WAMU-FM: WAMU: The Kojo Nnamdi Show Podcast

Summer Reading

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:44:40 -0400

SUMMER READING: Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer are around the corner, which makes now the perfect time to compile your summer reading list. Whether you're eagerly awaiting new novels from favorite authors, looking for something entirely new or want to explore history through a biography, we've got a roundup of page-turners to see you through the season. (52 min.)

Shaping The City: Withstanding The Force Of Nature

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:43:43 -0400

SHAPING THE CITY: WITHSTANDING THE FORCE OF NATURE: The devastating tornado in Oklahoma has people wondering how their own homes would withstand nature's extremes. The D.C. region doesn't get many tornadoes, hurricanes or floods. But in the last two years, a derecho and an earthquake have hit unexpectedly. Architect Roger Lewis explains what the law requires and what homeowners can do to ensure structural integrity when natural disasters hit. (52 min.)

Food Hubs: From Farm To Table

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:11:46 -0400

FOOD HUBS: FROM FARM TO TABLE: Demand for locally grown food is skyrocketing here and around the country. Along with individual customers, many grocery stores, restaurants and schools would like more local products, but farmer's markets alone can't meet that demand. Enter food hubs: bringing farm fresh products from multiple farmers to central locations in nearby cities for pickup and distribution. We discuss new thinking on getting fresh food to cities. (52 min.)

Deals For Developers In DC: A WAMU Investigative Report

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:11:08 -0400

DEALS FOR DEVELOPERS IN DC: A WAMU INVESTIGATIVE REPORT: The D.C. Council has approved $1.7 billion in tax breaks and other subsidies to developers over the past decade — with more than one-third of the subsidies going to 10 developers who donated the most to council members' campaigns. Kojo talks with WAMU reporters Patrick Madden and Julie Patel about their investigative series detailing the influence of money in D.C. politics and public policy. (52 min.)

Thomas Drake: The Case Of A Whistle-Blower + 'We Steal Secrets: The Story Of Wikileaks'

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:15:22 -0400

THOMAS DRAKE: THE CASE OF A WHISTLE-BLOWER: Thomas Drake was a senior official at the National Security Agency before he got ensnared in a whistle-blower case that became a flashpoint in debates about the freedom of information and national security. Drake eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, but the case came with a high price: he gave up his job and now works at an Apple Store in suburban Maryland. Drake joins Kojo in the studio to chat about his experience, the Obama administration's approach to whistle-blowers and the balance between security and freedom. (23 min.) 'WE STEAL SECRETS: THE STORY OF WIKILEAKS': Whistle-blower website Wikileaks facilitated the largest security breach in the history of the United States. Bradley Manning, the Army private charged with leaking an ocean of classified material to the site, will soon be tried in court. Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney recently set out to explore Manning's story, as well as the story behind Wikileaks itself. He joins Kojo to explore the impact of Wikileaks on politics, national security and on the men and women involved with the leaks. (28 min.)

Free Speech And The Internet

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:14:45 -0400

FREE SPEECH AND THE INTERNET: Online platforms like Facebook and Twitter gave people a place to connect and share ideas. And because they reach global audiences, the private companies that run them are at the center of an international debate over competing conceptions of free speech. Kojo looks at how these tech companies are shaping their content policies, and what those policies mean for interpretations of free speech around the globe. (52 min.)

Cross-Cultural (Mis)Understanding

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:54:31 -0400

CROSS-CULTURAL (MIS)UNDERSTANDING: Bill Gates recently greeted South Korea's president with a one-handed shake, the other was tucked into his pocket, setting off an international etiquette firestorm. Similar gaffes are increasingly common in a global society where people interact with colleagues and cultures around the world. From hospital bedsides to corporate boardrooms, the demand for a culturally competent workforce has ballooned, and the required skills now go way beyond simple "dos and don'ts." Kojo and diversity consultant Howard Ross explore the nuances of cross-cultural competency in the workplace and beyond. (52 min.)

The Future Of U.S. Foreign Aid

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:53:51 -0400

THE FUTURE OF U.S. FOREIGN AID: The United States Agency for International Development, or USAID, provides foreign assistance in a variety of forms. The agency is in the midst of efforts to modernize and rethink its mission and how it delivers aid. One new proposal would change the way U.S. food aid abroad is distributed for the first time since the Eisenhower administration. We talk to USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah about the agency's priorities and where it fits into a complex web of public and private organizations providing development aid abroad. (52 min.)

The Politics Hour

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:33:58 -0400

THE POLITICS HOUR: D.C. ponders the cost of digging underground power lines. Virginia Republicans prepare for a nominating convention in Richmond. And Maryland plays host to the Preakness Stakes, as the jockeying for next year's gubernatorial race begins in earnest. Join us for our weekly review of the politics, policies and personalities of the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. (52 min.)

Your Turn

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:05:21 -0400

YOUR TURN: The Obama administration has spent the week in damage control mode after revelations that the IRS was targeting conservative groups for extra scrutiny, the Justice Department was snooping through Associated Press phone records in search of a leak and new allegations about what actually happened in Bengazi, Libya. It's your turn to discuss the week's headlines. (52 min.)