Last year the state Office of Executive Inspector General received 1,278 complaints about state employees, ranging from accusations of unethical behavior and discrimination to theft and violence in the workplace. The office completed 424 investigations, finding 64 to have some merit. Some of the complaints were forwarded to other inspectors general (each of the state's five constitutional officers has one) and others were referred to other agencies, including the U.S. attorney's office.

At least 13 state employees were fired, have resigned or are in the process of being discharged because of the allegations made to the inspector general's office.

For most of East Central Illinois, it's as if Tuesday never existed. Many of us couldn't work, couldn't go to school, couldn't make our appointments, couldn't drive to the store and could barely go outside to shovel the sidewalk before it was again covered in snow. It was a good day to stay indoors and surrender to Mother Nature.

Those were impressive receptions that Illinois gave Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama over the weekend (Saturday at the Old State Capitol in Springfield and Sunday at the University of Illinois-Chicago Pavilion) but don't be misled into believing that the young U.S. senator has the nomination wrapped up. The road to the White House is littered with the bodies of candidates who started with rousing campaign christenings that went bust.

Many were from Illinois. Most recently there was former U.S. Sen. Carole Moseley-Braun in 2004. She was in the race for almost a year but dropped out four days before the Iowa primary. In 1988, the late Sen. Paul Simon won the Illinois primary but fizzled out after that. In 1984, the Rev. Jesse Jackson won three Southern state primaries but ultimately lost the Democratic nomination to Walter Mondale.

Presidents have unfettered power to hire and fire executive-branch appointees, for no reason or any reason. But people might not realize that after listening to members of the U.S. Senate complain about a decision by the Bush administration to dismiss a handful of its appointed U.S. attorneys throughout the country.