Happy 306th, Mr. Franklin!

Today, January 17th, is the birthday of one of our country's all-time most important citizens, a person without whom our lives would be different in more ways than you or I could possibly count! I'm talking about none other than Mr. Benjamin Franklin himself, and from a purely personal viewpoint, I actually owe quite a debt to Mr. Franklin - he was instrumental in the development of both the Post Office and the publishing industry. And without both, there would never have been a Haband in the first place! 

By the way, while I was reading about Benjamin Franklin's life, I also learned a new vocabulary word: polymath. A polymath is someone who is an expert in many, many fields and the term certainly applies to Ben Franklin. Writer, statesman, inventor, scientist, humanitarian - he was all of these things and more. No wonder the U.S. Mint saw fit to place HIS likeness on our highest denomination unit of currency, the $100 bill. (Did you know he's the only non-President to  be honored in such a way?). 

However, there is one thing about which I believe Benjamin Franklin was wrong, and I wonder if you'd agree! When the matter was discussed of selecting our young country's official bird to serve as its symbol, Franklin was not in favor of the majestic bird we recognize in that way today. He pushed for a more, shall I say 'portly' choice - the Turkey! (I'm glad we went with the Bald Eagle, aren't you?)

So Happy 306th Birthday, Ben, and Gobble! Gobble! Your impact is still felt today, over three centuries later. You know, I bet he'd have been a Haband customer, too!