Lesley Girkins, 02/22/12

Student, UCLA

At the end of the night, everyone was more educated about the cause, and felt inspired to stay involved with the fight against pediatric AIDS. Involvement of this magnitude proves that this community cares.

Carrie White, 02/22/12

Hollywood hairdresser; author, 'Upper Cut: Highlights of My Hollywood Life'

I see a sign over another door: Tattoo Removal. I had noticed this place was filled with people who had more ink on them than I had seen at a lifetime of rock concerts. "Hard to get a job with F*^k You tattooed across your forehead," Bird says.

Josephine Nabukenya, 02/22/12

Ambassador, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation

My participation the Dance Marathon at UCLA was life-changing. In a room full of American students my age, I was able to see that regardless of where we come from, we are all passionate about saving lives.

Paul Szep, 02/22/12

Two-time Pulitzer prize-winning cartoonist

John M. Eger, 02/22/12

Professor of Communications and Public Policy and Director of the Creative Economy Initiative at San Diego State University

Many parents want their child to have a different experience in school where they can be assured that the "whole child" is educated. In Silicon Valley, this is worth $20,000 to $25,000 in education costs.

Bill Bush, 02/21/12

Publisher of Artweek.LA, a leading online magazine dedicated to the Los Angeles art scene

Ann Brenoff, 02/22/12

Senior Writer, The Huffington Post

Who among us hasn't, at least on occasion (if not with some regularity), washed down an anti-anxiety pill with a glass of wine? And is it really a potentially lethal thing to do?

Marlena Doktorczyk-Donohue, 02/22/12

Art critic

As a subtle study of the complexities of female identity (and the negotiations of intimacy and self in general), this work is quite profound; as photography these images are just plain aesthetically gorgeous.

Quora, 02/22/12

Connecting you to everything you want to know about

The Motion Picture Association of America has never written me a paycheck for anything. They're not backing my picture. These are not nice guys. They are not in this business to help filmmakers at all.

Dennis A. Henigan, 02/22/12

Acting President, Brady Campaign; Author, 'Lethal Logic'

The solution to gun trafficking to Mexico is also the solution to gun trafficking within the U.S.: stronger federal gun laws.

Dylan Ratigan, 02/22/12

Host, MSNBC's 'The Dylan Ratigan Show'; Author, 'Greedy Bastards'; Founder, Get Money Out Foundation

I've found myself more enthusiastic than I've been in years as I've shifted my attention from D.C./NYC to cities both burgeoning with ideas and struggling with the excruciating pain that Washington and New York have inflicted on them. What's become apparent to me is that the rate of change on this planet, due to technological, ecological, and financial mechanisms, is the highest it's ever been. That means that our rate of adaptation must also be high, that we must adapt our communities, companies, and selves to what is quickly becoming a new and different world. We must experiment, or die.

Bonnie Fuller, 02/22/12

President & Editor-in-Chief, HollywoodLife.com

Rihanna and Chris Brown gave what they saw as a birthday present to their fans yesterday -- the release of remixes of two of their songs, which tell us why they are so in love again.

Zagat, 02/22/12

Zagat.com

It's the 84th Annual Academy Awards, a night when a large segment of the local population stays home to watch. But it's also a great night to score a reservation at any number of restaurants that are hard to get into.

Cosima Cabrera, 02/22/12

Student at Yale University

This year Demián Bichir from Mexico received best actor Oscar nominations. While Bichir deserves to win, it is unlikely perhaps because Oscar voters are 94% Caucasian and Latinos are less than 2% of the Academy's voting members.

Theresa Bruno, 02/22/12

Designer, Jordan Alexander

Imagine a conference center filled with hundreds of vendors and booths of product in every direction. Everything was there in one place -- diamonds and stones, pearls, geodes, silver, gold -- and anything you could possibly imagine.

David Murray, 02/22/12

Chicago based writer/editor

State-of-the-town speeches exploded during the housing boom, when mayors could describe the growth in the tax base and bask in the glow. After everything went to hell in 2008, mayors would probably have preferred to skip the speech.

Diana Nyad, 02/22/12

Long Distance Swimmer, Journalist, Broadcaster

Confidence, long-term belief, discipline, grace in defeat -- all qualities that help us make a good life -- were constructed as my personal foundation directly through my participation in sports.