The Demacrat's have maded Honolulu the most expensive U.S. city

Honolulu is the most expensive U.S. city to do business, according to a new study by KPMG LLP.

The New York-based audit, tax and advisory firm ranked Honolulu most costly among 37 smaller North American cities with a population below 1 million. It had a cost index of 107.3, or 7.3 percent above the U.S. national baseline.

“Selecting the best site for a business operation requires balanced consideration of many factors, including business costs, business environment, personnel costs and quality-of-life issues,” said Hartley Powell, national leader for KPMG’s Global Location and Expansion Services practice.

KPMG’s report was based on 26 significant cost components including labor, taxes, real estate and utilities in 17 industries.

Following Honolulu was Anchorage, Alaska, with a cost index of 106.3.

Among larger cities, San Francisco ranked the most expensive place to do business in North America, with a cost index of 104.1, while Tampa, Fla., was the least-expensive place to do business in U.S. cities with populations of more than 2 million. It had a cost index of 96, representing business costs 4 percent below the U.S. national baseline.

The report evaluated business-operating costs in 112 cities in 10 countries. The benchmark cost index is the average of business costs in the four largest U.S. metropolitan areas: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas-Fort Worth.

Commander in Chief? Navy Grads

Commander in Chief? Navy Grads Told They Can't Bring Their Ceremonial Swords to Graduation Because Obama is Speaking.....

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/21/inside-the-beltway-97423759/?feat=home_top5_read

Why does he feel the need to disarm his own newly minted commissioned officers while they're in his presence?....

Graduating midshipmen of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis are being told in writing to leave at home or in their vehicles all "ceremonial swords"and anything else "that might be considered a weapon or a threat by screeners" for Friday's outdoor commencement ceremonies featuring an address by President Barack Obama.

Inside the Beltway has obtained the academy's list of prohibited items for this year's graduation exercises, which, besides ceremonial swords, includes umbrellas.

Yes, cell phones and texting are still allowed.

June 09, 2009
Obama Fears Our Navy?

In a note in the Washington Times, it appears that Midshipmen and Officers at this year’s Graduation and Commissioning Ceremonies at the United States Naval Academy were prohibited from wearing their swords as a protection measure for President Obama.

No… seriously… THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF is concerned that his Military may have weapons that threaten him!



Graduating midshipmen of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis are being told in writing to leave at home or in their vehicles all "ceremonial swords" and anything else "that might be considered a weapon or a threat by screeners" for Friday's outdoor commencement ceremonies featuring an address by President Barack Obama.

Inside the Beltway has obtained the academy's list of prohibited items for this year's graduation exercises, which, besides ceremonial swords, includes umbrellas.



I did some investigating and… Yep… No Mameluke on the Marine General or Sword on the Admiral in the following image from the ceremonies. Understand that in formal Naval Ceremonies (even in choker whites) wearing a sword is optional for the Naval Officer, however, for the Marine it is a “Requirement” as the Mameluke Sword is part of the Dress Uniform!

So it got me to wondering if this was some sort of muckraking pointing to Barak Obama as having the same fear as King James I…Fear of Unsheathed Swords.

So I dug through my photos of another recent ceremony involving a formal Navy occasion and hosting not just the current President (at that time) George W. Bush but also his father former President George H.W. Bush (also present were the Vice President and the Secretary of State), the commissioning of the USS George HW Bush (CVN-77). And what did I see? But any number of swords completely within swinging range of any of the VIP’s and honored guests. (See the images below of Capt. O’Flaherty wearing his sword while standing immediately next to the President of the United States.) Were any of VIP’s concerned about these men possessing such threatening carving implements. NOT A CHANCE! They were honored to be in the presence of such heroes and trust these men and women with their lives and freedom!



Note the immediate above image was taken by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Micah P. Blechner.


So what gives? Does Obama not trust his Military Officers with cake carvers?

Sickening…

While I was doing some digging on this I came across this comment, seems Bush had no problem shaking hands with over a thousand cadets, each wearing their swords.....

In 2006,my son graduated from West Point. President George Bush was the commencement speaker,and shook the hand of each and every graduate. He also posed with each graduate for a photo. I just glanced to my left,and there on the wall of my barber shop is a color photo of my son shaking hands with President Bush,WITH HIS SABER ON!!!! One thousand and some odd cadets with the president,all wearing their sabers!!!! As we say in the Army,some guys just don't pack the gear.......and that's all I'll say about this thread..........