WAMU-FM: WAMU: The Kojo Nnamdi Show Podcast

KIDS AND THE INTERNET: NEW PRIVACY RULES?: In 1998, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act took the first steps in safeguarding children under 13 years old from divulging personal information to websites. Today, a generation of Web innovation has made sharing personal data a ubiquitous part of the online experience. Now the Federal Trade Commission is moving to overhaul the privacy rules, increasing the need for children's sites to obtain parental permission for popular activities. Kojo looks at the pending changes, and talks to those who say the new rules will stifle innovation. (52 min.)

SALMAN RUSHDIE: After Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa, or death sentence, against him in 1989, author Salman Rushdie was forced into a life on the run. When police asked him to choose an alias, he picked "Joseph Anton" after two of his literary heroes. Rushdie, who just completed a memoir, joins us to reflect on his work and his journey — and its relevance to the uncertain future of the Muslim world. (51 min.)

SOUTH AFRICA, AFTER MANDELA: Nelson Mandela rose from decades of political imprisonment to guide South Africa out of Apartheid and serve as its president. But almost two decades after the fall of white-minority rule, the country continues to confront stark divides along racial and class lines. Kojo talks with journalist Douglas Foster about South Africa "After Mandela." (52 min.)

THE POLITICS HOUR: D.C. lawmakers try a different approach for obtaining more control of their budget. Maryland's governor backs a new surcharge for electric service. And the region's airports authority welcomes new faces. Join us for our weekly review of the politics, policies and personalities of the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. (52 min.)

ELECTORAL SUBCONSCIOUS: HOW BIASES AFFECT OUR PERCEPTION OF ELECTION 2012: As Barack Obama and Mitt Romney prepare for presidential debate season, both campaigns are calibrating their messages for different audiences: diehard partisans, regional voting blocks and specific immigrant communities. But these constituencies often respond very differently to the message — and the messenger. Howard Ross argues that subconscious biases profoundly influence the way we see politics. He joins Kojo for a look at our electoral subconscious.(52 min.)

REGULATING ROADSIDE ZOOS: The director of the Reston Zoo in Reston, Va., is headed to jail for drowning a wallaby at the popular, privately owned facility. The animal cruelty conviction raises new questions about what rules and regulations govern the keeping of exotic animals. Kojo explores the state and federal laws on caring for and showing wild animals. (34 min.)

FARMERS' MARKET ECONOMICS: Weekly farmers' markets were once confined to the wealthier neighborhoods of the Washington area. But today local farmers are plying their wares in long-neglected suburban strip malls and urban "food deserts," thanks to help from nonprofits and government grants. As the season for fresh local produce winds down, we peruse the growing number of farmers' markets across the region and examine the economics of bringing food from field to fork. (52 min.)

FREE SPEECH: A GLOBAL DEBATE: An Internet video insulting the Prophet Muhammad sparked riots, but also an international debate about the limits of freedom of speech. Some in more conservative countries see Western laws as dangerously broad, while others see hypocrisy, given that cross burning can be considered "hate speech" in the United States and denying the Holocaust is a crime in Germany. As the U.N. debates a call for anti-blasphemy laws, we explore freedom of speech around the world. (52 min.)

A CLOUDY FUTURE FOR THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN: After almost 11 years, the conflict in Afghanistan is already the longest war in American history. But after a brutal wave of attacks against U.S. forces by assailants disguised as Afghan allies, a peaceful resolution to the war remains elusive. We chat with veteran Washington Post reporter Rajiv Chandrasekaran about the cloudy future of the American war in Afghanistan. (20 min.) INDIA'S INFLUENTIAL JOURNALIST: He's one of India's best-known journalists — a muckraker bent on exposing corruption in government and society, even in the face of death threats. And his novels, including "The Alchemy of Desire" and "The Story of My Assassins," make him an acclaimed storyteller in India and the West. Tarun Tejpal joins Kojo to talk about the complexities of life in India and the challenges facing the world's largest democracy. (29 min.)

COMPUTER GUYS AND GAL: Apple rolls out a new mapping program for the iPhone with some major glitches, including moving the Washington Monument to a new address and placing the Baltimore Aquarium in the Inner Harbor. Big-box stores ditch Amazon's Kindle e-Reader. The Computer Guys and Gal are back to explore the latest triumphs and fail's in the tech world. (52 min.)

BUSINESS MEDIA AND MANAGING YOUR FINANCES : For nearly nine decades, the Kiplinger family has been dispensing economic forecasts and investment advice to millions of Americans seeking to manage their personal finances more astutely. But a changing journalism landscape has reshaped how readers gather information, and it's put stalwart publications like Kiplinger's Personal Finance under pressure to cope and adjust or perish. Kojo talks to Knight Kiplinger about the future of business media and personal finance in an age of economic uncertainty. (52 min.)

ADJUNCT PROFESSORS UNITE: LABOR RIGHTS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES: Colleges and universities increasingly rely on part-time and non-tenure track faculty, who now teach half or more of all classes on many campuses. Many adjunct faculty complain of low salaries and little respect, including those who have been teaching full time for years. Some adjuncts are turning to labor unions to negotiate better pay and benefits, including adjuncts at George Washington University and American University. We explore the issues. (52 min.)

THE POLITICS HOUR: Pepco politics are back as workers threaten to strike. Uber returns to the Wilson Building, as D.C. lawmakers wrestle with regulating sedan service and taxi cabs. And federal investigators probe a controversial politician in Northern Virginia. Join us for our weekly review of the politics, policies and personalities of the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. (52 min.)

"WHY HAVE KIDS?": MAKING MOTHERHOOD OPTIONAL: Celebrations of motherhood pervade pop culture, politics and the publishing industry. All this led Jessica Valenti to wonder if American culture allows for only two categories of women: mothers and future mothers. Valenti joins us to take an honest look at why we have kids and how making motherhood a default expectation could be hurting American women. (52 min.)

GETTING OUTSIDE THIS FALL: Did you know there's an aquatic garden in D.C. and a wetland habitat in Alexandria, Va.? If you're looking to get outdoors this fall, there are endless hidden gems to explore in the region. And if you're looking for a hands on experience, Saturday is National Public Lands Day, a chance for volunteers to help blaze new trails, plant trees and clean up thousands of acres of parkland. Join us for tips on where to connect with nature this fall. (52 min.)