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Show V T -^-y- ,'-': ' •":>-*'V.*" Wednesday, October 8,2008 HE SIGNPOST EDITORIAL Signpost Viewpoint w We're not dead yet So what killed the newspaper dinosaurs? Was it global warming? Free classifieds? YouTube? Hopefully students won't be having this conversation in the future. This week is National Newspaper Week, and a great opportunity to reevaluate why you are reading this. You probably picked this newspaper up because you know it contains information you can't find on the Internet; information about your town, your school and people you know, that can't be found from any other news source. Newspapers are trying to find ways to deal with low readership and ever-shrinking revenue and have had to adapt. We are finding new ways of getting the news to our readers, and that responsibility is as great as it ever was. Newspapers are the watchdogs of government. Who will run around fighting for access to public information if stressed-out journalism interns won't? If we stop asking questions of our elected officials, they won't answer to anyone. Journalists are really good at asking the right questions. The public doesn't tolerate corruption, mismanagement and dishonesty, but someone must find the story first. Newspapers in general are important, but local newspapers are important to you. We need local newspapers to find out what is happening locally. Do you really think Anderson Cooper 360 cares what's happening in your city council poR. COV\ihJG To DW£R MV LOK/S T / M E F R ' E A / I > S . X I ' M |ZUN/^IM<5 F^PRESlDFMr/ WH^TSHOUU? I meeting? OK, we'll give him the benefit of the doubt, but even if he does, he won't cover that story. It would appear that there are so many places to get information that you don't need to pick up a newspaper, but that really just depends on what kind of information you are looking for. Newspapers have always put out reliable information and have always been accountable for that information. There is no accountability for information put out by the anonymous Internet user. With videos on YouTube, blogs and Wikipedia, the so-called citizen journalist is emerging, but there is no citizen editor. Videos may be altered, sources fabricated and every detail plagiarized, S J \ but not at a IDE^S. X'LL fi^VE GRAPHIC BY NATE STOUT | THE SIGNPOST A bit of common sense: Trunk or Treat is killing Halloween newspaper ... at least not without someone losing their job. Bloggers blog because they like the sound of their own keyboard, not because they care what you think. If you can comment anywhere online at all, there is still a good chance the administrator will remove your insight. Newspapers care what their readers think. We'll print a reader's angry letter right next to our own stories and pay for the ink! The dinosaurs aren't going anywhere. We are just adapting to the changing climate of media. Hopefully some of our work will end up in a museum, but that's not where we'll rest. You need newspapers, and we need you. Comment on this story at wsusignpost.com. Tell us what's happening by sending a letter to the editor at: Here's a quote from a six-year-old out of a New York Times article. Just a Gina Barker peek at changing attitudes between the • generations: Signpost "You go trick-or-treating when you columnist go to people's houses to get candy," he explained for the uninitiated. "You go trunk-or-treating when you go to October is underway. Halloween people's cars to get candy, and that's approaches. I might as well write about much better because you can go around it, or in this case, the lack of it. I'm talking the cars a million dozen times and you of course about Trunk-or-Treat, a new don't even get tired." tradition started by parents who suck. I Well now kids can get tons of candy don't care if it sounds mean. I don't care and they won't even have to walk to get if there are parents who participate in it. Lazy, fat America ... hello. Your feet are the whole Trunk-or-Treat thing reading this" who disapprove. To fill in some supposed to be sore because you wanted readers, Trunk-or-Treat is the new form to go to just one more house at the end of the night. I know I'm beginning to of trick or treating where over-protective enter that "why don't kids now have my parents get together in mall parking lots childhood" phase, but seriously how is it and have their children walk from car to that something like trick-or-treating can car, taking candy out of the trunks. be butchered so badly. It makes no sense. While candy apples with razor When did parents lose their minds? blades in them is a valid concern, does You know what these parents could this mean we should be killing a long- do instead of loitering at the back ends standing childhood tradition? Many of of parked cars. Go with their kids when these functions are held by churches and they go door to door. Was it just me, or are the real reason here for these little did friends in the neighborhood get functions: protection from the paganism together and follow their kids along curb rituals that spawned Halloween. Now from house to house, allowing a minimal here is where I get pissed. If you think sense of freedom. And if your kids get to Halloween is evil, then you don't get to that difficult age where they just don't trick or treat. That is like a person who want you tagging along, check the candy. is morally opposed to Christmas putting Just check the freaking candy. up a tree. And news flash, "Harvest" is Comment on this story at code for Halloween. Chatting over the fence: Mike: I understand these are challenging times. As an economics major, it would be exciting Chris: Over the past to see a developing couple of months, class project in the real we've all become world, if it did not hurt acutely aware of so many people. We need then to ask the financial crisis ourselves a simple question, "What is the our country and, role of government in the marketplace?" ultimately, the entire Republicans believe in less regulation world is going through currently. We because it allows private industries the see it clearly in the fluctuations in the ability to participate in a truly free market stock market, mortgage companies and economy without unnecessary hindrance. other financial institutions tightening If we think of it like a football game, their lending policies and the startling government plays the role of the referee. rising unemployment. At such times, There are rules and laws that must be it is easy to play the blame game. But followed so the game is fair. But, it's when seriously, who caused this to happen? the referee runs onto the field, intercepts the ball, and begins to run for the end zone Why did it happen in the first place? that we need to be alarmed. For the past couple of decades, I do not think any political party or people were quick to blame the individual is truly culpable for this crisis. If Democratic Party for all economic blame is to be placed, then there are two problems because of its belief in groups I suggest. The first is perhaps not supporting many domestic programs, politically correct homeowners. Sure, some and certain guidelines, to be placed on may have not understood the contract, but the market so that more people can the vast majority bought more house than enjoy the economic pie, and so the they could afford in order to keep up with middle class citizens can feel a bit more the Joneses. Look at the semi-mansions secure in their investments. being built around the area The other In contrast, it has been the Republican group is the lending companies. They took Party that has pushed for the removal of a risk by lending to people with bad credit, regulations on the market, thinking, if we expecting a higher interest rate in return. just left the "free market" alone, it would Is itrightfor government to shield us from work out on its own for our benefit. Several the consequences of risky behavior? Would regulations were removed, which left this shielding not encourage more risky greedy mortgage companies free to offer behavior, if companies knew they were risky loans and unwise investments, that going to be bailed out anyways? has led us to our challenging times today. By Mike Kofoed, Republican Chris Bentley, Democrat 1 / l WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY 1 HE SIGNPOST Editor in chief Managing Editor News Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Business Editor Features Editor A&E Editor Adviser Ad Manager Office Manager Jessica Schreifels Frances Kelsey Heidi LeBaron Jon McBride 626-7121 626-7614 626-7655 626-7983 Catherine Mortimer 626-6358 Ashley Salvador 626-7624 Tricell Taylor 626-7621 Samantha Neri 626-7105 Allison Hess 626-7499 Shelley Hart 626-6359 Georgia Edwards 626-7974 •The Signpost is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday during fall and spring semesters. Subscription is $18 a semester. First newspaper copy free, each additional copy $0.50. •The Signpost is a student publication, written, edited, and drafted by Weber State University students. Student fees fund the priming of this publication. Opinions or positions voiced are not necessarily endorsed by the university. The Signpost welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must include name, address, telephone number, relationship to staff, • and the writer's signature. •The Signpost reserves the right to edit for reasons of space and libel and also reserves the right to refuse to print any letter. Letters should not exceed 350 words. Bring letters to the editorial office in the Student Union 401, or mail to: The Signpost, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah 84408-2110. Attmjessica Schreifels. E-mail thesignpost@weber.edu t HUMANITIES On ne voit bien qu'avec le coeur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux. One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes. Antoine de Saint-Exupery Le Petit Prince wsusignpost.com. Government and money r I OFFEJ*/? Comment on this story at wsusignpostcom. October is NATIONAL arts humanities M O MTH |