Chris McMullen wrote a hilarious post about an experiment with ‘Google translate’. I had a good laugh with that one, Chris. Well done!
FUN WITH GOOGLE TRANSLATE
Google Translate is actually pretty handy as an informal tool.
There have been times where I have wanted to have at least a partial understanding of something that I read in another language online, and Google Translate has helped me with that.
I’m also a little rusty with French, and Google Translate has helped to fill in some of my gaps.
But if you wrote something and wanted to have a professional translation of your writing into another language, well, as you will see in this article, that could result in some interesting consequences.
TRANSLATION EXPERIMENT
What I will do is type a variety of expressions in English.
I will copy and paste these expressions into Google Translate, and have them translated into a different language.
Then I will have them translated back into English.
(Isn’t this what everybody does when they feel like having some fun?)
I realized today when I wanted to share a blog post on my Google+ account that there was a yellow ‘field’ button with the information that my Google+ account will be deleted.
I tried to find out more about the reason and clicked the link, which took me to the following Google-page:
In December 2018, we announced our decision to shut down Google+ for consumers in April 2019 due to low usage and challenges involved in maintaining a successful product that meets consumers’ expectations. We want to thank you for being part of Google+ and provide next steps, including how to download your photos and other content.
On April 2nd, your Google+ account and any Google+ pages you created will be shut down, and we will begin deleting content from consumer Google+ accounts. Photos and videos from Google+ in your Album Archive and your Google+ pages will also be deleted. You can download and save your content, just make sure to do so before April. Note that photos and videos backed up in Google Photos will not be deleted.
The process of deleting content from consumer Google+ accounts, Google+ Pages, and Album Archive will take a few months, and content may remain through this time. For example, users may still see parts of their Google+ account via activity log and some consumer Google+ content may remain visible to G Suite users until consumer Google+ is deleted.
As early as February 4th, you will no longer be able to create new Google+ profiles, pages, communities or events. See the full FAQ for more details and updates leading up to the shutdown.
If you’re a Google+ Community owner or moderator, you may download and save your data for your Google+ Community. Starting early March 2019, additional data will be available for download, including author, body, and photos for every community post in a public community. Learn more
If you sign in to sites and apps using the Google+ Sign-in button, these buttons will stop working in the coming weeks but in some cases may be replaced by a Google Sign-in button. You’ll still be able to sign in with your Google Account wherever you see Google Sign-in buttons. Learn more
If you’ve used Google+ for comments on your own or other sites, this feature will be removed from Blogger by February 4th and other sites by March 7th. All your Google+ comments on all sites will be deleted starting April 2, 2019. Learn more
If you’re a G Suite customer, Google+ for your G Suite account should remain active. Contact your G Suite administrator for more details. You can also expect a new look and new features soon. Learn more
If you’re a developer using Google+ APIs or Google+ Sign-in, click here to see how this will impact you.
From all of us on the Google+ team, thank you for making Google+ such a special place. We are grateful for the talented group of artists, community builders, and thought leaders who made Google+ their home. It would not have been the same without your passion and dedication. (Source: https://support.google.com/plus/answer/9195133?hl=en&authuser=0)
More information I got from the following three websites:
AndroidPolice.com writes:
Google announced its plans to sunset its Google+ social media network for consumers on a sour note in October. The platform, which has a small but dedicated user-base, decided to shut down following Google’s acknowledgment of a data exposure that affected up to 500,000 Google+ profiles. Shortly after, in December, the shutdown timeline was expedited due to another, larger bug that had the potential to reveal private user information and impacted approximately 52.5 million users. Now, the company has detailed its shutdown timeline for the consumer version of Google+ — and it’s not wasting any time. Click the link below to read the entire post. (Source: https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/01/30/google-reveals-shutdown-timeline-for-consumers-and-its-coming-fast/)
ArsTechnica.com writes:
The latest beleaguered Google product to get a death date is Google+. Google’s controversial Facebook clone is shutting down on April 2. Google has been backing away from the service for years, but it gave the site a death sentence in October after revelations of a data leak were made public. Now we have a concrete shutdown date for the service.
Google’s support page details exactly how the G+ shutdown will go down, and it’s not just freezing posts on the site. The whole site will be taken down, and everything will be deleted. “On April 2nd, your Google+ account and any Google+ pages you created will be shut down, and we will begin deleting content from consumer Google+ accounts,” the page reads.
The whole deletion process sounds brutal. It won’t just be the entire Google+ site that will be scrubbed from the Internet—Google+-powered comments on Blogger and other third-party sites will all be deleted, too. Users of Google+ have until April to download and save everything themselves, which they can do via this page. To read the entire post click the link below: (Source: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/01/google-shuts-down-april-2-all-data-will-be-deleted/)
DigitalTrends.com writes:
After a security vulnerability impacted more than 500,000 of its users, Google announced in late 2018 that it would be shuttering the Google + social network. Now several months later, it is providing an update on the shutdown, noting that after April 2 all content on the platform will be deleted.
Though the date is still a couple months away, Google is warning that starting April 2, all Google+ pages will be removed. Content from personal Google+ accounts will also be deleted on the date, including photos and videos from Google+ in Album Archives. In the meantime, an archive of all your important information and specific data from the social network can still be downloaded easily According to Google, the full deletion process will take a few months, and some Google+ content might remain visible to G Suite users. To read the entire article, click the link below: (Source: https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/google-shutdown-april-2/)
To us, this means, the era Google+ is coming to an end. Whether or not it was a ‘Facebook clone’ as ArsTechnica writes, or why it wasn’t used as much as Google hoped for, at least to us writers the communities were an excellent platform for exchange and networking – and yes, for promotion. April 2, 2019, this will be over. Goodbye, Google+.
Time to double security and protect your books on Amazon.
Now, not only do I need to work on this year’s taxes, but looks as if I may need to work on my Amazon account.
What the hell? Hackers are now invading Amazon? You’ve got to be kidding me.
I feel as if I’m playing Wack-a-Mole trying to avoid hackers and stupid people. This is getting ridiculous. I change my passwords from time to time, but now I’ve got to do more to keep these crooked jerks out.
Thanks to Janice Hardy over at Fiction University for the warning.
Here’s what I learned today about Amazon Security…
Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) accounts are linked to my regular Amazon account.
Hackers attempt to break into customer Amazon accounts every single day.
If a Hacker gains access to my Amazon account they have access to my KDP.
Plaisted Publishing House published an enormously important blog post for authors concerning copyrights and pirated books!! If possible, spread word about this for as many authors as possible to read it!
Pirate Books – No not a children’s story sadly, like with music they are books stolen from the author. We tend to know why – The reader is to poor (cough, choke cough) and can’t afford a cup of coffee let alone our books. They should be free, after all the author only writes them so we can read them.
Like another blog I read this morning, said, they seem to forget all those businesses we contract out to, those who make our book covers, book trailers, editing, formatting and all the other things need doing to give the book (you only wrote) a fair chance.
I heard about a program called Blastythe other week. Apparently it find your priate books and you can blast them – whatever that means. After much thought, I decided to try it, expecally after seeing more pirate sites and having recommendations from…
Susan M. Toy published a blog post about ‘How to support an Indie Author’, which I find very helpful, useful and admirable, to each one of us. Thank you Susan!
I launched a new blog the other day that’s dedicated to publishing honest and positive reviews of books I’ve featured on this blog, Reading Recommendations. Today I created a page with information about the blog and how to get your reviews posted on it. Please read About Reading Recommendations Reviewed and send me your reviews for future consideration.
When I decided to step out into the world of social media I did research. I, as well got tips and tricks, checklists as also read as many “user manuals for beginners” as I could before even getting anything done.
In March I started “Writer’s Treasure Chest”. Since then I try to write, research and build as well as find as many helpful blog posts and articles for new authors as I can to share them. I grow with every step I take. This is a once in a lifetime experience and I try to consciously enjoy every single part of the journey. I am discovering a new world, the writer’s world.
As so many other newcomers I had not considered the social media work, marketing, sales-preparation and networking hiding behind being a writer. Being a published author will not take the pressure from me to spread word about my work as far and wide as possible. This will need time and great efforts and that’s why I need to spread my wings and fly.
It is difficult sometimes to read a list of recommendations, ask another expert or experienced author for more advice and then listen to exactly the opposite. Plus getting a 30 minute speech on why my “How to…”-list will never work.
At this moment I work on my personal website. It does have its own domain and is a big piece of work. I want this website to turn out perfect. It will need a little more time and “juggling” with the elements, but I’m sure I’ll be there soon. It needs some fantasy to create a Website before being published. So many authors do have their books on the “My work” page. But I guess I did well considering the circumstances. I’ll let you all judge in due time.
September 19, 2015 I finally created my Facebook Author page. Of course I used a list with advice. In case you decide to check out the page and give it a “like” I will be grateful. And of course I welcome any advice for changes you might have.
As for now, I took in another challenge: My first Newsletter! I’m excited to announce I will send it out Mid-October. Of course I would love to send it out to as many people as possible. If you’d like to receive my newsletter, I’d be delighted to see you subscribing to my email list:
Please, click the icon to subscribe.
I’d love to hear you felt the need to check out if I followed my own researches and did an acceptable “newcomer” newsletter.
The Pony Express was founded by William H. Russell, William B. Waddell, and Alexander Majors. Plans for the Pony Express were spurred by the threat of the Civil War and the need for faster communication with the West. The Pony Express consisted of relays of men riding horses carrying saddlebags of mail across a 2000-mile trail. The service opened officially on April 3, 1860, when riders left simultaneously from St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California. The first westbound trip was made in 9 days and 23 hours and the eastbound journey in 11 days and 12 hours. The pony riders covered 250 miles in a 24-hour day.
Eventually, the Pony Express had more than 100 stations, 80 riders, and between 400 and 500 horses. The express route was extremely hazardous, but only one mail delivery was ever lost. The service lasted only 19 months until October 24, 1861, when the completion of the Pacific Telegraph line ended the need for its existence. Although California relied upon news from the Pony Express during the early days of the Civil War, the horse line was never a financial success, leading its founders to bankruptcy. However, the romantic drama surrounding the Pony Express has made it a part of the legend of the American West. (Find this information here: http://ponyexpress.org/history/ )
According to EyeWitness to history.com the life of a pony express rider was very dangerous. “Speed of delivery was paramount. Any weight other than the mail the horse carried was kept to a minimum. Ads for riders called for: “Young, skinny, wiry fellows, not over 18. Must be expert riders. Willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred.” A specialized, light-weight saddle was developed that had built-in pouches to carry the mail. Hazards abounded, including weather, terrain, hostile Indians and bandits. It typically took a week for mail to reach its destination at a cost of $5.00 per ½ ounce.”
Two very famous historical names can be found on the list of pony express riders:
FUN WITH GOOGLE TRANSLATE
