Tony Pellegrino's letter to the editor about vocational education caught my fancy.
He says there is no vocational school in Saipan. I haven't been keeping up with the college, but I know they used to have a number of programs. Well, yes, most of the students weren't strictly 'local', they counted a student twice if they took two classes and anybody who could immediately applied their skills in Guam or the mainland because of the wages here. But the classes were available. (I did try to check out their new and improved website but it's obviously still a work in progress.)
Still, I'd bet on Tony. I remember saying his public library scheme was stillborn. He signed up Joeten (added parking) and Kiyu (keeping up with Joeten) and motivated a lot of kids. OK, that's not fair, they both contributed greatly. We now have a library to be proud of, and I always remember Tony when I think about it.
I wish some reporter would follow up on this, but it's obvious they don't read the papers, even their own.
Pubic Library?
For instance, back on January 15 the Northern Marianas Housing Corporation was advertising for PURCHASE OF ADULT BOOKS for the Tinian Public Library (built with public funds) in the Saipan Tribune. Maybe the Marianas Variety, too, but I read that one online. Part of a Community Development Block Grant.
Now, doesn't that pique your interest just a little? Maybe enough to be worth a phone call?
The lie of the land
Since I've started, it's time to rage about public land leases again. Now, the government does its job to the letter of the law. Of course, the average person has no clue about the location of section 15...blah, blah, blah, but the proposed lease has been published.
I would hesitate to bug them about every lease they advertise, and obviously I'd come off as a crank or a busybody. A reporter, on the other hand, would just be doing his or her job. The flip side being not doing his or her job by ignoring such simple leads.
Right. I've been here before. I did try to get around this basic laziness or incompetence by approaching one of my Representatives. "How about legislating a requirement that the location be described generally so that ordinary people could understand it?" Sez I. "Great idea," sez he. "I'll get right on it."
It pays to advertise
Now I'm waiting to see if they follow up on the ad for CNMI Labor's new job posting site. I would expect their business departments to be a tad nervous about losing revenue if newspaper posting of job vacancies gets replaced. We already see one or two pages of ads where there used to be three or four.
I had to look it up, you know. Using 'marianaslabor.net' instead of 'marianaslabor.gov.mp', I thought it might be a scammer.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Dog days
Everyone's howling about dog control. Understandable, I guess. In my case, there is this cute dog across the street. She's kind of a wire-brush terrier boonie dog, except that is a misnomer. She is a feral animal. Apparently so are her friends that hang around, though I'm less certain of that.
Tourists love to take her picture as she lolls in the sand. She barks at them. Cutely. Most think so, though some are obviously intimidated by three or four dogs just lurking. When she drops a litter the barking is less cute.
She threatens the tourists, especially small children. One Russian lad would probably have been attacked; he was running far ahead of his parents. I warned her off. Only one top dog in this neighborhood, thank you.
Happily, the puppies have been cute, so they get rounded up rather quickly. Then she returns to her old habits. Her friends come back and they pack up, attacking dogs being walked down the street and chasing the occasional car.
They eat horses, don't they?
So what's the answer? There seems to be some opposition to eating our way out of the problem, though it is traditional in some cultures.
Not for me, with the admission that I have sampled Fido. Not by choice, mind you. I was at a birthday party and they put a chaser out before the rest of the food. Not bad, I said, reaching for more. What is it? (If you have to ask that question, you're probably already in trouble.)
After general laughter, and a few "woof, woofs", I filled my plate again. Because, of, in order: my inner eight-year old who would take any dare, the rationale that I'd already eaten it and I really was hungry, and, weakest of all, I didn't know the dog by name.
Not for sale, in any case. I think USDA approval of a dog-packing plant would be a reach. Also, I remember the business that used to buy dogs no questions asked. Quick beer money for the boys. And, now that I think of it, my neighbor in Tanapag who seemed to think a beating gave it more flavor until I offered to whack him with his own stick if he didn't stop.
Don't lase me bro
I think shooting is out, the community seems to have responded rather strongly to that one. That reprobate up on Navy Hill who was putting out antifreeze was also on the wrong track. Besides, the corpses would probably never be collected.
Sterilization is great, but a few operations won't begin to address the problem. Maybe India has the answer. Did you catch In Northern India, Unemployed Youths Hired To Sterilize Monkeys? The 300 political footballs in the government, unemployed garment workers, high school graduates. The possibilities are endless.
Laser sterilation, according to the Chief Minister. Obviously we'd need some controls. Don't want some guy settling a grudge outside a bar.
The kids are right
I've been searching the local papers to no avail. I'm sure I wasn't hallucinating. Wasn't there a story about school kids wanting to solve the problem and wondering why the Legislature did nothing? They'll learn, they're young.
Money for a pound, but not enough, and no animal cruelty laws.
It's (still) amazing to me that a small problem can fester for this long but there's plenty of time for public posturing about pet peeves.
Maybe dog-kicking is needed to release frustration, and that's why it can't pass the Senate. Or, again, they fear any animal control is a backdoor attempt to move in on cockfighting. No politician in his or her right mind would take on that group. Talk about one issue.
Tourists love to take her picture as she lolls in the sand. She barks at them. Cutely. Most think so, though some are obviously intimidated by three or four dogs just lurking. When she drops a litter the barking is less cute.
She threatens the tourists, especially small children. One Russian lad would probably have been attacked; he was running far ahead of his parents. I warned her off. Only one top dog in this neighborhood, thank you.
Happily, the puppies have been cute, so they get rounded up rather quickly. Then she returns to her old habits. Her friends come back and they pack up, attacking dogs being walked down the street and chasing the occasional car.
They eat horses, don't they?
So what's the answer? There seems to be some opposition to eating our way out of the problem, though it is traditional in some cultures.
Not for me, with the admission that I have sampled Fido. Not by choice, mind you. I was at a birthday party and they put a chaser out before the rest of the food. Not bad, I said, reaching for more. What is it? (If you have to ask that question, you're probably already in trouble.)
After general laughter, and a few "woof, woofs", I filled my plate again. Because, of, in order: my inner eight-year old who would take any dare, the rationale that I'd already eaten it and I really was hungry, and, weakest of all, I didn't know the dog by name.
Not for sale, in any case. I think USDA approval of a dog-packing plant would be a reach. Also, I remember the business that used to buy dogs no questions asked. Quick beer money for the boys. And, now that I think of it, my neighbor in Tanapag who seemed to think a beating gave it more flavor until I offered to whack him with his own stick if he didn't stop.
Don't lase me bro
I think shooting is out, the community seems to have responded rather strongly to that one. That reprobate up on Navy Hill who was putting out antifreeze was also on the wrong track. Besides, the corpses would probably never be collected.
Sterilization is great, but a few operations won't begin to address the problem. Maybe India has the answer. Did you catch In Northern India, Unemployed Youths Hired To Sterilize Monkeys? The 300 political footballs in the government, unemployed garment workers, high school graduates. The possibilities are endless.
Laser sterilation, according to the Chief Minister. Obviously we'd need some controls. Don't want some guy settling a grudge outside a bar.
The kids are right
I've been searching the local papers to no avail. I'm sure I wasn't hallucinating. Wasn't there a story about school kids wanting to solve the problem and wondering why the Legislature did nothing? They'll learn, they're young.
Money for a pound, but not enough, and no animal cruelty laws.
It's (still) amazing to me that a small problem can fester for this long but there's plenty of time for public posturing about pet peeves.
Maybe dog-kicking is needed to release frustration, and that's why it can't pass the Senate. Or, again, they fear any animal control is a backdoor attempt to move in on cockfighting. No politician in his or her right mind would take on that group. Talk about one issue.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Minimum wage retort
Want to read a good joke? Try downloading U.S. Labor's minimum wage report on American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas. Don't take my word for it: check it out for yourself.
""
Still with me?
Whether you're for it or against it, this product is lame. The two main points from the summary: "1. Short Time Frame. The reporting time-frame specified in the legislation – no later than 8 months from the date of enactment (May 25, 2007) – did not provide sufficient time to observe actual effects of the minimum wage increases"... and "2. Lack of timely labor market data ...The lack of such data for American Samoa and the CNMI significantly impairs efforts to measure or to project the impacts of scheduled minimum wage increases for these territories. It was not feasible to conduct field investigations in connection with this study."
Minimize the minimum (Panglossolia)
If you're agin raising the minimum wage you read "With both of its major industries declining simultaneously, the CNMI economy is in overall decline, and its current economic situation makes it especially vulnerable to additional shocks. While data are not available to precisely quantify the impact of the recent and scheduled future increases in the minimum wage, it seems likely that the current economic decline may be made worse. General experience in the U.S. and elsewhere has shown that potential adverse employment effects of minimum wage increases can be masked or offset to some degree by an expanding economy that is generating net employment growth. No such offsets can be expected in a declining economy."
Stay the course (Damn the torpedos, full speed ahead)
If you're fer a higher minimum you find this nugget tucked away in the back of the report: "Some recent U.S. research regarding the effects of minimum wage increases suggests some positive employment effects when increases are associated with labor markets characterized by a degree of monopsony power." Dictionaried, monopsony means "A market situation in which the product or service of several sellers is sought by only one buyer."
Don't confuse me with the facts
Strangely, the Saipan Tribune chickened a little. You'd almost think they had a vested interest in a low minimum. My buddy Dick Pierce, the governor's office and the Chamber of Commerce each get a day to wring their hands. Nobody is asked to express another point of view. Huh. I guess the 'majority' opposes the minimum wage as part of that federalization bundle.
Monday's article included this gem "Increasing the CNMI wage to $7.25 an hour, the report said, is comparable to raising the U.S. minimum wage to $16.50 an hour." Not exactly. The report said "The scheduled increase in the minimum wage to $7.25 (by 2015) will likely affect at least 75 percent of wage and salary workers in CNMI. By comparison, in order to directly affect 75 percent of U.S. hourly workers, the minimum wage would need to be raised to $16.50, the 75th percentile mark for wage and salary workers who are paid hourly rates." Lies, damn lies and statistics, the man said.
Tell me what I think
So who can we believe? Try yourself. What did you think about the minimum wage before this shelf-filler came out?
Or, heh, me. I think the jury's still out. I've maintained for years that a higher minimum wage in the CNMI would be great for small businesses because the majority of people would have more disposable income. Unfortunately, higher energy costs have sucked up the loose change from the cushions so we may never know.
There are already too many quotes, but I'll add one last tidbit from the report: "In 1980, the CNMI per capita income of $3,298 was 32.5 percent of U.S. per capita income of $10,134, and in 2000, the CNMI per capita income of $9,151 was 30.7 percent of U.S. per capita income of $29,855.33." It's pretty obvious that the old model wasn't getting us to a U.S. standard of living.
Fifty cents this year? Yeah, maybe, probably. Then how about a real study when there are results to analyze? I'll bet they've already shelved this treewaster and forgotten about the subject.
""
Still with me?
Whether you're for it or against it, this product is lame. The two main points from the summary: "1. Short Time Frame. The reporting time-frame specified in the legislation – no later than 8 months from the date of enactment (May 25, 2007) – did not provide sufficient time to observe actual effects of the minimum wage increases"... and "2. Lack of timely labor market data ...The lack of such data for American Samoa and the CNMI significantly impairs efforts to measure or to project the impacts of scheduled minimum wage increases for these territories. It was not feasible to conduct field investigations in connection with this study."
Minimize the minimum (Panglossolia)
If you're agin raising the minimum wage you read "With both of its major industries declining simultaneously, the CNMI economy is in overall decline, and its current economic situation makes it especially vulnerable to additional shocks. While data are not available to precisely quantify the impact of the recent and scheduled future increases in the minimum wage, it seems likely that the current economic decline may be made worse. General experience in the U.S. and elsewhere has shown that potential adverse employment effects of minimum wage increases can be masked or offset to some degree by an expanding economy that is generating net employment growth. No such offsets can be expected in a declining economy."
Stay the course (Damn the torpedos, full speed ahead)
If you're fer a higher minimum you find this nugget tucked away in the back of the report: "Some recent U.S. research regarding the effects of minimum wage increases suggests some positive employment effects when increases are associated with labor markets characterized by a degree of monopsony power." Dictionaried, monopsony means "A market situation in which the product or service of several sellers is sought by only one buyer."
Don't confuse me with the facts
Strangely, the Saipan Tribune chickened a little. You'd almost think they had a vested interest in a low minimum. My buddy Dick Pierce, the governor's office and the Chamber of Commerce each get a day to wring their hands. Nobody is asked to express another point of view. Huh. I guess the 'majority' opposes the minimum wage as part of that federalization bundle.
Monday's article included this gem "Increasing the CNMI wage to $7.25 an hour, the report said, is comparable to raising the U.S. minimum wage to $16.50 an hour." Not exactly. The report said "The scheduled increase in the minimum wage to $7.25 (by 2015) will likely affect at least 75 percent of wage and salary workers in CNMI. By comparison, in order to directly affect 75 percent of U.S. hourly workers, the minimum wage would need to be raised to $16.50, the 75th percentile mark for wage and salary workers who are paid hourly rates." Lies, damn lies and statistics, the man said.
Tell me what I think
So who can we believe? Try yourself. What did you think about the minimum wage before this shelf-filler came out?
Or, heh, me. I think the jury's still out. I've maintained for years that a higher minimum wage in the CNMI would be great for small businesses because the majority of people would have more disposable income. Unfortunately, higher energy costs have sucked up the loose change from the cushions so we may never know.
There are already too many quotes, but I'll add one last tidbit from the report: "In 1980, the CNMI per capita income of $3,298 was 32.5 percent of U.S. per capita income of $10,134, and in 2000, the CNMI per capita income of $9,151 was 30.7 percent of U.S. per capita income of $29,855.33." It's pretty obvious that the old model wasn't getting us to a U.S. standard of living.
Fifty cents this year? Yeah, maybe, probably. Then how about a real study when there are results to analyze? I'll bet they've already shelved this treewaster and forgotten about the subject.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Leaving on a jet plane
Hope you caught UMDA: We're not a buy-and-sell firm in Friday's Saipan Tribune. Hey, if you can encourage a major air carrier like Asiana to come in and make a few bucks at the same time... why not?
Besides, now they've moved on to the moribund Hotel Nikko: the last memento of Japan Airlines' messy breakup with the CNMI. Well, almost the last. There's still that white elephant across the street. We can only hope the government has learned something. Yes we can.
Glad somebody is doing more than yodeling 'more flights, more flights' and then bitching about Washington.
I Ain't Marching Anymore
But that's the thing, instead of doing what you can locally, it's easier to worry over what [has been, is being, will be] decided there. Those folks are worried about their constituencies, and, within reason, what they think is right.
Bread and circuses cost money, so any distraction is welcome. I know, let's have a (motorcade) rally. (I'd link to the Marianas Variety, too, but I don't want to have to change the link tomorrow).
Honk if you hate federalization. That word makes for great spin. Kind of a loose canon. It brings out images of the National Guard posted on every corner. No wonder those States Rights rednecks bought into it. I've been searching for a more neutral term, but no luck so far.
And people still insist on asking whether I think it's a good thing. I still answer "I dunno." The minimum wage raise was years overdue and came at precisely the worst time. I don't expect the feds to do a bangup job with immigration, so I suppose the question becomes 'can they do worse than the local government'. I dunno.
The whole idea of 'guest workers' is built on a faulty premise: that the government can interfere in labor markets without messing them up. Too many workers and the minimum wage becomes the de facto wage. Too few workers and you strangle businesses. Both sides expect the government, here or there, to have the answers. Oh Kay. I'll sell that, but I won't buy it.
BTW, there's a book making the rounds that I highly recommend: "Nobodies: Modern American Slave Labor and the Dark Side of the New Global Economy" by John Bowe. I borrowed it from brother Jas in passing. Reads quick, has interesting arguments and the part about Saipan is done pretty well. Maybe I don't buy Dick Pierce as elf and Pam Brown as pixie, but those are just quibbles.
Besides, now they've moved on to the moribund Hotel Nikko: the last memento of Japan Airlines' messy breakup with the CNMI. Well, almost the last. There's still that white elephant across the street. We can only hope the government has learned something. Yes we can.
Glad somebody is doing more than yodeling 'more flights, more flights' and then bitching about Washington.
I Ain't Marching Anymore
But that's the thing, instead of doing what you can locally, it's easier to worry over what [has been, is being, will be] decided there. Those folks are worried about their constituencies, and, within reason, what they think is right.
Bread and circuses cost money, so any distraction is welcome. I know, let's have a (motorcade) rally. (I'd link to the Marianas Variety, too, but I don't want to have to change the link tomorrow).
Honk if you hate federalization. That word makes for great spin. Kind of a loose canon. It brings out images of the National Guard posted on every corner. No wonder those States Rights rednecks bought into it. I've been searching for a more neutral term, but no luck so far.
And people still insist on asking whether I think it's a good thing. I still answer "I dunno." The minimum wage raise was years overdue and came at precisely the worst time. I don't expect the feds to do a bangup job with immigration, so I suppose the question becomes 'can they do worse than the local government'. I dunno.
The whole idea of 'guest workers' is built on a faulty premise: that the government can interfere in labor markets without messing them up. Too many workers and the minimum wage becomes the de facto wage. Too few workers and you strangle businesses. Both sides expect the government, here or there, to have the answers. Oh Kay. I'll sell that, but I won't buy it.
BTW, there's a book making the rounds that I highly recommend: "Nobodies: Modern American Slave Labor and the Dark Side of the New Global Economy" by John Bowe. I borrowed it from brother Jas in passing. Reads quick, has interesting arguments and the part about Saipan is done pretty well. Maybe I don't buy Dick Pierce as elf and Pam Brown as pixie, but those are just quibbles.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Under the wire
This one barely made it, but easily tops my favorites of the year.
And now the rest of the story. They say he borrowed the head from a motion-activated Santa. For a bonus "The headless dancing Santa now carries a knife and sings and dances on Conrad's front porch."
Previous winners? Well, after several hard drive crashes, this land is the only one I can get to offhand.
Recent fun:
My favorite until Santa came down the chimney: Talk about Christmas spirit(s).
I set a similar photo as our yuletime background. Who knew I was being politically incorrect? Get a lighten up, please.
My dog ate it. My teachers never believed that one.
This site demanded a bookmark. Coat of many colors indeed.
Then there's After years of staying put, her skin had literally become one with the sofa and had to be surgically removed. The link title is fair warning, I would think.
Send the kids to bed, because the 10 Most Bizarre Scientific Papers is next. A preview:
Hmmm. Nevermind. I was going to borrow the photo from Rectal Foreign Bodies: Case Reports and a Comprehensive Review of the World's Literature Look it up yourself. Needless to say, the site has been duly bookmarked.
Friday, December 21, 2007
How can I miss you if you won't go away?
One of my all-time favorite song titles... Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks.
The messages and emails were appreciated, but I hit a hiatus where my schedule was lousy. Plus, this blathering got old, and then I decided it wouldn't be wise to comment going into the election: I really didn't have anything positive to say and it seems the politicians I thought most egregious are friends. Did you get that Ron?
Kumhobaya
Glad to see they got their lease. The Japanese got tired of being ripped off, so it's back to Koreans. The uncharitable might say a small percentage of the lease payments saved would be a wise investment in legislative approval.
The messages and emails were appreciated, but I hit a hiatus where my schedule was lousy. Plus, this blathering got old, and then I decided it wouldn't be wise to comment going into the election: I really didn't have anything positive to say and it seems the politicians I thought most egregious are friends. Did you get that Ron?
Kumhobaya
Glad to see they got their lease. The Japanese got tired of being ripped off, so it's back to Koreans. The uncharitable might say a small percentage of the lease payments saved would be a wise investment in legislative approval.
Housekeeping
Seedy Demesa got her wish. Hope the school works out.
Sigh, no La Fiesta Casino. Who cooked up those numbers they were throwing around? Especially when I read that it was not for locals. Who else would use it?
Cohen, Cohen gone. Best to avoid the rush when all the Bush appointees go job hunting.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
The silly season
Now why on earth would I put Paul Wolfowitz in a blog about Saipan?For starters, I've been saving his mosque picture for ages and he's about to become old news (until he gets his Medal of Freedom). I guess his girlfriend doesn't mend socks.
Indeed, a person who got his job because of connections and used that position to push his, umm, acquaintances into power. Bono was at least as qualified.
Reset OK, that's not it. I've been thinking that maybe the anti-federalist, anti-imperialist, anti-activist crowd was right all along. Dump the U.S. Then we can go begging to the World Bank (which has nothing to do with the U.S.) for a bailout. They would then proceed to force our government into all of the painful cost-cutting steps it is unable and unwilling to take.
Because they just don't get it. The elections are the only thing on everyone's mind and the chance to make rational cuts has passed. The Legislature and the Judiciary are crying and refusing to take a hit. (In passing, why is it those branches pay higher salaries than the Executive for the same work?) The Mayor would rather cut services so his bloated staff can remain sitting in the office. This is not rocket science, folks. If three quarters of your budget goes for personnel, you have to downsize when the money runs out. Reduction in force 'if necessary' indeed.
Reset So let's step back in time to when the budget was a similar size and set the government workforce to a similar level. That's a surefire votegetter.
Island dreams I read the news today, oh boy. Actually, it was cable; who reads these days? A woman was saying the Senate should cut gas prices. Cute, but it's the silly season so she's bound to get a taker. Maybe the guy who thinks the solution is to go out and tax all of those businesses who are making too much money.
Now that's funny, I don't care who you are. -- Larry the Cable Guy
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