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The Brian Lehrer Show

Thursday, March 09, 2006
  • General Georges Sada
    General Georges Sada

    Sada on Saddam

    Georges Sada, a spokesman for the Prime Minister of Iraq, is a former general in Saddam Hussein's air force. He talks about surviving the old regime, his hopes for Iraq’s future and his claims that Saddam shipped WMD to Syria prior to the invasion. Also, The Atlantic Monthly's language maven Barbara Wallraff on words that don't exist, but should; the Civilian Complaint Review Board report on the RNC; and the new system for assigning schools to kindergarteners.

Complaints

Bob Hennelly, WNYC reporter
and
Chris Dunn, Associate Legal Director, New York Civil Liberties Union
- on the Civilian Complaints Review Board report on the RNC
» Bob Hennelly's report
» NYCLU website

Secretive Saddam

Georges Sada former General in the Iraqi Airforce and author, Saddam's Secrets: How an Iraqi General Defied And Survived Saddam Hussein (Integrity Publishers, 2006)
- says Saddam Hussein did have WMDs

Gold Coinages

Barbara Wallraff, contributing editor at The Atlantic Monthly and author, Word Fugitives: In Pursuit of Wanted Words (Harper Collins, 2006),
- on the need for new words

» Barbara Wallraff bio
» her recent Atlantic Monthly columns
» WordCourt.com

School of Hard Walks

Gale Brewer, city councilperson (D-District 6, Upper West Side),
- on effects of the new re-organization of preferences for Kindergarten programs the Upper West Side families
» Gale Brewer's council website

Uncommon Indicators

The Brian Lehrer Show

The Brian Lehrer Show wants to hear how the economy is affecting the little things in your daily life. Share your stories and photos of the downturn.

Cast your vote for our video contest semi-finalists.

The Rocky Road Ahead

The Brian Lehrer Show

Ray Young, the chief financial officer of General Motors, talks about GM’s bankruptcy.

Then, Damon Lester, president of the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers, and Greg Williams, former owner of the recently closed Huntington Chevrolet in Huntington Station, NY., discusses the effect GM’s bankruptcy has had on dealerships and their employees.

Tweet If You Use Twitter

The Brian Lehrer Show

Farhad Manjoo, Slate's technology columnist and the author of True Enough: Learning To Live in a Post-Fact Society talks about what Twitter means and how different groups use it.

What's your take on Twitter? How do you use it? Comment below!

Don't Say That, Literally

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John Flansburgh of the band They Might Be Giants discusses the running list the band keeps of "things we can no longer say." (a few examples: "my bad" "don't go there" "one hundred and ten percent" and "voted off the island")

What would be on your list of banned words or phrases? Comment below!

From Denmark with Love

The Brian Lehrer Show

Jesper Grunwald, senior managing editor with the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, talks about the Danish economy, biking to work, and why the Danes are allegedly the happiest people in the world.

Squatting, Then and Now

The Brian Lehrer Show

As former squats in the East Village make the transition to coops, making homes from abandoned housing is again an issue. Andrew Reicher executive director of Urban Homesteading Assistance Board, Frank Morales an Episcopal priest involved in East Village/Lower East Side squatting and homelessness activism since the late '70s, and Rob Robinson, a leader of the Housing Campaign of Picture the Homeless, discuss the return of squatting.

Video Picks

The Brian Lehrer Show

Check out some recent video clips of interviews with guests and Brian Lehrer's weekly Web video picks.