Many took on the difficult work of constructing America's infrastructure. Others assumed positions of leadership. Among those leaders were signers of the Declaration of Independence and Presidents of the United States. Still others enjoyed great success and influence in the arts and literature. From social activists to business leaders, athletes to clergy, and first responders to soldiers, distinguished Irish-Americans have made indelible contributions of our national identity. . . . (Excerpts from President Barack Obama's Proclamation of Irish-American Heritage Month, 2009)

Some of many famous Irish-Americans in America's history include:

Bobby Jones who never took a golf lesson in his life is one of America's greatest golfers ever to step on the links; twelve of the heroes who defended and died at the Alamo were of Irish ancestry, amongst them Davey Crockett, Jim Bowie and Bill Travis; Henry Ford, inventor of the Model T and founder of Ford Motor Company; Howard Hughes, aviator, pioneer and industrialist; James Cagney, legendary film actor; John L. Sullivan, the world's first Heavyweight Boxing Champion (held the title for ten years); Will Rogers, one of America's greatest humorists; John Gregg, inventor of the Gregg system of shorthand, which later was adapted to 14 other languages; Edgar Allen Po, American author; Sharon Christa Corrigan McAuliffe, school teacher, the first American civilian to give her life to the National space program; Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier of World War II with 28 citations for bravery, including the Medal of Honor; James Hoban, architect of the White House, rebuilt the White House after its burning in 1814 and later assisted in building the United States Capitol; Jackie Gleason, famed comic entertainer; Spencer Tracey, film actor; Walt Disney, famed animator, studio owner and pioneer in the motion picture industry; Bat Masterson, famed gunfighter who returned to New York City after assisting Wyatt Earp, to pursue a career in journalism; Edward and William Patterson, first manufacturers of tin in America; John Hannon, opened the first chocolate shop in America; Daniel Boone, helped commence settlement of Kentucky; Maureen Connolly ("Little Mo") won every tennis match she played, including three times U.S. Singles and three Wimbledon championships; Anne Sullivan Macy, educator and teacher of Helen Keller, who broke down the walls of silence by communication through means of finger spelling; hero in two World Wars, William "Wild Bill" Donovan became the first chief of American counter-intelligence.  (Source:  www.irishamericanheritage.com)

Although standard time in time zones was instituted in the U.S. and Canada by the railroads in 1883, it was not established in U.S. law until the Act of March 19, 1918, sometimes called the Standard Time Act. The act also established daylight saving time, a contentious idea then. Daylight saving time was repealed in 1919, but standard time in time zones remained in law. Daylight time became a local matter. It was re-established nationally early in World War II, and was continuously observed from February 9, 1942 to September 30, 1945. After the war its use varied among states and localities. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 provided standardization in the dates of beginning and end of daylight time in the U.S. but allowed for local exemptions from its observance. The act provided that daylight time begin on the last Sunday in April and end on the last Sunday in October, with the changeover to occur at 2 a.m. local time.

During the "energy crisis" years, Congress enacted earlier starting dates for daylight time. In 1974, daylight time began on January 6 and in 1975 it began on February 23. After those two years the starting date reverted back to the last Sunday in April. In 1986, a law was passed that shifted the starting date of daylight time to the first Sunday in April, beginning in 1987. The ending date of daylight time was not subject to such changes, and remained the last Sunday in October. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 changed both the starting and ending dates. Beginning in 2007, daylight time starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.

Not all places in the U.S. observe daylight time. In particular, Hawaii and most of Arizona do not use it. Indiana adopted its use beginning in 2006. (Source:  http://aa.usno.navy.mil)

Do you sometimes find it hard to believe that you can really make your dream a reality? If so, then there is something very important that you need to know.  We live in a world of dreams. Every man-made item around you at this very moment began as a thought, an idea or a dream in the mind of a single individual. The computer on your desk, your mobile phone, your car and countless other items that you use each day are all the result of someone's "dream come true." What this means is that throughout history, hundreds and thousands and millions of people have had an idea, worked hard, overcome problems and ultimately transformed their dream into reality. And if hundreds and thousands and millions of people have been able to do this in the past, then it stands to reason, that you can do it, too.

The following recent recalls were issued by the U.S. consumer Product Safety Commission.  More details can be found at www.cpsc.gov.  Zippo Slatkin Candle Lighters (Imp: Zippo Mfg. Col, Bradford, PA); Glass Water Bottles (Imp: Starbucks Coffee Co., Seattle, WA); Rechargeable Batteries sold with MVP 5000 Series Wireless Touch Panels (Mfg: AMX, Richardson, TX); GE Telaire Airestat and Carrier Single Beam Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Temperature Sensors (Dist: GE Infrastructure Sensing, Billerica, MA); Pumptec Electric Motor Controllers for Submersible Pump Systems (Mfg: Franklin Electric, Bluffton, IN).

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at 800-638-2772.

It was March 2, 1836 when 59 delegates signed a document in Washington-on-the-Brazos that declared the Republic of Texas was free and independent of Mexico.  The Texas declaration, written by Tennessean George Childress, was similar to Thomas Jefferson's 1776 American document and contained a statement of the nature of government, listed grievances and ultimately declared independence from Mexico. Five copies were written and sent to major towns around the state and 1,000 more were printed and distributed. Texas' declaration occurred while the Mexican army hammered the walls of the Alamo, which fell on March 6, 1836, and a little more than a month before the April 21 defeat of the Mexican Army at San Jacinto. Mexican general and dictator Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna was captured April 22, ending the revolution.

Wealth consists not in having great possessions but in having few wants.

Esther De Waal

Fred rushed in and announced loudly, 'I tell you, women drivers are a hazard to traffic.  Driving to work this morning on the freeway, I looked over to my left and there was this woman in a Jaguar doing at least 70 mph with her face up next to her rear view mirror putting on her mascara. I looked away for a couple seconds and then the next thing I knew was she was careering all over my lane. It scared me so badly that I dropped my electric shaver into my coffee, and it spilled all over my mobile phone."