into action as he runs over your foot with the electric ATV on his way to stand on the handlebars, open the drawer, climb up, causing the cabinet to overturn smashing the laptop you are doing your research on. A hearty DAMN IT seems to pop out of my mouth, apparently from nowhere when a series of 8 or 10 experiences like those described above all happen in the space of 10 minutes. So much for vocabulary building lesson 202. It can be a bit frustrating.

This child rearing is not child’s play, this is serious stuff. Mine is three now, and I can only imagine what surprises await me as he gains acumen with that opposable thumb and learns to research winning sales techniques, the better to slam dunk me with at the checkout counter.

Making babies is simple: unskilled labor, happy at their work. What to do with them afterwards is certainly a more complex endeavor. If you have any suggestions or a reading list, feel free to email them to me. Help is needed before the men with the nets come for me.

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Quotes of the week: There comes a time in every rightly constructed boy’s life when he has a raging desire to go somewhere and dig for hidden treasure. Mark Twain (1835 – 1910)

The voice of parents is the voice of gods, for to their children they are heaven’s lieutenants. William Shakespeare (1564 1616)

Sour Grapes for Tuesday, January 15th 2008

2008-01-16T04:23:00.000+10:00

Speak out, and Listen
Pardon my French
It seems last weeks article trying to advertise the Zoning Department’s training classes by panning the hilarious Chinese-to-English translations found in some owners manuals was misconstrued by some folks to be a real translation. Nope. I can’t read a word of Mandarin and just made up the piece by playing fast and loose with the English version of the Training Class announcement in an attempt to be entertaining and to get the word out about the class schedule.

My apologies for any inconvenience or hurt feelings.

I do hope you had a chance to attend the classes given for free by the Zoning Administrator, Steve Tilley, to clarify the new law and how it will be administered and enforced. If not, you may still drop by their offices on the 2nd. Floor of the Joeten Dandan building and get your questions answered. You can also call 234-9663/7 or go online to http://www.zoning.gov.mp/ for more information. Email questions can be sent to staff@zoning.gov.mp .
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Hillary is Dead!
No, they didn’t let Sirhan Sirhan out of jail. So it’s not Hillary-the-one-who-doesn’t-want-to-use-her-last-name Clinton who’s on the slab. It’s Sir Edmund Hillary of Mount Everest fame. The guy who “climbed it because it was there”. The guy who made himself and Tenzing Norgay famous by being the first to climb up the biggest hill on the block back in 1953.

In the intervening 50 odd years since his famous climb, Sir Edmund (an informal guy who liked to be called Ed) went back to Nepal over 100 times to raise funds for schools and health clinics for the Sherpas and other residents of the mountainous country. He also led huge expeditions to clean up mountains of garbage, equipment and trash left behind by the many climbing teams that followed in his wake. (Sort of the Angelo Villagomez of the Himalayas).

This man was a hero to thousands, maybe millions of kids and adults the world over, not so much for climbing the mountain, but for persevering in the face of adversity and for getting the job done even though the going was difficult. There was no ‘quit’ in Sir Edmund. He epitomized the ‘finish the job’ credo that makes successful civilizations successful.

Thanks Sir Edmund Hillary for inspiring multitudes to be better than they thought they could be.
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Speak No Evil
I sat down to write an article about the importance of effective communications as it relates to the newly inaugurated Legislature and their ability to keep track of where their constituents stand on issues and events. To generate effective input, the electorate also needs to communicate with each other and with the Legislative bodies regularly. The topics of the day need to be discussed intelligently and rationally. What we find in most non-formal discussions about local, national or international politics is communication hampered by impolite and often uninformed bullying tactics.

I realized I had read an outstanding article by Mr. Michael Cloud about effective communications a few months ago and rather than only paraphrase him or just use his ideas it would be better to reprint the majority of his thoughts on the matter here with only minor editorial input. He states the case with rational clarity:

Gresham's Law of Communication -- and How to Reverse It.
"Bad money drives good money out of circulation," says Gresham's Law of
Money, "when there are legal tender laws."

Imagine that you have two coins, each with a face value of $10. One has ten dollars worth of silver or gold in it. Good money. The other is made from cheap metals and has, perhaps, ten cents' worth of metal in it. Bad money. Now imagine that the government legally requires you and everyone else to accept both coins at their face value. Ten dollars. You can spend either coin for ten dollars worth of goods or services. It might seem like no big deal.

But there's a wrinkle. The government starts coining billions of dollars worth of the cheap metal money. Increasing the money supply. Inflating the currency. The purchasing power of money falls. You and everyone else expect the government to print and coin more money every year. And the next. And the next.

Imagine that you receive $20 for work. Two coins. One with gold or silver in it. The other without. Which coin do you spend? And which do you keep? Right! You spend the bad money. And save the good money. And so does every other sensible person.

That's Gresham's Law. Gresham's Law only operates when there are legal tender laws. When government decrees that "this note is legal tender for all debts, public and private" and legally requires people to accept it.

The corollary, Gresham's Law of Communication, says, "Bad communication drives out good when both are equally acceptable." Rude, insulting, profane, and inflammatory discussions drive out those which are courteous and respectful. Shouting and name-calling discussions drive out those that are conversational and reasonable. Talking-without-listening discussions drive out those that are open-minded and thoughtful.
We can see it on political talk shows. Hear it on talk radio. Read it on the Internet. We especially see it in blogging and chatting. We see it around tables where people gather to discuss political ideas. We spend our vices, and hoard our virtues. Because bad communication drives out good.

But there's a way to reverse Gresham's Law of Communication. There is NO "legal tender law" of communication. You do NOT have to accept bad communication. You do NOT have to accept profanity, rudeness, shouting, inflammatory language, insults or any other kind of communications you find offensive. Conversations and discussions are based on mutual consent. You can negotiate the terms and conditions of your communications. How? Tell people what you want -- and ask if they will do it.

* "John, I really want to talk with you about this, but when you raise your voice, when you call me names, I feel insulted and talked down to. Are you willing to lower your voice and stop name-calling -- so I can carefully consider your arguments and evidence?"

* "Janet, I know you're passionate about global warming, and I respect that.
But when you call people who disagree 'deniers,' you are putting them in the same category as Holocaust deniers. Your language is designed to stigmatize and silence them. Are you willing to stop using the word 'denier,' and show us your evidence? Will you do that?"

* "Tom, I know you feel very strongly about the Iraq War. I want to hear you out. But when you condemn the character and motives of those who disagree with you, when you loudly insult and revile them, I find it almost impossible to listen to your actual arguments and evidence. I need you to stop insulting people who disagree with you. And I need you to calmly lay out your thinking. Will you do that for me?"

You can explain what kind of language and behavior is and is not acceptable to you. Ask the other person what kind of language and behavior is and is not acceptable to her. You can negotiate. Work it out together.

What if they refuse to converse in a way that's acceptable to you? What if they continue to engage in offensive language and behavior? Tell them what is unacceptable. Tell them why. Walk away.

Requesting, negotiation, and walking away are three powerful tools for creating good communications, for building courteous and civil conversations. You can use them with your family, friends, and co-workers, and with casual acquaintances and strangers. And you will begin to make a difference. As will others who do likewise. From such small beginnings, we can set in motion a social trend of courtesy and cooperation. You and I and others can reverse Gresham's Law of Communication.
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Quote of the week: Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Bible, 1 Corinthians xv, 33

The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said. Peter Drucker (1909 – 2005)