tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22329768.post7150407717282290590..comments2023-10-29T20:20:10.914+10:00Comments on Random Hypercritical Thoughts: Magic Lamp is no moreJeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16129588857193564261noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22329768.post-42545752756004712272007-10-29T23:27:00.000+10:002007-10-29T23:27:00.000+10:00I am sad to see Magic Lamp closed. On all three o...I am sad to see Magic Lamp closed. On all three occasions I ate there the food was excellent, as was the personal attention by the owner/chef. You do have to pay for quality/fresh ingredients, and I didn't think the prices were that high...you pay $6 for a chicken sandwich or salad at Mickey D's here for Pete's Sake! One of the things I love about Saipan in the culinary diversity here. The owner's name is escaping me right now, but I think she is one very interesting and talented lady. Maybe now she will have time to offer some cooking classes or belly dancing classes... :)Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08502311669872119796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22329768.post-55400080564322889732007-10-29T12:39:00.000+10:002007-10-29T12:39:00.000+10:00Landlords will sit on these places for years. No ...Landlords will sit on these places for years. No kidding, many of the vacanies you see around island have been that way for years. There is little incentive to rent them out at a fair market price. Why rent a place out for $300.00 a month, when you can take a gamble, sit on it for two years, and maybe dupe a Korean or Japanese into renting it for $2000 a month.<BR/><BR/>We need commercial property taxes now! When you get a new building permit or you decide to rent out apartment or commercial space, you must register it as a commercial property and you must pay annual commercial property taxes on it. A fair annual property tax will "motivate" landlords to get those places rented out at the current fair market value. It will also help foster small businesses, because regular people may be more likely to be able to afford the rent.<BR/><BR/>If you're a landlord paying $500 dollars a year in taxes on a property, you're more likely to get that space rented out ASAP.Lil' Hammerheadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11937533318872228053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22329768.post-74783084461233635882007-10-29T11:25:00.000+10:002007-10-29T11:25:00.000+10:00Unfortunately, the empty spaces don't only rot awa...Unfortunately, the empty spaces don't only rot away but are cannibalized to the hilt. La Fiesta had nearly a half-million bucks worth of electrical infrastructure stolen and is not worth re-inhabiting. Same goes for the old Basic Construction on Beach Road, everything has been taken and any contractor will tell you that the building isn't worth moving into now.SteeleOnSaipanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08670956825971149563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22329768.post-89718064690811192062007-10-29T11:15:00.000+10:002007-10-29T11:15:00.000+10:00I understand that there are a number of operations...I understand that there are a number of operations motivated by the need to launder money coming from Japan and Korea. Historically, it has been Japan. Lately, Korea is realizing that the CNMI is also a great destination for money laundering. Anyone care to comment on whether this might also be a reason why construction is on the rise, so to speak?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22329768.post-55076920276363266802007-10-29T11:04:00.000+10:002007-10-29T11:04:00.000+10:00All the new empty spaces are to be casinos when th...All the new empty spaces are to be casinos when the SCA passes...Ha!glend558https://www.blogger.com/profile/17230710369170158416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22329768.post-14835594098387799492007-10-29T09:53:00.000+10:002007-10-29T09:53:00.000+10:00We went once this year. It was okay, I liked the ...We went once this year. It was okay, I liked the fact that they used fresh ingredients and seemed to really care about how the food was prepared. What I didn't like was the prices. It is sad, but I figured that it was only a matter of time.<BR/><BR/>BTW, any idea what is going in that new building in Garapan on the same side as DFS? We live near La Fiesta, so one day we walked up there and walked around (I know, trespassing and all). I wish that it could be restored to its former self, looks very nice for a mall. Now it is just an embarrassing eyesore.<BR/><BR/>: )Missyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07733614694710615871noreply@blogger.com