I was down in Gainesville Florida and I saw that the Book Lover's Vegan Cafe at NW 13th St at NW 5th Ave was Closed :'( It seems the couple both getting old said We got tired," Haisley said. "We're old. By January, Phil will be 78, and I will be 72, and it is a long time to work every day." It wasn't too long ago that Tappin Book*Mine closed. And Wolf's Head Books Inc in St Augustine Florida Closed via Facebook on August 1st 2012. These are sad days for the small independent bookstores I blame Amazon and the Internet. >:(
Look at what Amazon is doing Now? http://www.alligator.org/news/campus/article_af8349de-e1df-11e1-b2bf-0019bb2963f4.html
It's also a feature of the market - more and more people are using e-book readers. It's really too bad, dead tree books have a lot of advantages of e-book readers, but they just don't have as good of a marketing campaign.
As far as Amazon goes, that's as much the state's fault as anything. Year after year they neglect to come up with an appropriate way to tax online retail, giving online sellers a competitive advantage (ie, giving in-state retailers a competitive disadvantage). As if that wasn't bad enough, every penny we spend on Amazon goes straight out of Florida. It's maddening, and successive legislatures have been sitting on their hands for years.
Quote from: Tacachale on August 13, 2012, 01:52:24 PM
It's also a feature of the market - more and more people are using e-book readers. It's really too bad, dead tree books have a lot of advantages of e-book readers, but they just don't have as good of a marketing campaign.
As far as Amazon goes, that's as much the state's fault as anything. Year after year they neglect to come up with an appropriate way to tax online retail, giving online sellers a competitive advantage (ie, giving in-state retailers a competitive disadvantage). As if that wasn't bad enough, every penny we spend on Amazon goes straight out of Florida. It's maddening, and successive legislatures have been sitting on their hands for years.
The e-book has it drawbacks you don't really own what you buy? I don't believe you can sell your e-books since it's digital. And Amazon grew while George W. Bush was in office. On August 1, 2008, AbeBooks announced that it had been acquired by Amazon.com. And Google for yourself what else Amazon.com owns?
Quote from: If_I_Loved_you on August 13, 2012, 02:07:24 PM
Quote from: Tacachale on August 13, 2012, 01:52:24 PM
It's also a feature of the market - more and more people are using e-book readers. It's really too bad, dead tree books have a lot of advantages of e-book readers, but they just don't have as good of a marketing campaign.
As far as Amazon goes, that's as much the state's fault as anything. Year after year they neglect to come up with an appropriate way to tax online retail, giving online sellers a competitive advantage (ie, giving in-state retailers a competitive disadvantage). As if that wasn't bad enough, every penny we spend on Amazon goes straight out of Florida. It's maddening, and successive legislatures have been sitting on their hands for years.
The e-book has it drawbacks you don't really own what you buy? I don't believe you can sell your e-books since it's digital. And Amazon grew while George W. Bush was in office. On August 1, 2008, AbeBooks announced that it had been acquired by Amazon.com. And Google for yourself what else Amazon.com owns?
So now we are also blaming W. for the demise of independent book retailers?? How about we blame him for obesity in America, losing socks in the laundry, and for the great fire of London?
I'm blaming him for the disaster that was the Olympic Triplecast back in the day.
Quote from: Captain Zissou on August 13, 2012, 03:04:05 PM
Quote from: If_I_Loved_you on August 13, 2012, 02:07:24 PM
Quote from: Tacachale on August 13, 2012, 01:52:24 PM
It's also a feature of the market - more and more people are using e-book readers. It's really too bad, dead tree books have a lot of advantages of e-book readers, but they just don't have as good of a marketing campaign.
As far as Amazon goes, that's as much the state's fault as anything. Year after year they neglect to come up with an appropriate way to tax online retail, giving online sellers a competitive advantage (ie, giving in-state retailers a competitive disadvantage). As if that wasn't bad enough, every penny we spend on Amazon goes straight out of Florida. It's maddening, and successive legislatures have been sitting on their hands for years.
The e-book has it drawbacks you don't really own what you buy? I don't believe you can sell your e-books since it's digital. And Amazon grew while George W. Bush was in office. On August 1, 2008, AbeBooks announced that it had been acquired by Amazon.com. And Google for yourself what else Amazon.com owns?
So now we are also blaming W. for the demise of independent book retailers?? How about we blame him for obesity in America, losing socks in the laundry, and for the great fire of London?
Yes, No, No and No.
Quote from: fsquid on August 13, 2012, 03:15:06 PM
I'm blaming him for the disaster that was the Olympic Triplecast back in the day.
Good! Good! let's Blame him for all of are Troubles.
Quote from: If_I_Loved_you on August 13, 2012, 04:28:21 PM
Quote from: fsquid on August 13, 2012, 03:15:06 PM
I'm blaming him for the disaster that was the Olympic Triplecast back in the day.
Good! Good! let's Blame him for all of are Troubles.
Certainly we should blame him for that sentence you just typed.
Quote from: Tacachale on August 13, 2012, 01:52:24 PM
It's also a feature of the market - more and more people are using e-book readers. It's really too bad, dead tree books have a lot of advantages of e-book readers, but they just don't have as good of a marketing campaign.
I have a Nook, but I don't use it as often as I thought I would. There is just something about holding a book in my hand, feeling the heft of it, reaching up to turn the page. If it's a thick book, I feel so much smarter reading it than a thin book. LOL And then when I'm done with it, putting it on my book shelf to enjoy again some day, or making a trip to the library and returning it, and then browsing the stacks for the next thing to read. Hmm...what shall I pick up today? Non-Fiction? Biography? Latest Best Seller? Just not the same experience with an e-Reader, although they are convenient.
Quote from: fsquid on August 13, 2012, 04:37:52 PM
Quote from: If_I_Loved_you on August 13, 2012, 04:28:21 PM
Quote from: fsquid on August 13, 2012, 03:15:06 PM
I'm blaming him for the disaster that was the Olympic Triplecast back in the day.
Good! Good! let's Blame him for all of are Troubles.
Certainly we should blame him for that sentence you just typed.
Whats wrong with my sentence Teacher? Have you watched "Family Guy" there is a Cockroach that says Good Good. Should I have left out the exclamation symbols? GWB was my english teacher "Now, we talked to Joan Hanover. She and her husband, George, were visiting with us. They are near retirement â€" retiring â€" in the process of retiring, meaning they're very smart, active, capable people who are retirement age and are retiring."
Amazon has done more to hurt the economy than most people realize, and this is because of our government's lack of action to investigate the idea that a new, damaging, dynamic has arrived in the economy, much like the late nineteenth century when the energetic capitalists were forming powerful monopolies, unfairly killing off smaller competitors so as to increase prices. The new dynamic is of course the Internet. It has allowed an efficiency in marketing, selling and buying never before seen, and its impact on retailers throughout the nation has been catastrophic. Although the Internet has been a boon in certain respects, it's efficiency and brutality to some businesses, has been a negative jolt to the economy.
The Internet was the major factor behind the closing of Tappin Book mine at the beach. And it has been the cause of many other bookstores going out of business. The e-book is making some impact on the health of bookstores, but I believe the impact will level off, leaving a good market for the regular books from now on, as some people, as reflected in our continuing sales, will want certain conveniences while reading the larger books, and will simply want real books to have on their shelves.
Each format has its advantages, each having attributes and abilities lacking in the other. So I'm inclined to believe that both the e-book and the traditional book will exist in parallel. The only problem with the e-books is that there are more and more cases showing up of NCH (nook cancer of the hands), and KCH (kindle cancer of the hands), generated apparently by some slight radiation coming from the e-books. One doesn't have to worry about the cancers with the traditional book.
The internet isn't just killing off books. Its killing retail in general as we have known it up to this point. Little piddly music stores & the postal service was just the beginning.
Truth be told, most of the crap we see all around us today is completely unnecessary & becoming irrelevant. Unless its clothing, food, or specialized boutique shopping of some kind that the internet can't replicate, then its in danger. Its not apparent at first, but its becoming that way as we move forward. Thats why you saw places like Circuit City & CompUSA fall years ago (they were the weakest), & are now seeing the big boys (like Best Buy) start the process of collapsing. The bubble was big, now its bursting all over the place. You can feel the panic all over the place.
Just today I was in an Office Depot waiting to be checked out, was looking around at the employees & thought "Damn, almost every bit of this stuff I can buy or have done online." Not even that, but cheaper & probably better quality. Without even going in somewhere. There's no way to complete with that, and they won't. Their overhead is simply too tremendous in those storefronts. My opinion is the only reason why places like that are still surviving is because of the technology gap between the young & old. Meaning the oldies are most likely the ones keeping them in business. As you know, that never lasts.
P.S. I'm not exactly celebrating this. But I don't think the answer is for some kind of government intervention to step in & keep these things on artificial life support. Its natural progression that they die, like everything else that technology made obsolete. The problem is gonna be how society deals with it all, in the go go capitalism world that we've made for ourselves up to now. Because one thing's for sure, when you factor in the population numbers, how less things are manufactured here (or by robotics), and now with the oncoming death of most of retail, there WILL NOT be enough jobs to go around. And not everyone can (or even should) go to college to get a degree (just ask the 50% of graduates who are unemployed or severely underemployed).
So here we are.
Quote from: peestandingup on August 13, 2012, 10:45:41 PM
The internet isn't just killing off books. Its killing retail in general as we have known it up to this point. Little piddly music stores & the postal service was just the beginning.
Truth be told, most of the crap we see all around us today is completely unnecessary & becoming irrelevant. Unless its clothing, food, or specialized boutique shopping of some kind that the internet can't replicate, then its in danger. Its not apparent at first, but its becoming that way as we move forward. Thats why you saw places like Circuit City & CompUSA fall years ago (they were the weakest), & are now seeing the big boys (like Best Buy) start the process of collapsing. The bubble was big, now its bursting all over the place. You can feel the panic all over the place.
Just today I was in an Office Depot waiting to be checked out, was looking around at the employees & thought "Damn, almost every bit of this stuff I can buy or have done online." Not even that, but cheaper & probably better quality. Without even going in somewhere. There's no way to complete with that, and they won't. Their overhead is simply too tremendous in those storefronts. My opinion is the only reason why places like that are still surviving is because of the technology gap between the young & old. Meaning the oldies are most likely the ones keeping them in business. As you know, that never lasts.
P.S. I'm not exactly celebrating this. But I don't think the answer is for some kind of government intervention to step in & keep these things on artificial life support. Its natural progression that they die, like everything else that technology made obsolete. The problem is gonna be how society deals with it all, in the go go capitalism world that we've made for ourselves up to now. Because one thing's for sure, when you factor in the population numbers, how less things are manufactured here (or by robotics), and now with the oncoming death of most of retail, there WILL NOT be enough jobs to go around. And not everyone can (or even should) go to college to get a degree (just ask the 50% of graduates who are unemployed or severely underemployed).
So here we are.
"My opinion is the only reason why places like that are still surviving is because of the technology gap between the young & old. Meaning the oldies are most likely the ones keeping them in business. As you know, that never lasts." Your quote is right on the money! I'm in my 50's and to this day I have Never downloaded music on to a MP3 player! When I'm at Barnes & Noble I see the people buying the Nook. http://www.harrisinteractive.com/NewsRoom/HarrisPolls/tabid/447/mid/1508/articleId/979/ctl/ReadCustom%20Default/Default.aspx
Circuit City died because their management team made a series of errors stretching a decade. Their real estate plan was crap, their inventory management was crap, their decision to stop selling appliances was crap, and their decision to go from a commission based compensation plan to an hourly rate was crap.
Quote from: fsquid on August 14, 2012, 08:59:34 AM
Circuit City died because their management team made a series of errors stretching a decade. Their real estate plan was crap, their inventory management was crap, their decision to stop selling appliances was crap, and their decision to go from a commission based compensation plan to an hourly rate was crap.
Well it looks as if you can say that about Best Buy also?
Quote from: If_I_Loved_you on August 14, 2012, 09:02:49 AM
Quote from: fsquid on August 14, 2012, 08:59:34 AM
Circuit City died because their management team made a series of errors stretching a decade. Their real estate plan was crap, their inventory management was crap, their decision to stop selling appliances was crap, and their decision to go from a commission based compensation plan to an hourly rate was crap.
Well it looks as if you can say that about Best Buy also?
well in Best Buy's case I think it is mainly that they cannot compete with Amazon. My point was that Circuit City was headed that way before e-commerce really exploded. The earnings call for Best Buy next week will be quite interesting.
Quote from: fsquid on August 14, 2012, 09:39:39 AM
Quote from: If_I_Loved_you on August 14, 2012, 09:02:49 AM
Quote from: fsquid on August 14, 2012, 08:59:34 AM
Circuit City died because their management team made a series of errors stretching a decade. Their real estate plan was crap, their inventory management was crap, their decision to stop selling appliances was crap, and their decision to go from a commission based compensation plan to an hourly rate was crap.
Well it looks as if you can say that about Best Buy also?
well in Best Buy's case I think it is mainly that they cannot compete with Amazon. My point was that Circuit City was headed that way before e-commerce really exploded. The earnings call for Best Buy next week will be quite interesting.
Amazon hasn't helped but just go into the local Wal Mart or Target. And you can get TVs from 19" - 60" for the same price or lower. :)
Quote from: ronchamblin on August 13, 2012, 08:38:21 PM
Amazon has done more to hurt the economy than most people realize, and this is because of our government's lack of action to investigate the idea that a new, damaging, dynamic has arrived in the economy, much like the late nineteenth century when the energetic capitalists were forming powerful monopolies, unfairly killing off smaller competitors so as to increase prices. The new dynamic is of course the Internet. It has allowed an efficiency in marketing, selling and buying never before seen, and its impact on retailers throughout the nation has been catastrophic. Although the Internet has been a boon in certain respects, it's efficiency and brutality to some businesses, has been a negative jolt to the economy.
The Internet was the major factor behind the closing of Tappin Book mine at the beach. And it has been the cause of many other bookstores going out of business. The e-book is making some impact on the health of bookstores, but I believe the impact will level off, leaving a good market for the regular books from now on, as some people, as reflected in our continuing sales, will want certain conveniences while reading the larger books, and will simply want real books to have on their shelves.
Each format has its advantages, each having attributes and abilities lacking in the other. So I'm inclined to believe that both the e-book and the traditional book will exist in parallel. The only problem with the e-books is that there are more and more cases showing up of NCH (nook cancer of the hands), and KCH (kindle cancer of the hands), generated apparently by some slight radiation coming from the e-books. One doesn't have to worry about the cancers with the traditional book.
I think simply taxing online retail in the way in-state businesses are taxed will help level the playing field, at least a bit. It's crazy the state hasn't done anything about it. We're effectively subsidizing companies to take money out of Florida.
Quote from: peestandingup on August 13, 2012, 10:45:41 PM
The internet isn't just killing off books. Its killing retail in general as we have known it up to this point. Little piddly music stores & the postal service was just the beginning.
Truth be told, most of the crap we see all around us today is completely unnecessary & becoming irrelevant. Unless its clothing, food, or specialized boutique shopping of some kind that the internet can't replicate, then its in danger. Its not apparent at first, but its becoming that way as we move forward. Thats why you saw places like Circuit City & CompUSA fall years ago (they were the weakest), & are now seeing the big boys (like Best Buy) start the process of collapsing. The bubble was big, now its bursting all over the place. You can feel the panic all over the place.
Just today I was in an Office Depot waiting to be checked out, was looking around at the employees & thought "Damn, almost every bit of this stuff I can buy or have done online." Not even that, but cheaper & probably better quality. Without even going in somewhere. There's no way to complete with that, and they won't. Their overhead is simply too tremendous in those storefronts. My opinion is the only reason why places like that are still surviving is because of the technology gap between the young & old. Meaning the oldies are most likely the ones keeping them in business. As you know, that never lasts.
P.S. I'm not exactly celebrating this. But I don't think the answer is for some kind of government intervention to step in & keep these things on artificial life support. Its natural progression that they die, like everything else that technology made obsolete. The problem is gonna be how society deals with it all, in the go go capitalism world that we've made for ourselves up to now. Because one thing's for sure, when you factor in the population numbers, how less things are manufactured here (or by robotics), and now with the oncoming death of most of retail, there WILL NOT be enough jobs to go around. And not everyone can (or even should) go to college to get a degree (just ask the 50% of graduates who are unemployed or severely underemployed).
So here we are.
The digital divide is much more than young vs. old. It's also haves vs. have-nots. The poor, ethnic minorities, and those with lower levels educational attainment are less likely to have access to the internet and other technology than other demographics. This is a very real and troubling problem, and it's not something that can be solved through education. Currently, simply accessing these amenities the majority takes for granted requires significant expense.
Additionally, part of the reason the internet is cheaper is, again, because the government hasn't found a way to tax it like everyone else gets taxed. People aren't seeing the true costs of it.
Quote from: If_I_Loved_you on August 13, 2012, 06:40:15 PM
Quote from: fsquid on August 13, 2012, 04:37:52 PM
Quote from: If_I_Loved_you on August 13, 2012, 04:28:21 PM
Quote from: fsquid on August 13, 2012, 03:15:06 PM
I'm blaming him for the disaster that was the Olympic Triplecast back in the day.
Good! Good! let's Blame him for all of are Troubles.
Certainly we should blame him for that sentence you just typed.
Whats wrong with my sentence Teacher? Have you watched "Family Guy" there is a Cockroach that says Good Good. Should I have left out the exclamation symbols? GWB was my english teacher "Now, we talked to Joan Hanover. She and her husband, George, were visiting with us. They are near retirement — retiring — in the process of retiring, meaning they're very smart, active, capable people who are retirement age and are retiring."
It's "our" not "are". It should be a capital "L", small "b" and small "t". Other than that, you nailed it. ;)
Politicians are afraid of passing a sales tax on Internet sales because the ads of their opponents in the next election will all say, "He/she voted for the largest tax hike in history!" and they'll lose the next election. Plus, some people see no sales tax as a trade off to paying shipping, not that the two are related in any way, shape or form.
Quote from: fsquid on August 14, 2012, 08:59:34 AM
Circuit City died because their management team made a series of errors stretching a decade. Their real estate plan was crap, their inventory management was crap, their decision to stop selling appliances was crap, and their decision to go from a commission based compensation plan to an hourly rate was crap.
Sure. I actually worked for them for 6 months about 10 years ago (when I was finishing college) & they were terrible even then. It did help them along, but even if they had great management, they would have died eventually anyway (like Best Buy & many others are doing now) because the very nature of it is unsustainable in the internet age. IMO, places like Circuit City, CompUSA, etc were the weakest links in this whole chain, so they went first. Whether it was from crappy management or whatever, the cause is still ultimately the same for all of them.
I also don't mean to just focus on retail. Newspapers, local radio & news stations, cable TV, etc will all get it too. Its interesting to watch how this all plays out & the rate its going. When you consider the internet, smartphones, & that whole thing isn't really that old at all. I didn't even get a cell phone until like 12 years ago, and all it could do was make calls & was like carrying around a brick. Its an exciting time to be alive, but its scary as well.
Quote from: Tacachale on August 14, 2012, 11:05:04 AM
The digital divide is much more than young vs. old. It's also haves vs. have-nots. The poor, ethnic minorities, and those with lower levels educational attainment are less likely to have access to the internet and other technology than other demographics. This is a very real and troubling problem, and it's not something that can be solved through education. Currently, simply accessing these amenities the majority takes for granted requires significant expense.
Thats a valid point. If these things were more affordable & wide spread, then you'd really see this all get kicked up a notch. Although I think it will be like anything else. Prices will comedown, accessibility will open up. Even the last year has seen a very noticeable difference in pricing. Prepaid cell phone service (with data) is growing like crazy & super affordable, you can get a good tablet now for $200 (Nexus 7, Kindle Fire), etc. Rural broadband is getting pushed to be modernized as well.
I always thought things going digital would be more convenient for some people. Instead of lugging books around in your bag, you just have them all uploaded to your e-reader, smartphone, tablet, etc. Now it's an issue? Personally, I still love going to the library and picking up a good book to read. At 21, I don't think my generation is completely corrupted by technology.
Quote from: Debbie Thompson on August 14, 2012, 01:05:36 PM
Politicians are afraid of passing a sales tax on Internet sales because the ads of their opponents in the next election will all say, "He/she voted for the largest tax hike in history!" and they'll lose the next election. Plus, some people see no sales tax as a trade off to paying shipping, not that the two are related in any way, shape or form.
Part of why they don't do it is that it's complicated to collect a tax on out-of-state sales, and too many of our representatives just can't handle anything complicated. It doesn't help that Amazon spends hundreds of thousands of dollars lobbying them to avoid it - and there are many other online retailers besides Amazon. I think it's quite likely a lot of people just see "it's cheaper online" and don't give it another thought, they don't realize "online" is effectively being subsidized.
Quote from: peestandingup on August 14, 2012, 01:08:40 PM
Quote from: Tacachale on August 14, 2012, 11:05:04 AM
The digital divide is much more than young vs. old. It's also haves vs. have-nots. The poor, ethnic minorities, and those with lower levels educational attainment are less likely to have access to the internet and other technology than other demographics. This is a very real and troubling problem, and it's not something that can be solved through education. Currently, simply accessing these amenities the majority takes for granted requires significant expense.
Thats a valid point. If these things were more affordable & wide spread, then you'd really see this all get kicked up a notch. Although I think it will be like anything else. Prices will comedown, accessibility will open up. Even the last year has seen a very noticeable difference in pricing. Prepaid cell phone service (with data) is growing like crazy & super affordable, you can get a good tablet now for $200 (Nexus 7, Kindle Fire), etc. Rural broadband is getting pushed to be modernized as well.
Prices will come down and accessibility will go up, but we're still looking at fairly considerable expenses for paraphernalia that didn't even exist 20 years ago, but which the majority now consider the bare minimum to get by. It's already pretty hard to go without a cell phone, a plan for said cell phone, a personal computer, and home internet access. All of those things cost money and always will, and it's likely there will be even more devices (and expenses) in the future. And if you don't grow up with these devices you don't learn how to use them, making it harder to find a job with which to pay for them. Schools and libraries help, but then it's an additional cost to equip them. It's a vicious cycle.
Quote from: subro on August 14, 2012, 11:52:41 AM
Quote from: If_I_Loved_you on August 13, 2012, 06:40:15 PM
Quote from: fsquid on August 13, 2012, 04:37:52 PM
Quote from: If_I_Loved_you on August 13, 2012, 04:28:21 PM
Quote from: fsquid on August 13, 2012, 03:15:06 PM
I'm blaming him for the disaster that was the Olympic Triplecast back in the day.
Good! Good! let's Blame him for all of are Troubles.
Certainly we should blame him for that sentence you just typed.
Whats wrong with my sentence Teacher? Have you watched "Family Guy" there is a Cockroach that says Good Good. Should I have left out the exclamation symbols? GWB was my english teacher "Now, we talked to Joan Hanover. She and her husband, George, were visiting with us. They are near retirement â€" retiring â€" in the process of retiring, meaning they're very smart, active, capable people who are retirement age and are retiring."
It's "our" not "are". It should be a capitol "L", small "b" and small "t". Other than that, you nailed it. ;)
Capital.
Quote from: Adam W on August 14, 2012, 02:05:11 PM
Quote from: subro on August 14, 2012, 11:52:41 AM
Quote from: If_I_Loved_you on August 13, 2012, 06:40:15 PM
Quote from: fsquid on August 13, 2012, 04:37:52 PM
Quote from: If_I_Loved_you on August 13, 2012, 04:28:21 PM
Quote from: fsquid on August 13, 2012, 03:15:06 PM
I'm blaming him for the disaster that was the Olympic Triplecast back in the day.
Good! Good! let's Blame him for all of are Troubles.
Certainly we should blame him for that sentence you just typed.
Whats wrong with my sentence Teacher? Have you watched "Family Guy" there is a Cockroach that says Good Good. Should I have left out the exclamation symbols? GWB was my english teacher "Now, we talked to Joan Hanover. She and her husband, George, were visiting with us. They are near retirement â€" retiring â€" in the process of retiring, meaning they're very smart, active, capable people who are retirement age and are retiring."
It's "our" not "are". It should be a capitol "L", small "b" and small "t". Other than that, you nailed it. ;)
Capital.
Thanks, I corrected it before they take away my Internet Spelling Police badge...
Quote from: subro on August 14, 2012, 02:26:07 PM
Quote from: Adam W on August 14, 2012, 02:05:11 PM
Quote from: subro on August 14, 2012, 11:52:41 AM
Quote from: If_I_Loved_you on August 13, 2012, 06:40:15 PM
Quote from: fsquid on August 13, 2012, 04:37:52 PM
Quote from: If_I_Loved_you on August 13, 2012, 04:28:21 PM
Quote from: fsquid on August 13, 2012, 03:15:06 PM
I'm blaming him for the disaster that was the Olympic Triplecast back in the day.
Good! Good! let's Blame him for all of are Troubles.
Certainly we should blame him for that sentence you just typed.
Whats wrong with my sentence Teacher? Have you watched "Family Guy" there is a Cockroach that says Good Good. Should I have left out the exclamation symbols? GWB was my english teacher "Now, we talked to Joan Hanover. She and her husband, George, were visiting with us. They are near retirement â€" retiring â€" in the process of retiring, meaning they're very smart, active, capable people who are retirement age and are retiring."
It's "our" not "are". It should be a capitol "L", small "b" and small "t". Other than that, you nailed it. ;)
Capital.
Thanks, I corrected it before they take away my Internet Spelling Police badge...
;)
Quote from: Tacachale on August 13, 2012, 01:52:24 PMAs far as Amazon goes, that's as much the state's fault as anything. Year after year they neglect to come up with an appropriate way to tax online retail, giving online sellers a competitive advantage (ie, giving in-state retailers a competitive disadvantage).
Actually, it's a federal issue, not a state one. The Supreme Court ruled in 1992 that a state cannot require an out-of-state retailer to collect and remit sales tax unless that retailer has a physical presence in the state. It's why you'll pay sales tax on an online purchase a BN.com but not Amazon.com. Barnes & Noble has physical stores in Florida. The only states in which Amazon is required to collect and remit sales tax are those in which it has its headquarters (Washington) or distribution centers (e.g., Texas, South Carolina, although they got a two-year delay in SC as part of an agreement with the state).
Several states, most notably New York, passed laws creating "click through" nexus, claiming that independent New York based websites that linked to Amazon.com were enough to create a physical presence in the state. Amazon has understandably challenged the constitutionality of these laws. It will likely take a federal statute overruling the Supreme Court's decision in
Quill in order to allow states to impose a sales tax collection requirement on online-only retailers like Amazon, Overstock, and increasingly eBay. See,
e.g., the Main Street Fairness Act (H.R. 2701, S. 1452)
In the meantime, Florida consumers that buy products from these retailers are legally required to pay use tax on them. The form to submit the tax is linked here: http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/forms/2010/dr15mo.pdf (http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/forms/2010/dr15mo.pdf). You can also pay the tax online. Most people either don't know about this requirement or willingly avoid paying the tax since they assume they'll never be caught.
Quote from: Traveller on August 14, 2012, 03:11:36 PM
Quote from: Tacachale on August 13, 2012, 01:52:24 PMAs far as Amazon goes, that's as much the state's fault as anything. Year after year they neglect to come up with an appropriate way to tax online retail, giving online sellers a competitive advantage (ie, giving in-state retailers a competitive disadvantage).
Actually, it's a federal issue, not a state one. The Supreme Court ruled in 1992 that a state cannot require an out-of-state retailer to collect and remit sales tax unless that retailer has a physical presence in the state. It's why you'll pay sales tax on an online purchase a BN.com but not Amazon.com. Barnes & Noble has physical stores in Florida. The only states in which Amazon is required to collect and remit sales tax are those in which it has its headquarters (Washington) or distribution centers (e.g., Texas, South Carolina, although they got a two-year delay in SC as part of an agreement with the state).
Several states, most notably New York, passed laws creating "click through" nexus, claiming that independent New York based websites that linked to Amazon.com were enough to create a physical presence in the state. Amazon has understandably challenged the constitutionality of these laws. It will likely take a federal statute overruling the Supreme Court's decision in Quill in order to allow states to impose a sales tax collection requirement on online-only retailers like Amazon, Overstock, and increasingly eBay. See, e.g., the Main Street Fairness Act (H.R. 2701, S. 1452)
In the meantime, Florida consumers that buy products from these retailers are legally required to pay use tax on them. The form to submit the tax is linked here: http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/forms/2010/dr15mo.pdf (http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/forms/2010/dr15mo.pdf). You can also pay the tax online. Most people either don't know about this requirement or willingly avoid paying the tax since they assume they'll never be caught.
It's both a federal and state issue. There are other ways the state could collect the tax under current federal law, as New York is doing. But yes, the feds do need to settle this as well, and that's becoming difficult as Amazon and company are spending tons of money lobbying them not to.
I suspect I'm not alone in having no idea that consumers were supposed to pay a tax themselves for online merchandise. That approaches the dumbest thing I've ever heard, and that's really saying something in Florida.
Quote from: Adam W on August 14, 2012, 02:05:11 PM
Quote from: subro on August 14, 2012, 11:52:41 AM
Quote from: If_I_Loved_you on August 13, 2012, 06:40:15 PM
Quote from: fsquid on August 13, 2012, 04:37:52 PM
Quote from: If_I_Loved_you on August 13, 2012, 04:28:21 PM
Quote from: fsquid on August 13, 2012, 03:15:06 PM
I'm blaming him for the disaster that was the Olympic Triplecast back in the day.
Good! Good! let's Blame him for all of are Troubles.
Certainly we should blame him for that sentence you just typed.
Whats wrong with my sentence Teacher? Have you watched "Family Guy" there is a Cockroach that says Good Good. Should I have left out the exclamation symbols? GWB was my english teacher "Now, we talked to Joan Hanover. She and her husband, George, were visiting with us. They are near retirement â€" retiring â€" in the process of retiring, meaning they're very smart, active, capable people who are retirement age and are retiring."
It's "our" not "are". It should be a capitol "L", small "b" and small "t". Other than that, you nailed it. ;)
Capital.
I believe the reason I go with capitol letters within my sentences. Is I'm trying to showcase that word instead of doing every word in Capitol Letters. From time to time I have a case of dyslexia. A lot of famous people have had this problem. Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Jack Nicholson, Walt Disney, Tom Jones, Robin Williams and many more. Thanks for your help and not making fun of me. :)
Every state that imposes sales tax also has a use tax on out-of-state purchases, not just Florida. However, it's usually only businesses that pay it since they're the only ones that get audited by the state.
http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/taxes/consumer.html (http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/taxes/consumer.html)
The trickier issue the states will need to address is the distinction between tangible and intangible property. If I buy a book or a CD, that's tangible property subject to sales tax. But if I download a music file or book from iTunes, BN, or Amazon, that's intangible property exempt from taxation. Similar rules exist for software, video games, etc. As more and more intellectual property is transmitted digitally rather than by physical medium, states are going to have to update their tax laws accordingly to maintain their revenue streams.
Quote from: If_I_Loved_you on August 14, 2012, 09:02:49 AM
Quote from: fsquid on August 14, 2012, 08:59:34 AM
Circuit City died because their management team made a series of errors stretching a decade. Their real estate plan was crap, their inventory management was crap, their decision to stop selling appliances was crap, and their decision to go from a commission based compensation plan to an hourly rate was crap.
Well it looks as if you can say that about Best Buy also?
After today's earning release, I agree with you on Best Buy. Thumbing through trailing twelve month statements, they need to cut half of their real estate costs and also need to a better online presence. Combine this with a head scratcher of a CEO pick (this guy has never done retail or a company this big) and the fact that some shareholders might sue because the board is not listening to the founder's takeover bid and it is ugly for them in the future.
Quote from: fsquid on August 21, 2012, 10:00:53 AM
Quote from: If_I_Loved_you on August 14, 2012, 09:02:49 AM
Quote from: fsquid on August 14, 2012, 08:59:34 AM
Circuit City died because their management team made a series of errors stretching a decade. Their real estate plan was crap, their inventory management was crap, their decision to stop selling appliances was crap, and their decision to go from a commission based compensation plan to an hourly rate was crap.
Well it looks as if you can say that about Best Buy also?
After today's earning release, I agree with you on Best Buy. Thumbing through trailing twelve month statements, they need to cut half of their real estate costs and also need to a better online presence. Combine this with a head scratcher of a CEO pick (this guy has never done retail or a company this big) and the fact that some shareholders might sue because the board is not listening to the founder's takeover bid and it is ugly for them in the future.
And the real problem is for the consumer's if in the future it's just wal mart and target then they get to name their price and we are screwed. :o
Quote from: fsquid on August 21, 2012, 10:00:53 AM
Quote from: If_I_Loved_you on August 14, 2012, 09:02:49 AM
Quote from: fsquid on August 14, 2012, 08:59:34 AM
Circuit City died because their management team made a series of errors stretching a decade. Their real estate plan was crap, their inventory management was crap, their decision to stop selling appliances was crap, and their decision to go from a commission based compensation plan to an hourly rate was crap.
Well it looks as if you can say that about Best Buy also?
After today's earning release, I agree with you on Best Buy. Thumbing through trailing twelve month statements, they need to cut half of their real estate costs and also need to a better online presence. Combine this with a head scratcher of a CEO pick (this guy has never done retail or a company this big) and the fact that some shareholders might sue because the board is not listening to the founder's takeover bid and it is ugly for them in the future.
Then they're completely crazy & out of touch with reality. Any CEO would fail if they kept with the same vision because of simply what it is at hand. They'll end up suing each other & tearing the company apart instead of seeing the big picture. Best Buy, and most retail like this, needs to start the painful process of scaling back these huge storefronts, fire a bunch of zit faced employees who aren't needed, increase their online presence & use the store spaces for pick ups, exchanges, distribution, etc.
Amazon has it right. Check this out: http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-locker-2012-8 Yes, its small & not in a lot of cities. But I can imagine a not too distant future where people just order what they want online, even bigger items, & go pick it up locally. Maybe even the same day if distribution centers are close by. And with very little overhead so prices remain the cheapest they can.
This is the kind of major disruptions I'm talking about. I'd bet anything that most the big box & other retail crap is gonna go bye bye in the next decade. Blanding Blvd will look like a damn bomb hit it.
Congress is close to introducing a new bill that would allow states to require web-based retailers to collect sales taxes on items sold to customers in those states. Called the Marketplace Fairness Act, the bill is scheduled to be released at a February 14 news conference by sponsors in the House and Senate. The bill would exempt small retailers with $500,000 to $1 million in annual sales (number to be determined).
Governor Scott has announced his intention to propose a state law requiring out-of-state retailers to collect sales tax on internet sales to Florida residents. Doing so would level the playing field between online retailers like Amazon and brick-and-mortar stores like Target or Chamblins. The law would technically not be a tax increase in my opinion, since all it would do is shift the collection burden from the consumer to the retailer. Nevertheless, Gov. Scott would like to use the increased collections to eliminate the sales and use tax paid by Florida manufacturers on machinery and equipment (which Georgia has done already).
It's a good idea. I'm not sure the Florida version should be "revenue neutral" though. So much has already been cut; why not just put the new revenue into something worthwhile like schools and higher ed.
Quote from: peestandingup on August 26, 2012, 10:54:43 AM
Amazon has it right. Check this out: http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-locker-2012-8 Yes, its small & not in a lot of cities. But I can imagine a not too distant future where people just order what they want online, even bigger items, & go pick it up locally. Maybe even the same day if distribution centers are close by. And with very little overhead so prices remain the cheapest they can.
This is the kind of major disruptions I'm talking about. I'd bet anything that most the big box & other retail crap is gonna go bye bye in the next decade. Blanding Blvd will look like a damn bomb hit it.
Odd, this is the model Sears, Penney's, Montgomery Ward used when catalogs were the way to order. Look up what you want in the catalog, either call the toll free number or go down to your Sears Catalog Store and order it. When it comes in Sears would call you so you could pick up, or if it was an appliance, arrange the installation.
You want a tracking number eh? I remember Sears Catalog Store called us once when our new stove didn't come in on time. They tracked it down to a loading dock in Chicago where there was a local Teamsters strike going on. They knew where it was and they knew WHY it was delayed. Ever wonder why your UPS tracker says it is at a processing facility for 2-3 days? Ever try to find out? Ha!
Only difference with Amazon? The catalog is online. The tracking is online and instant to your phone, but I don't think they do installs (yet).
What comes around, goes around.
I'm old enough to remember those days. But of course being in a catalog vs online is not the only difference. Amazon also doesn't have storefronts to maintain like Sears, Penney's, etc does. So that's one huge difference when it comes to bottom lines & costs. And you're dismissing "online" too readily. There's no comparison to it. You have instant access, smartphone apps, search for anything at anytime, etc. A paper catalog simply cannot compete with that.
Yeah, but a catalogue wasn't reliant on you having a computer, a smart phone, a tablet, and monthly bills for the privelege of accessing it. Nor was their business model largely based on taxing loopholes. There are still major downsides to the business.
Quote from: Tacachale on February 14, 2013, 09:35:31 PM
Yeah, but a catalogue wasn't reliant on you having a computer, a smart phone, a tablet, and monthly bills for the privelege of accessing it. Nor was their business model largely based on taxing loopholes. There are still major downsides to the business.
I guess, but who doesn't these days? I'd wager most of the buying public has access to some if not all of these things. As technology advances, prices drop, etc, its only going to become more & more prevalent. My point is, whoever was in a financial position to be buying these things in catalogs in the first place have moved on to the new way. Thats why they don't make the catalogs anymore, there's no point in them. And also why you never see pay phones anymore, or phonebooks for that matter.
You're either talking about the impoverished (who weren't shopping for much anyway, catalog or not), or older people who never jumped on the technology train. I know plenty of people like that & there's nothing wrong with it. My parents are the same way. But not to be dark, they'll eventually be dead.
According to the Census, up to 20% (http://www.facethefactsusa.org/facts/20percent-of-American-Households-Still-Offline/) of homes in the US still have no internet access. About 37% (http://arstechnica.com/business/2012/08/119-million-americans-lack-broadband-internet-fcc-reports/) have no good access. Yes, a lot of those people will be the poor and unlikely to have a lot of disposable income, but everyone needs clothes and appliances. Making your products available exclusively to those on one side of the increasing digital divide may not end up being a smart strategy. As for prices declining, eh, maybe, but I've yet to notice the difference in my wallet.
And all this is besides the fact that a big part of Amazon's success is that they have a competitive advantage in not having to pay the same taxes as their brick and mortar competition.
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/Ocklawaha/RAILROAD%20Images/e6dce50f-6c88-46ab-926f-496a17d35bf0_zps3d607509.jpg)
There is one more thing missing from the business model and Amtrak is (stupidly) responsible for it's total demise. Such a network once subsidized the nation's passenger train system and made DHL or UPS or FEDEX look like light weights. Amtrak eliminated Express service in 2003 as a political gimmick. This resulted in the sale of most of the high speed express boxcars, though some of the 71200-series boxcars were retained for mail service. However, with the demise of all mail and express service, this equipment was mostly eliminated from Amtrak. The one exception was some 'Refrigerated ExpressTrak' cars due to contractural constraints. In it's heyday JACKSONVILLE was THE king of the national express network.
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/Ocklawaha/RAILROAD%20Images/d01253aa-9729-4640-b31b-5dcf66f8b917_zps5d430566.jpg)
Seaboard Air Line Railroad, #4 Passenger-Mail-Express nearing the Virginia border northbound. The worlds largest Railway Express Terminal sat where the JTA maintenance yard and offices are today. Even in the early 1960's the REA (Railway Express Agency) 32 track yard was crammed full of express cars 24/7. Everyone knows about the Memphis hub of FEDEX or the Louisville hub for UPS. Jaxson's WE WERE MEMPHIS and LOUISVILLE!
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/Ocklawaha/RAILROAD%20Images/f6e0e592-45f4-4e13-9fb6-5fc5dcc95afa_zpsa83cdf92.jpg)
This scene of the SCL's Everglades shows the train passing through bucolic farmland at Fredericksburg, Virginia as it travels northbound led by E8A #576 and an aging E6A on January 25, 1969. Originally a New York-Florida streamliner, The Everglades continued to operate after the merger with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad to form the Seaboard Coast Line. The Everglades shows off the dominance of Railway Express even at this late date.