Post 300: Ohhh-Taking!

The Saipan Tribune summarized the event yesterday with regard to the oath taking of the newly elected and reelected lawmakers in the CNMI. Under the paper's Reporter's Notebook it summarizes the glitz, the glam and the bits and pieces of what had occurred that day. Below are my favorites...

-Both Speaker Arnold Palacios and Vice Speaker Joseph Deleon Guerrero came to the oath-taking ceremony with a cold. A visibly sick Deleon Guerrero, who spoke briefly during session, said he “decided to forego the traditional lengthy speech” because of his cold.

-Pledging openness to suggestions and criticisms, Rep. Tina Sablan announced her contact details in her speech. Her mobile phone number is 483-3935. Her email address is tinasablan@gmail.com.

-Rep. Heinz Hofschneider spoke the longest during session. He took the floor for 18 minutes, speaking first in Chamorro and then in English. His speech focused on immigration federalization.

-At the closing of the special session, new Floor Leader Joseph James Norita Camacho said he wants it on the record that all 20 members of the House recognized their respective spouse in their remarks.

-New Senate President Pete Reyes apologized to family and friends of the re-elected senators of the 16th Legislature as well as the 50-60 crowd in attendance for the absence of the inauguration lunch. The lunch usually follows the swearing of new members of the Senate. He said the budget constraints prevented them from holding the traditional event.

-Not one, not two, but three House members had to request another chance on the floor, as they forgot to thank their wives sitting behind them. They were Reps. Victor Hocog, Heinz Hofschneider, and David Apatang. Their defense: they were too eager to get down to business.

The writers said their wives were just behind them and due to their dose of ecstasy they forgot to thank them....

The Reveler

Political Porky

I had the chance to talk to political candidates lately and asked them if they were gracing Porky's Bar Friday's debate and discussions, mostly said they are not going to, "Not over a bottle of beer or any alcohol."

One posed a question that how would you get a sane, intelligent and "safe" discussion when you are inebriated? "You don't discuss politics nor religion with alcohol."

Only one way to find out, attend Porky's Bar discussion tonight then, Friday....

The Reveler

Scarier than Friday the 13th

If you’re not superstitious, then it should not bother you that it’s Friday the 13th today.

Think of it as nothing scarier than not getting your paycheck given the sorry state of the economy. (How come big businesses close, but not the small massage parlors, karaoke bars and porn shops?)

They tell you to be extra careful today because of, well, the date. But you should be more careful if you park your car somewhere prone to burglars.

Friday the 13th is not fraught with peril. The bloated CNMI government is. It could cut your salary by 10 percent (which it already did, and plans to cut some more), while continuing to hire consultants, special assistants, etc. Now that’s scary.

It takes a year to save hundreds of thousands of taxpayers money by cutting ordinary employees’ wages, and just a few signatures to hire consultants worth more than double the savings from ‘austerity Fridays’.

In fact, you were more scared when you received the first power bill since CUC increased its rates by over 100 percent. But the bad services haven`t changed.

If you lose in the lottery today, it’s not bad luck.

Sure you can make jokes about Friday the 13th but not when you’re about to fill your car fuel tank. Another 8 cents a gallon increase today.

Don’t let Friday the 13th stop you from leaving the house. You have work today.

Bitz n' Pizez

Heresays around the island:

Hearsay #1: The recovered body of the fourth Korean student that died last weekend at Forbidden Island is"hearsaid" to be bitten by sharks. Teachers at NMC even said the police or rescuers recovered just the head.

Hearsay #2: Two garment factories are up for closing down this month.

Hearsay #3: PIO of the governor sent press releases to the local media about the governor's daughter's achievements in school on mainland. Aren't government employees supposed to perform official government business only? Just asking....

Hearsay #4: Xterra winners booted out of race for Tagaman to give chance to others, for pete's sake....

Heresay #5: The CNMI soccer team lost to Guam because...

Oh well, more to come...

The Reveler

Cheers and Jeers

It’s not so much about the $200,000 that the government would be able to save per year if all the 42 elected officials and members of the judiciary voluntarily take a 10 percent cut in their salaries, as reported by Marianas Variety. (What is $200,000 a year versus the $150,000 that the Fitial administration will be paying a mining consultant in connection with the selling of Pagan’s volcanic ash, other independent contractors and political hires?)

It’s more of sharing the burden in these tough economic times.

A government employee who earns $13,000 a year gets a 10 percent cut in his salary, while a lawmaker who earns close to $40,000 a year is not exempted from the cut, thanks to Public Law 15-24 or the austerity Friday law. Members of the CNMI Supreme Court and Superior Court, who earn much more than $13,000 or the close to $40,000 by lawmakers, also don’t get pay cuts.

How could top elected officials expect lower paid government employees and the community at large to believe in them if they don’t lead by example? During the last elections, these leaders promised to work for the people and with the people but are now singing a different tune.

Public Auditor Mike Sablan, as quoted by Marianas Variety, said it well: “The voluntary acceptance of a 10 percent reduction by all elected officials and members of the judiciary would serve as a morale booster and encourage employees throughout the government to be more supportive and understanding of their forced reduction in pay.”

But of course, there is a separation of powers. The executive branch can’t tell the legislative branch or the judiciary branch what to do in these tough economic times. They already know what to do…right?

Libra Mae Sparks Chronicles: # 3

Whoa! Sparky has resigned?! Of course, I don't believe it. "Editor's Note: Yeah, Girl right, see ya next week." So, if this were true, there goes one writer of the Libra Mae Sparks Committee and a handful of them are still there.

To PTIMES, GOODBYE, but not forever. I really wanted my relationship with PTimes for life, I mean, you know, like growing old together till we're 90 and being happy that DEATH has forgotten us? I never thought there'll come a time that our love story will end. Of course, that assumes that there was LOVE between us. Most often than not, I find myself at the end of the rope, hanging there, dodging the stones being cast on me, and nobody at Ptimes seems to be willing to take my neck out of it. It's hard to understand, but I guess I'll have to try. IT'S NOT EASY TO SAY GOODBYE. For all the joys we shared, all that time we had spent. Now if I had one wish we'll forever be back again. To look again into your eyes when you're mad at me after I messed up and hold you when you cry when Uly does not submit his articles on time to beat the deadline, I'll miss those times.
Yes, my heart is crushed, it's in pain. And although pain and happiness and all emotions exercise the muscles of our heart, I still say, Goodbyes are like DEATH. Both are NEVER EASY TO SAY, they're in fact, un-utterable. I can remember all those great times we had. There are so many memories, some good, some bad and thru it all, those memories will last forever. And so I've got to say, I'm just glad you came my way. IT'S NOT EASY TO SAY GOODBYE to a great MENTOR, a PROTECTOR, a FRIEND. Chief ALDWIN, Goodbye. (Editors Note: Yeah, see you next week, girl!)
But before I leave, read my LAST WORD for whatever it's worth. I know I made a lot of enemies but I made a lot of friends, too. And often times, I toss them back and forth. Due to my Politics which is not politics as usual, my thoughts may have been muddled with, and hidden behind, the anger it sows or the jealousy from those who wanted to have their thoughts known but choose to keep mum.
My POLITICS IS SIMPLIFIED now. I believe in what Reinhold Neibuhr says that the whole ART of politics consists in DIRECTING RATIONALLY the IRRATIONALITIES OF MEN and it takes a Great Man to know his own mind and sticks to it...I say, the CNMI has found a Great Man who unfolds naturally and completely what needs to be done, and does it. Yes, my politics is simplified now and it spells F-I-T-I-A-L. And I know in my heart, I cant be wrong now as I had been wrong in the past.
With this LAST WORD, I am tendering my resignation effective immediately. I bid you farewell, Adieu, GOODBYE, BUT NOT FOREVER.

Yeah, sure Sparky.

The Reveler