Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg; Record Heat and the Power Grid; 'Oppenheimer' History; NYC's Lifeguard Shortage

The Brian Lehrer Show | Jul 25, 2023

Coming up on today's show:

  • Alvin Bragg, Manhattan district attorney, talks about his office's investment in mental health services, a crackdown on illegal cannabis shops, how New Yorkers are feeling about crime in relation to actual crime numbers and more news.

  • A record heat wave has engulfed much of the Southwest and Texas, but while the heat has sparked anxiety about reliability in Texas, utilities in Arizona are unfazed. Matthew Zeitlin, business and energy correspondent at the climate news platform Heatmap News, talks about how Arizona has been able to keep its air conditioners on and whether the transition to cleaner energy will test the state's reliability. Plus: the stakes as New York City risks a shortfall of enough to power over 350,000 homes.

  • Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster, 2020), draws on his expertise in nuclear history to discuss whether Christopher Nolan's epic new film Oppenheimer is historically accurate - plus reveals a little-known political controversy within the other big new movie, Barbie.
  • As the city heats up, many New Yorkers look to local public pools and beaches for summer fun and refuge from the sweltering sun. But this summer, safety is a major concern as the city faces a lifeguard shortage, leaving large swaths of beaches closed and unsupervised. Katie Honan, senior reporter at The City, shares her reporting on the lifeguard shortage and its causes.

Transcripts are posted to each segment as they become available.

 

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