Living in Hawaii In Pearl Harbor is the Battleship Missouri it is an Iowa-class battleship designed for speed and firepower. Four Iowa-class ships were built during World War II including the USS Missouri, the keel of which was laid on January 6, 1941 at the New York Naval Shipyard. Its armament included the main battery of nine 16-inch guns and twelve 5-inch anti-aircraft guns. The USS Missouri was launched on January 29, 1944 and commissioned on June 11, 1944. In August 1996, the Navy selected the USS Missouri Memorial Association as caretaker for the battleship and Pearl Harbor as its permanent home. On May 4, 1998, the Navy made it official, transferring the Mighty Mo’s care to the Association. Visit the official website. Also don't miss the KH6BB USS Missouri site, this group is restoring the radio room and getting it back on the air. Housing is a big issue here on the Islands. On my island, Oahu, homes in the Honolulu area have become very expensive. And rentals are difficult to find. And nice, comfortable rentals are very expensive. If you considering moving to the islands you may want to read the book, "So You Want to Live in Hawaii" by Toni Polancy, you may also like to have this handy Hawaii map with you. The book covers a variety of topics including The People, Work, Retirement, The Children, Romance. Plenty of real estate agents and mortgage companies are available to support your search for a home and the money to pay for it. If your buying a condo make sure you understand the options regarding the land under the building your buying. Do you own your share of the property or do you lease it? Many reasonably priced homes are available in the Eva/Westside of Oahu, but auto traffic for those that need to drive into Honolulu each day for work can be very heavy. Also during the winter this drive includes the treat of driving into the direct rays of the rising sun, and during the drive home you get the sunset. But if you live in Hawaii Kai, you still get heavy traffic, but you aren't driving into the sun. The public officials that run the state are all screwed up, www.Hawaii.gov, the reasons why they do what they do is beyond me. The current Governor may clean things up, but I don't think the people of Hawaii want things to change. If you refinancing check out MortgageRefinance.tv. For millennia, the Chinese have practiced qigong to cultivate body, mind and spirit. Principles of qi and qigong form the foundation of Eastern energy arts including martial arts, Daoist healing arts such as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and practices for spiritual development. Once considered mysterious, even frightening, today hear in Hawaii qigong is emerging as a scientifically valid and effective form of complementary medicine and holistic health care, as well as a joyful path of personal growth, self-development and self-empowerment. Life here is great, but the favorite destination for Hawaiians is Las Vegas. For some reasons the locals love jumping on a jet and tossing some of their cash into the black-hole of Vegas. I enjoy staying at the Belagio, I love the pools (see above photo). Not only do I enjoy the tables, but I love the area around LV. Red Rocks Canyon is beautiful, so is the Valley of Fire State Park area, if temperatures are reasonable outsite you should make a point to visit these parks. FYI: you won't find any slot machines... And while you still have some money in your pocket hear are some suggestions on places to eat. Picaso is considered one of the best restaurants in the city. The rotating Top of the World restaurant in the Stratosphere Tower is 832 feet about the strip. In the New York, New York Hotel visit the Irish pub called Nine Fine Irishman, it has great food. Looking for a classic, old Vegas style restaurant? Then you gotta visit, Michael's in the Barbary Coast, Battista's Hole in the Wall is very funky, and Downtown try Andre's Restaurant wine list. Also remember my travel rule #1: The better you dress, the better the service. If your looking for a place to stay I suggest the Strip rather than Downtown. But I encourage you to make sure you visit the Downtown area, don't miss it! Well it all began in 1941, when the El Rancho Vegas opened on Highway 91, the new road that would go to California, which is now the world-famous Las Vegas Strip. But now the Strip shines like a beacon to all the rest of the world! The glitter, the gaming and the hotels have gotten bigger, whether they're better as well will be for history to tell. Ukulele's are fixture here in Hawaii as much as the pineapple and hula. They make a beautiful sound and come in variety of shapes and sizes. Music Festivals abound and everyday people are beginning to play the instrument for the first time. And the art of making these fine instruments hasn't disappear either Ukulele maker Joseph Souza creates custom instruments in a small shop at the back of his house. Located on the Windward side of Oahu the gentle winds mix witht the sounds of sanding at is beach front location. If you buy a Ukulele from Joe, get a book and learn the basics: Ukulele Books The crew of a US Submarine go for a swim just off Waikiki Beach. I understand this is a normal practice, done to familiarize the crew with swimming near the boat. Navy ships are a regular sight from the beaches of Waikiki and along the southern side of the island of Oahu. The aircraft carriers are the most impressive looking, but the subs like the one above are the most interesting to me. Lots of insider deals happen here in Hawaii. The recent case of Evan Dobelle as President of the University was a typical case. Dobelle was given a sweet-heart deal/contract when he joined the UofH. It is unclear as to why this guy got such a great deal, it appears he didn't have a vast amount of experience to justify a new position that increased his salary by three times. From the HawaiiReporter.com: Many members of the former Hawaii Board of Regents, frustrated with what they called "lavish spending" and a pattern of "lies and deceit" wanted to fire Dobelle more than a year ago. But said they were initially intimidated by Dobelle’s reminder of the $4.5 million they’d have to pay to him and they knew how difficult it would be to challenge Dobelle publicly and in court.