Dear BBC (and your publishing partners, Penguin Random House Group UK), My name is Benjamin Franklin. You probably know me as that face on the U.S. $100 bill. Besides being one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, I’m also famous as a scientist, inventor, printer, philanthropist, and diplomat. But here’s something you may not be aware of. What I’m now about to share with you I have never yet divulged to another living soul -- I’m also a time traveler! And therein lies my dilemma: I seem to have crossed paths with another very familiar time traveler known to the BBC and legions of fans as “Doctor Who.” I have a fascinating story to tell about my experiences, but I fear it may get caught up in bureaucratic red tape because of your modern-day copyright laws, political correctness, and centuries-old animosities over our Declaration of Independence! However, what I’d like to propose to you now is a partnership of common interests. Would you like to attract more American viewers to Doctor Who? My new 310-page novel, “Doctor Ben Who?” could serve as that bridge across the ocean. When you consider how much Franklin merchandise has been sold, how many books have been read, and how many viewers have tuned in over the years to see Ben Franklin on the telly, you’ll see that by teaming up, we could really turn the world on its ear! Want to know more about this extraordinary story? I never set out to become a time traveler. But one day, it just happened! I was puttering around with one of my experiments, trying to prove that lightning was the same thing as electricity, when I was suddenly snatched away and unexpectedly deposited in the 21st century. It was a quite unnerving experience, I can assure you. But that isn’t even the least of it. I then found myself on a series of exciting (sometimes extremely dangerous) journeys through time and space, most notably a trip to help save a distant planet from an imminent environmental disaster….caused, coincidentally, by their own experiment with electricity! I was accompanied on these voyages by my good friend and companion Caty Ray, who hails from Block Island. (I met her at my brother John’s home in Boston, on one of these time-traveling trips). She and I had originally planned on a simple visit to Newport, in the colony of Rhode Island, but wound up going instead to the Tower of London in 18th century England; Harvard University in the 21st century; an elementary school in 1950s New Jersey; and a planet populated by mind-reading green people! Together, we foiled a plot to blow up the House of Lords; met tourists at Old North Church in the modern-day city of Boston; were chased by sword-wielding guards through the dark corridors of the Tower of London; concocted a plan to change history by stopping a global electrification experiment; and risked our lives on a mission to see first-hand the effects of the catastrophic meltdown of the green people’s planet. And all this, while wrestling with my own sense of identity. For some mysterious reason, the thought entered my head that I was not Benjamin Franklin at all, but rather some strange time-traveling person called ‘the Doctor.’ That notion, for me, was cause for an untold amount of consternation and confusion, to say the least. But having Caty along on these trips was more than enough compensation for those travails. Ah, my dear, sweet Caty! As the result of our experiences, we were quite the couple! If you so desire, I would very much appreciate the opportunity to share with you the story of our adventures. As one of the colonies’ most accomplished media people myself (in the 1700s, that is!), I can foresee some of the questions you might have about this project. So, if you’re interested, please use the contact form on this website, http://benfranklinexclusive.weebly.com/contacting-us.html , or the email address listed there, and let’s enter into some serious discussions about the wonderful possibilities for this exciting new joint venture. Your humble servant, B.Franklin PS: I'd also encourage any #DoctorWho fans... or Benjamin Franklin fans, for that matter... to make their feelings known to the #BBC (and Penguin Random House Group UK, as well,) in the interests of getting this project off the ground. After all, at 310 years old, I'm not getting any younger, you know!
You may say, “But Mr. Franklin, you’ve been around for over 310 years! That’s hardly a short lifetime!” True, I will answer. But, dear reader, I’m speaking more precisely of the shortness of the average life when it comes to doing all that one can, making the most of all the opportunities we get… caring for people, doing good things for our community, living life to the fullest. While here in your modern world of the 21st century, I’ve had the chance to read up on recent history, learning what some famous contemporary leaders, teachers, and sages have said on this subject. And not surprisingly, their thoughts are an interesting echo of my own writings from years ago, such as “The noblest question in the world is, ‘What good can I do in it?’” Here are just a few examples of their gems of wisdom: Harold Kushner, who wrote the book When Bad Things Happen to Good People, said “Caring about others, running the risk of feeling, and leaving an impact on people, brings happiness.” John F. Kennedy, U.S. president from 1961-63, said “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” Paulo Freire, a revolutionary Brazilian educator who wrote Pedagogy of the Oppressed, said “Knowledge emerges only through invention and re-invention, through the restless, impatient, continuing, hopeful inquiry human beings pursue in the world, with the world, and with each other.” Author Tony Wagner, the ‘expert in residence’ at Harvard University’s Innovation Lab, said “The world no longer cares about what you know — the world cares about what you can do with what you know.” And finally, Samuel Ullman, an American businessman, poet, and humanitarian (1840-1924), wrote “Youth is not a time of life, it is a state of mind, a temper of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions, a predominance of courage over timidity, and the appetite for adventure over love of ease… Whether they are 16 or 70, there is in every being’s heart the love of wonder, the sweet amazement of the stars, and star-like things and thoughts, the undaunted challenge of events, the unfailing childlike appetite for what is to come next, and the joy and the game of life… So long as your heart receives messages of beauty, cheer, courage, grandeur, and power from the earth, from your fellow human beings, and from the Infinite, so long you are young.” Some words to ponder in these days of unrest, alienation, uncertainty, and despair. Your humble servant, B.Franklin Watching this current presidential campaign unfold, I suddenly realized that I'd been unwittingly drawn into the very hateful and spiteful rhetoric that I myself personally abhor. In fact, this point was brought home to me when I re-read some of my old sayings in Poor Richard's Almanac. One of them stated, "If you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything at all." It was then that I suddenly realized that some of my recent blogs were going against my own advice! Another one of my famous quotations was "Speak ill of no man (or woman), but speak all the good you know of everybody." You can imagine how red-faced I was, when I saw what a hypocrite I have been. So, like any good newspaper publisher, it is my duty to issue a retraction, and not only a retraction, but also an apology. If I have either intentionally or unknowingly insulted or hurt someone in the process of making editorial comments on the present-day political scene, I am deeply sorry, and beg their forgiveness. To rectify this situation, I am in the process of deleting all previous posts (and editing portions of others), in which I may have held certain political candidates up to unfair ridicule and scorn. Furthermore, by setting this example, I would heartily encourage all of the candidates in this upcoming election to do likewise, and to refrain from name-calling, mud-slinging, hate-mongering, disrespecting, casting aspersions, fabricating falsehoods, and otherwise stooping to the lowest level when speaking of their opponents. Let us all be fair to one another, and show the world what decent people we Americans really are. Your humble servant, B. Franklin From its very beginnings, the United States has been a land of immigrants. And what's so wrong about that?
Nothing at all, my friends! In fact, it is that which has actually made us stronger, as a nation. The multifaceted gifts, interests, strengths, traditions and, yes, differences, have actually contributed in a very beneficial way to the fabric of who we are, and how we function — socially, culturally, educationally, economically, and even politically. Since I seemed to have a little time on my hands — in between time-traveling, that is — I thought I'd seek out a few of the local festivals in the Boston area. Because of the delicious variety of food offerings, the wonderfully entertaining performances, and the fascinating conversation, I must confess that I only managed to make it to two this weekend. One was the Dozynki Polish Harvest Festival on Dorchester Avenue in Boston, hosted by Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish. The other was the St. Sava Orthodox Church's Annual Serbian Festival in Cambridge. Both were excellent examples of ethnic traditions brought alive for all to see, taste, and experience. (And if you know Ben Franklin, you know I love to taste!) If we all could simply learn to appreciate and respect each other's unique differences, instead of fearing them or using them as a reason to hate or discriminate against others, we would be much better off. And, incidentally, we would be a lot truer to our ideals as a country. Just remember the inscription on the Statue of Liberty, my friends: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" Your humble servant, B.Franklin
Someone recently asked me, what do you think, Ben, of the current state of the country as yet another July 4th Independence Day is celebrated? For the answer to that, I will resurrect (and resurrect is a good word for it — you will see why in a moment) an old story of mine that has been quoted numerous times and even turned into a monologue for the finale of that Broadway musical of many years ago, "Ben Franklin in Paris." The authors of the play took my original words and rewrote them a little, for more entertainment value, I presume. But the original intent is still the same, and it would be a timely message to share now, in this 21st century. Here's how the story went: (credit for the play and lyrics goes to Sydney Michaels) The actor playing yours truly stood alone on the stage, and shared his thoughts with the audience: FRANKLIN: “I have heard about a cask of good Madeira wine, into which a small fly fell. The cask was corked, was shipped three thousand miles across the sea, where, after twenty years of lying in the dark, it was brought up, was opened, and the first glass filled from it. At which filling it, it chanced that a small drop of wine spilled upon the tabletop. And there, in that small drop of wine, lay the very same fly, who, seeming dead, did as the sun shone on him and dried his wings, arose miraculously, shook himself, and flew up bustling into the blue day as alive again as ever he had been. Now, I don’t know how scientific that tale is, but I should like to be buried in such a cask of good Madeira wine. Then, after two hundred years, I too should rise up, and stand once more on Pennsylvania land. And walk and talk and breathe the free air. For I know in my heart somehow it will be free, I know it. I know it even now. What a dream. Two hundred years. And I wonder, I wonder how I should find them then. Those Americans to whom the name ‘American’ will not be new. Will they love liberty, being given it outright in the crib, for nothing? And will they know that if you are not free, you are lost without hope? And will they who reap this harvest of ideas be willing to strive to preserve them, as we so willingly strove to plant them? That all men are created equal, and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights… yes, sir. And would they die for it? Well, that’s the question one must finally ask oneself. Would I die for it? The answer one must say is….yes, sir, I would. Well, anyway, it would be fun to be pickled for 200 years in a cask of good Madeira wine.” —"Ben Franklin in Paris," Sydney Michaels, writer and lyricist Of course, now that I'm here... not 200 but 240 years later, thanks to time travel... I can see how this country has fared since Revolutionary times. Certainly, we have our problems. And as always, we will work our way through them. But I can tell you, candidly, America never stopped being great. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. And the best we can all do now is resolve to move forward, showing the world what America is really made of. Our freedom did come at a price. But the inspiring part of this continuing saga is that we continue to pay it forward every single day, as we help others to reap the same "harvest of ideas" that we did, ten-fold, a hundred-fold, even a thousand-fold! A joyous Fourth to you all, my friends! Your humble servant, B.Franklin Many of you may be familiar with my story of the hatmaker's sign, which I originally told to Tom Jefferson back when he was so distraught over all the corrections that Congress made to his Declaration of Independence draft. (You can view my telling of the hatmaker story on Youtube by clicking here). Well, I am pleased to share with you a new hatmaker story. I happened to be in Boston, and since my olde tricorn hat needed some shaping up, I sought out the famous Goorin Brothers Hat Shop on Newbury Street, where they were nice enough to make some minor adjustments to it, so that the hat would be more comfortable when I needed to wear it for longer periods of time, such as at upcoming Fourth of July celebrations. Their expertise is unparalleled — they are not only renowned haberdashers, they are also magicians! Some might say the adjustments were needed because I was getting a "swelled head" (is that how you say it in this modern 21st century?) over all the attention I've been getting on this thing called the internet. Actually, the truth is, after that fall my statue suffered recently at Boston's Old City Hall park, I think I've been having sympathy pains for my injured likeness. Not only was that a pain in the neck, it was also a giant headache, too! Hence, the need to get some more breathing room in my old tricorn hat. By the way, tricorn hats may not be your favorite fashion -- but if you're interested in any other types of today's most stylish headgear — for men or women — you'll definitely want to pay a visit to Goorin Brothers at 130 Newbury Street in Boston. They'll treat you very well! Your humble servant, B.Franklin Not since my flying kite experiment in 1752 have I been this fascinated with one of the newest developments in the history of personal transportation. Apparently, there is a movement afoot to unleash a whole new mode of travel, one which avoids the hassles of gridlocked streets and cramped airline flights. Just today, Yahoo News shared a story from Bloomberg about some crafty entrepreneurs who have been working on actual prototypes of flying cars that owe their feasibility to electric engines! And we might see the results of their labors within the next 5 to 10 years! For someone like myself, who was a pioneer in the study of electricity, this is yet one more exciting milestone in technology. Who ever could have imagined that this all came about through the simple experiment of flying a kite in a thunderstorm! And, as one of America's first inventors, I heartily applaud the ingenuity of Larry Page of Zee.Aero, predecessors like Paul Moller and Alexander Weygers, and other entrepreneurs such as JoeBen Bevirt, Ilan Kroo, Paul Sciarra, Sebastian Thrun, Mark Moore, Emerick Oshiro, and David Estrada, who are all helping to launch us into a new chapter in aviation history! Your humble servant, B.Franklin At times like these, I look back on my decision to escape Boston for the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia, and instantly realize that it was the right thing to do at the time. On Monday, May 16th, freakish wind conditions plagued the greater Boston area for much of the day... and a statue erected in my honor was one of the casualties! For more details, see the report by local TV station WCVB at this link: http://wcvb.tv/6184BU1jE It's a good thing that I was one of those "hard-headed" Founding Fathers. I don't think I could have survived this calamity otherwise! One of my old sayings from Poor Richard's Almanack sums up this whole situation pretty well: "there are no gains without pains." And, to be honest, as you can see from the picture above, this was a real "pain in the neck!" Your humble servant, B.Franklin Back in my time, in the 1700s, it had only been about 300 years since explorers had proven that the world was round, not flat. Since then, the pace of progress has been mind-boggling. Now that I've time traveled here to the 21st century, that makes another 300 years — just think of all the additional discoveries and inventions since colonial times! Or the number of innovations in just the past decade alone! Watching the progress (or lack thereof) in the presidential campaign, it occurred to me that all of the candidates are engaging in a curious game of fish or cut bait... or something like that. What's really needed is not more of the same, but rather a whole new outlook.
A long time ago, I said "He (or she) that would fish, must venture his (or her) bait." In other words, if you want to fish, you better be prepared to offer something that people really want. And if you want to change the world, start with one fish at a time. Only then will you be able to truly transform someone’s perspective. Your humble servant, B.Franklin Appalled is too mild a world. Mortified doesn't adequately say it, either. As a Founding Father and wordsmith of the 1700s, I am actually at a loss for words. The violence I see here in your present day world is absolutely shocking. And what makes it even more ridiculous is the length of time that Congress has been diddling around, refusing to enact any meaningful legislation to stem this horrible tide of random shootings. As a time traveler, I've had the unique opportunity to be able to observe not only the happenings in this present day 21st century, but also to read up on past events — your "recent" history, dating back several decades or more. And the horrible truth is, people simply are not learning from past mistakes. The saying that "if you do not know your history, you are doomed to repeat it" is unfortunately coming true at an increasingly and frighteningly frequent rate. One shooting seems to beget another, and another, and another. And Congress is doing nothing to stop it! I actually discovered another old example of what you call a "television" program from nearly 50 years ago which beautifully illustrates this shameful pattern. I invite you to click on the picture below to watch two famous storytellers of that period, Messrs. Rowan and Martin, as they bestow a special award upon Congress for its cowardice and inactivity. My greatest fear is that it will ultimately take another, even more tragic event involving additional loss of lives in the next year or so to finally wake everybody up to the dangers of not responding to this growing threat of gun madness.
Your humble servant, B.Franklin Watching a few of these things you modern people call "television shows," I have come to one conclusion: there seems to be a lot of interest in a dramatic technique called "dream sequences."
After a bit of Ben binge viewing, I noticed that nearly every program, when it begins running out of good story ideas, very often resorts to fantasy. Some of this is quite entertaining, I will admit. But as a writer myself, back in the 1700s, I can tell you this much: it's definitely a sign of the well running dry when you see the main characters engaging in all sorts of shenanigans and absurdities, simply because there are fewer and fewer "reality" topics worth pursuing. One program in particular, "Always Sunny in Philadelphia," is a veritable embarrassment to those like myself who call Philadelphia home. In each and every episode, the five inhabitants of a very peculiar establishment called Paddy's Pub figure out every vice, every depravity, and every selfish, imprudent act known to mankind... and then go out and engage in those very same acts themselves. Their lack of common sense and morality is so all-encompassing, you simply have to laugh at how low they will sink to gain an advantage over their so-called friends. If I were to create a dream sequence starring yours truly, set in my beloved home town of Philadelphia, and featuring this gang of ridiculous ruffians, I can assure you that it would be more of a nightmare sequence in which their buffoonery and narcissistic behavior would have me tearing my hair out (what little I have remaining, that is, below the large bald spot) over the foolhardiness demonstrated by these immature simpletons on a regular basis. What has Philadelphia sunk to? What has America sunk to? That is a very scary thought. Your humble servant, B.Franklin One of the things I have been fascinated by, as I travel about in this amazing new world of the 21st century, is a form of entertainment that we did not have back in Revolutionary times — I believe you call it “stand up comedy.” It is true that we had storytellers back in the 1700s, but they were nothing like today. Ours were somewhat more genteel, and always committed to staying within the bounds of decency and good taste. Well, actually, that is not entirely true. We had our share of entertainers who used off-color language too, even then. But their careful use of double meanings and euphemisms put them on a much higher plane than many of the people I have witnessed performing in these things you now call “comedy clubs.” “Anything goes” appears to be the rule of the day, today. The more outrageous, provocative, and shocking the language, the better the audience responds, it seems. Another thing I have noticed is the overreliance on “put-downs” and insults. Again, while I am no stranger to humorous vilification — we certainly had a good share of it during colonial times, and King George was often the butt of our jokes — some of today’s comedians seem to carry this to an even more cutthroat extreme. This is either symptomatic of the ruthless nature of your modern world — or perhaps even a root cause of it! Although I would be quick to point out that artists and storytellers can not take all the blame for this trend, since much of the responsibility, I would think, lies with thought leaders in business and government. One thing that has not changed, however, is the time and location of the entertainment. In 18th century America, you would often find our storytellers perfecting their craft nightly in the taverns and publick houses, where their audiences were quite frequently well-lubricated and inebriated. For some reason, being in an intoxicated state makes one more convivial and receptive to all types of humor, even bad jokes that would not pass muster in the light of day when one is more sober. For example, stories of chickens crossing the road, knock-knock jokes (which, incidentally, the great English playwright William Shakespeare invented, you may be interested to learn), nun jokes, stories of elephants in one’s pajamas… and, of course, the inevitable bald jokes, fat jokes, and stingy jokes, all of which I have personally been the target of, at one time or another. If I may conclude my little discourse on standup comedy with a question, what I would really like to know is, what is the significance of an extremely common disguise that many comedians like to employ: a large pair of black spectacles adorned with bushy eyebrows and a large black mustache? Is there some added humor value to this? Does it make their jokes funnier, their improvisations wittier? I am told that this custom dates back to a famous comedian who plied his trade in the 1930s, ‘40s, and ‘50s — someone named “Grouchie?” Perhaps, if I could become more adept with the technique of time travel, I should like to meet this individual. He might have some good material that I can use in my Poor Richard’s Almanack. Your humble servant, B.Franklin (reprinted from February 2014) Some people here in this future world have wondered whether I had any direct knowledge of the Groundhog Day tradition. I regret to say that I do not. Aside from the fact that I published a German-American newspaper in the colonies, beginning in 1732, I did not have anything to do with this quaint custom. Actually, it did not even become popular until about 1841 – a considerable time after my days in Philadelphia. What is the German-American connection? Brad Hart, a writer more familiar with this event than myself, has apparently summarized its history quite nicely, and posted the information on the internet at http://americancreation.blogspot.com/2010/02/where-did-groundhog-day-come-from.html To make a long story short, Groundhog Day has its roots in Candlemas, an ancient Christian observance that also intersects with the Celtic celebration of Imbolc, as well as the belief in Brigid, the Celtic goddess of healing and wisdom. Celts believed that Brigid would “bring the first stirrings of spring and liberate society from the clutches of harsh winter. It was through animals (usually a badger or a bear) that the will of Brigid was made manifest, which is why people would gather in almost every village to see if these ‘holy animals’ would emerge or not,” explains Mr. Hart. When the Germans (referred to somewhat inaccurately as “Pennsylvania Dutch”) came to this land, they brought with them their customs, including Candlemas. And since groundhogs were more numerous in Pennsylvania than badgers, it was this particular furry creature that became the leading weather prognosticator of this unique tradition. There’s even a song that was popular in New England in the 18th century, which told of the Candlemas belief: As the light glows longer, the cold grows stronger. If Candlemas be fair and bright, winter will have another flight. If Candlemas be cloud and snow, Winter will be gone and not come again. Now, add to this the fact that the Delaware Indians revered the groundhog as a sacred animal (they felt it was the ancestral grandfather of their tribe!), and you can see how these various customs may have become intertwined, just as the various cultures (Celtic, German, native American) intermingled with and had an effect on each other. For a native American blog on this subject, go to http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2012/02/02/groundhog-days-native-american-roots-95391 And so, that is my account of the Groundhog. I only share this because of my own deep affection for another similar creature, the squirrel or “skugg,” on which I have written (or “blogged”) previously at http://benfranklinexclusive.weebly.com/1/post/2013/08/squirrel-lover-ben.html . Your humble servant, B.Franklin Today, January 16th, is my 310th birthday. If I hadn’t been time-traveling, this would not have been possible. But it did happen, and so I’m here today. Otherwise, you’d simply be reading about me in the history books. Well, come to think of it, you’d be reading about me either way. But it’s probably more fun hearing about the peculiar 310-year-old man than some regular guy pushing 80. What does it feel like to be 310, you may wonder? Well, when I wake up in the morning I don’t have to read the obituaries to see if any of my old friends died — you know, George Washington, Tom Jefferson, Johnny Adams — that’s because I know they’re already gone. The slackers! They could at least have hung around for a few more hundred years to keep me company. What do I miss most about the 1700s? Horse droppings. Horse droppings? Seriously, that’s what I said. We had a lot of it back then. But it saved so many lives. How, you may ask? Well, by keeping us out of the street. Horse droppings prevented more accidents than you can ever imagine. The first insurance company even wrote a “horse dropping clause” into their policies. Was life hard in colonial times? Oh, yes, it was extremely hard. How hard was it? We didn’t have cold drinks back then. We didn’t have cold anything, because there were no refrigerators. So if you wanted a “cold one,” you’d have to wait until January or February, and hire a team of horses to bring it in, all the way from Vermont. Poor Sam Adams ran up quite a bill, trying to please customers at his brew pub. What’s my secret for longevity? Well, I could tell you “Early to bed, and early to rise,” but that only applies to health, wealth, and wisdom. If you want to know how I made it to 310, that’s a different matter. I’d have to say exercising au natural, in the fresh air. Why is that? Well, when my neighbors got a glimpse of portly old me in the buff, I’d have to run a four minute mile pretty regularly, just to avoid being tarred and feathered. That really got the heart pumping! And so, dear readers, that is my 310th birthday advice to you — stay ahead of the pack, or the pack will have your head. Your humble servant, B.Franklin As we approach another new year in this future world of the 21st century, I thought it would be timely to make mention of another one of my sayings from Poor Richard’s Almanack which, in my opinion, aptly captures the spirit of these days. “A Good Conscience is a Continual Christmas,” I once wrote. There is, of course, more to the statement than these oft-quoted seven words. The full passage reads as follows: “Let no pleasure tempt thee, no profit allure thee, no ambition corrupt thee, no example sway thee, no persuasion move thee, to do any thing which thou knowest to be evil; so shalt thou always live jollily; for a good conscience is a continual Christmas.” (Please excuse the antiquated language; this is how we spoke in the 1700s). So, dear reader, as you can see, my original intent was to offer some helpful words of advice that could also serve as a sort of blessing….with the reward being a “continual Christmas.” Looking back on these words three centuries years later, however, there is a bit of historical background you may also wish to know. That is, compared to all the fuss made over Christmas and other holidays here in this future world, the Christmas we knew back in the days of the original American colonies was not very big or fancy or even much of a celebration, in fact! Happy Holiday? Pay the fine! Some have said that due to the influence of rather staid, intolerant religious groups, Christmas was something more akin to a “non-holiday.” In Puritan-led Massachusetts, for example, a law was passed that punished anyone who celebrated the holiday with a five shilling fine! In Pennsylvania, the Quakers treated Christmas Day as any other day of the year. Not until a century later, I’m told, did Christmas become a much larger, more celebratory occasion. So, my reference to a “continual Christmas” might seem like an oddity, given this historical background. In one sense, the criticism is justified. Given the perspective I was trying to communicate, however, it is not. What Christmas (and the New Year, for that matter) symbolizes is a “new beginning” – the birth of new possibilities for positive, well-meaning progress in all sorts of pursuits. And so, to enter this time of change with a relatively clear conscience (from having resisted temptations to do things known to be evil) would be like extending this period infinitely forward, both receiving and sharing the benefits of a blessed, bounteous, and beautiful life every day from now to the end of time. As I’ve always said, to do good for humankind is the best thing we can do in this world. Your humble servant, B.Franklin With all the controversy lately about the issues of terrorism, refugees, and immigration, I thought it would be a good time to remind everyone that back in Philadelphia in the 1700s, I made it a point to support (and contribute to) practically every congregation and denomination in town. Not only that, I was also a trustee in a magnificent building project, the aim of which was to construct a new house of worship "expressly for the use of any preacher of any religious persuasion who might desire to say something to the people of Philadelphia, the design in building not being to accommodate any particular sect, but the inhabitants in general, so that even if the Mufti of Constantinople (a Muslim leader in my day) were to send a missionary to preach Mahometanism to us, he would find a pulpit at his service!" It is truly better to treat all people as brothers and sisters, rather than to play on old cultural and religious stereotypes for one's own selfish purposes. When one stoops to that level, you're no better than either the fictitious "Dalek" characters in the popular British TV science fiction series "Doctor Who," or the real-life racist Nazi zealot named Adolph responsible for the Holocaust in World War II. Please, everyone, let's get this presidential campaign out of the gutter and back onto a higher intellectual plane. This country was founded on principles more lofty and compassionate than what we're seeing right now in the media. Your humble servant, B. Franklin Dear readers, Here is a reprint from my blog, one year ago today. It's a timely subject that you might be interested in re-reading, on this day after Thanksgiving. Turkey fry in the sky: Ben Franklin reviews new invention This future world of yours continues to amaze and astound me. Just this morning I learned of another new miraculous invention, introduced just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday. In a story reported by Yahoo News on the internet, a company in the colony of (excuse me, state of) Maryland, called Intelligent UAS, has now come up with a new way to cook the traditional Thanksgiving turkey – with the help of an airborne drone! For me, a simple man of the 1700s, taking to the air like birds is revolutionary enough, but combining it with the art of cooking really puts the icing on the cake! Apparently, the remote-controlled drone hoists the turkey into the air, then hovers for a moment and lowers it into a deep fryer (basically, a pot of boiling oil). This new method of turkey fry in the sky is being touted by some as “setting a new standard for ‘the most American way to cook a turkey,’ even better than bacon-wrapped and Rice Krispie turkeys.” There is a video of the entire procedure which you may watch on Youtube at http://youtu.be/kO0KsU9xFj8 Unfortunately, you are also advised at the end of the video not to try this at home. So for the time being, it is a genuine scientific marvel, but not yet fully commercialized for mass market distribution. Your humble servant, B.Franklin |
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January 2021
CategoriesAuthorWriter, diplomat, scientist, philanthropist, printer, inventor, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America...and a time traveler, too! |