Santa Visits Saipan via Skype

ALL eyes were glued to the huge screen as the Skype ring tone reverberated in the American Memorial Park Visitor Center theater on Saturday afternoon.

Cedrick the Magician from Tinian was trying to contact Santa Claus in the North Pole while the audience waited. After a few seconds, Santa’s jolly face appeared on screen and he greeted everyone with his booming laughter. He said he was on his way to Saipan.

Cedrick the Magician impressed the young and not so young audience and had everyone mesmerized for 45 minutes as he performed on stage.

Cedrick, 20, is one of the backstage hands for the SandCastle Magic Show at the Hyatt, and it was his first performance in public on Saipan.

Cedrick’s Magic Show culminated with the arrival of Santa Claus. Chilren and adults got the chance to have their pictures taken with Cedrick and Santa Claus in the Visitor Center lobby after the show.

“I was a little bit nervous at first but after the first few minutes, I began to relax and was happy to see the audience enjoying the show,” Cedrick said.

Cedrick is the fourth of seven siblings. Cedrick’s mother Joji, a teacher of Grace Christian Academy on Tinian, said she had never watched any of Cedrick’s shows before.

“His father always comes with him but this time, I decided to come out and watch. I was more nervous than he was during the first few moments of the show but later on, I started to enjoy it,” Joji said.

She wanted Cedrick to be an engineer, but added that their family will always support him in his endeavors.

Cedrick’s father Conrad Libut said: “Doing magic is what he wants, and we are here for him.”

Cedrick became interested in the world of magic at 9 after he watched a special TV marathon show titled “World’s Greatest Magic.” He devoured every episode and decided then and there what he wanted to do in life — magic.

He now performs for various occasions such as birthday parties, baby showers, cocktail parties or even business get-togethers.

Cedrick the Magician also performed during the Brilliant Star School bazaar at the multi-purpose center on Dec. 9. For more information, call 789-9197, email contact@cedrickmagic.com or visit http://cedrickmagic.com.

First published at the Marianas Variety

New Ferrari car models introduced for Shell V-Power customers

IP&E and Shell V-Power introduced five new Ferrari model cars customers can avail themselves of for every purchase of Shell V-Power products.

In a press conference at the Hard Rock Café in Garapan yesterday, IP&E CNMI area manager Jeff Boyer said a cash purchase of seven gallons or more of Shell V-Power fuel entitles a customer to get a Ferrari model car for only $0.99 cents.

Customers can also get double points for purchases of Shell V Power gas for their Lucky 7 Rewards program, and get the Ferrari model cars free for redemption of Lucky 7.

The Lucky 7 Rewards Program has been in existence since April 2002 to reward loyal customers for gassing up at Shell.

Loyal customers enjoy the benefit of one point for every gallon of fuel purchased at Shell Stations. Boyer said they will be releasing one new model every six weeks or so.

“This promo is good only while supplies for the Ferrari model cars last so we are inviting you all to come and fuel up with Shell V-Power and avail of this promo,” Boyer said.

Background

In his Power Point presentation, Boyer showed Shell, a global company partnered with Ferrari with a commitment and passion for motorsport and fuels technology. Together, Shell and Ferrari have won over 100 F-1 races, over 15 constructor’s championships, impressive record, and zero tolerance for margin error.

IP&E CNMI area manager Jeff Boyer discusses the advantages of using Shell V-Power during a press conference at the Hard Rock Café yesterday morning. Photo by Raquel C. Bagnol

“This means that in F-1 racing, it is all about quality and perfection,” Boyer said. He said through Shell’s relationship with Ferrari, the technological development of Shell’s unique formulation came about — the Shell V-Power.

He said Shell V-Power was initially developed as a race fuel for F-1 Grand Prix racing, refined for use on the road.

Boyer said the difference between Shell V-Power race fuel and Shell V-Power motor gasoline is one percent, which means that Shell V-Power users today enjoy the benefit of 99 percent of the technology developed in F-1 racing which is a high-quality fuel refined for use on the road.

Boyer cited the qualities of Shell V-Power which include five times more cleaning power than required by the U.S government standard, qualifies as a top tier fuel, and exceeds top tier standards by two times more cleaning power. He a said Toyota, GM, Ford, Honda, BMW, Audi and Volkswagen all endorse the use of top tier fuel.

He said Shell V-Power is the best premium gasoline available on Saipan today.

“Shell V-Power cleans intake valves and fuel injectors for enhanced engine responsiveness, and helps to prevent rust on all surfaces of your engine that Shell V-Power comes into contact with,” Boyer said.  

IP&E acquired the marketing assets of Shell and secured a license agreement to carry the Shell branded fuels at the gas pumps in August 15, 2010.

Hyatt celebrates Chuseok festival

DINERS who crave for Korean cuisine are in for ten days of a mouth-watering feast as Hyatt Regency Saipan celebrates the Chuseok festival at its Kili Café & Terrace.

An assortment of Korean dishes.

To give its diners a taste of authentic Korean cuisine and bring the spirit of “Chuseok”, a Korean thanksgiving celebration here, Hyatt Regency has brought in two chefs from the Hyatt Regency Incheon.

“From Oct. 1 to 10, diners at the Kili Café & Terrace will be treated to a wide selection of authentic Korean buffet prepared by two chefs from Korea,” Hyatt Regency Saipan’s executive chef Gabrielle Colombo said.

Kyoung-Yoon Jeong and Kim Tae Hoon arrived on Saipan on Tuesday and will be staying until Oct. 11.

The two chefs said that the diners can expect a variation of Korean dishes every night.

Colombo said that Hyatt Regency Saipan’s restaurants host various festivals throughout the year, but it has been some years since they brought in chefs from other countries.

“This time, we would like to bring Korea here to make our diners enjoy the true taste of Korean cuisine,” Colombo said.

Joong brings with him six years of experience at the Hyatt Regency Incheon while Kim has been with the hotel for the last four years.

But the two chefs had been assigned in other Hyatt hotels in Thailand, Philippines and other countries before.

Colombo invites the community not to miss dinner times at the Kili Café & Terrace and indulge into the chef’s creations like a spicy Korean Hot Pot, marinated grilled meats and seafood, and traditional dishes like Bulgogi beef stew and Kimchi pancakes.

He said the dining at the Kili Café for the Chuseok festival is a rare experience that cannot be equaled to dining in a Korean restaurant here.

“It’s an eat-all-you-can, drink-all-you-can feast on Korean dishes that you shouldn’t miss, and the food choices are endless,” Colombo said.

Included in the Chuseok festival dinner buffet is a wide selection of appetizers like assorted organic greens with choices of dressing and condiments, Shitake mushrooms muchin, Bulgogi mixed salad, Korean beef tartare, fresh tofu salad, Japchae, glass noodle salad and various kimchi.

The seafood bar carries reef red sashimi, seared bonito tuna, spicy lime dip, green mussel, snow crab, fresh Pusan oyster, fresh river shrimp, lemon wedges, miso bean dip, mignonette, wasaby cocktail sauce and spring onion sauce. The live cooking station offer diners assorted Korean pancakes with dipping sauce and seafood bibimbam rice.

The hot selection bar carries steamed rice with selected beans, braised chicken with spicy vegetables, Angus beef with rib stew with soy sauce, fried squid with chili sauce, and grilled autumn vegetables with marinated garlic. Top off your meal with tempting delights from the dessert bar—a selection of traditional Korean sweets and desserts.

The Chuseok dinner buffet at the Kili Café is open from 6 to 10 p.m. from Oct. 1 to 10 for $35 per person. For reservations and more information, call 234-1234 extension 26.

This article was originally published HERE

One sweet potato, two sweet potato...

ROTA — The covers were lifted and the hungry and excited crowd gathered in anticipation, picking up plates and forks as they fell in line to sample over 30 mouth-watering products derived from one of the Pacific’s most stable root crop —  the sweet potato,  known here as kamuti.

The first annual sweet potato festival on Rota was in progress and guests had a grand time forking food into their plates and sampling the delights laid out on the table. From simple grilled sweet potato to the most complicated pies, tarts, cakes, fritters and other colorful and appetizing desserts to casseroles blended with herbs and spices, salads — everything was gone in a few minutes, and one could already hear the rave reviews of the guests.

Sweet potatoes can be eaten raw, grilled, baked, mashed, boiled, candied, steamed, or processed, and you still get the vitamins and other benefits.

Sweet potatoes grow in various colors and sizes, an abundant resource that Rota is blessed with, and a resource that the island wants to tap into to create a product brand and to spur the economy at the same time.

NMC-CREES Dr. Dilip Nadwani and Anthony Tudela in their research paper titled “Sweet Potato in the CNMI” said sweet potato has been a staple food for the Pacific Islanders for several centuries and is the most widely produced crop in the CNMI, mainly on Rota. Over 50 percent of the commercially produced sweet potatoes on Rota are shipped to Guam while the rest are for Saipan.

Nadwani and Tudela said  “the sweet potato is very important to a healthy nutrition based on its high contents of fibrous starches, potassium, iron, calcium and several vitamins.”

This versatile root crop which can be harvested from three to five months is fast finding its place in household tables all year round as the interest in healthy and natural foods increase.

Benefits of sweet potatoes

The U.S. Department of Agriculture enumerates the benefits of sweet potatoes, including being an “antidiabetic” food.

USDA researches showed that sweet potatoes contain proteins with high content of carotenes and vitamin C, making it a valuable food for boosting antioxidants in the body.

Sweet potatoes are also excellent source of carotenes, particularly the darker varieties, and offer a very good source of vitamins B6 and C, manganese, copper, biotin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B2, and dietary fiber.

With the abundance of sweet potato in the CNMI, and with a hundred and one variations that you can do to come up with delectable recipes, the choice is yours. You can add sweet potatoes to your diet not only on special holidays but throughout the year.

(This article was first published at the Marianas Variety)

Up close with a sand sculptor

SCOOPING water from a bucket with his hands, he allowed the salty droplets to trickle through his fingers to wet the mound of sand he shoveled to his workplace on the beach.

Unmindful of the sweltering heat of the noonday sun, the world ceased to exist for Australian photographer turned world-champion sand sculptor Dennis Massoud as he focused his attention on the sand for the next 10 minutes, patting, scrubbing and brushing, trimming and blowing until very soon, the form of a young dolphin became recognizable.

Known as the “Sandman,” Massoud lived practically all his life near the beach.

From a matter of minutes to several days or weeks, Massoud can form simple to the most intricate designs of castles, animals, humans, mermaids and anything else.

“I think I have already sand-sculpted everything I can imagine, but I cannot stop,” he said.

Massoud recalls that his most fulfilling work was when he worked with a group of other world champions to create a huge sculpture in Luliang, China using natural multi-colored sand.

“That sculpture has generated over $180 million a year for the producer from the millions of people who visited the sand forest,” Massoud said.

He has been invited to do sand sculpture in several parts of the world for private and government agencies. He is also available for corporate team building workshops or sculpting workshops, for themed sculptures such as Christmas, weddings, and more.

“I’ve been everywhere around the world doing sand sculpture and sand is my life,” Massoud said.

If you won’t be allowed to touch or work with sand again, what would you do for the rest of your life?

Massoud stared blankly at this reporter, clearly caught off guard by the question.

“I would probably spend the rest of my life looking for sand and working with sand again,” Massoud finally answered.

He believes that “in every man or woman, there is a child who wants to come out to create sandcastles and play in the sand.”

The Sandman stayed for a few days on Saipan for the Sandcastles for Wishes 2010 building competition at the Hyatt Beach Park on July 10 where he created a mermaid hugging a little girl.

To see more of Massoud’s works, visit www.sandinyoureyes.com.
(This article was first published HERE)

Looking for America on Saipan

THE spotlight is focused on a bar known as the Statue of Liberty on the dot of an island called Saipan, a melting pot of people with various nationalities.

The Statue of Liberty (which is the former Hamilton’s Bar in Gualo Rai) is the regular meeting place of people with different backgrounds brought together by a common goal. They are all looking for “America” on Saipan.

The Statue of Liberty bar is a mute witness to these people’s quest for fulfillment.

“The State of Liberty: Looking for America” is a film shot entirely on Saipan in 2005 by Dan Shor, an award-winning television/film actor, director, writer and teacher at Northern Marianas College who used to live on Saipan, and Ben Salas, a Hawaii-born actor and producer whose family moved to the island in 1985.

They envisioned their film as Saipan’s gift to the world of entertainment.

The characters are Japanese, Chinese, Chamorro, Carolinian, Bangladeshi, Filipino, Russian, and statesiders.

The film’s five interconnected story lines take the viewer to all the scenic spots and captures the beauty and local color of the island.

The story is centered on a Chinese woman searching for her half-brother named America.

Starring in the film are Saipan residents, some of whom have already left the island, including Elena Alexandrova, Tony Angelo, Heather Calderwood, Joseph Calimlim, Myla Capilitan, Li Ying Guo, Sean Maycock, Tanya Oscar Nobuko, Kyoko Reber, Ben Salas, Angel Santos, Dan Shor, Raby Syed, Joe Taijeron, Jason Tarkong, Jing Yang and Bo Zancanella.

A copy of the DVD is available as part of the Passion Profit Company’s SaipanLiving series for $19.95. Buy your DVD at http://www.amazon.com/Looking-America-Saipan-Story-Shor/dp/B003KK5ARK.

(Article first published HERE)

No substitute for a mother’s milk

DID you know that you spend approximately 144 hours during the baby’s first year to prepare a baby’s formula? This includes going to the store to buy formula, finding and washing the feeding bottles and any other chores related to feeding the baby.

Take this scenario:
A piercing wail wakes you up in the wee hours of the morning, ending what little sleep you just got. You stumble sleepily into the kitchen, look for the feeding bottle to prepare a formula for your baby whose cries are starting to wake up the whole household. This is a routine that goes on day and night where you have to drop off whatever you are doing to prepare the formula and feed your baby. If you are not fully awake by then, there is the possibility of putting more formula than you should, or using less water — the baby will suffer.
Now consider this.
You wake up to your baby’s crying at night and you just have to pick him up from the cot, snuggle the baby and feed him from your breast. You both go to sleep and relax during the feeding session and you get time to form a deep bond with each other.
These are two scenarios presented by Cathy Carothers of Every Mother Inc. who was recently on island to train the staff of the Women, Children and Infants program on breastfeeding.

Barriers to breastfeeding

In these modern times, work is one of the challenges that hinders women from breastfeeding their babies exclusively.
“After giving birth, most of today’s mothers are anxious to go back to work to help meet the growing household expenses,” Carothers said.
The world used to be a breastfeeding society, she added, but as more women joined the workforce, more mothers are turning to the use of formula for their babies.
Lack of knowledge on how breastfeeding works and how to go about it is another challenge that healthcare workers face in encouraging more mothers to breastfeed.
If a mother has to go back to work, Carothers said she can extract her milk and save it in the refrigerator.
She said a mother’s milk placed in the freezer has a shelf life of up to one year or from four to eight days if inside the refrigerator. At room temperature, the milk will still be good from eight to 10 hours.
Carothers said even women who have inverted nipples can breastfeed their babies.
“We breastfeed, not nipple feed. It’s just a matter of learning the right technique because the baby will latch onto your breast by instinct,” she said.
Some women, however, are embarrassed to feed their babies in public places.
Generally all women are capable of breastfeeding, except in cases when it is not possible, such as when a mother is HIV positive, or undergoing chemotherapy, Carothers said.
Giving pregnant women the right education and information before the baby arrives is important to make the right choices.

Support system

Carothers said in a survey they conducted, most of the companies and businesses that showed support to nursing moms have less the problems encountered by those companies who don’t show any support at all.
She said the survey shows that businesses can save a lot on medical costs and absenteeism of employees, if they’re allowed to spend a few minutes each day to breastfeed their babies.
“We also found that businesses that support breastfeeding have more loyal, happy and productive workers because their needs are being met,” Carothers added.
She recommends that mothers breastfeed their babies exclusively for the first six months.
“This is the time when babies need all the nutrients which they can get best from their mothers,” she said.
When the baby reaches six months and above, they start to take in solid food but mothers can breastfeed their babies for as long as they want.
WIC clinic manager Dianne Esplin said the more mothers will breastfeed, the less risk there is for diabetes and obesity.
“When you breastfeed, both and the baby get many benefits. Not only is it convenient for both the mother and the baby but it will create a closer relationship with each other,” she said.
Esplin said being well-informed gives women more options in breastfeeding.
Karen Buettner of the Commonwealth Health Center said the participation of the husbands plays an important part in the breastfeeding process.
“Women, especially first time mothers, have a lot to learn and they need all the help and support they can get, especially from their partners,” Buettner said.
She said breastfeeding is a learning experience, and women with multiple births are becoming more confident with each birth.
WIC nutrition technician Gigi Gomez said women who come to the clinic early in their pregnancy get more help and guidance than those who come later or not at all.
“We make appointments with pregnant women for every trimester so the earlier they come in, the more time we can spend with them in giving them more information in what to do,” she said.
The new food packages distributed by WIC to its clients each month have been redesigned to give pregnant and lactating mothers more attention.
Gomez said exclusive breastfeeding mothers get more food allowance compared to those who do not breastfeed exclusively.
Carothers, Esplin, Buettler and Gomez, all certified lactation consultants, said there is no substitute for a mother’s milk.

This article was first published HERE

Konflikt at the helm of MMA clothing lines

THE business scenario in the CNMI has turned from bleak to bleaker, with one misfortune hitting the islands one after the other. The demise of the garment industry from over 30 factories to zero, the changes in regulations brought about by the federalization of immigration which has driven residents search for better opportunities elsewhere, and the global crisis which has spared no one.

These and more have caused businesses to close and investors to be on a “wait and see” stance before pouring money into the island.
Doors seem to be closing in from all direction, leaving everyone uncertain of the future.
But not for one individual who succeeded in bringing Saipan to the limelight with his talent in T-shirt designing.
Konflikt, the Saipan-born Mixed Martial Arts clothing company has made it to the third place in the “Top Five MMA clothing brands you don’t know but should” in the online Bleacher Report, the world’s largest network which is powered entirely by fan-generated content.
The other featured designers and Konflikt’s contenders were the Scrappler, Boston Brawler, Crooked Jaw, and Insanity Fightwear.
Konflikt designer Norman Del Rosario said he feels very much honored to be recognized by the Bleacher Report (www.bleacherreport.com) for his designs.
“The power of the internet allows people from all over the world to see the designs and wear the Konflikt brand,” he said.
Nick Colon, senior analyst for the Bleacher Report, said Konflikt MMA is a brand that many MMA clothing fans and other clothing fans in general should take a hard look at the short term future.
“This company’s brand is exceptional, with popular designs such as fleur-de-lis and a quite brutally good-looking font of text,” Colon stated.

Beginnings

Konflikt entered the MMA clothing scene six months ago and immediately caught the eye of MMA fighters and their fans from Saipan as well as those from off-island fighters.
Despite the limited resources, Konflikt have already made its way into the hearts of famous MMA fighters including Mark Munoz, Junie Browning and Philippe Nover who tried the designs of del Rossario.
MMA fighters, fans and enthusiasts will see the latest Konflikt designs as the company breaks into the Ultimate Fighting Championship scene in UFC 109 on Feb. 6, 2010.

Trademark

Konflikt carries the trademark of Saipan in all its designs.
While working and designing T-shirts for famous MMA fighters in the world, the designer aspire to bring recognition to Saipan and the CNMI by incorporating the place in all the designs he creates.
Every design has its own character, made to match various moods and temperaments.
Konflikt t-shirts stick to one solid color of black, white or red.
Owning and wearing a Konflikt t-shirt has become a status symbol not only for the MMA fighters but for the hundreds of fans.
Konflikt maintains a very limited edition in all the designs they release to the store.
“We want anybody who wears the Konflikt designs that they are unique and not mass produced. Once you miss a design, you cannot see it in the market again because new designs will come out and take its place,” the designer said.
Konflikt MMA clothing portrays the image of always accepting challenges, refusing to play it safe, taking chances, never backing down and putting it all on the line for what you believe in.
Any Konflikt design embodies the heart and soul of those who are into the MMA lifestyle, and dedicated to provide excellence in design and quality at a value that consumers can appreciate.

Expansion

Konflikt will soon be able to serve clients in three other places such as Hawaii, Ohio, and the Philippines.
Negotiations are ongoing and the designer hopes to proceed with the expansion within this year.
“We want MMA fighters and fans all over the world to have instant access to our brand wherever they are,” the designer said.
Konflikt recently introduced its line of female apparel with new designs coming out every week. Konflikt’s clients are eagerly waiting for the latest additions to its product lines such as shorts, gloves and other accessories.
Konflikt T-shirts are exclusively available at the 670 Rock Steady Shop in Gualo Rai.
For more information, e-mail info@konflikmma.net This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.konfliktmma.net.

This article was first published HERE

Getting in shape fast with BodyPump

WOULD you like to lose fat and shape up your body real fast? Answering yes would require more than nodding your head to this question.
Nothing beats having a well-conditioned and healthy body, but you have to work at it and work at it hard, according to Gloribel Oro Tan, one of the fitness instructors at the Gold’s Gym.

“If you are determined to tone and condition your body, try out BodyPump because it is the fastest way to shape up,” Tan said.
Tan, also an APEX Fitness Professional and Les Mills Certified Group Exercise instructor for both BodyStep and BodyPump said that BodyPump is the best starting point to develop strength as it is more focused on weightlifting.
“BodyPump is a one-hour session to get you in shape and it is both for males and females,” Tan said.
A mix of experienced and beginners comprise a typical class, but everybody can work in rhythm for the whole routine together, Tan said.
BodyPump requires the use of a step platform, a bar and a set of weights. Tan said that beginners should use the light weights first, then after a few classes they can then determine how much weight is right for them.
BodyPump Routine
The one-hour routine includes the warm-up where everybody uses only light weights to get the entire body moving. Next, the students will move on to the slightly bigger weights to develop the legs, chest and back. Development of the triceps, biceps and shoulders follow and this require only slightly bigger weights but as the students get stronger, they can then move on to medium weights.
The students will then move on to the abdominals to help support the core posture, before finally cooling down, a step which is important after a hard workout to stretch one’s muscles.
“The important thing to remember is not to overdo the weights but to work gradually and constantly until a student finds the weight that is right for him or her,” Tan said.
Beginners will usually experience muscle pain and soreness after the first workout but gradually, the body will get used to the exercise.
Frequency
Tan said that as soon as you have your first session of BodyPump, a maximum of two or three classes a week and a one-day rest in between classes is recommended.
Anybody can do the BodyPump workouts at home, but working with a whole class inspires you to execute the routine along with the others in time with the music and the choreography.
“It’s different when you work alone than when you work with a whole class,” Tan said.
She added that the results of the BodyPump can be felt after about six weeks of continuous workout.
“As you gain more strength, your muscles tones will improve and you will start to notice fat loss,” Tan said.
Other students do back-to-back workout with BodyPump and BodyStep.
“This is a good combination because the BodyWalk is for cardio development,” she said.
Tan said that over the five years she had been teaching BodyPump and BodyStep, she has a good number of faithful students who are regulars in the BodyPump classes.
BodyPump classes are scheduled from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. every Tuesday and Saturday and from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. every Wednesday.
BodyPump students must wear comfortable workout clothes and gym shoes, and bring a drink, towel and the right attitude.
Tan said that non- members of the Gold’s Gym can use the gym facilities in one day and join classes such as BodyPump, BodyStep, Yoga, Spin Bike, Abs, Body Balance, Pilates, Cardio Strength and Tai-Chi for a $10 fee.
“We would like to encourage everybody to join the almost 200 individuals who visit Gold’s Gym to work out everyday, and get better health,” Tan said.
For schedules of the other classes, visit Gold’s Gym at Garapan Central Park, call (670) 233-4000, email goldsgym@saipan.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.goldsgym.com/saipanmp. For more information on BodyPump check out www.lesmills.com.

This article was first published HERE

CNMI’s 2009 auto sales at a glance

2009 has been a very challenging year for the businesses in the CNMI, and the island’s car dealers are not immune to the difficulties.

The global economic crisis, the mass exodus of residents to the mainland and other countries to look for greener pasture, the onset of federalization and the uncertainty of their immigration status just some of the factors of the steadily decreasing figures in car sales for the past five years.
But the year ended with a positive result as sales for the month of December produced the highest increase for the year.
Statistics based on the monthly reports released by the Commonwealth Auto Dealer’s Association, the island’s three car dealers — Joeten Motors, Microl Corporation and Triple “J” Motors ­— showed total sales of 1,885 units sold in 2005. The figure dropped to 1,352 in 2006, 1,101 in 2007, and 966 in 2008.

Up and down trend in ‘09

For the first quarter of the year, the three dealers sold only a total of 203 brand new cars and this figure indicated a 32.3 percent dip in sales for brand new cars as compared to the sales for the first quarter of 2008 which was 300.
Sales for brand new cars continued to drop in April by 40 percent compared to the same month in 2008. The figures dipped lower in May when sales posted a 45.83 percent decrease.
From June to December, sales figures went on a see-saw trend. In June, the figures went up by 23.53 percent with the three car dealers selling a total of 42 brand new cars compared to the 34 units sold in June of 2008.
The June increase was momentary as a 44.62 percent drop in the July sales took over.
Sales picked up again in August, with the three dealers selling 60 brand new units and posting a 39.53 percent increase. The dealers sold only 43 units in August 2008.
By September, sales again dropped by 8.51 percent but slightly recovered in October with a 5.56 increase.
By November, sales for brand new cars dipped by 34.69 percent, brought about mainly by the impact of the takeover of the U.S. immigration as potential buyers hesitated to purchase automobiles.
But the December sales picked up, posting the highest increase of 72.97 percent for the total 64 brand new cars sold compared to the sales in December 2008.

Summing up

From January to December, the three car dealers sold a total of 469 brand new cars, indicating a 21.18 percent overall decrease compared to the 595 units sold for 2008. The total cars sold last year are broken down into 246 sedans, 59 trucks, 23 vans, and 141 sport utility vehicles.
December brought in the highest number of brand new cars sold this year with 64 units, while May posted the lowest sales with only 26 units sold.
Of the three dealers, Microl Corp. sold the most number of brand new cars which totaled to 200 units, representing a 42.64 percent market share. Joeten Motors followed with 146 units sold and claiming a 31.13 percent market share. Triple “J” Motors’ 123 units sold represented 26.23 percent of the market share.

Popular car models

Toyota is the leading brand of cars sold by the three dealers for 2009. It sold a total of 194 brand new units. Nissan brand followed with 83 units sold, and Mazda came third with 59 units sold. Other brands were Honda — 36, Mitsubishi — 30; Hyundai — 27, Ford — 14, Kia — 13, Suzuki — 7, and Chevrolet — 6.

Used cars, an alternative

As the economy got tougher and the uncertainty got stronger, customers turned to used cars to pay lesser amounts for transportation expenses. The car dealers saw an increase in the sales of used cars.
From 2009, sales for used cars soared and reached a total of 380 units sold, nearly closing the gap with a difference of 89 units to level off with the sales for brand new cars.
Microl Corp. led the dealers in used car sales, selling 145 units during the 11-month period. Joeten Motors came next with 120 units, followed closely by Triple “J” who sold 115 units used cars for the year.
CADA president and Joeten Motors general manager Matthew Deets said that 2009 was a good year for used cars as consumers turn to it as an alternative to paying for brand new cars.
“Sales for used cars had been going up for the past two years,” he said.

Hopes for a better year

Triple “J” Motors general manager Randy Steele said that car sales for Triple “J” had been stable in 2009.
“We think consumers recognize the value in our products during these tough economic times,” Steele said.
He added that the federalization of the immigration in the commonwealth created a big impact.
“A huge number of potential buyers were taken out of the market to purchase an automobile due to their uncertain immigration status,” Steele said.
Deets said he sees 2010 as a stable year for the car dealers.
He said that with the federalization of the local immigration, more federal money and federal projects will be poured here and they are hoping for stability in terms of car sales for the year.
Microl Toyota general manager Doug Brennan said that while CADA was hoping 2009 sales figures remained at least at the same levels as 2008 (or improve), the apparent lack of consumer confidence in the CNMI economic future contributed to a drop in sales.
He said that Microl-Toyota did well.
“Austerity measures instituted over the past several years have allowed us to control operating expenses and remain a strong, viable company,” he said.
Brennan added that initially, the impending move to federalization caused the market to fall off.
“The actual influx of new Federal agencies has created a slight surge in the car market, but we don’t expect the surge to last,” he said.
He added that while they would like to see an improvement in the market, there are still many questions yet to be answered in regards to the future of the CNMI economy.
“We anticipate the passenger vehicle market to remain at about the same level as 2009,” he said.

This article was first published HERE

CNMI gets over $1.7M estimated ad value in 2009

A view of Garapan as seen from Mt. Tapuchao. Photo by Raqs

THEY came at different times of the year: photographers and writers from, newspapers, broadcasters from radio stations, reporters from television stations, web site representatives, tour operators and travel agencies.

They all share a common goal and that is to visit the sights, feel and see the famous attractions of Saipan, Tinian and Rota and go back to their own places to produce articles and commercials to let the whole world know that the CNMI is a place worth visiting.
The visitors went to the famed locations such as the white sand beaches of Managaha Island, the scenic natural sites of the Grotto, Bird Island, Suicide Cliff and Banzai Cliff, the Korean Peace Memorial on Saipan, to the historical sites on Tinian and Rota. They sampled the optional tours available tours including arts and culture, dinner cruise, diving, eco/outdoor adventure, family activities, fishing, movie theatre, shopping, spa/fitness, sightseeing historical tours, water activities, wedding and honeymoon, and others.
They all experienced the uniqueness that spells the totality of the CNMI, and in return they have done their part in providing exposure to the islands to the rest of the world.
The success of all these fam tours are due to the efforts of the Marianas Visitors Authority through its managing director Perry Tenorio and the island’s tour agencies, hotel and restaurant operators and other sponsors who have worked with MVA to facilitate a smooth stay for the visitors.
From January to December this year, the CNMI has received over $1.7 million value of media exposure on TV, newspapers, magazines, radio and web site promotions. The products of the familiarization tours were targetted at millions of viewers, readers and listeners in the with the aim of attracting them to come and visit the CNMI.
With the visitor arrival figures steadily decreasing over the past years,
Here’s a glimpse of the exposures for this year based on information released by the MVA.

January

The popular East Asia boy band “TVXQ” was here from Jan. 13-17 to videotape an upcoming music video and SBS TV, one of the three major channels in Korea.

February

On Feb. 13, MVA hosted a familiarization tour from Asahi News Star, a cable and satellite news channel to introduce Tinian and Saipan as a destination for the senior market. It was also targeted to air on Yahoo! Japan. The estimated exposure value is $132,000.
On Feb.19, a tour group from from Busan, Korea packed in the sights of both Saipan and Rota. The group was composed of 12 tour agents and one representative each from newspaper Busan Ilbo, Saipan World Resort Korea office, Asiana Airlines, and the MVA Korea office.

March

CNMI was featured on air to 12 million radio listeners in Russia following a familiarization tour from representatives of Pevoe Popularnoe Radio in Moscow. The radio feature is valued at up to $100,000.
On March 13-17, an eight-member production team of the tourism channel “4S Charming” was here to produce 5-minute segments for the month of April. The show was targeted at over half a million viewers in 20 cities in China.
On March 21-26, a writer and photographer from Weekly Shinchou, a magazine reaching nearly 500,000 readers in Japan were here on a fam tour. The estimated value of the coverage is $54,000-$90,000
On March 23-27, reporters from Cosmopolitan, a monthly fashion magazine experienced numerous attractions for a supplement in Cosmopolitan Travel. The estimated value of the coverage is $102,000.

April

A six-member team from Brutus, a high-class fashion and lifestyle magazine in Japan visited Saipan for coverage introducing Saipan as a famous location for shooting covers. The approximate ad exposure value is $120,000.
Japan’s Body+ magazine, published monthly and reaches 70,000 readers, did a coverage of the January 2009 Winter Festival of Runs on Saipan and came back in April to do another 4-6 page feature with a publicity value of up to $76,000.

May

A 10-page coverage at an estimate ad exposure value of $45,000 was slated for Korea’s Singles Magazine in the Summer Special Travel Guide featuring destination travel information.
On May 29, the Housewives’ Life, a trend-setting Korean magazine targeting housewives slated four pages of coverage at an estimated exposure value of US$8,000.

June

Shape Magazine, a major Russian magazine reaching eight million readers was here to do a 6-page feature and an article on the magazine’s website. The estimated value of the article is US$250,000
From June 15-19, a five-member team from Japan’s Monthly Diving magazine was set to feature 10 pages of the CNMI’s year-round diving available sites at an estimated ad value of over $60,000.
Marine Diving, a monthly magazine with a circulation of 170,000 in Japan covered the first Flipper Race held at Managaha on June 20. The estimated exposure value of the article is over $39,000.

July

On July 3-7, 28 media outlet representatives from Guangzhou, China were here on a fam tour.

August

Nine media outlets from China were here on a fam tour on Aug. 8, including the Shanghai TV Station with a viewership of over 100 million, website integrated CCTV channel U.CCTV.com, Sina.com, video sharing website Youku.com, travel guidebook Gootrip Magazine, magazine Elite Traveler, newspaper journal The Labor Daily, Metro DM, and flight magazine The Moment. The total estimated value of exposure from this fam tour was over $58,000.

September

Six Russian media outlets visited CNMI on a 10-day fam tour last Sept. with an estimated ad value of US$458,000.

October

NS Homeshopping cable station and JAUTOUR of Korea visited the NMI to film a TV commercial advertising travel packages to this tropical resort destination. The one-hour commercial and interactive buying program, set to air on Oct. 31 has an estimated ad exposure value of $40,000.

November

Writers and photographers from the Chinese Kunming TV Tourist Channel were here to do a coverage set to air this month. The station reaching over one million households which was set to air this month.
The CNMI was slated to receive 15 minutes of prime time TV coverage each week last month on the Yel-Arna TV channel, owned by the Khabar Agency. The coverage was targetted to reach an audience of 13 million potential travelers, with an estimated exposure value of over USD $67,000.
Last month, MVA also hosted two media personnel from Delta Airline’s in-flight magazine SKY. Saipan will be featured in the January/February 2010 issue of SKY, with an estimated total ad value of $65,000.

December

MVA and the Japan Saipan Travel Association hosted the annual Marianas Tourism Academy 2009 for 56 travel agents and media representatives from major cities across Japan recently attended the annual from Dec. 7-11. The Marianas Tourism Academy aims to give the travel industry affiliates a chance to familiarize themselves with attractions, activities and facilities in the islands.
MVA and the rest of the community hopes that the seeds sown through hosting numerous fam tours will grow and will result to more tourists here in the future.

(This article was first published HERE)

Santa’s going to be broke

GONE are the days when kids look forward to waking up on Christmas morning to find their stockings filled with teddy bears, toy trucks and trains and Barbie dolls.

In fact, Santa Claus may have to fire his elves unless they have gone to graduate school over the past 11 months and took master’s degree classes to keep abreast with the latest trends on children’s wishes.
I haven’t noticed the transition but the trend of children’s wishes has gone high tech. In Friday’s issue of the Marianas Variety, an article came out where second graders from a school posted letters for Santa Claus with their wishes.
Santa has also got to be patient because almost all of the kids are asking things in exchange for being good, or for promising to be good upon delivery of the goods.
Here are excerpts of some of the kid’s letters.
Dear Santa, I want:
…a laptop and a Limo
…a laptop because every time I want to use our computer my sister is online. I also want lots of presents and an i-Pod.
… an i-Pod.
… a laptop and an i-Pod.
… a big computer.
…an X-Box 360 for Christmas.
…a watch for my dad, necklace for me and I want to be rich.
…a SPS and a car and a Happy Christmas.
…a DS and a big nice gift.
…a DS nintendo that can take pictures.
…a DS, color pink.
…a PSP and Ostrich Joshua
…a panda
…one of your presents (laptop)
…a sportscar
…toys, and i-Pod, Wii and PSI and laptop
…a car like a Mustang
…telephone and a computer and a new DSI and Barbie printer
…X-Box again and new games
…a pink i-Pod because I helped Mom and Dad
…a unicorn
…laptop, or DSI, or Wii or new PSP.
…give me a big house and I will be a good girl.
…give me a DSI and a lot of money and a laptop, and I wish I were smart, blond, pretty and white (Santa don’t forget to bring your beauty and make-over kit)
…to go to the North Pole. Now this is one wish which may require Santa to put up a travel agency.
A couple of kids are more practical and wished for school supplies “because I’m good” and a big bike and a pack of pencils and a desk and a computer and five books “because I have been trying my best to be good.”
And finally, here’s one that would surely make Santa Claus feel wanted.
…I want Santa for Christmas. I would like to see him in person.
I guess Santa can breathe a sigh of relief because this is from a second grader, otherwise if the wish is from an adult he should not relax because he may be presented with a long list of wants and wishes after the courtesies and niceties.
At the base of the 30-foot Christmas tree at the Paseo de Marianas are colored ribbons with wishes written on them in different languages. Here are some to mention a few. I wish:
…for a better life
…to improve in school
…for Dora
… for more jobs
…for a bike and a boyfriend (in that order?)
…for world peace
…for a better future for my son
…for a great voice
…to have money.
And a thousand other wishes more. Santa Claus has some options to continue distributing gifts in the future. He could go to the Legislature to present a budget for next Christmas, write a grant application to the federal government, or retire from service but not here because he may not be getting any retirement benefits just yet.

(This article was first published HERE)

Guitarist, 2 girls donate hair to Locks of Love

Guitarist Badjoe Maestro and Manzanares sisters Macy(left) and Sydney shows their locks of hair
ready for donating to Locks of Love at the Hair Dimensions Saloon.

IT took a few snips for three individuals to bid goodbye to their long hair which will be donated to disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss.

Guitarist Badjhoe Maestro as well as sisters Sydney and Macy Manzanares had their hair cut at the Hair Dimensions Saloon on Saturday.
Federal court reporter Patricia Garshak encouraged the three to donate their hair to Locks of Love, a public, non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the states and Canada under age 21.
Maestro donated 12 inches of his hair while Sydney and Macy donated 10 inches of hair each.
The girls’ mother, singer Joan Cabrera, said she showed them photos of the children who lost their hair due to medical conditions.
“After seeing the pictures from the Web site, the girls said they are willing to donate their hair,” Cabrera said.
“I’m not sorry that I cut my hair. All my friends have short hair,” 6-year-old Sydney said.
Macy, 7, said that she is happy to donate her hair because “it will grow again.”
Garshak printed out certificates from the Locks of Love Web site and framed them with the girls’ names.
The three hair donors got a lot of support from friends and from the Hair Dimensions staff Vanessa Nabual, Mike Iscat and Rey Belgado who applied the finishing touches to their new haircut.
Garshak placed the cut hair in separate Zip lock bags which will be placed in padded envelop and mailed to Locks of Love in Florida.
Locks of Love uses donated hair to create the highest quality hair prosthetics to help restore the self-esteem and confidence of the children and enable them to face the world.
Anyone can donate hair as long as they follow the guidelines. Colored or permed hair is acceptable. The hair should be clean, dried and bundled in a ponytail or braid before cutting. Hair is needed from men and women, young and old, all colors and races.
Garshak said she is hoping others will follow the examples of Maestro and the Manzanares sisters to give hope to those children who have lost their hair. She is also urging saloons and beauty parlors to donate their services to possible hair donors.
All hair donations must be mailed to Locks of Love at 234 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach, FL 33405. For more information, visit www.locksofhair.org.

(This article and photo were published HERE)

For your ears only

DO you often ask people to repeat themselves? Do you have to turn up the television louder than is comfortable for others? Do you always assume that most people are mumbling? If you answer yes to these questions, chances are you may be suffering from some signs of hearing loss.

Try stuffing your ears with earplugs to shut all noise for a few minutes. You may enjoy the silence, but when somebody starts to talk to you, you won’t be able to understand because you can’t hear him or her.
Individuals who don’t have hearing problems may take everything for granted, but not everyone is lucky.
Jennifer Ross, a Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialist who had been dispensing hearing aids on Guam and the surrounding islands of the Marianas and Micronesia said that hearing loss will affect everyone based on a lot of factors.
Ross had been evaluating hearing and fitting hearing aids for those who have problems in hearing loss for 17 years.

Causes of hearing loss

The most common cause of hearing loss is aging and this will affect almost everyone at some degree if they live long enough. Ross said that the age of onset varies.
Other causes of hearing loss are either from sudden and excessive noise exposure such as from a firearm blast, or fireworks, or from prolonged noise exposure such as occupational noise from airplane engines, power tools, and even loud music over time.
Although she did not provide statistics as to the number of children born with hearing impairments, Ross said she has found a significant number of people in need of better hearing as a result of aging, noise exposure, genetic conditions, or other related medical conditions in Guam and Saipan.
Ross said that people under the age of 18 should initially have their hearing evaluated by an audiologist.
“To the best of my knowledge, there is an audiologist and an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor available on Saipan at CHC, as well as a visiting audiologist from Guam on occasion,” she said.
Ross added that everyone with hearing concerns should have a medical evaluation, preferably performed by an ENT physician who specializes in diseases of the ear.
Ross said that hearing evaluations should be done as a regular general health prevention check-up, annually if you are within the high-risk group for developing hearing loss.
“A high risk group would mean people over the age of 50, people exposed to occupational or recreational noise exposure, people with a family history of hearing loss, or anyone who might suspect hearing loss in themselves, or others close to them,” she said.

Ringing in your ears

“Ringing in the ears” is a condition called tinnitus, and may or may not be related to hearing loss.
“If you have no trouble hearing, but experience ringing sounds in your ears you should consult with a physician, as this may be a sign of a medical condition,” Ross said.
She added that if an individual experiences “ringing in the ears” as well as a hearing loss, and he or she has already had a medical evaluation to rule out a medical condition related to the ringing, then hearing aids may provide some relief by masking the ringing sound they are experiencing.
Ross provides hearing testing for the adult population who have already had a medical examination to rule out medical complications that may be related to their hearing loss.

Hearing instruments

To help people who are suffering from hearing loss problems, Ross dispenses the latest digital technology available in hearing instruments, as well as a full line of assistive listening devices such as television and telephone amplifiers.
She also has available alerting devices for the deaf such as flashing doorbells, flashing telephone ringers, flashing baby crying alerts, and others.
The price range for assistive listening devices and advanced digital hearing aids varies greatly; some insurance provides partial to full coverage.
You may be buried beneath piles of money but if you are deaf or suffer from hearing loss, your wealth will mean nothing.

Test procedure

Ross said that if a hearing test determines that you have hearing loss, and you have been medically cleared from any contributing medical condition that may be causing your hearing loss, then you have to follow the test procedure to have hearing aids:
Ross said that a trial of amplification will be done immediately to determine if hearing aids are beneficial to you. Next, the style of hearing aid will be recommended. In some cases it is a personal choice of cosmetic appeal. Some hearing aids are more discreet than others, meaning less noticeable, but it depends on the degree of hearing loss, the anatomical size of the ear canal, the dexterity of the person wearing the instrument, and other factors.
Third, Ross said that hearing aids are dispensed on a trial basis.
“Hearing aid usage and satisfaction is highly subjective and each person benefits differently, depending on the severity of the hearing loss, the length of time they have had hearing loss, and the conditions in which they will use hearing aids,” Ross said.
Ross visits Saipan to provide hearing care about once every four to six 6 weeks to create more awareness about hearing loss and present remedies available to those who experience this condition.
As an early Christmas gift, she will be here on Friday (Dec. 18) to provide hearing tests at no charge to those who have no insurance.
“Once your hearing is damaged from noise, it is not possible to recover it. Prevention of hearing loss is the best remedy!” Ross said.
In order to determine if you have hearing loss and may benefit from hearing instruments, please schedule an appointment at Marianas Medical Center by calling 234-3925 to 3927.

(This article was first published HERE)

Meet the CNMI-ARRA grant writers

WHETHER it’s well-paved roads, improved water and power supply, additional nutritional assistance programs, housing projects and all other benefits that the CNMI is enjoying — these did not all fall from the skies when everybody was asleep. A lot of work and effort is involved before the funding is released and actually transform into actual projects the residents can benefit from.
As of October 2009, the CNMI has been awarded $69, 010,050 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. There are still lots of CNMI-eligible programs and millions of total funds in ARRA that can be availed of through various grants.
The opportunities are there, but who’s going to tap what potential funding is available, and what the CNMI’s priorities are?

Standing, from left, Christopher F. Fryling, ARRA PIO/IT and communications manager Winfred Camacho, Commerce secretary Michael Ada and John Furey. Seated, from left are Laurie Peterka, ARRA project coordinator Geri Willis and ARRA administrative manager Alfreda P. Camacho.

Grant writers

ARRA project coordinator Geri Willis said that choosing from among the applicants for grant writers was not that simple.
Laurie Peterka, Christopher F. Fryling and John Furey are the three individuals who were chosen from several applicants who applied for the grant writer’s slots advertised by the Department of Commerce in March this year.
Willis said the applicants were asked to submit several pages of proposal with their background, experience, involvement in projects and ability to meet several other requirements.
“The proposals were reviewed and scored before finding out who qualified for as grant writers,” Willis said.
Peterka said that the grant writers’ primary function is to seek various types of funding from the federal and opportunities and provide a report or listing of grant opportunities to various agencies they are assigned to and get instruction from directors of these agencies which are handling the projects.
“Some of the grants we’ve written are now being used in the application process,” Peterka said.
Fryling, who had been involved with federal grants as an architect in Florida said that as grant writers, they have to overcome all hurdles like land certification, regulations, and other issues involved in the research of a project before they can start writing a proposal.
Fryling said that they have to be alert for other potential grants all the time although they may be working on one project at a time.
“For instance we are working on a grant application project for CUC, and we come across a grant for clean diesel. It may not be directly related but it fits with our project so we will work on it,” he said.
For Furey, grant writing is interesting albeit complicated.
“It allows us to be able to address some important needs and all of us are citizens who use power, water and electricity, roads and all services that are expensive,” he said. In short, he said that they help the government identify resources to address these needs so everybody get better services.
These grant writers work as a team to assist those agencies who don’t have writing teams for grants.
Although there are some agencies that do have grant writers, the Department of Commerce can still offer assistance.
“We’re hired to keep our eyes open for potential projects that have the most potential for funding we don’t want to miss anything,” Peterka said.
She added that when they learned that ARRA funding was going to come out, they made a priority list and got everyone of the agencies on the list to contribute a list of primary projects which were narrowed for potential applications which had potential funding in those areas.

Tight time frame

The grant writers have only about two to three weeks window when a funding announcement comes out to work all the details and have everything ready to apply for a particular grant.
“If we didn’t have the projects ready to roll, we would miss the opportunity to get it because it takes weeks of researching before writing a grant,” Peterka said.
A grant writer’s job is critical because a very small word they might have missed in an entire paragraph could change the dynamic of what they are trying to achieve.
The grant writers said that “it’s not as simple as people think otherwise anybody can do and will do it.”
Excellent communication skills, both written and oral is a necessity because if you don’t know how to communicate and take the information you’ve gotten from the agency you are writing the grant for and put it correctly to the funding agency, you won’t get what you’re asking for.
Furey even urged the students to go to school and specialize in grant application writing and research.

Complex job

Department of Commerce secretary Michael Ada said that grant writing is very complex.
“The devil is in the details and the grant writers have to balance the work between looking at what agencies need and at areas most likely inclined to be awarded,” he said.
He added that several agencies like the CUC, DLNR, DPS, Customs and others have several needs but don’t have the time to write grant applications.
“These agencies have projects that are ripe for awards and this is where we come in and help,” Ada said.
“This is a whole new experience for the department. Some of the agencies don’t have grant writers so by creating this position we will be able to maximize the resources,” Ada added.
He said that one of the biggest challenges they face is telling people and making them understand how the applications for grants are being done.
He said that there may be plenty of CNMI-eligible projects for ARRA funding, but certain conditions have to be met before an application is even submitted.
“One thing we have to look for is the conditions of possible grants. For instance a grant is available but we are required to match it with cash, and we don’t have it so we won’t apply for it,” Ada said.
He added that there are also conditions that require a portion should be in loan, or that the government will be obligated by the funding agency to meet certain expectations for a number of years.
“For example, if the Department of Public Safety is going to hire new police officers and they can’t afford to pay the payroll past the grant, theoretically we’re in violation of the grant because if we can’t meet the obligation for the 5-year period, we don’t qualify,” he said.
To sum it up, both Ada and Willis said that the role grant writers play in pursuing possible federal funds is so important because only a few could be awarded grants out of so many applicants.
For opportunities or more information, visit www.cnmiarra.net.

(This article was first published HERE)

Survival tips to minimize weight gain during the holidays

The holiday season is here, and with it comes numerous parties with tons of food that could make one forget his or her diet.

Food plays a vital part of many holidays, family celebrations and cultural traditions.
As the holidays present the perfect time for families and relatives to get together, you could not shake your head to refuse invitations that comes your way. If you don’t learn the meaning of “moderation” but just give in to the temptation of gorging up on all the bounties laid on the table on every party, prepare for the day of reckoning.
You may have not worked out the excess weight you have gained during Thanksgiving, and come January, when all parties are over, you think that all that is left are photos and memories of the feasts you have partaken of but you’re wrong.
You gasp in dismay as you step on the scale and hear groaning, not from you but from the scale. Sounds familiar?
Registered dietician Dianne C. Esplin, the Women, Infants and Children’s Clinic Manager said that you can indulge in the holiday feasts without having to feel guilty afterward, as long as you stick to some rules. Here are some tips Esplin recommends to follow.
SURVIVAL TIPS
*Fill your plate with colorful vegetables and fruits.
*Minimize the sauces, gravies and fried foods.
*Have a green salad with a light dressing, and a large glass of water as a first course to take the edge off of your hunger.
*Don’t deprive yourself of things you like, but have a small serving or “just a bite”.
*Beware of appetizers. You can overdo it on really fast on those fried or creamy tidbits. Have one and savor it.
This may be easier said than done, especially for sweet-toothed individuals and appetizers are usually served in such mouth-watering presentations it’s hard to say no, but just be careful not to overdo it.
The sad part is the excess weight you gain between Thanksgiving and the New Year parties tend to stay. It’s so easy to acquire excess weight but so hard to work them off.
Finally, keep in mind that there are more important things in parties than food. Relax and go around, greet friends you haven’t seen for a while and make new acquaintances.

(This article was first published HERE)

Art expressions

Three different persons, three varying fields of art but they all believe that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

This belief is what makes leaf painter Ernie David, artist illustrator Greg Bacnis and graphic designer/ illustrator Romy Cal tick as they share the artistic, natural talents they were endowed with.
The regular art exhibits of different organizations provide a venue for these local artists to showcase their artworks and connect with buyers at the same time, and these three artists shared a booth during the annual Holiday bazaar held at the Palms Resort last month.
David pours his talent in painting island scenery, beach views, flowers, birds, fish and other attractions on skinless leaves. His best sellers are the smaller paintings which require days of patience and effort to paint the intricate details to make the painting look as realistic as possible.
Graphic designer/illustrator Romy Cal works with intricate designs to produce island souvenirs. His signature artworks are customized table names. For as low as $6 with a minimum of seven letters, you can order colorful table names made of wood and designed with latte stones or other designs. The table names can be ordered with memo pad and pen holders. You could also order funny quotes instead of having your name.
Artist/illustrator Greg Bacnis is into pastel painting, charcoal and arts. His portraits vibrate with life, and his paintings are the products of commitment and dedication that would make you proud to hang on your walls.
These artists rely on their moods and inspirations to complete a work of art. An artwork could be finished in hours, days, weeks or even months.
David can be contacted at tel. no. 670-235-5474; Bacnis at grebacs_3@yahoo.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and Cal at tel. nos. 234-6278/79, 233-8030 or email him at rmcal@yahoo.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

(This was first published HERE)

Washable moments: Did you wash your hands today?

It could be a handshake from a friend or stranger. It could be from turning numerous door knobs in the office, rest rooms, stores and public buildings, picking up the telephone or pushing elevator buttons. These are just some of the things that your hands do and come into contact with everyday.

What you may not have paid closer attention to is that behind these routines lurk millions of germs that are transmitted from one individual to another. When you come in contact with germs, simply touching your eyes, nose or mouth will spread the infection much faster.
Hand washing is a hygiene practice parents hammer on your tender mind even before you learn how to walk. And remember as kids how we don’t always listen and follow the same instructions everyday? We thought our parents have nothing better to do but nag, nag and nag us to wash our hands.
When we were old enough to go to school, we thought we were free from the constant reminders to wash our hands but we were in for a disappointment because right from day one, hand washing is again taught like it is being a part of the kindergarten curriculum. There is no escape and no graduation because the situation is reversed when you have kids of your own and it is your turn to teach your kids the importance of hand washing.
In a nutshell, hand washing is one practice that everybody should do because it is unquestionably a very simple way and the most important tool to prevent the spread of infection and illnesses.

Hand washing campaign to combat flu virus

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends frequent hand washing to especially help prevent the spread of the H1N1 flu virus.
The CDC stressed that if people don’t wash their hands as often as possible, the probability of picking up germs from other sources and then infect themselves is great.
“You’re at risk every time you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. In fact, one of the most common ways people catch colds is by rubbing their nose or their eyes after the cold virus has gotten on their hands,” CDC stated.
In the CNMI, the Department of Public Health personnel are going full force in their campaign to combat the spread of the H1N1 flu virus with hand washing as the first step toward prevention.
The Public Health last month reported a slight increase in seasonal flu cases, and they are expecting more cases toward the yearend and up to early next year.
DPH program analyst Roxanne Diaz said that in anticipation, they are going all out campaigning against the flu in all schools. The 5-step flu-WATCH campaign starts with hand washing, Diaz said.
“We could never stress the importance of hand washing enough, not only to kids but for adults to make it a habit,” she said.
Washing your hands is like creating a first line defense against any attack of germs, and everybody needs that defense.

How to wash your hands

Use warm water if it is available and soap to wash your hands.
Make a lather by rubbing your hands together and scrub all surfaces.
Continue scrubbing your hands for 15 to 20 seconds each time. If you need a timer, the CDC recommends that you imagine singing “Happy Birthday” twice and you’re done.
Rinse your hands well under running water.
Use a paper towel or air dryer to dry your hands after washing.
If soap and clean water are not available, you can use an alcohol-based hand rub or hand sanitizers to clean your hands.

When to wash your hands

As kids graduate into adulthood, they don’t need to be told to wash their hands anymore but come to think of it, how many times do you actually wash your hands in a day? Only when you take a bath or use the washroom? The technique is not to keep count of how many times you wash your hands, but to make it a habit or a routine practice for you and for everyone else in the family, especially:
• Before preparing, cooking or eating
• After using the bathroom
• After cleaning around the house
• After touching animals, even family pets
• Before and after visiting or tending sick family members, friends or relatives
• Before and after treating an open wound or a cut
• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• After staying outside from working, playing, handling garbage, etc.
• After changing your child’s diapers or after cleaning a child who came from the bathroom.
Never under-estimate the power of hand washing! Clean hands save lives and the few seconds you spend at the sink every now and then could save you trips to the doctor and spare you from spending hundreds of dollars in medical bills. Make that trip to the sink now and start saving your life!

(This article was published HERE)

People, things, places and events to be thankful for in 2009

Whew, a year has passed and editor Zaldy once again asked us to submit our thank you list for the Thanksgiving issue. There are no major changes in my list last year, save for some new people, events and items to be thankful for. My list is in italics, from #5 to 9.

Cheers!

__________________________ ______________________

THIS is a thankless year — unless you’re an administration official or crony.

Things are certain to get worse and the next local elections are three long years away. But then again, there is more to life than politics and a dying economy. Indeed, amazingly, there is still a lot to be thankful for. Moreover, deadline is approaching and we’ve to put something on this page, so here then is the Variety’s legendary 15th annual Thanksgiving list. The items, as usual, are not necessarily arranged in order of importance.

Praise the Lord and hand us that bottle of Tanduay please.
1) Jobs
2) Paydays
3) The CNMI will have a new governor…in 2015
4) Junhan says “for the bliss each day, I sing my appreciation and shout my gratefulness to our READERS. You are the champion.”
5) Raquel thanks Chikka, YM, e-mail, Facebook and PTI phone cards for bridging the distance from Saipan to Cotabato, to her family for the inspiration to hang on Facebook (again) for keeping her “connected” and for resurrecting high school classmates whom she hasn’t heard from in decades, to everything that keeps her world rolling — Internet, cable TV, remote control, Iconnect’s radio/cellphone, garage sales, e-bay, Google, coffee sachets, turon, halo-halo and ice cubes.
6) The creators of Farm Town, Farmville, Café World, FishVille, Yoville, Roller Coaster Kingdom, Barn Buddy, Bejeweled and other games that keep her up and kicking every night until 5 a.m.
&) She is also grateful to buddies Jeanette, Arnold and Andrew for the unplanned trips, movies, DVD marathon, “chow” times and for all the midnight and past-midnight adventures, Andrew again for the desktop invasions, long-existing friends Bobong Quiñones, Ben T., Jepoi, Rex, Wangyu, Sunstar people, Sir Tony, Davao media, Nazi, Agnes A. and Kristy guapa.
7) Robert for the memories that will always be here
8) Newsroom links Zaldy, Juneh, Junhan, Gemma, Krissy, Richelle, Tess for the “you know,” the art department, Vino for the subscriptions and the rest of the Marianas Variety people for adding “pressure” to the daily pressures.
9) Zak for his floundering attempts to pretend he’s still young and able to bark normally every night, an assurance that the barracks is not that deserted yet. Thank you!
10) Cindy Aldan says: “I’d like to thank God for the blessing of my baby boy. She’s also thankful “for having a supportive family that stood by me: BJ, MOM, DAD, NANAY & TATAY. Thanks to all my close friends: Victoria, Jen, Joey, Edbhy, Jem, and Rose Ann.”
11) Juneh: “First, thank you to my family, my mom, my sisters, for being understanding, to my papa doodles, mommy Rio (for the helping hand and for always cooking banana bread), daddy Sandie, Johnray, Ayi & Weng, to all members of Badminton, to all my friends, playing Farmville, Farmtown, Chef World. Thanks also to all editorial staff Gemma, Raquel, Cindy, Krissy, Andrew, Arnold, Richelle, zd and most especially tulindoy (Junhan), to the Younis family, to my friends outside, Atchie, Chammy, Zyra, RV, and special thanks to Bernice.”
12) Chelletot would want to “Thank Papa J for all the blessings he gave us, Variety management for the opportunity they opened for me, my colleagues, Sir Zaldy for the ‘sungit’ (hehe I’m learning though), kuyas and ates of editorial team, my mommy, daddy, fafa and oasis kulit.”
13) Gemma is “thankful for my family and friends. Thanks too to Radio Australia, AP, AFP, & Kyodo; Bright Maritime Corp.; attorney David Cohen; Human Rights Advocates Elsa Cheung & Wendy Doromal; Northern Marianas Congressman Gregorio Sablan; the Philippine and international media; Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and the Royal Dutch Navy; Betty; Juliet; Aries; Angie; Bhey; Weng; Myla; Alexie; Facebook friends and their friends; Cherrie; Virgie; Junhan; Raquel; Chammi; Tita Lits; Libay; Sallie & Rocelyn; Senate Clerk Doris Bermudes and staff Vicky; House Clerk Evelyn Fleming; Rep. Stanley Torres and staff Jessica & Esther; Speaker Arnold Palacios & Staff; Jojo Dass; LB staff; Laila, Marianas Variety & Staff; DPS PIO Jason Tarkong; former governor PIO Charles Reyes; SAPLR staff Nace, Michelle & Rose; sources, etc.”
14) Tina Sablan and Ed Propst
15) Saipan’s next mayor, Angelo Villagomez
16) Arnold says “thanks YAS for the dental, the BANMI for non-stop leagues, RGA and SGA for the monthly supply of score sheets, the NMI softball community — Chamolinian, Budweiser, Belau for the never-ending tournaments, SBA for the monthly roll-off results and the Saipan MMA family. Thanks also to Papa San of Maganda Utang and FPJ. Thanks to Cris for reformatting my computer. Thanks to attorney Maravilla and congrats to all my former Journal Union colleagues for winning the labor case. Thanks to the Journal Group for speeding up the sale of properties so they can pay us soon. Thanks also to zd.”
17) Ron Hodges, Rabby Syed, Greg Cruz
18) The election victories of Senator Reyes, Rep. Stanley and former Gov. Lang Tenorio
19) Charles P. Reyes Jr., Cinta M. Kaipat, Deanne Siemer, Howard Willens
20) Sen. Frica Pangelinan
21) The HA team
22) zd wants to thank the gang — Uly, Badjhoe, Paul, Patricia G., Ella, Joy, Jacq, Arnold, Andrew, Dia, Raq, Janet, Makoy, Julio, Ka Ed, Talitz, Ka Louie, Sally, Bino, Betong, Greg, Cris, Mike, Tekya, Prolayn, Ernie, Ka Max, Ka Nards, Jonathan Logtu, Jerty, Loids, Ariel and Khalil
23) Bobby Myers, wife and kids
24) Jim & Grace Belyea
25) Brenda & Fred
26) Bruce & Maya
27) Jeff, Cynthia and their kids
28) tsetse ija
29) Brad R., Bruce B., Mike E., Brad D., Jay S.
30) Miguel Dandan, his wonderful grandparents and ate Lisa
31) Whispering Palms School, its principal, teachers, students, parents
32) Miggy’s, Viralicci, Aliviera
33) Flame Tree Terrace
34) Gold’s Gym and its management, staff and patrons
35) Hollywood Theaters
36) In Plain Sight, Burn Notice, Monk, Psych, The Simpsons, King of the Hill, South Park, Reno 911, Two and a Half Men, How I Met Your Mother, History Detectives, Community, American Idol, The Office, 30 Rock, White Collar
37) Sarah Palin
38) Diet Pepsi & Coke Zero
39) Hollywood Video
40) Floyd and the Big Beats Band
41) Kevin’s Video
42) Zhen, Galvin & Velma
43) Jigz Barber Shop
44) zd and che say thank you to the Palmtrees, Jason and Mar-Vic, for being incredible hosts on Guahan
45) Ruby Tuesday, Horse & Cow, K-Mart, GPO, Micronesia Mall, the Tumon strip, Guam Fiesta Resort, Denny’s
46) Thank you Lolitsky of Guam!
47) Andrew says: “I wish to thank our good Lord for the continued blessings for my family and for all of us. Also, special mention to the Marianas Variety family. Thanks also to our news sources and would-be news sources who keep our community informed. Happy Thanksgiving to all! CHEERS!!!”
48) Godfather’s Bar
49) Emperador Brandy
50) Up Dharma Down
51) Che says thank you Kazu Nishida
52) Guam Variety editor Mar-Vic, who invented this list 14 years ago, says: thank you that we still have this list after all these years, lol!
53) My boys, nakni and ico, joining me and jason on guam next year
54) My gorgeous husband Jason Palmertree! Eat your hearts out! y’all!
55) Recently shipped old copy of Lin Yutang’s “Pleasures of a Noncomformist” from amazon.com
56) Being over 40 and still weighing under 100
54) Nick Pichay, Beret & John, Jeff Schorr, Pamela Mathis
55) Zaldy wants to thank the Variety’s publishers, management, editorial staff as well as the company’s other hard-working personnel.
56) Guam Variety, Palau Horizon and their superb management and staff
57) Manang Lilly’s siomai
58) Watermelon seeds
59) Cherrie Villahermosa of Palau says “thanks to all my friends in saipan: gems, alexie, chummy, andrew, raquel, junhan, juneh tita lits, noemi, teri, norleen, macoy, betong, jonathan, ferdie, cla, zd and the rest of the MV staff!”
60) KSPN’s election day coverage
61) iPod
62) Facebook
63) Friends of the Arts
64) The Joeten-Kiyu Public Library
65) YouTube
66) NPR’s music
67) J’s Restaurant
68) The CNMI held peaceful and orderly elections
69) Ayn Rand
70) Fox News Network
71) H-Mart
72) Best wishes to Aggie and Sebastian!
73) Joeten stores
74) Lucky De Store
75) Red Horse
76) red wine
77) MGD
78) Tanduay Rhum
79) The CNMI’s hardworking public servants
80) The poetry of Mookie Katigbak and Joel Toledo
81) Don DeLillo’s Mao II
82) NMI Humanities Council
83) John Banville’s The Sea
84) chess
85) Google
86) AP, Reuters, AFP
87) The Wall Street Journal
88) The Comedy Channel
89) Turner Movie Classics
90) old KMCV news
91) the rosary
92) sleep
93) waking up
94) Levis
95) cereals
96) cell phones
97) Lipton tea
98) milk
99) Christmas approaches
100) The Variety’s readers and advertisers

(This was published HERE)