text:
Q: Autocomplete losing focus because of angular-block-ui library I'm using the angular-block-ui library to handle all my http requests to prevent user input.
I've implemented an autocomplete feature on my web page using an input and datalist element. My issue is, each time I enter a value into the autocomplete block-ui is somehow causing the datalist to lose focus and causing the datalist to flicker. After the flicker you have to click the datalist to see the data.
I've tried using the following code snippet to prevent the block-ui from appearing when entering a value into my input element.
blockUI.stop();

Reference: https://github.com/McNull/angular-block-ui
However, this does not work. Has anyone come across the same issue with block-ui and have been able to resolve it? I'd really appreciate any feedback to help resolve my issue.
HTML:
<input id="product-code" class="col-md-2" type="text" placeholder="Product Code" name="productCode" list="search-list" ng-keyup="searchForProducts(productCode)" ng-model="productCode" />
<datalist id="search-list">
    <option ng-repeat="productCode in productCodeList" value="{{productCode}}">
</datalist>

JavaScript:
$scope.searchForProducts = function (productCode) {

    let code = productCode != undefined ? productCode : "";

    // when the product code is empty don't bother searching for products
    if (code != "") {

        worksOrderFactory.searchForProductCodes(productCode).then(function (data) {
            blockUI.stop();
            $scope.productCodeList = data;
        });
    }
};

I've also used the blockUI.stop(); outside of the promise but still no luck.
NB: during testing I removed block-ui from my website the autocomplete works as desired.

A: So after trial and error I was finally able to resolve my issue. I successfully prevented the block-ui from appear with the following line of code before my http call.
blockUIConfig.requestFilter = function () {
    return false;
};


Present at Roll Call: Nate Samples, Marvin Ostrander, Chuck Rigby and Lane Shaver. Steve Burich was absent.
Other City Officials Present: City Clerk Mary Jo Reese, Public Works Director Scott Church, Public Safety Director Rick Tasler, Library Director Angie Strong, Fire Chief Scott Maddux, Rescue Captain Randy Pecenka, Park and Recreation Board Chairperson Jolynne Carlson and Labor Day Board Chairperson, Lacey Ortiz.
Motion by Councilperson Shaver, second by Councilperson Rigby to open a public hearing regarding the proposed SRF Loan environmental review. No one was present at the meeting who wished to comment on the review information, and no correspondence was received at City Hall concerning the matter. Motion by Councilperson Shaver, seconded by Councilperson Rigby to close the public hearing.
Motion by Councilperson Ostrander, second by Councilperson Shaver to open a public hearing regarding the proposed 2019 GO Bond Issue. There was no correspondence received at City Hall regarding the matter and no one was present at the City Council meeting who wished to discuss the bond issue. Motion by Councilperson Rigby, seconded by Councilperson Burich to close the public hearing.
No Councilperson wished to declare a conflict of interest with any item on the agenda.
Motion by Councilperson Shaver, second by Councilperson Ostrander to approve the City Council meeting minutes of March 18, 2019.
Rachel Mann and Sara Behn of the Boone County Hospital Foundation asked the Council's permission to use the grass area at the Johnson Family Trailhead near the High Trestle Trail for the upcoming Trestle Hustle 2019 Duathlon on June 15, 2019.
Travis Risvold, president of the Madrid Area Chamber of Commerce reported The MAC banquet will be held Friday, April 6th at Snus Hill Winery. He also advised "Food Truck Thursday" will be starting, MAC will pay the fees for the vendors. The city-wide garage sale sponsored by MAC will take place on May 4, 2019. Persons wishing to participate can sign up at the Wilcox Printing office.
Motion by Councilperson Samples, second by Councilperson Ostrander to set a public hearing on the City of Madrid Public Improvements project. The public hearing will be held on May 6th, at 5:30 at City Hall.
The Council considered a letter of resignation submitted by Mike Fischer. His last day of employment will be April 26th after 26 years of service. Motion by Councilperson Shaver, second by Councilperson Samples to accept the resignation of Mike Fischer.
Motion by Councilperson Ostrander, second by Councilperson Rigby to approve a request to hire a full-time public works employee. This person would be hired to care for the parks, as Andy Tiernan will be going to streets full time. Church plans to advertise for the position in May.
Motion by Councilperson Rigby, second by Councilperson Shaver to allow Church to hire a part-time summer employee.
Motion by Councilperson Samples, second by Councilperson Rigby to set the date for the bid opening for the elementary school project for April 30, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. Final plans will be issued to bidders on April 9, 2019.
Church ask the Council to approve an expenditure in the amount of $8,148 to Precision Concrete Cutting. The company will grind down and repair the sidewalks owned by the City to make them ADA compliant. Church stated this will not be a permanent fix, but will save the city money for the short term. Motion by Councilperson Rigby, second by Councilperson Samples to approve the expense.
Church reported on a meeting held recently with residents of the Reddish Addition concerning the water lines in their development. The City owns the water main that runs past the addition, however the water lines are privately owned. He stated the City will not be taking over the lines, however he offered to help with any repairs, which would then be paid for by the Reddish Addition residents.
Church also advised the public works employees will be attending a conference in Des Moines on April 4th where they will be attending various workshops and seminars. Church hopes to open the public restrooms and water salesman for the summer as soon as the weather warms.
Rigby addressed the commission and announced the band; Cold Filtered will perform on Friday night of the celebration and is being sponsored by Dalton Concrete. The Commission is accepting nominations for Grand Marshall of the parade. Nominations can be dropped off at City Hall. The commission is also seeking sponsors to aid in the cost entertainment expenses for the older children during the celebration. The Labor Day meeting scheduled for April 16th has been rescheduled for April 17th and the meeting for May 7th has been rescheduled for May 8th.
Library Director Angie Strong thanked Lane Shaver for providing signage for the recent book sale held at the library. She also thanked the numerous volunteers who helped organize the event which raised over $600 for the library. She reported that she and Steph Fogarty will be attending a conference called "Kids Matter" and hopes to learn new programming ideas to implement at the library. The week of April 7-13 is National Library Week with the theme being, "Libraries equal strong communities." Several events are being planned during the week. Upcoming events include Early Out video game day, Chess Club, Pinterest Party, Family Board Game Night and movie night with the movie "Aquaman". Friends of the Library also has door prizes that will be given away.
Jolynne Carlson of the Park Board reported baseball and soccer have started practices. The board is planning a fundraiser called "Egg my House". For a fee, the board will place Easter eggs in the yards of the homes of participants that can then be found in the morning by their children.
Randy Pecenka of Madrid Fire and Rescue demonstrated the new Lucas device that was recently obtained by the department through a grant program. The device, valued at $16,000 performs CPR rather than having it performed manually. The Lucas device can only be used by trained EMT's or paramedics.
Fire Chief Scott Maddux requested that City Attorney John Flynn update a document that covers the legal requirements for doing a training burn of a structure. The department currently has such a document; however, they would like to have it updated. The department plans to burn a vacant house on Zookspur Road and will delay the burn until Flynn has completed the document update.
Maddux reported there have been 14 rescue calls and 1 fire call during the last two-week period. Maddux advised he is enforcing the HIPPA and drug and alcohol policies within the fire and rescue departments. Two wireless headsets have been installed in two of the fire vehicles. The department has also received two new sets of fire gear. The next business meeting for the department will be Wednesday April 3rd at 7:00 at the fire station. Pecenka advised the Council of the need to think about replacing some of the fire vehicles due to their age. Councilperson Shaver complimented Maddux for his handling of the department and advised that he make a list prioritizing the needs of the department and bring the list to the City Council for review.
Police Chief Rick Tasler reported the TAC10 system has been installed and they are currently waiting for passwords to access the system. Tasler is currently working on junk vehicle removal. Councilperson Samples reminded the public that all ordinance complaints need to go to Chief Tasler for handling.
Motion by Councilperson Rigby, second by Councilperson Shaver to approve the first reading of Ordinance #491, "An Ordinance Amending the code of Ordinances of the City of Madrid, Iowa, 2018, by amending Provisions Pertaining to the Policy and Administration of Ordinances. Title III, Chapter 3" and to set the public hearing for April 15, 2019 at 5:30 p.m.
Motion by Councilperson Samples, second by Councilperson Ostrander to approve the appointment of Denise Moore to the Board of Adjustments Commission. Councilperson Rigby asked if Moore had attended any meetings before deciding to apply for the position. There has not been a board of adjustments in several years.
The Council considered the appointment of Nancy Christenson to the Board of Adjustments. Mayor Brown felt there may be a conflict with Iowa Code Chapter 21, as she is the spouse of Denise Moore who was just appointed to the commission. As he foresees only three people being on the commission in the near future, he is concerned that any dialog between Christensen and Moore may constitute a conflict with the open meetings law. Christensen stressed that she is applying for Board of Adjustments, as there are currently not enough volunteers to conduct a meeting. Her wish is to become a member of Planning and Zoning. Mayor Brown asked to table the appointment until the next City Council meeting.
Motion by Councilperson Samples, seconded by Councilperson Rigby to approve the appointment of Don Lincoln to the Board of Adjustments Commission.
The Council considered Ordinance # 492. Councilperson Rigby feels the Ordinance should be amended to allow residents from outside of the City of Madrid to fill the Planning and Zoning Board if there are not enough volunteers from within the city limits. Attorney John Flynn stated Iowa Chapter 414 does not prohibit the addition of members from outside the city limits. Councilperson Samples also feels the membership should be extended to areas outside the city limits if the membership cannot be filled with city residents. Lacey Ortiz recommended allowing residency requirements to allow members from the school district. Nancy Christensen feels Planning and Zoning and Board of Adjustments are different from other boards and commissions as the other boards were designed for social matters. She asked that if the Council decides to appoint members to P and Z from outside the city limits, that they limit the number of people from those areas who can participate on the commission. Christensen asked that the Council consider passing the Ordinance as it stands and amending it later in order that the Planning and Zoning Commission can conduct business in the meantime. Motion by Councilperson Ostrander, seconded by Councilperson Samples to approve the 3rd reading of Ordinance # 492.
Mayor Brown asked to table the matter of Ordinance #492 until the next City Council Meeting on April 15, 2019. All Councilmembers agreed they would like to see an addition to the ordinance that would allow members on the Planning and Zoning Commission who reside either in the County of Boone, or the Madrid School district if enough qualified volunteers cannot be obtained from within the city limits.
Motion by Councilperson Shaver, second by Councilperson Rigby to approve a residential tax abatement request for the property at 511 South Walnut Street.
Attorney John Flynn reminded Councilmembers to review the information in the Council Packets so that errors or necessary changes can be caught early on in the approval process.
Don Lincoln of 1672 334th Road reported the Madrid Pacers Car Club will be holding a "Cruise Madrid Night". The first couple laps will be dedicated to the memory of Gene Morning. Lincoln asked the Council to decide what stipulations they may have for the restoration of the antique store building. Lincoln advised he agrees with the decision to allow people from outside of the city limits to be members of the planning and zoning commission.
Rick Tasler advised he will he will hold his fundraiser," Kickfest" on June 8th at the Flat Tire Lounge. Money raised will be donated to pay the Saturday or Sunday band for the Madrid Labor Day Celebration.
Kurt Kruse of 805 South Union Street advised the Council of the passing of Don Carlson, husband of former Park Board member Dualla Carlson. Mayor Brown called for a moment of silence to honor Carlson.
Kruse asked that the consider placing a stop sign on North Main Street between Edgewood Park and the ball fields on the east side of the road. He would like a mobile stop sign that can be placed at the location during times the ball fields are being used. Kruse also questioned the status of his application for the Senior Activities Commission. Mayor Brown advised the application had been received.
The Council reviewed correspondence received from Bankers Trust regarding a Service Transition Letter.
The request is to transfer the bond business to United Missouri Bank. The City of Madrid Financial Advisor Nate Summers from D.A. Davidson recommended not transferring to UMB, as another bank has lower rates. Mayor Brown asked that Summers attend the next council meeting to advise of the changes.
Councilperson Shaver commented he is happy with the direction the city taking in several areas. He has received many compliments about improvements being made within the city.
Rigby commented on the process of ordinance approval. He is happy with the way the citizens are stepping up to help clean up the community.
Mayor Brown commented on the removal of the Pizza Palace on Highway 17. He advised the antique store building owned by the City of Madrid has been shown to potential buyers. He hopes to have a bid for the property soon.
Motion by Councilperson Shaver, second by Councilperson Samples to close the City Council meeting at 8:00 p.m.


The music is reminiscent of groups like Junkyard and is played on things found in dumpsters, but the beats rising from 19th and M streets are anything but garbage.
Two go-go drummers, who go by the names of Donald D. and Rapper D., have been cranking out beats at this busy intersection for years. Using broom and mop handles to bang on garbage cans, buckets, traffic cones and shopping carts, the two D.C. natives provide the beat for partygoers on their way to bars and nightclubs.
Rapper, 29, has been drumming for 17 years, and he introduced the sound to Donald who, at age 27, has been drumming for 15 years. Rapper said his interest in go-go drumming developed when he was about 10 years old, when he began imitating Chuck Brown by beating on trashcans in his backyard. Donald, a childhood friend of Rapper, soon caught on.
The beats are in the style of Chuck Brown and the Junkyard Band, District-based musicians from the late 1970s and early 1980s who drew huge crowds with their unconventional instruments and drum beats.
Several years and street corners later, Rapper and Donald have developed a fast-paced style of their own. The two spend hours on end playing off each other's beats, competing for the best sound.
The style is truly D.C.-based.
Their equipment is hardly traditional. Rapper said he finds his buckets and trashcans in dumpsters outside construction sites. He developed his own drumming style of holding a bigger stick in one hand to hit his "bass," a large trashcan, and using a smaller stick in the other for his higher-pitched buckets. Both sticks show wear from months of drumming and look as though they've been chewed on.
Donald said he drums for his own entertainment, not the dollar bills tipsy passersby continuously drop into the lone bucket he doesn't beat upon.
"I do it for fun, man. I do it for my heart. I play for Jesus, man," Donald said.
Depending on the season, Donald said he gets anywhere from $75 to $150 a night, with his highest gross coming in the summer.
The two said they're waiting for their "break" – to have their drumming talent discovered by someone who can take them from the street corner to the studio.
"I'll get famous. I told you, it's coming," said Donald, adding that he plans to make a CD in the coming weeks and have it available on the street.
He said he knows his drumming is appreciated because people hang out and dance to his beat, particularly on Saturday nights.
"People are just out here dancing at three, four in the morning," he said.
Donald said Metropolitan Police officers often come and try to stop the drumming. He said on rare occasion they come because of complaints from nearby office buildings, but mostly he thinks the officers are acting on their own whims.
"If (locals) don't want me here, why are they putting money in my bucket?" he questioned. Since he has been on the corner for over a decade, Donald said he doesn't think he'll be shut down permanently any time soon.
Rapper said there are occasions when he has to stop drumming. He said this was a big problem after 9/11, when no one was happy with drumming so early in the morning.
Though he started at 19th and M streets and usually plays there, Rapper said his beats have been heard throughout the city; he has played on The Mall, in Dupont Circle and in Georgetown.


Orthodontist Tito Norris poses with the candy his office collected last year through a Halloween candy buyback program. Photo Credit.
f seeing the heaps of candy your children amass on Halloween gives you a seasonal scare of another sort - oh the sugar! the empty calories! - several local dentists and orthodontists have the perfect solution: cold hard cash.
That's what they'll give to kids who trade in their candy - at a rate of $1 per pound. And then, as part of a national effort, they'll send the candy to a nonprofit group that makes care packages for U.S. troops deployed to Afghanistan and other places overseas.
But, orthodontist Dr. Tito Norris says, "Let's do it in moderation."
"It's not good for anyone to eat pounds and pounds of candy," Norris says. "It's not good for your body. It's not good for your braces. It's not good for your teeth."
Norris' Stone Oak Orthodontics has joined a growing network of dentists affiliated with halloweencandybuyback.com, which allows users to type in a ZIP code and find nearby practices that will buy back Halloween candy.
The program, started in 2007 by a Wisconsin dentist and pitched as a way to both benefit kids and brighten the day of deployed troops, has snowballed from about 300 dentists the first year to more than 1,000, including at least four in San Antonio.
The dentists send the candy to California-based nonprofit Operation Gratitude, which last year received 250,000 pounds - or 125 tons - of Halloween candy. Operation Gratitude then mixes in the candy when making care packages that also contain toiletries, DVDs, CDs, video games, headsets, webcams, snack food and letters of thanks; organizers plan to ship 100,000 care packages over the next year, says Ann Hamilton, Operation Gratitude's director of social media.
As we enter the sweet season, parents are worried kids might indulge their way to obesity by gobbling up too many Halloween candy. But having a little fun with candy once a year will not lead to childhood obesity, says Ken Haller, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics at Saint Louis University.
As they left the ADA's annual meeting last week in San Francisco, leaders of a public health dental group were breathing a collective sigh of relief.
Resolution 17, a measure some saw as a threat to their organization and specialty, failed to win approval.
If it had passed, leaders of the American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD) said that the resolution could have prevented their organization from continuing to sponsor the board that certifies their specialty.
"All and all we are pleased with the outcome," said Catherine Hayes, DMD, DMSc, president-elect of the AAPHD.
Public health dentistry is one of nine specialties currently recognized by the ADA. The resolution, put forth by the ADA's Council on Dental Education and Licensure, would have limited voting and holding office within organizations that sponsor a dental specialty to board-certified or board-eligible dentists.
In contrast, the AAPHD has a long tradition of allowing nondentists, including hygienists, epidemiologists, and other healthcare professionals, to join and serve in leadership positions. Only board-certified public health dentists are allowed to vote on matters pertaining to the specialty's national certifying board, the American Board of Dental Public Health. But working across disciplines remains an important part of the public health mission, AAPHD leaders said.
"In public health, we deal with populations using a team approach," explained Myron Allukian Jr., DDS, MPH, a past AAPHD president. "We need to work with all members of the health team and the dental team."
Going into the ADA meeting, one AAPHD member who did not want to be named worried that Resolution 17 was intended as a rebuke against AAPHD's publication of a series of papers highlighting proposed curriculum guidelines for the training of dental therapists, a model strongly opposed by the ADA (Journal of Public Health Dentistry, Spring 2011, Vol. 71:suppl s2, pp. S3-S8).
Swiss dental implant maker Straumann (STMN.S) said it would axe roughly 150 jobs to boost margins as it grapples with sluggish demand in Europe, its biggest market.
The euro zone debt crisis has battered sales of dental implants made by Straumann and its Swiss rival Nobel Biocare (NOBN.S) as cash-strapped Europeans, worried about the downturn, cut back on non-essential dental treatment.
Chief Executive Beat Spalinger said the company had decided to slash 150 jobs by the start of 2013 - roughly 6 percent of its global workforce - after operating margins fell below 15 percent in the first half of the year, a level he deemed "unacceptable".
The axe will fall on jobs at Straumann's headquarters in Basel as well as sales subsidiaries around the world while manufacturing will be spared, Spalinger said.
Third-quarter sales rose 4 percent to 156.8 million Swiss francs ($167.41 million), compared with an average estimate in a Reuters poll of 158 million.


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Prosecution appeals verdict in Danish jetski tragedy
The police prosecution authority has said a prison sentence of two years is not a harsh enough punishment for a man convicted of negligent manslaughter for an accident that cost two American students their lives.
Tributes at the Islands Brygge waterfront in Copenhagen after the accident in May 2017. File photo: Liselotte Sabroe/Scanpix Denmark
The sentence, which was given by Copenhagen City Court after the man was convicted earlier this month, will now be appealed at the High Court, news agency Ritzau reports.
The accident occurred on May 6th last year, when the 25-year-old, who works in construction, crashed his jetski into a rented boat in Copenhagen Harbour.
International students Leah Bell, 18, from Louisiana and 21-year-old Linsey Malia of Massachusetts lost their lives in the accident.
During proceedings, the court was shown video footage of a group of jetskis travelling towards the central part of the harbour at high speeds just before the accident.
The prosecution had asked for a four-year prison sentence to be given.
"We are of the opinion that his sailing should be treated equally to reckless driving," deputy state prosecutor Ander Riisager of the Copenhagen State Prosecution Service told Ritzau.
The prosecution has decided to accept the punishments given to seven other jetski riders who were in the group that included the 25-year-old.
The seven were accused of endangering life by sailing recklessly in the harbour at the time of the accident, and could have faced months-long prison sentences.
But the court found them to have been proven only of breaching maritime safety laws, not the more serious charge of endangering life, resulting in their relatively mild sentences of fines of up to 11,700 kroner (1,570 euros).
Although the prosecution had argued for custodial sentences for the seven, that request will not be pursued.
READ ALSO: Danish man given two-year prison sentence for fatal jetski accident
The Local [email protected] @thelocaldenmark
Danish high court increases sentence for driver in fatal jetski accident
After fatal tragedy, jetskis fined for sailing in Copenhagen harbour

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
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Gaza Returns to Donkey Days
By Mohammed Omer	Reprint | | Print | |En español
Palestinian child on donkey cart next to garbage container in Gaza City. Credit: Mohammed Omer/IPS
GAZA CITY , Dec 5 2013 (IPS) - The garbage trucks of Gaza city are at a standstill due to an ongoing fuel shortage affecting all aspects of daily life, including garbage collection, sewage and waste disposal and other vital services. But the local donkeys are here to help.
Abu Hesham on his donkey cart won't be able to clear all the streets of garbage. In Gaza's Barcelona neighbourhood, trash bins are overflowing – a common sight since fuel for motor vehicles became scarce – and as the 33-year-old donkey cart owner approaches the garbage dump, there is no space left and no option but to throw the trash out on the side of the road.
"What else can I do?" he tells IPS as he carries sacks of waste at 7:00 AM through Gaza's misty weather.
The smell of rotting garbage is getting worse and worse. The people in Gaza attempt to burn the garbage to reduce the quantity and minimise the risk of infection, so the air is filled with black smoke too. Right now, breathing fresh air is not an option for most people in Gaza, whether children or adults.
The municipality, administered by Gaza's de facto government, is stuck between the ongoing Israeli siege, the ruling Hamas' rival Fatah, and Egypt's new military regime.
Mahmoud Abu Jabal, 55, travels on his donkey through Gaza's city streets. His barefoot son, 10-year-old Ala'a Abu Jabal, follows behind between piles of garbage scattered across the streets.
The Gaza municipality announced that fuel supplies for their trucks had run out and they couldn't afford the more expensive fuel.
In the past few years, the war-torn Gaza Strip relied on Egyptian fuel at 3.5 Israeli shekels (one dollar) per litre. Then in July, Egypt closed down all supply tunnels to Gaza in an attempt to crush the Hamas Islamic movement for being an ally to overthrown Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi (2012-2013). The municipality says that fuel coming through Israel is heavily taxed, forcing them to pay double, at 7.0 Israeli shekels per litre.
Abu Jabal's work has become more demanding in the last two weeks. His previous route was around one of Gaza's main hospitals, but now he and his donkey and his son must collect garbage from throughout Gaza City.
"This is my only source of income to feed my 12 children and the donkey," he says.
Abu Jabal is sick, and can find no other job when the garbage trucks are up and running. He earns about 700 Israeli shekels (200 dollars), although it doesn't cover all his family's needs.
The minister of local government in Gaza, Mohammed Al-Farra, standing alongside one of Gaza's largest garbage dumps close to the Yarmouk soccer field in central Gaza City, told a press conference, "All of the garbage trucks, which collect about 1,700 tonnes of waste a day, have stopped."
In order to keep Gaza's streets clean, it takes 150,000 litres of fuel a month to run the garbage trucks. Not to mention the 7,000 litres of diesel to provide clean water and sanitation.
Between the villages and camps, Palestinians can find nowhere else to put their garbage except along the roads or at random garbage sites in residential areas. According to Al-Farra, this could lead to the spread of bacteria, diseases and epidemics.
But the fuel shortage is not only causing the garbage overflow. Gaza's main power plant has no fuel, leaving all Gazans in an energy blackout for up to 18 hours a day. Families have no heat, light or cooking facilities and are surrounded by rotting garbage.
Further north in the Gaza Strip, in Beit Lahia, health officials warned that a potential environmental disaster is imminent if flooding occurs due to the power outages, says Mayor Khalil Matar.
Almost 30,000 cups of wastewater are being dumped into Beit Lahia's sewage tank and power cuts of 18 hours per day could well cause the sewage to flood into neighbouring areas, where clinics are threatened too. The ministry is no longer able to afford to pay its workers wages due to financial difficulties, Matar says.
In 2007, the sewage-disposal pool collapsed, and residential areas were flooded, killing four Palestinians and destroying crops.
Matar has appealed to Arab and international groups to urgently intervene and help his city overcome the crisis and prevent further suffering.
MIDEAST: Medical Crisis Worsening in Gaza
Local and international human rights groups have expressed concern about potential environmental disasters. United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry told a news conference in northern Gaza that Turkey would donate fuel as a temporary solution.
The municipal authorities in Gaza City received 16,700 litres of fuel. Officials say the amount is only enough for a few days.
Dozens of homes of Palestinian refugees have been flooded in Gaza due to heavy rain. Rescue teams have been evacuating families in different locations after sewage systems flooded Wednesday morning.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said that 19 of its 20 construction projects in Gaza had ground to a halt because of an Israeli block on building materials.
Gaza's de facto government announced it would deduct from the wages of its staff members in order to employ 430 workers to collect garbage using 250 extra donkey carts, one of which is driven by Abu Jabal.
The workers' job begins at 4:00 AM, when the noise of donkeys pulling carts begins to echo through the streets – and by noon they have collected all they can find.
Abdel Rahim Abu al-Komboz, general director of health and environment in Gaza municipality, says "We are experiencing a crisis." He said the problem has been aggravated as people are using undesignated locations for dumping waste in the crowded Gaza Strip, which is home to 1.8 million Palestinians.
"When the economy comes to a halt, unemployment rates increase, which means people cannot pay their bills for services, leaving only 10-15 percent of the population who can pay," Abu al-Komboz says.
When the supply tunnels were active, bringing in tuck-tucks (three-wheel motorcycles), many Palestinians joked about the tasks of donkey carts being replaced by tuck-tucks, which need limited care. However, the tuck-tucks are out of fuel now and the donkeys with their cart owners are back on the streets of Gaza, to help as best they can.
The garbage collector may only earn around 200 dollars to feed a whole family, but at least he can open a bag of garbage on his cart and pull out discarded food to feed his donkey.
But the potential health threats to Gaza are still unaddressed, including the contamination of groundwater, scavengers, stray dogs and rodents.
Israel - Palestine
Poverty & MDGs


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PTR+SRI-MS technology
Next higher product group ionisation technology (mass spectrometry)_other
Status 2009-05-13 sales start
Organisation Ionicon Analytik GmbH
Group Ionicon (Group)
Ionicon Analytik GmbH. (5/13/09). "Press Release: Multiple Reagent Ions with New Ionicon PTR+SRI-MS technology".
IONICON, the worlds' leading PTR-MS company, is entering a new dimension in on-line mass spectrometry launching its new PTR+SRI-MS technology.
SRI stands for Switchable Reagent Ions and describes a new feature where instead of the single precursor ion (H3O+) used so far in PTR-MS systems also NO+ and O2+ can be used to chemically ionize trace constituents in gas samples.
The benefits are extraordinary as not only isomeric VOC compounds can be separated and instantaneously quantified (the separation of isobaric compounds is already possible by using the IONICON HRS PTR-TOF-MS) but also substances with a smaller proton affinity (PA) than the PA of H2O can now be detected with help of SRI techniques.
Unlike many other technologies IONICON PTR+SRI-MS instruments provide ultra-low detection limits in the single-digit pptv-range (reaching now even the ppqv detection regime) and very high sensitivity.
PTR+SRI-MS technology is now available with most IONICON products as an option or as upgrade for your existing PTR-MS instrument.
IONICON is the world's leading producer of on-line VOC detectors with market-leading, on-line and real-time, single-digit, pptv-level sensitivities using the unique proton transfer reaction . mass spectrometry technology. For more than a decade, IONICON is serving leading scientists in universities and multinational companies with VOC detection and quantification instruments in many different areas including environmental research, pollution monitoring, atmospheric chemistry, food & flavour science, illicit substances detection and has sold more than 150 systems in its first 10 years of existence.
The IONICON product range comprises the IONICON High-Sensitivity PTR-MS with its market-leading detection limit of < 5 pptv; the IONICON Compact PTR-MS, a very robust and small VOC monitoring system with a very advantageous price and the IONICON HRS PTR-TOF-MS providing a mass resolution of up to 7000 m/.m and high time resolution. Product information: www.PTRMS.com/technology/ions.html
Lukas Märk
Ionicon Analytik GmbH
Technikerstrasse 21a
A 6020 Innsbruck
mailto: info@ptrms.com
Web: www.PTRMS.com
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Okay, when I had got up from the studies a while ago, I really needed some refreshment. But after I got up, my mom gave me dinner, and I am refreshed already. So currently I am feeling like I am wasting time by writing blog.
Nevertheless, I will give a short write-up for this post.
Our university exams are beginning from tomorrow, and so I made a quick checklist to make sure I carry all the important things to the exam hall. Luckily, I got my exam centre in my city itself; that too, it is ten minutes away by an auto. I am feeling too lucky. Your list would differ a bit from mine, if you are travelling by any other means of transport, like if by train then a train pass, if by car, then license, etc.
The grammar is not really good, but I made it in a hurry. By the way, H.T. means the Hall Ticket.
That's it. If you have exams coming in few days, then all the best. Do well, and yes, don't forget to read the exam tips and essentials you need to carry to the exam advised by me.


The Standing Stone: Cloncourse, Fortified House, Co. Laois.
Cloncourse, Fortified House, Co. Laois.
Location - Near Ballaghmore village which is just off the N7 between Roscrea and Borris-in-Ossory.
Description and History - Built in 1636 by the O'Duigen family Cloncourse Castle is a four storey fortified house in poor condition. The house was damaged early in its life when Cromwell's forces fired on it damaging the house and surrounding bawn. Yeomen were stationed here during the 1798 rebellion and the house was attacked. The front wall of the house finally collapsed in 1898. None of the floors now remain. The absence of large amounts of rubble from the fallen N wall suggests it has been looted for the building of nearby walls. Also, the presence of a severely rusted sledgehammer near the bashed out corner of a wall suggests that stone has been forcibly removed at some point. The bawn which surrounds the property still survives in places including part of the much overgrown gate-house in the S wall and the remains of an outhouse in the N wall. Gun-loops are visible in the bawn wall. A machicolation is located over the entrance to the house. Fireplaces on the first, second and third floors can still be seen on the E wall. Although in poor condition Cloncourse really gives you a taste of a castle in its original context as the land looks like it hasn't changed in many centuries. However, the house is now all but forgotten and is slowly disappearing into the landscape. The huge cracks in the remaining walls suggest that this structure is not far from total collapse.
Difficulty - Two tracks lead to Cloncourse and both are visible on the OS map. The route heading SE from the NW is the hardest track and is extremely muddy. Approaching on the track from the SE and heading NW is much easier but does require climbing a fence. No matter which way you approach, it will be muddy at the entrance to the castle site. Walking boots are highly necessary. Also mind the cattle.
Looking through the destroyed bawn.


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The allegation that either Cuomo or his staff was informed of a private vote by JCOPE sparked an investigation by the state Inspector General's Office.
The probe came after the board member, Julie Garcia, said she was contacted after the vote by a staff member to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, who had appointed her to the board.
She brought her complaint to JCOPE executive director Seth Agata, and the IG's investigation was commenced.
"I was alarmed when I was contacted so quickly after that (January) meeting," Garcia told the paper.
"I was being told the governor knew how I voted in executive session, even though I was unable to confirm whether or not the information was accurate."
What was the case about?
A JCOPE spokesman said Thursday the claim could not be substantiated by the IG's office.
"The Commission was advised of an allegation that confidential information had been released outside of the Commission," JCOPE spokesman Walt McClure said.
"The law requires certain steps, and the Commission acted accordingly. We have since been advised that the allegation could not be substantiated."
Lee Park, a spokesman for Inspector General Letizia Tagliafierro, said she recused herself from the case.
Agata, who is no longer JCOPE's executive director, and Tagliafierro are both former Cuomo aides. Tagliaferro also once served as JCOPE's executive director.
Park said the probe found no wrongdoing.
"The Inspector General's Office was notified of a potential leak regarding the Joint Commission on Public Ethics," he said. "The matter was investigated and found to be unsubstantiated.
Cuomo senior adviser Richard Azzopardi said nothing improper occurred.
"The governor and the speaker have talked about ethics over the years, but have not had any conversations that were inappropriate," he said.
Heastie spokesman Michael Whyland said while Heastie and Cuomo have had "many conversations" about ethics, "He does not recall having a conversation with the Governor regarding the specifics of any JCOPE investigation."
He added, "The Governor has certainly never asked the Speaker to call commission members to change votes about any investigation."
The Times Union noted the complaint by Garcia, who is the former Essex County district attorney, came around the time JCOPE would have voted on whether to investigate Percoco.
More:Is this the year NY government rids itself of corruption and scandals?
Did JCOPE investigate Percoco?
Percoco was Cuomo's top aide for decades, but was he convicted last year on charges he took bribes from upstate developers with business before the state. He started serving a six-year prison term in March.
Separate from Percoco's criminal case, then-GOP gubernatorial candidate Marc Molinaro and GOP chairman Ed Cox filed a complaint with JCOPE during the 2018 campaign.
Molinaro, the Dutchess County executive, called for an investigation into whether Percoco illegally used state resources to help Cuomo's campaign in 2014. Court records revealed Percoco was perhaps making calls from the executive chamber despite being on leave to run Cuomo's campaign.
In mid-December 2018, a state judge ruled JCOPE needed to vote within 30 days on whether to investigate Percoco's actions.
So the timeline has fueled charges that Cuomo was aware of JCOPE's activities, despite state law that makes the board independent from public officials' oversight.
"This smoking gun proves what we have been saying all along, which is that Cuomo and JCOPE have been colluding to ensure he evades prosecution for his crimes," state GOP chairman Nick Langworthy said.
The latest allegation comes several years after the Cuomo administration was accused of meddling in a Moreland Commission he created in 2013 to root out corruption in state government.
The shuttering of the Moreland Commission and alleged tampering by Cuomo's office was investigated by then U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who in January 2016 said there was "insufficient evidence to prove a federal crime."
More: Bharara clears Cuomo's office in Moreland Commission probe
More:Joseph Percoco, Cuomo's former top aide, ordered to prison


WEST HAM are weighing up a move for Darijo Srna should his proposed switch to Barcelona fail to materialise.
The Shakhtar Donetsk defender is a close friend of Slaven Bilic, who is desperately looking to sign a right back.
Srna, 34, is set to leave Shakhtar next month and is on Barcelona's radar as a back-up to first-choice right back Sergi Roberto.
But West Ham, who are still monitoring Carl Jenkinson's situation at Arsenal, have also expressed an interest.
Bilic and Srna go way back with the Hammers boss making him captain of Croatia in 2009, and the two are still in regular contact.
Right back has been a problem position for West Ham all season with Michail Antonio and Sam Byram both struggling there.
Srna would be an upgrade on both and would add considerable experience to a team in relegation trouble.
He could also be allowed to leave to leave for a nominal fee because he is out contract at Shakhtar next summer.
Whether he could be convinced to sign up for a survival fight at West Ham remains to be seen.
But the Hammers have a made a series of ambitious enquiries already this month and are desperate to sign some big names.
Liverpool misfit Daniel Sturridge and Juventus striker Mario Mandzukic remain targets but the club accept signing them may prove difficult.


text:
Russia remains biggest oil supplier to India for second month in a row
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For the second month in a row, Russia remained India's top oil supplier in November, according to data from energy cargo tracker Vortexa. The imports in November were made ahead of a price cap agreed by the EU on Russian seaborne oil.
A Russian state flag flies on the top of a diesel plant in the Yarakta Oil Field, owned by Irkutsk Oil Company (INK), in Irkutsk Region (Photo: Reuters/File)
By Press Trust of India: Russia has for the second month in a row remained India's top oil supplier in November, surpassing traditional sellers Iraq and Saudi Arabia, according to data from energy cargo tracker Vortexa.
Russia, which made up for just 0.2 per cent of all oil imported by India in the year to March 31, 2022, supplied 9,09,403 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil to India in November. It now makes up for more than a fifth of India's oil supplies.
According to Vortexa, an energy intelligence firm, India imported 8,61,461 bpd of oil from Iraq in November and 5,70,922 bpd from Saudi Arabia. The United States was India's fourth largest supplier at 4,05,525 bpd.
India's imports from Russia in November were lower than the volumes bought in October. India's appetite for Russian oil swelled ever since it started trading on discounts as the West shunned it to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.
As per Vortexa, India imported just 36,255 barrels per day of crude oil from Russia in December 2021, compared to 1.05 million bpd from Iraq and 9,52,625 bpd from Saudi Arabia.
There were no imports from Russia in the following two months, but they resumed in March, soon after the Ukraine war broke out in late February.
ALSO READ | No one asked India to stop buying Russian oil, says Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri
India imported 68,600 bpd of Russian oil in March, while it increased to 2,66,617 bpd in the following month and peaked at 9,42,694 bpd in June. But in June, Iraq was India's top supplier with 1.04 million bpd of oil. Russia, in that month, became India's second-biggest supplier.
Imports dipped marginally in the following two months. They stood at 8,76,396 bpd in September before rising to a record 9,35,556 bpd in October, according to Vortexa.
The Indian government has been vehemently defending its trade with Russia, saying it has to source oil from where it is the cheapest. The imports in November were made ahead of a price cap agreed by the EU on Russian seaborne oil.
But, the government has indicated that oil companies will continue to buy oil from Russia outside the price cap. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on December 7 told the Rajya Sabha that Indian refiners will continue to look for the best deals in the interest of the country.
"We do not ask our companies to buy Russian oil. We ask our companies to buy oil (based on) what is the best option that they can get. Now, it depends on what the market throws up," he had said while replying to clarifications sought by MPs on his suo moto statement on foreign policy.
ALSO READ | India can buy as much Russian oil as it wants, says US. Terms and conditions apply
The companies will go after sources that are more competitive, Jaishankar added.
"Please do understand it's not just we buy oil from one country. We buy oil from multiple sources, but it is a sensible policy to go where we get the best deal in the interests of the Indian people, and that is exactly what we are trying to do," he said.
The executive body of the European Union has asked its 27 member countries to cap the price of Russian oil at USD 60 a barrel as part of the West's attempt to squeeze Moscow's oil revenues and limit its ability to wage war in Ukraine while keeping global prices and supplies steady.
From December 5, western shipping and insurance companies are prohibited from handling Russian oil sold above the price cap. However, ships loaded with Russian oil before December 5 and unloaded at their destination before January 19, will not be subject to the price cap.
A top government official said India can continue to buy Russian oil if it can send ships, cover insurance and devise a mode of payment.
ALSO READ | India set to skip buying Russia's ESPO crude in September as freight costs jump
'Creepy': Prince Harry has 'got to stop' seeing his mother in Meghan
Georgia man stole patrol car while under arrest, police searching for suspect
Jharkhand: Court sentences 2 men to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment for gang rape
Smith & Wesson Stock: Potentially Better Than Peers (NASDAQ:SWBI)


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Tag Archives: the Noble Savage
Americans in Paris: George Washington
Posted by michelinewalker in France, History, United States
Americans in Paris, Beaumarchais' Figaro, Casuistry, Freemasonry, George Washington, La Fayette, Mental Assent and Casuistry, Pierre de Beaumarchais, the Edict of Versailles 1787, the Noble Savage
Washington and Lafayette at Valley Forge
Lafayette as a Lieutenant General, by Joseph-Désiré Court, 1791
The French and the American Revolutionary War
A Desperate situation
The Marquis de Lafayette
A hesitant Louis XVI
Lafayette[i] (6 September 1757 – 20 May 1834) arrived in Philadelphia in July 1777. Consequently, he was in the future United States a year after the American Declaration of Independence (14 July 1776) and a year before France's Treaty of Alliance (1778) with Americans seeking independence from the motherland: Britain. In fact, when La Fayette arrived in North America, the Founding Fathers needed substantial help to win the American War of Independence, also called the American Revolutionary War. No country was mightier than Britain, so the American dream seemed impossible to achieve. At Valley Forge, "[s]tarvation, disease, and exposure killed nearly 2,500 American soldiers by the end of February 1778." (See Valley Forge, Wikipedia.)
In other words, when Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de Lafayette, Marquis de Lafayette[i] left France, both France and the future United States were in a desperate situation. Benjamin Franklin was in Paris seeking financial and military support for the Thirteen Colonies, but Louis XVI (23 August 1754 – 21 January 1793) was hesitant. The Seven Years' War and Louis XV's extravagant and irresponsible reign had drained France. The French could not afford to enter into a war, but the future United States needed reliable allies.
Moreover, the French military was eager to support the Americans. The duc de Choiseuil (28 June 1719 – 8 May 1785), the Chief Minister of the French King and Foreign Minister of France during the Seven Years' War, had been deeply humiliated by the Treaty of Paris (1763), and so had French military. Therefore, such men as La Fayette hoped to serve in North America and regain the prestige France had lost in 1763. The French military had regrouped and replenished its supplies, so all it needed was an "opportunity."
The Treaty of Alliance with France (1778)
At his wit's end, de guerre lasse, but heartened by the American victory at the Battles of Saratoga, Louis XVI signed the above-mentioned Treaty of Alliance with France, on 6 February 1778, at the Hôtel de Crillon in Pairs, providing George Washington, the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army (the American army), with men, ammunition and other army supplies. Other countries, for instance the Netherlands, also accepted to fight for the American cause.
Lafayette had distinguished himself from the start and had been named major-general. He distinguished himself at the Battle of Brandywine (11 September 1777), a British victory, but not altogether conclusive. He and American troops had also won the "Battle of Barren Hill" (28 May 1778). Lafayette then went to France to ask for greater support, a "6,000-man expeditionary army," and proved convincing. On his return to America, in April 1780, Lafayette was named commander of the army in Virginia, "forced" Lord Charles Cornwallis to retreat across Virginia and "entrapped" him at Yorktown. He was then joined by a French fleet and several additional Americans, so General Cornwallis surrendered on 19 October 1781. According to Britannica, at this point the British cause was lost."[ii]
However, France had recognised the independence of the United States after the Battles of Saratoga (19 September and 7 October 1777), three years before the Siege of Yorktown, which ended in 1781. (See Surrender of General Burgoyne, Wikipedia.) When it entered the American War of Independence, France transformed the war into a world war.
The Surrender of Lord Cornwallis (19 October 1781), by John Trumbull, 1819-1820 (on the left side are the French and on the right, the Americans) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Surrender of General Burgoyne (7 October 1777) at the Battle of Saratoga, by John Trumbull, 1822 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
George Washington in Paris
After the Siege of Yorktown, Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette was a hero. Upon his return to France, in 1782, he was therefore promoted to maréchal de camp (brigadier general). In 1784, he returned to the United States and became a citizen of several states. However, not only did Lafayette possess superior military acumen, but he had grown an exceptional and lasting friendship with George Washington, as he would later with Thomas Jefferson. Lafayette named his son Georges Washington. Moreover, although an aristocrat by birth, he became a Freemason. (See List of Freemasons, Wikipedia.)
As I have noted in an earlier post, Freemasonry recognized a nobility of the mind. Haydn and Mozart were Freemasons. Viennese aristocracy would not have considered them "aristocrats." Therefore, in the future United States, beginning with George Washington, the first President of the United States, a large number of American Presidents would be Freemasons. It was an aristocracy based on merit.
Moreover, George Washington was a Protestant, yet a man of virtue and merit. The Age of Enlightenment advocated the separation of Church and State and, by the sametoken, it also promoted virtue without a formal adhesion to a religion: laïcité (secularism).
George Washington was a good man in an age, the Age of Enlightenment, that advocated the separation of Church and State and, by extension, also promoted virtue per se rather than virtue rooted in a religion. During his stay in France as American Minister, Jefferson, the main author of the American Declaration of Independence, helped La Fayette, its principal author, draft the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen (26 August 1789), a document that can be described as a product of the Enlightenment. Again a Protestant was working with a Catholic and vice versa. In fact, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, issued in late August 1789, resembles the American Declaration of Independence (4 July 1776), whose main author was Thomas Jefferson. Both declarations are products of the Enlightenment and John Locke's influence. (See Americans in Paris: Thomas Jefferson.)
1) The Enlightenment separated nobility (hereditary) and merit (earned nobility, or nobility in itself). George Washington was not an aristocrat, but he had a noble and superior mind, as did the untitled Thomas Jefferson, the main author of the American Declaration of Independence (4 July 1776). There would be a nobility of the mind.
2) Moreover, the Enlightenment separated virtue and religion. A Protestant could be virtuous and so could a Catholic. Adhesion to a religion was not the standard by which morality and virtue were to be measured. Lafayette discovered virtue in Protestant George Washington, and was therefore motivated to entrench tolerance of non-Catholics in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen (1789). There would also be a nobility of the spirit, regardless of creed.
Article 10 of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen reads as follows:
"No one shall be disquieted on account of his opinions, including his religious views, provided their manifestation does not disturb the public order established by law." (See Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, Wikipedia.)
The Edict of Versailles (1787)
Furthermore, impressed by George Washington, Lafayette, who had become a Freemason, asked King Louis XVI to revoke the Edict of Fontainebleau, promulgated by Louis XIV on 22 October 1685. The Edict of Fontainebleau had revoked the Edict of Nantes (1598), an edict of religious tolerance between Catholics and French Calvinist Protestants, the Huguenots. The Edict of Nantes had been promulgated by Henri IV, king of Navarre and king of France, who had been a Huguenot but had converted to Catholicism in order to be king of France. And now, in 1787, following La Fayette's advice, Louis XVI promulgated the Edict of Versailles. Times had changed.
The Nobility of the spirit
Moral superiority
The Edict of Versailles
So I will conclude by saying, first, that Lafayette
distinguished himself in America, as a soldier;
that he was the main author of Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen;
that, immensely impressed by a virtuous and good George Washington, a Protestant, he asked Louis XVI, king of France and Navarre, to promulgate the Edict of Versailles, an edict of tolerance of non-Catholics and Jews. Lafayette was again very convincing. Louis signed the Edict of Versailles on 7 November 1787, and it was registered in the parlement of the Ancien Régime, on 29 January 1788. On the advice of La Fayette, Louis XVI ended the persecution of French Calvinists, the Huguenots.
and that, because he was influenced by George Washington, a good person, he led Lafayette to join Freemasonry, which advocated the recognition of superior talent and merit.
Second, I will suggest
that George Washington, a Protestant and a Freemason, can be looked upon as our third American in Paris, brought to the French capital by Lafayette;
that his legacy is one of the spirit, or moral superiority;
that, because of his friendship with Lafayette, George Washington earned support for the future United States;
and that, because George Washington was a Protestant, yet a man whose moral integrity could not be questioned, he led Lafayette to ask Louis XVI to end the persecution of French Protestant Calvinists.
The "alliance" between France and the United States was broken only once. France opposed the War in Iraq. Iraq was and is a sovereign nation and entering a sovereign nation is a violation of International Law, a law rooted, at least in part, in the American Declaration of Independence and in its French counterpart, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, which is very ironic. However, the United States' ties with France have been reaffirmed by President Obama, the current President of the United States of America and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. These ties date back to Treaty of Alliance signed by Louis XVI, King of France, in 1778. In my opinion, this is an excellent record.
Allow me to add a few words. Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, the author of The Marriage of Figaro (1784), a play transformed into an opera buffa (a comic opera) by Mozart (1786), recruited soldiers wishing to fight in the American Revolutionary War. Pierre Charles L'Enfant, an architect and civil engineer, was recruited by Beaumarchais.
After the war, L'Enfant settled in New York where he was initiated into Freemasonry. In 1791, he was appointed, by George Washington, to design the layout of the future capital of the United States. L'Enfant incorporated Masonic symbols into L'Enfant Plan. One of his supervisors was Thomas Jefferson, who had immersed himself in architecture and designed his home at Monticello, his primary plantation. Hence, my inserting into this post a portrait of Beaumarchais and music from Mozart's Marriage of Figaro.
My kindest regards to all of you.
Monticello, Jefferson's home designed by Jefferson
Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, by Jean-Marc Nattier
Americans in Paris: Thomas Jefferson (17 May 2014)
Americans in Paris: Benjamin Franklin (14 May 2014)
The Church of France during the French Revolution, cont'd (6 May 2014)
The Church of France during the French Revolution (4 May 2014)
Chateaubriand's Atala (24 April 2014)
The Noble Savage: Lahontan's Adario (26 October 2012)
Sources and Resources
Valley Forge in US History us.history
[i] "Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 19 May. 2014 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/327692/Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert-du Motier-marquis-de Lafayette>
[ii] Ibid.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791
Leopold, Wolfgang, and Nannerl, by Carmontelle, c. 1763–64
Chateaubriand's Atala
Posted by michelinewalker in French Literature, Romanticism, The French Revolution
Anne-Louis Girodet, Atala, Chactas, Chateaubriand, Christianity and the Romantics, Father Aubry, Herb Weidner, les Natchez, René, Simaghan, The Death of Atala, the Noble Savage
The Funeral of Atala, by Girodet, 1808 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
An "American" novella: Atala (1801)
In 1791, François-René, vicomte de Chateaubriand, an impoverished aristocrat fleeing revolutionary France, travels to America where he spends nine months an lives in Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York and the Hudson valley. Born of this stay in America are Atala, René, Les Natchez and Voyage en Amérique, an EBook.
These works were written in England, as was L'Essai sur les Révolutions. Upon his return to Europe, Chateaubriand joined l'Armée des Princes (the Army of Princes) and, after being wounded in battle, he settled in England where he earned a meagre living teaching French mainly. Despite this painful exile, not only did François-René write the afore-mentioned works, but he also became familiar with English literature and, in particular, with seventeenth-century author John Milton's Paradise Lost (1667), a work Chateaubriand would later translate into French. (See Chateaubriand, Wikipedia)
Chateaubriand returned to France in May 1800 when an amnesty was issued émigrés. In 1801, he published Atala, and, the following year, René. Both novellas are incorporated in Le Génie du Christianisme (The Genius of Christianity), a large work published in 1802 and available online. In René, Chateaubriand described "le mal du siècle"[i] or, more precisely, the "vague [from vagueness] des passions," the form of melancholy experienced by sensitive souls who know they are "fallen gods" (Lamartine, see Le Mal du siècle). Their sorrows bestow superiority on such characters.
"Morbid sadness was mistaken for the suffering of a proud and superior mind." (See Mal du siècle, Wikipedia.)
Atala, illustrated by Gustave Doré (Photo credit: Project Gutenberg [EBook #44427])
Atala, 1801
Atala, a novella, or short novel, was published in 1801, a year before René. However, although published in 1801, Atala features René, a Frenchman who left France in 1725 and found refuge among the Natchez. The Natchez are a tribe of Amerindians living near the Mississippi and friendly to the French. In Atala, they are near the Ohio River. Chactas could be a "noble savage," but he is not depicted as such. He is a blind Sachem and a Natchez whose nobility seems to stem from the fact that he is not altogether a "savage." In a later appearance, Chactas is in France and meets the king.
If Chactas has nobility, which he does, it is mostly because he was brought up by Lopez, the Spaniard who rescued him from the Muscogulges. Lopez also fathered Atala whose mother is a Muscogulge, enemies of the Natchez. Atala's mother weds the tribe's magnanimous leader, Simaghan. When Chactas leaves Lopez' home, he is again captured by the Muscogulges. He is freed by Atala. At this point, le père Aubry, Father Aubry, its fourth (René, Chactas, Atala) and most eloquent character, enters the novella.
F.-René de Chateaubriand, by Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Chactas' Story
In Atala, Chactas, who has befriended René, tells him his story. After leaving the home of Lopez to rejoin his people, Chactas is captured by Muscogulge Amerindians who quickly prepare to torture and kill him. Kind Atala, a Christian, takes pity on Chactas. She has fallen in love with him and unties him so he can escape torture. The two flee the tribe's encampment but are caught in a terrible thunderstorm. They then hear the sound of a bell and, suddenly, a dog approaches followed by Father Aubry, a French missionary.
Father Aubry takes Atala and Chactas to his grotto. The priest wants his protégés to wed. However, this prospect saddens Atala profoundly. Atala's mother made a promise. Her child, Atala, was sick, so she vowed that if Atala survived, Atala would remain a virgin. On her deathbed, Atala's mother extracted the same promise from Atala herself. Atala does not tell Chactas and father Aubry about her vow of chastity.
While Father Aubry and Chactas are visiting the mission, Atala takes poison. On their return, Chactas and father Aubry find Atala lying down, in agony. She tells her story and Father Aubry quickly explains that the oath she has made to her dying mother can be undone. But it is too late.
Ô ma mère ! pourquoi parlâtes-vous ainsi ! Ô religion qui fais (sic) à la fois mes maux et ma félicité, qui me perds et qui me consoles ! (pp. 52-53)[ii]
(O my mother, why spake you thus? O Religion, the cause of my ills and of my felicity, my ruin and my consolation at the same time!) ("Félicité," felicity) means "bonheur" (happiness).
Ambivalence towards Christianity is expressed. A grief-stricken Chactas is indignant and, after rolling on the ground in Amerindian fashion, he says: "Homme prêtre, qu'es-tu venu faire dans ces forêts ?" (Man-priest, why did you come into these forests?). "To save you," replies the old man who shows considerable anger defending Christianity and then absolves Atala of her suicide. It is not a sin, because she did not know her suicide was a transgression. She is "ignorant."
"[A]ll your misfortunes are the result of your ignorance. Your savage education and the want of instruction have been your ruin. You did not know that a Christian cannot dispose of his life."
We then witness Atala's agony, together with Chactas and le père Aubry. Atala dies but is buried discreetly at the "Groves of Death." Later, Father Aubry dies when his mission is attacked by Cherokee Amerindians who torture him to death. He will be buried near Atala, and René will come to collect the bones of both Atala and Father Aubry.
Chateaubriand's Savage: not so Noble
Note that le père Aubry is a white man and that "everything about him was calm and sublime." Chactas was brought up by Lopez, a Spaniard and a Christian. Moreover, Lopez is Atala's father. As for René, to whom Chactas told his story, he is a French émigré who moved to Louisiana in 1725. It would appear, therefore, that Atala's savages are not altogether "savages."
Atala was "proud" of her Spanish blood and "resembled a queen in the pride of her demeanor, disdained to speak to these warriors." Until she met Chactas, she felt those "warriors" who surrounded her were not worthy of her. Je n'aperçus autour de moi que des hommes indignes de recevoir ma main; je m'applaudis de n'avoir d'autre époux que le Dieu de ma mère. (p. 53) (I saw myself surrounded by men unworthy of receiving my hand; I congratulated myself upon having no other spouse than the God of my mother.) Obviously, the natives Atala knows seem inferior to Europeans. Yet, the Natchez are René's refuge. Could this be the case if Chateaubriand considered them irredeemably uncivilized?
Atala is a bittersweet chapter in the tale of the "Noble Savage." Chateaubriand's savage is not a noble savage, at least not consistently. In particular, he is extremely cruel. Savages, Iroquois, allies of the British, tortured and burned alive Jesuit missionary Jean de Brébeuf and other missionaries, in 1625. But Chateaubriand is among émigrés who escaped the savage Reign of Terror: 1793. Robespierre and company were barbarians.
However, the setting confers a degree of exoticism to Atala and it allows Chateaubriand feats of style. The Amerindians bring food to our Europeans and Chactas is dressed in bark, etc. It's called "couleur locale" and it is all the more colourful since Chateaubriand was not closely acquainted with Amerindians.
It is difficult not to agree with Alfred de Musset that "[t]he entire malady of the present century stems from two causes: the nation that lived through 93 [la terreur or the reign of terror] and 1814 [Napoleon's defeat: the Battle of Paris] had its heart wounded twice. All there was is no longer; all that will be has yet to come. Seek nowhere else the secret of our ills." (See Musset's Confession of a Child of the Century, Preface by Henri Bornier of the French Academy, Project Gutengerg [EBook #3942].
At any rate, as she is dying, Father Aubry tells Atala that life is a painful journey. "Remerciez donc la bonté divine, ma chère fille, qui vous retire si vite de cette vallée de misère." (p. 52) "Thank, therefore, the Divine goodness, my dear daughter, for taking you away thus early from this valley of misery."[iii]
Indeed, a "valley of misery" it is for René who lives in exile, as do all émigrés and will those Natchez, the Amerindians who had adopted René and have survived the destruction of their encampment, Father Aubry's mission. They are leaving, carrying the bones of their ancestors. Leading the cortège are the warriors, and closing it, women carrying their newborn. In the middle are the older Natchez. There is nobility to these "savages."
"O what tears are shed when we thus abandon our native land!—when, from the summit of the mountain of exile, we look for the last time upon the roof beneath which we were bred, and see the hut-stream still flowing sadly through the solitary fields surrounding our birth-place!"
Oh ! que de larmes sont répandues lorsqu'on abandonne la terre natale, lorsque du haut de la colline de l'exil on découvre pour la dernière fois le toit où l'on fut nourri et le fleuve de la cabane qui continue à couler tristement à travers les champs de la patrie." (p. 73)
The final paragraph of Atala is very revealing, and on these words, I will end this post.
"Unfortunate Indians!—you whom I have seen wandering in the deserts of the New World with the ashes of your ancestors;—you who gave me hospitality in spite of your misery—I could not now return your generosity, for I am wandering, like you, at the mercy of men; but less fortunate than you in my exile, I have not brought with me the bones of my fathers."
Indiens infortunés que j'ai vus errer dans les déserts du Nouveau-Monde avec les cendres de vos aïeux ! vous qui m'aviez donné l'hospitalité malgré votre misère ! je ne pourrais vous la rendre aujourd'hui, car j'erre, ainsi que vous, à la merci des hommes, et moins heureux dans mon exil, je n'ai point emporté les os de mes pères !
The Jesuit Relations: an Invaluable Legacy, revisited (22 May 2015)
Le Mal du siècle: 19th-Century (18 April 2014)
The Nineteenth Century in France (5 March 2014)
The Noble Savage: Lahontan's Adario (26 October 2012)←
Atala FR is an online publication Wikimedia Commons FR
Atala EN is Project Gutenberg publication [EBook #44427] EN, illustrations by Gustave Doré
René EN & Complete Works
The Genius of Christianity EN
Les Martyrs FR, illustrations by Jean Hillemacher
Mémoires d'outre-tombe EN
Tome I is Project Gutenberg publication [EBook #18864]
Tome II is Project Gutenberg publication [EBook #23654]
See Internet Archives
Confession of a Child of the Century EN is Project Gutenberg publication [EBook #3942]
[i] The term mal du siècle was coined by Alfred de Musset. Chateaubriand uses the words vague des passions.
[ii] François-René de Chateaubriand, Atala, René, Le Dernier Abencérage, Les Natchez (Paris: Librairie Garnier Frères, n.d.), pp. 52-53. (a very old edition)
[iii] François de Malherbe (1555 – 16 October 1628), Consolation [Lament] à Monsieur du Périer sur la mort de sa fille. (See Consolation). Malherbe expressed a related thought in Consolation à Monsieur du Périer. This is an instance of intertextualité.
Herb Weidner (composer)
Mémoires à Atala
— Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson, self-portrait (1824), drawing in pencil and Conté crayon, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Orléans, France (Photo credit: wikiart.org)


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Home » Lifestyle » Princess Diana Once Said the Royal Family Labeled Her As 'Unstable' and 'Mentally Imbalanced'
Princess Diana Once Said the Royal Family Labeled Her As 'Unstable' and 'Mentally Imbalanced'
04/26/2020 Comments Off on Princess Diana Once Said the Royal Family Labeled Her As 'Unstable' and 'Mentally Imbalanced'
Princess Diana's royal life wasn't easy. Her marriage to Prince Charles had hardly any love, and her relationship with the family was a bit rocky. Although she was adored by the public and by her two sons, Diana had a difficult time fitting in with the family — and once revealed that they labeled her "unstable" and "mentally imbalanced."
Princess Diana and Prince Charles had a rocky marriage
When Charles and Diana wed, there were already plenty of problems that were invisible to the public. Charles' true love, Camilla Parker Bowles, had recently wed another man, and Charles was feeling pressure to marry because he was almost 30. He and Diana only went on 12 dates before he popped the question, though neither was truly ready — or willing — to get married.
There was never much of a honeymoon phase for the two, and though they had two kids, the love wasn't there. Charles and Diana both engaged in separate affairs while they were together, and finally, the two separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996.
Diana had a hard time dealing with royal life
Royal life certainly isn't as much of a fairytale as it might seem on the outside. Diana was constantly hounded by the press, and adjusting to the glitz and glam of the world's most famous family isn't always easy (just ask Meghan Markle). Diana supposedly wanted to call off the wedding the day before it took place, but her family told her that it was too late to go back. Plus, Diana reportedly didn't have a great relationship with the queen, which certainly made things more difficult.
Her postpartum depression caused the family to negatively label her
In an interview in 1995, Diana opened up about what lifeinside the royal family was really like for her. Though it was obvious that sheand Charles were having problems in their marriage, it was less obvious thatDiana was struggling with the entire family. After Diana welcomed Prince Williamand Prince Harry, she dealt with postpartum(or postnatal) depression, which she revealed caused her to be negativelylabeled by Charles' family.
"What effect did the depression have on your marriage?" interviewer Martin Bashir asked, referring to Diana's postpartum depression. "Well it gave everybody a wonderful new label," Diana said. "It's 'Diana's unstable' and 'Diana's mentally imbalanced,' and unfortunately that seems to have stuck on and off through the years," Diana said.
The royal family has a very specific image to keep up
Royal experts suggested that the interview was Diana's wayof giving herself a voice — one that members of the family are often denied. "Theno. 1 rule is what happens in the royal family stays in the royal family," Peoplesenior editor Michelle Tauber said. "Diana didn't concede that. Diana felt thatshe should be allowed to have a voice… She felt unfairly maligned."
The royals try their best to keep everything about theirlives under wraps, since they have sort of a "perfect" image and a reputationthat must remain squeaky clean. But Diana challenged that, even if it meant theworld would know she wasn't perfect. These days, though, she's one of the mostappreciated women in the royal family. Her sons continue to honor her memory,as she was seen as a driving force for change within the family after comingforward with all of her confessions through the years.
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Unless you're one of those super-rare humans who went on and married your childhood sweetheart, it goes without saying that the majority of our romantic endeavors don't end with matching rings and a trip down the aisle. When we're recovering from yet another Mr. Not Right Now or Ever, it can be easy to fall into the trap of ruminating about all the ways he wasted your time, you wasted your time, and all those involved wasted their time. After all, we're only young and free once, right?
When the dust settles on those longer-term relationships, it can be tempting to feel vindictive toward the guy who took up all that energy and life space ("My prime dating years!" as a friend once lamented) or to berate yourself for not seeing the signs earlier. But this black-and-white way of dating isn't just limiting your perspective—it can actually stagnate your personal growth.
When I was dating, I too fell into the trap of thinking of a past relationship as a waste of my precious time. I remember how quickly I moved on after one particular breakup. I resented the time I had spent with him—cynically telling friends that I had "wasted my youth." On a trip to my old stomping grounds, I found myself thinking about this old boyfriend—a person who I hadn't thought about in years. I realized that, although we weren't meant to be for many reasons, his presence in my life had been a positive influence. At such a young age he taught me how men can be good and what a "healthy" relationship can look like. It was then—more than a decade later—that I realized, my time spent with him wasn't a waste, but rather a gift.
Chlipala shares that this perspective isn't only a twisted way of looking at the issue, as "there's no opportunity to win with yourself if you look at it this way," but it clouds the real questions we should be asking ourselves post-breakup.
So, instead of perseverating over the time we've lost in ended relationships, here's a better way of thinking about a breakup instead.
Get constructive about the good stuff.
After breakups, we tend to wallow in the negatives. We do this because thinking about the good things can be painful. "Don't worry about idealizing the relationship when you're thinking about the good things," shares Davis. "Just think about what worked well for you." She says to note the qualities he had that made you stay in the relationship for so long. Was it his sense of humor? Was it his sense of adventure? Was it the conversation? Was it his amazing ability to be organized?
Stay constructive about the bad stuff.
"Be specific and realistic about the bad parts," Chlipala shares. "You don't want to bash the relationship—but you also want to point out the things that didn't work." Not only does this help enlighten what we're not looking for, but this also helps us "get over" the relationship, as it brings it back down to reality.
She also suggests that thinking about not only what you fought about, but how you fought. "It's the attitudes you had while you fought—not the fight itself—that you can learn the most from." Doing such also helps us determine our core-non-negotiables.
I'm sorry, but finding authentic love takes time.
But this can be easier said than done. Those feel-good chemicals tend to hijack our brains, pushing us to jump on the train before we know where it's going. Hence, this just-in-love feeling is one of the reasons we can overlook so many red flags in the beginning. Consequently—it's important to realize that dating well takes time and patience. You're not going to know whether or not he's a keeper unless you put the time in. While this might be a stage where so many think they waste their time—remember that it's a critical step in healthy dating and can simultaneously be a place of great personal growth. Sure, it's a gamble—but it's how we learn what we're looking for.
So while it can be tempting to put all our exes in an "ugh" category in our brains—labeling them as "mistakes" or "wastes of time" or even unnecessarily taunting ourselves for not seeing the signs sooner—remember that learning to love is a lifelong long game that we don't just play with others but with ourselves as well.


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Retail companies can't ignore conversational commerce, and that's why
22/07/2020inGeneralby Anna Sopova
The retail's B2C communication used to be a realm of email once. To stay in touch with customers and keep them coming back, companies relied on email almost exclusively. But the world has changed. Today, email is far from being a reliable mean of communication. On average, only 20% of emails are opened, and only 2% of those lead to a click or response.
In an effort to compensate for the declining power of email, businesses turn to Conversational commerce, also known as cCommerce. Coined by the inventor of hashtag Chris Messina, this term refers to the one-on-one interaction with customers over the phone or on chatting platforms.
What is conversational commerce?
First of all, commerce is all about conversation. Since humans first began trading, they have been using conversation to drive sales and create a memorable customer experience. From asking a sommelier in a restaurant about which wine you should order to messaging a boutique on Instagram to find if they still have that t-shirt left, conversation has always been a fundamental part of sales.
In the modern world, conversations can be automated. When we use the term "Conversational commerce", we are referring specifically to that automated experience.
At Apifonica, we define cCommerce as consumers interacting with business reps, AI-powered bots, or both, through SMS, chat apps, or voice technology.
What's in cCommerce for the retail sector?
Conversation can add value on every step of the customer journey, from the moment when a customer considers making the first purchase to the day when they eventually turn into brand advocates. The cCommerce's secret weapon is its ability to "humanize" automated interactions, make them feel much more human. Also, conversation reduces the effort that a customer has to make to complete an action.
But it's not solely customer that benefits from Conversational commerce. At Apifonica, we use four categories to help businesses define the goals they expect to reach with automated conversations.
Powered by AI-technology, call- and chatbots can handle standard conversations as good as humans, but way faster and cheaper. Take HR Voicebot, a callbot that conducts screening phone interviews with jobseekers: it consistently proves to cut the time and cost of recruitment by 4-8 times.
Insuperable reach
cCommerce is not about just sending messages and placing calls. It's about knowing what exactly is happening to every call and message at any moment. When a callbot identifies a busy phone line or no-answer, it automatically makes repeat call attempts. When a chatbot spots undelivered or unread message, it tries to reach recipient over alternative channels. This results in 80-90% contact success rate - quite a difference as compared to email.
Optimized conversion rate
cCommerce has something that email misses: a sense of immediacy. A conversation happens "here and now", captures attention and prompts customers to take action right away. Experience of dozens of Apifonica's clients shows that SMS drives action three times better than email, while phone call outperforms both by 4-8 times.
Emotional impact
Automated dialogue can make an emotional impact comparable to a real conversation. Imagine a sports fan receiving a personal phone call from their favourite football player. Even though the call is a pre-recorded voice message distributed by a robot, fans get excited. Apifonica's customers consistently receive a remarkably positive reaction from their audience in response to conversational campaigns.
Getting started with conversational commerce
When starting to think about conversational commerce and how it will apply to your business, you need to focus on software to power your conversations. Here are the three common approaches to consider.
Dedicated software
A software that allows you to chat with customers across multiple channels from within a single interface. While this may be the fastest way to get started with cCommerce, it could be tricky to make it work together with your other systems, like CRM or OMS.
CRM or marketing automation system
Some CRM and MA systems offer basic cCommerce functionality like sending SMS messages or running message marketing campaigns. They allow you to manage conversations along with other activities and provide a complete view of all your customer interactions.
Customized solution on top of a cCommerce platform
Cloud cCommerce platforms offer virtually unlimited B2C communication capabilities, tailored to your exact needs. It may take longer to implement, but well worth it if you want to go beyond the basic automation.
For more information about conversational commerce solutions for the retail sector, visit the dedicated page on our website.
Success stories(23)
Use cases(5)


Former Google+ head Vic Gundotra speaks at Google I/O in 2012.
Google+ turns 3 years old on Saturday, a birthday the service is celebrating with little fanfare (if at all).
Google didn't make any major announcements or release any special features to commemorate the moment. Google+ didn't even rate an appearance at Google I/O, the company's biggest tech conference, which wrapped up on Thursday.
Google, for whatever reason, seems to be content to let the event pass. The birthday is just happening: another year older, another year wiser. That's why I believe Google+ deserves a special gift from the rest of us: Let's stop comparing it to Facebook.
For three years, we've been trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Every update from Google+ — user figures, new products or design changes — seems to prompt journalists to compare that update in some way to the world's largest social network. Rarely does Google+ win that comparison.
Part of the problem is our perception of Google+. We may think of it as a traditional social network, a place where you share what you had for breakfast, or post pictures of your new baby. The truth is more complicated than that.
Google+ is many things: a username and password combo that identifies you across a number of Google-related products, a profile page where you engage with your friends, a limitless possibility of creative, highly specialized Circles to join.
This (mis)perception isn't entirely our fault. When Google introduced its social offering, the company did so with the mission of facilitating friend connections. "Share what matters with the people who matter most," its blog post read. Given Google's size and importance, this type of explanation, plus the feed and profile picture elements, were enough to draw an easy comparison to its Silicon Valley neighbor.
The problem is that as Google+ evolved, we failed to remove it from Facebook's ever-growing shadow.
Google+ is more like a glue connecting your identity with all of the company's other features than a go-to social hub. Its login functionality, which allows people to use their Google+ identity to register for third-party apps, is more useful than the social circles the platform totes for specialized sharing. In fact, social login may be one of the few areas where a Facebook comparison is actually merited.
You need Google+ to comment on YouTube. You can email people through Gmail via their Google+ profile. Using Hangouts, the company's audio or video messaging service, requires a Google+ account.
From a social standpoint, however, Facebook and Google+ are apples and oranges. They offer many of the same features, but the audience and use cases are vastly different. I visit Facebook to see what my friends are up to, or post photos from a fun weekend in Tahoe. I visit Google+ to see who's emailing me at work, or to video chat with my colleagues.
Despite its 300-plus million users and emphasis on personalized sharing (i.e. circles), the service was recently described as a ghost town. Critics poked fun at Google+ when product head Vic Gundotra left the company April, with one critic claiming on Twitter that Gundotra "spent his last hour on the job personally calling all of Google+'s users to thank them for their support."
There is definitely a collection of devoted users and communities on Google+ — but for the most part, Google+ is a social identity more than a place to share your vacation photos.
Google is okay with this. In fact, it may even be what the service was built for. "As a social network, Google+ helps users connect with the people and interests they love," David Besbris, head of Google+ told Mashable in a statement. "As a social fabric, Google+ helps bring a more consistent experience to the apps people use every day."
The "social fabric" reference is evidence that the company sees Google+ as an overarching tool. Google simply doesn't talk about that enough. Twitter, which is five years older than Google+, is still trying to teach people how to use its service. Google+ seems content throwing new photo features at its power users, while others wonder what circles even are.
So yes, Google is "losing" to Facebook when it comes to social networking. But Facebook's also trying a lot harder.
Unlike Facebook, where social has always been its foundation, Google was late to the social game. The company has dozens of other projects to which it's devoting time and attention, and hardly any of them have to do with social media. Facebook is building ephemeral messaging apps; Google is building self-driving cars.
"I just don't think that social is a big focus for [Google] right now," Brian Blau, an industry analyst with Gartner told Mashable ahead of I/O. "The overall value of a social stream is going down over time, and is becoming a feature [versus] a pillar."
With hundreds of millions of users, Google is not giving up on social; it's simply prioritizing other projects. You can't compare a full-time party host with a part-time socialite. And unlike Twitter, Facebook or even LinkedIn, social interactions will never be a major part of Google's identity.


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namespace Azure.Iot.TimeSeriesInsights.Models
{
    /// <summary> Information about an API error. </summary>
    internal partial class TsiError
    {
        /// <summary> Initializes a new instance of TsiError. </summary>
        internal TsiError()
        {
        }

        /// <summary> Initializes a new instance of TsiError. </summary>
        /// <param name="error"> A particular API error with an error code and a message. </param>
        internal TsiError(TsiErrorBody error)
        {
            Error = error;
        }

        /// <summary> A particular API error with an error code and a message. </summary>
        public TsiErrorBody Error { get; }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Located on the Southern Oregon Coast where the Coquille River meets the Pacific Ocean, Bandon, Oregon is 90 miles north of the California border, about a 90 minute drive to Interstate 5 at Roseburg, five hours by car from Portland and about nine hours from San Francisco.
It is home to four world premier golf courses, Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes, Bandon Trails and Old Macdonald all of which are part of the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. In addition to the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, there are 2 more courses in Bandon, Bandon Crossings, an 18 hole course and Old Bandon Golf Links, a 9 hole course. We are quickly becoming known as Oregon's Golf Coast!
TripAdvisor.com provides a destination guide for Bandon complete with reviews, things to do and deals on restaurants, flights, and lodging.
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