Gentleman Bankers? Hah! Swiss Used 'Paraguay' Rules Walter Russell Mead, Walter Russell Mead, a contributing editor to Opinion, is a presidential fellow at the World Policy Institute. He is the author of "Mortal Splendor: The American Empire in Transition" (Houghton Mifflin) and is writing a book about U.S. foreign policy
A Question of Political Language Gregory Freidin, Gregory Freidin, chairman of the Slavic department at Stanford University, is co-author of "Russia at the Barricades: Eyewitness Accounts of the August, 1991, Coup" (M.E. Sharp Publishers)
Where the Law Should Not Tread Diane Johnson, Diane Johnson, novelist and critic, is author of "Health and Happiness" (Knopf). Her forthcoming novel, "Le Divorce," will be published by Dutton
Reforming Public Education Should Begin in the Classroom Ruben Navarrette Jr., Ruben Navarrette, Jr. is the author of "A Darker Shade of Crimson: Odyssey of a Harvard Chicano" (Bantam) and editor of the forthcoming newsletter Reconciliation
What Hong Kong's Future Portends for O.C. Business DICK TORRE, Dick Torre is a principal in an Irvine-based firm specializing in international trade. He has been to Hong Kong more than 30 times in his business career
AIDS Curriculum Alive and Well KEVIN WRIGHT CARNEY, Kevin Wright Carney is a member of the board of trustees of the Antelope Valley Union High School District
Back From The Edge Mark Heisler, Mike Heisler covers the NBA for The Times and is the author of two books about baseball. His last article for the magazine was on Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis
Socal Past Susan Straight, Susan Straight's new novel "The Getting Place" will be published next month by Hyperion. Her last novel, "Blacker Than a Thousand Midnights," is available in paperback from Anchor