Friday, January 25, 2008

Australia Day

When I wake up in the morning, Jan 26, it will be Australia Day. I’m not sure about the US, I believe it was celebrated in LA on Wednesday last. Well, the yanks have to beat us at some things…

Google Australia launched a new initiative for Australian schools called "Doodle 4 Google" last July. The competition invited school children across the nation to design a themed Google logo inspired by the topic "My Australia".

The winner popped up tonight, seen right and linked to google.au. A design by 12-year-old Janelle San Juan a Victorian student won the Doodle 4 Google competition. Janelle's illustration "A scene of sheer formality" was one of 10,000 entries from more than 2500 schools across Australia.

This initiative is probably a good indication of why Google have become so powerful. Their in house designs are always fun, but letting the kids have a go is a real winner.

As for our Australia Day, it will be wet in the mid 70s. It has hardly been the summer we are used to, but I guess the rain is welcome. More welcome than the Kansas based evangelist, Fred Phelps, on the news tonight explaining how Australia is the land of Sodom.

Okay, so it is cooler than we like, a lot wetter, but if you want to escape those evangelical nutters you are welcome to come make sure we keep them outnumbered. Can’t guarantee the sodomy, though I doubt any self respecting gay would be attracted to Fred.

6 comments:

D.K. Raed said...

Happy Australia Day! Is it like our Independence Day -- lots of parades & fireworks, etc? So sorry it conflicts with the Melbourne Tennis. Even more sorry that Phelps is inflicting himself upon you. Sodom? WTF is he talking about? I would've thought he knew his bible better than that. No self-respecting Aussie would've even entertained finding 10 righteous men; he would've told the angel to eff off & while he was at it, to kiss his dingo.

Cartledge said...

Ahhh d.k. your comments on apropos Fred are spot on. As much as my country changes those important elements persist.
As to parades, between washing and cleaning (a blokes work is never done) I’ve been piddling myself listening to people going off to the Aust Day event locally. We don’t do parades for this one, but community gatherings with BBQs and long winded speeches.
People (groups) walking past here to the ‘town green’ are all checking out where their flags and other patriotic detritus are made. “Oh, mine is made in China too…” giggles all round.
I’m afraid I’m not a nationalist in any real sense. I love cultural identity, but that seems to stretch across the globe. But I do enjoy the ‘eff off’ approach.

D.K. Raed said...

Oh no! It's not a my-flag-is-bigger-than-your-flag event, is it? Your giggle-response is most appropriate!

When you get tired of flags & bbq's, stop by & see my adolescent kung-fu pix, politic-free!

TomCat said...

Happy Australia day to my down under friends.

Cartledge said...

d.k. Aussies aren't very good at patriotic shows. Let's face it, when you need free BBQs to get people to the events it says something.

Thanks Tom, the long weekend is always appreciated here, during the summer especially.

TomCat said...

Ah yes... your summer.

Brrrrr.... :-(