Alexander B. Downes, 01/16/13

Associate professor of political science and international affairs, George Washington University

Drone strikes are mostly killing low-level Pakistani militants, not al Qaeda leaders. This strategy is unlikely to cause the collapse of al Qaeda or even the Pakistani Taliban and may have counterproductive effects. Obama's second term may therefore require new thinking on drones.

Arianna Huffington, 01/15/13

We often bemoan the fact that those in Washington who get it wrong never seem to be held accountable, and those who get it right (even if not right away) always seem to be marginalized. Well, President Obama's nomination of Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense is how the system should -- but seldom does -- work.

James Moore, 01/15/13

Best selling author, Director of Progress Texas PAC

Anyone who thinks Lance Armstrong's current apologia is more than self-serving is more naïve than people who think it's normal to ride a bike up a mountain faster than most athletes can ride one down.

Kate White, 01/14/13

Former Editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan and bestselling author

For 14 years I was the editor of Cosmopolitan magazine and along with the responsibility came some pretty sweet perks, compliments of my company. Here's a sampling of work perks based on level of employment.

Klaus Schwab, 01/16/13

Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum

How can we restore stability to the European banking system? A banking union is the only solution, including bank deposit insurance to protect savers' assets and a central regulator, the European Central Bank.

Sarah Holewinski, 01/16/13

Executive Director, Center for Civilians in Conflict

Who is targeted, why, how and what civilian protection measures are put in place are unknown to anyone but a tight inner circle of policy makers -- an about-face for a president who pledged a transparent government in his first term. And Congress is following his lead.

J. Brent Walker, 01/16/13

Executive Director, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty

Jefferson's radical Virginia statute created a vital marketplace for religion that must be based on voluntary belief, not government assistance.

Adam Levin, 01/16/13

Founder, Credit.com and former director NJ Division of Consumer Affairs

A credit portfolio building plan should consist of several components, all interconnected and each a platform for recovery and financial evolution. Viewing credit as portfolio can help convert the traditional holiday churn-and-burn process from an annual ritual of excess and recovery into a new way of life.

Michael F. Jacobson, 01/16/13

Executive Director, Center for Science in the Public Interest

Since 2007, the Xtreme Eating Awards have become an (almost) annual tradition. Today, we unveil the latest "winners." What we found is extreme by anyone's definition. Take a look at our nine dis-honorees.

Ben Hallman, 01/16/13

Senior Financial Writer, The Huffington Post

Questions about who controls the NRA's agenda have increased over the past month in the wake of the Newtown shootings as the organization has staked out a hardline stance considered out-of-step with many the views of many gun owners.

Jeff Danziger, 01/16/13

Political cartoonist syndicated by the NYTimes worldwide

Shawnee McPhail, 01/15/13

Wife, mother and advocate for LGBTQ youth

Lesbians and gays are not monsters lurking among the normal people in your restaurant, monsters from whom you need to protect your children. We are normal people. We have children. Instead of focusing on what separates us, look at what brings us together.

Lincoln Mitchell, 01/16/13

Harriman Institute, Columbia University

The NRA is a great foil for Obama and for advocates of gun legislation. As long as one side is proposing things like background checks while the other is seen as demanding that all teachers start packing heat, those Americans who are undecided will largely side with the proponents of more gun safety legislation.

Peter Scheer, 01/16/13

Executive Director, First Amendment Coalition

Although the stock market yawned at Facebook's announcement of "Graph Search," its new search service, with investors wagering it would only hurt smaller, vertical search services like Yelp and Linkedin, the truth is that it is potentially much more significant than that.

Mike Bellamente, 01/16/13

Director, Climate Counts

As social issues go, climate change is about as sexy as a lesson in physics. We have no fancy pink ribbons and there are no cuddly puppies to hand out as a reward for paying the problem any mind.

Dennis M. Kelleher, 01/16/13

President and CEO, Better Markets, Inc.

The goal of a safer, sounder financial system, one that is less prone to crisis and failure and eliminates or dramatically reduces the need for taxpayer bailouts, is achievable. This is what the American people voted for last November. This is the president's clear mandate.

Yoni Freedhoff M.D. , 01/14/13

Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa

Along with being taught that obesity is treatable by means of incredible amounts of vomit-inducing exercise, severe dietary restriction, and never-ending servings of guilt and shame, the medical literature suggests viewers will also be taught that failure is an obese child's personal choice.

Betty White, 01/16/13

Actress, comedienne, singer, author and television personality

Animals are near and dear to my heart, and I've devoted my life to trying to improve their lives. Since a girl like me already has more than I could hope for, I'm asking fellow animal lovers for a special birthday gift this year.

Babble.com, 01/14/13

I raced into the house and couldn't believe what I saw before me. My house had been burgled. Most of my valuables had been stolen and the place was a wreck. Presley looked strung out and hadn't even noticed things were missing.

Suresh Kumar, 01/16/13

Distinguished visiting professor of international business, George Washington University; former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Director General of USFCS

Government support for globally engaged American businesses is required now, not sometime in the future. The reality of our times is that all exporting countries are targeting the same faster-growing markets and an emerging middle class today, not in the future.

Tina Swithin, 01/15/13

Author, 'Divorcing a Narcissist: One Mom’s Battle'

We have been taught by virtually every religion under the sun that there is great power in forgiveness. Most studies on forgiveness tout the health benefits of forgiveness from both a mental and physical standpoint.

Craig Kanalley, 01/15/13

Senior Editor, Big News & Live Events, The Huffington Post

It hardly competes with Google -- in fact it's really a different product that uses the social layer that Facebook offers to answer questions you might have, many of which you wouldn't go to Google for anyway. (For example, who are my friends in San Francisco?)

Russell Simmons, 01/15/13

Founder, GlobalGrind.com

In an era when the sadly misguided believe that we should fight fire with fire and arm teachers with weapons, I believe we should be supporting programs that don't need the threat of violence to make young people put down their guns.

Bianca Bosker, 01/15/13

Executive Tech Editor, The Huffington Post

A survey of 1,000 cell phone owners commissioned by Nuance, a provider of voice recognition software, suggests that people are developing closer relationships with the virtual assistants on their smartphones.

Larry Womack, 01/16/13

Founder, 1450 Media; former Associate News Editor, The Huffington Post

If we really wanted to end bullying, we would try to end bullying, both as individuals and as institutions. A good place to start doing that might be actual bullies. And by "bullies," I don't mean "other people's kids." I mean the ones we have influence over.

G. Roger Denson, 01/15/13

Cultural critic, essayist, novelist and screenwriter published with Parkett and Art in America

The anti-Zero Dark Thirty camp indicates in their statements that they have little awareness of the principles of irony, catharsis, and sublimation that dramatizations use to separate depiction of heinous activities from endorsement of them.

Elizabeth Rigby, 01/15/13

Political scientist and policy analyst; assistant professor of public policy and public administration, George Washington University

We don't need a national discourse on poverty but a shift in attention away from disadvantage toward an examination of the concentrated advantages provided to those already flourishing in our society. It then becomes clear that it is not only poverty but inequality that plagues the poor.

Dale Cooper, 01/15/13

Porn performer and writer

I believe that the prosecution for the United States threatened Swartz's emotional and physical well-being, and, faced with a court battle that he could not possibly finance with his own personal wealth, he took his own life. It bullied Swartz, and it should be held responsible in some way.

Austin Blood, 01/16/13

Freelance Writer

Now that I'm a single dad and my ex-wife isn't around all the time like she was during the blissful days of yore, I have a whole new level of respect and admiration for mothers and caretakers of every sort.