KQED's Forum

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee last week joined other big-city mayors in telling fast food chain Chick-fil-A that its stores are not welcome in their cities. The controversy started when the company's owner stated his opposition to same-sex marriage and support for "the biblical definition of the family unit." We discuss the risks and benefits for companies that wade into politics and social issues. Does a company's politics play into your buying decisions?

The Oakland Veterans Affairs office -- responsible for all claims from Bakersfield to the Oregon border -- is under fire after a recent inspector general report revealed alarming statistics: a nearly 40 percent error rate in claims inspected and a 33 percent higher wait time than average, making it the second slowest VA office in the country. We'll discuss what's causing the backlog and what this means for Bay Area vets.

UC Berkeley physics professor Richard Muller, a former climate change skeptic, will talk about his latest research and his new book, "Energy for Future Presidents." We'll also hear about new findings on climate change in California including a state assessment which explores vulnerabilities and opportunities to reduce climate change impacts.

A new documentary opening in the Bay Area this week profiles Bill Wilson, the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. Since its creation in 1935, A.A. has helped scores of people around the world achieve sobriety. We'll look at Wilson's legacy and examine the A.A. approach.

In the Bay Area, food is religion. And ice cream is no exception. From institutions like Fenton's and Mitchell's to relative newcomers like Ici and Bi-Rite, people are eating it up. What's your favorite flavor? Forum talks ice cream with those in the know.

French-born jazz guitarist Stephane Wrembel is perhaps best-known for scoring the theme for Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris," and for performing it at the 2012 Academy Awards. Wrembel's live act has been praised as "a revelation" by Rolling Stone. His new album is "Origins," and he joins us in the studio to discuss his career and play a few songs.

On Thursday, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) awarded more than $150 million for stem cell research projects. We'll discuss the new areas of research being funded and take stock of what CIRM has done so far. In 2004 voters approved funding the agency to put California at the forefront of stem cell research. Has the agency delivered on its promise?

The latest profit report from San Francisco-based online gaming company Zynga sent its shares tumbling -- and dragged Facebook along with it. Investors particularly soured on the news that Zynga expects to earn less in bookings, or revenue minus the fees it pays to Facebook. We take the pulse of the two closely linked companies.

As London prepares for Friday's opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics, we preview the games with two Bay Area sportswriters who are in England and following local athletes who are set to compete.

If a child has a food allergy, they are currently told to avoid any traces of that food. That could soon change as a result of a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study found that egg allergies could sometimes be reversed by giving small daily doses of egg over time. We discuss new developments in the prevention and treatment of food allergies.

California's already turbulent water wars were stirred up this week when Gov. Jerry Brown and U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar unveiled a $24 billion tunnel plan to bring water from Northern to Southern California. They say the proposal will help protect the fragile ecosystem of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta while ensuring reliable water deliveries. But a coalition of environmentalists, fishing groups and local governments vow to fight the plan.

Local guitarist Brian Gore has been called a poet of the guitar for his emotive style. Gore's new album is inspired by the sites and sounds of the Santa Cruz area. His newest album is "Santa Cruz in Song and Image," and he joins us in the studio to play some of his new songs and discuss the art of the guitar.

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee says, in light of the recent shootings in Colorado, that he's committed to getting more guns off the street. The mayor has been talking to other cities which have implemented controversial "stop-and-frisk" policies that allow police to search suspicious-looking people for weapons. Supporters say it's helped reduce violent crime in New York and elsewhere, but opponents say it's racial profiling and an affront to civil liberties. We'll debate the policy and look at what a San Francisco brand of stop-and-frisk may look like.

For too long, law schools have been a "refuge for the bright liberal arts student who didn't know what he or she wanted to do," says UC Hastings College of the Law Chancellor Frank Wu. His proposed reforms include enrolling fewer students and providing more specialized legal training in areas like engineering and health care. We talk to Hastings' first Asian-American dean about his vision for the school, and for the legal profession.

The NCAA is fining Penn State $60 million and 112 wins in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sexual abuse scandal. Should the penalty have been lighter or harsher? What should the role of sports be in higher education? We speak with sports sociologist Harry Edwards, who says the real issue is a college sports industry that has become too big to derail.