Mohamed A. El-Erian, 08/15/12

CEO and co-CIO, PIMCO

Paul Ryan may be too hasty in dismissing the extent to which the new normal is becoming embedded in our economy and, with each passing week, transitioning from a short-term exception into an even more painful multi-year reality.

Marlo Thomas, 08/15/12

Award-winning actress, author, and activist

A secretary-turned-copywriter-turned author, Helen rocked the culture with her revolutionary ideas about women and sexuality -- and she did so without fear or apology.

Deepak Chopra, 08/15/12

Author, 'Spiritual Solutions'; founder, The Chopra Foundation

At its most basic, self-awareness is simply self-appreciating the self. To find an answer to a question we are all interested in -- "How am I doing?" -- you have to be willing to look in the first place.

Claire Bidwell Smith, 08/15/12

Los Angeles-based grief therapist and author of the memoir 'The Rules of Inheritance'

Every day I take photos. I capture little moments of my life and post them on Instagram. The bright, blue California sky. My two girls holding hands. But they don't tell the whole story.

Chris C. Anderson, 08/15/12

Senior Editor, Huffington Post

Mitt, if you're elected and you lay one finger, just one finger on my PBS, there will be hell to pay.

Rev. Al Sharpton, 08/15/12

President, National Action Network

In Pennsylvania, a judge has ruled in favor of upholding the draconian Republican-supported voter ID law. This outrageous ruling is a slap in the face to democracy, and a slap in the face to all those who sacrificed so dearly in order to secure our liberties.

Marion Kane, 08/15/12

Food Writer

Today is Julia Child's 100th birthday. In my 30 years as a food writer, per­haps my fond­est mem­o­ries are of talk­ing shop, chat­ting about life and break­ing bread with my inspir­ing men­tor and beloved friend: North America's cui­sine queen Julia Child. Here's how that all began.

Foz Meadows, 08/15/12

Author, blogger, bipedal mammal with delusions of immortality and carbon-based lifeform extraordinaire.

Sex in fan fiction matters because it's a glaring representation of everything that's missing from mainstream porn, and because it stands as evidence of the wealth of female desire that's barely being acknowledged elsewhere, let alone catered to.

Dr. Bonnie Snyder, 08/15/12

Author, College/Career Consultant

Here's a novel approach for a student unhappy with his report card: sue. That's right, a high school student in New York state is suing his school district over a C+ in Chemistry.

Greta Van Susteren, 08/15/12

Host of Fox News' 'On the Record with Greta Van Susteren'

I wonder if President Obama realizes what he did with that executive order -- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. He may get some Hispanic votes but if you stop and think about it, he sure didn't help them.

Steve Blank, 08/15/12

Author, 'The Startup Owner's Manual'

"Why don't you make something up?" the recruiter told me. But it's not the crime that gets you, it's the coverup.

John Farr, 08/15/12

Editor, bestmoviesbyfarr.com

Vertigo is unmissable. It is certainly Hitchcock's most ambitious movie. If not a masterpiece, it's most certainly a near-masterpiece. But is it indeed the Master's very best film?

Aidan Donnelley Rowley, 08/14/12

Author, 'Life After Yes'

She asks me one question as she traces small circles around her bulging belly button, just one part of her anatomy that will never be the same.

Tucker Max, 08/15/12

#1 New York Times Best Selling author of "I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell"

I have been asked about playing basketball with Obama probably 500 times. People pepper me with questions about him. The problem is I didn't know Barack Obama as a person, only as a basketball player. But, the scouting report on Barack Obama's pick-up game skills? That I can do.

Arianna Huffington, 08/13/12

I could tell you about all the cool features of the HuffPost Live platform, and explain the thinking behind our community-first approach, but since HuffPost Live is now just that -- live! -- why not go see for yourself? Click here to be part of a different kind of conversation.

Rep. Louise Slaughter, 08/15/12

U.S. Congresswoman from New York's 28th District

Despite our incredible progress over the years, we still have more work to do. Although our female Olympians broke through new barriers, future generations of American women are facing declining athletic opportunity.

Denise Vivaldo, 08/15/12

Seasoned food professional

The time passed quickly with Stephanie telling me new Julia stories and me reminding her of my favorite moments with Julia. Julia loved having fun and if you were a friend you might have known she played the famous SNL/Dan Aykroyd piece at her own dinner parties.

Bob Stephens, 08/15/12

Mayor of Springfield, Missouri

Springfield is a community that collaborates (it might be in the water). We work together as a team to ensure any prospective employer receives seamless, top-quality service.

Mike Lux, 08/14/12

Partner, Democracy Partners

Given the massive bailouts the industry scored in 2008-9, and how easy policy-makers have been on them, the arrogance and hubris of talking about Soviet style government is pretty amazing. But then that fits quite well with Romney and Ryan, too.

DJ Louie XIV, 08/14/12

DJ

Is Justin Timberlake really finished with his pop career? There, I said it. I'll give you a moment to let that sink in, catch your breath and grab a kleenex.

Keli Goff, 08/14/12

Author and Political Correspondent, TheRoot.com

I wish we lived in a world in which women didn't play into the most negative and cliche stereotype out there about us, and picking on the pretty girl because people like her for being pretty is embarrassing, not just to the women doing it but to all women.

Dan Collins, 08/15/12

New York Editor-at-Large, The Huffington Post

Voters went to the polls in Connecticut and picked their Senate contenders. The GOP chose former pro-wrestling executive Linda McMahon, whose single great political attribute is being rich.

Frank Schaeffer, 08/15/12

New York Times best-selling author

I have something in common with Republican vice presidential nominee Congressman Paul Ryan: We were both friends with the late Congressman Jack Kemp. Today, some Republicans are comparing Paul Ryan to Kemp. That is a slur on Kemp.

Lee Abbamonte, 08/15/12

The youngest American to visit every country

In September 2010, a team of leading underwater archaeologists discovered six iron cannons off the coast of Panama that belonged to the real Captain Morgan. Did you know he was a real historical figure?