Fiona L. Woods's Blog, page 242
November 10, 2020
The Science Fiction & Fantasy Convention 2020
Pick and choose.Last week Panzer told you about the free online Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention. If you missed it this last weekend, don't worry. All thirty-one of the presentations are now available on YouTube. There were three "tracks" attendees could signup for: the Creative Track, the Genre Track and/or the Breakout Sessions. They're all online now for a total of almost thirty hours of presentations.
To watch the uploaded videos from the convention, tootle over to SFF Con
'MeowTalk,' an app that translates cat sounds, is a pet project for this former Alexa engineer - GeekWire
As Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere he heard laughing and guffawing coming from outside. Following all the jocularity, took our adventuresome kitty to the GeekWire site. With a little digging in the posts he found one about a new app called MeowTalk (That's right, there's no space between the words.) was causing all the happiness.
According to Kurt Schlosser's post, Javier Sanchez has developed an app called MeowTalk which allows people to understand what a cat wants when it meows. Although the app comes with ten pre-loaded cat translations, you can make changes to them and, also, make additions. The post includes links to other posts/sites with information about the app.
It's easy: Feed me. Pet me. Mine.
Panzer says, " Why do you need an app? All you have to do is read Cat Wisdom for humans and you'll know exactly what we say and want."
Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of cocoa and two muffins for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the links, bring a thermos of tea and six muffins.
To read the post tootle over to MeowTalk app
According to Kurt Schlosser's post, Javier Sanchez has developed an app called MeowTalk which allows people to understand what a cat wants when it meows. Although the app comes with ten pre-loaded cat translations, you can make changes to them and, also, make additions. The post includes links to other posts/sites with information about the app.
It's easy: Feed me. Pet me. Mine.Panzer says, " Why do you need an app? All you have to do is read Cat Wisdom for humans and you'll know exactly what we say and want."
Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of cocoa and two muffins for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the links, bring a thermos of tea and six muffins.
To read the post tootle over to MeowTalk app
November 9, 2020
A New Panzerism
Panzer on board games:
I love playing checkers with Mom and What's His Name. Especially the part where the noble jungle kitty sneaks through the tall carpet grass. He waits patiently.
He slithers forward ...
And ...
You're free! Fly away!
pounces on the checker board where all the plastic pieces take flight ...
like ...
a herd of butterflies.
From Cat Wisdom for humans
I love playing checkers with Mom and What's His Name. Especially the part where the noble jungle kitty sneaks through the tall carpet grass. He waits patiently.
He slithers forward ...
And ...
You're free! Fly away!pounces on the checker board where all the plastic pieces take flight ...
like ...
a herd of butterflies.
From Cat Wisdom for humans
November 6, 2020
Amazon hires 248,500 people in Q3 as Jeff Bezos challenges large employers to raise minimum wage - GeekWire
Panzer decided to make a stop at the GeekWire site today. With a little digging in the posts there, our inquisitive kitty found one about Amazon.
1.13 million?
According to Taylor Soper's post, Amazon has 1.13 million employees worldwide. 400,000 of those employees were hired this year. Now Amazon plans to hire another 100,000 seasonal workers for the company's distribution centers. Amazon pays its employees a minimum wage of $15.00 per hour and CEO Jeff Bezos challenged other large employers to raise their minimum hourly wage as well. The post contains several links to information about Amazon's previous hiring sprees, previous wage increases, letters to shareholders, and more.
Panzer says, "Hmm ... Seasonal workers? ... They must be planning for a lot of online Christmas shoppers."
Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of tea, a cup of cocoa, three muffins and three cupcakes for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow all the links, bring a thermos of cocoa, twelve muffins, twelve cupcakes, and a blanket for a nap in the middle.
To read the post tootle over to Amazon
1.13 million?According to Taylor Soper's post, Amazon has 1.13 million employees worldwide. 400,000 of those employees were hired this year. Now Amazon plans to hire another 100,000 seasonal workers for the company's distribution centers. Amazon pays its employees a minimum wage of $15.00 per hour and CEO Jeff Bezos challenged other large employers to raise their minimum hourly wage as well. The post contains several links to information about Amazon's previous hiring sprees, previous wage increases, letters to shareholders, and more.
Panzer says, "Hmm ... Seasonal workers? ... They must be planning for a lot of online Christmas shoppers."
Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of tea, a cup of cocoa, three muffins and three cupcakes for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow all the links, bring a thermos of cocoa, twelve muffins, twelve cupcakes, and a blanket for a nap in the middle.
To read the post tootle over to Amazon
November 5, 2020
Coronavirus Worklife: 'France Creative' and Italian Publishers Speak Out for Bookstores - Publishing Perspectives
Today as Panzer entered the Catosphere the Panzermobile hit a headwind of crying and a screaming. Following all the chaos took our brave kitty pilot to the Publishing Perspectives site. There he discovered a post about European lockdowns and bookstores was causing all the angst.
I think books are essential.
The post by Porter Anderson describes efforts by French publishers and other organizations to convince the country's government to allow bookstores to remain open during the current Covid-19 lockdown. The publishers' group issued a statement requesting that during France's lockdown bookstores be allowed to open for cultural purposes. The statement also notes that other countries have designated bookstores as essential businesses. The Publishing Perspective post also includes information about Italy's lockdown's impact on books and bookstores in that country. There are links included to other posts with information about lockdowns.
Panzer says, "Included in the French publishers' statement is a reference to Amazon too. This little kitty isn't saying any more about that. You'll have to read the post to find out what it says."
Note: This is a l-o-n-g post. Bring a thermos of cocoa, six chocolate chip cookies (biscuits), and two brownies for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the links, bring a thermos of tea and five muffins too.
To read the post tootle over to France Creative and Italian publishers
I think books are essential.The post by Porter Anderson describes efforts by French publishers and other organizations to convince the country's government to allow bookstores to remain open during the current Covid-19 lockdown. The publishers' group issued a statement requesting that during France's lockdown bookstores be allowed to open for cultural purposes. The statement also notes that other countries have designated bookstores as essential businesses. The Publishing Perspective post also includes information about Italy's lockdown's impact on books and bookstores in that country. There are links included to other posts with information about lockdowns.
Panzer says, "Included in the French publishers' statement is a reference to Amazon too. This little kitty isn't saying any more about that. You'll have to read the post to find out what it says."
Note: This is a l-o-n-g post. Bring a thermos of cocoa, six chocolate chip cookies (biscuits), and two brownies for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the links, bring a thermos of tea and five muffins too.
To read the post tootle over to France Creative and Italian publishers
November 4, 2020
Amazon is Killing Kindle Owner's Lending Library on 4 January - The Digital Reader
Today as Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere, he decided to make a stop at The Digital Reader site. With just a little digging in the posts our inquisitive kitty boy found one about Amazon's Kindle Owner's Lending Library.
Will anybody miss it?
According to the post by site owner Nate Hoffelder, Amazon is doing away with the Kindle Owner's Lending Library (KOLL). KOLL was Amazon's subscription service available for Kindle users. It proved so successful Amazon launched Kindle Unlimited. An email sent out to KOLL participants says their ebooks will still be available to read even after the service is discontinued. The post includes links to previous posts about the service.
Panzer says, "Be sure to read the Comments section. There is some interesting information there."
Note: This is a long-short length post. Bring a cup of tea for today's reading selection.
To read the post tootle over to Amazon Kindle Owner's Lending Library
Will anybody miss it?According to the post by site owner Nate Hoffelder, Amazon is doing away with the Kindle Owner's Lending Library (KOLL). KOLL was Amazon's subscription service available for Kindle users. It proved so successful Amazon launched Kindle Unlimited. An email sent out to KOLL participants says their ebooks will still be available to read even after the service is discontinued. The post includes links to previous posts about the service.
Panzer says, "Be sure to read the Comments section. There is some interesting information there."
Note: This is a long-short length post. Bring a cup of tea for today's reading selection.
To read the post tootle over to Amazon Kindle Owner's Lending Library
November 3, 2020
Free Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention for writers and fans
We couldn't post yesterday as our internet service was down. Again.
But we're back online today.
Not knowing how long we'll have internet access today, Panzer made a quick trip into the Catosphere. While there our speedy little kitty boy heard clapping and cheering outside the Panzermobile. Following all the noise took him to The Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention site. He discovered all the hullabaloo was because the online convention attendance is free.
To see information about the programs and presenters, go to the Home site. Click the Programs button to see what will be offered. Click the Presenters button to the biography for each presenter. If you've decided you want to attend, hover your cursor over the About tab at the top. Click the SFFCon 2020 button for attendance instructions. You can view the programs on Facebook or YouTube. (If you continue down this page to the convention schedule, it appears you can click the links to watch from this page too.) The convention starts Friday and concludes Sunday.
A long weekend.
Panzer says, "Whether you're an SFF writer of a fan there is something for everyone. The convention is put together in different tracks. There is a Creative Track (writers and indie publishers), a Genre Fan Track and a Breakout Sessions Track."
To go to the convention Home page site, tootle over to SFF Con Site
To go to the convention on Facebook, tootle over to SFF Con on FacebookTo go to the convention on YouTube, tootle over to SFFCon on YouTube
But we're back online today.
Not knowing how long we'll have internet access today, Panzer made a quick trip into the Catosphere. While there our speedy little kitty boy heard clapping and cheering outside the Panzermobile. Following all the noise took him to The Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention site. He discovered all the hullabaloo was because the online convention attendance is free.
To see information about the programs and presenters, go to the Home site. Click the Programs button to see what will be offered. Click the Presenters button to the biography for each presenter. If you've decided you want to attend, hover your cursor over the About tab at the top. Click the SFFCon 2020 button for attendance instructions. You can view the programs on Facebook or YouTube. (If you continue down this page to the convention schedule, it appears you can click the links to watch from this page too.) The convention starts Friday and concludes Sunday.
A long weekend.Panzer says, "Whether you're an SFF writer of a fan there is something for everyone. The convention is put together in different tracks. There is a Creative Track (writers and indie publishers), a Genre Fan Track and a Breakout Sessions Track."
To go to the convention Home page site, tootle over to SFF Con Site
To go to the convention on Facebook, tootle over to SFF Con on FacebookTo go to the convention on YouTube, tootle over to SFFCon on YouTube
October 31, 2020
Happy Halloween
Happy Halloween!
From Panzer, Mom and What's His Name
From Panzer, Mom and What's His Name
October 30, 2020
Looking for writers and writing entertainment to watch this weekend?
In case you're looking for something to watch this weekend, Panzer made a trip into the Catosphere and found these for you.
Hurry! This will be removed on Friday! (Panzer just checked before he posted this and it's still available. When it goes away, he'll remove it tomorrow.)
To watch the presentations at Bloody Scotland tootle over to Bloody Scotland Festival
These will all be interesting.
Malice in Memphis has a presentation by writers talking about writing during their monthly meetings. Click Events in the banner heading and then Monthly Meetings. (Some of the older ones do start with the meeting, but the newer ones are the writer presentations.)
To watch the presentations tootle over to Malice in Memphis You'll need to register with your email and then be given a link to watch the Mystery in the Midlands conference.
To watch Mystery in the Midlands conference tootle over to Mystery in the Midlands
Murder by the Book conducts interviews with mystery authors. Here's a link to the September interview with author Ann Cleeves creator of the Vera Stanhope mysteries.
To watch the Murder by the Book interview with Ann Cleeves tootle over to Ann Cleeves
Hurry! This will be removed on Friday! (Panzer just checked before he posted this and it's still available. When it goes away, he'll remove it tomorrow.)
To watch the presentations at Bloody Scotland tootle over to Bloody Scotland Festival
These will all be interesting.Malice in Memphis has a presentation by writers talking about writing during their monthly meetings. Click Events in the banner heading and then Monthly Meetings. (Some of the older ones do start with the meeting, but the newer ones are the writer presentations.)
To watch the presentations tootle over to Malice in Memphis You'll need to register with your email and then be given a link to watch the Mystery in the Midlands conference.
To watch Mystery in the Midlands conference tootle over to Mystery in the Midlands
Murder by the Book conducts interviews with mystery authors. Here's a link to the September interview with author Ann Cleeves creator of the Vera Stanhope mysteries.
To watch the Murder by the Book interview with Ann Cleeves tootle over to Ann Cleeves
October 29, 2020
35 Writing Contests in November 2020 - No Entry Fees - Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity
Panzer made a quick stop at the Publishing ... and Other Forms of Insanity site. There our speedy kitty boy found a collection of writing contests for November.
Don't wait. Hurry!
Site owner Erica Verrillo has collected thirty-five no entry fee writing contests with November deadlines. Included in the list are fiction, nonfiction, translations, poetry, and "arts" contests.
Panzer says, "Better start getting your entries ready. Sunday is the first day of November." Note: Since this post includes descriptions of all thirty-five contests, it's a l-o-n-g length post. Bring two thermoses of tea, six muffins, six cupcakes, six brownies, and six chocolate chip cookies (biscuits).
To read the post tootle over to writing contests
Don't wait. Hurry!Site owner Erica Verrillo has collected thirty-five no entry fee writing contests with November deadlines. Included in the list are fiction, nonfiction, translations, poetry, and "arts" contests.
Panzer says, "Better start getting your entries ready. Sunday is the first day of November." Note: Since this post includes descriptions of all thirty-five contests, it's a l-o-n-g length post. Bring two thermoses of tea, six muffins, six cupcakes, six brownies, and six chocolate chip cookies (biscuits).
To read the post tootle over to writing contests
