Community Chat

[OfCourse]

Ben Franklin was amazing in terms of the breadth and variety of his innovations and talents.

[phindell82]

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@aoldgirl wrote:

A couple of things I know about Ben Franklin,  He never graduated from college.  My favorite Franklin quote:  "Better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and prove them right."   Got to love that guy!

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@aoldgirl I like the quote  but it's not one of Benjamin Franklin's.

Better to Remain Silent and Be Thought a Fool than to Speak and Remove All Doubt | Quote Investigator

https:// quoteinvestigator . com /2010/05/17/remain-silent/

I don't know what links are ok so I put in some spaces.

[aoldgirl]

how right you are, props to Abe.

[phindell82]

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@aoldgirl wrote:

how right you are, props to Abe.

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@aoldgirl With all due respect according to the Quote Investigator link I posted the research says it's not an Abe Lincoln quote either.

"In conclusion, there is no substantive evidence that this popular adage was coined or employed by Abraham Lincoln or Mark Twain. The earliest ascriptions to these famous figures appeared many years post death. QI thinks that Maurice Switzer is currently the top choice for coiner of the expression though future data may reveal alternative claimants."

[Oznell]

A little postscript-- I'm listening to Eric Metaxes on C-SPAN 2, and he mentions an interesting anecdote so revealing about Franklin.  Franklin was not a conventional Christian, yet he believed that the U.S. needed to be animated by virtue, so he was favorably disposed to a nation of Godly people.  When the 18th century English evangelist George Whitefield literally covered the Colonies, Franklin took notice. 

He was such a scientist, though, that when Whitefield reached these shores, Franklin carefully figured out the number of Americans who were able to hear Whitefield's voice in one sitting-- and it was in the tens of thousands...   What a mind!

[maestra]

BF was diplomatic envoy to the Court of France.

He loved those oh so feminine, flirtateous court ladies and they loved him! He liked to flirt back.

He did have a 'natural' son (meaning he wasnt wed to the baby mama).

[CLEM]

Benjamin Franklin also was the founder of the University of Pennsylvania.    The first Medical School is at the University of Pennsylvania.

Many people confuse the University of Pennsylvania (it's refered to as Penn by everyone associated with it) with Penn State, so to this day there are people wo suggest the name should be changed to "Benjamin Franklin University of Pennsylvania".  

[viva923]

Ben was a wonderful ingenius  whiz. He invented the bi-focal glasses.

He wanted the turkey for the national bird. Turkey is OK but eagle is better.

didn't he have something to do with leap year or something to do with the calendar. 

Remember tidbits so don't remember all he had done.

[Kitty Galore]

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@aoldgirl wrote:

A couple of things I know about Ben Franklin,  He never graduated from college.  My favorite Franklin quote:  "Better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and prove them right."   Got to love that guy!

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@aoldgirl. My dad used to say that all the time ,  and I have found it to be so true !