Stark and wife, Beth Brofee Stark '91

Stark, a Rhodes scholar and former Assistant U.S. Attorney, was nominated to the court earlier this year by President Barack Obama and even though the nomination faced no opposition, it took over a year for it to be approved.

Nonetheless, when we read the news we couldn’t help but get choked up as Stark is a model Blue Hen. In addition to having served as president of the UDAA, he was awarded the Outstanding Alumni Award in 2009 and is featured on UDconnection.com in an alumni spotlight (hard to top that!). So this weekend, the UD Alumni Relations Blog will surely raise a glass to Len Stark because he’s doing a great job representing (and representin’) Blue Hens around the world.

Delaware courts: Stark confirmed to district court [delawareonline.com]

Leonard Stark ’91, ’91M [UDconnection.com]

David Plouffe, a key leader in the 2008 Democratic campaign of President Obama and a University of Delaware alumnus, has been all over the tv and radio talking up his new book The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama’s Historic Victory.  Recently he was good enough to give his top 3 political book recommendations to the Washington Examiner.  Check them out below and let us know your fave political books in the comments.

1. What It Takes: The Way to the White House, by Richard Ben Cramer. Plouffe said this book, which details the 1988 election, was helpful in learning about the role of primaries and caucuses.
2. The Making of the President 1960, by Theodore H. White. Teddy White’s book is still relevant today, Plouffe noted.
3. Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail ’72, by Hunter S. Thompson. And because not all political reading should be serious, Plouffe recommended this classic by the gonzo journalist Thompson.

Recommended reading: Obama’s campaign manager lists his favorite political books [washingtonexaminer.com]

First, let’s recap what we missed so that we’re all on the same page.  Agree?  Agreed.  We’ll give it to you list style.

1.) UD purchases 272-acre site across street from College of Ag & Natural Resources/Nelson Athletics Complex. The still-impending purchase of the former Chrysler plant will be “something that is going to be a part of us for the next 100 years. We are very excited about it. It is a landmark day in the history of the University of Delaware.”  Lots of articles below giving all the details:

• UD signs an agreement to purchase Chrysler property in Newark
• UD signs deal to buy Chrysler site
• UD purchase of Chrysler site a winning deal
• Bankruptcy hastened sale of Newark Chrysler plant, insiders say
• Chrysler Site Work – interested in providing services to UD related to the site?

2.) U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan visited and spoke at UD on Tuesday.

• U.S. education secretary seeks changes to system
• Education challenges remain; at heart, a test of political will

3.) David Plouffe, a Blue Hen, came back to campus and talked about his experience as one of the top advisers in Barack Obama presidential campaign.  Plouffe was also in the news regarding a probable (but unannounced) partnership with former John McCain adviser (and Blue Hen) Steve Schmidt to start up the UD Center for Political Communication.

4.) Blankets made from UD sheep went on the auction. To be more precise, the blankets were made from wool sheared off of UD sheep, but the UD Alumni Relations Blog didn’t think that needed clarification.  Who would wear a blanket made of sheep?

5.) UD launches Delaware Environmental Institute in order to keep saving the world.

6.) UD Master Players Concert Series gets $20,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

From the Spamsicle (deep fried spam on a stick) to the Baconoli Supreme (deep fried four cheese ravioli wrapped in bacon, breaded and smothered in cheese), the culinary delights chronicled are a sight to stop your web surfing, not to mention your arteries.

Chicken Finger Bacon Pizza: Thousand Island dressing as sauce, topped with a bag of chicken fingers, a container of bacon bits all smothered in sliced mozzarella cheese

This is why you’re fat. [thisiswhyyourefat.com]