Talk:Benjamin Franklin
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I'd like to see more about Franklin's band "Danzig" talked about in his early life, since there is none and many would wonder about its connection to punk rock bands the Misfits and Danzig. Something to explore here certainly
Max Weber quotes Franklin as the originator of the famous quote "Time is money" (in some form or other), is this correct? (Will look up the source.) Nixdorf 20:18 May 13, 2003 (UTC)
- "Remember that time is money"
- Benjamin Franklin Advice to a Young Tradesman
- Source: http://greenwich2day.com/fun-n-fact/timequotes.htm
- MB 20:29 May 13, 2003 (UTC)
- Cool! Thanks. Nixdorf 21:57 May 13, 2003 (UTC)
I don't think the information about fabricated anti-Semitism belongs in this article. These claims are little-known and rarely brought up, and out of place in an article about Benjamin Franklin. Perhaps a single sentence would be acceptable, but two paragraphs and five links is not. Given that very similar content was added to George Washington, this strikes me as an attempt by someone with an axe to grind to seek out all anti-Semitic fabricated quotes on the net and then attack their purveyors in the encyclopedia in the guise of "defending" historical figures against charges of anti-Semitism. Furthermore, it's simply inaccurate to say his image has been "tarnished" by claims of anti-Semitism, as almost no one has heard of these claims. --Delirium 03:44 16 Jul 2003 (UTC)
- Your claims are incorrect. These farbricated quotes are very widely distributed in books, journals, pamplets and on many websites, as well as in many Usenet newsgroup postings. I can't imagine how you can claim otherwise. You really do need to do some serious research on this well-known topic. RK 20:13 16 Jul 2003 (UTC)
- Here's the removed part:
- In recent years Franklin's image has been tarnished by anti-Semites who attempt to use his name to further their goals. Many anti-Semitic Arab and Neo-Nazi books, journals and websites offer forged "quotes" supposedly by America's founding fathers, especially George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. These supposed quotes have been debunked as forgeries by historians.
- Example of an Anti-Semitic website pushing fraudulent quotes from America's founding fathers (http://abbc.com/islam/english/toread/frnklin.htm)
- Egyptian government sponsored press spreads Anti-Semitic forgeries about Washington and Franklin (http://christianactionforisrael.org/antiholo/personality.html)
- Documenting the forgery of Ben Franklin's beliefs about Jews (http://www.adl.org/special_reports/franklin_prophecy/franklin_documenting_fraud.asp)
- Acceptance of the Anti-Semitic Franklin hoax in the Arab world today (http://www.adl.org/Anti_semitism/arab/anti_sem_myth.asp)
RK - you are the one making a claim. It's simply inaccurate to say his image has been "tarnished" by claims of anti-Semitism, as almost no one has heard of these claims. Pizza Puzzle
I still hold the position that those sections should be removed completely from both articles. It's kind of sad that extremists have such a large say in the final makeup of articles, that is until they become officially "controversial". 212.127.141.173 03:02 17 Jul 2003 (UTC)
First Postmaster General?
If its undocumented, how do you know about it? ChessPlayer 02:18, 7 Mar 2004 (UTC)
Jefferson #2 and Franklin #3 or Franklin #2 and Jefferson #3??
The honored Americans section of Talk:George Washington says that Thomas Jefferson has an honor rank of #2 and Benjamin Franklin has an honor rank of #3. However, something began to make me think that it is also possible that Franklin is #2 and Jefferson is #3. Which is correct?? (Go to the Talk:George Washington page to find out how an honor rank is defined.) 66.32.94.195 00:34, 24 Apr 2004 (UTC)
Franklin and Deism
I was surprised that there has been no mention in the article of Franklin's view on religion. May be interesting to note, esp. since there's a perception that every white person had to be Christian in those days.
I am using the Perhaps a single sentence would be acceptable editing guideline for the fabricated quote. Ancheta Wis 08:00, 26 Oct 2004 (UTC)
other inventions?
On this page [1] (http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blfranklin_inventions.htm), they also list "Armonica", a musical instrument invented by Franklin. They also credit him for first mapping the Gulf Stream. Samohyl Jan 11:36, 25 Nov 2004 (UTC)
36 Craven Street, London, England.
I am suprised no mention is made of 36 Craven Street, London, which is one of the few, if not the only, remaining house where Benjamin Franklin lived.
This house is undergoing extensive restoration, and it is hoped that it will be open to the public in time for the 300th anniversary of his birth in 2006.
[2] (http://www.thersa.org/franklin/default.html)
adding printer
I added printer at the head of the series of Franklin's occupations. Publisher was listed (and is retained) but is not synonymous with printer; also, Benjamin Franklin chose to include printer in his epitaph.
Franklin's brith place
Where on Milk St. was Franklin born? I currently work not very far from there?
Anti-revolutionary
The "Later years" section was ended with one of those "it is not generally known that" pragraphs that so often get plunked into an article by someone unwilling to work his contrarian view properly into the text. I've toned down the pugnacious wording, but really it doesn't belong here at all. Meanwhile, as to
- Even as late as 1780, Franklin was willing to allow British sovereignty in return for large degrees of home rule.
Does anyone know what this refers to? Is it a reasonable statement of the facts? It has a seriously exaggerated sound, given the attitude he took toward his English friends, not to mention his coauthorship of the Declaration; but does anyone know? --Dandrake 23:10, Jun 1, 2005 (UTC)
- After waiting nearly two weeks for anyone to come to the support of that strange unsupported assertion, I'm zapping it. In fact, out goes the whole paragraph, which, though reworded to be true, doesn't fit here anyway. --Dandrake 23:21, Jun 13, 2005 (UTC)
picture
Can't we use Duplessis' painting itself? Greuze is greuzy. WB2 07:34, 12 Jun 2005 (UTC)
Birthdate
Franklin's birthdate is given first as January 17, 1706, and a few paragraphs down in the article as January 6 of the same year. Presumably these are new style and old style, respectively, but that isn't specified and there are numerous other unspecified dates also. Shouldn't the dates should be made consistent and specified n.s. or o.s.? -EDM 21:43, 22 Jun 2005 (UTC)
Refrigeration
The following paragraph needs, at least, serious editing of its claimed facts. If nothing is forthcoming (a citation that can be followed, citing a published document, would be nice), it will have to be removed.
- Franklin deducted the principle of refrigeration by observing that on a very hot day, he stayed cooler in a wet shirt in a breeze than he did in a dry one. To understand this phenomenon more clearly Franklin conducted experiments. On one warm day in Cambridge England in 1758, Franklin and fellow scientist John Hadley experimented by continually wetting the ball of a mercury thermometer and allowing it to evaporate. With each subsequent evaporation, the thermometer read a colder degree of temperature. Another thermometer showed the room temperature to be constant at 65 degrees F. The thermometer used in the experiment was brought all the way down to 7 degrees F. In his letter "Cooling by Evaporation" Franklin noted that "one may see the possibility of freezing a man to death on a warm summer's day."
Never mind the necessary copy editing. Cooling from 65F to 7F by evaporation? Of water? At 10% humidity you can get your wet-bulb temperature down to 45F, according to my handy psychrometer slide rule. Only 38 degrees to go. (And: ultra-low humidityIn London? Have you ever been in London on a warm day? It's not quite so dry as the Mojave Desert.) Doesn't matter how many times you repeat the evaporation. What's going on here? --Dandrake 07:28, Jun 23, 2005 (UTC)