Rainy Thursday

Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide

Yes, it is raining again here in southwest Iowa this morning, but that's not what the heading is talking about...

Ever since the blossoming of the internet into an engine of commerce, the suits who make up the political class have been trying various schemes to extract more money out of us citizens while we shift a significant portion of our shopping away from brick-and-mortar businesses. Many states, for instance, have enacted laws requiring sales taxes to be collected on internet purchases if the vendor has even a single physical presence anywhere in that state (even a shipping warehouse meets this requirement). When I order something from Guitar Center via the internet, for example, I have to pay state sales tax because there's a store in Des Moines (two hours away from where I live).

So I just shop at the Omaha store instead of online...

I'm pretty sure the purpose of Iowa's tax wasn't to make me prefer shopping in Nebraska, but that's what it has done. I still have to pay Nebraska's tax, but somehow doing so feels like sticking it to the suits in Des Moines, so I don't mind.

The usual rationale for such taxes ("We have to maintain the roads, and the sewers, and the utilities that make these businesses possible") doesn't apply to internet commerce, of course, but government's appetite for tax dollars doesn't respond to logic...

This morning I came across an article in Forbes detailing a scheme whereby the city government of Chicago is going to levy a 9 per cent tax on transactions which only involve cloud-based or streaming services. Amazing, but not really surprising, I guess.

The only way to resist this sort of thing is to stop voting for the thieves who populate our city halls and state houses. But voters these days seem remarkably willing to keep putting the rascals back in power, so I'm not optimistic that there will be much squawking about this latest scheme...

Wild Kingdom Bed & Breakfast Update

A few days ago, I noticed an unusual visitor hovering near the feeder for a few moments before moving on. Hummingbirds don't eat seed, of course, but I'm told they like the color red, and my feeder is red, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised to see one of these little guys checking it out from time to time...

"No special feeder for us? What's up with that?"

There are plenty of flowers around for you, and a hummingbird feeder just turns into a big sticky mess, that's what's up. You're welcome to use the bird bath, though...

Things That Make Me Happy: Home Cooking Edition

My beloved Kansas City Royals lost 6-5 to the Astros last night in Houston, completing an 0-3 visit there, and turning what was an outstanding 5-1 road trip through Seattle and Oakland into a mediocre 5-4 trip.

But now the team returns to Kauffman Stadium for the first time in 10 days, beginning a four-game series with the Twins tonight to kick off an 11-game home stand leading into the All-Star Game. They got through a June where they only had 10 home games comfortably in front in the Central Division, and even after getting swept in Houston they still have the best record in the American League.

The Royals will send Chris Young (7-3, 2.71) to the mound tonight to try to stop the three-game losing streak. He'll face former Mizzou star Kyle Gibson (5-6, 3.30)...

"I'll give it everything I've got tonight."

We know you will, Chris. We'll certainly take a repeat of your last outing against the Twins: 6.1 innings, 1 hit, 0 runs...

Seriously, Louis?

If you aren't going to take Donna's advice, why did you even want her on Team Litt in the first place?

Listen to Donna, dumbass...

"You know it's just a TV show, right?"

Suits is NOT just a TV show, liarhead...

Until Next Time...

So I was watching an episode of Supernatural this morning ("Holy Terror"), and it began with a song from one of my favorite unsung bands, Social Distortion. As it happens, just a few days ago I was watching one of my favorite episodes of Bones ("The Pain in the Heart"), which featured the same song. Today's send-off is the band's official music video for the tune, which is in the running for my official theme song. Enjoy...