California Can't Say It Wasn't Warned: 'Amazon Terminates Contracts With CA Affiliates'

“Governor Brown has signed into law the bill that we emailed you about earlier today. As a result of this, contracts with all California residents participating in the Amazon Associates Program are terminated effective today, June 29, 2011.”--- Portion of Amazon's termination letter.

25,000 California websites and small businesses were just terminated by Amazon.com due to a law California Governor Jerry Brown just signed which would require Amazon.com and other large out-of-state retailers to collect sales taxes on purchases that their California customers make online.

Had Amazon not terminated those contracts, Accounting predicted the tax would bring in an estimated $200 million a year, but the end result, which Amazon did provide adequate warning of, is a loss of $152 million California revenue instead.

Many of about 25,000 affiliates in California, especially larger ones with dozens of employees, are likely to leave the state, said Rebecca Madigan, executive director of trade group Performance Marketing Assn. The affiliates combined paid $152 million in state income taxes last year, she pointed out.

"We have to consider it," said Loren Bendele, chief executive of Savings.com, a West Los Angeles website that links viewers to hundreds of money-saving deals. "It does not look good for our business."

The terminations will effect affiliates of endless.com, myhabit.com and smallparts.com as well.

Since we are talking about the affiliate program, I will put my own affiliate Amazon banner below... just for my own personal entertainment and income.

More possible unintended consequences for California below the Amazon ad.





Although the California law's intent was to go after Amazon, Big Government points out one unintended company that may now be caught in the crosshairs- EBAY.

But from the Sacramento Bee, we learn that California-based eBay– a big name in the state– has also grown deeply concerned about the effects of the proposed legislation:

California lawmakers thought they were targeting Amazon.com, the out-of-state giant, when they voted last week to force Internet retailers to collect sales tax.

It turns out eBay Inc., California’s own golden child of e-commerce, isn’t so thrilled about it, either.

The San Jose online auction company says the legislation would hurt its business model, which relies on thousands of entrepreneurs who sell goods on its site.

The intent may have been to go after Amazon, but “we’re literally caught in the crossfire,” said David London, senior director for state government relations at eBay.

George Runner, a member on the Board of Equalization rips into Brown for signing the law. "Even as Governor Jerry Brown lifted his pen to sign this legislation, thousands of affiliates across California were losing their jobs. The so-called 'Amazon tax' is truly a lose-lose proposition for California. Not only won’t we see the promised revenues, we’ll actually lose income tax revenue as affiliates move to other states."

[Update] Retired Bill Quick on the money California just cost him, headlines with "Leftist Wreckers In California Just Stole $3500-$5000 A Year Right Out of My Pocket."

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Supreme Court Strikes Down California Ban On Violent Video Games

In a 7 to 2 decision the Supreme Court has struck down a California law which would ban the sale of violent video games to minors saying the law violates the First Amendment.

The decision cannot be called partisan because as the WSJ article states it "scrambled the court's typical ideological lineup."

The 2005 California law prohibits selling or renting such games to minors based on legislative findings that they stimulate "feelings of aggression," reduce "activity in the frontal lobes of the brain" and promote "violent antisocial or aggressive behavior." The law, signed by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, never took effect because lower courts found it violated free-expression rights.

More at Wall Street Journal.

I have always maintained that games, movies nor music will make a child violent. If a child is taught right from wrong, moral and ethical values from their parents, then no outside source is going to pressure them or create a monster.

Medical and chemical imbalances excluded.

Game makers have a rating system which suggest the age appropriateness of a game and parents have the right and responsibility to decide what their children should and should not be buying, playing, watching or listening to.

Not the state.

There are already areas where the government and laws usurp parental rights and more should not be added. Parents should be responsible for the decisions that affect their minor children in every aspect of life.

Seems the Supreme Court agrees.





Wired reports that Supreme Court Justice Justice Antonin Scalia writes for the majority:

“Our cases have been clear that the obscenity exception to the First Amendment does not cover whatever a legislature finds shocking, but only depictions of ’sexual conduct,’” Scalia wrote. He added that the video game law “abridges the First Amendment rights of young people whose parents (and aunts and uncles) think violent videogames are a harmless pastime.”

Six other states and several local governments had adopted similar bans — which provide for a $1,000 fine for sellers. Every court that has heard a challenge to all these laws has struck them down on First Amendment grounds.

MSNBC:

Scalia also shot down California's arguments that video games were different enough from books to require a First Amendment exception. "As Judge Posner has observed, all literature is interactive. '[T]he better it is, the more interactive.'" He called California's scientific evidence that violent video games can hurt kids "not compelling."

He denied a state need for a law, given that, he argued parents may not all agree that their kids need protection from violent video games. He cited studies of the current video game ratings systems and said they have been shown effective enough to work. "Filling the remaining modest gap in concerned-parents' control can hardly be a compelling state interest."

More on the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)can be found here.

Supreme Court ruling, PDF found here.

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Video- Most Offensive Ad Ever Or Politics As Usual?

In the newest twist in the special election campaign to replace retired Representative Jane Harman (D-CA) which sets Los Angeles Councilwoman Janice Hahn (D) against businessman Craig Huey, an ad has been produced that Democrats are calling the "most offensive" and the standard "racist" as well as a host of other descriptors.

Video below:



The ad was created by Turn Right USA PAC and states at the end "Definitely NOT authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee."

Since the ad is definitely anti-Hahn, the Hahn campaign is demanding that Huey condemn the ad.

Huey's campaign manager Jimmy Camp immediately denounced the ad calling it "inappropriate" and "highly offensive" while pointing out that Huey had nothing to do with it's production or release.

The man who produced the video above, Ladd Ehlinger, had some comments as well:

Reached by phone, Ehlinger said he was trying "to see how much controversy we can stir up."

"If you can't have a sense of humor about us talking about her problems with gang members, she shouldn't be running," Ehlinger said.

Mission accomplished.

So, is this the most offensive ad ever (I seem to see that claim each and every campaign season about one ad or another) or is this politics as usual?

Saturday Cartoons- The News, Cartoon Style

Political cartoons representing the latest news are an entertaining way of describing the week or months events and on a slow Saturday news day, I find it amusing to see some of the great cartoons out there.

Recently Obama was taught a little history lesson, very publicly, by Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It was like Bambi meeting Godzilla. Netanyahu carried his momentum on with an awesome speech at AIPAC and then received a wonderful welcome by the U.S. House of Representatives, where Democrats and Republicans alike gave him over 25 standing ovations.

Glenn McCoy accurately captured the moment brilliantly.



The last time the Senate passed a budget was April 29, 2009, over 750 days ago and Harry Reid, Democratic Senate Majority Leader, was recently quoted as saying it would be "foolish" for Democrats, who control the Senate, to propose a budget for 2012.

Nate Beeler provides the visual for this story.



Jobless claims rose by 10,000 last week and the unemployment rate is at 9 percent. Recent news showed that Texas, over the last ten years, was the only state to hit a private-sector job growth number in the six figures with 732,800 and California had the worst decline by losing 623,700 private-sector jobs. Doing the addition and subtraction, I found that 22 Red States, controlled by Republicans had totaled a 451,600 private-sector job increase from April 2001 to April 2011. 21 Blue States and DC (for 22) totaled a decrease of 2,041,300 private-sector jobs in the same time frame.

Should say something to what policies work better than others and who understands how to increase job creation and who is very good at decreasing it.

Dr. Helen wonders why so many "now hiring" signs are out, yet unemployment keeps rising.

Eric Allie creates the cartoon visual on the new unemployment "normal".



In other news, the Supreme Court, in a 5 to 4 ruling, ruled that 46,000 inmates over the next two years be released due to overcrowding in the California prison system.

What Could go wrong? ummmm.... perhaps mistakenly releasing an estimated 450 inmates with "a high risk for violence? Oh and another 1,000 presenting a high risk of committing drug crimes, property crimes and other offenses were also let out.

Oooops?

Bob Gorrell presents the "get out of jail free" cartoon for this idiocy.



Another week in politics bites the dust.

Cartoons from TownHall Political Cartoons

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Students Suspended For Wearing White T-Shirts: School Contact Info Provided

H/T Jim Treacher @ Daily Caller

Evidently, in the mind of Ken Lawrence-Emanuel, the Soquel High School principal, students wearing white T-shirts for a group photo is indicative of those students being "white supremacists".

Yeah, seriously.

"All the girls wore pink, all the sports guys wore tank tops," says Soquel High Senior Mikey Donnelly. "We were all going to wear white so that was the plan. Just wear white t-shirts to identify ourselves and look back and say that was our group of friends right there."

Soquel High Senior Mikey Donnelly wore a white t-shirt for his senior class photo Tuesday. About 10 of his friends did the same. That decision may seem harmless. But Soquel High suspended Donnelly for three days because of it.

Donnelly said the school told him people were offended and intimidated by his group, claiming they're a white supremacist gang.

The students apparently aren't going to take being labeled as white supremacists laying down and High school senior Mike Donnelly says he will not only appeal the decision but if he has to, he will take it to court.

Soquel High Senior David Mine, another one of the kids suspended is also speaking out:

"I feel disrespected," says Soquel High Senior David Mine.

Mine also wore a white t-shirt and was also suspended. He's missing out on finals and that could jeopardize his graduation.

"I'm Asian," says Mine. "I don't see how I can be a white supremacist. I'm against it completely."

Soquel High School
401 Old San Jose Rd. :: Soquel, CA 95073
(831) 429-3909 :: fax (831) 429-3311

Contact Info:

Ken Lawrence-Emanuel This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it	Principal	429-3909 x123
Viyada Weng This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it	Administrative Assistant to the Principal	429-3909 x124
Craig Miller This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it	Assistant Principal Student Services/Security/Safety/Discipline	429-3909 x126
Cheryl Walton This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it	Assistant Principal's Secretary	429-3909 x129
Rod Martin This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it	Assistant Principal – Counseling Services	429-3909 x125
Suzanne Williams This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it	Counseling Secretary	429-3909 x132
Stu Walters This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it	Athletic Director	429-3950

Names above linked to email.

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Red States Add More Jobs Than Blue States: Texas Adds Highest Number Of Jobs Over Decade, California Suffers Biggest Decline of Jobs

Part two- By The Numbers found here.

The Business Journals' On Numbers provides a chart showing private-sector employment trends between 2001 and 2011, as well as the one-year changes from 2010 to 2011, state by state.

From April 2001 to April 2011 Texas has increased it's private-sector jobs by 732,800 and in the last year alone, from 2010 to 2011, the increase is listed at 251,700 private-sector jobs increased.

California, while enjoying a one year gain from 2010 to 2011, has suffered the biggest decline over the decade, losing 623,700 private-sector jobs.

The runners-up to Texas in private-sector growth were Arizona and Utah, which added 90,200 and 90,000 jobs respectively, during the decade from 2001 to 2011.

The data was obtained by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for the chart used by The Business Journal.

The latest data shown by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also shows that Texas holds 8.0% unemployment, which is 1% lower than the national average and California holds 11.9% unemployment which is 2.9% above the national average.

Hot Air's Ed Morrissey makes this argument:

What do Texas, Utah, and Arizona all have in common? They are all right-to-work states. Among the top five states, only Washington does not have right-to-work laws allowing employees free choice whether to join unions. Seven of the top ten job-growth states are right-to-work. The only right-to-work state in the bottom 10 is Georgia. Earlier this month, Jim DeMint issued a report showing the correlation between right-to-work legal environments and growth:

Could be. I am sure some would argue against it but the data doesn't lie, it is just interpreted differently by those with different political agendas.

What cannot be argued is Texas is a long time Conservative state and California is well known to be a Liberal one. Politicians elected in each state are directly responsible for state politics, budgets, spending programs, spending cuts and job creation ideas.

In fact the top ten states in the On numbers list, in order, are:

Texas- RED
Arizona- RED
Utah- RED
Washington- BLUE
Virginia- RED
North Dakota-RED
District of Columbia -BLUE
Nevada- PURPLE
Montana- RED
Alaska- RED

(Technically, Washington D.C is a special district, not a state- added here only because On Numbers included it)

Conservative State-Red
Liberal State-Blue
Swing State-Purple

Apply state-by-state politics to the national argument that has been raging over the the federal deficit, government spending, spending cuts and job creation, where both sides of the political spectrum have their own opinion, for lack of a better word, on what needs to be done to address each issue, especially job creation.

It comes down to what set of ideas work and while everyone has their own opinion, if we go by the actual numbers, only one set of ideas seems to consistently provide the desired results in regards to private sector job creation.

"Texas added more jobs in the past 10 years than the total jobs of the 19 states, including the District of Columbia, that were positive for job growth."--- The Business Journals

It is up to voters to decide in 2012, more jobs or more "stimulating" experiments.

Page 2

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Quote Of The Day: California Vote- Prop 19 To Legalize Marijuana Fails 54 to 46 Percent

As many know by now the ballot issue proposition 19 to legalize marijuana in California failed to pass, the vote was 54 percent voting no and 46 percent voting yes.

Quotes of the day from a reader was " Maybe they were too stoned to remember to vote."

"On the way to the polls, they got munchies and got side tracked"

Proponents of prop 19 see the light at the end of the tunnel and will be bringing the issue up again in 2012, no doubt.

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Ouch.. Latest Whitman Ad Shows Jerry Brown Admitting Campaign Promises All Lies

Major freaking Hat Tip To Hot Air for the video below.



Via Hot Air.

The Michael Kinsley definition of politcal gaffe is the accidental telling of an embarrassing truth — and if that’s the case, Jerry Brown committed the ultimate gaffe. Only Brown didn’t commit the gaffe in this campaign; he committed it fifteen years ago in an interview with CNN. Brown told the network that politicians in his experience don’t really have plans for governing, or at least specifically in his own experience. He admitted that he lied in order to win election in 1974, and Meg Whitman pounces on it in this eleventh-hour ad:

Transcript:

Interviewer: You said something a moment ago that I have to follow up on and I have to draw you out on. You said you don’t have to lie anymore now that you’re not a politician. What did you lie about when you were governor?

Jerry Brown: It’s all a lie. You’re pretending there’s a plan…

Interviewer: What did you lie about?

Jerry Brown: You run for office and the assumption is “Oh, I know what to do”. You don’t. I didn’t have a plan for California. Clinton doesn’t have a plan. Bush doesn’t have a plan.

Interviewer: You said you had a plan for California and you lied because you didn’t have a plan?

Jerry Brown: You say you’re going to lower taxes, you’re going to put people to work, you’re gonna improve the schools, you’re going to stop crime… crime is up, schools are worse, taxes are higher. I mean be real!

the hardest hitting ad to date because Whitman is using Brown's own words, his own confession about telling whatever lies he has to in order to win an election.

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CA. Democrat Rep. Loretta Sanchez's Racial Rampage

H/T The Politico for the video shown below:

Here's as blunt a racial play as you'll see: Rep. Loretta Sanchez, speaking on Univision, warns that Republicans and "the Vietnamese and the Republicans" are trying to take away her seat, which she's used to do so much for "our community" and "give it" to a Vietnamese Republican who is both "anti-immigrant" and "anti-Hispanic"

Her challenger, Republican Assemblyman Van Tran is a Vietnamese American who characterizes Sanchez's comments as a "racial rampage." (Source)

LA Times reports Van Tran sent of a letter to Sanchez:

Tran wrote a letter to Sanchez's office asking for an apology for her comments. "With such a diverse immigrant population that call central Orange County home, you should know better than stoking the flames of racial division in our community," he wrote.

So, who is Sanchez calling "anti-immigrant"?

Van Tran's bio shows this:

Van's family first came to America in 1975, evacuated by the U.S. Army a week before the fall of Saigon.

ummmmmmmmm, immigrants!!

Blunder of major proportion by Sanchez here.. perhaps she meant that Van Tran was anti "Illegal" immigrants..... if so, then good for him.

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RV Cooking Show - Three Crepes and a Castle

When you were a kid did you dream of being a famous movie star or sports figure, invited to exclusive parties to mingle amongst the elite? Visit the Hearst Castle estate and, with some imagination, you might get a taste of what it was like to be part of that crowd. There are several tours available including their newest – a self-guided Gardens and Vistas tour – complete with guides standing by to answer your questions about Hearst and “The Enchanted Hill”. Interestingly, rather than a rote tour talk, each guide is permitted to develop their own spiel focusing on their interest in the Castle and it’s art, people, grounds, history, and more. Well, at least for now, allow me to be your personal Hearst Castle tour guide in this episode of the RV Cooking Show – Three Crepes and a Castle – then join  me in my RV kitchen.

In honor of National Strawberry Picking Day I'm going to show you how to make delicious crepes. Though I use jam, curd, and nutella in this episode you can easily add fresh strawberries or any other fresh in-season fruit. You'll find that with ingredients that you most likely already have at home, you, too, can make amazing crepes. It’s not difficult at all…just technique. Watch this RV TV video and you'll see for yourself!  

Remember, you can print this RV recipe to take along in your camper. Nothing is more satisfying than elegance combined with nature! Enjoy!

Evanne
http://www.rvcookingshow.com/