Everyday Blog

You google. Every day, you look to the search box for answers to questions that differ in word count, language, and complexity. Where can I buy a leather envelope? What are the advantages of getting leather padfolios? Why did Santa opt to live in the North Pole? Why does Arnold Schwarzenegger’s accent get worse the longer he stays in the country?

You google, and as speedily as you can type, Google churns out the possible answers to your questions. But just how well do you know Google? Have you tried to google Google?

Here are three things I’m pretty certain you do not know about Google.

1. Google was originally named BackRub.

Google started as a research project. In January 1996, Larry Page and Sargey Brin decided to develop a new way to rank websites according to their backlinks, or the number of web pages that link back to the web site being searched. Google’s earliest nickname was BackRub but it was eventually changed to Google, the most common misspelled version of the word googol.

Before long, Google became so famous it is now accepted as a verb. In 2006, dictionaries recognized googling as the act of using Google’s search engine to find information in the internet.

2. Google spends $72 million on employee meals annually.

In Googleplex, Google’s headquarters in California, employees can avail of two free meals a day. What’s even more impressive is that they have their pickings from 11 gourmet cafeterias. And if you haven’t turned green with envy already, imagine this: Google also gives employees their choice of healthy snack bars.

Google also offers the following services on-site: car wash, oil change, haircut, massage therapy, language learning, day care service, and drop-off dry cleaning. It’s very little wonder than that Google is considered the best workplace in the world.

3. Google has a fine sense of humor.
If you type leather passport holders and click I’m Feeling Lucky, the search results you come up with could give you a coronary. Yes, Google has a sense of humor and it managed to keep this alive and well throughout years of frenzied backlinking. Consider this: Google has language support for Klingon, pig Latin, and Elmer Fudd!

Think you know everything about Google? Think again.