TEXAS!!!

In two contexts, a shout out to Texas seems in order.  First,  on to the World Series with those Rangers.   Someone at work, who knows I'm not a fan of a previous owner of the team, asked what would my choice of  AL team be; the archrival Yankees or the team  owned, at least in part, by said former  Prez.  Hmm.  But it became simpler when I read a flash news bulletin from the independent booksellers' national trade organization (which has been tireless in  advocating on this issue),  the American Booksellers Association.   The state of  Texas has assessed Amazon $269 million in uncollected sales tax.  To that I say, Yeeehaaww!  For all the years of its existence,  Amazon has claimed it need not collect the taxes the rest of us retailers do.  This makes for a most unlevel playing field, to continue the sports theme I began with here, and means huge revenue losses to States.   And now that Texas has put the sales tax issue in the appropriate light, I imagine numerous states feeling the pinch of shrinking resources will look up and say, "Hey, Amazon owes us taxes, too!"    I forget the origin of it, but "Don't Mess With Texas".   Though I do confess to a fondness for Buster Posey of the Giants, anecdotally, going back to baseball and the World Series.    Enjoy this last week of October, especially now that the beautiful full moon has passed with all its power to make personalities more potent.  Whew!