ABOUT TOWN By: Lee Andersen

CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME:

The OSHA people–those Feds who dictate how an employer should maintain the health, safety and dignity of employees–breeze through the islands more often than any other U.S. community alive as I understand it, and in accordance with the whims of the political winds. And the question of CTS is a hot topic.

Otherwise known as repetitive motion and musculoskeletal disorder, it goes handi-in-hand (literally) with ergonomics: otherwise known as the science of fitting jobs to suit the physical abilities of those who do them.
With me so far? OK. Now, I ‘m no expert on the matter. Perhaps if 1 filed under all-hands and two-left-feet I’m sure to fall immediately under their protection. Anyway, here we go.

Let’s say a guy is dissatisfied with his ergonomically unsound chair. But, alas, over there in pompous comfort is another occupying a throne he feels rightfully belongs to him.
End-run/OSHA/politico/familial style? Bingo. Maybe that’s why chairperson Elameto lost her seat to new chairman Guerrero at the buffeted, CUC?

How about this one. The lord-of-the-castle (let’s say) is concerned about one under his care and the rights and privileges of OSHA. Your room is too small, there’s too much traffic outside your door and you deserve better, he intones to his charge. Move. A month passes. I feel your pain sayeth the castlekeep, go see the governor for another domain for I fear the wrath of OSHA.
Reluctantly and with reserve, he does secure another befit his station. Maybe that’s what happened when Washington Rep, Babauta, departed the confines of castle Fitial?
Or perhaps: the airplane, filled with his siblings, would be too hot, too cramped, too detrimental to his health and more so, too politically incorrect. If OSHA were here, they gather and decide it would not be in their best interest. Maybe that’s why several elected officials chose not to join the rest of the D.C.–and other far-off places bound–entourage?

Bear with me a little longer for this tale is about to end.

There’s no accurate scientific study behind the CTS/E, says trade groups and corporate challenges to OSHA’s medical evidence. By some measure of these standards is the, “work restriction protection privileges”. Simply stated, injured workers should do light duty with full pay and benefits. Then, if the employer can’t find a light job to do, 90% of salary and benefits still must be paid.
Hmmm. Sounds like double-dipping to me. As the rock turns, government workers have taken early retirement then came back to the same job. I could be wrong, you know.

MIGHTY MOOLAH

Alright already. You can say anything you want about stores boarding-up, your neighbor skipped town, hotels and shops crying bloody murder and even taxicab drivers are hanging their heads against an already too-high meter. What could be the hottest business in town? Try Megabyte. They’re into fostering Internet/Web capability, videogames and just some good advice on how to go about the computer mystique. “we’re doing very, VERY well.”

According to co-hanchoman, Dave Ecret, in-between talking with me and a dozen other netzines. E-mail, according to national studies is the hot button, but we’re only talking communicating, here. The real big money–the one that’s making millionaires overnight in the silicon valleys of the U.S.A.–is the IPO. Initial public offering of a sizzling new, net-tech stock. In 1999 alone over $80 billion were invested into tech start-ups. If you think real hard, somebody you left behind, over there, probably made-it big time and has yet to send you an e-mail. In the San Francisco Bay area’s silicon valley (1999) everyday saw six new millionaires. Now, just think about that for a minute. Feel better? Is Saipan ready for that, IPO madness? Is Megabyte there, yet? Are we ready for a silicon valley, here? Maybe that Free Trade Zone thing will attract it.