Paula Abdrool Speaks!

Somebody call Paula Abdul a cab!

Here's a sober reminder from Paula Abdul not to drink and try to think!

Life is tougher up North!

Here's why you should be glad you're not paying your power bills on Saipan

Variety News Staff

CONSUMERS should brace for another increase in their electric rates.
The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. is set to increase the variable factor in its computation of power rates that recently doubled.
Under the emergency regulations that legalize the new electric rates, CUC can change the electric fuel rate component the first day of each month.
CUC spokeswoman Pamela Mathis said CUC will again increase the electric fuel rate component by .004 cents per kilowatt hour starting Sept. 1.
“It appears to be a little bit higher,” she said in a telephone interview. “Right now, we are facing a 100 percent increase in the lube oil and that is what will drive the cost of fuel by September.”

Marianas Variety On-Line Edition

Listener sends in this Swedish Proverb

        FOOD  FOR   THOUGHT:

            Fear less, Hope more

            Eat less, Chew more

            Whine less, Breathe more

            And all good things will be yours.

(I like it..except it leaves me feeling hungry-T)

New Merrill Poll shows lots of undecideds but big leads for Underwood and Camacho

Undecided: 31%: "Of 908 people surveyed who said they intend to vote in Saturday's primary election, 31 percent said they haven't decided in which party primary they intend to vote, according to a new election survey commissioned by the Pacific Daily News."

Here's the link to a super groovy PDN /ABC 7/Market Research survey that everyone is talking about!

Somebody send me these PR People!

WEIGHING ANCHOR: "Talk about a miracle diet - Katie Couric has become the Incredible Shrinking Anchorwoman.
Thanks to a computer 'slight' of hand, the Tiffany network has made the new face of 'CBS Evening News' instantly drop about 20 pounds.
In a picture..."

(Via New York Post Online Edition: News.)

Cecilia of the show "Survivor" worked with Guam Customs

Fun Fact about Survivor from former Guam resident Gerard Aflague

For the curious who watch "Survivor"...one of the cast members whose name is Cecilia Mansilla worked as a consultant for KPMG.  KPMG did work in Guam for Guam Customs in 2001.  Cecilia worked with Guam Customs, and primarily with me and another Customs officer for this one year period.

 

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivor13/survivors/bio_cecilia.shtml

 

Cecilia worked as a KPMG consultant on a Guam Customs Fee for Service contract in 2001 with two other consultants.  She was part of my team, as I was the Guam Customs project manager on the GovGuam side. 

 

She worked on and off for over 1 year and did alot of on-site work on Tiyan.  I am now no longer working for Guam Customs, but one of the other Guam Customs Officers who was on the project (who also is no longer with the agency) brougth this to my attention via email.

I now live in Virgina and work in DC, but thought that this was such an interesting find.  I thought you all would appreciate knowing this in Guam.

 

Cecilia was a great person.  She was bright and did her consulting job well.  I remember well that she enjoyed Guam, Guam Customs, and did make an effort to go to the beaches on the island and enjoy her free time off in Tumon.

Former Gutierrez PIO sounds off on Governor's Weekly Radio Address

Got this note from former Gutierrez PIO John Ryan




BigShowLetter.doc

Governor Links COLA Payout to Bond Issue

This latest attempt to float bonds comes straight from the Governor's Office. Check out this excerpt from the latest media release

Governor Felix P. Camacho today wrote to Speaker Mark Forbes asking that the Administration and Legislature work together to include the Cost of Living Allowance debt from fiscal years 1990 through 1994 into the Governor’s debt refinancing proposal. 

 

“While neither of us were in office at the time this debt occurred and although today’s leaders continue to abide by our obligation to pay our manam’ko their COLA and other benefits, we have a duty to provide for this need,” Governor Camacho wrote to Speaker Forbes.  “We must waste no time preparing to pay our manam’ko what is owed to them in total, at one time.”

Internet Guitar God!

The Most Amazing Guitar Solo I have ever seen!
"
One of the Big Show listeners directed me to this video which honestly is one of the most amazing musical performances I have ever seen on electric guitar!

Read more in this amazing New York Times Article

Web Guitar Wizard Revealed at Last

Big Show Bakery! Keeping my day job!

Ever tried to make a birthday cake fellas? I promised my daughter JonAnn I would make her one for her 13th Birthday. Technically it is a cake...it tasted great..my presentation could use a little work!

We knew he was a weasel!

Sure we've had a great time along with everyone else making fun of rapper wannabe K-Fed pretty much since his weasel like face started showing up in stories about Britney. He's always seemed like kind of a weasel to us, but here at long last is the proof! These hilarious comparisons come from the very entertaining blog CityRag

Separated at birth?

Ever run into someone that seems like a dead ringer for a celebrity or somebody you used to know?

How freaky is this?



At least ONCE a day. . . CHAD SMITH, the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' drummer, gets mistaken for WILL FERRELL!!! He says he'll be walking down the street, and people will shout out lines to him like, quote, "Will, you're my boy!"

(Will Ferrell is on the left)

The Ramirez Poll

Larry Ramirez member of the Guam Election Commision and self proclaimed political expert has put out his own election year survey which he believes is more accurate than those much ballyhooed "scientific surveys" we hear so much about. His method involves talking to people of all political camps. Nonsense? Perhaps. Here are his findings.

1. There are just over 51 thousand registered voters.

2. Of those, only 75 percent will vote in the the primaries.

3. 25 thousand will vote in the Democratic primary

4. 15 thousand will vote in the GOP primary

5. 2,700 ballots will be spoiled

6. The GOP race will end with 60 percent of the votes going to Camacho-40 percent to Moylan

7. In the Democratic Primary Gutierrez will get 53 percent of the vote with 47 percent going to Underwood

Calling all Seabees!

A nice man named Richard Gilliland wrote me asking for help connecting with some Guam Seabees! We had him on the air and he was great! Here is his address:


Hi Travis. I was stationed on Guam in 1956 with the Seabees ,and was a Crane Operator at the Concrete Plant when we were building Navy Houses .I would like to communicate with any Seabees that are on Guam now. Gasoline was 20 cents a gallon at that time. I lived in Barrigada with my wife. Any help you can give me would be very much appreciated. Would like to also communiate with any one else on Guam too . Thanks Travis.
Richard Gilliland
2100 goose pond road
Rochester, Indiana
574-223-4582
goosepond@rtcol.com

Cute New Carabaos at the Guam International Airport

Check out Antie Cara and Uncle Bao -Carabao get it? Bwa ha ha ha. They are the latest edition to the Guam's Carabao's on Parade program. They were unveiled Thursday Afternoon at the Guam International Airport. Here's the GIAA write up on the unveiling:

What are Tan Cara and Tun Bao? Tan Cara is a female carabao and Tun Bao is her male counterpart. They are the Airport’s new mascots for Chamorro hospitality, meeting and greeting our tourists and returning residents at the Terminal.

The A.B. Won Pat International Airport Authority purchased and painted two carabaos in support of ‘Carabaos on Vacation’, a program by the Guam Chamber of Commerce that is intended to stimulate culture, commerce and tourism on Guam.

What are Tan Cara and Tun Bao wearing? To display Guam’s local dress and attire, Tan Cara is wearing a mestiza and Tun Bao is wearing an island shirt and pants. After all, first-time visitors must be greeted by a local!

What is the Carabao? The carabao, known as the water buffalo elsewhere, was Guam’s traditional mode of transportation and used widely to pull carts and plow fields. Over the years, they have come to symbolize strength, hard work and humility. Carabaos are still bred by local farmers today and can be found roaming all over the island.

What will ‘Carabaos on Vacation’ do for Guam? ‘Carabaos on Vacation’ was inspired by similar projects around the United States, but originated in Zurich, Switzerland. In an effort to promote tourism, Zurich displayed over 800 decorated cows around the city and drew in over one million new visitors.

Chicago was the first city in the U.S. to launch such a promotion, called ‘Cows on Parade’. It was so successful that it created an economic impact of $200 million and generated more than one million visitors that summer.

The Guam Chamber of Commerce has brought ‘Carabaos on Vacation’ to Guam to stimulate and promote Guam’s tourism, culture and commerce. Where will all the Carabaos be displayed? The Airport’s two ‘Traveling’ carabaos will be permanently displayed at the Airport to welcome and greet guests as they enter Guam.

They will be open to the public to take pictures and appreciate as a symbol of Guam’s warm culture and hospitality. More carabaos will be displayed at other visitor attraction sites around the island as part of a contest for tourists. Once they have located and photographed all the carabaos, including the one at the Airport, they will be eligible to win prizes, including a ticket to Guam!

The Onion Strikes Again! (Warning-Satire Ahead!)

War-Torn Middle East Seeks Solace In Religion

JERUSALEM—Millions of Middle Easterners are turning to one thing to make sense of the seemingly endless violence between Israelis and Arabs: religion.

Wouldn't it be great to swim in a vat of Chocolate? No.

You'd think diving into a vat full of melted chocolate would be AWESOME. . . but as it turns out. . . it's HORRIBLE. Last Friday morning, 21 year old Darmin Garcia of Kenosha Wisconsin was working next to a huge vat of delicious melted chocolate. . . Darmin slipped. . . and he FELL INTO the entire vat of chocolate and he couldn't get out cause the hot (110 degrees) chocolate kept sucking him in quicksand style.

Co-workers, cops, and firefighters came. . . and after two hours of thinning the chocolate with cocoa butter. . . they finally got Darmin out. He was treated for minor injuries at the hospital and released. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

The Onion-Another Classic story

Child In Corner To Exact Revenge As Soon As He Gets Out

SEATTLE—Daniel Barriault is serving a time-out for a crime the 5-year-old claims he didn't commit.

Turn Your Records into CD's!

ARE you over 30? Sorry to hear it. That makes you part of the Transition Generation, those who have witnessed the world’s shift from analog to digital recordings. You therefore probably have a collection of phonograph records, audiocassettes and videotapes sitting in a closet somewhere at this very moment.


Here's a link to the rest of the terrific technology column done for for the New York Times by David Pogue


It's about converting your record collection to CD's. Very cool device!

Time's Coolest Websites

Occasionally someone will ask me about my favorite websites. I do have some favorites, but most of them are news related. For the best of the rest, check out this list from Time Magazine

The Best Video Ever!

I don't know about you, but the only time I really have trouble deciding what to watch on TV is when I have to choose between a spaghetti western, Kung Fu theatre and bad '80's science fiction. What if you could have it all at once along with bad '70's facial hair, "Planet of the Apes" and Unicorns? Wait no more! You can have all this and more in a new music video called Knights of Cydonia from a band called Muse.

Check it out for yourself... Super Cool Video

Why The Onion is the possibly the funniest news site on the internet

Teen Drowns Right In Middle Of Grief Counselor's First Date In Two Years

Autism Activism in Washington State

One of the Big Show listeners sent me an interesting link about how state lawmakers in Washington are working to address the exponential growth in the reported incidence of Autism. Kate Riley spoke to us about her editorial on the subject published this week in the Seattle Times

Poking Holes in Autism

Quit b*&%$ing about the Military

I know, I know having the Military Bases on Guam can be a pain in the backside..but c'mon give it up for these young sailors helping out at the Guam Public Schools. Here's a couple of pix and the first part of an official release from the Navy

SANTA RITA, Guam (Aug. 9, 2006) -- Hundreds of Sailors have been working hard this summer to help Guam’s public schools prepare for the new school year. Volunteers from Commander Submarine Squadron 15, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25, Mobile Mine Assembly Unit 8, Naval Airborne Weapons Maintenance Unit 1, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 40, Naval Special Warfare Unit 1, U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Guam, U.S. Naval Hospital Guam, and USS Frank Cable (AS 40) have been performing all sorts of repair and beautification work at sites around the island.

Autism Specialist to visit with Parents

Parent Night
with
Dr. Catherine McClain, MD

The folks at University of Guam Cedders program have brought in an Autism Specialist and they are inviting parents to meet her at a special parents night. Here's their note to me (Travis) and a pdf of the flyer they've been handing out.

Dr. Catherine McClain, a pediatrician with specialties in developmental-behavioral pediatrics and in autism will be on-island from August 15 - 19, 2006. Dr. McClain is the Director of the Center for Development and Disability at the University of New Mexico and is an associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine.

As part of her visit, we have arranged a Parent Night with Dr. McClain for parents of children with autism.


Date: August 17, 2006 (Thursday)

Time: 6:00 - 8:00 pm

Place: Westin Resort & Spa

Topic: Elements of the Medical Home Model Using the Autism Services Conceptual Framework (time has also been allotted for parent questions)

Please Note the Following: Space is limited so please call Ruth Leon Guerrero @ 735-2466 to confirm your attendance at the Parent Night session. For reasonable accommodations and child care, please contact Ruth Leon Guerrero at least three (3) working days prior to the event.

ParentFlyer

Guam's Abandoned Cars Made Famous!

This my people is a Hi-larious yet sad indication of what visitors see when they come to Guam. One of our listeners turned me on to a great website called "Where in the Hell is Matt?". The long and the short of it is that this slacker from Connecticut travels the world and videotapes himself dancing (badly) at recognizable places all over the globe. Goofy but fun. The great part is for us is that Guam is on his list of visited sites, the bad part is that he's dancing in front of a pile of abandoned cars. Tres funny, yet sad... See for yourself!

Where in the Hell is Matt?

The lovely pictures below also come from his website. To be fair, these were taken before the Camacho Administration's Abandoned Car Initiative-but it is a fair indication of how we are seen by the casual visitor.

Signs of the Apocalypse-"Scary Kate" Olsen

Sure, I know some of you are worried that this Middle East situation will lead to the "End of Days" Me too-especially after seeing this picture of Mary Kate Olsen. Of course, her freakishly large head has always made me nervous...now however I believe her true identity is revealed. Clearly she is the evil twin, no? Be afraid, very afraid....

More of John Travolta to love!

I remember as a young man watching John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever and thinking wow-wouldn't it be great to be built like John Travolta! I finally got my wish! This chubbalicious shot on the left was taken on the set of his new movie-the one on the right from his Saturday Night Fever days. He says he knows he's got a love handle or two but he's lucky that at this stage in his career it's not hurting the work he does. Plus he says his wife Kelly Preston loves the extra meat! Mr. Travolta-we at the Big Show salute you and your unapologetic chubby pride!

Mad Max visits the LA County Sherriff!

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has just released actor Mel Gibson's booking photo from his early Friday morning arrest.

TMZ was first to break the news of Gibson's arrest on suspicion of DUI and the first to break the story of an attempted cover up by the Sheriff's Department.

I dunno, for what ever reason I felt like this was somthing you'd wanna see. Read more about Mel's drunken anti-semetic adventures at TMZ.com