European Parliment Approves Controversial Copyright Overhaul - Publishers Weekly

Panzer was shaken from his nap by crying and wailing coming from the Catosphere. Hopping into the Panzermobile, our brave kitty boy followed all the howling to the Publishers Weekly site. There he found a post about the European Union's copyright overhaul.

According to Andrew Albanese, the European Parliament has approved the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market. There will be another vote by the Council of the European Union, but it's a foregone conclusion it will be approved there as well. After that vote each member of the EU will be required to change their copyright laws to match the Directive.  There is a link to the Wikipedia listing of the Directive, plus other links with information about the Directive,

Sorry. I have to be careful.

Panzer says, "With the approval of this new copyright directive, there won't be as much reporting of the news from EU publishing sources. Although this little kitty summarizes what he reads, he doesn't want to get into any trouble with EU news publishers."

Note: This is a humongous post. Bring a thermos of tea and a dozen muffins for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the links in the post, bring a gallon of tea and two dozen muffins, plus a sleeping bag for a nap in the middle of your reading.

To read the post tootle over to European Parliament

Lifeway to Close All Stores - Publishers Weekly

Lost another one.

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he decided to make a stop at the Publishers Weekly site. With a little digging around in the posts our inquisitive kitty boy found one about Lifeway bookstores.

According to Emma Wenner, Lifeway Christian Resources has announced they will close all their bookstores by the end of 2019. The company plans to move from a brick-and-mortar retail to an online presence. The company sells Bibles and Christian books and resources. There are links included in the post to other information sources.

Panzer says, "This little kitty hates to see any brick-and-mortar bookstore close."

Note: This is a short-medium length post. Bring a cup of tea for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the links, bring a muffin too.

To read the post tootle over to Lifeway

A New Panzerism

There was no New Panzerism post yesterday because we lost Internet and power for most of the day. We won't go into the gory details except say it involved a squirrel, power lines and a transformer. We have Internet and power back today, so let's just pretend it's Monday and start the week now.

*******

Panzer on the human misconception of their importance:

I went tot he vet today ...

I'm still not listening.

She cleaned my ears ...

I can hear much better now.

But ...

That doesn't mean I'll do what you say.



* From Cat Wisdom for humans

Trump Budget Calls for Closing the NEA - Publishers Weekly

Today as Panzer was taking his noon nap, he was rudely shaken from his kitty bed by shouting and crying coming from the Catosphere. Hopping into the Panzermobile, our sleep deprived kitty boy followed all the noise to the Publishers Weekly site. With a little digging in the posts he found one about President Donald Trump's FY2020 budget.

I don't understand him.

According to Jim Milliot, President Trump's FY2020 budget would completely do away with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) agency. In 2018 the NEA awarded 2,322 grants from its budget funds. The grants were for arts programming, education programs and emergency funding. This is the third budget President Trump has tried to eliminate the NEA. Panzer already told you the budget also includes eliminating the federal library funding.

Panzer says, "Why does he hate books and art education so much?"

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

To read the post tootle over to National Endowment for the Art

To read the previous post about President Trump's budget proposal, tootle over to Institute of Museum and Library Services

Author Groups Try to Block Quad-LSC Communications Merger Based on Antitrust Concerns - Book Business Insider

Panzer was just tootling around minding his own kitty business when he heard howling and growling coming from outside the Panzermobile. Following all the hubbub our kitty boy found himself at the Book Business Insiter site. With a little digging around he found a post about the Quad-LSC Communications merger.

The only time bigger is better is with cats.

According to D. Eadward Tree*, the Authors Guild, PEN America and Open Markets Institute have joined together to protest the merger of Quad and LSC Communications. The three have submitted a letter to the Justice Department detailing the adverse effects such a monopoly would inflict on the printing industry. The merger would allow the new Quad-LSC Communications merged company to determine pricing in the printing market for magazines and mass market books with no competition. There's a link included in the post to the letter submitted to the Justice Department.

Panzer says, "This little kitty thinks, if this merger goes through and printing costs go up, the cost of magazines and books will go up. That will mean more magazines and books will have to go online to save money."

Note: This is a l-o-n-g post. Bring two cups of tea and three muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Quad LSC Communications merger


*If you read the author bio at the end of the post, you'll discover this is a pen name.

In FY2020 Budget Proposal, Trump Renews Bid to End Federal Library Funding - Publishers Weekly

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when the Panzermobile was shaken and buffeted by the sounds of crying and shouting. Following all the noise took our brave kitty boy to the Publishers Weekly site. There with a little digging in the posts he found one about President Trump's FY2020 government budget.

How can he not like libraries?

According to Andrew Albanese, President Trump's FY2020 budget would permanently do away with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). With this move in the budget nearly all federal library funding would be eliminated. This is not the first time he has tried to eliminate federal library funding. It is actually the third time since he took office. There are several links included in the post.

Panzer says, "Read all the way to the bottom of the post to find out about contacting local representatives to sign a letter supporting libraries."

Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of tea and two muffins for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the links included in the post, bring a gallon of tea and two dozen muffins.

To read the post tootle over to Federal Library Funding

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 ...

And ...

Contaminated my insides.

Wow! That was good catnip.*

It was at that precise moment ...

That ...

I became a good kitty ...

And have been tormented by it ever since.



*From Cat Wisdom for humans

Seven Places to Listen to Free Audiobooks - The Digital Reader

Panzer has a cold and isn't feeling well so today's trip into the Catosphere was a quick one. Our sniffling kitty boy's trip took him to The Digital Reader site. With a little digging in the posts he found one about seven sites that have free audio books.

Don't look at me. I've got a stuffy nose.

Site owner Nate Hoffelder offers a selection of seven sites to visit for audio books. The sites range from the Project Gutenberg site to the Lit2Go site. Included is a description of each site. Listed is The Internet Archive which Panzer has posted about before because of the piracy allegations leveled against the site by national and international writers organizations and publishers organizations.

Panzer says, "Since I don't feel very good, I'm going to lay in my kitty bed and listen to an audio book until I fall asleep."

Note: This is a medium length post. Bring a bowl of chicken soup and a box of tissues for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to free audiobooks

F+W Media Files Chapter 11, Will Sell Assets - Publishers Weekly

This is not good news.

Panzer was shaken awake from his afternoon nap by crying and shouting coming from the Catosphere. Hopping in to the Panzermobile our brave kitty headed out to see what had happened. Following all the noise took him to the Publishers Weekly site. With no digging at all he found a post about F+W Media.

According to Jim Milliot, F+W Media has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy. To pay off creditors the company plans to form two sections. One will be its publishing section and the other will be its communities section. Each section will be sold separately, The company believes by doing this it can raise enough money to pay its creditors.

Panzer says,  "But what will happen to Writer's Digest magazine and the Writer's Market? And what about the quilting and beading communities Mom visits?"

Note: This is a long-medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin and a chocolate chip cookie (biscuit) for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to F+W Media

A New Panzerism

And ... the food dish. *

Panzer on cat philosophy:

A journey of a thousand miles ...

begins ...

With a trip to the litter box.



* From Cat Wisdom for humans

Kindle is On Sale for $49, and the Kindle Paperwhite is $99 - The Digital Reader

It's supposed to be my day off.

Panzer had hardly crawled into his kitty bed when he was shaken out of it by clapping and cheering coming from the Catosphere. Dragging his tired body into the pilot's seat of the Panzermobile he headed off. Following all the noise took him to The Digital Reader site. With no digging at all he found a post about Amazon's Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite ereaders.

According to The Digital Reader site owner Nate Hoffelder, both basic Kindle and the Kindle Paperwhite are on sale. The Kindle is on sale for $49.00 and the Kindle Paperwhite for $99.00. The post includes links to both sales pages so you can check out the information about both ereaders.

Panzer says, "Of course, the base sale price for each ereader doesn't include the power adapter, cover, or screen protector which will add another $60+ to each."

Note: This is a very, very, very short post. Bring a third of a cup of tea for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the links in the post, bring a cup of tea and a muffin.

To read the post tootle over to Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite

B&N Q3 Sales Flat, Comps Rise 1.1% - Publishers Weekly

Six new stores in one year!

Today, Panzer made a quick trip to the Publishers Weekly site. There he found a post about Barnes and Noble.

According to Jim Milliot, Barnes and Noble's third quarter ended on January 26. The company's third quarter sales were flat compared to last year's. Paperbacks and children's book sales were not as high as expected and Nook sales were down. The company expects fourth quarter sales to be down due to the bad weather keeping people from shopping. The company opened four new stores in the year's first three quarters and plans two more in the fourth quarter.

Panzer says, "At least sales were flat and didn't decline."

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

After Changes, the Nobel Prize for Literature Returns - Publishers Weekly

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he heard clapping and cheering. Following all the hoopla took our brave kitty boy to the Publishers Weekly site. There with hardly any digging at all he found a post about the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Glad it's back. It's an important prize.

According to Calvin Reid, after a one year hiatus the Nobel Prize for Literature is back. This fall the Nobel Prize for Literature will be awarded for 2018 (the year skipped) and 2019. Changes have now been made to the voting process, the membership rules and the rules to address possible criminal allegations. The post contains information about these changes and others that have been implemented.

Panzer says, "This little kitty was wondering how long it would be before the Nobel Prize for Literature came back."

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

To read the post tootle over to Nobel Prize for Literature

Two of Panzer's Books in Smashwords Read An Ebook Week Sale

Panzer is part of Smashwords' Read An Ebook Week Sale. The sale started yesterday and runs through Saturday, March 9. Two of his ebooks are included in the sale.


Panzer's The Cat and the new PI short story is Free now. This is Panzer and Lori Stockley's first case together.

Click below to download it Free from Smashwords:

The Cat and the New PI







Panzer's Cat Wisdom for humans is on sale at 50 percent off. This is the first book in the collection of Monday's A New Panzerism.

Click below and use coupon code EBW50 to buy it for 0.99 at Smashwords:

Cat Wisdom for humans

A New Panzerism

Panzer on persistence:

Greatness is never easy.
It requires focus, intense effort, and endurance.
But after much struggle I have made it.

I am at the top of the world.

Your King has spoken.*

I am the greatest!
I am the King of all I survey!

What? ...

What do you mean get off the curtains?

No! ... You can't make me!



*From Cat Wisdom for humans