Bringing history to life … Official Google blog


Today you can discover 42 new online historical exhibitions telling the stories behind major events of the last century, including Apartheid, D-Day and the Holocaust. The stories have been put together by 17 partners including museums and cultural foundations who have drawn on their archives of letters, manuscripts, first-hand video testimonials and much more. Much of the material is very moving—and some is on the Internet for the first time.

Each exhibition features a narrative which links the archive material together to unlock the different perspectives, nuances and tales behind these events. Among others you’ll see:

  • Tragic love at Auschwitz – the story of Edek & Mala, a couple in love who try to escape Auschwitz
  • Jan Karski, Humanity’s hero – first-hand video testimony from the man who attempted to inform the world about the existence of the Holocaust
  • Faith in the Human Spirit is not Lost –  tracing the history of Yad Vashem’s efforts to honor courageous individuals who attempted to rescue Jews during the Holocaust
  • Steve Biko – a 15-year-old’s political awakening in the midst of the Apartheid movement featuring nine documents never released in the public domain before
  • D-Day – details of the famous landings including color photographs, personal letters and the D-Day order itself from Admiral Ramsay
  • The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II – an account of the 1953 Coronation including color photographs
  • Years of the Dolce Vita – a look at the era of the “good life” in Italy including the fashion, food, cars and culture

As with the other archives that we’ve helped bring onto the Internet, including the Dead Sea Scrolls, you can zoom in to see photos in great detail and search through millions of items for a specific country, person, event or date. Watch our video for some guidance about how to find your way around the exhibitions.
The historical collections are the latest chapter in the work of the Google Cultural Institute, following the  Art Project, World Wonders and the Nelson Mandela archives. We’re working closely with museums, foundations and other archives around the world to make more cultural and historical material accessible online and by doing so preserve it for future generations.
You can explore the many exhibitions at www.google.com/culturalinstitute. You can also follow us on our Google+ page. What you see today is just the start, so if you’re a partner interested in contributing your own exhibitions, please fill out this form.
Posted by Mark Yoshitake, Product Manager, Google Cultural Institute

Time to Contribute $$ Democratic Party : Future and next Generation


I am writing to you not knowing what side of the political table you sit at hoping some of you will be voting for Barack Obama for a 2nd term. If not, so be it. I want you to know that I am asking you to Contribute $$ to the Democratic Party if you have not already and consider what our democracy will be move toward with a Romney/Ryan ticket. We have 28days before Nov.6, some of our fellow Americans participating in early voting as we speak. In some parts of the Country, Voter Suppression is rearing its ugly head and is beyond disheartening because voting is the voice of “we the people” is being stomped on by voter intimiation . I do not usually ask for money but given what Mr. Romney and Paul Ryan are offering equality in all its forms is at risk.   So, I am formally asking for a Contribution to help the Democratic Party continue what we aspired and started in 2008 and was ignored by the Republican party who met the same night Barack was sworn in. Some in the Republican Party stated compromise was a dirty word while others turned toward race and fear in 2010; it was the turning point. The extreme right gained control and exacted out record numbers of filibustering as well as obstructing major legislation that would have shortened our recession.

If, you are so inclined to donate and vote for Barack Obama to fight against the unlimited money taking over politics at http://Barackobama.com

I support Obama because he represents the bold and drastic changes we need NOW action not the lip service we received from the last administration. The President of the United States knows and understands we need to pay attention to our debt deficit, our environment, that we need to narrow the gap between the haves and have none and we all know we need better health-care.

Last, our future is our children and that means better educational opportunities… but that is at risk with the Romney and Ryan plan or road to posterity

Thank you for your time

Carmen

President Obama Speaks at the Dedication of the Cesar Chavez National Monument


 
 
whitehouse has uploaded President Obama Speaks at the Dedication of the Cesar Chavez National Monument.
President Obama Speaks at the Dedication of the Cesar Chavez National Monument
President Obama delivers remarks at a dedication ceremony for the Cesar Chavez National Monument in Keene, California. October 8, 2012.

Truth Team … from Stephanie


Truth TeamMitt Romney deliberately tried to confuse voters about where he stands on many issues. I want to clear up where President Obama and Mitt Romney agree — and where they disagree — on one particularly important issue: Social Security.
President Obama and Romney agree that we need to make gradual changes to make sure Social Security stays solvent over the long term. The disagreement is over how to do it — and that’s where President Obama and Romney have fundamentally different ideas.
President Obama will under no circumstances agree to put your retirement at risk by privatizing Social Security, and he will reject any plan that slashes Social Security benefits. Because Romney opposes any effort to raise a single penny in new revenue, his Social Security plan is forced to rely solely on big benefit cuts to maintain solvency — analysis of a similar plan showed current workers would see cuts of up to 40 percent that would badly hurt their financial security.
Romney and Ryan also supported the Bush privatization plan that would have exposed Social Security benefits to the financial crisis that devastated many pension funds and retirement accounts.
Take a look at this post that details the clear choice voters have on Social Security in this election, and be sure to share it with everyone you know who’d be affected:

Thanks for all you do,
Stephanie
P.S. — Our team has put together a lot of great content about Romney’s false attacks at Wednesday’s debate.

 

Check them out on the Truth Team site.

Denny Heck for Congress : and the Middle Class


Today’s a big day for our campaign. 

It’s about getting Congress back to work on fixing our economy and it won’t look like other political ads you’ll see this year.

Since he started this campaign last year, Denny has been talking about the importance of getting Congress focused on working together to help the middle class and those working to get into it.  And he’s done so with a clear, positive message. Those same values and attitude – and a bit of humor – went into making this ad.

I hope you like our first ad. I hope you like it enough that you’re willing to make a contribution of $5, $10, or $25 today to keep it on the air. We need to raise $11,233 by Sunday to finish out our ad buy, and we can only do it with your support.


29 days to go. Let’s Give Congress Heck!
-Hart Edmonson Campaign Manager

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