EU orders Amazon to pay $295 million in Luxembourg back taxes - Robert-Jan Bartunek

Panzer is feeling a little better today, so he took a short trip into the Catosphere. Our sick little kitty boy made a quick stop at the Yahoo! Finance site. There he found a post from the Reuters news service about Amazon.

With antibiotics and pain pills I feel better.

According to the post by Robert-Jan Bartunek, the European Union (EU) is cracking down on what they consider special tax deals within certain member countries of which Luxembourg is one. Therefore, the EU has ordered Amazon to pay $295 million in back taxes to Luxembourg. Amazon contends the company already paid all of their required taxes to Luxembourg. Luxembourg also says the EU is wrong in their computations and judgement. There is a video at the top of the post about the European Union's tax assessments.

Panzer says, "This little kitty is confused. The EU gets to decide how much taxes a member country can charge and who they can charge?"

Note: This is a long post and a video. Bring a thermos of tea and six muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Amazon taxes

Amazon to begin collecting sales taxes in Maine next month - Yahoo! Finance

Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the Yahoo! Finance site. There our kitty investigator found a post about Amazon.

It's not going to happen..

According to the Associated Press post, Amazon plans to begin collecting a 5.5 percent sales tax on all products sold to Maine residents. Businesses located in Maine and selling products there are required to collect the sales tax. The state wants businesses located outside the state boundaries to collect the same sales tax and Amazon has now agreed to do this.  Amazon also plans to begin collecting sales taxes in Hawaii, Idaho and New Mexico.

Panzer says, "Don't even start thinking about sales taxing my catnip ... or ... you'll be sorry."

Note: This is a short post. Bring a cup of tea for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Amazon collecting Maine sales tax

Barnes and Noble Announces the Winners of the 26th Annual Discover Great New Writers(R) Awards - Yahoo Finance

26th? I never heard of it before.

Today, Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere, when he stopped in at the Yahoo Finance site. With a little digging around, our inquisitive kitty found a post about Barnes and Noble.

According to a post from Business Wire, Barnes and Noble announced the winners of the Discover Great New Writers Awards. Murder mystery The Lighthouse Keeper by Abby Geni won Barnes and Noble's award for fiction. Nonfiction book Evicted Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond won Barnes and Noble's award for nonfiction. The authors will each receive $30,000 and marketing from Barnes and Noble. Second and third place winners are named in the announcement too. How the novels were nominated and judged is also included.

Panzer says, "MeWoW! A mystery novel won first place. I've got to get Mom to read me that book."

Note: This is a medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Barnes and Noble winners

Union calls new strikes at Amazon's German warehouses -Yahoo! Finance

Back to my nap now.

Panzer was shaken awake from his evening nap by loud noises coming from the Catosphere. Following all the hullabaloo our tired little kitty found himself at the Yahoo! Finance site. There he discovered a post about Amazon.

According to the post from the Reuters news feed, the German union Verdi is telling workers at three of Amazon's warehouses to go on strike now until December 24. The union wants reclassification and pay increases for their members working in Amazon's German warehouses.

Panzer says, "I hope this strike doesn't mess up Santa's Christmas cat toy deliveries!"

Note: This is a shortish-medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and half a muffin for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Amazon

Apple and Amazon Audiobooks Agreement Under Investigation In Germany

Panzer was enjoying a quiet trip in the Catosphere today when our kitty boy decided to stop in at the Yahoo! Finance site. There he found some interesting news about Amazon and Apple.

We'll have to watch this.

According to a post from Reuters, German Federal Cartel Office chief Andreas Mundt says the organization is investigating Amazon and Apple's dealings in Germany. The investigation will center around Amazon's Audible selling audiobooks to Apple's iTunes. According to complaints filed earlier by German booksellers, Amazon, Audible and iTunes control 90 percent of the audiobooks market in Germany. The agreement between the companies will be at the center of the investigation.

Note: This is a one cup of tea post.

To read the post, tootle over to Apple Amazon Audiobooks