Tuesday – 1/18/11

Quote of the Week   —   Posted on January 18, 2011

“Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”
Ben Franklin (1706-1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. 

Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706.  Yesterday, January 17th, was the 305th Anniversary of his birth.

Franklin was a leading author and printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat.   He invented the lightning rod, bifocals, the Franklin stove, a carriage odometer, and the glass ‘armonica’. He formed both the first public lending library in America and the first fire department in Pennsylvania.

Franklin once created a list of 13 virtues to live by. They include:

  • temperance
  • silence
  • order
  • resolution
  • frugality
  • industry
  • sincerity
  • justice
  • moderation
  • cleanliness
  • tranquility
  • chastity
  • humility

Read more about Ben Franklin at The Franklin Institute website at: fi.edu/franklin/birthday/faq.html.

For an article “Ben Franklin’s Most Enduring inventions, go to gizmodo.com/5735820/benjamin-franklins-most-enduring-inventions.