Clara Barton was a pioneer American teacher, patent clerk, nurse and humanitarian. During the American Civil War and many subsequent international wars, Barton tended to wounded soldiers. In 1881, she founded and became the first president of the American Red Cross, a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization.
Clara Barton is one of a trio of American women activists (along with Harriet Tubman and Helen Keller) that recently appeared to my girlfriend in a dream.
Harriet Tubman was an African-American abolitionist, humanitarian and Union spy during the American Civil War. After escaping from slavery, she made 13 missions to rescue more than 70 slaves using the Underground Railroad. She later helped John Brown recruit men for his raid on Harpers Ferry, and in the post-war era struggled for women’s suffrage.
Harriet Tubman is one of a trio of American women activists (along with Clara Barton and Helen Keller) that recently appeared to my girlfriend in a dream.
A prominent American civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in the 19th century women’s rights movement to introduce women’s suffrage into the United States. She was one of the important advocates in leading the way for women’s rights to be acknowledged and instituted in the American government. She died on this day in 1906 at age 86.
In early March 1945, Anne Frank died at age 15 in a concentration camp in Nazi Germany. She later became of the most renowned and most discussed Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Her diary documents her experiences hiding during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II and chronicles two years of her life, from 1942 to 1944. Frank gained international fame posthumously after her diary was published in 1947.
An American martial artist and actor. After serving in the U.S. Air Force, he rose to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do. As a result of his “tough guy” image, an Internet phenomenon began in 2005 known as Chuck Norris facts, ascribing various implausible or even impossible feats to Norris. He was born tomorrow in 1940.
C-3PO is a protocol droid and major character in all six Star Wars films. Along with his droid companion R2-D2, he joins or supports Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Obi-Wan Kenobi throughout the saga. He first appeared in the original Star Wars in 1977 and is one of only four characters to appear in all six Star Wars films.
R2-D2 is an astromech droid and major character in all six Star Wars films. Along with his droid companion C-3PO, he joins or supports Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Obi-Wan Kenobi throughout the saga. He first appeared in the original Star Wars in 1977 and is one of only four characters to appear in all six Star Wars films.
An Italian Renaissance sculptor, painter, architect, poet and engineer who exerted an unparalleled influence on the development of Western art. Like fellow Italian Leonardo da Vinci, he is an archetypal Renaissance man. Michelangelo was considered the greatest living artist in his lifetime. His best-known works include David, the Pietà and the frescos in the Sistine Chapel in Rome. He was born on this day in 1475.
Darth Vader (born Anakin Skywalker) is a central character in the Star Wars saga, appearing as one of the main antagonists of the original trilogy and as the main protagonist of the prequel trilogy. This dark cyborg character was created by George Lucas and first appeared in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope in 1977.
After successfully completing a full year’s worth of other 8-bit characters on Mascot Mashup, I have lifted my self-imposed ban on Star Wars characters. Many iconic Star Wars personalities are inevitably coming soon, because, as we all know, the Internet is in desperate need of more Star Wars remixes and fan art.
The leader of the Wal-lam-wat-kain (Wallowa) band of Nez Perce (or NiimÃipu) during General Oliver O. Howard’s attempt to forcibly remove “non-treaty” Nez Perce from the Wallowa Valley of northeastern Oregon to a reservation in Idaho during the late 1800s. For his principled resistance to the removal, Chief Joseph became renowned as a humanitarian and peacemaker. He was born yesterday in 1840.
With apologies to Kurt Vonnegut: This is I. This is me. This is the author of this site. Today I am celebrating 365 days of pixel art with my most self-indulgent 8-bit character of all. I was born on this day in 1979. This year on 3/3 I celebrate 33 revolutions around the sun. For many years I called Pennsylvania home, but I’ve lived in Oregon since 2001. My three cats are Eli, Tanuki and The King.
Theodor Seuss Geisel is an American writer, poet and cartoonist known for his children’s books written under the pen name Dr. Seuss. His children’s books include Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! and 43 more. His picture books are often characterized by imaginative characters, rhyme and frequent use of trisyllabic meter. Geisel was born on this day in 1904.
Note: Geisel’s birthday has been adopted as the annual date for National Read Across America Day, an initiative on reading created by the National Education Association. “Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living,” said Dr. Seuss.
A former Soviet statesman, having served as head of state of the Soviet Union from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991. Gorbachev also led the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991. His attempts at Soviet reform and collaboration with U.S. President Ronald Reagan contributed to the end of the Cold War. Gorbachev was born into a peasant Ukrainian-Russian family on this day in 1931.
I once had a sarasa comet goldfish that was all white with a red splotch on the top of his head. I named him Gorbachev. He reformed the corrupt political climate of the 10-gallon aquarium.
Happy Leap Year! This special occasion deserves a purple squirrel. These rare creatures show up in the media about once every four years. There was a sighting in Pennsylvania earlier this month, in southern England in 2008 and in Minnesota in 1997. Most guesses about how a gray squirrel ends up colored purple involve exposure to dye, ink or paint.
Note: There is a more terrifying hypothesis posed by Krish Pillai, a Pennsylvania computer science professor. He suggests bromine-contaminated groundwater from fracking operations: “That color looks very much like Tyrian purple. It is a natural organobromide compound seen in molluscs and rarely found in land animals. The squirrel has too much bromide in its system possibly from all the bromide laced frack water its been drinking.”
Linus Pauling was an American chemist, biochemist, peace activist and author. He ranks among the most important scientists of the 20th century. Pauling was one of the first scientists to work in the fields of quantum chemistry and molecular biology. A graduate of Oregon State University and winner of two Nobel Prizes, he was born on this day in 1901 in Portland, Oregon.
P.S. “Do unto others 20% better than you would expect them to do unto you, to correct for subjective error.” – Linus Pauling
Mister Rogers was an American educator, Presbyterian minister, songwriter, author and television host. Rogers created and hosted Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood (1968-2001), which featured his gentle, soft-spoken personality and directness to his audiences. As a kid in the 1980s, I watched countless episodes of his show on PBS. He died on this day in 2003.
P.S. “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of ‘disaster,’ I remember my mother’s words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world.” – Fred Rogers
Update: Listen to “Garden of Your Mind (Mister Rogers Remixed)” from PBS Digital Studios.
An artificial intelligence in Arthur C. Clarke’s science fiction Space Odyssey saga and the primary antagonist in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. HAL (Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer) is visually represented as a red television-camera eye located on equipment panels throughout the Discovery One spaceship.
The fictional protagonist of the Indiana Jones franchise. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg created the character in homage to the action heroes of 1930s film serials. The character first appeared in the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark. Jones, most famously played by Harrison Ford, is notable for his knowledge of ancient civilizations and languages, his iconic fedora and his fear of snakes.
This character is dedicated to a friend’s future goblin, who will be named Indiana Jones regardless of gender.
A controversial artist and leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. Warhol’s works explore the relationship between artistic expression, celebrity culture and advertisement. His studio (The Factory) was a famous gathering place that brought together distinguished intellectuals, drag queens, playwrights, Bohemian street people, Hollywood celebrities and wealthy patrons. He died on this day in 1987.
Helen Keller – No. 376
Helen Keller is an American author and political activist. She was the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. The story of how Keller’s teacher broke through the isolation and helped her learn to communicate is the basis for the play and film The Miracle Worker. A prolific author, Keller was outspoken in her opposition to war and campaigned for women’s suffrage, workers’ rights and socialism.
Helen Keller is one of a trio of American women activists (along with Clara Barton and Harriet Tubman) that recently appeared to my girlfriend in a dream.