Delaware's Public Higher Education Institutions Strike A Cooperative Agreement; Touted As "Engine For Innovation And Growth"

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COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT FOR ACADEMIC AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

ENDORSED BY GOVERNOR MARKELL AND PRESIDENTS OF DELAWARE'S PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING

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Dover, DE – Pledging to leverage their individual resources to support, enhance and protect the future of the State of Delaware, the Presidents of the state’s three publicly supported institutions of higher education met and signed a cooperative agreement with Governor Jack Markell.

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“This is an historic moment,” said Dr. Harry L. Williams, President of Delaware State University. “Collaboration is so important to our state’s success. On a football Saturday, we may compete on the field, but this agreement makes clear we are working together the rest of the year to make a positive difference.”Publicly funded universities play a critical role as incubators for innovation and the launching pad for new business enterprises. That desire to foster and grow Delaware’s future employers was a point each President made clear they shared.

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“We live in an economy where the walls between organizations need to come down if we are going to compete and win – and we are,” said Dr. Orlando J. George, Jr, President of Delaware Technical & Community College. “Each institution has a great story to tell and each of us are committed to driving for results from this collaboration.”

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Each President also offered examples of existing partnerships that help strengthen the state and meet existing needs. For example, the state will need more public school teachers in the STEM subjects – Science, Technology, Education and Math. Delaware Tech now has a program called the Associate of Arts of Teaching degrees in Mathematics Secondary Education (MSE) and Middle Level Mathematics Education (MLME). After successfully completing the degree, which includes instruction in higher-level mathematics, DelTech students are ready to start as Juniors at DSU or UD and eventually become quality teachers.

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“University research drives innovation, which leads to growth. But growth also comes from the creation of strong cultural environments, where people want to work and live and we can help with that role as well,” said Dr. Patrick T. Harker, President of the University of Delaware. Markell pointed to the partnership agreement as another example of how Delaware works best when organizations and individuals look for ways to work together.“We have three institutions that are not only tremendous on their own, but are even greater together than the sum of their parts,” Markell said. “They have the right leadership as well. Each of these individuals as Presidents are willing to work together, to leverage their resources and combine the best of their schools’ individual strengths to make our state even stronger."

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The text of the agreement: Delaware’s Publicly-Supported Higher Education InstitutionsRecognizing Delaware’s rich history of excellence in higher education and tradition of academic partnerships that support our state’s economy and enhance its vibrant cultural and social diversity and renewing a commitment to that excellence and furthering the work and partnership among the University of Delaware, Delaware State University and Delaware Technical and Community College for the future.Whereas, our great state has a rich history of excellence in higher education dating back to the formative years of our nation and continues today as Delaware’s public institutions of higher education remain national and international leaders in research, academic excellence, business and economic development and workforce development; andWhereas, the prominence of our public institutions of higher education, the University of Delaware,Delaware State University, and Delaware Technical and Community College, has enhanced our state’s ability to remain economically, academically and culturally competitive in regional, national and international markets while also investing significantly in Delaware’s future; andWhereas, the strengths of these institutions have been enhanced in recent years through the development of over 100 academic, research and community based partnerships that demonstrate a critical commitment to Delaware’s future, a recognition of the strength and resources that the public higher education institutions invest in our state when working together, and the desire for each institution to focus on its mission strengths while supporting each other’s priorities where needed; andWhereas, the Presidents of these public institutions of higher education, Dr. Patrick T. Harker, Dr. Harry L. Williams and Dr. Orlando J. George, Jr., have built upon the longstanding Delaware history of educational excellence and academic and community partnerships through the work of the Council of Presidents and remain steadfastly committed to continuing this critical work to support our great state, and its educational, economic, cultural and social needs in the years ahead.NOW, THEREFORE,Be it resolved that the Council of Presidents, comprised of the President of the University of Delaware, Dr. Patrick T. Harker, the President of Delaware State University, Dr. Harry L. Williams, and the President of Delaware Technical and Community College, Dr. Orlando J. George, Jr., hereby re-commit the resources and expertise of these great institutions to preserving the rich history and longstanding tradition of academic excellence in higher education and to leveraging our institutional partnerships in ways that will support, enhance and protect the future of the state of Delaware.

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March of Dimes' “Dancing With the Stars” Set For 7PM Monday April 11th

Delaware’s own “Dancing With the Stars”

2nd Annual Dancing For Babies

Location: Christiana Hilton, Delaware

Time: ‎7:00PM Monday, April 11th

March of Dimes Delaware Chapter - Delaware’s own “Dancing With the Stars”

What: Fundraiser for the March of Dimes

Who: Featuring 11 couples…all community leaders…from politicians to major corporate players. Don’t miss them face off in this dynamic dance competition....

Dancers:Craig & Desi Hodges; Gina & Steve Crowder; Bob Weiner; Michelle & Anton Goad; Pamela & Greg Mayse; Darnyelle A. Jervey; Sam & Peggy Collins; Brian & Johnna Darby; Carl & Cathy Kanefsky; Andye Daley & Martha Sturtevant; Tracey Robb & Duane Armstrong; Special Performance by: Club Phred; Bonus appearance by:Kishka A Cappella Quartet

Food Sponsor: Ole’ Tapas Lounge & Restaurant Host: Tim Dishong, Creative Image MC: Rick Jensen, Fred Dawson General Admission: $10 Register Online at: www.marchofdimes.com/delaware/6435_27072.asp Twitter Hastag: #MODdance Sponsors: PTM Video; Creative Image Photo & Video; Ole’ Tapas; Bob Weiner, New Castle County Councilman; Ballroom By Bill; RE/MAX Associates; Trilogy Salon by Alison; Bramhall & Hitchens; Fruit Flowers; New Castle County Chamber of Commerce; Bassett Brosius & Dawson; Delaware Financial; DuPont Finance; The Perfect Wedding Guide; Christiana Hilton; Smart Homes; Darling Online Marketing From Andye Daley - You have to read Martie's quote at the end of the Article... that about sums up our goal here, besides raising money for a great Cause! March of Dimes: Local celebs put best foot forward for benefit www.communitypub.com

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Jeff Merkely Writes: Can You Believe This?

From the inbox ~

For months now, the House Republicans - led by Budget Committee chairman Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) - have been promising a bold, new plan to cut the deficit. After much anticipation, Rep. Ryan released his plan today. But it's hardly a bold, new plan. Instead, Ryan's plan is a rehash of the same old failed ideas they've been touting for years. What's the Republican solution to our budget crisis? More tax cuts for the wealthy and big multinational corporations; attacks on our teachers, firefighters, and other public servants; and announced today, a plan to end Medicare and give our seniors coupons for private health insurance. Unbelievable. Make no mistake: No one is going to kill Medicare on my watch. We're not going to go back to the days when many of America's seniors were living in destitute poverty without access to health care. We've made a solemn commitment to our seniors, and we're not going to break that promise. So, how do we bring down the deficit?

• End the exclusive tax breaks available only to millionaires and billionaires.


• End the subsidies for the highly-profitable oil and gas industries.


• Bring the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to a responsible end.


• Get our economy back on track - by investing in education and clean energy technology, boosting manufacturing, and keeping families in their homes by fixing the broken housing market.

Public opinion has begun to turn against the Republicans' radical ideas - and you can help me tell the truth about the Republican plan, and our better ideas. I hope you'll share this email with your friends, join me on Facebook or Twitter, and stand up for a future that brings America together, instead of tears us apart.

And from Health Care For America Now ~

Tuesday, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (WI-01) announced the Republican’s budget proposal. It is unbelievably bad - literally. The GOP budget not only repeals the new health care law it eliminates Medicare and Medicaid as we know it.1

Fight for these life saving programs today. Call your Member of Congress and tell them to vote NO on the Republican’s budget.The Republican’s proposal gives millionaires huge tax breaks while seniors and hard-working families pay more for health care and get less coverage. Ryan’s plan would radically undermine the economic security of America’s middle class. It helps Wall Street-run health insurance companies make record-breaking profits and pay their CEOs outrageous sums to deny people the care they paid for and need.2Nowhere in the Republican plan is there any shared sacrifice. There’s no fairness. The big corporations and super-rich aren’t asked to pitch in. Instead they get even richer. This budget changes the rules and reshapes this country in a breathtakingly dangerous way.This budget would eviscerated programs that everyone in this country depend on. Republicans are attacking every single one of us.3 The GOP’s budget breaks America's most basic promise: That if you work hard and play by the rules, you can take care of your family and retire with peace of mind.4 Call Congress today.

1. http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/04/ryan_budget_preview.html 2. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-06/ryan-s-budget-proposal-would-aid-insurers-a-top-source-of-campaign-cash.html 3. http://www.healthcare.gov/law/provisions/billofright/patient_bill_of_rights.html 4. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ethan-rome/republican-budget-plan-de_b_845256.html

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Demand Progress Writes: 3,000 Calls For White House To Fix The PATRIOT Act

From the inbox ~ Activist Groups Jam White House Phone System As Americans Urge Obama To Keep Campaign Promise And Fix PATRIOT Act.

Washington -- Nearly 3,000 Demand Progress members called the White House yesterday to urge President Obama to push for PATRIOT Act reform. As he ran for President, Senator Obama pledged to rein in PATRIOT Act abuses, but as it comes up for reauthorization this spring, President Obama is conspicuously silent.

Demand Progress teamed up with the ACLU, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Bill of Rights Defense Committee, and other groups to urge Americans to tell Obama to keep his campaign promises.

Demand Progress member William Allen of Iowa said, "I called because it's past time that President Obama stands up and makes good on his campaign promise to end the abusive violations of the rights of "We the People" under the PATRIOT Act. That would be 'change I can believe in.'” According to Demand Progress member Dusty Fisher of Texas, "I called to ask President Obama to add reasonable amendments to the PATRIOT ACT to protect civil liberties and the White House line was jammed; thousands of other Americans were calling with me at that moment!"

Demand Progress is an activism organization with nearly 400,000 members. Just before Congress unexpectedly blocked the bill's renewal earlier this year Demand Progress aired an anti-PATRIOT Act ad on cable news in Washington, DC, and more than 70,000 of its members contacted their lawmakers to urge them to oppose its reauthorization. In particular, Demand Progress and its members asked Obama to:

• Protect the privacy of our Internet and financial records by requiring that secret National Security Letters and Section 215 orders can only be used to obtain records linked to suspected spies and terrorists, not innocent Americans.


• Protect the free speech of those who receive such secret demands by ensuring that they can speak freely unless the government can demonstrate to a court that national security would be seriously harmed.


• Stop blank-check "John Doe" roving wiretaps - by requiring foreign intelligence investigators to identify their surveillance target before they can get a "roving" wiretap order that lets them spy on unspecified phone and Internet accounts -- just like criminal investigators have to.


• And to let the "lone wolf" wiretapping provision expire. This dangerous authority unconstitutionally allows the government to bypass traditional protections to spy on people inside the U.S. who have no link to any foreign organization. This provision has never been used--nor should it ever be used.

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Coons Hosts Job Fair 9AM - 4PM April 11th At The Riverfront

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More than 50 employers now confirmed for Senator Coons’ job fair on Monday

Number of businesses ready to hire continues to grow as word of job fair spreads

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WILMINGTON, Del. – More than 50 ready-to-hire employers will attend Monday’s job fair, Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) announced today. “There are real signs that our economy is recovering and one of those is the number of businesses who are calling us now to say that they are ready to hire,” Senator Coons said. “We’ve now got more than 50 employers confirmed for Monday’s job fair and I expect that number to keep rising. I hope Delawareans looking to get back to work will come to this job fair with resumes in-hand.”

The job fair will be held next Monday, April 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington. In addition to employers’ booths, the job fair will offer attendees three free seminars. At 10 a.m., Priscilla Turgon of Professional Staffing Associates, Inc. will host a workshop on building a resume, writing a cover letter and interviewing for a job. “Applying for Federal Jobs” will be hosted by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management at 11 a.m. and “New Strategies for Changing Times: Transform Your Mind and Embrace Change,” hosted by career coach Joyce Dungee Proctor, will be at 1 p.m.

Doors open at 9:00 a.m. Senator Coons is slated to address the attendees at 9:30 a.m. Confirmed employers now include: 99.5 WJBR, Aerotek, AFLAC, American Registry of Pathology, Americorps VISTA, Amtrak, Apple One Employment Services, Barclay Card, Brandywine Technology, BW Tek Inc., Citi Cards, Comcast, Contemporary Staffing Solutions, Delaware Department of Labor, Delaware Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, Delaware State University, Delaware Tech and Community College, Diamond State Youth, Discover Bank, Dupont Company, Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Services, High Rider Inc., Integrity Staffing, Interim Healthcare, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, JP Morgan Chase, Kelly Services, Liberty Mutual Insurance, New Castle County Police, New Castle County Vocational Tech Adult Education, Philadelphia Passport Agency, Port Contractors Inc., Power Home Remodeling, Sallie Mae, Staffmark, State of Delaware, Synerfac Technical Staffing, TD Bank, University of Delaware, UPS, U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Small Business Administration, U.S. Social Security Administration, Westside Health, Wilmington Job Corps, Wilmington Senior Employment Services, and WSFS Bank. For more information or to pre-register, Delawareans should call Senator Coons’ office at 302-573-6345, or email workshop@coons.senate.gov.

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Kaiser Family Foundation Poll Finds Little Support For Major Reductions In Government Medical Entitlement Programs

The GOP wants to privatize medical care? WTF? A Public Opinion Surprise ~

Medicaid is the nation’s primary health insurance program for low-income people and people with disabilities, covering more than 60 million people this year. And it's about to get a lot of attention: it's likely to be a prime target for spending reductions by "deficit hawks" in debate over the budget; governors are arguing that federal rules requiring them to maintain coverage under Medicaid tie their hands at a time when they are trying to crawl out of the recession to balance their budgets; and the health reform law expands Medicaid coverage to all of the poor starting in 2014. If you listen to the inside debate you would think Medicaid is America’s most unpopular program. Conservatives don’t like Medicaid on ideological grounds; it's a government entitlement program. Providers complain about the program's reimbursement rates. And liberals have long complained about the program’s limitations, especially the gaps in whom Medicaid covers and the large variations in coverage among states.

With its joint federal-state financing and welfare-linked heritage, Medicaid is treated as fundamentally different than the two other big entitlement programs -- Social Security and Medicare -- and thought to have dramatically less public support. It was against this background that one of our recent polls produced a real surprise. It turns out that the insider's view of Medicaid is not the public's view at all. While not viewed as favorably as Social Security or Medicare, Medicaid is actually surprisingly popular with the American people, and they resist the idea of making big cuts to the program.

... The finding about support for major reductions are noteworthy because policy proposals such as capping the rate of increase in spending on major health programs and some Medicaid block grant proposals made to reduce federal spending would almost certainly entail major cuts.

From Rob Tornoe ~ Republican's plan to fix the budget: Get rid of Medicare and Medicaid, leave military spending alone and give tax breaks to corporations and the wealthy GOP Budget Aim: Cut $4 Trillion From Spending - WSJ.com ~

Republicans will present this week a 2012 budget proposal that would cut more than $4 trillion from federal spending projected over the next decade and transform the Medicare health program for the elderly, a move that will dramatically reshape the budget debate in Washington.

And from Mother Jones ~ Is GOP Medicare Ploy a Gift, or a Trap?

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Frieda Berryhill Writes: And So It Spreads Around The Globe

And so it spreads around the Globe Radiation-shielding sheets to be installed in Sept. at earliest TOKYO, April 6, Kyodo A plan to cover damaged reactor buildings at the crisis-hit Fukushima nuclear plant with special sheets to halt radiation leakage cannot offer a quick remedy, as the sheeting will be installed in September at the earliest due to high-level radioactivity hampering work at the site, government sources said Tuesday. http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/04/83374.html And let us never overlook that GE. who pays no taxes built the Fukushima reactor and 23 sister reactors in the US. Are they liable for any of this ? NO Protected by the Price-Anderson Act.

Congressional hearings

Once again I note that Jaczko (NRC) says "We believe" "we believe" . He wont say "They ARE safe" because he cant say that, because he knows there is no way to substantiate that FACT. The whole idea of "safety" is a huge leap of faith, completely baseless and Jaczko & Co. are asking the world to leap along with them.

The Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant sits on a bluff above the Pacific Ocean .... AND ON AN ACTIVE SEISMIC ZONE, Would you want to live there? Worse yet, Salem and Hope Creek sit on dredge spoils from the Delaware River on 70 ft cement pilings with no rock bottom. http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110325-713115.html The people who silenced these plants are still in charge. Please call your representatives and voice your opposition to nukes NJ Forms Nuclear Task Force To Review Emergency Preparedness and they have public hearings on the plan while Delawareans sleeps PSEG Nuclear monitors Fukashima reactor crisis while South Jersey nuke plan proceeds

BY JOE TYRRELL NEW JERSEY NEWSROOM.COM Crisis conditions at the damaged Fukashima reactor complex in Japan are giving PSEG Nuclear more to consider as it decides whether to build another power plant in South Jersey. On that swamp land Like the rest of the industry and its regulators, the company is looking for more information on the Japanese situation, according to spokesman Joe Delmar. In August, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission agreed to review PSEGNuclear's application for an early site plan permit for the new reactor in Lower Alloways Creek near its existing Salem and Hope Creek plants. Nothing will deter them http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/science-updates/pseg-nuclear-reexamining-south-jersey-proposal-in-wake-of-japan-crisis

Also,

CBS News NYT: US nuclear experts see new, mounting risks at #Japan nuclear plant http://bit.ly/dNoDaO ;

nytimes The New York Times Hoping to Prevent an Explosion, Japan Nuclear Plant Operator Prepares to Inject Nitrogen http://nyti.ms/gM0fLm;

nytimes The New York Times Company Says Radioactive Water Leak at Japan Plant Is Plugged http://nyti.ms/gtvGEf

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State House Will Take Your Preferred Redistricting Maps Under Consideration?

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House Democrats outline public redistricting process Majority Caucus sets up public comment period, public hearing on redistricting process

DOVER – With the U.S. Census data recently received and a June 30 deadline set by statute, the House Democratic Caucuses Tuesday outlined its redistricting process for the coming months, which will include a public comment period, public meetings and hearings.

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Every 10 years, the House of Representatives is tasked with redrawing the 41 representative districts based on the decennial federal census. Delaware’s figures were provided to the state last month and have been loaded into a computer program that will aid in the drawing of the new districts, following a multitude of federal and state guidelines.

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House Democrats, which control the chamber 26-15, outlined a public process that will include a four week public comment period and a public hearing on a draft redistricting plan.

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“Redistricting is an extremely complex and difficult process that thankfully we only have to go through once every 10 years,” said House Majority Leader Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf, who is the lead legislator working on redistricting in the House. “There are a lot of rules we have to follow: the Voting Rights Act, preserving majority-minority districts, follow natural boundaries and have all 41 districts be within 5 percent of the average.

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“While this is a very detailed process, we want to involve the public and keep them informed as much as possible. Fortunately, there are several resources already out there that will help keep them updated. We also are setting up a process to inform the public, solicit their comments and input and then hold a hearing on a draft redistricting plan.”

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Beginning today, a four-week comment period will open, during which residents can submit their plans, suggestions and requests in writing to a redistricting e-mail address: House.Redistricting@state.de.us. Residents also can mail their proposals to the House of Representatives, Attn: Erik Schramm, 411 Legislative Avenue, Dover, DE, 19901. Only written comments will be accepted during this period. Comments can be specific or general – such as requests to keep certain neighborhoods together, place adjoining communities in the same district, etc. The comment period will close on April 29.

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Once the House has completed its draft redistricting proposal, the plan will be circulated to the media and a public hearing will be scheduled at a to-be-determined date during the General Assembly’s two-week break in May (16th-30th). During that hearing, officials will collect written and oral comments on the proposal, which will be taken into account as the House revises its proposal and draws its final plan in legislation form.

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The redistricting process will be headed up by Rep. Schwartzkopf, lead House attorney William G. Bush IV and House Democratic Chief of Staff Erik Schramm. By Delaware law, the redistricting legislation must be passed by June 30. Under the process, the caucus will outline the federal and state redistricting guidelines it is bound by on the House Democratic Caucus’ website (www.DEHouseDems.com).`

Guidelines include:

• Each representative district must contain an average of 21,900 residents and be within plus or minus 5 percent (20,805 to 22,995 people);


• Each district must: Be formed of contiguous territory;


• Be nearly equal in population;


• Be bounded by major roads, streams or other natural boundaries;


• Not be created so as to unduly favor any person or political party;


• Where possible, attempt to retain majority-minority districts (districts where more than half the population is a minority);

The House also unanimously passed a resolution this afternoon laying out this process. House Resolution 10 was sponsored by all 41 members of the chamber. Rep. Schwartzkopf noted several sites provide Delawareans with district-specific redistricting information: · Department of Elections’ polling place locator: (http://pollingplace.delaware.gov/) · Department of Elections’ district maps: (http://elections.delaware.gov/information/districtmaps/districtmaps.shtml) · Breakdown of population by Representative district: (http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110307/NEWS02/103070337/1007/Redistricting-shift-political-power) · Delaware population data: (http://2010.census.gov/news/xls/cb11cn59_de_2010redistr.xls) · U.S. Census data for Delaware (http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/) · Gannett site on redistricting: (http://topics.gannett.com/2010+Census/?template=delawareonline) · U.S. Census Bureau’s American FactFinder (http://factfinder2.census.gov/main.html) · Ballotpedia (Wiki site) (http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Redistricting_in_Delaware)

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And More From Frieda: Fight The Patriot Act Renewal - White house Call-In TODAY

Lets not renew the Patriot Act. PLEASE CALL

Event: White House Call-In Day

Date & Time: April 5, 2011 9 AM-5 PM Eastern

Number to call: (202) 456-1111 *Please remember to call before 5 PM Eastern*

President Obama should keep his promises and reform the PATRIOT Act. I am calling on him to veto any PATRIOT Act renewal bill from Congress As you know I have invested a lot of time to stop this bad piece of legislation, comparing the Patriot Act to the German Enabling Act of 1933 check it out http://morgansmusings.wordpress.com/2004/07/29/patriot-actgerman-enabling-act/ read on Well I know my History and I am convinced that the Patriot Act is almost word for word patterned after the German Enabling Act of 1933… Both acts passed with almost the same margin. The Patriot Act passed in the House 357-56. The Enabling act passed 441-84. BOTH HAD A 5 YEAR SUNSET PROVISION to make it more palatable. I have literally dozens of documents to support this,

But knowledge without action does not help much. So please call !!!!!!!

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Frieda Berryhill Writes: The 10 Myths About Nuclear Power

Myth #1: Nuclear power is safe. The experience at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power complex, the Russian reactor at Chernobyl and the meltdown at Three Mile Island in the United States, the nuclear Trifecta, are the most well known nuclear accidents but there have been thousands of accidents and near misses that could have led to a disaster.

Myth #2 Nuclear power will help us kick our addiction to foreign oil.Senator Charles Schumer (D, NY) on last Sunday's Meet the Press cited our need to get off of foreign oil as a strong reason for pursuing nuclear power. He's wrong. We don't use oil to produce electricity in the United States, we mainly use it to power our cars and trucks and to a much lesser degree, to heat our homes.

Myth #3: Without nuclear reactors, the U.S. cannot hope to combat climate change.It would be like "using caviar to fight world hunger," said Peter Bradford, former Nuclear Regulatory Commissioner and current staff member of the Environmental Law Center. The least expensive and most productive way to reduce our carbon footprint is to be energy efficient, not to build expensive nuclear power plants.

Myth #4: The U.S. is in the midst of a nuclear renaissance.We've had a nuclear bubble but "when builders came to realize the costs it started to dissolve.

Myth #5: Without new nuclear reactors, we won't have enough power in the United States.Dave Freeman, who calls himself the "green cowboy," knows something about large-scale power generation. He ran the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) He says this is completely false. The best way to generate new power for the long term is not to build nukes but to invest in large scale solar and wind, coupled with natural gas as a transition in the short term.

Myth #6: Why not fund nuclear power just to make sure we do have enough power since there's practically no risk of losing any money with government loan guarantees?The nuclear industry has asked for loan guarantees from the Federal government because the banks looked at the risk and took a pass. With the loan guarantees in hand the companies can get financing and if they default, or walk away from the projects (which is what happened before) the taxpayers will be stuck with the bill.

Myth #7: The nuclear industry's past problems were caused by overzealous environmentalists, regulators and the public's fear after Three Mile Island."The industry's problems were the result of trying to build too many plants too quickly," said Bradford.The industry couldn't compete in the marketplace in the US or anywhere else in the world. This is why it turned to loan guarantees that shift the risk to the taxpayers.

Myth #8: Nuclear power will be an important source for jobs and economic development.It's true that building the reactors does create jobs, but these disappear when the reactor is complete. And there are staff positions for running the reactors.

Myth #9: France has found solutions to all of nuclear power's problems.France is pointed to as demonstrable proof that nuclear power can be affordable and safe. While it's true France gets about 75% of its electricity from nuclear power and but we don't know very much about their accident record since its industry is nationalized and run behind a veil of secrecy.

Myth #10: The growth of civilian nuclear power won't promote the spread of nuclear weapons, or as it's called, proliferation.

There is no "peaceful atomic power. If promoting nuclear power you are promoting bombs," said Freeman. http://clonemaster.homestead.com/files/cancel.htm http://www.ccnr.org/crac.html And make no mistake ! Radiation released ANYWHERE travels the Globe and eventually is EVERYWHERE...this is nuclear power's folly !!!!! It is spreading to china now

BEIJING, April 3 (Xinhua) -- "Extremely low levels" of radioactive iodine-131 was detected in the air over some areas of the 31 provincial-level regions of the Chinese mainland Sunday.In addition, trace levels of radioactive isotope cesium-137 and -134 were also detected in the air in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shandong, Henan, Guizhou and Ningxia Sunday.But they pose no threat to public health or to the environment, said an official statement, according to a daily statement issued by China's National Nuclear Emergency Coordination Committee Sunday.

What else are they going to say, they don't want to hurt their EXPORTS Lies, lies everywhere !!! Here is a good one:

RENO, Nev. — A teenage scholar at a public school for gifted students has detected tiny amounts of radiation from Japan's damaged nuclear plant in Reno's air, snow and rain.Taylor Wilson, 16, made the discovery with equipment he uses to measure radioactivity in his own class projects at the Davidson Academy on the University of Nevada, Reno, campus, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported.

http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/view/story/fa6f36b8d28e48edb950fdbe5397a001/NV--Japan-Radiation-Reno/ Mainstream media journalists flunk high school physics when reporting on radiation I've seen a lot of lousy, inaccurate reporting from the mainstream media over the years, but some of the reporting we're seeing now on the Fukushima catastrophe is just astonishing in its ignorance of basic physics. http://www.naturalnews.com/031935_mainstream_media_millisieverts.html "The China Syndrome" Nuclear Power meets its doomsday

With the decision to entomb four Fukushima reactors in concrete, Tokyo Electric (TEPCO) is moving the disaster into uncharted waters. The heat producing fuel rods cannot be turned off. Concrete will insulate the heat from the fuel rods, and cause the internal temperatures to climb; The nuclear fuel will melt down and pass through the bottom of the reactor vessel and containment structure and enter the environment. Hence called "The China Syndrome" It keeps getting worse by the day. Radioactive iodine level near Fukushima 4,300 times above norm. The concentration of radioactive iodine in seawater near Japan's crippled Fukushima Power Plant is currently 4,385 times above the norm, the Kyodo news agency reported on Thursday. The figure has rapidly increased over 1,000 times since Wednesday, when levels of radioactive iodine-131 isotope in the sea near the plant were 3,355 times higher than normal, RIA Novosti reported.

Clean, cheap nuclear power ? I don't think so !!

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More Nuke News - U.S. Protests At Union Square

Update from Frieda: Time to stop eating sushi!!!! Reporting from Tokyo—

The operator of Japan's stricken Fukushima nuclear plant said Tuesday that it had found radioactive iodine at 7.5 million times the legal limit in a seawater sample taken near the facility, and government officials imposed a new health limit for radioactivity in fish. The reading of iodine-131 was recorded Saturday, Tokyo Electric Power Co. said. Another sample taken Monday found the level to be 5 million times the legal limit. The Monday samples also were found to contain radioactive cesium at 1.1 million times the legal limit.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-japan-nuclear-20110406,0,2697428.story CNN: Radiation in water rushing into sea tests millions of times over limit — Tokyo (CNN) — Japanese utility and government authorities suffered fresh setbacks Tuesday with the detection of radiation in a fish and news that water gushing from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the Pacific …

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~~~~~ SDIPN Union Square demo - Finally Americans are waking up and hitting the streets. Its been a long time coming Federal regulators knew when they renewed the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant's license last month that electrical cables serving key plant safety systems had been submerged in water for an extended period of time ? Is this the way they are keeping us safe? And enough said - http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2011/04/02/its_still_oil_and_nuclear_power_for_obama/ sad but true..... Meanwhile, nytimes - The New York Times Plant Operator Measures Higher Radiation in Sea http://nyti.ms/gyjNOD --- More #Fukusima. Diagram of plant describes intentional release and unintential leak of radioactive water. http://nyti.ms/gVGH8C --- Also following: #Fukushima. #TEPCO measures higher readings of iodine 131 & cesium 137 in seawater. http://nyti.ms/eWlpqc CBSNews - CBS News #Japan sets new limit for radiation in fish after seawater near nuke plant tests 7M times over legal standard: http://bit.ly/hQfFuV

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FOIA And Redistricting Get Their Due Tomorrow In Tony DeLuca's Senate Executive Committee And Since Tony Wrote The Bill, It's Likely To Pass

Update - Delaware Dialogue: Schwartzkopf: DeLuca’s redistricting bill not needed

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(WDEL) LeAnne Matlach reports ~ DeLuca hopes to open redistricting process to public

Senate President Pro Tem Anthony DeLuca introduced a bill that would open all aspects of remapping to public scrutiny. "Well we look at this and listen to the criticism that's constantly heaped on the General Assembly and I think it's time this be put to an end," he said. "That it be rolled out and we look at it and the public look gets to see this process and gets to just go through this process, see how we do this. See that it is done fairly and we come up with a bill with all of the criteria under law and it's passed."

Currently the law requires public hearings on legislative remaps but the maps for the most part are completed before the public can see them.

From Frank Sims ~ Subject: SB 50, redistricting bill scheduled for Wednesday hearing

Committee: Senate Executive Chairman: DeLuca Room: Senate Chamber Date/Time: 4/6/2011 3:00 PM Agenda SB 50 AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT. Sponsor : DeLuca ================================================================================================== Senate Bill # 50 Primary Sponsor: DeLuca CoSponsors: Sen. Blevins & Sen. Henry Introduced on: 3/31/2011 Long Title: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT. Synopsis: This Bill will ensure that the redistricting process becomes entirely open. While the Freedom of Information Act has an exception for matters discussed within caucuses of the General Assembly, it is best that this process be entirely open. Accordingly, this Bill, notwithstanding existing FOIA exceptions (both statutory and common law) and an existing exclusion of matters discussed within caucuses, all documents and meetings regarding the redistricting process will be brought within the fold of public information. This Bill will ensure that every meeting involving the redistricting process will be open to the public. ﾗ Current Status: Senate Executive Committee 3/31/2011 SPONSOR: Sen. DeLuca & Sen. Blevins & Sen. Henry DELAWARE STATE SENATE 146th GENERAL ASSEMBLY SENATE BILL NO. 50 AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE: Section 1. Amend §10002(c), Title 29, Delaware Code by adding at the end of that subsection, the following: "Notwithstanding the forgoing, "public body" specifically includes any caucus of the House of Representatives or Senate of the State when any such caucus involves any meetings or discussions involving redistricting and/or reapportionment." Section 2. Amend §10002(g), Title 29, Delaware Code by adding immediately after phrase "recorded or reproduced.", the following: "Notwithstanding any language to the contrary or any statutory or common law exception to this definition, "public record" includes any of the above-referenced information dealing in any way with the redistricting/reapportionment process, whether within a caucus or without." Section 3. Section 2 shall apply to any documents, emails, writings, and public records created from January 1, 2011 through the present, and shall apply to all created thereafter.

SYNOPSIS This Bill will ensure that the redistricting process becomes entirely open. While the Freedom of Information Act has an exception for matters discussed within caucuses of the General Assembly, it is best that this process be entirely open. Accordingly, this Bill, notwithstanding existing FOIA exceptions (both statutory and common law) and an existing exclusion of matters discussed within caucuses, all documents and meetings regarding the redistricting process will be brought within the fold of public information. This Bill will ensure that every meeting involving the redistricting process will be open to the public.

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Delaware Marriage Equality Writes: If You Support SB 30, Please Notify Your Legislature!

Delaware Marriage Equality - I met with one of the legislatures today. The legislature said they were hearing plenty from the opposition but weren't hearing from our side. Do notify your legislature - Please use the following link: http://myemail.constantcontact.com/SB-30---Civil-Unions---How-You-Can-Help.htmlsoid=1101758629628&aid=5wFASthglYA to notify your legislature

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Meanwhile, from Woody Wiqiliques Konopak: Sex, for ANY and EVERY other creature in the world is plainly 'just' sex. Giraffes and mice and dogs and apes and dragonflies: They just do it. Only people attach labels. Sex is sex. All the rest is adjectives.

1,500 animal species practice homosexuality www.news-medical.net - Homosexuality is quite common in the animal kingdom, especially among herding animals. Many animals solve conflicts by practicing same gender sex.

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Save Our County Writes: Stoltz Proposal Meeting Set For 6:30PM April 13th At The Tatnall School

SAVE OUR COUNTY

COMMUNITY MEETING ON TRAFFIC ISSUES WITH BARLEY MILL PLAZA PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT

APRIL 13, 2011 - 6:30 PM

TATNALL SCHOOL – Lower School

(Located in the original house at the West entrance to the school)

Come hear the issues we all face with the CRG/STOLTZ compromise plan for Barley Mill Plaza.

"Stoltz's proposal--which links four developments in a single package that requests an approval 'of the whole' -- is an unacceptable tactic. Each of the four development proposals--Greenville Center, 3704 Kennett Pike, Montchanin Corporate Center, and Barley Mill Plaza--should, and will be, treated as separate applications.

There will also be presentations from representatives of WILMAPCO, and Civic organizations (GHADA & Civic League). DelDot and NC County Land Use have also been invited.

Please distribute this notice to your neighbors and all of your friends in New Castle County. This will impact the county with traffic congestion spreading throughout the entire region.

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Marijuana Policy Project Writes: Ask Your State House Rep To Support Medical Marijuana SB 17!

From the inbox ~

Are you a patient with a serious medical condition who might benefit from medical marijuana, a loved one of such a patient, a medical professional, or a member of law enforcement or the clergy who might be interested in speaking out? If so, please contact Noah Mamber, the Marijuana Policy Project’s legislative analyst for Delaware, at (202) 905-2025 or nmamber@mpp.org to learn how you can help pass medical marijuana legislation in Delaware this year. Please also search your personal contacts and if you know someone who falls into one of those categories and might be interested in helping, please also urge them to reach out to us.

Whether or not you are a patient, you can ask your legislators to support this sensible bill, S.B. 17, by visiting this page: https://secure2.convio.net/mpp/site/Advocacycmd=display&page=UserAction&id=613 )

Although we need supporters from all over Delaware, we especially need people in the following areas:

* Western Newcastle county, northeast of Newark, Stanton, Marshallton, Dunlinden Acres, Hyde Park, Arundel, Sherwood II, Greenwood, Northpointe, Mendenhall Village, North Star, Meadowbrook, Milford Crossroads, Chanterelle, Paper Mill Park, Deacon’s Walk, Linden Way * Southeastern Newcastle county, Newport, Dunleith, Wilmington Manor, Castle Hills, Collins Park, Penn Acres, Jefferson Farms, Newcastle, near Newcastle Airport, Bear* Southwestern Newcastle county including Middletown, Wiggins Mill, Townsend, Blackbird, Delaney Corner, Clayton * Dover and areas east, west, and southwest, including Rodney Village, Wyoming, Camden, Chaplecroft, Little Creek* Northern Sussex county coast: Milford, Slaughter Beach, Argo Corners, Sandy Hill, Harbeson, Cave Colony, Zoar, Mt. Joy, Morris Mill, Long Neck, Hollymount, Fairmount, Angola, Marshtown, Jimtown, Belltown, Nassau, Carpenters Corner, Lewes, Lewes Beach, Green Hill, Broadkill Beach

Delaware’s carefully crafted medical marijuana legislation, S.B. 17, passed on the Senate floor vote on March 31. S.B. 17 would allow the compassionate use of medical marijuana for chronically ill Delaware patients with their doctors’ recommendations. It would include tightly regulated, extremely limited distribution of medical marijuana by licensing three not-for-profit compassion centers, one in each of the Delaware counties.

We have a real chance at passing medical marijuana legislation in Delaware this year, but we can’t do it without your help. Delaware is a very small state where folks know each other. The best way to pass this legislation is to get more Delawareans involved! Delaware legislators need to hear from those whom this compassionate legislation would affect. Please share your stories, experiences, and support today!

Sincerely,Kate Zawidzki, Legislative AssistantMarijuana Policy Project 236 Massachusetts Ave. NE, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20002P: (202) 462-5747, ext. 2028 F: (202) 552-0988 kzawidzki@mpp.org, http://www.mpp.org

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