Photo: Gage Skidmore

Despite its reputation as a blue state, California is of paramount importance to Republicans aiming to maintain control in the House of Representatives past this election cycle. As the slogan goes, "hold onto California, hold onto the House".

As a constitutional republic, the US system of government is designed on the principles of federalism. In our federalist system the federal government is one of enumerated powers and those powers not explicitly granted to the federal government are reserved to the states. The framers of the Constitution established this system through the Tenth Amendment, which reads:

Credit: public domain

Lew Hill founded the Pacifica Radio network in 1949 in Berkeley. The five Pacifica stations were the first listener-sponsored radio stations in the country and were the model for NPR. Pacifica was left-wing and proud of it. For decades they show others what free speech is about. The archives of their radio shows belong in the Smithsonian. They are national treasures.

http://kategale.wordpress.com/2012/02/22/benjamin-franklin-but-did-he-get-up-early/

Benjamin Franklin a true polymath was an inventor, scientist, philosopher, statesman and much more. Undoubtedly, the man had many talents and was successful in many facets of his life.