My twin daughters turn 6 today, so I thought I would regale my Daily Kos brethren with the story of their birth.

Warning: It’s long... and emotional... and, well, just read it for yourself... below the fold.

Illinois State Senator Debbie Halvorson (D-Crete) has a new opponent in the race to replace the retiring Jerry Weller (R-Morris): concrete magnate Marty Ozinga.

More below the fold...

It's finally happened...

Since the 2008 Presidential campaigns began, Republicans have been changing their party affiliations in some states in order to throw a wrench into the Democrat's primary process.

Approximately 9,000 people in Kentucky have switched their political affiliation since Jan. 1st so they could vote on the Democratic ticket.

Now they're beginning to realize that their switch won't help their party one bit.

More below the fold...

If a Supreme Court Justice doesn’t say a word in court, do they matter?

It’s been two years, and 142 cases, since SCOTUS Justice Clarence Thomas has said anything during oral arguments.

Every other Justice has asked questions, a lot of questions at that, but Thomas hasn't.

More below the fold...

With toy recalls seemingly happening every week, the Senate Commerce Committee is trying to write legislation to return the Consumer Product Safety Commission to its former strength so it can prevent things like lead-filled toys from entering the market.

But Nancy Nord, "President" (a term I use very loosely) Bush’s acting chairwoman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, is trying to preserve republican "ideals" of small government and is asking Congress to reject legislation that would strengthen the agency by giving them more money and resources so they could properly do their job.

More below the fold...

Illinois Rep. Jerry Weller, a republican from Morris, officialy announced today that he will not run for re-election in 2008.

More below the fold...

HT to ThinkProgress...

"President" Bush was asked by a reporter this morning whether there was a "risk of a recession."

Bush, as always, refused to answer the question and instead, as always, made a flippant remark that he wouldn't know because he's never been very good at Economics.

More below the fold...

The US 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction of former Illinois Governor George Ryan (R) and stated that they believe he did receive a fair trial...

More details after the flip...

Republican Representative Jerry Weller (R-IL) may have a fight on his hands as the president of Kankakee Community College (KCC) announced today that he may run against Weller.

More below the fold.

Don Herbert, more popularly known as "Mr. Wizard" died today at the age of 89.

More after the flip...

This is coming from a CNN News Alert: Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has been placed under the protection of the U.S. Secret Service, reportedly because of a threat against him, the Secret Service said Thursday.

As of now, no news outlets have anything more, and considering that CNN has been wrong before with their "Breaking News" alerts, it could be nothing, but hopefuly more details come out soon...

The Federal Communications Commission is getting ready to make a recommendation to Congress for legislation aimed at restricting the airing of violent television shows before 10:00 p.m EST (9:00 CST).

According to an article in the Washington Post, the legislation would give the FCC the authority to levy fines on broadcast television networks and stations that air violent programming in the same manner that it does in cases of so-called "indecent" programming.

More after the "fold"...

It’s nothing new... people with strong anti-Bush views have been calling for his impeachment, no matter how misguided or unlikely it might be, for a very long time.

Before it was Democrats and Liberals calling for it.

Now... a republican has gone on record as saying that the country should/might consider impeachment... but that's not what this post is about, this post is about asking the question that is on everyone's mind; how can Bush continue to govern???

A federal appeals court has granted bail to former Illinois Governor George Ryan ® that will allow him to remain out of prison while he appeals his convictions on racketeering and fraud charges.

The decision by the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals was issued without any explanation on Tuesday.

More below the fold...

George Ryan has always had a knack for wheeling and dealing, so much in fact that it's one of the traits that helped skyrocket him from his start as a pharmacist in Kankakee to, over time, the most-powerful political position in the state... that of Governor.

Granted, some would say that mayor of the city of Chicago is the most powerful political position in Illinois, but let's not quibble over semantics right now...

The jury in the corruption trial of former Illinois Gov. George Ryan (R-IL) and Ryan's friend and uber-lobbyist Lawrence Warner told the Judge this morning that they have reached a verdict.

After months and months of terse and blunt testimony, the fraud and corruption trial of former Illinois Governor George Ryan (R-IL) saw it's final day of testimony yesterday, Monday, February 27, 2006.

Freshman Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) has issued a warning that terrorist attacks on chemical facilities would cause widespread catastrophies that could affect a million or more people.

"Unfortunately, at many of the chemical plants in our nation, the security is light, the facilities are easily entered and the contents are deadly".