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Silent album by 1,000+ musicians protests copyright theft.Over 1,000 musicians came together to release Is This What We Want? - an album protesting the UK government's proposed changes to copyright law. In late 2024, the UK government's proposed changes allow AI companies to build their products (and profits) on other people's copyrighted work - music, art, text and more - without a licence. This album consists of recordings of empty studios and performance spaces, representing the impact of government proposals would have on musicians' livelihoods. The track lists spells out a simple message: The British Government Must Not Legalise Music Theft To Benefit AI Companies. Album on Spotify. All profits from the album are donated to the charity Help Musicians - a charity for professional musicians of all genres, both in work and in retirement. Artists and groups involved include Kate Bush, Annie Lennox, Hans Zimmer, Imogen Heap, Billy Ocean and more. |
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Jellycats soft toys topple off shelves."They're just so cute and cuddly," says Amanda Hope, 36 year old software specialist in Surrey, UK. "There's something so irresistible about their happy little faces!" She reckons she has a £3,000 collection of Jellycat soft toys. She's featured in a BBC article by Charlotte Edwards, with other "kidults" buying collectible toys for themselves. Jellycats, Lego and Sonny Angels dolls are filling up TikTok feeds with unboxing videos and people showing their collection. Toy sales have been falling year on year as family budgets are squeezed - but adults are increasingly buying childhood favourites to escape their troubles, reports toy industry research group Circana. Research found buying soft toy collectibles had positive mental health benefits that help adults cope with turmoil. "The popularity of Sonny Angel and Jellycat illustrates the growing kidult trend," says Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown. She says the need for nostalgia amid current stresses of adulthood is fuelling sales. |
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From notebook to big screen in 72 hours. [Ad] I wonder how much revenue and opportunity you are leaving on the table... literally on the table, in your notebooks full of inspired ideas and unfinished projects. (Just ignore that pile you see next to me...) What holds you back? Is it the tech? The fear of visibility? Or just can't get started? The thing is, online platforms and formats and the attention of your audience changes, fast, a lot. Entrepreneurs get "overnight" success when they spot a gap and move fast. (And "overnight" is ironic because it takes years of skill and learning and observation and honing your craft and diligence to SPOT that gap in the market that you know you can fill at the time.) Your next idea could start earning revenue in 72 hours. Turn your napkin scribbles into a whole funnel with a checkout, segmentation tags and automations ready to go. That's what Pete Garbacz does, now. |
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"Aggressively generous" Gayle hands out treats to construction workers......But why? When Kitty Kistler says "goodness I love this level of love", you know it's going to warm your heart. Hippy 78-year-old retired engineer "aggressively generous mom" Gayle hands out treats (she always has treats ready for anyone) as these two drive through a construction zone. "Why do they deserve a treat, mom?" "Because no one understands these guys are standing out there all day trying to keep us safe!" More at Planet Gayle on Instagram. I'm in awe of the adorable collection of fluffy animal hats! |
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What do you want instead of outrage?When people in power make headlines (and own the media), and when we are caught in the endless loop of outrage and fear and despair - they have your attention. What's the best way out of it? Jamyle Cannon made a good point in his Instagram reel. "Everything we're about to face, we've already overcome." Historical figures - civil rights leaders - overcame incredible odds to create a better world for all of us. More incredibly, they did so with dignity and dedication and a singular focus; a strong, positive vision for the future. Duff McDuffee - a hypnotist with a new Progress Paradigm - wrote on their blog: It's OK to start with what you don't want. But if you actually want to create a better life or a better world, it's helpful to ask, "And what do you want instead of that?" Once you know what you want, focus on that. We can motivate ourselves and others through love and joy. This not only feels better, it also works better. |
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AI can help smaller businesses, not just tech giants. [Ad] AI is all over the news right now. And for businesses who want to use it (for good), it's overwhelming. Big promises, confusing jargon, and solutions that sell the world; but don't work as you need them to, as a small business owner. That's where Meredith Hicks comes in. Smart'R'Bots is built around one simple idea: AI should make running a business easier, not harder. "I don't believe in AI for the sake of it. I believe in AI that works for you. The kind that saves you time, makes you money, and doesn't require a PhD in Computer Science to use." What can AI be used for? The right tools can properly qualify leads (without you chasing them down), follow up (without you being online all the time), or ensure website visitors get what they came for, faster (without you panicking over analytics). No resource-intensive software, no pointless automations, and definitely no robotic chatbots that put customers off! And no expensive deal you won't use. Mere designs simple, effective, and actually useful AI solutions for small businesses (not just the tech giants). |
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"Hope locates itself in the premises that we don't know what will happen and that in the spaciousness of uncertainty is room to act. When you recognise uncertainty, you recognise you might be able to influence the outcomes... hope is an embrace of the unknown and the unknowable, an alternative to the certainty of both optimists and pessimists." Rebecca Solnit Hope in the Dark Foreword to the Third Edition (2015) |
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