Page 2 June 10, 2021
Entertainment
In Breaking Boundaries, David Attenborough
Begs Us To Trust Science, Again
By Morgan Rojas for Cinemacy
Sir David Attenborough is back with another
troubling but ultimately inspiring documentary
about the climate crisis and how we must, must,
believe the science if we are to stop hurling
towards total irreversible destruction. Not a
light watch, but a necessary one. Directed by
John Clay, Breaking Boundaries: The Science
of Our Planet, now streaming on Netflix, is
another important addition to the Attenborough
school of life.
There can never be too many climate crisis
documentaries. Why? Because we haven’t solved
the problem yet. Until then, I expect to see
more films focused on this universally important
issue with each one getting more serious
than the next. In Breaking Boundaries, most
of the information is relayed to us by worldrenowned
scientist Professor Johan Rockström.
Throughout its 75-minute runtime, the film
takes us on a journey of discovery of the 9
planetary boundaries we must maintain to keep
our planet thriving at optimum capacity and
protect Earth’s life support system. It feels like
more of a scare tactic approach than a whimsical
visual journey but maybe cold, hard facts are
what some people need to truly pay attention.
If you’re expecting another Attenborough film
with animals galore, you may be disappointed
with Breaking Boundaries. Instead of primates,
director Jon Clay focuses more on the people
who have studied and researched the Earth’s
ecosystem for years. Interviews with scientists
and scholars are conducted in a stereotypical
talking heads style, and almost half of the film
feels comprised of computer-generated graphics
and TED-talk charts. We do see evidence of
global warming in nature; from melting ice caps
in Greenland to burned carcasses of animals
in Australia’s forests, there are still plenty of
shocking imagery to absorb here.
Typically, Attenborough documentaries are
so impactful because of the stunning visuals
that act alongside the narration. However,
Breaking Boundaries lacks the imagery we’ve
come to expect from past films and almost
makes it seem like this would have been a
good podcast instead. The facts are terrifying:
We’ve already lost about 20% of the Amazon,
air pollution kills over 7 million people every
year and takes 3 years off of every human’s
life expectancy, etc. Not the most reassuring
statements. Attenborough doesn’t leave us on
a doom and gloom note and instead offers
us some simple solutions that we can easily
implement into our daily lives. A couple of
takeaways to help reduce carbon emissions are
to plant more trees and eat more plant-based
foods, less red meat. These are cost-effective
and achievable and can truly save the planet.
“It’s a remarkable time to be alive,” he exclaims
despite all the worrying news he just
shared. If Sir David Attenborough – Earth’s
#1 loyalist – can still find reasons to be optimistic
about our planet’s future, then we
should too. The facts may be scary, unsettling,
and overwhelming but by taking small action
steps, including educating yourself and others
by watching nature documentaries on Netflix,
we can begin to create global change. •
Breaking Boundaries: The Science of Our Planet, courtesy Netflix.
Morgan Rojas
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Pursuing A Mortgage With
‘Less-Than-Perfect’ Credit
(BPT) - Owning a home is the cornerstone
of the American dream. There’s nothing like
having a permanent plot of land you can
call your own.
But, if you’ve hit a rough patch with your
credit score, this dream might feel like it’s
out of reach. However, finding a suitable
mortgage with a “less than perfect” credit
score is still possible.
Is There a Minimum Credit
Score For Mortgages?
Typically, there isn’t a minimum credit
score required for mortgage applications.
However, recent blending of government
policy and business practice have resulted
in a current credit score threshold of around
620. But some lenders may have the power to
determine their own score acceptance limit.
This can make it hard to find the institution
where you may qualify, as each lender
operates a little differently. No matter where
you’re at in your path to homeownership, or
what your score is, here are a few tips to
help you secure that mortgage:
Exercise All of Your Options
If you’ve had lenders reject your conventional
mortgage application, there is no need
to worry. That’s because there are several loan
options available aside from conventional
mortgages. Some of those include:
• FHA loans: This is a loan provided by
an FHA-approved lender and while there
are no maximum income limits on an FHA
insured loan, they have typically been used
for first-time homebuyers or low-to-moderate
income borrowers. The loans are insured by
the Federal Housing Administration. FHA
loans require a small down payment (typically
3.5%) and will frequently accept borrowers
with lower credit scores.
• VA loans: For current and former members
of the military, a VA loan can be a viable option
for securing a home. VA loans typically
don’t require any down payment; are partially
backed or guaranteed by the Department of
Veterans Affairs; and are frequently made
available to active duty or former members
of the military with lower credit scores.
• USDA loans: Like FHA loans, these are
frequently made to low-to-moderate income
individuals with low to moderately low credit
scores. However, to qualify for a USDA loan,
your home must be in a USDA-designated
suburban or rural location.
Work To Improve Your Credit
If you’re not interested in utilizing a
government-backed loan such as FHA, VA
or USDA, improving your payment habits,
thereby boosting your credit score, can be
another viable option. Even if it takes time
to raise your credit score a few points, it can
still be beneficial. You can boost your score
by making consistent, on-time payments, and
finding ways to diversify your credit mix or
lower your overall credit usage.
Buy Within Your Means
Even if you have a bad credit score,
lenders will perceive you as less of a risk
if you stay within your means when buying
a home. Lenders will likely analyze your
income to obligations closely to see if you
have leftover reserves every month (which
they refer to as “residual income”) to help
absorb the shock of unexpected expenses.
Do your best to save as much as you can
for a down payment, but remember - private
mortgage insurance can help minimize a
down payment shortage.
Don’t Give Up
While the mortgage qualification process can
be challenging, it’s essential to stay vigilant.
If it looks like you’re going to get a “no”
at first, it might just mean more work needs
to be done to evaluate your situation more
deeply. Many times, a “no” is really a “not
just yet.” But with persistence, patience and
passion, you can still achieve your dream of
homeownership. •
Finance
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