New Survey: The Top 10 Independent Political and News Blogs in Illinois « THE iLLINOIS OBSERVER

Two nearby blogs mentioned in this report.  Cal Skinner’s McHenry County Blog and Algonquin’s First Electric Newspaper.  McHenry COunty Blog was #10 in the 2009 survey.

According to the March 23-24, 2012 survey, the top 10 independent or “mom and pop” Illinois blogs that provide news and commentary on Illinois politics and local government as well as the rankings for the other 57 blogs are:

1. Chicagoist: 9,554
2. Gapers Block: 31,074
3. Windy Citizen: 52,817
4. Chicago Progressive Talk: 82,267
5. Illinois Review: 99,9387
6. The Illinois Observer: 117,789
7. Capitol Fax: 118,745
8. Progress Illinois: 128,165
9. Beachwood Reporter: 142,124
10. Marathon Pundit: 149,827
11. The Chicago Phoenix, 157,519
12. The Expired Meter, 174,686
13. McHenery County Blog, 195,789
14. Center Square Journal, 209,732
15. Illinois StateHouse News, 226,701
16. Publius Forum, 238,467
17. Evanston Now, 249,304
18. Peoria Pundit, 265,288
19. Roscoe View Journal, 297,945
20. Bean Soup Times, 298,465
21. Chicago Daily Observer, 325,252
22. Illinois Policy Institute Blog, 369,186
23. Welles Park Bulldog, 465,635
24. Catalyst Chicago, 466,491
25. Better Government Association Blog, 466,491
26. Civic Federation Blog, 565,004
27. Sloopin Chicago’s South Loop, 587,175
28. Chicago Talks, 598,501
29. Community Media Workshop Blog, 631,349
30. OpenlineBlog, 645,726
31. Fred Klonsky, 727,246
32. First Electronic Newspaper, 740,259
33. Southwest Observer, 1,141,010*
34. Chicago News Bench, 2,065,730*
35. Metropolitan Planning Council, 2,671,137*
36. Illinois Issues, 3,195,513*
37. Edgeville Buzz, 3,16,315*
38. Live Here Oak Park, 3,724,700*
39. The Sixth Ward Chicago, 4,598,735*
40. Respublica.typepad.com, 4,681,096*
41. Grand Old Partisan, 5,047,428*
42. Area Chicago, 5,054,293*
43. Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, 5,501,779*
44. Tenth Congressional District Democrats, 5,693,695*
45. Chicago Argus, 5,817,926*
46. IADDA Blog, 5,906,493*
47. TASC Blog, 5,977,847*
48. Backyard Conservative, 6,148,868*
49. A-Ville Daily, 6,415,169*
50. Team America’s 10th, 7,313,059*
51. Bill Baar’s West Side, 7,979,023*
52. Hyde Park Progress, 8,208,673*
53. Archpundit, 8,935,012*
54. 600 Words Esther Cepeda, 9,340,765*
55. Prairie State Blue, 9,874,483*
56. Sierra Club Illinois, 10,163,002*
57. SallyDuros.com, 10,269,091*
58. Rogers Park in 1000 Words, 10,467,406*
59. Chicago Radio and Media, 13,191,324*
60. The Daily Whale Chicago, 13,430,229*
61. Latino Policy Forum, 16,138,227*
62. Progressive Advocacy, 20,206,745*
63. The Decatur Navigator, 20,958,663*
64. Quincy Pundit, 22,612,489*
65. Russ Stewart, 23,072,761*
66. Laura Washington, 23,549,183*
67. Lake County Eye, 24,132,409*

New Survey: The Top 10 Independent Political and News Blogs in Illinois « THE iLLINOIS OBSERVER

Boone County Board to discuss Spring Creek Road speed limit - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

By Jennifer Wheeler

RRSTAR.COM

BELVIDERE — Motorists may see another change to Spring Creek Road’s speed limit if the Boone County Board approves conducting a speed study.

The decision would save drivers minutes along the 4.6-mile stretch of road.

The board approved reducing the speed limit from 55 mph to 45 mph from the Winnebago County line to Illinois 76 in December 2009 after dozens of residents voiced safety concerns. The decision went against a speed study recommendation from Belvidere Township Road Commissioner Richard Lee.

Click on the following to read all of the story: Boone County Board to discuss Spring Creek Road speed limit - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

Election 2012: Boone County Board rivals address needs of women - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

By Jennifer Wheeler

RRSTAR.COM

District 1 candidate Bill Pysson said the housing authority, Health Department and Sheriff’s Department must be held accountable to ensure that domestic abuse and homelessness are addressed.

The board has limited power over these agencies’ operations, members can ensure that those appointed to leadership positions are qualified and will disclose the groups’ finances. He said many board members are unwilling to question current practices.

“New volunteers are needed for the housing and health boards, and their meeting times should be moved from the noon hour to times when the public and prospective new members can attend,” Pysson said.

Click on the following to read about the other candidates:  Election 2012: Boone County Board rivals address needs of women - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

Recent Polls?

Above from:  http://news.yahoo.com/elections/polls/

Koch Industries, other CEOs warn employees of layoffs if Obama is reelected | The Ticket - Yahoo! News

Is this right?  Is this the American way?

Koch Industries, the Wichita, Kan.-based company run by the billionaire Koch brothers, sent a voter information packet to 45,000 employees of its Georgia Pacific subsidiary earlier this month.

In it was a letter, dated Oct. 1, from Koch Industries president Dave Robertson implicitly warning that "many of our more than 50,000 U.S. employees and contractors may suffer the consequences" of voting for President Obama and other Democrats in the 2012 elections, a list of conservative candidates the company's political action committee endorses and a pair of editorials: one, by David Koch, supporting Mitt Romney, and the other, by Charles Koch, condemning Obama.

Click on the following for more details:  Koch Industries, other CEOs warn employees of layoffs if Obama is reelected | The Ticket - Yahoo! News

Daily Kos: UPDATE: Even More on Bain Moving Sensata to China

 

UPDATE: Even More on Bain Moving Sensata to China

by ZwoofFollow

 

17

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permalink
171 Comments / 171 New

Here is more info on Romney/Bain moving Sensata factory to China.

But first, watch this 10 second video.

And then watch the video below the fold...

•    Romney makes $450,000 per week from his blind trust.
•    Bain is closing a factory and shipping equipment and jobs to China
•    The US government has paid $780,000 retraining fired Sensata workers.
•    Bain can deduct the expense of moving to China from US taxes.
•    US workers at the Sensata factory have to train their Chinese replacements.
•    Romney owns about $8 million worth of Bain funds that hold 51 percent of Sensata’s shares.

•    These are high-tech, well paid jobs performed by skilled American workers.
•    Workers in the Sensata factory in China make 99 cents an hour.
•    Chinese laborers work 12 hour shifts, 7 days per week.
•    Chinese workers are housed 2 to 3 to a room in barracks
•    The American workers set records for profits for Sensata

UPDATE
How Mitt Romney will benefit from closing Sesnata.

As mentioned in the bullet-points above, Bain/Romney will receive tax deductions after closing the factory in Freeport. Huffington Post takes a closer look at the tax benefits for Romney.

•    Romney transferred $701,703 worth of Sensata stock to the Tyler Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)3 tax-exempt nonprofit controlled by Romney.
•    Moving the stock to his nonprofit brings Romney twin benefits. First, he gets to deduct the full value of the stock. At a 35 percent tax rate, that's nearly a $250,000 benefit. At 15 percent, it's just over $100,000.
•    Romney is able to avoid paying capital gains taxes on the stock price increase. Romney's returns list no cost for the stock, and indicate he obtained them as part of a partnership interest in Bain. Avoiding capital gains taxes on the full increase would save an additional $100,000.
•    In 2010, Romney gifted $170,000 worth of Sensata stock to his charity, saving $25,000 in capital gains taxes that year.

Originally posted to Z. Woof on Sat Oct 13, 2012 at 08:40 AM PDT.

Also republished by The Bain Files.

Click on the following for more details:  Daily Kos: UPDATE: Even More on Bain Moving Sensata to China

Bonus Township Taxes: Rates up markedly; your actual tax dependent upon your change in assessment

The following is from Saturday, October 13, 2012 Rockford Register Star, page A4.

Property values are down; levies up slightly; rates drastically increasing.  Your actual tax dollar paid for township should be closed to the same as last year assuming your assessed valuation has decreased at least as much as the 13.3% decrease in total EAV.

If your assessment is frozen (as many seniors with moderate income,under $55,000) expect sizeable increases in dollars paid for taxes.