WAMU-FM: WAMU: The Kojo Nnamdi Show Podcast

A CLOSER LOOK AT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES: In the wake of a violent episode in which Virginia state Sen. Creigh Deeds was reportedly stabbed by his son, who then fatally shot himself, many are asking about the efficacy of mental health treatment locally and nationally. Just a day before the incident, Deeds' son, Austin, was committed to a local hospital for a mental health evaluation. Yet, Austin was released hours later when a psychiatric bed could not be found nearby. We look at how mental health services currently do and should work and consider changes coming to the system through President Barack Obama's health care reform bill. (50 min.)

OPEN SEASON FOR FEDERAL HEALTH PLANS: More than 8 million federal workers and their families have two more weeks to choose a health insurance program, a process known as "open season." The 50-year-old ritual, which offers more than 250 health plans, is a bright spot for a federal government still struggling to fix glitches in its HealthCare.gov marketplace. We explore what's new in federal health plans, how consumers can save money and what non-government workers sorting through health exchanges and their own private sector open enrollment periods can learn from "open season." (24 min.) INSIDE THE LOCAL RUNNING AND RACING BOOM: Whether you're a dedicated runner, a sponsor of friends who run in charity events or a resident whose street gets blocked off for races, the local running boom is hard to miss. But the sport's growing popularity is creating tensions between purists and casual runners. Race organizers try to accommodate everyone, while security and permitting make races more complex and expensive. With Turkey Trots and Jingle Bell Runs upon us, we explore the challenges facing the local running community. (30 min.)

SHAUL SCHWARZ: "NARCO CULTURA": Ciudad Juarez, just across the U.S.-Mexico border from El Paso, Texas, is a city so rife with drug cartel violence that investigators at crime scenes wear masks to hide their identity. A new documentary called "Narco Cultura" follows an investigator who continues his work despite the fact that three of his colleagues were murdered in a matter of months. The film also explores the phenomenon of "narcocorridos," a wildly popular Mexican style of music celebrating the violence and wealth of the narco lifestyle. We speak with director Shaul Schwarz about his experience as a photojournalist and filmmaker in Mexico. (28 min.) JOE SACCO: "THE GREAT WAR": Midway through World War I, British and Allied forces launched an unprecedented assault on German troops at the Battle of the Somme. Combat raged for four months, resulting in more than a million casualties, many sustained on the first day of fighting. In his latest work, graphic novelist Joe Sacco uses a single page that spans 24 feet to tell the story of the Somme's beginning without words. He joins us to discuss "The Great War" and his award-winning work, which blends journalism and cartoons. (22 min.)

HANUKKAH AND THANKSGIVING, A CULINARY CONVERGENCE: It's a Twitter hashtag, a t-shirt, a Wikipedia page and now a holiday coming to your dinner table: Thanksgivukkah. For the first time since 1888, Hanukkah begins on Thanksgiving Day, and won't do so again for another 70,000 years. The rare alignment has chefs and food companies alike salivating over new, delicious ways to combine traditional foods from each holiday. Turkey stuffed with challah? Latkes as appetizers? Cranberry babka? We dive into this culinary convergence and find out how you can create a tasty Thanksgivukkah table. (52 min.)

IVAN KLIMA: "MY CRAZY CENTURY": Ivan Klima occupies a vaunted spot on the roster of great modern Czech writers. Under communism, Klima and his contemporaries, including Vaclav Havel and Milan Kundera, secretly shaped cultural and political thought, even as police purged eastern Europe of intellectuals. But the repression Klima lived through helped shape his body of work to come. Now the 82-year-old author looks back on his journey in his new memoir, "My Crazy Century." We sit down with Klima to explore his life, his literature and the lessons he's learned. (52 min.)

VIRGINIA'S ATTORNEY GENERAL RACE: THE COUNT CONTINUES: The top ticket races in Virginia were decided handily a week ago, but the question of who the next attorney general will be is still up in the air. Democrat Mark Herring has taken a lead of 163 votes over Republican Mark Obenshain after the initial vote count, which was finalized yesterday. A recount is likely once the State Board of Elections review is finished on Nov. 25. We get an update on where things stand and how the process is unfolding. (16 min.) BOTTLES AND BRAINS: WHAT WINE TELLS US ABOUT CONSUMER BEHAVIOR: It's called "drinking with our eyes" — the way many of us choose wine bottles based purely on our reactions to their labels. But the science behind wine marketing reveals a great deal about the collective psychology of consumers. We explore the secrets some marketers employ to appeal to consumers and learn how to judge wine by factors other than their labels. (28 min.)

A TYPHOON HITS THE PHILIPPINES: An historic typhoon with gusts of winds reaching 195 miles an hour battered the Philippine archipelago over the weekend. The storm destroyed entire cities, and the death toll is expected to reach into five figures. We get an update on relief efforts. (18 min.) RADIO DIARIES REVISITED: Sixteen years ago, a group of teenagers from around the country were given tape recorders to document their lives for a project called "Teenage Diaries," and the series aired NPR's All Things Considered. "Teenage Diaries Revisited" brings back five of the diarists to talk about their lives today. We check in with two of them: Josh, who had Tourette's Syndrome, and Melissa, who gave birth to her son as a teenager. (26 min.)

DISRUPTING THE CABLE TV MODEL: For decades, cable providers have relied on a "bundled" subscription model: to receive premium stations like ESPN or HBO, consumers had to purchase a package of less-popular stations. But many believe that model is showing signs of cracking. Many younger viewers are watching online via Netflix or Hulu. And the Canadian government recently made news by moving toward an "a la carte" model, which would allow customers to receive just the stations they want. We explore the future of TV, and the whether new technology is disrupting the cable model. (52 min.)

NATIONAL AQUARIUM: At the end of September, the National Aquarium shuttered the doors of its 81-year-old facility in the basement of the Department of Commerce building and began the process of relocating most of the 2,500 aquatic inhabitants to its location in Baltimore. Kojo talks with the National Aquarium's CEO about its exhibits and programs in Baltimore, and about the prospect of bringing sea life back into the nation's capital. (52 min.)

WOUNDED VETERANS AND ADAPTIVE SPORTS: In 1969, Kirk Bauer lost his leg in a grenade explosion in Vietnam. In 2012, Travis Mills lost portions of four limbs from an improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan. They join Kojo to talk about adaptive sports and the challenging path of recovery facing today's wounded veterans. (24 min.) THE LITERATURE OF WAR: War is destructive, chaotic and difficult to explain to those who haven't experienced it. The literary tradition of seeking to capture the experience of war is as old as the written word itself. We revisit some classic works that continue to resonate today and consider the emerging hallmarks of fiction about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. (26 min.)

THE POLITICS HOUR - NOV. 8, 2013: Democrats take back the governor's mansion in Virginia, and the spotlight shifts to Maryland's gubernatorial contest in 2014. Plus, D.C.'s taxi drivers sue over requirements for credit card readers and rooftop lights. Join us for our weekly review of the politics, policies, and personalities of the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. (52 min.)

THE POLITICS HOUR: Medical marijuana makes its official launch in the District. Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell announces plans to return a number of gifts from a prominent businessman hoping to put an end to questions about them. And Montgomery County's executive pledges to fight a rate increase recently granted to Pepco in Maryland. 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 THE BAY BRIDGE : With a nightmarish crash under investigation and summer beach traffic backing up for miles, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge is undergoing new scrutiny. Even before a car plunged from the deck into the bay in July, the Maryland Transportation Authority agreed to assess the bridge's life expectancy — a small step in the decades-old debate over whether to add a third span. Kojo explores how the competing interests of farmers, commuters, vacationers, environmentalists and politicians will factor into the bridge's future. (51 min.)

PUBLIC DEFENDERS AND THE SEQUESTER : Legal representation for the poor is taking a hit as the sweeping federal budget sequester reduces funding for public defenders. The federal public defender for the District of Columbia joins Kojo to explore the challenges confronting attorneys who provide the only counsel available to poor defendants. (19 min.) "OUR NIXON:" A NEW DOCUMENTARY: Most people know Richard Nixon secretly taped Oval Office conversations during his presidency. But few are aware that three of Nixon's top aides obsessively used home movie cameras to document their time at the White House; capturing everything from private moments on Air Force One to a visit to the Beijing Opera during Nixon's trip to China. The footage was buried in archives until recently, but along with newsreels and interviews, it's now featured in a new documentary. We meet the filmmakers and explore the Nixon presidency through the lens of a Super 8 movie camera. (32 min.)

TOO FEW COOKS IN THE KITCHEN: LOCAL RESTAURANTS FACE LABOR SHORTAGE: Washington's food scene is expanding rapidly, with new restaurants popping up along the 14th Street and H Street corridors on a near-weekly basis. Yet, even as the local industry flourishes, restaurant owners are finding it increasingly difficult to find qualified staff to run their kitchens and serve the ever-growing dining crowds. We explore the reasons behind the shortage of restaurant workers and what this means for the city's diners. (52 min.)