WAMU-FM: WAMU: The Kojo Nnamdi Show Podcast

TRACING COFFEE FROM ETHIOPIA TO D.C.: Few countries are as synonymous with coffee as Ethiopia, whose exports reach consumers all over the world. A few years ago, Ethiopia mandated that its coffee farmers sell their crops through a commodity exchange — a plan designed to help many of the country's low-income farmers fetch better prices on the market. But that plan's come under criticism from some who feel it's ended direct trade for single origin coffee there and diluted the country's brand. Fresh from a learning tour of Ethiopia, Kojo explores the links between the coffee American consumers drink and the economic fortunes of the farmers who grow it. (52 min.)

METRO GENERAL MANAGER RICHARD SARLES : Many long-anticipated changes are coming to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Streetcars are expected to begin service on H Street NE and the Silver Line is slated to start running to Reston and Tyson's Corner. New fare cards and rail cars are also in the works systemwide. But many old problems and concerns about on-time performance, maintenance and safety remain. Kojo and WAMU 88.5 reporter Martin DiCaro talk with Metro General Manager Richard Sarles about where the system is headed. (52 min.)

ETHIOPIAN VOICES: BLOGGING FOR DEMOCRACY: Conversations about Ethiopian politics are often complicated by internal and external factors. The country is a strong U.S. ally in a tumultuous region, but after what critics termed a "very tightly controlled" election in 2010, several opposition leaders and journalists have been jailed. Still, activists in Ethiopia feel it's important for their voices to be heard at home and abroad. Kojo sat down with three pro-democracy bloggers during his recent visit to Ethiopia. (35 min.) TOM PAXTON: A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO PETE SEEGER: Legendary singer, songwriter and activist Pete Seeger died Monday at age 94. During a musical career that spanned seven decades, he performed at union halls, protests and concert venues across the country, and helped launch the American folk revival. Grammy Award-winning musician Tom Paxton joins Kojo for a musical tribute and a look at Seeger's enduring impact on American music and politics. (15 min.)

DEEP LEARNING: TEACHING COMPUTERS TO THINK LIKE PEOPLE: It's the holy grail of computing: teaching computers to think the way humans do. The pioneer of "deep learning" says the key is to mimic the brain's system of neural networks. Now Geoffrey Hinton is taking his work inside Google to help improve Android's voice search and work on advancing language interpretation so computers can begin to interpret our musings and ramblings online. Tech Tuesday explores how computers learn and where the next breakthroughs will be. (52 min.)

REBROADCAST: "THE GOOD LORD BIRD" BY JAMES MCBRIDE: A surprise winner at this year's National Book Award, James McBride's latest novel takes on the story of abolitionist John Brown's doomed raid on the arsenal at Harper's Ferry. In this satirical tale, the young narrator is a boy mistaken for a girl and taken into Brown's retinue. Onion, as he's nicknamed, gets a front-seat view of history as Brown plans his raid, meeting Frederick Douglas, Harriet Beecher Stowe and other well-known historical figures. We speak with McBride about the novel, as well as the band he formed to play music that inspired Brown. (52 min.)

REBROADCAST: GARY SHTEYNGART: "LITTLE FAILURE" : Best known for his knife-sharp satire in novels like "A Super Sad True Love Story" and "Absurdistan," Gary Shteyngart's latest work is a memoir of life as the child of Russian immigrants struggling to make it in Queens, N.Y. It's a scathingly funny yet loving portrait of parents whose affection is expressed through regular put-downs (his mother's nickname for him inspired the book's title), but also a powerful love. We speak with the author about how his life has influenced his work. (52 min.)

THE POLITICS HOUR - JAN. 24, 2014: It's been a big week in Virgina politics. The commonwealth's new attorney general does a U-turn on gay marriage and the state's constitutional ban. Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife are indicted in federal court over a gift scandal. And a three-way runoff election puts another democrat in the State Senate, which could tip the balance of power. Join us for our weekly review of the politics, policies and personalities of the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. (52 min.)

THE FUTURE OF YOUR DOCTOR'S OFFICE: As technology costs rise and billing and electronic records become more complicated, many doctors find it hard to afford the costs of remaining independent. Since 2000, the percentage of doctors running their own practice has dropped from 57 percent to 39 percent. Many practices are being absorbed by large health organizations or are developing new models, like consortiums, to share costs. Those who manage to stay independent often can only do so by charging patients directly rather than taking insurance. We speak with doctors and health care professionals about the future of the doctor's office. (52 min.)

FUTURE OF VIRGINIA'S GAY MARRIAGE BAN: Virginia's new attorney general, Mark Herring, says the state's voter-enacted ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional and he wants to see the courts overturn it. In 2006, Virginia voters amended the state constitution to bar gay marriage, but now Herring's office is joining two same-sex couples in a lawsuit asking a federal court to strike it down. The move is a sharp reversal of the state's legal position on gay marriage under his predecessor, Ken Cuccinelli. We get the latest. (24 min.) BEHIND D.C.'S MOVIE THEATER BOOM: Over the next few years, Washington, D.C. will get 40 new movie theater screens, nearly doubling the city's current number. It's a renaissance that developers say is a response to the district's shifting population, and residents say fills gaping holes left by key closures at venues like Union Station. We look at the movie theater resurgence, find out what moviegoers can expect from the new venues and explore how the theaters will impact their surrounding neighborhoods. (28 min.)

ANIMAL WELFARE AND THE FOOD WE EAT: In a move applauded by animal welfare groups, two of the country's biggest pork producers say they'll end some controversial practices on the farm. The news comes at a time when lawmakers are reluctant to act on animal treatment issues, but companies are making unilateral moves to win customer loyalty. We explore how ethics and animal welfare concerns affect the decisions consumers make about what to eat. (29 min.) MTV'S PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE: TEEN MOMS: When MTV's two reality shows, "16 and Pregnant" and "Teen Mom" launched, many criticized the network for glamorizing teen pregnancy. But a new study shows that rather than making teen pregnancy look appealing, the shows are responsible for a significant drop in births to teenagers. We speak with the study's author about the surprising findings and possible new approaches to influencing teen behavior. (23 min.)

CHARGES FILED AGAINST VIRGINIA GOV. ROBERT MCDONNELL : On Tuesday, federal prosecutors charged former Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, with illegally accepting gifts from a state businessman in exchange for touting his dietary supplements. The charges came 10 days after McDonnell left office and make him the Commonwealth's first governor to face criminal prosecution. We explore the implications of the charges and new concerns about integrity in the statehouse. (24 min.) SECURITY CONCERNS AT THE SOCHI OLYMPICS: When the Olympics open in Sochi on Feb. 7, athletes will be welcomed to the costliest and the most fortified games in Olympic history. Terror threats and recent bombings blamed on separatists in the neighboring Caucasus have put Sochi and nearby cities on virtual lockdown. More than 30,000 Russian police officers and troops are expected at the games, as well as FBI agents and other foreign security officers. We find out how Sochi is preparing, what security measures visitors can expect and how serious the threat is from Russia's neighboring Islamist insurgency. (23 min.)

DISPATCHES FROM ETHIOPIA: U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE AFRICAN UNION: With violence flaring in South Sudan, peace talks are under way in Ethiopia to try to negotiate a cease fire. Kojo is traveling in Ethiopia and spoke with the U.S. Ambassador to the African Union about South Sudan and the African Union's challenges on the continent. They also explored the U.S. role in Africa and its participation in efforts to end other violent conflicts there. (25 min.) LINKING POVERTY AND POOR HEALTH: A recent study shows that poor people with diabetes are significantly more likely to end up in the hospital for dangerously low blood sugar at the end of the month, when budgets are tight. As Congress debates cuts to food assistance programs like SNAP benefits, some doctors and advocates for the poor say the study is further evidence that cutting food and other assistance programs leads to expensive health care crises. We explore the issues. (25 min.)

THE SCIENCE OF SNOWSTORMS AND WEATHER PREDICTION: The Washington region is bracing for four to seven inches of snow today, followed by a blast of arctic air that will plunge temperatures into the single digits. We talk with Jason Samenow, from The Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang, about what to expect and the science behind winter weather predictions. (09 min.) ANONYMOUS SPEECH AND ONLINE REVIEWS: Anonymous reviews are a staple of life on the Internet, but a recent court ruling could change that. A Virginia court told Yelp to name a half-dozen people who wrote negative reviews about a local business. The business claims the naysayers weren't real customers, but Yelp says divulging personal information violates the users' First Amendment rights. We discuss what the ruling means for consumer reviews and anonymous speech online. (40 min.)

"THE BURGLARY:" THE INSIDE STORY OF FBI SURVEILLANCE (REBROADCAST): In 1971, eight people stole and disclosed FBI records that proved the agency was spying on black and anti-war activists under the now-infamous COINTELPRO banner. Four decades later, a new book reveals the burglars' identities, answering questions about how they pulled off the historic heist, and fueling renewed debates over whistle-blowers and government surveillance of its own citizens. (33 min.) "THE SQUARE:" BEHIND THE HEADLINES OF THE EGYPTIAN REVOLUTION (REBROADCAST): A new documentary takes viewers inside the Egyptian revolution, from the heady protests in Tahrir Square to the subsequent political upheaval. Armed only with cameras and social media, a group of young Egyptian activists document shifting religious, sectarian and political lines. Film director Jehane Noujaim joins us to discuss. (16 min.)

THE POLITICS HOUR - JAN. 17, 2014: The D.C. Council sparks a new debate with a move to decriminalize possession of marijuana. Maryland's botched health exchange rollout burns Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown and other top officials. And Virgina's new governor, Terry McAuliffe, gets blowback over a liquor board appointment. Join us for our weekly review of the politics, policies and personalities of the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. (52 min.)