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☆ Rare letter signed by founding fathers expected to fetch $1 million at auction
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-05 | by ( Jack Guy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A rare letter signed by three of the founding fathers of the United States is going on sale, and is expected to fetch up to $1 million when it goes under the hammer next week. “An important expression of the emerging American policy of free trade, likely the only available example of any letter signed by all three of these Founding Fathers, the men most responsible for the Declaration of Independence,” said Bonhams in a listing on its website. Bidding starts at $550,000, and the letter is expected to fetch up to $1 million when it goes under the hammer on November 12. Objects and artifacts linked to the founding fathers often prove popular at auction, attracting astronomical bids. In 2017, manuscripts, personal letters and hundreds of other documents from founding father Alexander Hamilton’s desk sold for a total of $2.6 million at Sotheby’s in New York, according to the auction house.

Persons: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, ”, Adams, Jefferson, Commerce ’, Alexander Hamilton’s, George Washington’s Organizations: CNN, America, Commerce, Congress Locations: United States, amity, Franklin, Amity, Independence, New York

☆ Inside a 1760 schoolhouse for Black children is a complicated history of slavery and resilience
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-01 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Ap-Live-Blog-Byline-Image.Png | The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

The museum, Colonial Williamsburg, also has identified more than 80 children who lined its pinewood benches in the 1760s. Colonial Williamsburg tells the story of Virginia’s colonial capital through interpreters and hundreds of restored buildings. 18th century nails shoved in between hand craved joints in the stairs leading up to the second floor of the Williamsburg Bray School. And those are the things that give you strength — to know what your family has come through.”Janice Canaday outside the Williamsburg Bray School on Oct 30, 2024. Last year, it was transported to Colonial Williamsburg, which includes parts of the original city.

Persons: Phoebe, Isaac Bee, Bee, John C, Clark, ”, Maureen Elgersman Lee, William, “, ” Lee, Janice Canaday, Elisha, Mary Jones, Canaday, ” Janice Canaday, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Bray, Virginia, Ann Wager, Jones, Ashby, Elizabeth Drembus, ” Drembus, Katie McKinney, “ Beg, ” Canaday, Wager Organizations: Williamsburg Bray School, Mary’s Bray School, Bray School, Bray, Colonial America, William, ” Locations: WILLIAMSBURG, Va, —, Virginia, Colonial Williamsburg, Aberdeen, Bristol, Williamsburg, London, Colonial, Germany, sheepskin

☆ I take quiet vacations as often as I can. My employers have no idea where I am thanks to VPN tricks and my meticulous calendar.
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-01 | by ( Kimanzi Constable | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Benjamin Fields, a 26-year-old teacher, student, and business owner. I got the job as a public school teacher in 2022. I used the majority of my leave from public school to go. I see my perfume business supporting me, and if I'm still teaching, I'll use that money to pay for travel and investments.

Persons: Benjamin Fields, he's, —, I'm, Fields, Jila, I've, Lauryn Haas Organizations: Service, Cornell University, Dubai, Ivory Coast, Google, USPS, Subway, lhaas Locations: Oklahoma, U.C . Berkeley, Dubai, Colombia, Portugal, London, Barcelona, Sydney, Ibiza, Berkeley, Antarctica, Vienna, Seville, Paris, Corfu, Cameroon, San Francisco, Monaco, Singapore, Macau

☆ A California couple built a $500,000 ADU in their parents' backyard when they couldn't afford to buy a traditional house
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-01 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AdvertisementNewlyweds Aislyn and Ali Benjamin felt they couldn't afford to buy a traditional property in their corner of California — Danville, a small city just over an hour's drive east of San Francisco. Financing and building the ADU cost a total of $500,000, paid by the couple with help from their parents. Advertisement"The main reason we chose to do this is to stay close to our work," Ali Benjamin told Business Insider. An overview of the Benjamins' ADU in the Bay Area, where the couple lives full-time. The kitchen of the Benjamins' ADU.

Persons: Aislyn, Ali Benjamin, —, Realtor.com, San Ramon — Aislyn, Ali, Villa, ADU, Ali Benjamin's, Ali Benjamin said Organizations: Service, Danville ., Benjamins, Business, Urban Institute, Villa Villa, Backyard, Villa Locations: California — Danville, San Francisco, Danville, San Ramon, Bay, California, Los Angeles, San Jose

☆ The end of American careerism
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-28 | by ( Aki Ito | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

AdvertisementClimbing the corporate ladder was once the cornerstone of the American dream. Maybe that's why earlier this year, a young New Yorker struck a chord on TikTok when he vowed to "descend the corporate ladder." Eventually, he got promoted into a corporate office role, and that opened up even more opportunities for advancement. "That was a betrayal from a company I had been incredibly dedicated to," Zack told me. Besides, the dream of climbing the corporate ladder was probably never as great as it seemed to be.

Persons: Zack, I'm, I've, Randstad, James Yates, Dell, careerism, Benjamin Franklin —, Shoshana Zuboff, James, he's, who's, Gen, Xers, Gen Zers, Michel Anteby, Aki Ito Organizations: New Yorker, Industrial, . Companies, Harvard Business School, BI, Professionals, Gallup, Boston University, Business Locations: United States, Italy, Spain, New Zealand, New, America

☆ I'm 72 and still form new habits — and break others. Making promises to others doesn't work for me, but these 5 things do.
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-17 | by ( Louisa Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

I've learned that if I want to form a new habit, promising someone I will doesn't work for me. AdvertisementWhen I was a teenager, I developed a habit of repeatedly promising my mother I would go on a diet. When I'm struggling to change a habit or face a tough decision, I sometimes use art to depict my mental state. Ever since, I've been able to moderate my pace by watching the person I'm eating with — usually Barry, my husband, who tends to eat slower than I do. Many people use computer software or apps to track their habits, but I'm old-fashioned and prefer the mind-body approach of handwriting.

Persons: I've, —, I'm, Barry, Benjamin Franklin Organizations: Service, Moody Locations: Marlboro, checkmarks

☆ NATO's new chief is inheriting messy wars and a possible second Trump presidency. It's not going to be easy, security analysts say.
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-01 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

And then, with the US presidential elections now less than five weeks away, there is the prospect of a second Donald Trump presidency. AdvertisementMark Rutte earned the nickname "Trump whisperer" after placating the former president on US commitments to NATO. According to Prakash, Rutte is "coming into the role from a certain outlook, and that outlook is essentially saying: 'We need to stand with America.'" NATO's deputy secretary-general, Mircea Geoană, told Euronews in July that China, as a direct enabler of Russia's war in Ukraine, threatened the alliance's security. AdvertisementShifting NATO away from Russia and toward other threats is going to be "perhaps the greatest challenge facing Mark Rutte," Prakash said.

Persons: Mark Rutte, Jens Stoltenberg, —, Abishur Prakash, Prakash, Stoltenberg, John Hardie, Donald Trump, Rutte, Hardie, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mitch McConnell, Chuck Schumer, Scott Applewhite, ATACMS, Josep Borrell, Joe Biden, Ramiz Dallah, Israel ramped, Israel, Benjamin Friedman, Keir Giles, Trump, Brandon Bell, Giles, Friedman, Kamala Harris, Harris, Chip Somodevilla, NATO's, Mircea Geoană, Euronews Organizations: Service, NATO, Inc, Russia, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Trump, AP, Pentagon, Russian, Republicans, Hamas, Getty, Defense, Chatham House's, NATO's, Europe NATO, Ukraine Defense Contact, Assistance, Training, Kyiv, Dutch, NRC, America Locations: Ukraine, escalations, Russia, Netherlands, Gaza, Toronto, Denmark, Sweden, Czech Republic, Finland, Israel, Lebanon, Anadolu, Europe, Chatham House's Russia, Eurasia, Savannah , Georgia, South China, Philippines, China

☆ I'm a teacher and a mother of 4 who hates mornings. Doing these 3 things makes them bearable.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-26 | by ( Nicole Johnson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Now, a few decades later, I'm a mother of four, ages 19, 18, 13, and 11, and getting a head-start in the mornings has become necessary. While I may never love rising with the sun as my grandparents did, I have found a few things that help to make my mornings both successful and, more importantly, bearable. I've learned that preparation is everythingBenjamin Franklin said, "If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail." I alternate between night and morning showers so that I can sleep a bit later on my no-shower mornings. Mornings have always been hard, but with a few simple steps, I have figured out how to make them bearable.

Persons: I'm, I've, Benjamin Franklin Organizations: Service

☆ Ukraine started this year on the brink of disaster. A lot has changed since.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-09 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Getting F-16s and long-awaited weaponsDelays in getting Western equipment have long been a source of frustration for Ukraine. Western allies lifted some restrictions in May, allowing Ukraine to strike Russian troops building up at its borders. AdvertisementTaking the war inside RussiaThe biggest change this year is that Ukraine altered the dynamics of the conflict by launching a surprise attack on Russia's Kursk region. In just two weeks, starting on August 6, Ukraine claims its forces took more territory in Kursk than Russia had since the beginning of 2024. Ukraine is "losing territory and may suffer a breakthrough," Benjamin Friedman, policy director at the Defense Priorities think tank, told BI.

Persons: —, Abishur Prakash, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Zelenskyy, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, Vitalii, Mark Temnycky, it's, Gabrielius Landsbergis, Ukraine wouldn't, Mark Cancian, year's, Putin, Joe Biden, Benjamin Friedman, Michael Kofman, Rob Lee, Prakash Organizations: Service, Russia, Republican, Business, Inc, Reuters, Army Tactical Missile Systems, Getty, Council's Eurasia, Times, Institute for, American Enterprise, Air Assault Brigade, REUTERS, US Marine Corps, Center for Strategic, International Studies, CNN, Defense, Carnegie Endowment, International Peace, Foreign Policy Research Institute, Foreign, Kyiv Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Russian, Kursk, Toronto, Kharkiv, London, Russia's Kursk, Malaya Loknya, Kursk Region, REUTERS Russia, Kyiv

LAS VEGAS — DEF CON, the world’s largest hacker conference, is trying to put its legions of experts to work by creating a volunteer army to help protect America’s vulnerable water systems and schools. It also aims to help the broader public access the cybersecurity research the hackers produce during the conference each year. “So how do we best help them help other people?”The project has two main elements. The second is connecting hackers with places that are in desperate need of cybersecurity help, starting with water and wastewater facilities and schools. DEF CON has partnered with the largest water facility trade group, the National Rural Water Association (NRWA), to help match facilities with hackers.

Persons: “, ”, Jeff Moss, Def Con Franklin —, Benjamin Franklin’s, Moss, he’s “, it’ll, it’s, we’ve, Jake Braun, ” Braun, Matt Holmes, Con, It’ll Organizations: VEGAS, U.S, Environmental Protection Agency, University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy, Def Con, Rural Water Association, Aerospace, Capitol Locations: Las Vegas, U.S, ”, China, America

☆ Ukraine pushed Russia's Black Sea Fleet out of Crimea but retaking the peninsula will be incredibly hard
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-03 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Read previewUkraine has dealt a massive blow to Russia's Black Sea Fleet in Crimea. Russia has retained control of Crimea since invading and annexing the peninsula in 2014 and secured Sevastopol as the headquarters for its Black Sea Fleet. Related stories"Without an amphibious naval force to land in Crimea, how can Ukraine project enough troops onto the peninsula to claim its control?" Ukraine has resorted to hitting Russia's air defenses in Crimea with missiles and long-range weapons, including US-supplied Army Tactical Missile Systems, known as ATACMS. "Even with F-16s, I don't think Ukraine has the ability to provide its ground forces effective close air support, given Russian air defense capability," he told BI.

Persons: —, steeled, Mark Cancian, who's, Basil Germond, Ulf Mauder, Cancian, Mark Temnycky, Ukraine's, Mikhail Razvozhaev, Temnycky, Benjamin Friedman, VIKTOR KOROTAYEV, Sergej Sumlenny, Sumlenny, Operation Barbarossa, Friedman Organizations: Service, Business, US Marine, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Lancaster University, Getty, Council's Eurasia Center, Ukraine, Army Tactical Missile Systems, The Institute, Defense, Resilience Initiative, Soviet Union's Red Army, Russians, Red Army, Soviet Union —, Soviet Union Locations: Ukraine, Crimea, Russia, Sevastopol, Russian, Kerch, Feodosia, Novorossiysk, Kherson, Ukrainian, Pereko, Suvorikin, Soviet, Soviet Union, Operation, Soviet Ukraine, Pereko —

☆ Wall Street will look for signs of what's next for the market after a rocky start to August
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The S & P 500 ended the week down by 2%. As of Friday, the Nasdaq Composite was more than 10% below its recent high, while the S & P 500 was down by 5.7%. Markets were last pricing in a 71% chance of a half percentage point rate cut in September, up from 22% on Thursday, according to the CME FedWatch Tool . Brands , Fidelity National Information Services , Uber Technologies , Marathon Petroleum , Caterpillar Wednesday Aug. 7 3 p.m. Consumer Credit (June) Earnings: Costco Wholesale , Warner Bros. Discovery , Occidental Petroleum , Ralph Lauren , CVS Health , Hilton Worldwide Holdings , Walt Disney Company Thursday Aug. 8 8:30 a.m.

Persons: Stocks, payrolls, Bill Hornbarger, Benjamin F, Edwards, Russell, Claudia Sahm, selloff, Michael Kantrowitz, Piper Sandler, Kantrowitz, Jan Hatzius, Goldman Sachs, Hatzius, CNBC's, Eli Lilly, Ralph Lauren, Martin Marietta Organizations: Nasdaq, Treasury, Investors, Federal Reserve, Walt Disney Company, Caterpillar, Costco, Micro Computer, PMI, PMI Services, Services PMI, Simon Property Group, Diamondback Energy, Tyson Foods, Devon Energy, Airbnb, Wynn Resorts, TransDigm, Brands, Fidelity National Information Services, Uber Technologies, Marathon Petroleum, Consumer Credit, Costco Wholesale, Warner Bros, Discovery, Occidental Petroleum, CVS Health, Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Gilead Sciences, Akamai Technologies, News Corp, Paramount Global, Expedia, Martin, Martin Marietta Materials Locations: Fortinet, Devon

☆ Biden’s Oval Office address now hands debate over democracy to Harris
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

In his primetime Oval Office address on Wednesday, Biden ceded the political stage to Kamala Harris, ushering in an unusual period heading into the election where the vice president, not the president, will lead their party. It’s been the honor of my life to serve as your president,” Biden said. “But … the defense of democracy, which is a stake, I think (is) more important than any title,” Biden said. One of the most significant implications of Biden’s decision is that he’s now putting his entire political legacy in someone else’s hands. But if Harris prevails over Trump, Biden’s actions and thinking spelled out in Wednesday’s address will be more likely to be remembered in his own terms — as a selfless political move motivated by deep patriotism.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Biden, Kamala Harris, Harris, —, It’s, ” Biden, ”, he’s, Trump, “ Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, Benjamin Franklin’s, “ America’s, didn’t, Ronald Reagan, ” Reagan, “, Barack Obama’s, Shakespeare’s Macbeth Organizations: CNN, Democratic Party, Democratic, Republican, Trump Locations: Gaza, America, Atlanta, Kings, United States of America, Washington

☆ Postage is going up again. You should care, even if you don’t send mail
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-13 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Most people don’t use mail the way they used to – if they send out mail at all. And, most of all, businesses still depend on the mail to help them reach customers and keep the economy going. A history older than AmericaThe postal service and the United States have grown side by side since before the country’s birth – quite literally. The band The Postal Service was an indie-pop darling near the turn of the century. While stamp prices have doubled in that time, most experts point the finger at technology instead.

Persons: ”, Michael Plunkett, Benjamin Franklin, Alexis de Tocqueville, “ Alexander M, –, Santa Claus, Cliff, Newman, “, David Brin, Kevin Costner, ” Plunkett, Kevin Kosar, that’s, Plunkett, Sackler, ” ‘, doesn’t, Louis DeJoy, Kyle Grillot, Michael Kubayanda, Mark Dimondstein, ” Kubayanda Organizations: New, New York CNN, US Postal Service, Association for Postal Commerce, Boston Post, United States, Smithsonian Magazine, Getty, New York City, Postal Service, Post, ” Workers, Service, American Enterprise Institute, “, ”, Coalition, Century Postal Service, USPS, American Postal Workers Union Locations: New York, United States, Boston, United, Britain, France, Siren , Wisconsin, City, Los Angeles, AFP

☆ 4 lessons for success from Berkshire shareholders' best Buffett and Munger stories
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Ryan Ermey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Around these parts, the honchos at Berkshire do have one key thing in common with Murray: everyone who's met them seems to have a story. Just about everyone who had encountered one of the Berkshire luminaries shared some of the wisdom they imparted. Indeed, it's advice that Buffett echoed at the shareholder meeting on Saturday. In response to a question about advice everyone needs to hear, Buffett urged shareholders to think about the way they'd like their obituaries to read and to pursue life accordingly. An encounter with his friend, Berkshire board member Chris Davis, reminded him of a key piece of advice from Munger: surround yourself with images of your idols.

Persons: Bill Murray, Murray, Warren Buffett, Charlie Munger, who's, Guy Spier, Doerthe Obert, —, It's, Buffett, William Greene, Michael O'Brien, Chris Davis, Charlie, Munger, Benjamin Franklin, Greene, Gillian Segal, Segal Organizations: Berkshire Hathaway, Drew Investment Research, Buffett Locations: Washington ,, Omaha, Nebraska, Berkshire, Zurich, Munger

☆ Auditor That Works for Trump Media Is Charged With Fraud
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Matthew Goldstein | More About Matthew Goldstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

An accounting firm that audits the financial statements of hundreds of public companies including former President Donald J. Trump’s social media company can no longer do so, U.S. securities regulators said on Friday. The Securities and Exchange Commission charged the firm, BF Borgers, with fraud, saying that it had failed to comply with accounting rules. The regulator held BF Borgers and its owner, Benjamin F. Borger, responsible for “deliberate and systemic failures” to comply with accounting rules. Many companies that used BF Borgers must now find new auditors. Trump Media & Technology Group, the parent company of the Truth Social platform, has been a client of BF Borgers since 2022, according to regulatory filings.

Persons: Donald J, BF, Benjamin F, Borgers Organizations: Securities, Exchange Commission, Trump Media & Technology Group, Trump Media Locations: U.S, Borger

☆ Two Trump courtroom dramas could help shape the tone of a future presidency
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Prosecutors have framed the trial as more than a simple case of falsifying business records — the offense with which Trump has been charged. But the results of Trump’s pending cases — and whether they even come to trial — could help decide the tone of a future presidency. But at the same time, Trump is using the privileges of appeals available to any defendant to their full extent. “We’re writing a rule for the ages.”It’s always hazardous to speculate how Supreme Court justices will rule based on their questioning in oral arguments. This could mean the case returns to lower courts for more litigation — a move that could delay the federal election trial for months, far beyond the November election.

Persons: Donald Trump, George Washington, David Pecker, Trump’s, Trump, —, Trump —, Republican nominee’s, Jack Smith’s, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Jackson, Pecker, didn’t, Matthew Colangelo, he’s, Joe Biden, Biden, “, Benjamin Franklin, inoculate Trump, CNN’s Zachary B, Wolf, Marquis de Lafayette, demagogue, George Conway, ” Conway, CNN’s Wolf, ”, Neil Gorsuch, “ I’m, Amy Coney Barrett, David Sauer, Sauer, Elena Kagan, Kagan, ” Kagan Organizations: CNN, National Enquirer, Republican, Trump, GOP, Prosecutors, Supreme, White House Locations: New York, Georgia, Florida, — Washington, Washington, Philadelphia , Washington

☆ ‘Franklin’ review: Michael Douglas can’t quite catch lightning as Benjamin Franklin in new Apple TV+ series
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

“Franklin” comes from “John Adams” writer-producer Kirk Ellis, with Howard Korder (“Boardwalk Empire”), director Tim Van Patten (“The Sopranos”) and former HBO programming chief Richard Plepler joining him among the executive producers with pedigreed connections to that network. Michael Douglas and Ludivine Sagnier in "Franklin." Yet unlike “John Adams,” it lacks the level of supporting players and driving tension related to the Adams-Thomas Jefferson dynamic to provide a strong sense of narrative momentum. But even those attributes, and Douglas’ interpretation of them, don’t quite prove inventive enough to compensate for its shortcomings. “Franklin” premieres April 12 on Apple TV+.

Persons: “ Franklin ”, “ John Adams, ”, Michael Douglas, Benjamin Franklin, “ John Adams ”, Kirk Ellis, Howard Korder, Tim Van Patten, Richard Plepler, Franklin, Tom Wilkinson, Douglas, Temple, Noah Jupe, Ludivine, Madame Brillon, John Adams, “ Ray Donovan’s, Eddie Marsan, “, ” Douglas, Liberace, –, Stacy Schiff’s, Adams, Thomas Jefferson Organizations: CNN, Air, Apple, HBO, Continental Army, Franco, ” Locations: France, it’s, Paris, American, Great Britain, Franklin

☆ Millennials Make the Most of the Housing Market; Renovating Rentals
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Emily Jensen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

In a 2022 survey by Apartment List, a quarter of millennials said they expected to rent forever. And housing experts say that when it comes to homeownership, millennials are the most screwed generation. "Millennials have a much different mindset on life in general than the generation before us," Muller told me. But millennials' housing misfortunes go beyond personal spending habits; they entered adulthood at a terrible time for the housing market. At the same time the housing market was soaring out of control during the pandemic, people were spending more time at home.

Persons: Brigette Muller, she'd, Muller, I'm, Franchesca Ramsey, Marco Zamora, millennials, There's, Jim Parrott, Parrott Ryan, Parrott, they've, Caroline Winkler, Winkler, Alexandra Gater, Hattie Kolp, Benjamin Fix, —, Rose Matthes, Matthes, Zamora, messaged, Stardust, she's, Nice, I've, Emily Jensen Organizations: TikTok, Urban, Urban Institute, Urban Outfitters, YouTube, New York, GQ, Street Journal, Fashion Locations: Greenpoint , Brooklyn, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, Washington , DC, reno, Toronto, New York, San Francisco, Denver, Santa Fe, Poplight, Washington ,, Nice, Philadelphia, New, New York City

☆ The rarest US stamp is going up for auction. It’s expected to sell for millions
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Harmeet Kaur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

This summer, philatelists will have a chance to snag the rarest US stamp ever: the 1868 one-cent “Z-grill.”Interested? On June 14, the one-cent Z-grill will be put up for sale by Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, marking the first time the rare stamp has been on auction since 1998. Of the two known copies of the one-cent Z-grill, one is held by the New York Public Library. That leaves only one one-cent Z-grill available to private collectors. “There’s multiple stamps that’ll bring $500,000 or $750,000, but the (one-cent) Z-grill is the star of the show,” Shreve said.

Persons: Robert A, Bill Gross, “ It’s, ”, Charles Shreve, Gross, “, Benjamin Franklin, Scott Trepel, ” Trepel, Trepel, Jerry Buss, Shreve, ‘, ’ ” Shreve, Don Sundman, ” Shreve Organizations: CNN, British, New York Public Library, US Post, Los Angeles Lakers, Pacific Investment Management Company, US Postal Service Locations: New York, British Guiana

☆ Surprise: An ‘Extraterrestrial’ Gadget Was Something More Familiar
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Matt Richtel | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In January of 2014, a meteor fell from space off the coast of Papua New Guinea. Last fall, Benjamin Fernando, a planetary seismologist at Johns Hopkins University, led a team that re-examined the nearby seismic signals and concluded that they were not evidence of the extraterrestrial, or anything close to it. Recently, he sat down with The New York Times to preview what his team had found. In 2014, a meteor entered the atmosphere and went “bang.” Sometimes, you hear these meteors on seismometers. Avi Loeb wrote a paper to say that he’d found the seismic signal from this meteor and that he’d used it to locate exactly where the meteor debris fell.

Persons: Avi Loeb, Dr, Loeb, Benjamin Fernando, Fernando, he’d Organizations: Harvard, Johns Hopkins University, New York Times Locations: Papua New Guinea

Many Americans believe the United States was founded as a Christian nation, and the idea is energizing some conservative and Republican activists. What does it mean to say America is a Christian nation? Was it only conservatives citing the idea of a Christian nation? Forty-five percent said the U.S. should be a Christian nation, but only a third thought it was one currently. ___Sources: Pew Research Center; Public Religion Research Institute/Brookings; “Was America Founded as a Christian Nation?” by John Fea.

Persons: ”, couldn't, Let's, It's, Benjamin Franklin, Jesus, deists, Franklin D, Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr, Christ, John Organizations: Republican, Congregational Church, American, Christian, Soviet Union, National Council of, Pew Research Center, Pew, Constitution, Religion Research Institute, Public Religion Research Institute, Brookings, “, John Fea, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: United States, U.S, Connecticut, Massachusetts, America, Israel, Christianity, Rhode, Independence, Christian America, Soviet, USA, Brookings

Yet large numbers of Americans believe the founders intended the U.S. to be a Christian nation, and many believe it should be one. The idea of a Christian America means different things to different people. Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas, said he doesn’t identify as a Christian nationalist, but does believe America was founded as a Christian nation. Six in 10 U.S. adults said the founders intended America to be a Christian nation, according to a 2022 Pew Research Center survey. About 45% said the U.S. should be a Christian nation.

Persons: Donald Trump, God, it’s, Trump, ”, Eric McDaniel, McDaniel, “, ” Trump, Mike Johnson, Thomas Jefferson, Johnson, Steve Bannon, Jerusalem ”, Charlie Kirk, Robert Jeffress, “ I’m, I’m, shouldn’t, John Jay —, —, ” Jeffress, doesn’t, ” Anthea Butler, Butler, John, Joe Biden, John Jay, Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Jesus, George Washington Organizations: U.S, Republicans, Constitution, Pew Research Center, University of Texas, America, Republican, Washington Metropolitan Area, Vocal, Trump, Kentucky Republican, Baptist Church of, Supreme, University of Pennsylvania, Blacks, Native, John Fea, Messiah University, Democratic, Religion Research Institute, Fea, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: Independence, U.S, America, Washington, Jerusalem, ” Recent Texas , Oklahoma, Baptist Church of Dallas, Mechanicsburg , Pennsylvania, Brookings

☆ How the mystery of electricity helped 18-year-old Mary Shelley create 'Frankenstein'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In 1818 Mary Shelley published “Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus.”In the novel, Frankenstein brings a creature to life with a "spark of being." Both scientists influenced “Frankenstein.” Shelley incorporated some of Davy’s writings into her novel, and the 1818 and 1831 prefaces both reference Darwin. Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley wrote "Frankenstein" when she was 18 years old. Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesPoet Percy Bysshe Shelley, whom Mary Shelley married the same year she started "Frankenstein," was also fascinated with science. “Could it be electricity?”The electrical experimentsIn her 1831 revised edition of "Frankenstein," Shelley removed the part about lightning and instead referenced galvanism.

Persons: Mary Shelley, “, ”, Frankenstein, Shelley, —, Lisa Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein, Shelley doesn’t, Mary Shelley’s, William Godwin, Erasmus Darwin, Charles ’, Humphry Davy, “ Frankenstein, ” Shelley, Darwin, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, Percy Shelley, Erasmus Darwin’s, she’d, Byron, Boris Karloff, reenacted Benjamin Franklin ’, Franklin, Michael Faraday, Georg Ohm, Juliet Burba, he'd, Luigi Galvani, he’d, Alessandro Volta, Dominique Jean Larrey, Galvani’s, Giovanni Aldini, Aldini, Thomas Forster, Shelley’s Organizations: Service, Getty, Universal, Obscura Locations: Hulton, Lake Geneva

☆ Why the controversial mullet is having a moment
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Fawnia Soo Hoo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Long hair, don’t careThe “modern day” mullet largely originates from David Bowie’s genre-defining and gender-norm defying persona, Ziggy Stardust, Glasscock said. “People from the Continental Congress wore what we would read as a full metal, 1992 mullet,” said Glasscock. (“Hockey hair” was, meanwhile, a popular synonym for mullet at the time, given its prominence among players and fans.) Devin Yalkin/Courtesy A24While playing Kerry Von Erich in “The Iron Claw,” White also wore his dynamic, sweeping mullet off-set — but not entirely by choice. “I was like, ‘I’m sorry, here’s a ponytail holder.”But that dedication may have played an integral part in a mullet revival kicking off 2024.

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