FRESH AIR
The name of former anti-war activist William Ayers was brought up twice in an attempt to discredit Barack Obama during the recent presidential campaign — first by Hillary Clinton, and then by the McCain campaign. Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin accused Obama — who served on two nonprofit boards with Ayers — of “palling around with terrorists.” The accusations stemmed from Ayers’ involvement with the Weather Underground, a radical group responsible for bombings on the New York City Police Department headquarters in 1970, the U.S. Capitol building in 1971 and the Pentagon in 1972. The federal case against Ayers was dismissed in the early 1970s. Ayers is a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the author of Fugitive Days: Memoirs of an Anti-War Activist.
THE WEATHER UNDERGROUND
RADIO TIMES
Hour 1
Philadelphians pay more for natural gas than residents of any other U.S. snow-belt city. A report issued last month by 
the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia takes an in depth look at the progress made and the challenges facing Philadelphia Gas Works, a city-owned utility company plagued with a history of mismanagement and inefficiency. Our guests are PGW president THOMAS KNUDSEN and STEVEN WRAY of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia. Listen to this show via Real Audio | mp3
Hour 2
Americans are justly proud of the role the United States played in World War II. But how did Europeans experience the liberation of Europe from Nazi tyranny. This is the topic of WILLIAM HITCHCOCK’s new book “The Bitter Road to Freedom: A New History of the Liberation of Europe.” Hitchcock is a Professor of History at Temple University. Listen to this show via Real Audio | mp3
THE WORLD CAFE
Thursday, November 20, 2008: Steve Wynn
David Dye is joined by singer-songwriter Steve Wynn, formerly of Dream Syndicate. Wynn took a break from his current band, The Baseball Project, to record Crossing Dragon Bridge. Seeking inspiration, he traveled far from his New York City apartment to Ljubljana, Slovenia where he crafted an album that sounds unlike anything he’s done before. Producer Chris Eckman insisted he make a completely solo record utilizing all his talents, including guitar, bass, keyboards, and vocals, resulting in a stripped-down but lushly orchestrated collection. Wynn manifests the mood of his new territory in these songs, and he reflects in this interview on how Slovenia took hold of the album’s direction.
THE DREAM SYNDICATE: Halloween