Thanks to Digital Rules: The Blog by Rich Karlgaard, I was reminded that today is Benjamin Franklin’s 300th birthday. Franklin is absolutely my favorite historical figure. If you want to read something fun and different I suggest Fart Proudly – Writings of Benjamin Franklin You Never Read in School edited by Carl Japikse. At the end of his introduction Japikse points out that Franklin was not an "antiseptic, prudish man …. He was bawdy, roguish, and loved to play jokes on his friends. And when England grew oppressive, he was not afraid to rebel." Two of my favorite pieces in the book are "On Choosing A Mistress" in which Franklin advises why "in all your Amours you should prefer old Women to young ones." and "Who’s the Ass" about trying to please everyone at the same time.
On a different note… I am really enjoying Rich Karlgaard’s blog. Before I started reading his blog I always read and enjoyed his column in Forbes. It has the kind of voice that good blogs also have. Not to mention the coincidence that Karlgaard went to the same elementary school as I did in Bismarck, North Dakota. He was two years behind me and in my sister Barbara’s class.
Marion's Blog 