Meg Waite Clayton, 07/13/12

Bestselling Novelist, 'The Four Ms. Bradwells,' 'The Wednesday Sisters'

The explanation for 13 being an unlucky number seems to have to do with it being one beyond the perfect 12: hours on the clock, months of the year, apostles of Christ.... Others seem to think it may have something to do with Judas being the 13th -- and last -- to sit at the table.

Drew Kirk, 07/13/12

18-year-old from Texas

So here it is -- my story about growing up in a world where sneezing could break a rib or spraying a can of Lysol can break an arm. No really, I have done both of those things.

Ann Brenoff, 07/13/12

Senior Writer, The Huffington Post

I am not only of the generation who grew up reading newspapers, I also spent my entire adult life working for them. And yep, here I am, now writing for the largest news content site within 12 universes. I've transitioned, as they say.

Alex Stone, 07/12/12

Author, speaker, amateur magician

A lot of people don't like magic because it make them feel stupid, but getting fooled by magic tricks says little about your intelligence. Indeed, the annals of science are replete with accounts of brilliant professors taken in by dime-store swindles.

Ben Hellwarth, 07/13/12

Author and Journalist

The looming closure of America's last underwater base has caused too little scandal and not enough discussion of the future of scientific exploration.

Myra Chanin, 07/12/12

Author; aka Mother Wonderful Radio/TV Media Personality, Former Partner in Crime of Joey Reynolds Show'

So what delights can you expect on from Ben's new show at 54 Below, the hot new frequently-completely-p.m., and on Friday & Saturday nights July 13 and 14, also at 11 p.m.? Just watching him talk, smile and sing is enchanting!

Dave Scheidt, 07/12/12

Writer

Essentially Pacific Rim is a movie that was made for me. Giant robots fighting giant monsters, what more could I ask for?

Reverend Billy, 07/11/12

Spiritual Leader of the Church of Earthalujah

Someone might call this "culture-making." We step into hazmat suits and spread pink polka dots on bulldozers at the construction site for the Spectra (fracking gas) pipeline on the Manhattan-side riverbank of the Hudson.

Lisa Belkin, 07/10/12

Senior columnist for life/work/family, The Huffington Post

The message sent to the 12-year-olds on the field at Britt David Park in Columbus was that winning matters so much it is worth fighting over. I'm betting that is the same message that the 16-year-old cheating Stuyvesant students were sent over the years.

Tom Macy, 07/10/12

Head bartender, Clover Club

I have every confidence in the The Avengers' ability to save the world. But working a brunch service? I'm not holding my breath.

Pete Jorgensen, 07/10/12

Author

Day by day, innocent animals' names are being misused in lewd, objectionable, and obscene ways. Years ago a bear was a bear, now it has all sorts of connotations that the Ursus actos could never have imagined while minding its own business in the great outdoors.

Chris Barnes, 07/10/12

Growing up in the 1980s, I watched a lot of "MacGyver." Thanks to Richard Dean Anderson's portrayal of a non-violent secret agent, there is whole generation that thinks they can save the world with a paper clip, a soda can and some duct tape. MacGyver was right -- you can do anything with your trusty paperclip.

SnagFilms, 07/06/12

For this World UFO Day, watch a list of the top 10 UFO sightings of all-time, and ask yourself if we are really alone.

Jeb Harrison, 07/09/12

Author

I wrote a novel about faked death and identity fraud. And then I heard that my literary agent had been killed in a car crash. But Melanie Mills had a thing for resurrection.

Stewart A. Swerdlow, 07/10/12

Author; lecturer; Hyperspace Intuitive

Everyone daydreams. Some more than others. However, you often don't even realize that you are daydreaming. Visualization simply means becoming aware of your daydreams and focusing on them to create your dreams into your reality.

Varla Ventura, 07/06/12

Author, Beyond Bizarre: Frightening Facts and Blood-Curdling True Tales

Have you had a mermaid sighting? Some believe they are as real as fairies, or saints, or ghosts. The recent news from NOAA that mermaids are, in fact, a myth resulted in a flurry of media coverage and everything from mockery of the government to broken-hearted little girls.

Andrew Dudley, 07/06/12

Environmental activist

What pushed me to make a spectacle of myself in the name of environmental activism? It's taken me 40 years living on this planet to realize that I needed to break out of my comfort zone and do "something."