Chicago, Illinois is the third largest city in the world, but one of the most corrupt cities when it comes to politics. As far back as the mob days, with Al Capone, and the current 2006 indictment of Governor George Ryan, politics and corruption have worked hand in hand within the Democratic Party, occasionally the Republican Party, within the city walls. With some of the most recent events, Chicago is constantly reminded of the scandals that have corrupted the city.

In 2003, Rod Blagojevich replaced Governor George Ryan’s seat, because of a scandal. In 2006, Governor Ryan was indicted and is now serving a six year sentence. Governor Rod Blagojevich has become the next man on the list for corruption as a part of the “Chicago Political Machine,” by attempting to sell President-Elect Barack Obama’s Senate seat to the highest bidder.

It seems bribery is the norm when it comes to electing officials in the state of Illinois. Even after Governor Blagojevich’s arrest, he continues to keep his seat. He went back to work on his 52nd birthday as if nothing happened and clearly showed no concerns or shame in the accusations.

Governor Blagojevich has been asked by all lawmakers to step down, yet he refuses. Recently, a motion was filed to remove the governor from his powers by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and she was refused with no real explanation. A request for impeachment by Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives Mike Madigan was put into place and will be reviewed by the house committee. At this time, all reviews have been put on hold and will resume in January 2009.

With Governor Blagojevich’s willingness to fight and move forward with his daily responsibilities, on December 30, 2008 Governor Blagojevich announced publicly that President-Elect Barack Obama’s Senate seat replacement was Roland Burris. To everyone’s disgust and dismay, Governor Blagojevich legally has the power and the right to choose the replacement, but unfortunately the chosen one will always follow the shadow of the governor and will have to battle to keep the appointment.

A study done by Antonio Zadra from the University of Montreal shows 8% of men's and women's dreams are sex dreams. There are some common dream types that have been noted which include the following: ex-lovers, celebrity or public figures, same sex relationships, or mystery relationships.

One of the common dreams is having a relationship with an ex-lover. Twenty percent of women’s dreams include someone from the past, while men only have someone from the past about fourteen percent of the time. There is also the thought that dreaming of an ex could be that the person you are currently seeing has qualities that your ex possessed, or just that they remind you of your most recent experiences.

Another dream is making love to a celebrity or some type of public figure. Women were much more likely than men to have this dream. It is also thought that having a relationship with a public figure means that you are wishing to elevate your status somehow. Being in the public eye could also mean that you are concerned about what people think about your relationship, or that you want people to see you in the “spotlight.”

A same sex relationship dream doesn’t mean that you are subconsciously attracted to the same sex. It could simply mean that your subconscious is exploring an experience that your waking mind would not want to.

Having a sexual encounter with a stranger or mystery man is not uncommon amongst women. This often means that women are looking for something different and exciting from their partner. It has also been interpreted as being about someone who they would like to get to know on a deeper level.

There are a few common themes when it comes to erotic dreams. Each of these themes have a different meaning, which will be examined here.

The dream with the faceless lover is quite common. The thing to remember with this dream is that it is not so much about the faceless lover, this dream is meant to tell you something about you. What is it about this encounter that you find gratifying, both physically and emotionally? This dream is often an indication of a romantic life that is incomplete, so if you can figure out what it is about this dream that is so appealing, you may be able to identify what it is that is missing from your waking life.

The dream about the celebrity lover is quite common with young people. Although it is often not the celebrity themselves that the dreamer finds so appealing, but a role that the actor played. If this is your dream, it is often an indication of your own unfinished pursuits. Your dreaming mind may be trying to tell you that you need to finish something.

It is quite common to dream about an ex partner. This is especially the case if you are recently out of the relationship. It is natural to dream of things that marked a major life change, such as the end of a relationship. It can also be an indication to be cautious, especially if you are in a new relationship. These dreams can also signify progress toward feeling whole again after getting out of that relationship.

What are the causes of unemployment? Why do the rates fluctuate? Is the economy in a down ward trend? These are all questions that are asked by many Americans each day. Just when you think your job is secure and you are on the road to success, you find a pink slip sitting on your desk. You just got laid off and you don’t understand why. The unemployment rate in June of 2008 was 5.5 percent and rose to 6.7 percent by November of this year.

This rate is the average of all states. Each state has it’s own fluctuations on unemployment. For instance Alabama went from 4.7 percent in June to 6.1 percent in November while Colorado went from 5.1 percent to 5.8 percent during the same time frame. Missouri went from 5.7 percent in June to 6.7 percent in November while Ohio went from 6.6 percent to 7.3 percent during the same time frame.

Fuel costs go up, then the cost of food goes up, because it cost more to ship it around the U.S. The price of clothing goes up for the same reason. Unfortunately every time prices increase, pay does not. When prices increase, people cut back on their spending. They aren’t making more money, so they can’t spend more money. When they don’t spend money, then the demand for products decreases.

When the demand for products decreases, and the manufacturers or growers aren’t making a profit, then they cut back on the number of employees they have. It’s a vicious cycle, but it has been happening in this country for years and years. It differs from state to state depending on what that state contributes. For example, many farm states unemployment is seasonal.

People of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and generations share common dream motifs. Indeed, psychologists suggest that our shared dreams serve to connect, rather than splinter, us as a human race. Here are three of the most common dream experiences shared by fellow beings worldwide.

Falling dreams are quite common in the world of dreams. Falling is an indication of insecurity, instability, and general anxiety in your waking life. These feelings may reflect the way you feel in a personal or professional relationship, in which you have lost your foothold and cannot find a means to deal with the trials of daily life.

By contrast, flying dreams suggest a sense of self-confidence, empowerment, and personal vision. In your waking life, this translates to feeling ‘on top of a situation’ or ‘having risen above’ something difficult or challenging. It may also mean that you have gained a different perspective on the situation.

Naked dreams suggest feelings of vulnerability and/or shamefulness in either your public or private waking life. Dreams of being unclothed, partially or completely, may indicate something you may be hiding, or want to hide, from others in your waking world. Experiencing a naked dream may be a warning that you are trying to be somebody that you are not; or that you are fearful of being ridiculed in a relationship wherein you wish to show your feelings.

These are but three of the most common dreams shared by humankind. It is by no means a definitive list. Indeed, our dreams are universal and time-honored memorabilia that serve to witness the commonality within human-kind.

There are many ways to interpret dreams. Often times, people have a dream throughout their life, that can be interpreted into something that has affected them while they were a child. Other times, people have an assortment of dreams, that, when interpreted, can mean many interesting things.

A common dream that many people have is to dream of teeth. It is thought in many areas of dream interpretation that this translates into a lack of being understood. In other words, if one dreams of losing their teeth, or that their teeth are falling out, they may feel as if they are not communicating effectively, or that they are not being understood.

It is very common to have dreams about being naked in public. Often, this translates into feeling vulnerable in your waking life. If you dream of showing up to work naked, perhaps you feel vulnerable, or taken advantage of at work.

Lastly, another common dream is to have someone chase you. If you dream of this, it often is interpreted as a figurative example of your anxieties. It is thought that to dream of being chased is your mind's way of dealing with fears and anxieties you may have.

Dreams are our mind's way of interpreting our emotions while we sleep. By extracting the common and prevalent symbols in our dreams, we may be able to learn from them and understand more about what our subconscious is saying to us.

Bisphenol A (BPA)is a chemical found in polycarbonate plastic. This type of plastic is used to manufacture some water bottles and baby bottles, and is found in resins used to line the metal in canned foods. The question has risen as to whether this chemical actually seeps into our foods and liquids at levels which are harmful.

According to the FDA, BPA is not a danger to humans based on the research conducted. The human body processes BPA faster than the rodents tested in the labs, which shows that there would be no substantial amount of the chemical stored in the body if it is exposed through plastics. Even with these findings, the concern still lingers regarding the compound's danger to children.

In 1952, it was found that BPA would provide a strong coating to plastics. This coating enabled manufacturers to produce items like CDs, sunglasses, storage containers, water bottles, medical devices, dialysis machines and much more. BPA was one of the most produced chemicals in the world. Reduction in the production could dramatically effect our economy and will require us to make changes in our lives.

It is said that daily use of products which require Bisphenol A are not where the danger lies. Rather, it is the age and heating of the plastic that activates the chemical and releases it into our food and water. It is said that BPA is released more rapidly in older packaging than newer.

Is the level of BPA which we are exposed to enough to require manufacturers to regulate the amount produced? Some experts claim that the potential harm is minimal and that regulating this chemical is not necessary. Others feel that any risk is high enough that regulating is essential.

The US National Toxicology Program’s (NTP) report found that BPA has minimal effects in people and that exposure to Bisphenol A is low. The NTP reported no concern regarding BPA exposure for any age group. However, the report does state that further research is required to ensure complete understanding of BPA and its effects on humans.