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The Brian Lehrer Show

Tuesday, June 03, 2008
  • You Are What You Buy

    Think technological advances like TiVo and the internet have left you immune to marketing? Think again. Writer Rob Walker argues that marketing has become murkier than ever, and the result is that we’re more brand-crazy than ever before. Also: a new report calls for a renaissance in New York’s vocational schools, and we take a look at the safety of construction zones.

Crane Drain

Louis Coletti, President of the Building Trade Employers' Association and Joel Shufro, Executive Director of the New York Committee for Occupational Safety, talk about construction safety in light of the recent crane collapse and if we should expect more of the same during the current construction boom.

Community College Credit Crunch

The New York Times reports that banks are starting to limit student loans, particularly to community colleges. Anya Kamenetz, Yahoo Finance columnist and the author of Generation Debt: Why Now Is A Terrible Time to Be Young discusses the credit crunch and what it means for students.

Anya Kamenetz' blog
"Student Loans Start to Bypass 2-Year Colleges" (NYT, 6/2/2008)

Not Your Father's Vocational Schools

A recent report from the Center for an Urban Future argues that today's career and technical education (CTE) high schools fill an vital niche in New York's education system. The report's author, David Jason Fischer and John Widlund, principal of George Westinghouse High School in Brooklyn, talk about the schools.

"Schools That Work" (pdf)

I Buy Therefore I Am

Rob Walker, New York Times Magazine "Consumed" columnist and author of Buying In: The Secret Dialogue Between What We Buy and Who We Are (Random House, 2008), talks about "murketing" -- the murky marketing that is changing advertising and branding.

Read Rob Walker's blog

Labels of Love

Speaking of the brand obsessed...anyone see the Sex and the City movie? Slate film critic Dana Stevens (who has) joins Rob Walker (who hasn't) to talk about the SATC effect on consumer culture. But fear not: this is a spoiler-free zone.

Open Phones: Defending Bad Behavior

Do you grunt at the gym? Hold lengthy cell phone conversations while on the bus? Push your way into a subway car before everyone has exited? Call in to confess and/or defend yourself....or comment below!

Is This the End?

Ben Smith, blogger and columnist at politico.com, discusses the status of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.

Step One: The Brainstorm

The Brian Lehrer Show

This fall, The Brian Lehrer Show will air our presidential election series “30 Issues In 30 Days.” With your help, we can produce great election coverage!

Digesting Politics

A weekly podcast with Brian Lehrer and Andrea Bernstein

New Episode Posted 9/1
Eavesdrop on Andrea Bernstein and Brian Lehrer, two of the most political savvy minds around, as they eat lunch and break down the week’s political activities.

Slideluck Potshow

The Brian Lehrer Show

Check out our contribution to the recent Slideluck Potshow, an event where folks share their love of food and photos!

ICANN, You Can…

Web Exclusive

Paul Twomey, president and CEO of ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), on their recent decision to offer more top-level domain names.

Mixed Up

The Brian Lehrer Show

We discuss the implications of our mixed-race future and how Barack Obama's candidacy has changed the discussion about mixed-race identity.