A New Panzerism

Panzer on history repeating itself:

Mom's got this high, high shelf in the kitchen. I mean, it's way up there.

Well ...

She keeps her wine glasses on this towel-like thingie up there.

Umm ...

I probably don't need to tell you any more ...

Except ...

You'd think she'd learn.

I really, really hate all that crashing and yelling and screaming.

And ...

The weird part is ...

The same thing happened last week.

Of Boosts and Blunders - The Rap Sheet

An exemplary human.

Panzer wasn't in the Catosphere a minute today before the Panzermobile was buffeted by clapping and cheering. Following all the raucous noise took our brave kitty to The Rap Sheet site.

According to a post by J. Kingston Pierce, all the celebrating is about the announcement that Robert Randisi, founder of the Private Eye Writers of America, has been chosen for the John Seigenthaler Legends Award by the Killer Tennessee convention organizers.

Panzer says, "Way to go Mr. Randisi! Not bad for a human! (Just for the sake of cat honesty, Mom and I belong to the Private Eye Writers of America.)

Note: It'll just be a cup of tea for today's reading. (The first paragraph of the post is all that's about the award.)

To read the post, tootle over to Robert Randisi

B&N Confirms New Prototype Store Will Open - PW (Publishers' Weekly)

Panzer was enjoying his trip in the Catosphere today, when he heard oohing and ahhing and laughing. Following all the ruckus took our kitty boy to the Publishers' Weekly site. It only took a little digging to find out what all the noise was about.

According to a post by Judith Rosen, Ron Boire, CEO of Barnes and Noble, says the company will be opening a bricks and mortar store with online digital access to ebooks for their Nook in 2016. The new store's marketing model would be similar to Amazon's bricks and mortar store in Seattle, Washington. Panzer told you about Amazon's store opening in November of last year.

Who else wants in hybrid bookstores?

Panzer says, "Hmmm ... Think Barnes and Noble will win against Amazon in the hybrid bookstore market?"

Note: A cup of tea is enough for today's reading; but, if you plan to read Panzer's earlier post too, add another cup of tea and a dozen muffins because his earlier post includes links to some of his other posts about Amazon's store.

To read the Barnes and Noble post, tootle over to B and N Store

To read Panzer's earlier post about Amazon's store, tootle over to Amazon's new bookstore

Save Your Shelfari from Goodreads - Paperback Writer

In his daily travels Panzer visited Paperback Writer today. It's one of his favorite sites and always has interesting posts. That proved to be particularly true today.

Back in January our inquisitive kitty explorer told you Amazon is taking Shelfari down and moving the accounts (but not the saved files) to Goodreads. Lynn Viehl's post today is about how you can save your Shelfari files. You can do this by transferring them to Library Thing. Library Thing will let you move your files and use them there for free. Included in the post are instructions for how to export your files to do the move.

Panzer says, "You better hurry. The shut down is only a few days away."

Note: You'll want to write down the instructions for moving your files, so you'll need a cup of tea and a muffin for today's reading.

To read the post about how to move your files, tootle over to Shelfari files

To read Panzer's original post about  Amazon's Shelfari shut down, tootle over to Amazon shutters Shelfari

A New Panzerism

Panzer on reconciling your human to their place in the cat universe:

One thing I know for sure,

When Mom says something,

I believe it.

Because she says it's true ...

And ... she actually thinks I'll do it.

And ...

She says she's always right.

Then ...

I do whatever I want.

Revealed: how Project Goldcrest helped Amazon avoid huge sums in tax - The Guardian

Panzer, our intrepid traveling kitty, stopped in at The Guardian site today. After just a little digging around, he found a post about Amazon and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Let's take a closer look at this.

According to the post there, Amazon is being forced to shine a light on their payment of taxes or lack of payment in the United States. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has taken Amazon to court. The IRS hopes to prove to the court that Amazon's complicated company structure was set up to avoid U.S. taxes. Documents presented in court show that under the code name Goldcrest companies and subsidiary companies were formed in other countries so Amazon pays very little in U.S. taxes.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Avoid taxes ... Isn't that what all humans want to do?"

Note: This is a h-u-g-e post with extra links at the end. You'll need a thermos of tea and a dozen muffins for your read today.

To read the post, tootle over to Amazon

Scribd Revises Its Subscription Model - PW (Publishers Weekly)

Panzer made a short trip into the Catosphere today. Our fast kitty pilot stopped in at the Publishers' Weekly site. After some digging around, he found a post about the latest changes coming to the reader subscription service Scribd.

I need more books than three.

According to the post by Andrew Albanese, Scribd has announced the major change is to the number of ebooks a subscriber is allowed. Starting in March you'll be limited three ebooks and one audio book per month. Also, you'll only be allowed unlimited ebooks in their "Select" ebooks program. Monthly fees will remain the same. Included in the post are links to previous posts about changes Scribd has made to the service during the past few months.

Panzer says, "It's hard to use a reader service when they keep changing the rules."

Note: You'll need a cup of tea to read this post. If you plan to read this post and follow the links and read the other posts, you'll need two cups of tea and two muffins.

To read the post, tootle over to Scribd

No Post Today

Mom has a toothache, so no post today. She sees the dentist tomorrow.

Toy Fair 2016: The Adult Publishing Coloring Craze Hits the Toy Industry - PW (Publishers' Weekly)

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he heard laughing and giggling. Our kitty traveler followed all the frivolity to the Publishers' Weekly site. A little digging around and he found an interesting post about adult coloring books. Panzer told you about the adult coloring book craze back in November of last year.

I can do that.

According to a post by Karen Raugust, February 13-16 at the International Toy Fair in New York has been an adult playground. One of the main focuses has been adult coloring books, puzzles, posters, and dot to dot books. So, it's not surprising that the newest craze is adult dot to dot books that you color after you've connected the dots.

Panzer says, "Hmm. Maybe I need to consider doing a coloring book for adult cats."

Note: This is a l-o-n-g post. You'll need a cup of tea and two muffins while you read it. If you plan to read the original post as well, you'll need a thermos of tea and three muffins.

To read the post, tootle over to adult publishing coloring craze

To read Panzer's earlier post about adult coloring books, tootle over to adult coloring books

A New Panzerism

Panzer on training your human:

What's His Name said I'm a lazy, good for nothing cat.

And ...

The only thing I am good for is ...

Careful. You get what you ask for.

Eating, sleeping and dropping fur.

Well ...

I'll show him.

I'll just have to prove him right.

Finding a Replacement for Free ITunes Radio - The New York Times

Panzer hasn't been to The New York Times site for a while so he decided to stop in there today. Our investigative kitty reporter found a post about recovering from the demise of iTunes Radio. Apple discontinued their free iTunes Radio in January. Now, if you try to log on all you get is an offer for their paid service.

I want my music.

The post in the Personal Tech column by J.D. Biersdorfer has some good news for those of you missing your free music stations. The post includes four free streaming services: iHeart Radio, Pandora, Slacker Radio, and Tune In. There are links to all four in the post. Also included is information about individual stations and other services.

Panzer says, "I always like a little music with my dinner."

Note: You'll need a cup of tea while you read the post; but plan on a muffin or two if you want to try out the radio services to pick one.

To read the post, tootle over to free radio

MasterClass to Host the "Co-Author A Book With James Patterson" Writing Competition - Galley Cat

Panzer took his time today looking for news for you. Our kitty traveler stopped in at GalleyCAT. Digging around he found a post about bestselling author James Patterson.

Pretty expensive contest.

According to a post by Maryann Yin, MasterClass is sponsoring a contest in which the winner will co-author a book with multi-bestselling author James Patterson. There are some stringent rules contestants must adhere to. The first is that you must be signed up for Mr. Patterson's writing class. You also must submit writing samples for your proposed book. There's a link at the bottom of the post to the rules for the contest and to signup for the class.

Panzer says, "I don't know if I want to pay $90 to take a class so I can enter a contest. Just saying, that's a lot of kitty treats."

Note: You'll need a cup of tea for today's reading.

To read the post, tootle over to MasterClass

"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" Play to Be Published as a Book - PW (Publishers Weekly)

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he heard shouting and clapping sounds. Following all the noise took our kitty pilot to the Publishers' Weekly site. It didn't take any digging at all to find the cause of all the cheering. Right on top of the pile was an announcement about a new Harry Potter book.

Things aren't always what they say.

According to a post by Shannon Maughan, the new Harry Potter book is the script for a play set to open in London this summer. The script is for the play written by Jack Thorne called "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts I and II." The play is based on a story written by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany. The book will be published just before the play opens. A second edition called a "Collector's Edition" will be published later.

Panzer says, "Not exactly a new Harry Potter book if you ask this kitty."

Note: You'll need a glass of milk and a muffin for your reading today.

To read the post, tootle over to new publishing project

A New Panzerism

Panzer on true confessions:

Sometimes Mom says, "Panzer, you're a good boy."

The sickening truth is ... she's right.

No real cat would ever want to be a good boy.

But ... I am so afflicted.

It seems that some time ago, on a bright and sunny Druid holiday, I stepped in a patch of good-kitty-ness.

And ... got the stuff all over my beautiful black fur.

So ... I tried to lick it off ...

Wow! That was good catnip.

And ... contaminated my insides.

It was there at that precise moment ...

That ... I became a good boy ...

And have been tormented by it ever since.

Building a Blueprint for Better E-Books - Campus Technology

Panzer is feeling much better today. In fact our kitty pilot felt well enough to do some exploring in the Catosphere. He found the Campus Technology site. With a little digging around there he found an excellent post about advances in the e-textbook field.

According to a post by Frank DiMaria, the National Science Foundation is funding a project to create interactive textbooks. Mike Qaissaunee of Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, NJ, requested the grant after wondering if having interactive textbooks on devices would engage students interest more than traditional textbooks. The project works by having professors create the e-textbooks specific to their classes. To date three e-textbooks have been finished and students can access them across all platforms.

Interactive school books?

Panzer says, "Hmm ... What's next? ... Talking books? ... Oh, wait ... You already did that ... So, when will it be a talking textbook?"

Note: You'll need a cup of tea and a muffin for today's read.

To read the post, tootle over to better e-books

German cabinet agrees to extend fixed prices to e-books - Reuters

Panzer is still sneezing and sniffling so it was a short trip into the Catosphere today. With a box of tissues on the seat next to him, our kitty boy stopped in at the Reuters site.

According to a post there by Maria Sheahan (edited by Hugh Lawson), Germany's cabinet has extended a law on the pricing of paper books to include ebooks. Where ever the ebook retailer is located, the price will be fixed in Germany for German buyers. It has already been ruled in Germany that some of Amazon's discounts to buyers are illegal, so this new law will further hamstring the retailer's efforts to increase sales there.

There just might be a loop hole there.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... The Reuters post makes reference to German language books. ... Does that mean, if they're English language books, they're not covered under the law? Inquiring cats want to know."

Note: Today's read will only need one cup of tea.

To read the post, tootle over to Germany

WI11: Richard Russo, Douglas Preston on Amazon - Shelf-Awareness

Panzer is fighting a kitty cold, so today's trip into the Catosphere was very quick. Our sniffling, coughing Panzermobile pilot stopped in at the Shelf-Awareness site to get more information on the Winter Institute 11 (WI11).

At the ShelfAwareness site in between achoos our sick kitty traveler found a post about Authors United founder and author Douglas Preston, American Booksellers Association CEO Oren Teicher, and Authors Guild Vice-president and author Richard Russo's round table assault on Amazon. Panzer already posted on January 26 about the WI11 and the American Book Sellers report that told about Amazon's $1 Billion Tax Gap created by retail businesses not opening and not hiring employees. Apparently the round table discussion was a rehash of Mr. Preston and Authors United's push to get the Department of Justice to investigate Amazon as a monopoly.

There are better uses of my time.

Panzer says, "Maybe they need a new hobby ... like writing books. Just a suggestion. I'm writing a new book and there's no time for me to obsess about Amazon."

Note: You'll need a cup of tea and a muffin to read the Shelf-Awareness post. If you plan to read Panzer's first post about WI11, you'll need another cup of tea.

To read the Shelf-Awareness post, tootle over to Winter Institute 11

To read the post about the American Booksellers Association report on Amazon, tootle over to Amazon report

A New Panzerism

Panzer on the lack of respect:

What's His Name is really a jerk.

He came in the house through the back door ...

and ...

started laughing.

He accused me of falling asleep in my litter box.

Of course, I denied it vigorously.

I want kitty litter that doesn't clump.

But ...

He didn't believe me.

Maybe ...

It was the kitty litter on my chin.