In the year 1968, at the height of her powers, one of the greatest singers America has ever produced was in Stockholm, where she served up a breathtakingly powerful and characteristically soulful performance that, lucky for us, was filmed by Swedish television. You know who I'm talking about, of course. "Lady Soul" - parts
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6 and
7.
[more inside]
posted by flapjax at midnite
on Oct 15, 2011 -
19 comments
On the Oct. 7th Daily Show , Sarah Vowell mentioned that she is so desperate for Presidential leadership that she listened to FDR's Fireside Chats (from the Great Depression of the 1930s) and felt a little better. Beginning March 4th, 1933, and running through March 1st, 1945 FDR's fireside chats were a staple in American Homes. The news of the day, brought to you directly from the commander in chief himself.
These are those broadcasts. (#2 is his first, on the banking crisis.)
posted by spock
on Oct 9, 2008 -
57 comments
The Year of Roosevelt Franklin. High on the list of
forgotten Sesame Street characters is one
Roosevelt Franklin, a reddish purple muppet with pointed black hair and a distinctly hep style of speech (provided by the late
Matt Robinson, the show's original Gordon). Despite Roosevelt's funky musical sensibilities (demonstrated in an album called
My Name is Roosevelt Franklin, later
released as
The Year of Roosevelt Franklin), the character's
classroom behavior was, well, quite frankly,
poison. His constant misbehavior in school might have been fun to watch, but was seen as representing a negative stereotype and a bad example, and so it was
adieu Franklin.
posted by Astro Zombie
on Jan 30, 2007 -
23 comments
At one time or another you've probably rubbed your finger along the rim of a glass to produce a note. In 1761
Ben Franklin took the idea further with the invention of the
glass (h)armonica. The instrument enjoyed some popularity, but is believed to have caused health problems due to lead content in the glass. Performers complained of loss of feeling in their hands, some even suffered nervous breakdowns. People became very frightened of the armonica, and by 1830 it was all but extinct. But there's been some renewal of interest: they're being
played, and they're being
made. You can play a surprisingly good-sounding
virtual version. Or
listen to a charming rendition of a seasonally appropriate tune.
[more links inside] Oh, and: [previously]
posted by flapjax at midnite
on Dec 23, 2006 -
15 comments
The War on Franklin (Orig. from the NYTimes). It's only fitting as we approach the
tercentennial of the birth of the First American,
Benjamin Franklin, that there is an
ongoing debate as to whether we should "
sacrifice essential liberties for a little temporary safety" and if we deserve either. To be sure, Franklin is likely the seminal Colonial American, who's
philosophy,
inventions, self-determination,
self-improvement,
entrepeneurship, and
witicisms underpin most elements of modern American society, politics, and culture, as well as
having edited our founding document, the Declaration of Independence. But Franklin the man was also self-involved, a neglectful spouse and parent, and (likely) a serial philanderer, as well as having never held elected office. (History erases many of the sins of the
Foundering Fathers). Surely
increasing criticism of both the man and his relavency is soon to follow. Perhaps we can all strive to emulate Franklin's greatest skill -
the art of compromise.
posted by rzklkng
on Jan 5, 2006 -
75 comments
The paper analogue of the blog is not the diary, but rather
the commonplace book. With the availability of relatively cheap paper beginning as early as the 14th century, people began to collect knowledge in commonplace books. Bits of quotes, reference materials, summaries of arguments, all contained in a handy bound volume.
This merchant's commonplace, for example, dates from 1312 and contains hand-drawn diagrams of Venetian ships and descriptions of Venice's merchant culture.
An English commonplace dating to the 15th century, the
Book of Brome,
contains poems, notations on memorial law, lists of expenses, and diary entries.
John Locke devised a method for
keeping a
commonplace.
Thomas Jefferson kept both
legal and literary commonplaces, and owned a copy of
Sir John Randolph's legal commonplace, published in 1680.
posted by monju_bosatsu
on Nov 18, 2005 -
23 comments
Temperance. Silence. Order. Resolution. Frugality. Industry. Sincerity. Justice. Moderation. Cleanliness. Chastity. Tranquility. Humility.
Benjamin Franklin's 13 virtues. "He committed to giving strict attention to one virtue each week so after 13 weeks he moved through all 13. After 13 weeks he would start the process over again so in one year he would complete the course a total of 4 times."
posted by nthdegx
on Sep 10, 2005 -
32 comments
The virtue of idleness is lost upon our modern society with its Puritan work ethic. Perhaps a little idleness is good for the soul and the mind. Some would say Ben Franklin is spinning in his grave, but he also enjoyed his idle hours as much as any man, at least according to the recent biography, "Ben Franklin: An American Life" by Walter Isaacson.
posted by caddis
on Aug 7, 2004 -
12 comments
Ben Franklin was a member of a dinner club that evolved into a sort of secret society, think tank called
The Junto. That group met every Friday from November, 1727 for several decades. Out of those meetings, the group invented the first subscription library in north america, the most advanced volunteer fire department of the time, the first public hospital in Pennsylvania, an insurance company, a constabulary, improved streetlights, paving and what became the University of Pennsylvania. Has anybody ever heard of this? Could something like this work today?
posted by willnot
on Aug 7, 2002 -
21 comments
