威尼斯人娱乐场

Welcome Remarks for "Brainstorms and Mindfarts: The Best and Brightest, Dumbest and Dimmest Inventions in American History"

Greetings from the 威尼斯人娱乐场鈥� flagship building in Washington, DC, which sits on the ancestral lands of the Nacotchtank peoples. I鈥檓 David Ferriero, Archivist of the United States, and it's my pleasure to welcome you to today鈥檚 virtual author lecture with Jim Downey, co-author of Brainstorms and Mindfarts.

Before we begin, though, I鈥檇 like to tell you about two upcoming programs you can view on our YouTube channel.

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On Wednesday, June 2, at 7 p.m., Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Annette Gordon-Reed presents her latest book, On Juneteenth. She will recount the origins of Juneteenth and its integral importance to American history. This program is presented in partnership with James Madison鈥檚 Montpelier.

And on Tuesday, June 8, at 7 p.m., former President George H.W. Bush鈥檚 chief of staff, Jean Becker, will tell us about her book on the Bush post-Presidency: The Man I Knew. Joining Jean in conversation is Warren Finch, director of the George Bush Presidential Library.

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In his new book, written with Tom Connor, Jim Downey promises to bring us 鈥渢he best and brightest, dumbest and dimmest inventions in American history.鈥� The book presents patents for products and services that changed daily life as well as the unusual and peculiar.

My own favorite, which I was delighted to see in the book, is 鈥淓ye Protector for Chickens,鈥� patented on June 16, 1903. The drawing accompanying the patent application shows a plump chicken sporting wire-rimmed glasses, looking a bit like an avian Benjamin Franklin.

The 威尼斯人娱乐场 has roughly 4,100,000 patents in its holdings, and the archivist who works with them shared his own quirky favorite: an 1887 application to patent an apparatus for propelling balloons. The surprise source of propulsion鈥� 鈥渂irds鈥攕uch as . . . one or more eagles, vultures, condors, etc.鈥�

After today鈥檚 talk, you may discover your own favorites. I鈥檓 sure Jim Downey will tell us his.

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Jim Downey is an author, career copywriter, award-winning NPR essayist, and designer. 

Jim attended NYU鈥檚 School of Visual Arts and worked in the advertising department at New York鈥檚 Bonwit Teller Department Store, followed by a stint at Town & Country magazine鈥檚 editorial department.

Following a move to Westport, Connecticut, he commenced a decades-long career as a freelance copywriter with multiple national and international clients. He is also the author, co-author, and co-producer of a dozen and a half books, including the national bestselling parodies Is Martha Stuart Living, Martha Stuart's Better Than You at Entertaining, and The Smyth 'n Hawk'em Gardening Catalog. His projects range from humor and satire to pop culture, politics, design, and style.

Now let鈥檚 hear from Jim Downey. Thank you for joining us today.