Election Day Googling
As regular users of Google are no doubt aware, the ubiquitous search engine commemorates certain calendar events with modified versions of their logo, often incorporating clever juxtapositions of images related to the day or event. Among them are the obligatory major holidays, Independence Day, Father's Day, Mother's Day, St. Patrick's Day and anniversaries, such as the 50th anniversay of NASA. Google will also often recognize birthdays (Marc Chagall, Diego Velázquez, Walter Gropius), ethnic holidays (Persian New Year), and historical "firsts" (first hot air balloon flight, first ascent of Mount Everest). See the following link for examples of Google's special logos: http://www.google.com/holidaylogos.html
Today is Election Day. This morning, I used Google to seek out some information, and was curious to see what they had done with their logo in honor of one of the most cherished traditions of American life. But what I found was their usual logo. Unaltered. As if it were any other day in America.
According to Wikipedia, as of Nov. 4, 2008, "Google, Inc., is an American public corporation, earning revenue from advertising related to its Internet search, e-mail, online mapping, office productivity, social networking, and video sharing services as well as selling advertising-free versions of the same technologies. The Google headquarters, the Googleplex, is located in Mountain View, California. As of 30 September 2008 the company has 20,123 full-time employees."
If anyone can say they have benefited from the freedoms and traditions of America, Google certainly can. Few things are as important as our ability and freedom to cast votes for those who would govern over us. But for some reason, Google was not inclined to recognize it. Was it mere oversight? Or was it a deliberate eschewing of something for which our forefathers fought and died? Why would Google, a company that at least partly owes its success and greatness to the success and greatness of America, go out of its way to recognize the birthdays of Chagall and Velázquez, and yet seemingly ignore one of the most important events in the life of an American citizen?
Today is Election Day. This morning, I used Google to seek out some information, and was curious to see what they had done with their logo in honor of one of the most cherished traditions of American life. But what I found was their usual logo. Unaltered. As if it were any other day in America.
According to Wikipedia, as of Nov. 4, 2008, "Google, Inc., is an American public corporation, earning revenue from advertising related to its Internet search, e-mail, online mapping, office productivity, social networking, and video sharing services as well as selling advertising-free versions of the same technologies. The Google headquarters, the Googleplex, is located in Mountain View, California. As of 30 September 2008 the company has 20,123 full-time employees."
If anyone can say they have benefited from the freedoms and traditions of America, Google certainly can. Few things are as important as our ability and freedom to cast votes for those who would govern over us. But for some reason, Google was not inclined to recognize it. Was it mere oversight? Or was it a deliberate eschewing of something for which our forefathers fought and died? Why would Google, a company that at least partly owes its success and greatness to the success and greatness of America, go out of its way to recognize the birthdays of Chagall and Velázquez, and yet seemingly ignore one of the most important events in the life of an American citizen?
UPDATE: As of 5:59 p.m., Google now has a special logo for Election Day. Please disregard the above.
posted by Surviving Twin at 9:14 AM
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