...And so begins another semester with The State Press opinion page, where many of you turn, right after you've checked for the Subway coupons.
I'm Katie Petersen, your fearless opinion editor. After today, I become more invisible, and the 13 columnists you'll read about below will have their say, rotating on a weekly basis. In addition, our editorial board will weigh in on news down the left hand column. If you have kudos for the columns you see or bones to pick with the editorials you read, send letters to katie.petersen@asu.edu.
I will be running Letters to the Editor weekly, so if you spell your name right, you've got a chance to see your name in print. And if your own opinions fall into the "bigger-than-a-bread-box" category, we always consider guest columns, which you can send to the same e-mail address.
I am committed to making this page a relevant, articulate and thought-provoking barometer of local and international issues. Pursuant to this, we've added a new feature to the opinion page this semester: Many of the columnists below will be writing bimonthly on topical themes such as science, intrauniversity issues, energy and business, so we can make sure the issues you have opinions on are addressed.
In putting these introductions together, I formed a few opinions of my own: It is excruciatingly challenging to come up with original, non-hackneyed synonyms for Arizona, the journalism school and right-handers, whose prevalence here confirmed how few of us lefties are really out there (about 10 percent). As a footnote, I learned how personally these folks take their peanut butter cups, and how little they are willing to divulge...apparently, there is a right way to eat a Reese's, but these columnists are not willing to tell. My guess is that may be the last time this semester their lips are sealed.
Tim Agne
He's from: East St. Louis
Major: Journalism in the Walter Cronkite School
Minor: Bud Light
Right- or left-handed: Ambicolumndexterous
How Tim eats a Reese's: One time he tried the thing from the commercial in which the kid puts the little hole in the peanut butter cup. He wound up just mangling the cup and getting arrested for indecent exposure. Tim asks readers to remember that in this post-American Pie time we live in, eating dessert has forever changed.
Why you need to read him: A veteran of the opinion page, Tim's reached a point in his career where he wants to focus on only hard-hitting geopolitical issues. For instance, he's got a really good idea for a column about urinal mats that will change the world. One day, he hopes to get around to writing that one. You'll want to have a first edition.
Evonne S. Avalos
She's from: Born in West Covina, Calif., Evonne has been a transplanted Phoenician for three years.
Major: She's doubling up in journalism and history.
Right- or left-handed: A Southpaw (that's left for all your ignorant righties out there) born on Halloween.
How she eats a Reese's: Like a trick-or-treat birthday cake.
Why you'll want to read her: She wants to share the rich history of ASU as it evolved from a Normal School to a top-notch University. Evonne says, "Whether you agree or disagree with a subject, no one will ever know unless you take action." Cheers to the opinion page.
Audra Baker
She's from: Kennedyland (aka Massachusetts)
Major: Another Doublestuff - journalism and biology
Right- or left- handed: Riiiiight.
How Audra eats a Reese's: She pokes holes in the center and eats the outside first - sounds like her expertise from the days of lab dissection applied to peanut butter cups.
Why you'll want to read her: Audra will be writing about news from the scientific and technological frontier.
Rosie Cisneros
She's from: Phoenix, born and raised.
Right- or left- handed: Right.
How she eats a Reese's: One bite, then another, and another...
Reasons to read Rosie: In her second year on the opinion page, Rosie returns hoping to wake readers from their quasi-catatonic states with her weekly insight. Whether it's a thoughtful "Hmmm..." or a look of disgust followed by an irate e-mail, Rosie looks forward equally to all reader reactions - the good, the bad and the ugly. Because that will mean she got you to think for 15 seconds (hopefully about her column). How's that for optimism?
Chris Fanning
Hails from: Tempe
Right- or left- handed: A southpaw all the way.
How he eats a Reese's: Violently, with a hint of belligerence.
His destiny as a columnist: "I am on the opinion page to continue the righteous work of Shanna Bowman. The stars and planets will align correctly. The liberal pigs and heathens left on this campus will be eradicated before the next full moon rises. And it will be good."
Grant Thomas Klinzman
Grant's from: Overland Park, Kan.
Major: Journalism...who'd have thunk?
Right- or left-handed: Rightish
How he eats a Reese's: Like the true Kansan that he is: accompanied by five cans of Mountain Dew and two cups of coffee.
What he's doing on the opinion page: TBA. Tune in Friday, same time, same place.
Emily Lyons
Where's she from: undisclosed location
Right- or left-handed: Depends on the task
How she eats a Reese's: "I'll never tell." (Lyons is our resident mystery columnist and refuses to provide direct answers to any question.)
Emily's addition to the opinion page: She's really not at liberty to say.
Ishtiaque Masud
Ish is from: Bangladesh, and more recently, Mesa.
Major: Economics
Minor: In the works...
Right- or left-handed: Right as rain
The Ish way to eat a Reese's: Three bites
Why you'll want to read him: Ish will be writing about the small-time stories that often go uncovered...until now.
Christian Palmer
He's from: the Valley of the Sun
Major: Journalism
Right- or left-handed: Allrighty then!
How he eats a Reese's: Christian believes that the personal affairs of journalists have no place on the opinion page.
Why he's writing this semester: Career-oriented fun.
Catherine Portillo
She's from: The Grand Canyon State
Major: She's in the Cronkite J-school, too.
Minor: Spanish
Right- or left-handed: Yep. Right again.
How she eats a Reese's: As the chocolate lover Catherine is, she swallows them whole.
Motivation to read Catherine's column: She loves to write in a way that gets people motivated and looks forward to reader response. Says Catherine: "I think my fellow students and I need to become more aware of the world around us and the injustices that we sometimes turn a blind eye to. Go Devils!"
Scott Phillips
He's from: Anchorage. Scott is our resident Alaskan, though he has not been party to baby seal-clubbing or massive oil spills for which his great state is so commonly known. He is, however, solely responsible for glacial melt.
Major: Justice Studies
Hand o' choice: We're not exactly sure, but statistically speaking, he's probably a righty.
Why you'll want to read him: He's a familiar face. Scott has written a column since the actual days of yore, plus the summer editions of The State Press, always turning out articulate tirades on the injustices and hypocrisies of the world, not including baby seals. Gotta love that mug.
Matthew Ian Snowden
And the award for the coolest hometown name goes to: Gallipolis, Ohio
He's majoring in: Finance
Hand: A righty
How he eats a Reese's: As quickly as possible. Matt's addicted.
Why you'll want to read him: He likes to share, and since The State Press was crazy enough to hire him, he plans to do just that. Writing on the business beat, Matt hopes to provide unique perspectives that encourage students to think about the world around them from a slightly different angle, and maybe get a laugh or two along the way.
Eric Spratling
Of: the Gilbert, Ariz. Spratling Dynasty
Majoring in: Journalism, minoring in Rejection
Right- or left-handed: Right, in handedness and politics
How he eats a Reese's: "Not at all, if I want to keep losing weight!"
What he's doing on the Opinion page: Returning for another round of column-writing jollies, Eric hopes to promote the truth of his grouchy yet upbeat conservatism via his charming, self-deprecating humor. Eric has a particular affinity for adjectives. He also says "hi" to his mom. "Hi, Mom!"
