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We hear the word a lot every day. We hear about diverse backgrounds, diversity in hiring, diversity in education--but what about diversity in U.S. states? Let's see where Illinois ranks out of all 50 states.

So, it's cold a lot and it snows plenty and there are mosquitos that can lift a grown man off the ground. But, at least they have ice fishing. Those things, plus (I'm guessing) a few others have combined to make Minnesota the happiest state in the nation, according to a new study. Illinois has all those things, too. Why aren't we the happiest?

If it makes you feel any better, Illinois does better than the rest of the Midwest.

I have been giving myself too much credit. I thought, being the dad in my household, that my constant demands that my family "turn off that light if you're not in the room," or "close that door, I'm not heating/cooling the outside," or the classic "if you're that cold, put on a sweater" were actually keeping our energy bills lower. It turns out that it is because Illi

Life is all about the green. For some, that means cash. For others, it's all about the environment. For companies looking to expand their share of the marketplace by showing how much they care about the planet, it's both. For Illinois, it seems to be about being in the middle.

Don't look now, but on the 18th of this month, Uncle Sam, on both the state and federal levels, will be looking for his cut of your earnings. If you've ever had the feeling that a bigger piece of your pie gets taken here in Illinois than in many other states--you're right.

It's tax season once again, so keep in mind that you've got about a month to change over from the "wearing of the green" to the "sending of your green" to the government. Woo-hoo.

My wife Amy, who loves any and all things involving snow more than most little kids do, looked at me last night as we were outside with our dog, and sadly said, "Remember when Rockford used to get snow in wintertime?"

I don't know about you, but we on the WROK Morning Show are in some serious need of sunshine. None of us suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), but I believe we're starting to develop it. And, with weather reports saying we won't see any sunshine until at least Sunday of this week, it's coming on fast.

December begins National Identity Theft Prevention and Awareness Month, and those of us who live in Illinois should pay close attention to the warnings and cautions that we'll be hearing about throughout the holiday season. Why? Because Illinois is ranked #2 overall out of 50 states for identity theft, and #38 when it comes to identity fraud.