The Jefferson Exchange

The Jefferson Exchange: December 11, 2013 Hour 2:Just Like Mom Said, "Sharing Is Good"It's not just financial necessity that gets people thinking about sharing more things in their lives. Opening closets, cupboards and attics reminds us just how much STUFF we collect over the years. And the evolving concept of sharing goes beyond material goods, to things like our time and ideas. Beth Buczynski explores the concept in her book Sharing is Good: How to Save Money, Time and Resources through Collaborative Consumption.

The Jefferson Exchange: December 10, 2013, Hour 1A:Cover Oregon can't seem to catch a break. The highly-touted and heavily advertised online health insurance exchange for Oregon did not make its deadline, and was unable to sign up any customers for health insurance through its web page. Director Rocky King then stepped aside for medical leave. Now comes word that the slow rate of signups puts additional budget pressures on Cover Oregon. We talk to spokesperson Ariane Holm on Tuesday's Exchange. 

The Jefferson Exchange: December 10, 2013, Hour 1B:The city of Eugene is finally getting a "rest stop"… but not the kind where travelers pull off the freeway for a few minutes. "Rest stop" in this context means a place for homeless people to spend the night in tents, a legal place to sleep in town. We'll hear the details on what it took to get the area open, and how it will be operated.

The Jefferson Exchange: December 10, 2013, Hour 2: The study of philosophy has a long and storied history, and that history might lead some people to get the wrong idea. Namely, that philosophy is of the past, not the present.  That's where Jules Evans comes in. He needed a little guidance in his own life, and turned to philosophy for it. And the path he blazed is now offered to readers in Evans' book Philosophy for Life and Other Dangerous Situations.   

The Jefferson Exchange: December 9, 2013 Hour 1A:Klamath Water Settlements (Anew)Water and timber, timber and water. The major environmental issues of our region usually involved one or the other. And water is the focus in the Klamath Basin, where water users jostled for position for years to keep water flowing to streams or farms or other areas of need. Irrigators and tribes recently reached a tentative agreement that may settle water disputes in the future.

The Jefferson Exchange: December 9, 2013 Hour 1B:Lawsuit Over McKenzie River HatcheryWhen disputes over timber and water arise, fish are often at the center of concern. They are sensitive to changes in streams and the forests that give birth to the streams.  Now a pair of environmental groups are taking the federal government to court over fish. McKenzie Flyfishers and the Western Environmental Law Center are suing the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service over its operation of the Mckenzie Fish Hatchery. The groups claim the hatchery's continued production of relatively tame fish puts pressure on the continued existence of wild Chinook salmon in the Mckenzie/Willamette river system.

The Jefferson Exchange: December 9, 2013 Hour 2:Children Born Different: "Far From The Tree"Our children are not always born looking or sounding like we expected. Andrew Solomon considers that situation, and comes to the conclusion that diversity draws us closer together. He examines families in which children are born with challenges--physical, emotional, social--and how families respond, in his book Far From The Tree.

The Jefferson Exchange: December 6, 2013 Hour 1A:Singing, Acting, And Christmas: A Big First FridayThere's almost TOO MUCH to see and hear in the arts in the month of December. But we'll try to get a good sample. It's the first Friday of another month, time for our First Friday Arts Segment… we run down a list of events in the performing and visual arts and invite you to add to the list, or add details to items you've heard. From kid Christmas pageants to New Year's Eve events, we welcome all comers.

The Jefferson Exchange: December 6, 2013 Hour 1B:Totally Tubular: Life In The WienermobileWe could not resist the power of the Wienermobile. The iconic vehicle that crosses the country in support of Oscar Mayer products is spending a week in the greater Medford area, spreading the mustard and the word on hot dogs and more. We visit with the Hotdogger team about life in the wiener.

The Jefferson Exchange: December 6, 2013 Hour 2:Jesus, A Rabbi For The First CenturyChristians claim Jesus as their savior, but it's helpful to remember that Jesus was himself a Jew. Ashland rabbi David Zaslow provides a reminder in  his book  Jesus: First-Century Rabbi.  Zaslow says his book is meant to help both Christians and Jews gain greater understanding of the origins of their respective faiths.

The Jefferson Exchange: December 5, 2013, Hour 1A:From former pear orchards, a bounty of wine. Many of the same Southern Oregon agricultural plots that were once home to pear orchards are now home to vineyards growing wine grapes. And recent information shows just how strong the growth of the wine industry has been. Michael Donovan of the Oregon Winegrowers Association joins us.

The Jefferson Exchange: December 5, 2013, Hour 1B:So the growing season is over. But that does not mean an end to products from area farms. THRIVE, The Rogue Initiative For a Vital Economy, spends the rest of the year boosting Rogue Valley farmers and their wares. And now THRIVE is reminding consumers that local farm products are still available from farms through the winter months.

The Jefferson Exchange: December 4, 2013 Hour 1A:O & C Proposal-The Environmental Group PerspectiveRound two of our interviews on the Sen. Ron Wyden proposal to divide up the O & C timber lands in western Oregon. Environmental groups already pointed out problems they see with both the land treatments and the legal implications. On that second point, the chance to appeal individual timber sales would virtually disappear under the proposed legislation.  We visit with representatives of both the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center and the Geos Institute.

The Jefferson Exchange: December 4, 2013 Hour 1B:VENTSday: O & C Timber Bill + Phones On PlanesThere's already a wealth of opinion being offered on Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden's timber bill, and you can add to it on this week's VENTSday segment on The Exchange. Our second topic this week: the FAA considers allowing cell phone use in the air.  Great idea for communicating, or just another way to get annoyed at a noisy seatmate? Every Wednesday at 8:30, we throw a pair of topics on the table--in theory, unrelated--and open up the phone lines and the email box to gather your take on either or both of the issues. 

The Jefferson Exchange: December 4, 2013 Hour 2:The Remote Office (Your Home)Working from home was once limited to people who owned home businesses. But the modern workplace with its computer connections allows many more workers to stay in the comfy environs of home and work in their pajamas, if they desire. Jason Fried catalogs the trend in his book Remote: Office Not Required.