Rep Jack Franks (D-Woodstock) was a loyal follower of old King Rod Blagojevich way back in the early days of the Governor's takeover of the state government for his personal pleasure. And way back in 2003, King Rod asked those loyalists to submit the names of people to fill up porky seats in state government, with hefty salaries and even heftier perks - so Jack be nimble, and he tried to get some family members some nice jobs, sorta like the one Clown Prince Emil Jones' wife got.

One thousand bodies showed up to dole out chunks of hot sweaty cash to support their favorite potentate and Federal Investigatee - King Rod Blagojevich - the other night. Makes me wonder if any of them worry that they are now potential suspects in the ongoing Federal investigation of King Rod's Jobs for Donations program.

Well, old King Rod didn't bother to PERSONALLY attend any of the town meetings held this week in three (downstate) communities, where virtually everyone - and I stress everyone - blasted his action at canceling nearly every single downstate improvement project that had been included in the Legislature's budget.

ARCOLA –Anyone doubting the impact of the porous Mexican border on cities in the United States need only drive to the small town of Arcola, Illinois in southern Douglas County.