Most of the time it's understandable how Google comes up with its specific celebrations. Other times it's less intuitive. For example, today they are celebrating the 450th anniversary of Saint Basil's Cathedral? How did they come up with that? Does anyone know how they come up with these? Once in awhile I am surprised that they don't celebrate a holiday. For example, I don't think they had anything for the 4th of July, though I know it's just a US holiday so that may be why.

I've seen US Thanksgiving Day, one of their firstr, and July 4th (US Independence Day). You might look at their site (link).

I could have sworn there wasn't a special Google on my screen for the 4th this year, but your site indicates there was. It must have been another day.

I continue to be amazed by how creative Google and Apple are. If it weren't for Apple, we'd never have windows. Look at how the "tablets" are being developed by all companies, looking very similar to the iPad. My father-in-law was a patent attorney, and Shu and I think that the computer industry could benefit by hiring some good patent attorneys.

the computer industry could benefit by hiring some good patent attorneys.

There are already too many patent attorneys involved, and I think the computer industry would do better without patents. And remember, Apple did not invent windowing systems. They specifically licensed that technology from Xerox. I remember at my first tech writing job in the late '80s, there was a company that owned a patent on XOR (something from logic, exclusive or, that was used to show a menu and then restore what was on the screen behind it). They were basically a CEO and a couple of patent attorneys. Their only mission in the industry was to determine how much money (in licensing) they could extract from a company without going to trial. See this article (link) for further info and more links.

We'll have to agree to disagree on this one. I think the most talented in the computer industry get ripped off because other companies (like Microsoft...and I know I am sounding like Dale!) have more money and immediately copy what the computer geniuses come up with.

On the other hand, the pharmaceutical industry seems to be diametrically opposed to the computer industry. That is, their patents last way too long, thus costing patients (particularly Americans) way too much money. There needs to be a happy medium.