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The Brian Lehrer Show

Tuesday, April 01, 2008
  • Meg Wolitzer
    Meg Wolitzer

    The Ten-Year Nap

    In her new novel, Meg Wolitzer tracks the lives of a group of educated New York mothers who opt out of the workforce to raise their children. Also, Councilmember Tony Avella discusses the approval of the congestion pricing bill and the start of his campaign for the 2009 Mayoral race. Plus: urban debate leagues give a voice to inner city youth.

Pricing Passes

Tony Avella, New York City Council Member (D-19th District), discusses the approval of the congestion pricing bill, and his bid for Mayor in 2009.

Waiting for the Budget

The deadline for the budget has passed. Democrat State Assemblymember Deborah Glick and Republican State Senator Martin Golden talk about its status and the prospects of the congestion pricing plan.

Assemblymember Deborah Glick, 66th Assembly District
New York State Senator Martin Golden, 22nd Senate District

Web-Only Poll: Internet Tax?

Should New York State extend its sales taxes to Internet purchases made by New Yorkers?
Comment Below!

Up for Debate

Washington Irving High School junior Quionnea Coombs and Guillermina Martino, a senior at the Secondary School of Law in Brooklyn, are joined by Will Baker, Chief Executive Officer, IMPACT Coalition, to talk about the Urban Debate League and this weekend's national competition in Chicago.

Mothers in the City

Meg Wolitzer, author of The Ten-Year Nap, talks about her new novel, which looks at the lives of four stay-at-home-mothers struggling with their identities, marriages, and sense of purpose.

Event
Meg Wolitzer will be reading from her new novel on Wednesday, April 2nd at 7:00 PM at the McNally Robinson bookstore, 50 Prince Street.

Moral Rectitude Index

What do you think of mayor’s moral rectitude index and what would you add to it?
Comment Below!

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

The Brian Lehrer Show

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.