http://www.katablog.com/ Life, Liberty and the pursuit of mice en-us Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:37:55 GMT Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:23:59 GMT Katablog.com http://www.katablog.com/rss.cfm kat@katablog.com kat@katablog.com http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=E21B8E98-EA2A-055B-B0C8D94BFFA3D1FC Yesterday we were greeted with what would appear to be great news, the US Unemployment rate dropped to 8.3%. Having experienced months of 10% and 9.5% unemployment rates, this would look like a recovery is taking place finally.I use the words "appear" and "would look" because as Paul Harvey would say "now, for the rest of the story": The rest of the story comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and as we all know, one can make statistics say whatever they wish by factoring their base numbers on faulty impressions. In this case, if the US continues to drop the unemployed from the labor force rolls, the statistics of the unemployed in the labor force changes. And so for the last year, US unemployment numbers have been dropping. 1.2 million people dropped out of the labor force in one month! So as the labor force increased from 153.9 million to 154.4 million, the non institutional population increased by 242.3 million meaning, those not in the labor force surged from 86.7 million to 87.9 million. Which means that the civilian labor force tumbled to a fresh 30 year low of 63.7% as the BLS is seriously planning on eliminating nearly half of the available labor pool from the unemployment calculationThe misnomer is to believe that because the US unemployment rate is dropping, the economy is growing more healthy and more and more US citizens are gainfully employed. It's a misnomer because only 63.7% of able bodied adults are being counted - the lowest percentage in US history. And still while counting on 63.7% of the potential labor force, we have 8.3% unemployed. In other words just over 1/2 of the true US labor force is actually working. The remainder have become discouraged or run out of unemployment benefits due to the longevity of their unemployment.So while the Occupy Movement wants to trash federal and state parks and land while attempting to get everyone to concentrate on the 1% versus the 99%, I suggest it's more enlightening to concentrate on the 55% employed supporting the 45% unemployed. Politics Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:23:59 GMT http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=E21B8E98-EA2A-055B-B0C8D94BFFA3D1FC http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=A5EA9CFB-0CF9-062E-E0098F1E11B6DEBA For the last several years we've seen an outright campaign to rid America of public references to Christian beliefs, from changing "Merry Christmas" to "Happy Holidays", stripping Court Houses of nativity scenes and the 10 commandments and even refusing Christmas trees in public airports.President Obama has deleted references to "One nation under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance and forgot "endowed by our Creator" when quoting the preamble to the Constitution.Yet suddenly yesterday President Obama, who has been all about separation of church and state to the point of ignoring Christian holidays and reference, was proud to tell Americans that he prays and has spiritual quiet time every morning, selectively quotes Jesus and assures the public that Jesus would approve of his plans to implement a gouging tax on the rich."To those whom much is given, much is expected" is NOT a reference to or a proffered plan for a government tax system. Jesus was not just equating financial riches to wealth, nor was He offer Obama a new way to take from the financially wealthy to redistributed to malcontents that want to profit from others' labors. It's just uncanny how a President who has been reluctant to mention God or Jesus for over 3 years, suddenly put Jesus and God into his campaign. Politics Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:20:50 GMT http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=A5EA9CFB-0CF9-062E-E0098F1E11B6DEBA http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=E29BF961-A34B-AF77-3E08C1101B965D2D In July 2008 Obama told the American people that the US accumulated debt under 8 years of George W. Bush at $4 trillion was unpatriotic and a sign of bad leadership. "The problem is that the way Bush has done it in the last eight years is to take out a credit card from the Bank of China in the name of our children, driving up our national debt from $5 trillion from the first 42 presidents. No. 43 added $4 trillion by his lonesome. So we now have over $9 trillion of debt that we are going to have to pay back. $30,000 for every man woman and child. That's irresponsible, that's unpatriotic" So to show his patriotism, Barack Hussein Obama has done GWB one better by raising the US debt limit a mere $5 trillion in 3 years! Politics Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:19:24 GMT http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=E29BF961-A34B-AF77-3E08C1101B965D2D http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=DDC46D23-CE2B-A55E-B354C858509803D7 Barack Hussein Obama attempts over and over to get Americans to focus on "fairness". Though Obama never really defines fairness, his political speak focuses on his definition of fairness. Obama wants Americans to believe that our great country was built on "fairness". The Declaration of Independence which declares everyone should have equal rights might leave a non-thinking person who just sups sound bites to believe that's what America is about. It's not.The Declaration of Independence and the resulting US Constitution provide that all people are equal in that all persons are given inalienable - rights by their Creator. Those rights are: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. However, no where is US law or the premise for US government is there a guarantee of happiness - only the right to pursue it. Notice that we are not created equal in talent, in the parents we are given, in the financial resources provided to raise us, in intellect or even in equal in the amount of love and adoration we receive.So where do people suddenly get the idea that America is built on financial fairness - those who earn more, pay more to support those who either work hard and earn less or those who don't wish to work?Barack Obama and the Occupy protestors believe that evil corporations and wealth people should pay for the slackness of those who produce nothing. The non-producers live off the government that has taken it upon itself to provide them subsistence; and yet, they are still not happy. The non-producers do not contribute to government, either state or federal; yet they, like the producers use government including police, fire, courts, roads, sidewalks, representation, government services such as social services, welfare, food stamps, SSI, medical, etc. How is this fair - some pay for the use of government and some pay nothing?How is it financially fair to take from one group to support another? Income Tax was created to pay for government, not to redistribute wealth. Since every American uses government, why shouldn't they all pay for government? Why should wealthy people pay more for government?If the Occupy group and Obama believers think that large corporations and wealthy people legally avoid paying their "fair share", why not attack the laws that allow them to do so versus attacking those who take advantage of those laws? But while they scrutinize those laws, why not take a gander at laws that allow use of government without any contribution? The US tax laws should not be implemented to either punish the wealth or redistribute their wealth. Rather US tax laws should ensure that everyone contributes to government in an equal way. How can it be fair to allow those wishing for a distribution from government to vote to take more from the wealth to give to them? What a conflict of interest! How can people who contribute nothing for a desired bridge vote to build a bridge with other people's money?Since over 40% of Americans pay no income tax, the deck is stacked against those who do pay taxes. How easy is it to spend money for your wants and wishes when the money comes from someone else's pocket. This is NOT what America was built upon. America was built from people who wanted self-determination. They wanted an equal opportunity not equal finances. They recognized that some wanted to work very hard and accumulate while others might value less work and less accumulation. We all are allowed to determine what is valuable and to obtain that; but with that determination comes the basics of economics - the opportunity cost is the opportunity lost. Working hard may prevent family and vacation time. Working less provides more on the intrinsic part of life and less of the tangible.Suddenly people want us to believe we can have it all - simply by taking what we didn't earn to fill in the gaps for the opportunity lost. Politics Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:04:00 GMT http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=DDC46D23-CE2B-A55E-B354C858509803D7 http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=3F2CD8DA-DAD3-1375-E5ED72FECE6A22C6 Fact Checking the SOTU - Corporate TaxesThe Most Important Paycheck in the WorldNo Need to Panic About Global WarmingAnother "Green" Bankruptcy on the Taxpayers' Dime News Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:09:14 GMT http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=3F2CD8DA-DAD3-1375-E5ED72FECE6A22C6 http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=D50C7F53-B1F8-E8DF-61ADEE8BC0557BF9 We often discuss how Barack Hussein Obama doesn't seem to like to do the actual job behind being President. Apparently his speech writers are ripping a page from his playbook. Obama's State of the Union speech was mostly a redux from of previous speeches. Politics Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:41:36 GMT http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=D50C7F53-B1F8-E8DF-61ADEE8BC0557BF9 http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=6ECA1790-BB76-3697-218EC5E11E51088F Due to Barack Hussein Obama's halt on deportations of illegals to Haiti, a Haitian illegal (and twice convicted felon) in the USA was released from prison and two months later killed 3 US citizens.The episode is a black eye for U.S. authorities, who by law could not detain Dufrene indefinitely after the Obama administration ordered a temporary halt of deportations to the island nation. The deportations were halted because of the carnage wrought by Haiti's January 2010 earthquake."Because of the moratorium on removals to Haiti in effect when Dufrene came into ICE custody, his removal to Haiti was not likely in the reasonably foreseeable future," an Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman said in a statement Friday. ICE is prevented from indefinitely holding any illegal if their removal is not in the foreseeable future. So even with a laced history of crimes, Dufrene was released. Dufrene had a history of nine arrests starting with beating a teacher at age 14. Dufrene committed the 3 murders and later killed himself. Illegals Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:02:05 GMT http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=6ECA1790-BB76-3697-218EC5E11E51088F http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=3CACA018-C9D9-AE44-2AA66DEBD994FB8A So let's describe the change we've seen under Obama:Only change left over from the paycheck; the rest is redistributed to those who didn't earn it.Change is the unemployment numbers from 7% to over 10%;Change is the spiraling upward debt - almost $16 trillion;Change is ignoring the US Constitution;Changes is forcing people to purchase a product;Change is bowing to foreign dignitaries;Change is a disregard for the US Military;Change is ObamaCare;Change is unlimited unemployment insurance;Change is lots of vacation, golf and luxury fund raising;Change is committing taxpayers money to failed energy policies and companies;Change is bald face lying;Change is shutting down Disney World to promote tourism;Change is separate air transportation for the presidential couple;Change is an uninvolved president;Change is more czars;Change is more job killing regulations;Change is more cronyism in the White House;Change is a pervert as Secretary of Education;Change is arrogance and narcissism;Change is ticking off our allies;Change is cozying up with Venezuela and Iran;Change is redistribution of wealth;And so we could go on and on. But most of all "change is" a different President in 2012. Politics Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:40:42 GMT http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=3CACA018-C9D9-AE44-2AA66DEBD994FB8A http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=DF7E64DA-D6E8-99A9-2E0B7DBF8A5F48E0 Now just why are US taxpayers paying for Solyndra employees to crush new glass tubes that cost over $2 million? The bankruptcy judge agreed to the tube destruction after being told it would cost more than they were worth to store the tubes.However, the bankruptcy trustee never listed the tubes on the asset list therefore no one was able to provide a bid to purchase them at auction.Oh well, it was just taxpayers' money. News Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:14:59 GMT http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=DF7E64DA-D6E8-99A9-2E0B7DBF8A5F48E0 http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=6D053BEC-A4C5-4859-3DA1A0C5BC764479 Internet Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:53:56 GMT http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=6D053BEC-A4C5-4859-3DA1A0C5BC764479 http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=3C2F3EA8-074B-CB30-D0A6CFE63BBE6EBB The following is a reported translated transcript between the Port Authority of Liverno, Italy with Captain Coward from the Costa Concordia after the ship started sinking. Coast Guard: "Listen Schettino, there are people trapped on board. Now you need to go on your life boat, under the bow of the ship on the side. There is a ladder. You need to climb up the ladder and board the ship. Get on board and report to me how many people there are. Is that clear?. . . . " Schettino: "At this moment the ship is tilted." Coast Guard: "I understand. Listen, there are people who are coming down the ladder on the bow. Go back in the opposite direction, get back on the ship, and tell me how many people there are and what they have on board. . . . Tell me if there are children, women and what type of help they need. And you tell me the number of each of these categories. Is that clear? . . . Listen Schettino, perhaps you have saved yourself from the sea but I will make you look very bad. I will make you pay for this. Dammit, go back on board!" Schettino: "Please . . . " Coast Guard: "There is no please about it. Go back on board. Assure me you are going back on board!" Schettino: "I am in the life boat, under the ship, I haven't gone anywhere, I'm here." Coast Guard: "What are you doing?" Schettino: "I am coordinating . . . " Coast Guard: "What are you coordinating there? Go on board! Coordinate the rescue from on board! Are you refusing?" Schettino: "No, I am not refusing." Coast Guard: "Tell me the reason why you are not going back on board." Schettino: "There is another life boat ... " Coast Guard: "You go back on board! That is an order! There is nothing else for you to consider. You have sounded the 'abandon ship.' Now I am giving the orders. Go back on board. Is that clear? Don't you hear me?" Schettino: "I am going on board." Coast Guard: "Go! Call me immediately when you are on board. My rescue people are in front of the bow." The Coast Guard said Schettino defied their entreaties to return to his ship as the chaotic evacuation of some 4,200 people was in progress. Evacuation of a ship is sure to be a traumatic moment. Having seen how many passengers storm a food buffet or the gangplank to be the first off at a port, without the calm but firm hand of the Captain and ship's officers, evacuation in itself would be a nightmare no one would want to go through.Having been on many cruises, we often comment at lifeboat drills that their simulation would be nothing like the real thing when people believe their lives are in danger.Currently the known death toll from this incident is reported at 11, with 29 (25 passengers, 4 crew) still missing. Travel Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:08:19 GMT http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=3C2F3EA8-074B-CB30-D0A6CFE63BBE6EBB http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=0FD7F407-F90C-A0F7-93D4AE7870E403D5 You've got to be kidding me! Andrew Sullivan, liberal left-wing hack writes an Obama campaign article and Newsweek (no, we won't be linking to them) dares to print this insanity just to apparently prove they are the sleaziest rag around. For Obama supporters like Sullivan who apparently can't read, Ace of Spades has drawn you a picture. Now just how dumb is it to be against someone who spends taxpayers' money like it grows on trees. $5 trillion additional deficit in 3 years is REALLY dumb, especially when it produced payoffs to your cronies through fiascoes like Solyndra! Dumb would be voting for a jerk who offers the Queen of Great Britain an iPod with his speeches on it. Dumb would be a President who offers a toast while God Save the Queen is playing. Dumb is a couple in the White House who have to take separate fights at the expense of the broke US taxpayers 4 hours apart to go on a luxury vacation. Dumb is a President who is rude to our ally Israel while bowing to the King of Saudi Arabia and the Chinese Emperor. Dumb is a guy that preaches shared sacrifice while taking luxury vacations and playing golf. Dumb is preaching made in America and jobs while riding a $1 million bus made in Canada.It's also dumb to defend a guy who talks jobs, jobs, jobs all the while implementing regulation after regulation that kills jobs, then adds ObamaCare on top just to make sure he sinks every small business in the USA. It's also really dumb to support a President that can't even get the right name of the soldier to whom he's presenting the Medal of Honor. This same President also complains about having to take too many photos with US troops who are putting their lives on the line for the USA. Politics Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:28:24 GMT http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=0FD7F407-F90C-A0F7-93D4AE7870E403D5 http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=E72161E1-0D8F-F138-FA43E24ADA05F44F Taxpayers learned about the over 1/2 billion dollars that flowed out to Solyndra, a solar panel company with Obama campaign donors as investors; but that's merely a dip in the $6.5 billion bucket. There are 11 more Solyndras the taxpayers will soon find out about.Five have filed for bankruptcy. The junk bond rated Beacon Power, Evergreen Solar, Spectra Watt, AES (a subsidiary of - Eastern Energy) and of course Solyndra.The others are not far behind; Nevada Geo Thermo (NGP) personally endorsed by Harry Reid, the recipient of $98.5 MILLION in loan guarantees, warns of multiple potential defaults, Sun Power received a $1.5 BILLION loan guarantee after a French oil company took it over, now owes more than it is worth, First Solar (the biggest S&P 500 loser in 2011) even though the CEO was forced out, taxpayers were forced to pony up $3 BILLION in loans. IDIOCY Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:29:56 GMT http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=E72161E1-0D8F-F138-FA43E24ADA05F44F http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=9FF7881D-F374-5725-3CDC0EA83B127F50 Joran van der Sloot, the prime suspect in the murder of Natalee Holloway who disappeared in 2005 in Aruba, was given 28 more years in a Peruvian prison for the murder of Stephanie Flores. Flores was murdered by van der Sloot 5 years to the day that Natalee Holloway disappeared in Aruba.The Peru prosecution asked for 30 years after van der Sloot plead guilty to the murder for Stephanie Flores. The judge gave van der Sloot credit for time served and issued a sentence of 28 more years. However, this could be cut as much as 1/2 for good behavior and taking classes.Stephanie's father maintains that currently van der Sloot receives special privileges including isolation from the prison population, a television and a game console in his cell. Natalee Holloway Sat, 14 Jan 2012 15:19:53 GMT http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=9FF7881D-F374-5725-3CDC0EA83B127F50 http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=69C08A1E-A1AC-3397-C5D2C5D9592249B1 Well, the title is true only if one is speaking of jobs lost.In the 30 months since the recession officially ended, nearly 1 million people have dropped out of the labor force - they aren't working, and they aren't looking - according to data from Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. In the past two months, the labor force shrank by 170,000.This is virtually unprecedented in past economic recoveries, at least since the BLS has kept detailed records. In the past nine recoveries, the labor force had climbed an average 3.5 million by this point, according to an IBD analysis of the BLS data.Only 65% of the potential labor force (working age population)is either working or looking for work. The rest have given up. Considering those actually working or looking for work, the US unemployment rate is really 11%. If you count those that are underemployed (working part-time but wanting full-time work, the national unemployment rate is over 15%! The government reaches an 8.5% unemployment rate only by using those actively looking for work in their numbers. They don't count those that have given up and fallen off unemployment benefits. US payrolls are $6.1 million lower than when Barack Hussein Obama took office in January 2008.Great job Obama and Biden. Some recovery. Politics Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:03:51 GMT http://www.katablog.com/display_blog.cfm?bid=69C08A1E-A1AC-3397-C5D2C5D9592249B1