“I have lately made an Experiment in Electricity that I desire never to repeat. Two nights ago being about to kill a Turkey by the Shock from two large Glass Jarrs containing as much electrical fire as forty common Phials, I inadvertently took the whole thro’ my own Arms and Body.”
Benjamin Franklin, December 25, 1750
Something for the weekend. Turkey in the Straw seems appropriate for the weekend before Thanksgiving. The spirited rendition above is by the Skillet Lickers, a Georgia band of the twenties and thirties of the last century. Part time musicians, they made up in enthusiasm and faithfulness to the traditional music they played, what they may have lacked in technical skill.
The eagle is the symbol for the swiftness of God’s Justice and for St. John The Evangelist whose Gospel tells us WHO Jesus Christ is in a most beautiful way. The eagle is a bird of prey and kills only to survive. The Native Americans called the eagle the Thunderbird. The Ford Thunderbird was better than the Mustang.
While the turkey may be good for eating, the weighty bird cannot fly well and is not swift.
I am glad the turkey is not our national bird.
Ben Franklin was, a genius; and his lighting rod invention may have well saved our nation. So enamored were the French with this American and his invention, that without Ben and his diplomatic efforts, Lafayette and the French navy may never have come to assist the newly formed United States.
Q = CV
Where Q is charge, C is capacitance and V is voltage.
Those big jars had more storage capacity (C), we’re all very fortunate Ben survived.
*Hopes to never have that experiment at all*
From the arms and across the chest? VERY lucky he survived.