Gregory Weinkauf, 05/17/12

Poet, pundit, award-winning entertainment writer, lives to dance

We discuss a term used in Battleship -- "Goldilocks planet" -- where "the porridge is just right" for life. And this leads to the notion that if there were life out there, would it resemble Hollywood aliens, friend or foe?

Jennifer Rivera, 05/17/12

Mezzo soprano

I always prefer to get the kissing out of the way right away so that the awkwardness dissolves by opening night. Plus, it's better to not be surprised by the fact that your tenor is actually an open mouthed wet kisser, or that your soprano is a closed lip face presser.

David Behling, 05/16/12

English Professor at Waldorf College

A spacecraft from Earth enters the Crab Nebula and finds the last thing they were expecting: a spacecraft from another planet, exploring the same part of space. A standoff results because neither spaceship has the ability to destroy the other.

Dori Hartley, 05/15/12

Author, 'Angels and Echoes'

Ever feel like parts of your life could be made into an episode fit for the X-Files or Fringe? I wouldn't say it happens to everyone, but most of us have had at least one experience that we simply cannot explain.

Stuart Claxton, 05/16/12

Marketing Director, Guinness World Records

He may only be 12 years old, but Tom Schaar from Malibu, California is already big news within the world of skateboarding.

Julie A. Carlson, 05/16/12

Freelance writer

Insane asylums. What is it about them that draws our interest? Mental institutions have been used as haunting settings for countless movies and novels, including a recent novel, Blue Asylum.

Conde Nast Traveler, 05/16/12

CondeNastTraveler.com

No wonder there's a trace of lament in the Mona Lisa's smile.

Mark Hostetler, 05/14/12

Professor, Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation, University of Florida

If you live in Florida or in the Southeast, you are currently being inundated by swarms of lovebugs flying around your vehicle. You may be thinking, "Do these critters have a death wish?" Well, there is a reason for everything.

Dylan Kendall, 05/15/12

Designer of social ideas and social objects

I will argue however that the humble ball is actually man's greatest invention. Without the ball what would man have bounced against the wall while he was thinking about the wheel?

Menuism, 05/15/12

Restaurant reviews, menu aggregator, social network and educational food blog for diners and drinkers!

Where can you find the world's biggest burger? With fierce competition, it's hard to keep up, so here are the most recent claimants to the record.

John Lundberg, 05/13/12

Writer, Poetry teacher

In defending their book, the editors of Poetry of the Taliban also argue that there is a great deal of value in learning about one's supposed enemy, whether you're a military captain or a responsible civilian. Most people would agree. But is reading a book of Taliban poetry the right way to learn?

Jonathan D. Moreno, 05/14/12

Professor, University of Pennsylvania; Senior Fellow, CAP; Author, 'The Body Politic: The Battle Over Science in America'

Much controversy has surrounded the use of remote-controlled drone aircraft in the war on terror. But another, still more awe-inducing possibility has emerged: taking human beings out of the decision loop altogether.

Megan Smolenyak, 05/13/12

Genealogy Expert, Author of "Hey, America, Your Roots Are Showing" & "Who Do You Think You Are?"

Who doesn't love a good history mystery? You don't have to be a Civil War buff to be fascinated with the attempt to identify the two skeletons found in the turret of the USS Monitor when it was raised from the ocean floor a decade ago.

Tony Phillips, 05/11/12

Grant writer

Evidently, under South Carolina law any vehicle that displays "any sticker, decal, emblem or other device containing obscene or indecent words, photographs or depictions," violates the law.

Carole Mallory, 05/11/12

Actress; Journalist; Flim Critic, malloryhollywoodeast,blogspot.com

Chaos, confusion and irritation best describe this forced gothic nightmare, based on the vampire soap opera from 1966.

Todd Hartley, 05/11/12

Columnist, screenwriter, playwright, lyricist, novelist, blogger and stand-up comedian

Just last week, a 23-year-old Nebraska man named Tyler Gold legally changed his name to Tyrannosaurus Rex Gold. Gold wrote that "name recognition is important, and the new name is more recognizable." On that count, he's entirely correct.

Chris Birk, 05/10/12

Communications Director for Veterans United and author of "The Book on VA Loans"