Notes from the Electronic Cottage 11/23/17

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

There are lots of things in the digital world to be grateful for so today we offer a few.
And not to put a pallor over those good things, there is one that is not so good that we need to pay attention to right now: Congress’s proposed renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Here are links to some background materials for those who are interested. Review them, form an opinion, and let your congress people know what you think – right away.
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/10/24 congress_pushes_competing_laws_in_spy_program_battle/
https://na-production.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/Opposition_Ltr_to_SSCI_702_Bill_45.pdf
https://s3.amazonaws.com/demandprogress/letters/Coalition_Supports_Poe-Lofgren_-Shut_the_Backdoor-_Amdt_to_USA_Liberty.pdf
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20171111/09282938590/with-congressional-leaders-blocking-serious-reform-tepid-section-702-reform-bill-moves-forward.shtml
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2017/11/house-judiciary-committee-forced-difficult-compromise-surveillance-reform
https://www.usnews.com/opinion/civil-wars/articles/2017-11-06/the-usa-liberty-act-is-a-bad-compromise-on-american-privacy

Family Corner 11/22/17

Producer/Host: Sue Mackey Andrews
Engineer: John Greenman

Repairing/building relationships over the Thanksgiving Table

Program Topic: Happy Thanksgiving! Food and Family

Key Discussion Points:
a) The opportunities over the holidays to build relationships at the dinner table, and through our rituals and customs, is tremendous
b) The dialogue in our country now can be fractionalizing to family and personal relationships
c) We can manage the conversations in a respectful way, teaching one another and our children how to have constructive dialogue even when the topic is difficult
d) Building community is a daily opportunity!

Guests: Charlie Slaughter, MPH/RD

Wabanaki Windows 11/22/17

Producer/Host: Donna Loring
Engineer: Amy Browne

Current Mascot Issue in Wells and Skowhegan Maine: Mascot symbolism and effects on young people

Key Discussion Points:
What is wrong with using Sports Team Mascots?
Events in Wells and Skowhegan?
How does mascot symbolism effect the future of Native youth?

Guests:
Penobscot Nation Ambassador Maulian Dana
Dr. Darren Ranco University of Maine Wabanaki Center
Dr. Maureen Smith Retired, Former Director of Native Studies, University of Maine Orono

Maine Currents 11/21/17

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

FOUR FOUNDATIONAL THEORIES OF LABOR ACTIVISM IN MAINE: THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR, THE AFL, THE IWW, AND THE SOCIALIST PARTY OF EUGENE DEBS – a presentation by Marc Cryer, Director of the Bureau of Labor Education, the University of Maine, recorded at UMaine on 11/16/17. This was the final in the fall semester Marxist and Socialist Studies lecture series.


Maine Currents- independent local news, views and culture, Tuesdays at 4pm on WERU-FM and weru.org