HB 10-1193

I received this from Amazon.com this morning. I need to remember this next November.

Dear Colorado-based Amazon Associate: We are writing from the Amazon Associates Program to inform you that the Colorado government recently enacted a law to impose sales tax regulations on online retailers. The regulations are burdensome and no other state has similar rules. The new regulations do not require online retailers to collect sales tax. Instead, they are clearly intended to increase the compliance burden to a point where online retailers will be induced to "voluntarily" collect Colorado sales tax -- a course we won't take. We and many others strongly opposed this legislation, known as HB 10-1193, but it was enacted anyway. Regrettably, as a result of the new law, we have decided to stop advertising through Associates based in Colorado. We plan to continue to sell to Colorado residents, however, and will advertise through other channels, including through Associates based in other states. There is a right way for Colorado to pursue its revenue goals, but this new law is a wrong way. As we repeatedly communicated to Colorado legislators, including those who sponsored and supported the new law, we are not opposed to collecting sales tax within a constitutionally-permissible system applied even-handedly. The US Supreme Court has defined what would be constitutional, and if Colorado would repeal the current law or follow the constitutional approach to collection, we would welcome the opportunity to reinstate Colorado-based Associates. You may express your views of Colorado's new law to members of the General Assembly and to Governor Ritter, who signed the bill. Your Associates account has been closed as of March 8, 2010, and we will no longer pay advertising fees for customers you refer to Amazon.com after that date. Please be assured that all qualifying advertising fees earned prior to March 8, 2010, will be processed and paid in accordance with our regular payment schedule. Based on your account closure date of March 8, any final payments will be paid by May 31, 2010. We have enjoyed working with you and other Colorado-based participants in the Amazon Associates Program, and wish you all the best in your future. Best Regards, The Amazon Associates Team

You know you have a Google Voice account if...

This post is something my daughter wrote. We both have Google Voice numbers, if you have one, you can probably relate.

by Alice Nyquist

All phone numbers given are EXAMPLES.

You have a phone number that's easy to remember, like 224-444-422 or a phone number that has your name or a word in it (like 720-7HAPPY7)

You can't remember your cell phone number because you give out your Google number to everyone.

You can't remember the numbers that make up the name/word/phrase that you put in your phone number, so you always just recite it with the name/word/phrase...and get funny looks

You have to explain to your friends why your phone number is "like that"

When someone wants the actual numbers for your Google Voice number (for those of us using a phrase), you have to look at your phone keyboard and call out the numbers SLOWLY to make sure you don't make a spelling mistake :)

You prefer to text message from your computer.

You check your voice mail from your computer.

Entertainment is laughing at the funny transcripts Google writes of your voicemails.

You have recorded a separate voicemail greeting for each friend/family member. And the first time people call your cell phone number and get voicemail, it scares them because the voicemail knows their name! (I personally haven't done this yet so that I don't freak anyone out, but it's a pretty cool feature)

You don't find it strange if your home phone and cell phone are ringing at the same time...about the same caller.

You find it annoying when you pick up your cell phone only to have Google Voice hang up on you because someone answered the home phone first.

When filling out work/volunteer/sign-up/membership forms, you debate whether to give out your home phone number or Google voice number.

Chrome and Windows 7 64-bit

I've been a big fan of using Google Chrome on Windows. The Mac beta is also coming along nicely (with the exception of how it runs Flash slowly). I've had to switch back to Firefox after switching to a Windows 7 64-bit system. Using Chrome will freeze the entire system, requiring holding down the power button to restart. After Googling (how ironic) I found this is not a new issue. Shame on Google for taking so long to resolve such a nasty bug.

Bits of Blender #44 - Explosions

A quick tip on using the explode modifier in Blender. Blender 2.49b.

Bits of Blender #43 - Force Fields

A quick tip on using force fields in Blender. Blender 2.49

Bits of Blender - #42 Soft Bodies

Richard and I have just completed another episode of Bits of Blender. This one is on soft bodies in Blender.

YouTube
blip.tv
vimeo

We now show up in the search in iTunes. You can search for "Bits of Blender" or "Nyquist Art + Logic" to find the Bits.

Bits of Blender #41 - Snapping Tools

Richard and I have just released another episode of Bits of Blender. This episode is on Blender's snapping tools.

We now have a channel on blip.tv as well. Blip is higher quality than YouTube and allows you to subscribe to it via iTunes.

blip.tv
vimeo
YouTube