Show Me the Benjamins!

I was poking around on the internet and discovered this article about Benjamin Franklin. It seemed too good to pass up.

33 Facts That Capture The Strange And Salacious Life Of Benjamin Franklin

He is well known for his bifocals and quippy cartoons, but these facts about Benjamin Franklin reveal a much more eccentric man.

Benjamin Franklin is a crucial figure in the history of the founding of the United States. His accomplishments are so well known that he’s often referred to as the “only U.S. President to have never been U.S. President.”

But Franklin was more than a politician. His inventions — which range from the odometer to his own alphabet — show the great grasp of his mind. He also made a name for himself as a talented writer and publisher.

From his political triumphs to his scientific breakthroughs to his colorful and eccentric personal life, these are some of the most surprising facts about Benjamin Franklin, America’s favorite renaissance man.

Benjamin Franklin Was Once The Richest Person In America…

By 1785, Benjamin Franklin had become the wealthiest person in the newly formed United States. They didn’t put his face on the $100 bill for nothing — his estimated net worth in today’s money is around $10 billion.

… But He Could Have Been Richer If He’d Patented His Inventions

Benjamin Franklin decided not to patent his many inventions because he believed that it was enough to help others with his creations. This would also allow other inventors to tinker with and build upon his ideas.

He Played A Crucial Role In Achieving American Independence

Benjamin Franklin was present for many important moments throughout the American Revolution. Not only did he sign the Declaration of Independence in 1776, but he also signed the Treaty of Alliance with France in 1778, the Treaty of Paris in 1783, and the United States Constitution in 1787.

He was also the oldest person to sign the Declaration of Independence at the age of 70, and the oldest to sign the Constitution at the age of 81.

Benjamin Franklin Almost Died Trying To Electrocute A Turkey

Benjamin Franklin was famously fascinated by electricity. He performed a number of experiments with it, including using it to cook food. Eventually, he created a method of using electricity in order to kill and cook turkeys.

In a letter to his brother, John, Franklin detailed how he decided to show off this method at a party. He brought out the doomed turkey and started setting up the charge when, all of a sudden, the attendees saw a bright flash of light engulf him. Franklin had accidentally electrocuted himself — though in the letter he confessed that his ego sustained the biggest injury.

Surprising Fact About Benjamin Franklin: He Published A Lot Of Obscene Writing

Despite his studious reputation, Franklin did not shy away from the salacious. He once wrote a letter titled “Advice to a Friend on Choosing a Mistress,” which was considered obscene at that time and wasn’t published when his collection of papers was made available during the 19th century.

The controversial letter contained many sexual references and basically touted the virtues of choosing an older mistress over a younger one.

Franklin Also Wrote About Farts

Franklin penned an essay called “Fart Proudly” in 1781, which he sent to the Royal Academy of Brussels, a respected scientific organization.

“It is universally well known, that in digesting our common food, there is created or produced in the bowels of human creatures, a great quantity of wind,” Franklin wrote. He also sincerely suggested that the scientists invent “some Drug wholesome & not disagreable, to be mix’d with our common Food, or Sauces, that shall render the natural Discharges of Wind from our Bodies, not only inoffensive, but agreable as Perfumes.”

In other words, the founding father implored the researchers to find ways to make his farts — and other people’s farts — smell better.

He Published One Of The First Famous American Political Cartoons

Concerned about the aggression of the French and the lack of a strong colonial alliance in America, Benjamin Franklin published his famous “Join or Die” cartoon on May 9, 1754, in his Pennsylvania Gazette. In addition, he wrote an op-ed that argued for a more unified colonial government.

This wasn’t Franklin’s first political cartoon — he’d published another one in 1747 — but it was his most enduring. Ten years later, his snake emblem resurfaced when colonists protested the Stamp Act. It would also be used during the Revolutionary War, and even by both sides during the Civil War.

Shocking Fact About Benjamin Franklin: He Was A Womanizer

Benjamin Franklin wrote in his autobiography that “the hard-to-be-governed passion of my youth had hurried me frequently into intrigues with low women that fell in my way.” Indeed, he was quite the womanizer.

As a young man, he made advances toward his friend’s mistress and also fathered an “illegitimate” child. And even when he reached his 50s, Franklin spent little time with his wife in Philadelphia. Instead, he chose to gallivant around London and Paris in order to satisfy his urges.

He Invented The Odometer

Tasked by the British government with improving the colonies’ postal system, Franklin worked tirelessly to streamline mail delivery — and invented the first odometer. He measured the distances between postal stations with a geared device fitted to the back wheel of his carriage.

The machine clicked ahead by one mile with every 400 revolutions of the wheel, which allowed Franklin to accurately measure the early colonial roads — and thus thoroughly improve postal routes in the system.

He Suggested Something Similar To Daylight Savings Time

While Benjamin Franklin did not invent what is now known as Daylight Savings Time, he did propose a pretty similar system. Franklin was also the first person to have such an idea in recorded history.

This happened in 1784 when the 78-year-old Franklin was serving as an ambassador to France. After being rudely awakened by the summer sun at 6 a.m., he penned a satirical essay that suggested Parisians could save money through “the economy of using sunshine instead of candles.”

Since time wasn’t standardized back then, his idea had no way of being implemented. But years later, in the early 1900s, William Willett of England led the first campaign to do what Franklin had previously suggested.

Benjamin Franklin Was The 15th Of 17 Children

Born on January 17, 1706, in Boston, Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin was one of 17 children. His father, Josiah, had married twice. Josiah had seven children with his first wife and 10 more with his second, Franklin’s mother Abiah Folger. Franklin was the 15th of 17 kids and the youngest son.

He Was An Early Proponent Of Inoculation

Benjamin Franklin was one of the earliest supporters of vaccination — specifically for smallpox. The outbreaks in Boston in 1721 and 1730 left an impression on him and he preached to everyone, including his wife, that the preventative method of inoculation made scientific sense.

But Franklin’s wife didn’t believe that injecting fluid from an infected person into a healthy person would create immunity and so she chose not to inoculate their son, Francis. Unfortunately, Francis died of smallpox in 1736.

Franklin Invented The Flexible Urinary Catheter

When Benjamin Franklin’s brother John experienced painful bladder stones, the resourceful inventor set to work on finding a solution for him.

Franklin designed the flexible urinary catheter in 1752, the earliest of its kind. It was made of metal parts and hinged together with a wire, which was thoroughly enclosed so that there was enough rigidity during its insertion.

He Had Only Two Years Of Formal Education

Benjamin Franklin learned to read at a young age and was a promising student at the Boston Latin School. But Franklin’s father had a failing candle and soap shop that needed all the help that it could get. So, at the age of 10, Franklin dropped out of school to help in the shop full-time.

Unstimulated by his work, Franklin spent his free time reading books. He also honed his memory skills by reading essays and then rewriting them without looking. And despite his lack of formal education, Franklin earned honorary degrees from Harvard, Yale, and several other top institutions.

He Published His Early Writing Under A Female Pseudonym

After working in his father’s shop, Benjamin Franklin became an apprentice at the print shop of his older brother, James. Though he learned a lot about newspaper publishing, Franklin was routinely beaten by his brother, who also refused to publish any of his writing in The New-England Courant. So, Franklin submitted his work as a “woman” named “Silence Dogood.”

“Dogood” became wildly popular and Franklin only revealed the writer’s true identity after “she” started receiving marriage proposals.

Eventually, Franklin grew tired of his brother’s “harsh and tyrannical” behavior toward him. He decided to flee Boston in 1723, breaking his contractual obligation to his brother as his apprentice in the print shop.

Astonishing Fact About Benjamin Franklin: He Was Briefly A Fugitive

By fleeing his brother’s print shop, Benjamin Franklin became a fugitive. This was illegal since he was contractually obliged to be his brother’s apprentice.

But it also helped Franklin to strike out on his own. In 1728, Franklin and a friend opened a print shop. They published books and pamphlets, and Franklin was named the official printer of Pennsylvania in 1730.

He purchased The Pennsylvania Gazette and transformed it into the most popular newspaper in the colonies. Franklin also launched his popular Poor Richard’s Almanack, which set him on the path to immeasurable riches.

Franklin “Retired” At The Age Of 42

Starting in 1733, Benjamin Franklin published the widely successful Poor Richard’s Almanack once a year for 25 years. It contained weather predictions, poems, recipes, advice, trivia, and proverbs.

It was such a huge hit in the colonies that Franklin eventually accumulated enough cash to retire from the printing business. He became a “gentleman of leisure” at the age of 42 and focused on his studies and inventions.

He Had His Doubts About The American Revolution At First

At the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin allegedly quipped, “We must all hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.” But the founding father wasn’t always so gung-ho about the idea of revolting against Great Britain during the American Revolution.

He once wrote, “Every encroachment on rights is not worth a rebellion,” and called the Boston Tea Party an “act of violent injustice on our part.”

Benjamin Franklin’s Son Was A British Loyalist

Benjamin Franklin was close with his “illegitimate” son William — until the American Revolution. Then, William remained a loyal Tory and refused to resign from his position as the royal governor of New Jersey.

For that choice, he’d eventually spend two years in colonial prison. And Franklin would ultimately cut him out of his will.

He Started The First Volunteer Fire Department In America

In articles published in the Pennsylvania Gazette, Franklin expressed the need for better fire prevention methods. This led to the formation of the Union Fire Company in Philadelphia in December 1736. Unofficially, the department became known as Benjamin Franklin’s Bucket Brigade.

Interesting Fact About Benjamin Franklin: He Was A Champion Chess Player

Benjamin Franklin was a prolific chess player who introduced the board game to America and wrote the famous essay “The Morals of Chess.” He was eventually inducted into the Chess Hall of Fame in 1999.

He Was Never The President…

Franklin is often referred to as the “only U.S. President to have never been U.S. President.” But he was the governor of Pennsylvania and the ambassador to France and Sweden. And Franklin was close with some men who did become president, including John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

… But He Was The First Postmaster General Of The United States

In 1753, the British Crown made Benjamin Franklin the postmaster of all 13 colonies, a post he held for two decades. And in July 1755, the Continental Congress made Franklin the first postmaster general.

Little-Known Fact About Benjamin Franklin: He Was A Great Swimmer

Franklin loved the water and even invented hand flippers to go faster. He later earned a spot in the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1968.

He Became A Fashion Icon While Living In Paris

When Franklin went to France in 1776 to rustle up support for the Revolution, he played up the rustic American look with a fur hat and plain clothes.

The French loved it. Women across the country could soon be seen in fur caps and big wigs in a style dubbed “coiffure à la Franklin.”

Fascinating Fact About Benjamin Franklin: He Perfected The Glass Armonica

By the 1700s, Europeans had devised a way of filling glasses with wine and rubbing the rims to make music. But Franklin took this idea and ran with it. He invented the glass armonica in 1761, which was made of 37 glass bowls.

“Of all my inventions,” Franklin declared, “the glass armonica has given me the greatest personal satisfaction.”

He Became An Abolitionist Later In Life

Benjamin Franklin once owned slaves at his print shop, but he later became convinced of the gross inhumanity of the practice.

Franklin presented an abolitionist petition to Congress shortly before his death at age 84 in 1790, and he also included a provision in his will that his daughter had to free her slave in order to receive her inheritance.

Franklin Left Huge Sums Of Money To His Favorite Cities

Benjamin Franklin left $2,000 sterling to his birthplace (Boston) and his hometown (Philadelphia). However, Franklin also stipulated that the money had to be placed in a trust for 200 years. So by the time the cities gained access to the gift, it was worth a total of $6.5 million.

He Lived His Life According To 13 Virtues

Benjamin Franklin wrote down 13 virtues when he was 20 years old — and sought to practice them throughout the rest of his life.

They included: Temperance, Silence, Order, Resolution, Frugality, Industry, Sincerity, Justice, Moderation, Cleanliness, Tranquility, Chastity, and Humility.

But even Franklin admitted that he couldn’t always live up to them.

“On the whole, tho’ I never arrived at the Perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining but fell short of it,” he wrote of his failure to follow his own virtues all the time. “Yet as I was, by the Endeavor, a better and a happier Man than I otherwise should have been if I had not attempted it.”

Franklin Thought He Could Improve The Alphabet

Benjamin Franklin came up with many enduring ideas during his life. But one of his inventions that didn’t stick had to do with trimming down the alphabet. In his version, there was no C, J, Q, W, X, or Y.

Startling Fact About Benjamin Franklin: He Liked To Take Air Baths In The Nude

In Franklin’s time, cold baths were considered to be good for health. But Franklin found them uncomfortable. Instead, he liked to take “air baths.”

“I have found it much more agreeable to my constitution to bathe in another element, I mean cold air,” he explained in a letter. “With this view, I rise early almost every morning, and sit in my chamber without any clothes whatever, half an hour or an hour, according to the season, either reading or writing.”

Benjamin Franklin Enjoyed Discussing Philosophy Over Drinks

Benjamin Franklin founded a group known as the Junto in 1727. Initially consisting of 12 members with different backgrounds, the group would meet in taverns, have a drink, and discuss philosophical matters. Eventually, Franklin would also start to discuss social issues of the time.

“Our debates were to be under the direction of a president, and to be conducted in the sincere spirit of inquiry after truth, without fondness for dispute or desire of victory,” he wrote. “[To] prevent warmth, all expressions of positiveness in opinions, or direct contradiction, were after some time made contraband, and prohibited under small pecuniary penalties.”

At these meetings, Franklin would come up with some of his best civic ideas like founding a public hospital, a lending library, the first American volunteer fire department, and even the University of Pennsylvania.

The Remains Of 10 People Were Later Found In His Basement

From 1757 to 1775, Franklin lived in a four-story home on 36 Craven Street in London. And when it was renovated into a museum in 1998, construction workers made a disturbing discovery — human remains.

At first, it seemed as though there was only a thigh bone sticking out of the dirt floor. But after the authorities were called, officials found a whopping 1,200 pieces of human remains belonging to 10 people, including six children. The remains were all more than 200 years old.

Fortunately, the reason these skeletons were stashed in Franklin’s house wasn’t as grisly as it may seem. Franklin had allowed William Hewson, a former anatomy student, to use his basement for practice. It’s unclear whether Franklin knew the young man was working on cadavers.

SOURCE: https://allthatsinteresting.com/benjamin-franklin-facts

ETYMOLOGY OF WORDS AND PHRASES, PART 11

Murphy’s Law

If anything can go wrong, it will. This expression appears to have originated in the mid-1900’s in the U.S. Air Force. According to an article in the San Francisco Chronicle of March 16, 1978 (cited in the Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang), during some testing at Edwards Air Force Base in 1949, Captain Ed Murphy, an engineer, was frustrated with a malfunctioning part and said about the technician responsible, “If there is any to do things wrong, he will.” Within weeks his statement was referred to as “Murphy’s Law,” and by about 1960, it had entered the civilian vocabulary and was attached to just about any mistake or mishap. In succeeding decades, it became a cliche.

If the shoe fits, wear it!

If something applies to you, accept it. This expression is a version of an older term, if the cap fits, put it on, which originally meant a fool’s cap and dates from the early 18th century. This version is rarely heard today. It’s replacement by a shoe probably came about owing to the increased popularity of the Cinderella story and, indeed, an early appearance in print, in Clyde Fitch’s play “The Climbers” (1901), states, “If the slipper fits,”

Pennies from heaven

The first time that the expression “Pennies from heaven” came into the public consciousness was on the release of the 1936 film, starring Bing Crosby. It wasn’t coined by the film’s writers though, having been used in print a few years earlier, in Abraham Burstein’s book “Ghetto Messenger,” 1928.

A country mile

The complexity of what a mile actually is, or more to the point was when this phrase was coined, is more confusing than enlightening. Each country that has used a mile as a measurement of distance, has defined it differently from all the others, and most of them have changed the measurement at some point. What may help is a look at some documentary evidence. An early expression in print is in a poem by the Cornish seaman Frederick de Kruger – “The Villager’s Tale,”1829:

“The travelling stage had set me down
Within a mile of yon church-town;
‘T was long indeed, a country mile.
But well I knew each field or style;”

It’s reasonable to assume that the expression originated in the UK. The expression crossed the Atlantic in the 19th century and is still widely used there. Hardly any early 20th century report of a baseball game fail to use the expression when a ball is hit out of the ground. The expression is used in pretty well every English-speaking country and many have their own variants of it. People also speak of a ‘Welsh mile’, ‘a Scottish mile’, ‘Irish’, Dutch’, ‘German’ and so on.

Back to the drawing board

This term has been used since WWII as a jocular acceptance that a design has failed and that a new one is needed. It gained common currency quite quickly and began appearing in US newspapers by 1947, as here in theWalla Walla Union-Bulletin, Washington, December 1947: “Grid injuries for the season now closing suggest anew that nature get back to the drawing board, as the human knee is not only nothing to look at but also a piece of bum engineering.”

A drawing board is, of course, an architect’s or draughtsman’s table, used for the preparation of designs or blueprints. The phrase originated as the caption to a cartoon produced by Peter Arno (Curtis Arnoux Peters, Jr.), for the New Yorker magazine, in 1941. The cartoon shows various military men and ground crew racing toward a crashed plane, and a designer, with a roll of plans under his arm, walking away saying, “Well, back to the old drawing board.”

Know the ropes

The first known use of the expression in print is a figurative one, that is, one where no actual rope is being referred to. It comes in James Skene’s travel mémoire “Italian Journey,” 1802: “I am a stranger and… I beg you to show me how I ought to proceed… You know the ropes and can give me good advice.”

Clearly, ‘know the ropes’ must have been in use in some context where real rope was being used before Skene wrote his diary, but it seems that no one wrote it down. The first printed example of ‘knowing the ropes’ which alludes to a context where actual rope would be present is in Richard H. Dana Jr’s “Two years before the mast,” 1840: “The captain, who had been on the coast before and ‘knew the ropes,’ took the steering oar.”

That clearly has a seafaring connection, although it appears to be using the figurative meaning of the phrase, that is, ‘the captain was knowledgeable’, but without any specific allusion to ropes.

Bag and baggage

The phrase is of military origin. ‘Bag and baggage’ referred to the entire property of an army and that of the soldiers in it. To ‘retire bag and baggage’ meant to beat an honourable retreat, surrendering nothing. These days, to ‘leave bag and baggage’ means just to clear out of a property, leaving nothing behind.

The phrase is ancient enough that the earliest citation isn’t in contemporary English. Rymer’s”Foedera,” 1422, has: “Cum armaturis bonis bogeis, baggagiis”. The earliest reference in English that most would understand is in John Berners’ ‘The firste volum of John Froissart’, 1525: “We haue with vs all our bagges and baggages that we haue wonne by armes.” Shakespeare later used the phrase in “As You Like It,” 1600:

“Let vs make an honorable retreit, though not with bagge and baggage, yet with scrip and scrippage.”

Yada-yada

This phrase is a modern-day equivalent of ‘blah, blah, blah’ (which is early 20th century). It is American and emerged during or just after the Second World War. It was preceded by various alternative forms – ‘yatata, yatata’, ‘yaddega, yaddega’ etc. One of the earliest of these is from an advertisement in an August 1948 edition of the Long Beach Independent:

“Yatata … yatata … the talk is all about Chatterbox, Knox’s own little Tomboy Cap with the young, young come-on look!” All of those versions, and including ‘yada yada’, probably took the lead from existing words meaning incessant talk – yatter, jabber, chatter.

Yellow belly

The term ‘yellow-belly’ is an archetypal American term, but began life in England in the late 18th century as a mildly derogatory nick-name. Grose’s “A Provincial Glossary,” with a collection of local proverbs, and popular superstitions, 1787, lists it: “Yellow bellies. This is an appellation given to persons born in the Fens, who, it is jocularly said, have yellow bellies, like their eels.”

The usage wasn’t limited to the Lincolnshire Fens. In the same year,”Knight’s Quarterly Magazine” (London) published an account of life in the the Staffordshire Collieries. It began by describing the region as “a miserable tract of country commencing a few miles beyond Birmingham” and went on to recount a lady’s attempts at guessing the nick-name of a local resident: ‘Lie-a-bed, Cock-eye, Pig-tail and finally Yellow-belly.’

Up shit creek without a paddle

This slang phrase, like most street slang, is difficult to date and determine the origin of precisely. What we can say is that it, or at least the ‘shit creek’ part of it was known in the USA in the 1860s as it appeared in the transcript of the 1868 Annual report of the [US] Secretary of War, in a section that included reports from districts of South Carolina: “Our men have put old [Abraham] Lincoln up shit creek.”

In Lincoln’s day, as now, ‘shit creek’ wasn’t a real place, just a figurative way of describing somewhere unpleasant; somewhere one wouldn’t want to be. The ‘without a paddle’ ending is just an intensifier, added by later wags for additional effect. This dates from the middle of the 20th century. The American novelist John Dos Passos used the phrase in”Adventures of a Young Man,” 1939:

“They left the store ready to cry from worry. It was dark; they had a hard time finding their way through the woods to the place where they’d left the canoe. The mosquitos ate the hides off them. ‘Well, we’re up shit creek without any paddle’.”

Thank You Milady

Ladybugs also called ladybirds and lady beetles belong to the family Coccinellidae.

There are about 5,000 different species of ladybugs in the world.

They live all over the world, except in Antarctica and the far northern regions of North America, Europe and Asia.

The natural habitat for ladybugs is areas of dense vegetation, such as forests, meadows, weed patches and gardens.

The average lifespan of a ladybug is 2 to 3 years.

They range from 0.0315 to 0.708 inches.

They are commonly red, orange, or yellow with small black spots on their wing covers, with black legs, heads and antennae.

As well as the usual colors, some ladybug species are black, white, gray, brown, pink and blue. Also, some species can have stripes, or no markings at all.

A ladybug has two eyes but it doesn’t see very well. Ladybugs can only see the difference between dark and light.

The antenna is what helps a ladybug smell, taste, and feel its way around.

The six short little legs of a ladybug help it to walk, but they do more than that. The feet of a ladybug help it smell.

Ladybugs have two pairs of wings, but only one pair is used to fly. The front wings are strong and protect the back wings. A ladybug’s rear or back wings are its flying wings.

A ladybug beats its wings about 5100 times a minute or about 85 beats a second when it flies.

Scientists believed that anything over 7 feet was a long-distance flight for a ladybug – but the new data shows they can actually travel up to74 miles in a single flight. A detailed study has shown the creatures traveling at heights in excess of 3,600 feet and reaching speeds of 37 miles per hour.

As a cold-blooded species, ladybugs mainly are diurnal, utilizing as much sunlight as possible for feeding and mating.

Ladybugs in temperate areas usually hibernate through the winter. Thousands of ladybugs may gather in the same location, taking advantage of the collective warmth of a colony.

Ladybug communicate with each other mainly through chemical signals (pheremones).

Their distinctive spots and attractive colors are meant to make them unappealing to predators. When threatened, the bugs will secrete an oily, foul-tasting fluid from joints in their legs. They may also play dead.

Birds are ladybugs’ main predators, but they also fall victim to frogs, wasps, spiders, and dragonflies.

Ladybugs eat aphids, cabbage moths, mites and other tiny insects. Because of their appetite for plant-eating pests, ladybugs are a beneficial component for any garden and act as a natural pesticide.

Four stages exist in the ladybug life cycle – a process known as complete metamorphosis. As ladybugs feast on aphids and other plant-eating insects, following sexual mating, females deposit up to 300 fertilized eggs among these plants. After 2 to 5 days, newly hatched larvae have an immediate feeding source for the 3 weeks they remain in this stage. After bulking up on aphids, larvae enter a resting stage as pupae. Following a week of this growth process, the adult ladybug emerges, fully formed and ready to keep eating.

One ladybug can eat up to5,000 insects in its lifetime!

The term “lady” refers to the Virgin Mary. According to legend, crops in Europe during the Middle Ages were plagued by pests, and farmers began praying to the blessed Lady Mary. Ladybugs then appeared in the fields, miraculously saving the crops, causing the farmers to call them lady beetles.

Ladybugs aren’t true bugs – they’re beetles, as evidenced by their hard shells that hide a set of delicate wings.

A common myth is that the number of spots on the insect’s back indicates its age.

Many cultures consider ladybugs lucky and have nursery rhymes or local names for the insects that reflect this.

Ladybugs are, and have been for very many years, an insect of interest and favorite for children.

NASA sent a few ladybugs into space with aphids to see how aphids would escape in zero gravity.

Ladybugs are the official state insect of Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, and Tennessee.

The bold colors and simple shapes have led to use as a logo for a wide range of organizations and companies.

Source: JustFunFacts

National Do a Grouch a Favor Day

Oscar may have been the most famous grouch at one time, but he is certainly not the only one. Consider these two…okay technically their promoted as Grumpy, but it still counts in my book…LOL

NO…not THOSE two…THESE two…

And who could forget Scrooge?

And then there’s Walter…who’s a Grouch, but a lovable one!

But the Grouch I’ve chosen to do a favor for today is THIS one (on the left).

Here’s the favor…some words of advice:

Missing from the History Books

Plenty of historic events have taken place in Nebraska over the years, but not all of them have made it into common knowledge. Some are so obscure or unusual that they aren’t even found in most history books. These six things are so crazy that it’s almost hard to believe they happened right here at home.

1. A Nebraskan “won the war” for the US.

Andrew Jackson Higgins, born in Columbus in 1886, would grow up to manufacture boats that the US Navy found instrumental in winning WWII (though his company was not based in Nebraska). In fact, more than 96 percent of US Navy boats were “Higgins boats” at the end of the war. Then-General Dwight Eisenhower referred to Higgins as the man who won the war for us.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Higgins

2. Early Nebraska maps featured six “ghost counties” that never existed.

Just after Nebraska became a state, mapmaking company Colton printed maps containing six counties in western Nebraska that were entirely nonexistent. The mistake came about because the mapmaker referenced an early legislative bill which showed an alternate version of the county lines. By the time the county lines were finalized, the maps were already printed. Other mapmakers copied the incorrect map, and the error was not corrected on new maps for more than a decade.

3. Nebraska was hit by a Japanese balloon bomb in WWII…and no one said a word.

Japan sent out balloon bombs during WWII, then tracked where they ended up so they could perfect the technique for hitting their targets from such a far distance. One such bomb exploded over the Dundee area of Omaha in 1945. In the interest of thwarting the Japanese efforts to chart the bomb’s trajectory, the incident was kept completely out of the news until after the war ended. Today, a historical marker stands on the site where the bomb exploded.

4. A tiny Nebraska town voted itself out of existence.

The Thomas County town of Seneca, which was incorporated in 1888, dissolved in 2014 after a year of disputes and acrimony. The incident which began the disputes was regarding an ordinance that barred residents from keeping horses within town limits. Over the course of several months, bickering and bitterness led to the village board voting to dissolve Seneca. The motion won by a single vote. Seneca officially became an unincorporated community in mid-2014.

5. The first self-propelled vehicle west of the Mississippi was debuted in Nebraska.

In the mid-1880s, an entrepreneur named Joseph Renshaw Brown saw the opportunity to introduce steam-powered vehicles to the prairie. His contraption caused a lot of excitement in Nebraska City where its journey began. After its payload was attached and the vehicle started to chug toward Kearney, it unceremoniously died seven miles into the trip. Although it didn’t achieve its mission, the vehicle still made history.

6. A “volcano” once existed in Nebraska…before it was washed away.

In northeastern Nebraska, a mysterious hill right on the banks of the Missouri River used to release heat and steam of such power that people assumed it was a volcano. In reality, it was a chemical reaction within the hill causing these events. In 1878, a flood washed the “volcano” away forever.

Pucker Up!

Psychotria Elata: The Hooker’s Lips Plant

Psychotria Elata is one of the plants that will impress you with its rather unique visuals right from the start. Commonly known as the Hooker’s Lips Plant actually seems to be pretty similar to some very large lips. It’s basically a small tree found in Costa Rica and Columbia that has some very “alluring parts”.

It’s not easy to find this plant, that’s for sure. It constantly grows all the time. They are particularly fond of growing in damp soils, which makes them even harder to reach when compared to regular plants.

The downside is that this plant has now come close to extinction, mainly because its homeland was affected by constant deforestation. This is rather sad, considering that it is so unique.

There is a confusion though. People believe that the lips of this plant are the actual flower. No, this plant’s flower is separate from the “lips”. In fact, the flowers come in between the lips. The overall lips are just modified leaves. They are actually named bracts.

Interior growers turn to plants from around the world to add exotic touches to the home. Hot lips plant fits the bill but requires a tropical environment. For this reason, it is mostly a collector’s plant for much of the United States. Growing hot lips plants requires a heated greenhouse or solarium, high humidity, and shelter from harsh solar rays.

The Sweetest Place on Earth

Hershey’s Chocolate World

You haven’t been to Hershey until you’ve taken the free Hershey’s Chocolate Tour. The tour − an indoor ride in a Hershey’s Kiss-shaped car − allows visitors to understand how Hershey’s chocolate is made and enjoy a free chocolate bar at the end. Better still is the marketplace at Hershey’s Chocolate World, where you can purchase Hershey’s candy (including treats you don’t typically find at your local food store); candy-themed souvenirs; and signature smoothies, milkshakes and pastries. You can also make a personalized treat at the Create Your Own Candy Bar station, solve a sweet mystery in the 4D Chocolate Movie and enjoy wine and chocolate or beer and chocolate pairings seasonally.

Hersheypark

Hersheypark features 15 roller coasters (and counting) − including Laff Trakk, the first indoor, spinning glow coaster in the U.S. The amusement park also features an outdoor water park and kiddie rides, plus rides and attractions the whole family can enjoy together. When it’s time for a break, order one of the park’s famous King Sized Shakes, available at Simply Chocolate. The one-of-a-kind amusement park is especially magical at Christmas, when the park hosts Hershey Sweet Lights, a 2-mile, illuminated drive-through tour, and Christmas Candylane, where guests can sip hot cocoa and meet Santa and his reindeer.

The Hotel Hershey

The Hotel Hershey is an especially popular destination for romantic escapes and girls getaways. Part of the Historic Hotels of America, the regal resort offers indoor and outdoor swimming pools, golf, tennis, fitness facilities, a kids club, five restaurants and a spa. Guests can choose to stay in beautifully appointed guest rooms, suites or cottages, plus the hotel offers perks like complimentary admission to Hershey Gardens and The Hershey Story’s Museum Experience. Reviewers say the staff is exceptionally friendly and helpful, and that the food is great.

Hersheypark Stadium

When planning your summertime visit to Hershey, be sure to check the schedule at Hersheypark Stadium where big-name concerts are typically hosted from June through September. The outdoor venue offers food and beverage concessions and − the ultimate splurge − VIP Sky Suites. Hersheypark Stadium has hosted everyone from Dead & Company to the Jonas Brothers. Reviewers say the bathrooms are tiny, but clean and widely available.

ZooAmerica

One of the first attractions to open in Hershey, ZooAmerica was established in 1910. More than a century later, the zoo has expanded to house a couple hundred animals across a variety of species and support several wildlife and environmental conservation efforts. For an extra-special experience, book a behind-the-scenes photography or after-hours tour of the zoo. ZooAmerica is located within Hersheypark and admission to the zoo is included in your park pass.

Hershey Gardens

Stop and smell the roses at Hershey Gardens. That’s exactly what Milton Hershey intended for visitors when he requested to “create a nice garden of roses.” Aside from fragrant flowers featured in seasonal and themed displays, Hershey Gardens offers a whimsical children’s garden with interactive play structures and a butterfly atrium where you can get up close with butterflies − so close they might land right on your head or hands. Guided walks and gardening classes are also available. Reviewers say the gardens are not only beautiful, but also relaxing.

The Falconry Experience

Did you know you could interact with falcons in Hershey? Offered at The Hotel Hershey and available to both guests and the general public, The Falconry Experience features free-flight and simulated hunt demonstrations, and the chance to have birds of prey land right on your hand. Group and family sessions are available, and kids ages 12 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Reviewers say this is one of the most unique experiences they’ve ever had.

Water Works at Hershey Lodge

Hersheypark isn’t the only place with a water park in the area. Hershey Lodge has an indoor water park called Water Works, with a zero-entry pool, a spray zone, a water-dumping bucket and more. Especially fun for young kids, the water park is exclusive and complimentary to guests of the hotel. Before you book your stay, check out the hotel’s packages, which combine overnight accommodations and Hersheypark tickets in one rate.

SOURCE: https://travel.usnews.com/features/top-things-to-do-in-hershey-pennsylvania

Lucky Penny

The very first U.S. one-cent coin debuted in 1787, before the U.S. Mint was formed.

This coin was called a Fugio cent, and it served as the first official circulation coin of the United States.

Ben Franklin designed the coin.

The only year the Fugio cent appeared in circulation was in 1787.

In 1793, the U.S. Mint introduced the large cent.

These early pennies were huge… practically the size of a half dollar!

Large cents were in circulation until 1857, and there were several designs throughout the years.

In 1856, the U.S. Mint introduced the small cent.

The small cent coin was the first U.S. penny made in a size that is similar to the pennies of today.

The Flying Eagle design was the first to appear on a small cent.

In the United States, the one-cent coin is not officially called a penny.

Even though most of us refer to the U.S. one-cent coin as a “penny,” the coin is technically called a “cent” in the United States.

Yep, the U.S. Mint officially named the coin a “cent.” And the U.S. Treasury officially called it a “one cent piece.”

It was during the Colonial period (when people used a mixture of coins from other countries) that a coin known as the British penny became popular. It was in 1857 that Congress asked the U.S. Mint to make the one-cent coin smaller.

The penny is not the lowest face value coin ever produced in the U.S.

From 1793 to 1857, the U.S. produced half cents. These coins are quite scarce today!

Other coins with denominations the U.S. used to make that we haven’t used in many years include:

the 2-cent piece

the 3-cent piece

the half-dime

Abe Lincoln was the first real person to have their face appear on a U.S. coin.

His face appeared for the very first time when the penny was redesigned in 1909.

The 1909 Lincoln penny also marks the first time that a U.S. president appeared on a U.S. coin.

Lincoln’s face is the only one on a U.S. coin that looks to the right.

All other portraits of people on U.S. coins face to the left.

Some U.S. pennies stick to a magnet, while others do not.

The 1943 steel penny does stick to a magnet. (More than 1 billion of these coins were made.)

The few 1943 copper penny error coins that were made don’t stick to a magnet. (Approximately 40 were made and only 27 are known to exist.)

Some 1944 pennies were accidentally made from steel, and these do stick to a magnet. (Only 30 or so exist today.)

The most valuable U.S. penny is a 1943 cent that’s worth $1.7 million.

Of all the modern-era pennies (those made since the introduction of small cents in 1856), the 1943-D copper Lincoln penny is the one with the highest value. It was accidentally made on a copper planchet that was intended for 1942 pennies — instead of being made on the steel blanks used for 1943 pennies. Only one of them exists!

Copper pennies from 1944 to 1946 were made of shell casings.

The public didn’t much like the 1943 steel pennies. They were often mistaken for dimes, they rusted pretty quickly, and they just didn’t look like the copper pennies everyone knew.

In 1944 the U.S. Mint began striking pennies from copper blanks made from reclaimed ammunition shell casings. They continued doing so through 1946. They look virtually identical to regular copper pennies.

The odds of finding a wheat penny today are about 1:200.

You would need to search through approximately 200 pennies in your pocket change and/or in coin rolls from the bank to find at least one Lincoln wheat cent.

In the case of these mid-1960s pennies, you can’t tell a Philadelphia penny from a Denver penny from a San Francisco penny. If you come across 1965, 1966, or 1967 pennies with no mint mark, that’s totally normal.

The 1974 silver penny is actually made of aluminum.

More than 1.58 million of the 1974 aluminum pennies were struck — merely as a test. At the time, the U.S. Mint was experimenting with different materials to reduce the cost of making pennies.

There were no 1974 aluminum Lincoln cents released into circulation, as the 1974 aluminum penny was immediately recalled for melting.

The majority of them were destroyed — including hundreds that were given to members of Congress and other officials.

However, not all of the coins were returned. There is a small number of unaccounted 1974 aluminum pennies that are still out there today!

It is illegal to own a 1974 aluminum penny.

1974 aluminum Lincoln cents are considered government property. They are, therefore, illegal to own.

Some 1992 pennies have the wrong design.

The U.S. Mint was in the process of reducing the spacing between the letters “A” and “M” in “AMERICA” for circulating 1993 pennies. But somehow a few 1992 and 1992-D Close AM pennies were struck and released by accident.

These rare pennies show virtually no gap between the bases of the letters “A” and “M.” These extremely rare 1992 pennies are worth thousands of dollars.

Most Lincoln Memorial pennies are pretty common (especially in circulated condition), and they are easily found in pocket change these days.

National One Cent Day occurs every year on April 1st.

Approximately $62 million worth of pennies are lost in circulation each year.

That’s a lot of pennies removed from circulation!

How are they “lost?”

They’re either dropped on the ground (while paying for items at outdoor events or drive-thru windows), tossed (into fountains, trash, or the ground), lost (in sofa cushions, car seats, etc), or saved (in coin collections, piggy banks, and coin jars).

It is illegal to melt U.S. pennies.

It is currently illegal in the United States to melt pennies. Anyone who melts pennies to profit from the metal could serve up to 5 years in prison and pay as much as $10,000 in fines.

By the way, it’s also illegal to export U.S. coins for the purpose of melting them.

However, if legislation should pass to end production of the one-cent coin, it would likely become legal to melt pennies in the United States after that.

Travelers may legally carry up to $5 in pennies out of the United States.

You shouldn’t clean your pennies, but if you must… here’s how.

If you really want to clean your dirty pennies, the best way is to use this 2-step method:

First, smear ketchup on the penny. Then, take a toothbrush and lightly scrub the penny — working the ketchup into all of the fine areas, and rinse the penny under warm water. Most likely, your penny will look dull and have a pinkish color at this point.

Second, combine baking soda and a little bit of water — to form a paste. Rub this mixture all over the penny with your fingers. Doing so should bring the shine back to it! (You could also dunk your penny in bowl containing 1 part baking soda and 4 parts vinegar — instead of making the baking soda paste.)

This 2-step cleaning method can strip away dirt and grime from coins — and it works especially well on pennies.

However, it completely strips away the coin’s original patina, making it a worthless coin in the eye of collectors!

It costs 2.06 cents to make each U.S. penny.

So, for every penny the U.S. Mint makes… we, the taxpayers, effectively lose one cent!

Source: https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/us-penny-facts/

Amethyst: February’s Birthstone

THE HISTORY OF AMETHYST

Amethyst’s use in rudimentary jewelry can be traced back as far as the Neolithic period (approximately 4,000 BC) and samples of it set into gold rings have been uncovered in burial sites from around 2,400 BC.

Amethyst is the name given to purple Quartz and some believe that its name derives from the Greek word ‘Amethustos’, ‘a’ meaning ‘not’ and ‘methustos’ meaning ‘to intoxicate’. In ancient times, wealthy lords who wanted to stay sober were said to have had drinking glasses or goblets made from Amethyst. While pouring wine for their guests they could serve themselves water, as the dark purple hue of the gem would disguise the color of the drink so it looked like wine, thus allowing the lord appear to be partaking in a tipple! Following the same theme, it was thought in ancient times if you wished to save a drunkard from delirium you could mix crushed Amethyst into a person’s drink.

One legend from Greek mythology tells the tale of Dionysus, the god of intoxication, and a young beautiful maiden, named Amethystos, who refused his advances. Dionysus let loose fierce tigers while Amethystos was on her way to pray to the goddess Diana. Before they reached her, Diana turned her into a statue of pure crystalline Quartz to protect her from the advancing tigers. Humbled by Amethystos’ resolution, and horrified at what he had almost done to her, he wept tears of wine. Legend says his tears turned the colorless Quartz purple, thus creating Amethyst.

Amethyst is mentioned in the Old Testament as one of the twelve stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel and was also one of the twelve gemstones adorning the breastplate of the high priest Aaron (Exodus 39). With its association with piety and celibacy, Amethyst has been set into rings and worn by Cardinals, Bishops and Priests of the Catholic Church since the Middle Ages. Over the years, along with its use by the Church, the gem has also been cherished by royalty and several pieces can be found in the British Crown Jewels. Amethyst was also known as a personal favorite of Catherine the Great.

A bracelet worn by Queen Charlotte of England in the early 1700s was valued at £200 at that time. However, shortly after this a new discovery of Amethyst deposits was made in Brazil, which dramatically reduced the value of the Queen’s bracelet. This provides a good example of how the value of genuine gemstones (just like the stock market) can go up and down based on supply and demand. When mines are eventually exhausted prices tend to increase; as new deposits are found, gemstone prices generally decrease.

Amethyst is steeped in a rich and romantic history owing to its association with St Valentine. The patron saint of romantic love wore an Amethyst ring carved with the image of Cupid and this lead to Amethyst becoming a birthstone for the month of February. Leonardo Da Vinci wrote that Amethyst quickens the intelligence and helped to dissipate evil thoughts.

AMETHYST GEMSTONE INFORMATION

Amethyst is the birthstone of February, and is the official gemstone for Wednesday. It is also the official gemstone for the 6th and 17th wedding anniversaries. The gem features a trigonal crystal system. Amethyst occurs in many shades, from a light, slightly lavender pinkish to a deep purple similar to that of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. Amethyst can also be slightly pleochroic, which means that when light hits the gem, shades of different colors such as reds and blues can be seen from different angles. The color comes from iron impurities within the stone, without which it would be colorless. The amount of iron within each stone determines how deep the color is.

As a gemstone, it was once as expensive as Emerald, but in the 19th century Brazil came to dominate the gemstone landscape with their huge scale mining operations that have long since diminished. Amethyst still ranks as the most expensive and desired variety of Quartz due to its unique natural deep purple body color and exceptional clarity. Fine grade Amethyst is found in Brazil, Zambia and most recently an exquisite and completely distinctive variety was discovered in Morocco.

Amethyst still ranks as the most expensive and desired variety of Quartz due to its unique natural deep purple body color and exceptional clarity.

In Brazil this stone forms in hollow, crystal lined geodes and in other locations it forms over millions of years embedded in its host rock. The most desired color for the body color of Amethyst is a deep ‘Siberian’ purple reminiscent of the now depleted original source. Finest examples of Amethyst form in two distinct color groups; a deep purple with undertones of a cool blue or a reddish purple, sometimes referred to as ‘raspberry’.

As there is no single dominant organization or ruling body relating to gemstones, there are often different approaches to how a gem is graded or named. Many organizations within the jewelry industry for instance refer to Green Quartz as Green Amethyst, while others refer to Green Quartz as Prasiolite, Amegreen or Vermarine. This is a really hot topic in the gem world, with some believing that the name Amethyst can only be applied to purple Quartz, others saying if a Quartz’s green color is derived from heat treated Amethyst then it should be named Green Amethyst and others saying it should be known as Green Quartz or Prasiolite. Prasiolite has been known to appear naturally in a small mine in Silesia, Poland, and claims of natural Green Amethyst discoveries have also been made in Namibia, the US state of Nevada, Zambia and Tanzania.

Different tones of Amethyst have different prefixes. ‘Siberian Amethyst’ refers to darker Amethyst regardless of whether they are from Siberia or not (though traditionally they were before the mines were exhausted), normally having a tone of 75-80%. Amethyst with a more pinkish tone (20-30% tone) is named ‘Rose de France Amethyst’. Amethyst is a hard and durable gemstone measuring 7 on the Mohs scale. In its rough state, the gem often forms in long prismatic crystals, making it ideal for cutting. Because its color can often appear banded, it is usually cut into round brilliant shapes which helps the gem display a more uniformed color when viewed through the table or crown facets.

One of the largest Amethyst mines in the world is in Maissau in Austria and is unusual in that it is open to the public. If you want to travel further, then the Amethyst mines in Brazil are considered to be the best in the world and as long as you don’t mind roughing it a little, you’re sure to have a great adventure visiting the local artisan miners.

What Shall We Bake Today?

This being February, I thought we’d bake a Red Velvet Cake.

Cake:

1 ½ cups sugar

½ cup butter

2 eggs

2 ounces red food coloring

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups cake flour

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round pans.

In a large bowl, beat the sugar and shortening together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine red food coloring and cocoa to make a paste; add to creamed mixture.

Mix buttermilk, salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla together in a small bowl. To the creamed mixture, add flour, alternating with buttermilk mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Mix vinegar and baking soda together; gently fold into cake batter and pour into prepared pans.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Invert carefully onto a serving plate or cooling rack. Let cool, about 30 minutes.

Frost as desired.