PAGE 2 I THE MEREDITH HERALD | OCTOBER 15, 2008
STAFF
herald@meredith.edu
Editor
Amber McKinney
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Assistant Editor '
Meredrth Beeman
Science &
Technology Editor
Julia Houtdiings
Sports Editor
Apiffany Gaither
Ad Manager
Danielle Beck;
StaffWnters
CourtneyAngers
Morgan Erfcson
Caidln Gnlfln
Apnl Rummage
Melissa Santos
Kyra Young
Contributing Writers
Galley Jones
Sarah Servie :
Erin Huber
Gra|>hic Designers \
April Rummage
Kyra Young
Literature Advisor
Suzanne Britt
Design Advisor
Dana Gay
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Published by Hinton Press
HOUSING BUBBLE, Continued from Page 1
psychologi cal elTect, investors grew
nervous about the market leading
the borrowing costs to rise.
Tiie plan should lower mortgage
rales by lowering Fannie and Fred
die’s borrowing costs. By placing
Fannie and Freddie into a conser
vatorship, the government is prom
ising investors that the companies’
debt is as safe as the Treasury De
partment’s. The good news about the
bailout is for homebuyers and some
homeowners hoping to refinance if
the move leads to lower mortgage
rates. But for homeowners already
behind on their mortgage payments,
or who owe more than their homes
are now worth, it is only little in the
way of relief.
Greg McBride, a senior finan
cial analyst at Bankrale.com, said if
mortgage rates fall, the lower rates
will attract more potential buyers
into the market, which, in turn, will
help to prop up home prices. How
ever Douglas Peta, market strategist
at J. &W. Seligman said, “It miti
gates some of the pressure on hous
ing, but it cannot create demand.”
This summer. Congress created
The Federal Housing Finance Agen
cy to regulate Fannie and Freddie.
Over the past several months, the
companies have tightened require
ments substantially, making it hard
for borrowers with any blemish on
their credit reports to quality for a
loan. Brokers hope the government
will eliminate or reduce fees to gird
against increased credit risk and
losses from mortgages they buy.
Those rising fees are squeezing out
some borrowers because lenders
typically pass them along through
higher mortgage rates or higher up
front costs.
How will the housing market
collapse affect the Meredith Apart
ments? According to Courtney
Anger, a representative of Class of
2011 at the MC Apartment com-
Photo covilesy neb.rcf.ca
mittee, “the current plan is to have
them in the mid-range of Raleigh
apartments requiring 20years to pay
total cost off.” The mid-average
apartment rent for month with one
bedroom is $480-750 and two bed
rooms option costs $650-$ 1000. ■
PAPER JOURNALISM
Continued from Page 1
!b
Pltolo courtesy lynmedia.t
should see on traditional print and
broadcast outlets.”
Specialization or fiigacity are the
easiest way to top the most popular
and most-emailed lists, but conven
tional journalism generally doesn’t
practice either, instead covering a
variety of topics in depth. For hard
hitting news, the Internet-seems to
be a cyber high school, a domain
ruled by the inane, by the attraction
du jour, not by the shrewd, by the
ugly truth.
Blogs and Internet “funpages” are
meant to provide commentary and
entertainment; they’re not meant to
serve as a substitute for investigative
reporting. However, when actual
news is reported alongside opinion
and gossip with no explanation as to
what is fact, fiction or personal be
lief, everything could be mistakenly
taken at face value. Readers should
read al their own risk and check the
facl.s. The newspaper is a good place
to start. ■
THE OTHER HALF: BRING
THE PARTS TOGETHER AGAIN
By Jee-ln Hur
Staff Writer
sa
It cut the line of Tae Back Moun
tains what has long been the back
bone of Korea... when the final day
to reunite, I will run to join the faces
of joy. When I first wrote this poem
in middle school in commemora
tion of the Korean War, wishing
for the two nations’ reunification,
it was only a vague idea of how to
live with the people from North in
a common land. Indeed, when 1 first
met North Koreans for the first time
in my life, I was overwhelmed with
the joy, while witnessing the poten
tial revival of community.
While working at valuable in
ternships last summer, I still had
time to fit in a week long summer
camp program into my schedule.
The impact of the camp was unbe
lievable for me! Assigned as a team
leader who was solely responsible
to translate English to Korean in
the English revival camp, I man
aged to encourage each of the 15
students (including mysell), among
them 10 from South Korea and five
Pholo coufTeSK CHannel 7 News Boston
from North Korea, to break the shell
of their comfort zone and embrace
the issue.
Crossing the frozen river in the
snow, hiding in the underground
from the human-hunting dogs
led by North Korean security po
lice, and all the hardship that may
challenge your imagination, hun
dreds and thousands of refugees
reached South Korean soil. Not wel
comed due to the society’s ignorance
toward the in differences, many
of them were psychologically vic
timized. They reminded me of my
hardship in adjusting to this very
land, the United States. There is no
physical violence against those who
are different, but there is con
stant discouragement coming from
the society.
Sharing the same culture, history,
and even the Korean language, al
though with dilTerent accents, I be
lieved that we should at least try to
achieve what we have been seeking
for such long time, the reunification
as one nation. With my authority as
a team leader, I forced them to as-
sociate closely, using the same room
with girls and boys, to build part
nership, and 1 even made them play ,
games and act out skits vigorously
for the prize of ice-cream. What a
hot summer it was in a place with
out an air-conditioner and little free
time between classes.
In the end, they showed me the
possibility of harmony. Even during
the short rest breaks or sleeping time
when I was responsible to keep stu
dents in bed, we could not stop our
conversation about where each of
us came from. The rebellious South
Korean teenagers who had no inter
est in the social issues and refused
to go beyond what they were used
to would now witness the need for
revival. Also North Koreans who
were hesitant to approach and en
gage started to initiate activities and
panels as great speakers.
I did not know at first that 1 was
filled with so much love and joy to
give out, and I now have no doubt
we all are. Making a difference in
the world sounds like a huge, un
reachable plan. However, 1 realized
that we can with the small courage
to trust a difference. Joining in the
Human Rights Torch Relay against
immoral governments in the planet,
I dreamed of the paradise not only in
my home land, but also everywhere
brutal force was used against anoth
er human being. ■