Growing up in central PA close enough to Philly, more than one field trip (do they still do those in an overly litigious society?) was to historic Philadelphia -- and I can remember at least one major report I did in school about the genius of Ben Franklin's inventions.
Somehow I did NOT remember that he tried to change our alphabet to be more phonetically based ... but I was reminded of this fact by catching one of those "odd documentaries" that the History Channel runs every now and again that featured old Ben. And I say "odd" in that they mix "reenactments" with actual historical docs and that they tend to occasionally stray toward the hyperbolic end of what comes across sometimes as possible revisionist history telling ...
[Furthermore, this post could have gone a completely different direction in that I learned that the Underground Museum has been closed and will continue to be closed for a two year renovation! So I guess I could have just as easily said ... (temporarily) gone but not forgotten ... the Underground Museum at Franklin Court in Philadelphia!]
As Words with Friends would have had to completely redesign its interface had his idea taken hold, Ben's phonetic alphabet, you are not missed.
PHONETIC ALPHABET -- EXPLANATION #1:
http://www.omniglot.com/writing/franklin.htm
PHONETIC ALPHABET -- EXPLANATION #2 (and credit due to it for the above graphic):
http://www.behance.net/gallery/RF-Franklin-Phonetic/1955205
IT's BEEN CLOSED SINCE MAY 31, 2011! (for maybe 2 years?):
http://www.nps.gov/inde/franklin-court.htm
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