A couple in Philadelphia discovered an 18th-Century privy under their new building near the river. The content and links from this Hidden City Philadephia story reveals some terrific pottery finds, and introduces a pair of very sweet people. Thanks to the Boghouse podcast.
So sorry to discover today’s posting at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania that they have laid of ten staff members, representing a 30% reduction in workforce. I have encountered some precious materials there, entirely unique in Franklin’s legacy, and wish everyone involved well in their current difficulties.
I listened to an audio version of Ed Asner and Ed. Weinberger’s 2017 book, The Grouchy Historian: An Old-Time Lefty Defends Our Constitution Against Right-Wing Hypocrites and Nutjobs. The audio version was read by Mr. Asner himself. It is related to multiple books written to clarify that the Framers of the Constitution were elite, self-serving …
The late Hans Rosling, in his recent book Factfulness – Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World — and Why Things Are Better Than You Think, relates an experience that bumps into Franklin. Rosling gave lectures about statistics that prove the world is in better shape than people commonly believe. His lectures were enthusiastically received, …
Franklin wrote, in sentence 48 of The Way To Wealth: Three Removes is as bad as a Fire, with the word Removes meaning what we now call moves: the process of changing residences. Franklin’s immediate meaning is that changing residences, starting over someplace else, is costly: damages and losses ensue. Fair enough. In my family, …
Snowlion Repertory Company in Portland, Maine will premiere a new musical based on Anton Mesmer (perhaps the only man who made music for both Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and for Benjamin Franklin) this May. The cast of characters looks very promising.
There is a spectacular display on Franklin as a swimmer pictured in this report from the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. There is an informative video of a public presentation to a group of young students. Congratulations to all involved!
I was delighted to receive a T-Shirt from the Saint Benjamin Brewing Company in Philadelphia from a friend this winter. I like the image, and look forward to visiting and sampling! Further Notes Temple News Bar Guide, February 2018: nice peek at the decor: the Franklin busts make me feel right at home!
The Closure Committee of the Friends of Franklin gathered in New Haven in November 2018 to donate the remaining funds of the Friends to the Papers of Benjamin Franklin in honor of Claude-Anne Lopez. Claude-Anne worked at the Papers for many years and started the Friends of Franklin as her “gift to the Papers.” We …
A deck-building game named Franklin’s Fortune has recently been released, and we thank Shane Newell reaching out to tell us about it. Based on Franklin’s economic ideas and lessons on life, the players strategize how best to get on in the world. The graphics are of a very high level, and the website has an …
