Saipan’s nude beach–read all about it!

While the CNMI is sliding towards status as a welfare state, and the suitcase squad has packed and left, it’s a bit of a challenge to tap out a light and lively tune with an economic beat to it. Not one to shy away from a thankless challenge, I tasked myself with scribing a pure count-your- blessings piece for Friday.

Well…let’s just make a list:

1. Phone service. We can dial up toll free U.S. numbers now, which is a real money saver.

2. Internet service. We’ve got a competitive market for Internet service, which is an absolute necessity in this dot.com world.

3. Air service. While the CNMI has been whining, bleating, and downright abusing certain large air carriers, some of the smaller guys have been quietly chugging along in the background, keeping our air routes in the Commonwealth open. I recently saw an advertisement for Pacific Island Aviation, which is part of the prestigious Northwest Airlink family, listing a price of just $89 to get to and from Guam. Likewise, Tinian and Rota are in easy and affordable reach.

4. Full serve gas stations. Yeah, we’re paying through the nose for gasoline, but at least we have the luxury of vegetating in our cars while our tanks are being filled and our wallets, drained.

5. Fast food. Life without fast food simply isn’t worth living. So here’s to McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Subway, and Jollibee. Oh, and KFC and Winchell’s, too.

6. Office supplies. Paper, rubber stamps, spiral binding supplies, printer toner, and related stuff is in abundance here, which isn’t such a big deal to you until you realize in a semi-panic that you really need something and you are relieved to find it available locally.

7. Bestseller books. I’m utterly thankful for its mere existence.

8. The nude beach. You know about Saipan’s nude beach, don’t you? Wow, those hot looking tourist ladies really know how to soak up the sun!

9. CNBC. This is a cable TV station that specializes in business and financial news. Some of the interviews are great, particularly when the mysterious Mark Faber, a Hong Kong based economist, is the pundit at large. Great station, and I’m glad we catch it.

10. Whatever they call the 98 radio station these days. The rock? Cold 98? I dunno. But the tunes are fine with me and I like Travis’ morning show.

11. Ninety percent accuracy in this column. That’s not such a bad score. I only lied about one item here (#8, the nude beach) on my list of ten.

Cazart–I’ve actually got more items to list than I’ve got space here to list them. I’ll continue it the next time I think we deserve a break from the weighty issues of the time.

Stephens is an economist with Stephens Corporation, a professional organization in the NMI. His column appears three times a week: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Mr. Stephens can be contacted via the following e-mail address: ed4Saipan@yahoo.com.