Well, at least the BBC is covering this.

The grift never ends. Most corrupt regime in history

For now, I’m staying under protest. I will be charged the fee in June and will absorb it this year as it is too much of a scramble to do otherwise. But I will be watching and getting my ducks in a row for the year following if nothing changes. I might add, the fee is $16 in my currency…

One day for me.

Picture of a bag of Starbucks coffee beans beside a set of cutting knives. A note on the bag reads, “The knives are out. Why not use one?”

It’s happening here as well.

BREAKING. I’m going to the gym. Any minute now.

Thanks for this. Fantastic! I hadn’t heard it before.

I can relate. This is me right now, on my couch, channeling my inner wolf.

I emailed them. Outlined how sandbagging small indie authors won’t stop AI slop from pouring under their door. If anything, it encourages AI creators to increase their flow to get greater returns. I hope they revisit this maintenance fee. It’s incredibly off the mark.

I understand they are being inundated with massive incoming AI slop. But surely there is a better way to deal with the problem than hitting small indies. For example, if you publish more than, say, 2-3 books per year, you pay a maintenance fee.

I'm more livid this morning, realizing this is just going after the poor people.

Why should we be the ones who pay?

Fees have taken away every good authoring tool I've ever had.

Booksprout (I fully blame this one for my sales decrease), newsletter sevices, tax services, and now Draft2digital.

D2D takes 10% fees for each transaction. So an author who makes $90 a year on D2D will pay $12 + $9 fees a year to use D2D. An author who makes $110 will pay just $11 in fees.

This is going to hurt a lot of small indie authors. Terrible decision. I’d rather they took a bigger cut than punish for low or no sales. Why would anyone want to keep a backlist with them?

This is so bloody important. 👇

OMD the comments on this post are priceless.

Rufus Wainwright, "Going To A Town" (live on eTown) YouTube video by eTown

Good morning. Here is today’s anthem for everyone who woke up feeling exhausted. Beautiful and sad.

youtu.be/eJIuZk6GuUo?...

Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus (Live on Letterman) YouTube video by DepecheModeVEVO

Trump’s new album just dropped.

youtu.be/i2GEOcEcRtY

My friend and I having coffee on a patio yesterday afternoon. Two older white guys talking loudly, one a Maple Maga guy looking around for a reaction from women sitting nearby. Please explain this behaviour to me like I’m five which, to be fair, greatly exceeds the developmental level of this pair.

This happened to me more than once while on a frequent day trip. Stopped to grab a coffee and stretch my legs. Left without coffee after waiting 20+ minutes while the drive-thru served everyone ahead of inside customers. Starbucks.

This may be one of the most insightful things I’ve read lately. I don’t feel much like travelling anymore and find it hard to explain to others. You’ve nailed it. The privilege weighs heavily when you have your eyes open.

BUDAPEST — The 16-year reign of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán looks set to end after a crushing election loss on Sunday that will send political shockwaves from Washington to Moscow.

@politico.com 🇭🇺
www.politico.eu/article/hung...

BOOM!
South Australia's power prices have plummeted as they near 100% renewables, proving to the world that relying on wind and solar with battery back-up is possible, more reliable and costs people less.

THIS is how we avoid the next oil crisis.

#EnergyRevolution

Exactly. It’s Sunday. He’s right on schedule. Tomorrow, he’ll come out with some de-escalation, the market will respond and these investors will cash out with millions in their pockets.

#BidenFundedNASA

In 2025 Chump tried to defund NASA but he failed. He is trying again this year.

The biggest difference between 1990s Internet and 2020s Internet is that the bulk of our online activity has been corralled onto unregulated for-profit digital platforms

The profit motive driving the way these platforms are designed and run is the root cause of everything that goes wrong on them

Strategic. Masterful marketing.

*Canada, looking up from notes, nods.

👇🏼

On clear days, I see Mt. Baker to the east from 🇨🇦. Always pretty to see.