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The Brian Lehrer Show

Thursday, May 31, 2007
  • manhattan skyline (Fred Froehlich)
    (Fred Froehlich)

    Construction Boomdoggles

    A Daily News investigation discovered a deadly lack of City oversight during the current building boom. We’ll explore the relationship between the “honor system” for developers in New York City and the deaths of dozens of construction workers. Also, what do we mean by the term “American hegemony”?; America’s origins at Jamestown; and more questions for Time magazine’s Baghdad bureau chief, Bobby Ghosh.

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Construction Boom-Doggles

Brian Kates, reporter for the New York Daily News, reports on the City's deadly lack of oversight of building construction, and Oona Adams, chief researcher of the Greater New York Laborers-Employers Cooperation and education Trust who represents union workers and employers in construction, looks at the use of undocumented employees in the industry.

The Daily News series: Building Boom-Doggle

Part I: Danger & ripoffs are on the rise

Part II: So many ways to beat the system

Part III: At the mercy of contractors

Part IV: Dream denied

View of the News in Baghdad

Bobby Ghosh, Baghdad bureau chief for Time magazine, fills us in on the latest from Iraq as part of a month-long series.

"Empirical" Evidence

We continue our conversation about the U.S. and “empire” with Niall Ferguson, Laurence A. Tisch Professor of History at Harvard University, a senior research fellow of Jesus College, Oxford University, and a senior fellow of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. The author of Empire: The Rise and Demise of the British World Order (2003) and Colossus: the Rise and Fall of the American Empire (2004), his most recent book is The War of the World: Twentieth-Century Conflict and the Descent of the West (Penguin Press HC, 2006).

Jamestown: 400 Years and Counting

Tim Hashaw, journalist and the author of The Birth of Black America: The First African Americans and the Pursuit of Freedom at Jamestown (Carroll & Graf, 2007) and Karen Ordahl Kupperman, professor of history at New York University and the author of The Jamestown Project (Belknap Press, 2007), discuss new views of the Jamestown colony as we observe the 400th anniversary of its founding.

The Jamestown Project and The Birth of Black America are available for purchase at Amazon.com.

“The First Black Americans” in U.S. News & World Report
Prof. Kupperman’s NYU webpage

30 Issues in 30 Days

The Brian Lehrer Show

Once again, 30 Issues in 30 Days is taking on the election season by going beyond the horse race and examining the real issues that are at stake for the people of New York and New Jersey in the Mayoral and Gubernatorial contest. See the schedule and help craft the segments at the 30 Issues Wiki!

Michael Moore on Brian's 20th Anniversary

The Brian Lehrer Show

Live from the Greene Space: Michael Moore talks about his new documentary, Capitalism: A Love Story and Brian celebrates the 20 year anniversary of The Brian Lehrer Show.

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.

Help us map abandoned lots, stalled construction and unsold condos.

Digesting Politics

Brian, Bob, and Andrea

WNYC's political team of Brian Lehrer, Bob Hennelly, and Andrea Bernstein talk politics and more over lunch each week. Hear the latest episode and subscribe to the podcast here!

Video Picks

The Brian Lehrer Show

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