Columnists

GOOD news (for a change) from the Wall Street Journal: “Rebound in Immigration Comes to Economy’s Aid “Rise in foreign-born labor force boosts worker supply, eases wage pressure and aids Federal Reserve’s goal of ‘soft landing’ ” According to the Journal, “The U.S. economy’s prospects of a soft lan…

LAST month in this space we spoke about the need to address our “neighborhood nemesis,” property blight.  As we celebrate World Tourism Day on Sept. 27, we turn our attention to this year’s celebration of Tourism & Green Investments and this year’s theme, “Investing in People, Planet and …

IN a recent news article by Meg J. Adonis published in the business section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Monday, Sept. 25, 2023), the president of the Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corporation or PNOC-EC,  Franz Josef George Alvarez, was quoted as saying at a Senate hearing that …

I AM enjoying a book titled “Deadliest Sea: The Untold Story behind the Greatest Rescue in Coast Guard History” by Kalee Thompson. Although it is a page turner, one passage which details lifting a man from the ocean into a Coast Guard helicopter deserves mention.  I include an abridged portion of i…

SAYS the headline of a Wall Street Journal news story in May 2023: “What Everyone — Except the U.S. — Has Learned About Immigration “Washington remains divided over allowing more foreign workers while global rivals lower barriers to ease persistent labor shortages” According to the Journal: “Govern…

IN the ongoing journey toward a more inclusive and equitable society, one of the most crucial transformative forces is the advocacy for disability rights. This movement, driven by passionate individuals, organizations, and communities, strives to break down barriers, challenge misconceptions, and e…

IN today’s fast-paced world, time can be both a helpful ally and a daunting challenge. Many of us pride ourselves on juggling multiple tasks at home and work. However, amid all this busyness, have we lost sight of the true worth of time? Could our focus on efficiency have caused us to miss ou…

BC Cook JOYRIDING refers to stealing a vehicle for the sole purpose of driving it fast and recklessly.  The hope is that the joyride will end when the thieves have had enough fun, but it often ends with a crash, significant property damage and someone in the hospital or morgue.  Like skittle partie…

ENDLESSLY arguing over public policies (or politics) will eventually sound like this: “1 + 1 is 2!” “What about 1+2? That’s not 2!” And so it goes, back and forth, about different things, and not the supposed subject at hand. Today, the issue before the CNMI government and its major source for loca…

BC Cook THE tragic wildfires that ravaged Maui in the Hawaiian Islands brought that community to its knees.  Homes, schools, and hospitals are gone.  Public services like power and water and barely functioning, if at all.  Many residents have become refugees and some are still unaccounted for. Whil…