Newspapers / Meredith College Student Newspaper / Aug. 30, 2000, edition 1 / Page 6
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Meredith Herald August 30, 2000 Campus Opinion Feelings of safety for all From the A recent poll of North Carolinians shows lhat we feel safer in our communities than we did three years ago- And it appears that we are optimistic in those feelings, especially here in the Raleigh- Durham area. And it is right lhat we should feel this way; after all, violent crime has decreased 10 percent in the past year. Editor Well, that's just great news for the folks I —. I living in the gated communities popping up like orange roadwork barrels around Raleigh. But what about the rest of us? What about those of us who live in normal neighborhoods, or apartment complexes, or even dor mitories? We don’t spend all our time behind locked doors; we exercise, we buy groceries, we go to and from school. What about Robert Baumgart. an N.C. Stale University sopho more who. last Thursday, was shot in the shoulder on Slate's cam pus? Do we honestly think he feels safer than he did five, three or even one year ago? Most likely, the answer is no. Feeling safe while walking around the block or stopping by a siore is important. And it is reassuring to know that we are not simply imagining this safety. But we cannot forget, for all our feelings of security, those who do not have such feelings. We cannot forget about Baumgart, and we cannot disregard the motorist in Durham who, on Monday afternoon, was shot in the head while driving through an intersection. While wealthier areas of the Triangle are able to provide more and more security for their neighborhoods and schools, the poorer neighborhoods cannot provide these same protections. Why should we feel scared to retrieve our car from a towing company in a neighborhood that, historically, is not “the best part of town?” Don’t forget that we don't live only in our homes; we live in this world; we share it with everyone else. And it is up to us to make sure that everyone feels safe in it. Meredith Herald EditOT in Leslie Maxwel! Associate Ediror..,.. Copy Editor,..., News Editor. .....—..Christina Holder Stephanie Jwdan Jenny Costa Reponers .....Hilary Allen, Leesha Austin, Jennifer Boyce, Lindsey McAdams, Betsy Rhame. Joni Smith, Tracy Sumner, Lynda-Maiie Taurasi, Lora Tillman, Heather Thomson, Jamie Tunnell, Tanesha Williams. Lisa Wilson Pbott)gr^here Holden Burke, Emily Collins, Abby Spencer Faculty Adviser,. ,.E>r, Rebecca Duncan Editoriat PoUcvr The Mertdtih Herald is published by the College Aroughout the academic year. The paper is funded by the College and through independent advertising- The (pinions expressed in the editorial columns do not necessarily reflect those of the college administra tion. faculty or student body. How to reach the Herald; If you have an article idea for the staff, cwitact the office at 760- 2824. You can also e-maif the paper at maxwe1ll@mcredith.edu>. All ideas will be considered hiit may not necessarily be used. Become car expert in few steps Lindsey McAdams staff Writer Helpless no more: Society traditionally portrays women as helpless creatures. We are incapable of fending for our selves and must rely on men to rescue us. I say that this myth needs to be debunked, and it’s high time that someone did. Even in today's society, men prefer women who aren’t capa ble of being self-sufficient. They like these women because they can impress them with their macho-esque quali ties. I can do it myself: Ever had car trouble and a man stopped to ask if he could help? When my car broke down and someone of the male gen der asked if he could help, I just shook my head and very sweetly said, no. I was fine. I knew exactly what was wrong, so I could fix it. The choke was not opening at all, meaning my car was not get ting any air to mix with the gas to cause them to ignite, so my car would cut off This situation happened fre quently, especially on the way to school. It was very embar rassing. I would have to gel out of my car, pray I wouldn't get hit. open the hood, take off the car buretor cover and stick a screwdriver in the choke of my car. Then I’d start it and be on my merry way. Transmission fluid vs. Oil: Getting back to the story. ■women can and should be self- sufficient. We can even do small car repairs and mainte nance. The easiest maintenance to perform is checking and adding washer fluid, brake fluid, oil and transmission fluid. Transmission fluid and oil are the most critical fluids for the car. If there is too little oil, the vehicle will quite running. If there is not enough trans mission fluid, the gears cannot shift properly. If you go long enough, the gears will grind metal on metal-this is bad. Fortunately. I can tell you how to check and add transmis sion fluid to a car. Nuts and bolts: Checking and adding transmission fluid is a very simple task. Before you get started, however, there are a few items you must have on hand. 1) One bottle of transmission fluid 2) One funnel {metal is best) 3) One rag (to clean up any mess) The car hood should be cold to the touch. First, open the hood. Some cars have latches in the car; others open in different places. After opening the hood, secure it open. Next, comes the semi-diffi- cult part. You have to look for the dipstick in order to check the fluid level. This process can be difficult because the dip stick for the oil and the trans mission fluid look exacfly the same. The only difference between the two is that the oil stick has a yellow handle. Also, Letters to tfie Editor Policy: Everyone in the Meredith community is invited and encouraged to write a letter to the editor. All published let ters must be typ>ewritten with a contact name, address, and telephone number, and all letters must be signed by the author in order to be published. The Herald reserves the right to place any other article submissions on file until needed or to choose not to print them. The Herald also has the right to edit submissions for space restrictions, grammar and style. Opinions expressed in letters to the editor do not repre sent the opinions of the editorial staff. the location of the slicks differs on each car. Just hunt for it. The stick usually looks like a metal curly-cue. Once you’ve found it, simply pull it out. The owner's manual can tell you where it is. When you pull the stick out, you will see a long slick with a thick, reddish fluid on the end. Turn the slick so the fluid is toward you. On this end of the slick will be some measuring increments. The stick usually says “full” and “add.” There are also marks between the two words. Check to see where the fluid line lies on the stick. If you need to add some more transmission fluid (that's the red stuff), get your funnel and put the narrow end in the opening for the dipstick. Pour the fluid into the.wide end of the funnel and you’re done. Not sure how much to add? Go with half a quart and check it again a day later. Add anoth er half quart then if necessary. Use the rag to wipe up any mess. Remove the funnel. ■ Pul the dipstick back in its place, close the hood .and you’re finished. Store the unused portion of transmission fluid in a cool, dry place. Instead of keeping the leftover fluid in my car. I put a new bottle in there. That way, there’s no chance of a spill. Now, then, aren’t you proud? You are now on the road to becoming a self-suffi cient woman. Congratulations! Submitting to the Herald: Submissions must be received by 1 p.m on the Monday before Wednes day's publication. Submissions can be brought to the Publications Office, 208 Cate Center. Submissions include let ters to the editor, press releases and feature arti cles.
Meredith College Student Newspaper
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Aug. 30, 2000, edition 1
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