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Fault Lines

The Brian Lehrer Show

If you are unhappy with the state of American democracy, you may have no one to blame but yourself, says historian Andrew Bacevich. Plus, on the brink of the Democratic National Convention, an update on the buzz around Barack Obama’s vice presidential choice.

On the Road: Day 3

The Takeaway

Aug. 19, 2008
The Takeaway is taking the long way to the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Today's dispatch comes as our travelers enter Columbus, Ohio. They discuss growing Republican unrest in the Midwest and Obama's support in Pennsylvania.

City Honors Firefighters Who Died in Deutsche Bank Fire

by Matthew Schuerman

August 18, 2008
A ceremony to dedicate a plaque for two firefighters killed battling the Deutsche Bank blaze was filled with sadness and anger.

Related: A Year Later, What Progress Has Been Made?
August 15, 2008
City officials vowed to implement safeguards to ensure the Deutsche Bank tragedy never happened again. WNYC takes a look.

Pakistani Americans React to the Resignation of Pervez Musharraf

by Dan Blumberg

August 18, 2008
The news of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's resignation is being felt here in New York. Many were up at 3AM to hear Musharraf's hour-long resignation speech.

Class Teaches Respect for Women to Batterers

by Cindy Rodriguez

August 14, 2008
A program for abusive men in Brooklyn rejects the idea that they need counseling or therapy. Instead it views domestic violence as unabated sexism and attempts to challenge common assumptions about male and female roles.

Bloomberg Yanks Free Parking for Council Members

by Matthew Schuerman

August 13, 2008
After the Daily News reported that some council members enjoy a free parking space in front of their district offices, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has decided to revoke their permits.

Waterboarding Exhibit at Coney Island

by Siddhartha Mitter

August 13, 2008
Waterboarding, the technique that some have equated to torture that's allegedly used to gather information from detainees at Guantanamo Bay, is the subject of a new art installation at Coney Island called the "The Waterboard Thrill Ride."

Bloomberg Wary of Natural Gas Drilling Near Water Supply

by Ilya Marritz

Aug. 12, 2008
Mayor Michael Bloomberg is voicing concerns about possible natural gas drilling near upstate water reservoirs. The mayor says any deal to allow drilling must also protect city drinking water.

Russian, Georgian New Yorkers Worry for Those in Conflict

by Marianne McCune

Aug. 12, 2008
New Yorkers of Georgian and Russian decent have been on the phone and Internet trying to make sense of the recent fighting in the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia.

At Willets Point, resistance and resignation

by Siddhartha Mitter

Aug. 11, 2008
Even by Bloomberg Administration standards, rebuilding Willets Point in Queens is a massive development project. With eminent domain in the air, local businesses are somewhere between resistance and resignation.

Watch the slideshow

City Pushes to Limit Gas Drilling Near Reservoirs

by Ilya Marritz

Aug. 6, 2008
Citing "significant concerns," New York City is seeking strict limits on all gas drilling that might affect reservoirs that supply the city's drinking water.

Kayaking in New York Harbour

by Soterios Johnson

July 25, 2008
Up until 100 years ago--lots of new yorkers got to where they needed to be by boat, the same way we might take a cross-town bus. Well Saturday is City of Water day and the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance is encouraging people to not leave the city this summer weekend to go to the water, but to stay in town to check it out. And Soterios Johnson did--in a kayak.

Video: Soterios's kayaking tour

Natural Gas Drilling: Is New York Ready?

by Ilya Marritz

July 22, 2008
Many New Yorkers never imagined that the ground beneath upstate New York is packed with natural gas-- a treasure trove worth billions. But the gas is very hard to extract. And as WNYC has learned in a joint investigation with ProPublica, regulators have been actively promoting the safety of a gas extraction practice that has caused environmental damage elsewhere.
Slideshow: Drilling for Natural Gas

Radio Rookies: Legal Emancipation

Teenagers are famous for getting into conflicts with their families over independence. But Radio Rookie Jordan Teklay didn't want to be a part of anybody else's family. He sought his freedom through the courts and became a legally emancipated minor.