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hobie16
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Post by hobie16 » Sat Feb 10, 2018 10:46 am

Paula Modersohn-Becker’s 142nd Birthday

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Renowned German expressionist painter Paula Modersohn-Becker was born on this day in 1876. Her art bears witness to her courage, boldness, and ambition — a temperament that greatly influenced her short but prolific career.

Exposed to the intellectual world from the time she was a young child growing up in Dresden-Friedrichstadt, Modersohn-Becker began her artistic endeavors as a student in Bremen, and at the age of 18, moved to an artist’s colony in Worpswede. There she met her future husband, but hungry to learn more, she moved to Paris to study and urged him to join her.

In the years that followed, her personal life underwent many changes. But through all the turbulence, she continued to paint, producing more than 80 pictures in 1906 alone. Her writings explain this frenetic pace as a necessity to make up for the first two ‘lost’ decades of her life.

An early expressionist, she joined the likes of Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse in introducing modernism to the world. Modersohn-Becker was known for her bold choices as an artist — be it her depictions of nude female figures (among the very first women artists to do so), or those of women breastfeeding their children. She tenaciously resisted the strict expectations held of women of her era, preferring exploration and painting over more traditional pastimes.

Today’s Doodle reflects her artistic style depicting domestic subjects, and is illustrated by Berlin-based duo Golden Cosmos.

Happy Birthday, Paula Modersohn-Becker!


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Don't be fooled by appearances. In Hawaii, some of the most powerful people look like bums and stuntmen.
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Stay low and run in a zigzag pattern.

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Post by hobie16 » Tue Feb 13, 2018 9:23 pm

Rosenmontag 2018

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Floats and candies and costumes, oh my!

While Carnival is observed by countries all across the world, celebrations in Germany are marked by delightful traditions, and take on different names in different parts of the country.

For Karneval celebrators in Rhineland, the Rosenmontag (Rose Monday) parade takes center stage on the Monday before Ash Wednesday. Every town hosts a parade complete with floats and candy-tossing, while participants dress up in Funkenmariechen (traditional costumes). Shouts of "Alaaf!" (the fool’s call, which translates roughly to “may he live well” and "Helau!"(a call representing the fun of joy) fill the streets until Veilchendienstag, (Violet Tuesday) the next day.

In Berlin, Brandenburg or Saxony, Fasching celebrations take a similar form, but begin in earnest on Schmutziger Donnerstag, or ‘Fat Thursday’. In southwestern Germany and northern Bavaria, you may find yourself celebrating Fastnacht, sporting elaborately carved masks depicting witches and other animals in the wild.

Today’s Doodle is by German illustrator Sebastian Schwamm. No matter where you find yourself this Carnival season, or what you call the festivities, may your days be full of candy, flowers, and celebrations. Alaaf!


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Don't be fooled by appearances. In Hawaii, some of the most powerful people look like bums and stuntmen.
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Post by hobie16 » Tue Feb 13, 2018 9:25 pm

Carnival 2018

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Extravagant handcrafted costumes. The captivating rhythm of music from trios elétricos. Millions of party-goers dancing in the streets. It’s time for Carnival 2018!

Marking the beginning of Lent, Carnival is a week-long celebration full of lively parades, vibrant attire, and elaborate music and dance routines. Although observed all over the world, Carnival is especially popular in Brazil. In fact, Rio de Janeiro is home to the largest such celebration in the world, with up to 2 million participants!

The city is also considered the birthplace of Samba, which today is nearly synonymous with Rio’s Carnival. Music and dance play a vital role in the festivities all over the country, and popular genres vary by region — from Forró in Brazil’s Northeast to Axé in Bahia to Frevo in Pernambuco. Irrespective of town, time, or even the number of people swaying to the music, rich and catchy beats pulse through every part of Brazil on this happy occasion!

Today’s Doodle highlights the colorful and lively essence of Carnival. Whether you’re showing off your best moves in the parade this year or celebrating in spirit, we wish everyone a Happy Carnival 2018!


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Don't be fooled by appearances. In Hawaii, some of the most powerful people look like bums and stuntmen.
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Post by hobie16 » Sat Feb 17, 2018 10:53 am

Lunar New Year 2018

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Post by hobie16 » Sun Apr 08, 2018 11:28 am

Celebrating May Ayim

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Today’s Doodle celebrates author, poet, and activist May Ayim. It was on this date in 2010 that "May Ayim Ufer" or "May Ayim Street" was named in her honor in Berlin.

Born in 1960 to a Ghanaian father and a German mother, Ayim drew inspiration from a difficult childhood to become a prominent figure in the Black German movement.

Ayim’s pioneering work helped lay the groundwork for the field of Black German history. Her 1986 thesis, “Afro-Germans: Their Cultural and Social History on the Background of Social Change,” was the first scholarly work on Afro-German history from the Middle Ages to the present. This thesis also provided the foundation of her renowned book, “Farbe Bekennen.” In addition to her scholarly publications, Ayim’s poetry collections brought the Black German struggle for equality to an international stage.

Ayim’s journey as an author and poet also intersected with her work as an activist. For example, she partnered with other activists to form the Initiative Schwarze Deutsche (ISD), which served as a network of Blacks in Germany striving for self-empowerment.

Ayim’s 1992 speech, “My Pen Is My Sword: Racism and Resistance in Germany,” stressed the importance of writing as a vehicle for social transformation. Today's Doodle by Berlin-based illustrator Laura Breiling celebrates Ayim’s scholarly and literary work, which continues to educate and inspire people across the globe.


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Don't be fooled by appearances. In Hawaii, some of the most powerful people look like bums and stuntmen.
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Post by hobie16 » Sun Apr 08, 2018 11:29 am

St. David's Day 2018

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March 1st is celebrated in the UK as St. David’s Day (Dewi Sant), named after the patron saint of Wales. The musical country earned the title “Land of Song” through its rich history of choral singing, dating all the way back to the 19th century.

Today’s Doodle was created by Sander Berg, an illustrator from Sweden who now makes his home in Wales. It features a woman in historic Welsh dress—now traditionally worn on St. David’s Day—plays the Welsh National Anthem on a Welsh Triple Harp. The harpist plays in front of Mt. Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales, and is surrounded by Cenhinen Pedr (St. Peter’s Leek), also known as the daffodil. As one of the first signs of spring, the cheerful flowers are an important symbol on Welsh National Day, and can be seen popping up in fields and on lapels throughout the country.

Wales boasts several well-known musical institutions, including The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, the Welsh National Opera, the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales, and a myriad of Welsh Male Voice Choirs. Eisteddfod, an eight-day festival of literature, music, and performance, is a common way for Welsh communities around the world to honor their patron saint and celebrate their musical heritage.

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus! Happy St. David’s Day!


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Post by hobie16 » Sun Apr 08, 2018 11:29 am

Lantern Festival 2018

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The Lantern Festival marks the first full moon of the new lunar year and the close of the Chinese New Year.
In a ritual dating back thousands of years to the Han dynasty, traditional lanterns as depicted in today’s Doodle are released into the night sky bearing messages of prosperity, unity, and love. Lanterns are often red, the color of good fortune. Some might even contain riddles, which may win the fortunate ones a small prize — a favorite pastime of little children over generations.
In observance of the festival, families feast on tangyuan (small rice balls filled with sweet red bean paste, fruit, and nuts) that are thought to bring happiness and good luck in the new year. The round shape of the tangyuan symbolizes unity and togetherness.
Celebrations around the world include lion and dragon dances, stilt-walking, parades, and fireworks. Modern and traditional worlds combine as electric and neon lanterns float beside their paper or wooden counterparts, creating yet another beautiful memory of a lamp-lit sky for the year ahead.


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Don't be fooled by appearances. In Hawaii, some of the most powerful people look like bums and stuntmen.
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Post by hobie16 » Sun Apr 08, 2018 11:30 am

Holi 2018

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Red, yellow, blue, and green are a few of our favorite colors all year round, but today we’re putting them front and center for an extra special reason.

It’s time for Holi — the age-old festive ritual marking the end of winter, the coming of spring, and symbolically, the triumph of good over evil. Family and friends come together to feast, dance, and laugh together while dousing each other with colored powder and water.

Today’s Guest Doodle by Amrita Marino depicts dhol players amongst a cloud of color. These traditional drummers move from house to house, adding a peppy, musical touch to the day's festivities. The four main powder colors carry with them a piece of symbolism. Red signifies love and fertility; yellow is the color of turmeric, a natural remedy; blue represents the beloved Krishna; green symbolizes spring and new beginnings.

Whether you choose one favorite color or many, here’s wishing everyone a happy Holi!


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Don't be fooled by appearances. In Hawaii, some of the most powerful people look like bums and stuntmen.
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Post by hobie16 » Sun Apr 08, 2018 11:31 am

Girls' Day 2018

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Today, two Japanese hina dolls—an Emperor and Empress—preside over the Google colors in celebration of Hinamatsuri, an annual Japanese festival during which families wish for the health and happiness of their young girls. Also known as Girls’ Day, Hinamatsuri is believed to be rooted in the Heian-period custom nagashi-bina, where straw-and-paper dolls were placed in boats and floated down rivers to spirit away misfortune.

Though nagashi-bina ceremonies are still part of Hinamatsuri festivities in some regions, the day is more widely celebrated with elaborate displays of dolls (hina-ningyo) symbolically arranged on five- to seven-step platforms draped in red carpet. Each step depicts a different scene, always beginning with the Emperor and Empress, who are dressed in colorful kimonos that represent ancient court costumes.


These splendid arrangements decorate restaurants, shops, and family homes in the month leading up to Hinamatsuri. On festival day, people partake in traditional food and drink, such as chirashi-zushi (scattered sushi), shirozake (sweet white sake), and hishimochi (red, white, and green rice cakes shaped like diamonds).

Today’s Doodle honors Hinamatsuri with two hina-ningyo handcrafted from paper. In a special homage, the Emperor and Empress’ robes are fashioned from chiyogami, Japanese origami paper. Cherry blossoms—another symbol of this festive day—bloom above them, imparting good luck.


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Don't be fooled by appearances. In Hawaii, some of the most powerful people look like bums and stuntmen.
--- Matt King


Stay low and run in a zigzag pattern.

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Re: Google

Post by hobie16 » Sun Apr 08, 2018 11:32 am

Celebrating the Edelweiss Flower

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Today's Doodle celebrates Leontopodium nivale – more commonly known as the edelweiss flower – which for centuries has beckoned soldiers, hikers, and other adventurers from the slopes of the highest mountains of Europe. The name edelweiss was first found in writing on this date in 1784, and is a direct German translation of the words ‘noble’ and ‘white’.

The flower only blooms in the summer months of June through September. Its characteristic double-star shape and wooly-white texture make it highly recognizable both in nature and in folklore.

Embarking on a quest to find the edelweiss requires bravery, determination, and a little bit of luck. Romance is also a central theme in the story of this flower because its white blooms are thought to represent deep love and devotion. In fact, the gift of an edelweiss was once the equivalent of giving an engagement ring, a true sign of adoration and faithfulness.

Once on the brink of extinction, the edelweiss is no longer at risk, and blooms more and more across the mountainous landscape of Europe.

Today’s Doodle was created by Kassel-based artist Rita Fürstenau and depicts the edelweiss flower in a traditional cross-stitch design.


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Don't be fooled by appearances. In Hawaii, some of the most powerful people look like bums and stuntmen.
--- Matt King


Stay low and run in a zigzag pattern.

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