Google Doodles

['andersom']

The Dutch wear orange on special occasions. Orange people in day to day life are mainly living in UK urban settings I think.

You forgot to tell me if you bought any street fodder.  It sounds like national yard sale day. 

My village does not do the yard sale thing. Could not bring myself to go to one of the nearby towns. So, stayed home, without streetfodder. Heard the Kingsday mudrace (specialty of my village) from a short distance.

[Gopher Gary]

The Dutch wear orange on special occasions. Orange people in day to day life are mainly living in UK urban settings I think.

You forgot to tell me if you bought any street fodder.  It sounds like national yard sale day. 

My village does not do the yard sale thing. Could not bring myself to go to one of the nearby towns. So, stayed home, without streetfodder. Heard the Kingsday mudrace (specialty of my village) from a short distance.

 

[Gopher Gary]

Today's Google Doodle is Teachers' Day 2017 (United States)



Happy Teachers Day! On this day we take a moment to appreciate those who dedicate their lives to encouraging our intellectual development, be it through mathematics, ecology, astronomy, chemistry, biology, or any other subject we may explore. Teachers nurture our intelligence, creativity, and critical thinking skills. They help shape us and guide our development.

Thank you to all the teachers, and may you be showered with the respect and admiration you deserve!

[Gopher Gary]

Today's Google Doodle is Mother's Day 2017.



Google has no comments for this doodle. 

[Fun With Matches]

That's a very cute cartoon though.

[Fun With Matches]

Though it's a bit old, I liked the station cat Tama too.

[Gopher Gary]

Though it's a bit old,

Yeah, I posted that one a few pages back, for mother's day in some other country. 

[Gopher Gary]

Today's Goodle Doodle is the 115th Anniversary of the Antikythera Mechanism's Discovery.



On this date in 1902, Greek archaeologist Valerios Stais sifted through some artifacts from a shipwreck at Antikythera. The wrecked Roman cargo ship was discovered two years earlier, but Stais was the first to notice an intriguing bit of bronze among the treasures. It looked like it might be a gear or wheel. That corroded chunk of metal turned out to be part of the Antikythera Mechanism, an ancient analog astronomical computer.

The Antikythera Mechanism tracked planetary positions, predicted lunar and solar eclipses, and even signaled the next Olympic Games. It was probably also used for mapping and navigation. A dial on the front combines zodiacal and solar calendars, while dials on the back capture celestial cycles. Computer models based on 3-D tomography have revealed more than 30 sophisticated gears, housed in a wooden and bronze case the size of a shoebox. 

The mechanism was initially dated around 85 BC, but recent studies suggest it may be even older (circa 150 BC). The crank-powered device was way ahead of its time -- its components are as intricate as those of some 18th-century clocks. 

Historians continue to ponder the Antikythera Mechanism's purpose and inner workings, and visitors to the National Archaeological Museum of Greece marvel at its delicate complexity. Today's Doodle illustrates how a rusty remnant can open up a skyful of knowledge and inspiration. 

[Gopher Gary]

Today's Google Doodle is Richard Oakes’ 75th Birthday.



Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Richard Oakes made a stand for the rights of American Indians. Over his time as an activist, he fought peacefully for freedom, justice, and the right of American Indians to have control over their lands.

Oakes grew up on the Mohawk Indian reservation in Akwesasne, on the Canadian / New York border. When he was 18, he moved to San Francisco, and enrolled in San Francisco State University shortly after. There, his passion for empowerment through education led him to play an integral role in creating one of the first American Indian studies programs in the nation.

Oakes went on to be a champion for social justice in his community. His most powerful protest happened in 1969 when he led a group of activists occupying Alcatraz Island. The aim was not only to set up a community, complete with a university, museum and cultural center, but also for the government to acknowledge the rights of American Indians to claim the out-of-use federal land as their own.

Although Richard didn't succeed in gaining the deeds to Alcatraz for his people, he brought their issues into the media spotlight and made a substantial impact on the treatment of American Indians in the US. He also went on to assist the Pit River Tribe in their claim for land in Northern California.

Today's Doodle recognizes places that were important in his life's story and mission, depicting the Akwesasne reservation, Alcatraz Island, and Pit River. 

Here's to Richard Oakes, for his unwavering dedication to his community and social justice.

[Gopher Gary]

There was no doodle for Memorial Day. 

And again. 

[Gopher Gary]

Today's Google Doodle is Celebrating Zaha Hadid.



Today’s Doodle honors architect Zaha Hadid, who captured the world's attention and shattered glass ceilings (in addition to designing some) by becoming the first woman to win the Pritzker Architecture Prize on this day in 2004. She was also the first woman awarded the Royal Gold Medal by the Royal Institute of British Architects. 

Born in Iraq in 1950, Hadid learned about abstract art and architecture at the Architectural Association in London. There, she found inspiration in unconventional forms. Before computers made her designs easier to put on paper, Hadid's studio was known to use the photocopier in creative ways to bend lines and create new shapes. The type in today's Doodle finds inspiration in Hadid's energetic sketches, which explored both form and function.

Hadid broke new ground on modern architecture using the surrounding landscape for building inspiration. The straight lines and sharp angles of the Vitra Fire Station in Germany were inspired by nearby vineyards and farmland, while the roof of the London Aquatic Centre forms the shape of a wave. You can see the London Aquatic Centre and some of Hadid's other impressive work in Google Earth's interactive exhibit.

The Heydar Aliyev Center, pictured in today's doodle, sets itself in contrast to the block-like structures that surround it in Baku, Azerbaijan. At the same time, this cultural center takes inspiration from historic Islamic designs found in calligraphy and geometric patterns to create something entirely new. The building takes an open form to invite the public into its space. The center has played host to modern art by Andy Warhol and Tony Cragg, and world-class performances from Kitaro and Alessandro Safina.

In her early work, Hadid visualized her projects through paintings that resembled abstract modernist art. She famously said, "There are 360 degrees, so why stick to one?" You can explore some of these early concepts - including via virtual reality - on the Google Cultural Institute.

Today we celebrate Dame Zaha Hadid's contributions over her lifetime to the world of architecture. Thank you,  Dame Zaha Hadid, for all you've done to bring people together in the service of art and culture!

[renaeden]

I was at college early and read about Zaha Hadid. Interesting story.

[Gopher Gary]

I like some of her stuff, but a lot of it is too over the top and weird. 

[renaeden]

Yeah I Google imaged her and some of her work is pretty wacky.

[Gopher Gary]

Today's Google Doodle is Gilbert Baker's 66th Birthday.



Today’s doodle is a little more colorful thanks to Gilbert Baker, creator of the rainbow flag, a symbol of pride and freedom for the LGBTQA+ community.

Teaching himself to sew, Baker put his skills to work for the San Francisco gay community, making banners for marches and protests. In 1978 Baker used those skills to create a new symbol for the LGBT Community to replace the pink triangle, a symbol of oppression and devastation from the Nazi’s classification of LGBT people in World War II. Baker’s Rainbow was a more positive and celebratory symbol.

“We needed something beautiful, something from us,” Baker explained. “The rainbow is so perfect because it really fits our diversity in terms of race, gender, ages, all of those things. Plus, it’s a natural flag—it’s from the sky!”

Making the flag was no small task. Baker gathered thirty people in the attic of the Gay Community Center in San Francisco to hand-dye and sew together over 1000 yards of cotton. The modern day rainbow flag features six colors, but the original used eight, each representing a different aspect of the community. The iconic symbol stuck and soon Baker was flooded with requests for more flags.

Baker’s sister, Ardonna Cook, also reflects on his life and legacy by sharing, “Our family is so proud of the legacy of activism and artistry that Gilbert has left to the world. He touched millions across the globe and empowered them to become stronger and more visible LGBT people. Gilbert led a bold and inspiring life by bringing The Rainbow Flag to life and it is that legacy which should guide us in respecting and celebrating diversity.” 

LGBT Doodler Nate Swinehart wanted to capture that same community spirit Baker treasured. He collaborated with other team members, including other LGBT Doodlers who felt personally connected to the project, to nail down the right concept.

Together, the team decided the tribute would consist of a stop-motion animation of actual fabric strips coming together to create the flag. They made a trip to local San Franciscan fabric shops and filmed the doodle in a tiny kitchen only a few blocks from the same spot where Baker and his friends constructed that first flag in 1978.

Today we celebrate Gilbert Baker’s pride, creativity, and the lasting impact he’s had on strengthening and uniting people all over the world.