What happened on October 15, 2006
OPINION
`Did I ever hurt you when you were a child?' Bettina Aptheker, BETTINA APTHEKER is a professor of feminist studies and history at UC Santa Cruz. She is the author, most recently, of "Intimate Politics: How I Grew Up Red, Fought for Free Speech, and Became a Feminist Rebel."
The Times' awkward family squabble Alicia C. Shepard, ALICIA C. SHEPARD is a media critic who teaches journalism at American University. Her book "Woodward and Bernstein: Life in the Shadow of Watergate" comes out in November.
Living with the bomb William Langewiesche, William Langewiesche, international correspondent for Vanity Fair, is the author of "Atomic Bazaar: The Rise of the Nuclear-Armed Poor," to be published by Farrar Straus Giroux in the spring.
Antonio's ego trip GREGORY RODRIGUEZ, GREGORY RODRIGUEZ is an Irvine senior fellow at the New America Foundation.
Did Democrats lock themselves out of the House? Tony Quinn, TONY QUINN is a former consultant to legislative Republicans on redistricting and was an expert witness in the lawsuit challenging the Legislature's redistricting plans in 2003.
The Capitol gang(sters) Marty Kaplan, MARTY KAPLAN, associate dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication, was screenwriter and executive producer of "The Distinguished Gentleman."
How Bush uncaged the nuclear beast Joseph Cirincione, Joseph Cirincione is a senior vice president at the Center for American Progress. His new book, "Bomb Scare: The History and Future of Nuclear Weapons," will be published next spring.
The dirt on gossip Lloyd Grove, Until last week, Lloyd Grove wrote Lowdown, a gossip column in the New York Daily News.
How LAUSD should go forward Roy Romer, ROY ROMER has been L.A. Unified's superintendent since 2000.
BOOKS
Monsters among us Tod Goldberg, Tod Goldberg is the author of the short-story collection "Simplify" and the novel "Living Dead Girl."
If you're feeling uffish Michael Sims, Michael Sims is the editor of "The Annotated Archy and Mehitabel" and wrote about Lewis Carroll in his first book, "Darwin's Orchestra."
Silly and Sophisticated R. Sikoryak, R. Sikoryak's cartoons have appeared in Drawn & Quarterly, Nickelodeon Magazine and on "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart."
Opposites attract Richard Rayner, Richard Rayner is the author of several books, most recently the novel "The Devil's Wind."
Analyze this Susan Kandel, Susan Kandel is the author of the Cece Caruso mysteries, including "I Dreamed I Married Perry Mason," "Not a Girl Detective" and, most recently, "Shamus in the Green Room."
The lies that blind Stanley Crouch, Stanley Crouch is the author, most recently, of "Considering Genius: Writings on Jazz."
When the music's over James Marcus, James Marcus is the author of "Amazonia: Five Years at the Epicenter of the Dot.Com Juggernaut."
Fairy tales for cynics Ursula K. Le Guin, Ursula K. Le Guin is the author of many books, including "The Left Hand of Darkness," the series of novels known as "The Earthsea Cycle" and, most recently, a young adult novel, "Voices."
Strip mine David L. Ulin, David L. Ulin is book editor of The Times.
Plotting death Mark Coleman, Mark Coleman is the author of "Playback: From the Victrola to MP3, 100 Years of Music, Machines, and Money."
MAGAZINE
Falling for the Grandeur David Lukas, David Lukas is a naturalist and co-author of the newly revised "Sierra Nevada Natural History."
Brine Worship Daniel Duane, Daniel Duane is the author of "Caught Inside: A Surfer's Year on the California Coast." His work has appeared in Outside magazine.
Greetings, Earthlings Sarah Malarkey, Sarah Malarkey is an executive editor at Chronicle Books.
Where the Oaks Roam Ann Herold, Ann Herold is managing editor of West.
If They Tell You It's Wrong, You're Probably Right Phil Rosenthal, Phil Rosenthal is the creator of "Everybody Loves Raymond." He also directed the comedy video "The Final Days," featuring President Bill Clinton.
91331 Jessica Gelt
Strange Birds Fly South Nathan Myers, Nathan Myers is the managing editor of Surfing magazine and has contributed previously to West.