Unlocked: I might have accidentally destroyed an entire publishing house!
At the end of 2023 I released a book "20 GOTO 10" via the publisher Unbound. (4.4 stars on Amazon!) It sold tens of thousands of copies, and yet, I was not paid for any of them. I waited. Politely emailed. Looked past their emails of "any day now" and waited some more.
Last year, I filed a legal case. The week after, they sent an email to all their authors claiming "issues" with payment.
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A few weeks ago, I escalated my case to the County Court. Today, they sent an email saying "We will shortly be announcing that Unbound (United Authors Publishing Limited) has gone into Administration." In short - they took my royalties, paid themselves, ran, and started a new company to absolve themselves of the responsibilities and the debt.
Guess what? The same people are in charge!
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Ugh, that sucks. And while I can't imagine what it's like for the authors, it's very dispiriting for me as a consumer.
I have a copy of "20 GOTO 10" (thank you for that, btw, it's wonderful) as well as two other books from Unbound. And until your post I had slight warm fuzzies from the thought that I was helping small, independent authors via a small, self-publishing site.
I'm rather gutted to learn that probably none of the money I've spent with Unbound has ever gone to the creators of the works.
Overcoming barriers to Open Source procurement in the European Union
The EU has just started a review of European public procurement rules, and have asked for input on potential changes to the rules.Open Source Initiative
Over 110,000 Medieval Manuscripts May Have Been Copied by Women - Medievalists.net
A new study reveals medieval women copied over 110,000 manuscripts—far more than once believed.Medievalists.net
theonion.com/only-good-looking…
Only Good-Looking Person In Office Mingles With Hideous Coworkers Like Missionary Among Lepers
CHICAGO—Showing a graciousness and magnanimity that the rest of the world has denied these pariahs and rejects, Jordan Hall, the only good-looking person in the office, was reportedly mingling Wednesday with his hideous coworkers like a missionary am…The Onion Staff (The Onion)
It is now time to Rocq out with the Coq out
mathstodon.xyz/@gadmm/11414960…
Guillaume Munch-Maccagnoni (@gadmm@mathstodon.xyz)
https://rocq-prover.org/releases/9.0 "Rocq 9.0 This page describes Rocq version 9.0, released on March 12th, 2025. Go here for a list of all releases. This is the first release of Rocq, version 9.Mathstodon
Today I learned that the CEO of a major social network was born in 1991.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I am just going to sit here quietly and watch the last of my remaining bones turn to dust and blow away.
*sigh*
#socialMedia
Rylands BlogVotes For Women! Making Light Of The Fight
The first blog in our series for International Women’s Day.Rylands Blog
The 200+ Sites an ICE Surveillance Contractor is Monitoring
404 Media has obtained the list of sites and services that ICE contractor ShadowDragon pulls data from. ShadowDragon sources data from all over the web and lets government analysts easily search it and draw connections between people.Joseph Cox (404 Media)
Of course, the thought is stil there, I will do it again soon... sometime, maybe, sort of...
I'm currently trying to put together another #Owncast newsletter and I'm looking for a streamer, project, or event to put in the "featured" column. Please reach out to me if you know someone doing something cool and would like to see them get some recognition.
Also, if you have upcoming events to advertise, let me know!
Please boost for visibility.
Pixels and Puppets Owncast
Podcast, Tech, Gaming, and sometimes, for no easily explainable reason, puppets! Presented by Operation: PuppetPixels and Puppets Owncast
Check this out..
@mirlo is killing it right now, and working hard to do the important (but un-shiny) work of making a site for #Musicians that anyone can host **inexpensively**
This is the endgame for the #Fediverse - thousands of indie sites, not mega instances - but it’ll take this kind of work to pull it off.
Good job, guys. I’m super jealous of you rn.
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Two different projects, but yes. I believe #Mirlo is working on Federation: github.com/funmusicplace/mirlo…
Today, we celebrate Mirlo 🎉
My project, #Bandwagon federates with ActivityPub, but is still missing other important features that Mirlo supports (like paid album sales)
The good thing is that we’re all converging on a similar point, and that will be a huge win for indie artists and labels everywhere.
Integrate ActivityPub · Issue #146 · funmusicplace/mirlo
I wonder if this would be the way to do activity-pub-express at the easiest level, though it seems to be primarily based around a mongo database.GitHub
It's amazing what both #Mirlo and #Bandwagon have achieved in the last few months. Big up yourselves! ❤️
(Not to forget #TheIndieBeat of course)
Google announces Gemini Robotics for building general purpose robots
Google DeepMind today announced Gemini Robotics to bring “AI into the physical world,” with new models able to “perform a wider range...Abner Li (9to5Google)
Bluesky To Sell Your Content To AI Data Miners
So it begins. Hidden in Jay Graber's recent charm offensive is this innocuously framed initiative: Bluesky is weighing a proposal that gives users consent over how their data is used for AI (techcrunch.com/2025/03/10/blue…)
Not so fast.
1) Shows they are planning on doing content deals with AI companies.
2) Seems like it is Opt-out vs. Opt-in (see below).
3) It is just a voluntary robots.txt file
h/t @Lydie tech.lgbt/@Lydie/1141490233448…
more...
Bluesky is weighing a proposal that gives users consent over how their data is used for AI | TechCrunch
Speaking at the SXSW conference in Austin on Monday, Bluesky CEO Jay Graber said the social network has been working on a framework for user consent overSarah Perez (TechCrunch)
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“The goal is to cast vaccines into the shadows. That has deadly consequences.”
Legislators are bent on dismantling our vaccine safety net even as this deadly disease sees a frightening resurgence in our state. texasobserver.org/measles-outb…
#politics #USpol #Texas #measles #antivax #vaccines #health #healthcare #news #TXlege #Republicans
Amid Texas Measles Outbreak, Conservatives Double Down on Anti-Vax Crusade
Spread of the virus is due to low immunization rates in certain communities. Meanwhile, some legislators are cheering for more “medical freedom.”Joelle DiPaolo (The Texas Observer)
Is Your Printer Producing Gibberish? A Windows 11 Update May Be to Blame
After installing a Windows 11 preview update, some USB printers are churning out random, programming-related text. Microsoft is working on a fix, but there is an interim workaround, too.Michael Kan (PCMag)
Faster clapping yields lower-frequency sounds, as does cupping one's hands while clapping.
arstechnica.com/science/2025/0…
How one’s hand configuration affects the sound of clapping
Faster clapping yields lower-frequency sounds, as does cupping one’s hands while clapping.Jennifer Ouellette (Ars Technica)
Right at the end is the scary part:
"It might even be possible one day to identify someone based on their distinctive claps and use it as a kind of acoustic login for electronic devices."
More surveillance - AI to be used to review footage of every concert, theatrical performance etc. ever, and produce a massive database linking you to the sounds of your hand claps.
Then you can be tracked by the sound you make whenever your flat hand contacts something 🤯😱
Firmware update bricks HP printers, makes them unable to use HP cartridges
Firmware update bricks HP printers, makes them unable to use HP cartridges
HP already has a reputation for breaking printers with updates.Scharon Harding (Ars Technica)
Well electric cars, hell, cars in general these days come with proprietary software that totally screws over the buyer's ability to fix their own damn car. It's bullshit, plain and simple.
Right to repair isn't just some fancy slogan, it's a fucking right. Period. I'm all in on open source software and the freedom to dig into the code, learn from it, and yeah, fix it if I need to. That's how it should be, not this locked-down crap they're pushing on us.
Sadly, this is the world most people are forced into with big tech companies owning and operating most of the software we and many companies use today.
I would recommend anyone reading this to give #Linux a try if you haven't already used it. It's open-source, customizable, and gives you the freedom to really make your system your own.
❤ In short: I love the right to repair my own stuff!
#RightToRepair #Repair #Fix #iFixit #EletricCars #Cars #Swasticars #Linux
[18:49] Businessman convicted of attacking bailiff in Paris
Businessman Paddy McKillen has been convicted of attacking a bailiff in his Paris apartment.
@cdwilson
All my shack/office photos are carefully angled and tightly cropped.
I just backed up & shot a pano, as it's presently (just pre-spring) in the worst condition it's been in months.
Toying with posting for comedy.
“Keep them on the ropes for multiple days”
“Protesters targeting #Tesla over their opposition to #Musk have a new strategy: faking interest in buying a Tesla to waste the company's time & resources.
50501 movement, which aims to org protests in all 50 states, have proposed that wasting the time of Tesla dealerships could be a safer alternative to illegal vandalism”
newsweek.com/tesla-musk-trump-…
Elon Musk Protesters Want to 'Buy' a Tesla. Here's Why
Some in the 50501 movement aim to waste dealerships' time by pretending to buy Elon Musk's cars, only to walk away.Theo Burman (Newsweek)
@bebadefabo Oh I dunno, because .... rule of law matters and those protesting could be imprisoned bc of Trump's army of assholes?
And yes, protests help "save us." No one thing does that. WE do that. The courts help, protests help, calling helps, pressure helps, running for office helps, town halls help, showing up in every way helps.
ALL of that IS getting "their hands dirty."
PS5: Don't unplug me while I'm switched on or I might break
Me: Bitch you froze; the fuck else am I supposed to do?
Handelsstreit: Wie wirken sich Trumps Zölle auf Europa aus?
Die von US-Präsident Trump angekündigten Strafzölle auf Stahl- und Aluminium sind in Kraft getreten. Wie groß ist die Gefahr für Europas Wirtschaft? Sind Jobs gefährdet? Welche Produkte könnten teuer werden? Fragen und Antworten.
[18:44] Relief for Taoiseach after unspoiled visit to White House
The Taoiseach will probably feel that his meeting with the US President was about as good as it gets.
rte.ie/news/analysis-and-comme…
#US
Nancy H Powell
in reply to Frankie ✅ • • •somekindahate3
in reply to Frankie ✅ • • •