Let’s Talk Animals 6/24/21: How Pet Products are Developed

Producer/Host: Dr. John Hunt

-Using the development of a new dental chew as an example
-Developing the concept of the dental chew
-Steps in taking the concept to a prototype to be tested
-Marketing, pricing, safety, production aspects of getting the product to market

Guest: Mark Bennett, a mechanical engineer, who is project coordinator for product development at a large veterinary company

About the host:

Dr. Hunt is a retired veterinarian that practiced small animal medicine and surgery for 32 years. For twenty six of those years he owned and operated the Bucksport Veterinary Hospital. He graduated from Michigan State University Vet School in 1982, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resource Conservation from the University of Connecticut in 1974, and a Masters in Zoology at Michigan State in 1976. Although he took special interest in pet behavior problems his primary interest was helping pet owners care for their pets by not only helping them when they were sick but educating, counseling and supporting the family to achieve good pet care.

Dr. Hunt was also a track coach at Bucksport High School for 20+ years, raised his 3 children and loved being part of the Bucksport community. His has written 2 books and currently teaches at the Veterinary Technician program at York County Community College.

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The Technoptimist Show 6/23/21: Lab-Grown Mini Hearts Have a Humanlike Beat

Join Teresa Carey as she breaks down the latest news on the technology that is solving the world’s biggest problems. In today’s show, Teresa covers lab-grown mini-hearts, a floating city, and a new record for nuclear fusion.

To learn more about the topics:
New Lab-Grown Mini Hearts Have a Human-Like Beat
The Maldives Are Constructing a Floating City to Combat Rising Sea Levels
China’s “Artificial Sun” Sets a New Record for Nuclear Fusion

About the host:
Teresa Carey is a senior staff writer at Freethink.com, where she covers genetics and the environment. She is also a US Coast Guard licensed captain and a NatGeo Explorer. In addition to Freethink her work can be found in BuzzFeed, Scientific American, PBS NewsHour, NPR Weekend Edition, Smithsonian and more. @teresa_carey

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Wabanaki Windows 6/22/21: ‘Unpacking Sovereignty’ (5th in a series)

Producer/Host: Donna Loring
Production assistance: Jessica Lockart of WMPG and Joel Mann WERU

‘Unpacking Sovereignty’ (5th in a series)

-Maine Constitution/ Framers /writers
-Structural Racism/Internal Colonialism
-Omission of Wabanaki History from History Books

Guests:
Professor Harald Prins is a professor emeritus at Kansas State University, historian and expert on Wabanaki History University of Nebraska, Dr. Darren Ranco, Asoc Prof of Anthropology and Chair of Native American Programs University of Maine

About the host:

Donna M Loring is a Penobscot Indian Nation Tribal Elder, and former Council Member. She represented the Penobscot Nation in the State Legislature for over a decade. She is a former Senior Advisor on Tribal Affairs to Governor Mills. She is the author of “In The Shadow of The Eagle A Tribal Representative In Maine”. Donna has an Annual lecture series in her name at the University of New England that addresses Social Justice and Human Rights issues. In 2017 She received an Honorary Doctoral Degree in Humane Letters from the University of Maine Orono and was given the Alumni Service Award. It is the most prestigious recognition given by the University of Maine Alumni Association. It is presented Annually to a University of Maine graduate whose life’s work is marked by outstanding achievements in professional, business, civic and/or Public service areas

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Outside the Box 6/22/21: “Use of Force”

Producer/Host: Larry Dansinger

About the host:
Larry Dansinger (no pronouns) of Bangor came to Maine in 1974 and has been here ever since. Some of Larry’s activities since then: Done community organizing on numerous issues through INVERT and then Resources for Organizing and Social Change (ROSC), committed civil disobedience several times, grown a garden yearly since 1977, joined various food cooperatives and two men’s groups, refused to pay federal income taxes for war, lived on a community land trust for 23 years, and met a wonderful partner whom Larry has loved for over 40 years. Larry has produced Outside the Box features on WERU since 2007 and continues to look for unique ways of seeing almost any problem or situation.

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Poetry Express 6/20/21: “On Leaving Home”

“On Leaving Home” by Gibson Fay-LeBlanc read by Melanie Beaulieu

About the host:
Jan Bindas-Tenney is a trans non-binary and queer writer, reader, fighter, lover, friend and parent living on unceded Abenaki land. They hold an MFA in nonfiction from University of Arizona. Their writing has appeared in the opinion pages of Maine newspapers, in legislative testimony, as well as in Orion, Guernica, Gulf Coast, Arts & Letters, CutBank, the Maine Review, among other places. They work at the Maine Humanities Council where they curate a weekly poetry feature on WERU Community Radio called Poetry Express.

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Pet Sounds 6/20/21: Separation Anxiety in Dogs

Producer/Host: Dr. John Hunt

About the host:

My Sunday morning short has been running for about 11 years. I’ve cover a wide range of animal related topics from COVID to porcupines.

After graduating from Michigan State University Veterinary School in 1982 I practiced at three different veterinary hospitals in the Hartford, Conn area for 5 years. Then I bought a small part time clinic in Bucksport and turned it into a full time small animal surgery and medicine hospital. From 1987 to 2014 I enjoyed serving the Bucksport-Orland area pet owners. My kids grew up in Bucksport. I was a Boy Scoutmaster for a few years, and coached cross country and track in the Bucksport school system for 20 years. I’ve written three books working on a fourth.

I sold my practice and retired from practicing medicine in 2014. Since “retiring” I’ve continued Pet Sounds and my monthly Lets Talk Animals show on WERU. I’ve been teaching at local community colleges, officiating at high school track meets, writing and started a blog on line.

I enjoy hiking, reading, writing and anticipate spending more time with my first grandchild.

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