The science of behavior modification has been proven as an effective way to stop bad habits like overeating and smoking -- and now new smartphone apps make it easier for us to track what we do and try to change our ways. But the specter of "Clockwork Orange"-type mind control still casts a shadow on the field.

The U.S. Senate is expected to vote next month on a new farm bill, which would shape the nation's food and agriculture agenda for the next five years. What might the legislation mean for California farmers and consumers?

Philip Kaufman, the San Francisco-based director of critically acclaimed films such as "The Right Stuff," "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" and "Henry and June" joins us in the studio. We look back at Kaufman's career and discuss his newest release, an epic film for HBO about the marriage of writer Ernest Hemingway and journalist Martha Gellhorn.

In recent weeks, KQED News and The Bay Citizen have been doing a series of Open Newsroom events at bars and cafes as a way to connect our audience to reporters and editors. We open the phone lines to get your ideas for news stories and Forum segments. What stories and issues are most important to you?

The pages of comic books are most often thought of as places for superheroes and evildoers. But over the course of his career as a cartoonist and screenwriter, Daniel Clowes has turned those familiar panels into windows on the complex challenges of everyday loneliness, alienation and despair. Oakland-based Clowes joins us to discuss the retrospective of his work currently showing at the Oakland Museum of California.

A new survey of contaminants -- such as mercury and PCB -- in fish along the California coast finds that the San Francisco Bay shows some of the highest levels in the state. We discuss the findings, and what they mean for seafood consumers and fishermen.

A Sacramento Bee investigation has raised further questions about the testing and construction of the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge. We discuss the latest findings.

Read any good books lately? We open the phone lines for our annual show featuring listeners' suggestions for the best books to enjoy this summer on the beach and beyond.

Private equity has become a hot topic in the presidential election, with both President Obama and Mitt Romney hurling barbs over the issue. But what's the truth beneath the political rhetoric? We discuss the advantages and pitfalls to a business that makes some people very wealthy.

Diane Ackerman and her husband, Paul West, have both enjoyed long literary careers. West suffered a stroke in 2003 that left him with aphasia, an inability to produce or understand words. Ackerman's memoir, "One Hundred Names for Love" examines the impact this had on their word-filled relationship.

Boosting creativity is not a magical process, says journalist Jonah Lehrer. In his book, "Imagine: How Creativity Works," Lehrer explores different thought processes -- such as productive daydreaming -- that anyone can use to foster creativity. He also debunks the myth that creativity is a gift only possessed by the few.

Celebrity chef Jacques Pepin has been cooking for almost 60 years. He has published 27 cookbooks and has won a Daytime Emmy, numerous James Beard Awards and two of France's highest honors. Pepin joined us in April to discuss food, his newest cookbook and his KQED-produced PBS series, "Essential Pepin."

Hairdresser Vidal Sassoon pioneered sleek, geometric hairstyles that helped free women in the 1960s from the tyranny of frequent visits to the hair stylist. He passed away on May 9th. We listen back to a 2008 interview with Sassoon about hair, fashion, his rags to riches story and his philanthropic work.