Blog Archives

Ben comments on Obama pen and phone remark.

1/30/2014

Reading the latest news stories about the current president here in this future world of 2014, I observe that there appears to be some debate over what are the appropriate and most up-to-date instruments of power that a leader can use at this point in time.

President Obama declared, “I have a pen and a phone,” and vowed that he intends to use them in the year ahead. I am very happy for him, since my own personal experience with a quill and inkwell back in the 1700s is not one that I would readily recommend, given the much more efficient and advanced choices available today, such as the computer, tablet, smart phone, typewriter, or even this new invention called the “ballpoint pen.”

As a side note, while I did do my share of writing “long-hand” in my day, especially when I copied or re-wrote the texts of classic books as part of my self-designed education, I later found that the many advantages of the printing press, especially with its ability to create large numbers of pages that could be distributed to more people at once, to be reason enough to shift my own communications endeavors to this mechanical method. It was simply more practical than writing by hand.

Now, as to the use of this thing called a “phone”: as it was explained to me, the telephone had become one of the most popular devices of all time, used for both business and personal activities. But I am also now aware that even telephones are fast becoming “less preferred,” competing more and more with even newer resources such as videoconferencing and internet collaboration.

I would certainly hope that the president is using his phone (as opposed to smoke signals, drumming, or some other system), but I would also think that he would try to make as much use as he possibly can of the newest digital resources available to him. I always considered moving forward, and making progress, to be much superior to either maintaining the status quo or going backwards to preserve outmoded methods.

Actually, if the president really wanted to make a difference, he might consider doing more face-to-face, personal, one-on-one communication whenever possible. Perhaps that is something that I still favor, owing to my many years of experience as a businessperson, creator of cooperative community enterprises, and diplomat.

I always felt that I had infinitely greater success in my various undertakings when I had the opportunity to converse directly with an individual, rather than try to persuade through writing (although, I confess, my writing was also known to achieve a fair share of success).

Your humble servant,
B.Franklin

Street smart Ben, on signs everywhere.

1/26/2014

Talking a walk down the street, for me, can be an interesting journey in self-discovery – in more ways than one.

As in any major city, many of the streets are often named after famous people, heroes, political leaders, kings and queens, artists and writers. In some cases, one does not even have to be deceased to get a street name, providing there are sufficient political connections to attain that honor.

(Of course, in my adopted home town of Philadelphia, one might surmise that "Street Road" is an example of such modern-day political patronage, and that it was named for former mayor John Street. Not so. Its name actually dates back to my time, in the late 17th century. For most of its existence, it was known as "the street road," because back in those days, "street" meant "paved road." However, while this road was constructed in 1737, the paving was not completed until 1911, according to one account. I must say, however, that having a thoroughfare by this name must be rather confusing. Why not name it "Street Street"? Or "Street Avenue"? Has anyone ever considered "Road Street"? But I digress.)

Finding Franklin Street
Back to the topic at hand: In all modesty, in my case, it can be somewhat unnerving to suddenly encounter a street named after myself – until I realize that I am here in the future, in the year 2014, where most of my friends, acquaintances, and fellow patriots of the 1700s have been similarly recognized.

I would wonder, however, whether there is ever any thought as to the appropriateness of a particular name in relation to the specific neighborhood that it graces? For example, does Revere Street allow horseback riding (remember Paul Revere’s midnight ride)? Does Washington Street cross Delaware Street? Do the residents of Adams Street consume a great deal of ale?

And as for my own named thoroughfare, what would be an appropriate neighborhood? One that includes a number of printers, newspapers, or journalism establishments? Or perhaps some scientific laboratories where there are a great number of inventions being worked on? Or, in Washington, D.C., the nation’s capitol, I would think that an area which has a lot of foreign embassies, where diplomacy is the order of business, would make for a wonderful “Franklin Avenue.”

No kites allowed
Then, on the other hand, I can imagine a setting where there are a lot of overhead electric lines (good connection!) but because of this, flying a kite would not be a very wise undertaking, for the safety of the children concerned (bad connection!). Alas, one can’t have everything.

In any case, I do have to admit, seeing my name up on a street sign does give me a sense of pride and accomplishment. My work has not been for naught!

Your humble servant,
B.Franklin

Ben likes the taste of The Onion.

1/23/2014

While perusing some of my old writings the other day, I came across a piece I’d written in The New England Courant back in February, 1723. I’d been working under my brother James as an apprentice at his publishing house. Unfortunately, after he’d printed one too many articles in his newspaper that poked fun at the political establishment, James was sent to jail on contempt charges. And so I took over the paper, and began my own career in publishing with a somewhat creative letter to my readers. I wanted to spell out how my leadership of the Courant would take a slightly different approach from my brother’s. Here’s how the letter read (in the original early American wording, I confess, which may not be very clear to modern minds):

“Long has the press groaned in bringing forth a hateful, but numerous brood of political pamphlets, malicious scribbles, and Billingsgate ribaldry. The rancour and bitterness it has unhappily infused into people’s minds, and to what a degree it has soured and leavened the tempers of persons formerly esteemed some of the most sweet and affable, is too well known here, to need any further proof or description of the problem.

No generous and impartial person then can blame the present undertaking, which is designed purely for the diversion and merriment of the reader. Pieces of pleasantry and mirth have a secret charm in them to allay the heats and tumors of our spirits, and to make a person forget his or her restless resentments. They have a strange power to tune the harsh disorders of the soul, and reduce us to a serene and placid state of mind.

The main design of this weekly paper will be to entertain the town with the most comical and diverting incidents of human life, which in so large a place as Boston, will not fail of a universal exemplification.”

So you see, my aim was to be a more lighthearted purveyor of comical and entertaining news and gossip, rather than the more serious reports that seemed to be partly responsible for my brother’s incarceration.

As I look around me today, in this future world of 2014, it appears that is no shortage of similarly serious news. And there are numerous reports of journalists in trouble with the law, because of their sins against the political establishment. I’m told, however, that there are also sources of merriment still to be found, either in printed form or on this thing you call the internet.

One of them, “The Onion,” which calls itself “America’s Finest News Source,” is a perfect example of journalism of the absurd. Consider some of the most recent headlines on their website:

‘Nation’s Lunatics Lament Rising Cost of Car Meat’
‘More Hollywood Celebrities Reproducing by Asexual Budding’
‘Amazon Plans to Ship Items Before You Buy Them’
‘Inclement Weather Prevents Liar From Getting To Work’
‘Heroic Broken Sewage Pipe Floods Congress With Human Waste’

These writers at The Onion, apparently, have taken the business of clever satire and outrageously odd reporting to new heights, far beyond what I myself ever indulged in. And so I applaud them, not only for their heroic efforts to stem the tide of solemn journalism, but also for their singular sense of humor, which I can very much appreciate – even with our great difference in generations (300-plus years, to be exact!)

Your humble servant,
B.Franklin

Blogging on Ben biographer Walter Isaacson

1/18/2014

One of the other ways I entertain myself in this new future world is by reading what others have said about me, basing their opinions on my own autobiography, as well as historical research and their own opinions, perspectives, and experiences.

Walter Isaacson, who published a very informative edition, "Benjamin Franklin, An American Life", is one such author whom I have been very impressed by. His tome, written in 2003, not only weaves anecdotes and historical accounts of my life in a very engaging style, it also ventures to make a few predictions of how I might embrace this technology-driven culture of 2013.

I must admit, Isaacson's intuition about my attraction to progress, my desire for collaborating with other like-minded individuals, and my love of being present right in the midst of whatever social, political, or cultural developments are happening, is a very astute, accurate observation.

And thus, when he writes that if I were to have been born in this time, I might very well have been right at home in this tribe known as "Yuppies," working and congregating in some "office park," he has very neatly hit the nail on the head. From all that I have seen and heard in my brief time here, that sort of an environment would appear to be one that I could really enjoy, given my particular interests in business and science, and my inclination for forging alliances and associations of mutual benefit.

It could be diverting to conjecture where that "office park" might be physically located -- in one of the many suburban developments now dotting the outskirts of the metropolitan Philadelphia area, or perhaps in the Princeton, New Jersey environs, or better yet, in the technological centers in and around Boston.

But an even more intriguing prospect is the concept of having no location at all. As Walter Isaacson himself seems to be suggesting, through his latest publishing venture that will create a multi-part history of the digital age through a revolutionary collaborative method called "crowdsourcing." Isaacson proposes opening up the creative process by having people offer input on his drafts through the internet -- thus not only shortening the publication time, but also making the whole undertaking a much more democratic one!

Now, that is something that I definitely would have invented. I can easily picture how helpful and innovative that idea would have been for my own publishing business.

Your humble servant,
B.Franklin

Lightning Ben gets a charge out of Electric Tom.

1/16/2014

One thing that frustrates me about this “time travel” experience of mine is that I have absolutely no control over it.

One day, I am happily navigating the streets of 1700s Philadelphia, and the next, I’m suddenly 300 or more years in the future, without any say in the process. And here I am, still, wondering if this odd phenomenon will happen again … and when?

In the meantime, I have chosen to bring myself up to speed on some of the history that has transpired since the colonial days of America.

One particularly interesting discovery for me has been the further evolution of electricity, which has come a long way since my original experiments with kites and lightning.

I am very excited to report that there was a famous inventor in the late 1800s-early 1900s who built upon my own foundations, and took the potential of electricity far beyond the simple curiosity which it was when I was first attracted to it.

Shedding light on Thomas Edison.
The gentleman’s name was Thomas Alva Edison -- described as the "Wizard of Menlo Park." Mr. Edison, as a prolific tinkerer and inventor like myself, greatly improved the quality of living for many people, present and future. Why, his invention of the light bulb alone was a work of genius! Little did I imagine, when I puttered around in my humble laboratory in Philadelphia, that whole cities would later be illuminated by Mr. Edison’s electrically-powered devices.

And Edison, like myself, had fairly wide-ranging interests – reflected, of course, in his variety of inventions: the phonograph player (the forerunner of today’s CD players), motion picture cameras (the predecessors of video cameras), a battery for electric vehicles, the fluoroscope (an early X-ray machine allowing physicians to see inside the human body), and many more.

It is also somewhat gratifying to learn that Edison’s work was performed not too far away from my beloved Philadelphia, in the state of New Jersey. (Ironically, in the same state as the beleaguered Gov. Chris Christie!) Had both Edison and myself lived in the same century, I could conceivably have hired a horse and dropped in on him for a pleasant afternoon of scientific and philosophical discussion.

It is truly unfortunate that I cannot simply turn a switch, and be transported backwards in time to have that conversation with Mr. Edison. Alas, my time traveling is something too mysterious to fathom, and totally out of my control, at least for the moment.

So I shall have to content myself with living in the present (actually, the “future,” for me), and marveling at the many wonders of the America of 2014.

Your humble servant,
B.Franklin

Ben: Christie not first NJ governor to be disgraced.

1/11/2014

Franklin's son William, the last royal governor of New Jersey, lived in exile in Britain.

As a postscript to my recent blog, it just occurred to me that Chris Christie was not the first public official to have brought disgrace upon himself, his family, and his constituents.

My own son William, who was the last royal Governor of the colony of New Jersey, was one such example. Although I do have to confess, it was through my political influence with the British Prime Minister that William actually obtained his position... so the fact that he held a royal post was my doing, I admit.

But when things in the colonies took a very different turn, and relations with England deteriorated, I realized that my role was to become one of the patriots calling for revolution -- while William held the opposite view, and remained a loyalist.

I never forgave him for that. I thought that he would have joined us in the revolution, but he must have treasured his royal position more, and remained loyal to the crown.

Eventually, in 1776, William was placed under house arrest, and then sent to prison in Connecticut. While imprisoned, he kept working for the loyalist cause, and later went to England, where he lived out the rest of his life in exile.

Comparing William to the present governor, Chris Christie, however, I note one difference: my son did have the courage of his convictions in carrying out his deeds, even though they were performed for the wrong side. We have yet to see whether Gov. Christie will confess to complicity in this very embarrassing incident.

Your humble servant,
B.Franklin

George Washington would be ashamed of Fort Lee scheme.

1/9/2014

As one who has been in the public service for a long, long time – although not 308 years, since my presence here today is due to a quirk of time travel, not true chronological age – I am not ignorant of the games that political leaders play when it suits their selfish interests.

The latest news about Governor Chris Christie is somewhat shocking and dismaying, but it is not altogether surprising.

In fact, I myself have been the victim of some of the kinds of duplicitous maneuvers that government officials engage in, such as when the Governor of Pennsylvania encouraged me to travel to England in the quest of acquiring materials and other resources to set up a printing business back in the colonies (to make a long story short, my so-called benefactor’s help was non-existent, and my trip to England was for naught).

The Christie Crisis.
But this report of Governor Christie’s troubles would be truly laughable, if it weren’t such a serious abuse of the good citizens of Fort Lee, New Jersey. Apparently, some of the governor’s aides (all Republicans!) conspired to punish the Democratic leadership of Fort Lee by intentionally closing down lanes and creating traffic jams around the George Washington Bridge.

I knew George Washington personally, and believe me, he would have been mortified to learn of this incident.

I firmly believe that the noblest question in the world is, “What good may I do in it?” On the contrary, it seems that these persons from the governor’s staff follow an entirely different set of rules – “What underhanded mischief may I do in it?” is their motto.

Taking away these individuals’ government positions, their power, and their perks as a reprimand is like a slap on the wrist, when one considers all the inconvenience and even suffering that their scheme caused. What about emergency vehicles that were unnecessarily delayed in responding to a fire, a heart attack, or some other crisis, because of the traffic jams? This simple chastisement is not nearly enough to awaken these aides to the serious error of their ways.

In the 1700s, we dealt with such scoundrels in a very different fashion. Some of the physical punishment devised for traitors, thieves, and other villains made it certain that they would not repeat their mistakes again in the very near future.

Anyone for a revolution?
The kind of arrogant behavior these aides were allegedly engaged in is the exact equivalent of what England’s royal government attempted to inflict on the American colonies leading up to 1776. And we all know what happened as the result of that foolish miscalculation.

Your humble servant,
B.Franklin

Happy Birthday, dear Ben.

1/7/2014

I still cannot quite fathom the notion that I am here in the year 2014. And, as of Monday, January 6th, I am actually one year older, as well!

One thing is for certain: there are very few other 308-year-old men walking around out there. I daresay I may be the only one, unless there are some other time travelers lurking about that I am not aware of.

The Elvis Connection
(Although, I have been told, that there is a rumor that one 79-year-old king, who goes by the name of Elvis, has been known to make surprise appearances at odd times, which leads me to speculate that he may also be a time traveler. I've also mentioned him before, in one of my earlier blogs. What seems especially intriguing is the fact that King Elvis and I were born only two days apart... give or take a few centuries. Elvis was born on January 8, and I was born on January 6!)

Birthday Plans
In any case, the question of the day is: what shall I do on this glorious occasion? This experience of being in a future century is still so new to me, that on the one hand I am a little concerned about making a big to-do about it, for fear that it will all be snatched away from me at some unexpected moment.

On the other hand, I have always been one to enjoy some pleasant camaraderie, whatever the reason might be. If it happens to be my rare, inexplicable presence in 21st century America, so be it.

So, then, how shall I celebrate? I could meander out to the nearest public park in which there might be a cast iron likeness of myself placed conspicuously upon a ceremonial stone pedestal (otherwise known as a statue), and the two of us could carouse together, like brothers of a fraternity. Although, it would seem to me that my green, motionless twin might not be too lively a companion (unless he happened to bring along a few of his fine feathered friends!)

Another idea that occurs to me is that I could hire a horse and carriage and ride up to the tollbooth of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in Philadelphia, where I could stop, fumble through my pockets, and attempt to find five dollars in small coins (preferably historic) to pay the toll, all the while commenting on the rising cost of travel (did you know that when the bridge was first opened in 1926, the toll was only thirty cents for a horse–drawn carriage?) Alas, the local constabulary would probably not appreciate that idea very much, and I could spend my birthday evening in the local jail.

Ah, I have it! I shall go to the local museum of science, where I can pull out my old kite, tattered as it is, and demonstrate for all gathered there exactly how it is that I once played the role of a latter-day Prometheus, capturing the power of electricity from the skies! And then, in a fitting reversal of that history-making event, I could send a digital re-enactment (you call it video, I hear) right back up “into the cloud,” to be stored somewhere, well into infinity (or so the acknowledged authorities of computer technology promise us!)

I do have to be careful, however, when attempting to recreate this event — as unpredictable as this electricity phenomenon is, I might just discover myself hastily dispatched back to the 1700s as an unintended side effect.

Your humble servant,
B.Franklin