What happened on December 11, 2005
BOOKS
Impolite society Patt Morrison, Patt Morrison, an Op-Ed columnist for The Times, is the author of "Rio L.A.: Tales From the Los Angeles River."
Sex and the single scholars Heller McAlpin, Heller McAlpin is a regular contributor to Book Review and other publications.
Hardly par for the course Kristina Lindgren, Kristina Lindgren is an assistant editor of Book Review.
Postcards from the edge Diane Middlebrook, Diane Middlebrook is the author of several biographies, including "Her Husband: Hughes and Plath, a Marriage" and a forthcoming life of Ovid.
Children, seen and heard David L. Ulin, David L. Ulin is book editor of The Times.
Private lives Martin Rubin, Martin Rubin is a critic and the author of "Sarah Gertrude Millin: A South African Life."
Labor of love Marjorie Gellhorn Sa'adah, Marjorie Gellhorn Sa'adah is at work on a book of nonfiction about downtown Los Angeles.
Doubt, out from the shadows Nick Owchar, Nick Owchar is deputy editor of Book Review.
OPINION
Religious zealots, arranged right to left Dennis Prager, Nationally syndicated radio host Dennis Prager was awarded the American Jewish Press Assn.'s Excellence in Commentary Prize for 2004.
Dropout miscount GREGORY RODRIGUEZ, GREGORY RODRIGUEZ is an Irvine senior fellow at the New America Foundation.
Welcome, comrades, to Moscow on the Pacific Joel Kotkin, Joel Kotkin, an Irvine senior fellow at the New America Foundation, is the author of "The City: A Global History."
When the West made a difference David DeVoss, East-West News Service editor David DeVoss headed a journalism development program in Bosnia for the United States Agency for International Development.
Is the world safer now? Steven L. Spiegel, Steven L. Spiegel is a professor of political science at UCLA. He is working on a book on the debate over U.S. policy in the Middle East.
Where, you overpaid fools, was Little Green Footballs? Catherine Seipp, Catherine Seipp writes a weekly column for National Review Online and blogs at www.cathyseipp.net.
Separation of sex and state Carol Platt Liebau, Carol Platt Liebau is an attorney, political analyst and guest radio talk-show host. Her blog is at www.carolliebau.blogspot.com.
Labor's movement Julius Getman and Thomas Kohler, JULIUS G. GETMAN teaches labor law at the University of Texas School of Law. THOMAS C. KOHLER teaches labor and employment law at Boston College Law School.
Iconography Joel Pett, Joel Pett is the Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist of the Lexington Herald-Leader. His work also appears in USA Today.
Is the world safer now? E. Benjamin Skinner, E. Benjamin Skinner is writing "A Crime So Monstrous: A Living History of Contemporary Slavery," to be published by Simon & Schuster's Free Press in 2007.
Is the world safer now? Alan Isenberg, Alan Isenberg writes for Newsweek International. He recently completed a fellowship at Stanford University's Center for International Security and Cooperation that focused on Iran's nuclear program.
MAGAZINE
Generation XXX Peter Gilstrap, Peter Gilstrap last wrote for the magazine about Ben Vaughn and his Wonder Valley Music Festival.
The Bird Is the Word Laurie Winer, Laurie Winer is a frequent contributor to The Times' Food section.
True Love R. Daniel Foster, R. Daniel Foster is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles.
The Ethical Outlaw Michael DiGregorio, Michael DiGregorio is a freelance writer based in the east Mojave Desert.
Sightseeing with Dear Leader Barbara Demick, Barbara Demick is The Times' bureau chief in Seoul.