My first blog
This is quite remarkable. I'm not at all certain how this happened. I suspect one of my experiments with electricity may have had something to do with it. But suddenly I find myself in a very new and different United States of America. I've been told by a very respected professor of science that I'm now here in the future, with all of my various faculties, memories and physical parts intact. And yet, this is all such a novel concept to behold. Who ever could have imagined this would be possible?
In any case, here I am, and very much appreciating every moment of this experience.
Accustomed as I am, however, to jotting down my thoughts with pen and parchment, it will be somewhat of a challenge getting used to the very laborious practice of hunting and pecking for each letter on this thing called a computer keyboard. Although I do admit, it is far quicker than the typesetting I used to do in my printshop, when I had to assemble each word and sentence in lead type, letter by letter. I can see great advantages to this new "computer" invention... if only I could invent a way to speed up my writing in some way.
Some of the ideas I had back in the 1700s have now become full-fledged, mature, fleshed-out institutions, the likes of which even I could not have foreseen.
For example, many of the philanthropic endeavors have grown far beyond their original size and scope ...like the University of Pennsylvania, which started out as one single building in my day. Or the public library system, which now extends to nearly every town in America, I'm told. Or the postal delivery service (which, unfortunately, has fallen on hard times, I understand).
And, then, there's the government of the United States. My, how this has expanded! One must wonder, however, whether the sum total of all the federal workers now exceeds the number of citizens we had when the country was first founded, back in the 18th century.
Oh, I have so much more to investigate, and so much more to write! I will have to save that for another session. Until then, your humble servant...
B.Franklin
This is quite remarkable. I'm not at all certain how this happened. I suspect one of my experiments with electricity may have had something to do with it. But suddenly I find myself in a very new and different United States of America. I've been told by a very respected professor of science that I'm now here in the future, with all of my various faculties, memories and physical parts intact. And yet, this is all such a novel concept to behold. Who ever could have imagined this would be possible?
In any case, here I am, and very much appreciating every moment of this experience.
Accustomed as I am, however, to jotting down my thoughts with pen and parchment, it will be somewhat of a challenge getting used to the very laborious practice of hunting and pecking for each letter on this thing called a computer keyboard. Although I do admit, it is far quicker than the typesetting I used to do in my printshop, when I had to assemble each word and sentence in lead type, letter by letter. I can see great advantages to this new "computer" invention... if only I could invent a way to speed up my writing in some way.
Some of the ideas I had back in the 1700s have now become full-fledged, mature, fleshed-out institutions, the likes of which even I could not have foreseen.
For example, many of the philanthropic endeavors have grown far beyond their original size and scope ...like the University of Pennsylvania, which started out as one single building in my day. Or the public library system, which now extends to nearly every town in America, I'm told. Or the postal delivery service (which, unfortunately, has fallen on hard times, I understand).
And, then, there's the government of the United States. My, how this has expanded! One must wonder, however, whether the sum total of all the federal workers now exceeds the number of citizens we had when the country was first founded, back in the 18th century.
Oh, I have so much more to investigate, and so much more to write! I will have to save that for another session. Until then, your humble servant...
B.Franklin