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NPR's Renee Montaigne visits the International Banana Club, the world's only banana museum. The creator and proprietor, Ken Bannister, boasts that the Altadena, California museum houses 17-thousand banana-related items.

was sentenced yesterday to life in prison without parole -- for leading a group of terrorist conspirators who were convicted of plotting to bomb various New York landmarks including the United Nations.

NPR's Brooke Gladstone reports that the Phil Donahue show will leave the air at the end of this season. The television talk show host is credited -- and blamed by some -- for launching the incredibly successful genre of no-secrets-barred talks shows that now saturate the airwaves.

We pay homage to Frank Dorsa, inventor of the frozen waffle, who died earlier this week.

Ani DiFranco [AH-nee dih-FRANK-oh] is a 25-year-old musician who has released seven albums on her own label. With her company based out of her family home in Buffalo and her apartment in New York City, she has built a solid following, selling more than 200,000 units. And Benjamin Shapiro reports that she's done it with songs that are sometimes very frank, addressing sensitive issues like politics, abortion, the intimate details of personal relationships.

NPR's Vicki Que reports on a new test to determine whether people have a gene that's linked to Alzheimer's disease. She says there's an ethical debate among physicians over whether it makes sense for people to know in advance that they're likely to get a disease for which there's no cure.

exploring what Americans want in their political leaders during the 1990's. Lifson talks to people in the Chicago area about the kind of leadership they think the country needs and what they consider to be strong leadership qualities.

Linda Wertheimer speaks with Harrisburg resident Thelma Ziegler. Ziegler's house was flooded, and she was evacuated Saturday morning. She also survived the floods of 1936 and 1972, and prepared for the blizzard of 1996 by selling off much of her furniture in the last few weeks.

Commentator Jack Beatty looks at Oliver Stone's impressions of Richard Nixon's upbringing as reflected in the movie "Nixon".

Noah talks with participants and producers of the CD "Deep

We hear a story about a woman named Sara who was victimized by a charlatan who talked her into giving out her automatic teller machine PIN number; then Danny talks about ATM scams with Dr. Barry Schreiber, a professor at Saint Cloud University in Minnesota.

in northern German earlier this morning which injured 5 people.

NPR's Adam Hochberg reports that, after a bitter and hard-fought election campaign that left the Virginia Senate divided evenly between Republicans and Democrats, the parties have come up with a unique power-sharing arrangement. Legislators say they are trying to avoid the kind of gridlock they see in Washington so they can deal with the issues facing the state.

Daniel talks with Rhode Island governor Lincoln Almond about the status of an oil tanker that ran aground off the coast of his state Friday night. The barge is carrying more than 3 million gallons of home heating oil and has leaked more than 720 thousand gallons so far.

Daniel talks with political analyst David Frum and historian Todd Gitlin about why the political left hasn't reacted more to Republican proposals calling for cuts in social welfare programs. They also discuss the tensions within the Republican party that have resulted from the struggle to balance the budget. David Frum is contributing editor of "The Weekly Standard." Todd Gitlin is author of the new book, "The Twilight of Common Dreams: Why America is Wracked by Culture Wars" (Metropolitan Books). Gitlin also teaches at New York University.

Joe Richman reports from New York City on how movies have helped immigrants in the United States learn to speak English. Going as far back as the Great Depression newly arrived foreigners, while seeking entertainment, also received a lesson the English language and American culture.

Daniel speaks with editorial page editors Jane Eisner of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Tom Bray of the Detroit News, and Mindy Cameron of the Seattle Times...about some of the stories they feel were underplayed by the media in 1995. Included are issues of race, the internet, and the press's responsibility to provide solutions as well as criticism of issues it covers.

Last week we asked our listeners for their New Year's resolutions in Limerick form. Tonight we'll hear some of them.

Chapin Carpenter - Daniel talks with Country Music Singer-Songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter in our performance studio. Carpenter has won five Grammy Awards and numerous other awards for her music. Carpenter, who is from the Washington D.C. area, will sing a few songs from her latest C-D called "Stones In The Road." It's on the Columbia label.

Cuban authorities are cracking down on protesters after a wave of anti-government rallies. The U.S. has spoken out in support of the protest movement, but some lawmakers say Biden needs to do more.

The dog who lives in the home of commentator Daniel Pinkwater has been getting some ink recently -- it started with a piece he wrote for the New York Times Book Review, then continued in the pages of "Smithsonian" magazine.

There's a big Hollywood party tonight to mark the upcoming birthday of George Burns. He will be 100 years old this Saturday. We play excerpts from a 1940s Burns & Allen radio show - which foreshadows George Burns longevity in a comic way. (3:30) (

to Russia.

Democratic leaders in New York's state legislature say they'll move forward quickly with impeachment proceedings against Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who faces allegations of criminal sexual harassment.

NPR's Jim Zarroli reports that New York city landlords and striking building maintenance workers resumed negotiations today. Some 30 thousand maintenance workers, elevator operators, janitors and other personnel have been on strike. Labor Secretary Robert Reich participated in the negotiations today in hopes of forcing a settlement.