Larry Kissell has provided many of us with the inspiration to do more than just hope things will change in Washington. He's inspired us to do what we can to make things change. He's also inspired some pretty well-known people in the music industry to band together to make music. It's pretty heady stuff, but it's true.

You can listen here to "Have you had Enough?", and then read the story below the fold.....

According to this story in the Winston-Salem Journal, the debate about nucular energy is pretty much over. How else can you interpret the fact that the Secretary of Energy says our government will be providing incentives for new construction of nucular plants?

The nation's top energy official announced a plan yesterday to provide incentives to companies willing to build the first nuclear plants in 30 years, offering $2 billion in federal insurance for the construction of six plants.

"I think it's time for the nation that invented this technology to reassert its leadership," said Samuel Bodman, the secretary of energy.

The United States has 103 nuclear-power plants in 31 states, but utilities have not proposed a new reactor since 1973. High costs and debate over where to store radioactive waste bogged down construction efforts, and a partial meltdown at the Three Mile Island plant in 1979 in Pennsylvania put an end to plans for new reactors. But with energy prices on the rise, supporters of nuclear power have promoted it as a way to generate cheaper electricity without churning out greenhouse gases.

Bodman said that 12 utilities are expected to file papers over the next three years to build 18 reactors. The insurance plan would provide up to $500 million in coverage for the first two plants and up to $250 million for the next four plants.

"This program is crucial, we believe, to reinvigorating the American nuclear-power industry," Bodman told employees of Georgia Power Co. during a visit to Atlanta.

Please don't forget to go to One America Committee to vote for Larry. Voting ends today.

Most of you have heard about Larry Kissell's ingenius idea to sell gas at $1.22/gallon in RANT's great diary from yesterday. The results are in and it was an overwhelming success for many reasons. Yes, over 500 people were served. Yes, the news coverage has been terrific. Yes, the many different points represented by this gesture seem to all have been made quite successfully.

Please follow below the fold...

Lance outlined the major provisions of the new commission earlier, but now it is official as Easley signed the bill creating the NC Innocence Commission. The commission is the only one in the nation that allows for appeals outside the current court system, where the bases for review of trial court decisions are very narrow. (article on the law here)