September 27 marks the birthday of Samuel Adams. Adams was an American colonial revolutionary who participated in organizing the Boston Tea Party. This was a significant event that took place during the American Revolutionary War. He is considered to be one of the top ten founding fathers.

While the first industrial revolution focused on a move from hand and home-made products to machine-made goods, the second industrial revolution that was centered on America expanded on this and created the modern urban-industrial state. America was able to move away from dependence on England for its manufactured goods as it increased its own transportation and factory system. Many people talk today that we are in another such revolution with the ready availability of information and new ways to harness it to great effect.  This article gives an overview of the background and important people, inventions, and events of the Second Industrial Revolution.

In 1952, Richard Nixon was accused of giving special favors to those who contributed to a political fund that was being used to reimburse him for political expenses. Even though the fund was not illegal at the time, Nixon had run for political office and gotten placed on the Republican ticket for president based partially on attacking corruption. On September 23, 1952, Nixon went on television to give a speech in his defense. This speech became known as the "Checkers speech" because of the following excerpt:

"One other thing I probably should tell you, because if I don't they'll probably be saying this about me, too. We did get something, a gift, after the election. A man down in Texas heard Pat on the radio mention the fact that our two youngsters would like to have a dog. And believe it or not, the day before we left on this campaign trip we got a message from Union Station in Baltimore, saying they had a package for us. We went down to get it. You know what it was? It was a little cocker spaniel dog in a crate that he'd sent all the way from Texas, black and white, spotted. And our little girl Tricia, the six year old, named it "Checkers." And you know, the kids, like all kids, love the dog, and I just want to say this, right now, that regardless of what they say about it, we're gonna keep it."

Nixon would go on to win the vice presidency with running mate Dwight Eisenhower. He would later be elected as president in 1968.

"I may be President of the United States, but my private life is nobody's damned business." ~ Chester Arthur

Interesting how even though it was over 125 years ago, Arthur's words speak to a struggle that exists to this day between politicians and the media. On September 20, 1881, President Chester A. Arthur was inaugurated after the assassination of James Garfield.