The downside of change; manipulating LLMs; publishers blast book bans: Newsletter 4 September 2024
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The downside of change; manipulating LLMs; publishers blast book bans: Newsletter 4 September 2024

Newsletter 60. Why our culture fetishizes the new and what to do about. Plus, little free libraries take on book bans, the FTC bans fake reviews, why everyone should write a book proposal, three people to follow, and three books to read. Change is Seductive, But It Creates Cognitive Conflict I want you to think…

Beyond workplace heroics; Negative AI branding; conservative manifesto postponement: Newsletter 14 August 2024
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Beyond workplace heroics; Negative AI branding; conservative manifesto postponement: Newsletter 14 August 2024

Newsletter 57: Is rewarding heroics making your workplace better? Plus, Project 2025 book delayed, AI’s marketing value is less than zero, Scottish WorldCon triumph, three people to follow and three books to read. Every heroic workplace act is a sign of failure I worked in companies for 33 years. I was often the hero, and…

Google busted; copyright office commentary; X sues advertisers: Newsletter 7 August 2024
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Google busted; copyright office commentary; X sues advertisers: Newsletter 7 August 2024

Newsletter 56: Why Google got caught and it won’t matter; public domain photo search engine; X whines about boycott. Plus three people to follow and three books to read. Did Google cheat? What do you think. Did Google violate antitrust law by unlawfully using its monopoly to exert leverage in other markets? Of course it…

Hourly perversion; Hillbilly redux; Ingram hypocrisy: Newsletter 31 July 2024
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Hourly perversion; Hillbilly redux; Ingram hypocrisy: Newsletter 31 July 2024

Newsletter 55: Why paying people by the hour is the most pervasive and perverse trend in business. Plus the Hugos reject automated entries, JD Vance gets rich off his VP nod, Ingram bans a book about AI in publishing, three people to follow and three books to read. Nobody smart or skilled should work by…

Why all writers should edit and all editors should write
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Why all writers should edit and all editors should write

If you’re a good writer, you should edit others. And if you’re an editor, you should write your own pieces. It’s not just a way to give back. It’s a way to expand your skills and your perspective. Why writers should edit If you love writing, do some editing. Work with others who are writing…

CrowdStrike’s passive arrogance after disrupting vast swaths of global travel

CrowdStrike’s passive arrogance after disrupting vast swaths of global travel

Virtually everything travel-related stopped working this morning, including all flights on United, American, and Delta Air Lines. A cybersecurity researcher called it “The largest IT outage in history.” The outage also crippled hospitals and emergency services. CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity company’s whose products are used by many large companies, was apparently to blame. It sent out…

Poorly designed FAQ tells the customer “screw you”: a lesson from Sub-Zero

Poorly designed FAQ tells the customer “screw you”: a lesson from Sub-Zero

A well-designed searchable set of answers is a great resource for customer service. But if your “FAQ” is actually a huge, rotting pile of crap, you do a disservice to customers by sending them there. A little context. My home has a Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezer. It came with the house. And as I learned from the…

OpenAI question: Should you trust a thief with receipts?

OpenAI question: Should you trust a thief with receipts?

OpenAI says it has proof that it didn’t steal Scarlett Johansson’s voice. Does that make it an honest company? OpenAI defends its actions Scarlett Johansson claimed OpenAI solicited her to train its latest AI, then released a voice called “Sky” that sounded just like her. Open AI says no, they didn’t use her voice, and…