The phrase "something for everyone" is thrown around cheaply by everyone from movie promoters to restaurant advertisers to book publishers. 99 percent of the time, it doesn't actually apply.
Well, when I say that the Daily's crop of columnists this semester provides "something for everyone," I'm confident that my use of the phrase falls into the other one percent.
Our columnists - elected on Friday by the Daily's masthead - run the gamut in terms of topic, focus, ideology and style. Whether you like your columns sarcastic or straightforward, humorous or scholarly, measured or brash, you'll find a column in our pages that suits your preferences.
Our crew of columnists includes newcomers as well as familiar faces. One of those familiar faces belongs to Sydne Summer, whose "How To" is returning to the Features section. Last fall, Summer tackled everything thing from identifying cheating girlfriends to creating an animal-free wardrobe. This semester, she'll be shining her sunny L.A. outlook on a host of other how-to dilemmas.
Joining Summer in Features is a new columnist with a decidedly un-L.A. point-of-view: lifelong Medford-dweller Peter McKeown. Through his "Daily Townie" column, McKeown - whose pride in his hometown is equaled only by his ability to make us laugh - has made it his mission to celebrate the perks and quirks of life in the Medford/Somerville area.
Neither of our Arts|Living columnists this semester - Alex Sherman and Sara Franklin - are newcomers to the Daily's pages, but both of their columns have undergone some changes. In Sherman's case, that change is one of real estate: His witty, playful and at times irate "Retrospective" appeared in Viewpoints rather than Arts|Living last semester.
The change to Franklin's column is one of focus rather than location. Franklin-whom you'll recognize as the author of last semester's "Oh My! Sex Straight Up" column - is indeed back, but this time around, she's penning a column called "Imagine that! Thoughts on Sex, Pleasure and the Taboo." She'll continue to bring her characteristic frankness to our pages, but, in addition to the act itself, she'll be exploring the social and cultural issues surrounding sex - as well as other taboo subjects.
Sherman's old stomping ground, the Viewpoints section, is home to three new columnists this semester (two of whom, purely coincidentally, are named Benjamin). These columnists share an inquisitive spirit, a flair for the written word and a knack for zeroing in on relevant, resonant topics.
In "Spare Me," Benjamin Bell looks at campus and national issues through an alternately humorous and serious lens. David Mitchell turns his thoughtful pen to national and international politics and policies in "The Royal We." And in each one of Benjamin Rolfe's "Modest Proposant" pieces, Rolfe will address a problem and-as his column title implies-propose a solution. (Whether he's being serious or tongue-in-cheek is up to you to decide.)
Finally, we have a full roster of columnists in our Sports section - five, to be exact. So if you're a fan of opinionated sports commentary and analysis, you're in luck: You'll be getting a different sports column every day of the week.
Two of those columns - Kristy Cunningham's "Into Thin Air" and Leah Roffman's "Baseline Banter" - are new additions to the Daily. Cunningham's column tackles the great outdoors, and Roffman - a self-professed NBA nut - tackles on-the-court (and behind-the-scenes) basketball action.
Additionally, Cole Liberator returns with "Hot Peas and Butter," his unique and always-entertaining take on Tufts sports, and Ben Swasey brings back "From Way Downtown," a broad look at the sports community, including athletes, coaches and fans. Plus, Andrew Bauld - who was abroad last semester - resurrects "You Can't Steal First," bringing a Boston fan's perspective to the local sports realm.
So there you have it: the columnists who will be featured throughout the Daily this semester. You won't love everything they write. In fact, you may very well hate some of it. But whether our columnists make you mad or make you laugh, as long as they make you think, then they're doing their job - and so are we.
