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Colorado is the current ground zero for an issue expected to only get bigger as states suffer increasingly dire financial straits: Should they, and can they, tax Internet sales? It's a complex issue and, as Colorado shows, a messy one. Amazon.com responded to the law, which went into effect March 8, by ceasing relations with the targets of the tax -- all of the Colorado-based blogs and other Web sites that send shoppers to Amazon.com, called "affiliates."

CENTRAL FALLS, R.I. ? A teacher at a failing school where he and all his colleagues are being fired hung an effigy of President Barack Obama in his classroom, apparently in reaction to Obama's support of extreme measures to ensure accountability in schools. The teachers union on Thursday condemned the effigy, discovered Monday in the teacher's third-floor classroom at Central Falls High School, saying it was wrong and cannot be condoned under any circumstances.

DEAR ABBY: I'm a career woman, working for a family-owned business. Last year was difficult because there have been a number of layoffs and no raises. When I had my annual review, I received an outstanding evaluation, but was again told no raise would be forthcoming because business is slow. I could understand this because of the current economy if the owners of the company weren't taking expensive vacations and buying new luxury cars.