Facebook Strikes Deal to Restore News Sharing in Australia - The New York Times

 Today Panzer decided to make a stop at The New York Times site. There our illustrious kitty boy found a post about Facebook in Australia.

 

What's happening without news?

According to the post by Mike Isaac and Damien Cave, Facebook is allowing Australians access to news sources again. Facebook had completely eliminated news from the company's Australian digital platform. In January Panzer told you about a proposed Australian law. The law would force news platforms such as Facebook and Google to pay media companies for their news content. The post contains links to other information about the proposed bill and persons involved in the negotiations.

 

Panzer says, "Hmm ... It's all so confusing. Would Facebook and Google have to pay for this little kitty sharing a link to an Australian news item?"

 

Note: This is a long medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the links in the post, bring a cup of tea and a muffin for each link you follow.

 

To read the post tootle over to Facebook

To read Panzer's previous post tootle over to Google 

An Australia With No Google? The Bitter Fight Behind a Drastic Threat - The New York Times

 Panzer was working on the Panzermobile's window cleaners when he heard crying and screaming coming from the Catosphere. Jumping in the pilot's seat, our brave kitty headed out to find the source of all the noise. Following the hubbub took him to The New York Times site. With no digging at all, he discovered a post about a dispute between Google and Facebook and the Australian senate.

 

According to the post by Damien Cave,  Google is threatening to remove it's search engine capabilities from Australia. At issue is a three part senate legislation. The proposed legislation would force online companies like Google and Facebook to pay a fee when Australians use their services to search for online news articles. In addition, if the company and the news media source can't come to an agreement on the fee, the company is forced into arbitration. Finally, the companies would be required to tell the media sources when they plan to change their algorithms.

 

I can blink. I'm not part of it.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... An old fashioned stare down. I wonder who will blink first."

 

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

 

To read the post tootle over to Google and Facebook

Macmillan CEO John Sargent Is Departing - The New York Times

Today, when Panzer was washing the Panzermobile after our trip to the Bloody Scotland conference, he found something stuck under the windshield wiper. Flattening it out, our fastidious kitty discovered it was a post from The New York Times site about Macmillan CEO John Sargent. Panzer told you about soon-to-be-ex CEO Sargent day before yesterday.

What does it all mean?

According to The New York Times post by Alexandra Alter, there seems to be more to CEO John Sargent's exit from Macmillan than was originally reported. It appears there were more problems in Macmillan than the general public was aware of. While the post lists the library embargo as part of Macmillan's problems, it also highlights recent employee layoffs, employee walkouts and book publishing disagreements. Also included in the post is some interesting information about John Sargent's parents.

 

 Panzer says, "It just gets more interesting every day."

 

Note: This is a long post. Bring two cups of tea and two muffins for today's reading selection.

 

To read the post tootle over to Macmillan

To read Panzer's previous post tootle over to John Sargent

 

 

 

With Stores Closed Barnes and Noble Does Some Redecorating - The New York Times

Today, since Panzer hasn't been to The New York Times site for a while, he decided to make a stop there. With no digging at all he found a post about bookstore chain Barnes and Noble.

According to the post by Elizabeth A. Harris, Barnes and Noble has been taking advantage of the Covid-19 lockdown. During the lockdown the company has been making changes to 350 of its U.S. stores. The stores have been painted inside, new books have been added, books have been rearranged, and some shelves and furniture have been moved or discarded. This has all been done to give the stores a more open appearance without spending large amounts of money during the pandemic. Also new, is the fact each store manager will now have more control over their store's book inventory.

It's simple. Yes or No?

Panzer says, "This little kitty wants to know, if they will still have the restaurants and bars in the book stores."

Note: This is a humongous post. Bring a thermos of tea, three muffins and six chocolate chip cookies (biscuits) for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Barnes and Noble redecorating

Coronavirus Shutdowns Weigh on Book Sales - The New York Times

It doesn't make sense to me.

Panzer decided to make a stop at The New York Times site today. There he found an interesting post about book sales in the month of March.

The post by Alexandra Alter says, according to figures released by the Association of American Publishers (AAP), book sales were down 8 percent in March as compared to March of last year. Most of that loss was in educational books for children. Ebooks were down by 5 percent as well. In contrast however, audio books were up by 15 percent.

Panzer says, "Well, with schools closed educational book sales would be down, but I don't understand why ebooks sales were down."

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

To read the post tootle over to book sales

Amazon's Showdown in France Tests Its Ability to Sidestep Labor - The New York Times

Today as Panzer was cleaning out the Panzermobile, he found a post wadded up under the passenger seat. Flattening it out, our fastidious kitty discovered it was a post from The New York Times site about Amazon's labor problems in France.

I have my priorities.

The post by Liz Alderman and Adam Satariano documents problems with the French warehouse workers labor union. The union is not happy with Amazon's response to workers' health protection in the company's French fulfillment centers. The union took Amazon to court and won a court order that Amazon must stop delivering 'nonessential' items during the pandemic. In response Amazon closed their French fulfillment centers. Amazon is shipping orders from warehouses in other countries to French customers. There are more issues in the case and Amazon has appealed to the French Supreme Court.

Panzer says, "Umm ... Who decides what is nonessential? What's essential to the neighbor's dog wouldn't be essential to me. So, who decides? Me or the dog?"

This is a humongous post. Bring a thermos of tea and six muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Amazon and French Unions

Stephenie Meyer to Publish New 'Twilight' Book 'Midnight Sun' - The New York Times

Panzer was just minding his own kitty business tootling around in the Catophere when the Panzermobile was shaken up and down and back and forth by clapping and cheering coming from outside. Following all the hubbub took our favorite kitty boy to The New York Times site. There he discovered a post about bestselling author Stephenie Meyer.

Werewolves are just like dogs only stupider.

Johnny Diaz's post says Stephenie Meyer will have a new book titled 'Midnight Sun' due out on August 4. You might know Stephenie Meyer as the author of the 'Twilight' books. The books were set in the Pacific Northwest in the forests in Washington state. The stories have romance, adventure, vampires and werewolves. The books were also made into movies. There are links included in the post to the publisher's announcement about the new 'Twilight' book and to other posts about the previous books.

Panzer says, "This little kitty thought we all needed some good news today, instead of more virus gloom and doom news."

Note: This is a long-medium length post. Bring a cup of cocoa and two chocolate chip cookies and a coconut macaroon for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Stephenie Meyer

'Emergency' Online Library Draws Ire of Some Authors - The New York Times

As Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere today, he decided to make a stop at The New York Times site. There he found a post about the Internet Archive's "National Library Emergency" declaration. Panzer told you about this so called 'Emergency' a couple of days ago.

According to the post by Alexandra Alter, the Internet Archive (IA) has 1.4 million digital books online. All those ebooks are available for anybody to "check out" for free. Some authors have found that without their permission their books were available on IA. These authors have been asking to have their books removed and most have been, although one author reported scanned copies were still available. It turns out IA has been scanning books and turning them into digital books without telling the authors or publishers what the company was doing. Authors and author groups see this as copyright infringement; however, IA says its not because they call themselves a library and scan donated and bought books.

We get our ebooks from the local library.

Panzer says, "This little kitty is wondering, since my local library system (King County Library System) here in western Wshington is advertising on television that you can check out ebooks and audio books from them online, what is the Internet Archive's emergency?"

Note: This is a long post. Bring two cups of tea and three muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Internet Archive

To read Panzer's previous post about IA's Emergency declaration tootle over to Authors Guild outraged

Christopher Tolkien, Keeper of His Father's Legacy, Dies at 95 - The New York Times

Today at The New York Times site Panzer learned Christopher Tolkien has died. Christopher Tolkien was the son of J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

According to the post by Katharine Q. Seelye and Alan Yuhas, Mr. Tolkien died on January 15 in Provence, France.

To read the post about Christopher Tolkien's passing tootle over to Christopher Tolkien

Romance Writers of America Leadership Resigns - The New York Times

Watch your step.

Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to The New York Times site. There with a little digging in the posts our traveling kitty boy found one about the Romance Writers of America. A few days ago Panzer told your about the brouhaha going on with them.

As reported by Concepcion de Leon, the Romance Writers of America's (RWA) president, Damon Suede, and executive director, Carol Ritter, have resigned from their positions. Many in the RWA membership have been demanding their resignations. The problem began with the suspension and other punishments of Courtney Milan. There are links to more information about the RWA and it's current problems included in the post.

Panzer says, "Watch where you're walking because this is a big pile of poo."

Note: This is a medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin for today's reading selection. If you intend to follow the links in the post bring a quart of tea and six muffins. But, if you also plan to read the previous post as well, bring a gallon of tea and a dozen muffins.

To read the post tootle over to Romance Writers of America
To read Panzer's previous post about the RWA, tootle over to Rita Awards

10 Tips to Avoid Leaving Tracks Around the Internet - The New York Times

What's His Name is still sick and Panzer has been helping Mom with her nursing duties, so his trip into the Catosphere was a quick one. Our speedy kitty stopped in at The New York Times site. With a little digging in the posts, he found one about protecting your privacy online.

According to David Pogue, the post is a collection of privacy ideas submitted by Crowdwise readers. There is a total of ten ideas to avoid or at least cut down on the ads, cookies and tracks that follow us around the Internet. Included are the usual culprits Google and Facebook. plus eight more. This is a followup to the Google privacy post Panzer told you about earlier this month. There are links to ad blockers, privacy settings pages and other helpful sites included in the post.

Cookies are bad for you? Say it isn't so!

Panzer says, "Why does The New York Times tell how to avoid cookies? Sometimes here, Mom says to eat chocolate chip cookies, so I know she likes cookies."

Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of tea and two muffins for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow all the links in the post, also bring a gallon of tea and a dozen muffins. Oh yeah, bring six chocolate chip cookies too.

To read the post tootle over to Internet privacy

To read Panzer's post about Google privacy from last week, tootle over to Google data

How to Set Your Google Data to Self-Destruct - The New York Times

They know everything about you.

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he heard clapping and cheering outside. Following all the jocularity, our inquisitive kitty found himself at The New York Times site. With no digging at all he found a post about deleting your Google searches.

According to the post by Brian X. Chen, Google has a new feature that allows you to delete your search history. It appears to be a little complicated, so the post includes instructions for how to use the feature. There are screen shots to help explain the instructions. There's also information on deleting your YouTube history and the Google Maps app history.

Panzer says, "There is a lot of information here, but it's worth reading to delete your search history."

Note: This is a h-u-m-o-n-g-o-u-s length post.  Bring a thermos of tea and a dozen muffins and also a glass of milk and three chocolate chip cookies (biscuits) for a snack.

To read the post tootle over to Google privacy

Amazon Says It is Not a 'Lawless' Retail Platform As Charged by 'NYT' - Publishers Weekly

Today Panzer decided to make a quick stop at the Publishers Weekly site. With a little digging in the posts our curious kitty boy found one about Amazon.

This is a forever fight.

According to a staff written post at the Publishers Weekly site, in response to a New York Times article Amazon is vehemently denying the company doesn't seriously pursue counterfeit books. In the rebuttal Amazon says the company has spent $400 million toward stopping the practice. Authors counter it takes Amazon too long to respond to the counterfeit books problem when it's discovered, if the company ever does. There's a link included in the post to The New York Times post about Amazon and a link to Amazon's blog post in response to The New York Times post.

Panzer says, "What's a counterfeit book? Somebody steals an author's book, puts a different name and cover on it and sells it.  By the time Amazon does anything about it, the author has lost hundreds (or maybe thousands) of dollars in book sales."

Note: This is a short-medium post. Bring a cup of tea and half a muffin for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the links in the Publishers Weekly post, bring a gallon of tea and a dozen muffins.

To read the post tootle over to Amazon

Dispute Arises Over 'No-No Boy,' a Classic of Asian-American Literature With a Complex History - The New York Times

Today, Panzer was shaken from his nap by booing and hissing coming from the Catosphere. Hopping in the Panzermobile, our brave kitty pilot followed all the noise to The New York Times site. There he found a post about Penguin Random House's Penguin Classics.

According to Alexandra Alter, there's a publishing disagreement between Penguin Random House's Penguin Classics and Shawn Wong, a University of Washington professor, the John Okada estate and the University of Washington Press. The disagreement surrounds Penguin Classics new publication of John Okada's 1957 novel No-No Boy. The novel a Japanese-American man who refused to serve in the US military in WWII. Shawn Wong believes his 1976 copyright of the Okada novel (and subsequent transfer of the copyright to the University of Washington Press) prevents Penguin Classics from publishing the novel. Penguin Classics believes that copyright only covers portions of the novel and they can publish the remainder of the novel. Penguin published the novel in May.

Hearing even more booing and hissing, our kitty boy traveled on to The Seattle Times site. With no digging at all he found a post there about the disagreement too.

According to The Seattle Times' Moira Macdonald, Penguin Random House has now contacted the Okada estate. The estate representative, however, is not interested in dealing with Penguin at this time. The University of Washington has paid the Okada estate royalties for the novel since it was published by them. Penguin has made no such offer. Several Seattle bookstores have pledged not to sell Penguin Classics' version of  No-No Boy. Several well-know authors have also voiced their disapproval of Penguin's actions.

I'm serious. Don't buy Penguin's version..

Panzer says, "Under no circumstances will this little kitty ever buy a copy of Penguin Classics' No-No Boy."

Note: The New York Times post is long. Bring a cup of tea and two muffins for today's reading selection. The Seattle Times post is also long. Bring another cup of tea and two muffins to read it too.

To read The New York Times post tootle over to No-No Boy

To read The Seattle Times post tootle over to John Okada's No No Boy

 

Amazon Pulls Out Of Planned New York City Headquarters - The New York Times

Panzer was shaken from his after lunch nap by shouting coming from the Catosphere. Putting on earmuffs to protect his sensitive kitty hearing, our brave kitty boy hopped into the Panzermobile. Following the cacophony took him to The New York Times site. There he found a post about Amazon's HQ2.

The post by J. David Goodman stated that today Amazon announced the cancellation of HQ2 in New York City. The company cancelled their plans after protests against the opening of HQ2 there. The protests were led by state and local politicians and some city residents. The post contains statements by the New York governor, the New York City mayor and others. It also includes the text of Amazon's announcement of the cancellation in which the company explains its decision. The announcement also states the company won't re-open the search for a location for HQ2.

I will never understand humans.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Okay, the state of New York hates Amazon and the 25,000 jobs the company was bringing there."

Note: This is a gigantic humongous post. Bring a gallon of tea and three dozen muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Amazon HQ2

Wattpad, the Storytelling App, Will Launch a Publishing Division - The New York Times

They pick from Wattpad only.

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he heard clapping and cheering. Following all the hoopla took our adventuresome kitty boy to The New York Times site. With a little digging in the posts he found one about Wattpad.

According to the post, Wattpad has announced the formation of Wattpad Books. The new publication arm will look to material uploaded to the Wattpad site for possible publication. The company has already chosen 6 uploaded stories for book publication later this year.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... The post says the author gets an advance and royalties."

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

To read the post tootle over to Wattpad Books

After Protest, Booksellers Are Victorious Against Amazon Subsidiary - The New York Times

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere just minding his own cat business when he heard clapping and cheering. Following the all the hoopla took our inquisitive kitty boy to The New York Times site. It didn't take any time at all to find the post about Amazon's AbeBooks causing all the happiness.

How did they do that without my help?

According to David Streittfeld, it's being reported that Amazon subsidiary AbeBooks has caved under the protest begun day before yesterday by the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB) and other antiquarian bookseller groups against them. The booksellers banded together and took a "vacation" from AbeBooks by making their books temporarily unavailable at the site. According to ILAB president Sally Burdon it appears AbeBooks is backtracking on their plans to remove some booksellers from AbeBooks. There's still no explanation about the exact reason(s) why the booksellers in Hungary, South Korea, Russia, the Czech Republic and Poland were being removed.There are links included to other posts about the protest.

Panzer says, "That has to be one of the shortest successful protests in human history."

Note: This is a h-u-m-o-n-g-o-u-s post. Bring half a thermos of tea and four muffins for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the links included in the post and read the posts at other sites bring another half a thermos of tea and four more muffins.

To read the post tootle over to Amazon's AbeBooks

To read yesterday's post about the protest tootle over to  AbeBooks booksellers

Scribd, 'New York Times' Team to Offer Joint Subscription - Publishers Weekly

Panzer decided to make a short trip to the Publishers Weekly site. Digging around in the posts our energetic kitty found one about Scribd and The New York Times newspaper.

According to Calvin Reid, Scribd and The New York Times are forming a subscription service. Scribd is a  subscription service with ebooks, audio books and periodicals. Scribd will now offer access to The New York Times (NYT.com) and NYT.com will offer access to Scribd's ebooks, audio books and periodicals. The joint subscription service will cost $12.99. For regular Scribd subscribers who don't want access to The New York Time the cost will stay at $8.99.

Guess they just don't like black cats.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Scribd is one of the places Smashwords distributes my ebooks to, but I've never had any readers there."

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 Scribd

Cities' Offers for Amazon Base Are Secrets to Many City Leaders - The New York Times

Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the The New York Times site. There our kitty pilot found a post about Amazon's Headquarters 2 search.

According to the post by Julie Creswell, the search for a location for Amazon's Headquarters 2 (HQ2) is draped in more secrecy than suspected. There are 20 cities in the running for HQ2's location. It turns out, however, that 18 of those 20 city councils and city leadership have no idea what is being offered to get the HQ2. The project bids were put together by groups which aren't required to make the terms available to the public. So, the tax payers in the city which wins the HQ2 bid won't know what it will cost them until they win. Several quotes from different cities' leaders about housing, employees as well as costs are included in the post.

Just reading all that makes me want a nap.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... It's kind of like buying ocean front property in Arizona without ever seeing it."

Note: This is a h-u-m-o-n-g-o-u-s post. Bring a thermos of tea and a dozen muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Amazon HQ2

Amazon Pushes Facial Recognition to Police. Critics See Surveillance Risk - The New York Times

Today's trip took our frisky kitty to The New York Times site. There he found a post about Amazon's facial recognition system.

I don't like this at all.

According to Nick Wingfield, Amazon has a facial recognition service called Rekognition. The facial recognition tool is available through Amazon Web Services. Amazon is making a concerted effort to interest law enforcement agencies in the service. Apparently, the Washington County Sheriff's Office in Oregon is the first (known) adopter of the service. Now, the American Civil Liberties Union has asked Amazon to stop promoting the facial recognition tool to law enforcement.

Panzer says, "Mom and I usually only post about publishing stuff ... But ... I wanted you to know ... Because ... This is kind of scary stuff to this little kitty."

Note: This is a h-u-m-o-n-g-o-u-s post. Bring a thermos of tea, a dozen muffins and a sleeping bag for a nap in the middle for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Amazon facial recognition