Mark Twain filmed by Thomas Edison

This may be the best "found footage" movie ever.
A short clips has surfaced of Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain taken by Thomas Edison, who was a friend, in 1909.  (One of the places I saw this posted reminded me that Clemens was also friends with Nikola Tesla, which made me think of all sorts of Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter-style shenanigans that could be written.)
You can see the clip here.

Happy Birthday America

AdAbraham Ortelius. Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. Antwerp, 1595. Shelfmark G1015 O6 1595 Cage. Folger Shakespeare Libraryd caption

The Folger Shakespeare Library has a page devoted to "Shakespeare in American Life." There are some interesting factoids there--did you know Thomas Edison almost became a Shakespearean actor?--and some general trivia connecting Shakespeare to America. (Remember, he knew about America and referenced it in The Tempest when Miranda says, "O brave new world..." Check out the site here.