Tuesday, November 26, 2019
How to Sell Trees for Timber
How to Sell Trees for Timber Can you sell your tree for lumber and make a profit? Lumber from trees such as red or white oak, black walnut, paulownia, and black cherry is quite expensive, and the tree in your yard may contain an impressive quantity of wood. While it is possible to sell one (or several) trees for lumber, research and effort are required to get a good price from a reputable buyer. Before making the move, think through the pros and cons. Do You Really Want to Remove Your Tree? Before seeking a buyer for your tree, be sure you know why youre removing a valuable hardwood tree from your yard. Are its roots damaging your foundation? Is the foliage overwhelming your home? Or are you just eager to have a bit more lawn? If theres no solid reason to remove the tree, its value may be greater in your yard than at a sawmill. A large hardwood tree provides shade, which cools your home and lowers air conditioning costs. It also improves air quality, controls water runoff, and raises your property value. In addition, your tree may provide homes to songbirds and other native animals. How to Sell a Single Tree It is generally much easier to sell trees as part of a woodlot harvest, where many trees are sold and harvested at the same time. To cut down your tree, a timber buyer must bring in laborers, a log truck, skidder, loader, and other equipment. He must then cut the logs and haul them to the mill to sell. After expenses, its unlikely that hell make any money from cutting a single tree unless its extraordinarily valuable. If youre determined to sell your tree, your best option might be to look for an operator who owns a small, portable sawmill. Small operators have less overhead, and they make their money finding single living or dead high-value trees, then sawing the lumber to specifications that are attractive to woodworkers and turners.à Tips for Selling Multiple Trees Although its easier to sell timber from multiple trees because the profit margin is so much greater for the forester, there are pitfalls even if youre selling quite a bit of wood. One botched sale can cost you much of the value of decades-old timber and can negatively influence future harvests. Here are suggestions for selling multiple trees: 1. Find a Professional Forestry Partner Selling timber requires expert advice. Studies show that timber sellers using a professional forester get up to 50 percent more per sale. A forester who sells trees for a living and practices within your sale area will be your best partner; he will know timber product grades and values and be familiar with local timber buyers and the general market. Private foresters usually offer their services for a fee. Timber owners often find this expense more than offset by the higher selling price received for their timber. Find aà foresterà and listen to him as you would to a doctor or lawyer. You and the forester will ultimately have to determine which trees should be cut and how they should be harvested. Your partner will also help you to estimate your treesà volumesà and value. To find a professional forester, according to the U.S. Forest Service: contact your service or County Agricultural Extension or Forestry Extension agent. Service forestry personnel are often located within the state Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry, or Forestry Commission. Extension Forestry personnel are typically located at your local Land-Grant university in the Forestry Department. Alternatively, you can visit the website of the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, which contains links to every states free services, often including forestry assistance by professional foresters. 2. Understand the Value of Your Timber As a timber grower, you should know something about the quality and value of the timber you are selling. Remember that each tree has unique marketable characteristics and associated volume. Your forester partner willà inventoryà the timber for these characteristics and provide an estimate of volumes (along with estimated value) available for harvest. This report can then be used to estimate a fair price you can expect for your sale. From the inventory, you can expect to know: The type of timber forest products youre growing: Different prices are paid for different timber products.The timber species you have for sale: Some species command higher prices than others due to high demand, low supply, or special qualities.The quality of your timber: Quality affects timber values as it does any other product.The volume of timber you can sell: Logging requires heavy equipment and employees, so larger volumes of timber translate to higher profit margins.The distance from the closest market: Transportation of forest products is expensive. Local mills should be able to pay higher prices for your products than more distant mills.The size of your trees: Generally, larger trees bring the best prices. Large saw logs and poles are worth more than small ones. 3. Identify Prospective Timber Buyers and Send Timber Prospectuses You should now identify prospective buyers. Your forester partner most likely will have a list that he works from. You might also want to prepare a list of buyers in the county of sale as well as in surrounding counties. Call your state foresters office or state forestry association for a list of buyers.à Mail a prospectus and bid invitation to each buyer within your procurement region. A sealed bid system should be used and generally results in the highest selling price.à A bid prospectus should be simple but informative and include: Date, time, and location of the bid openingTerms of paymentTimber product, species, and volume summaryLocation mapBid formInformation about the deposit/performance bondStatement of sellers rights to reject bidsNotice of a show-me tour of sale area The potential buyer will probably insist on examining the timber for sale before making an offer. A tour or show-me meeting on the timber site allows all interested buyers to check the volume and quality of the timber and to estimate their logging costs. They should also be allowed to inspect and keep a copy of the contract or agreement you attach to the sale. 4. Understand Your Timber Contract After all bids are received, you and your forester partner should notify the highest acceptable bidder and arrange to execute a writtenà timber contract. Any deposit or performance bond agreed upon should be collected. Copies of the contract should be prepared for buyer and seller. Regardless of the size of the timber sale, a written contract prevents misunderstanding and protects the buyer and seller. The contract should contain, at a minimum: A description of the timber saleThe selling priceTerms of paymentWhich timber will and wont be cutTime allowed to cut and remove timberA requirement for adherence to all forestry Best Management Practices Special provisions may include cutting extensions; the location of log landings, roads, and skid trails; conditions under which logging wont be permitted; protection of residual timber and other property; a procedure for settling disputes; responsibility for wildfire suppression; disposal of litter; subcontracting of parts of the work; erosion and water quality control measures; and contractor liability exclusions. An easy way for aà do-it-yourselferà to quickly get into trouble is selling timber using lump sum value with only a handshake and without a tree inventory. Dont sell lump sum without a timber inventory, a contract, and a down payment. Another way to get into big trouble is selling your timber on a pay-as-cut basis while letting the buyer grade and measure logs without you or a representative inspecting his work. Pay-as-cut allows the buyer to pay you by the log load, so you or your forester partner will need to verify the amount of timber in each load. To make sure terms of the timber sale contract are being met, either you or your agent should inspect the operation several times during the harvest and upon completion. 5. Time Your Sale Wisely Timing is important in getting the best price for wood. The best time to sell, obviously, is whenà demand for timber is up and prices are at a peak. This is easier said than done, but you should be aware of current stumpage prices and market conditions in your area. Your forester partner can help you to time your sale correctly. With the exception of a specific disaster (from pests, weather, or fire), you shouldnt be rushed into a sale. Trees, unlike other farm products, can be stored on the stump during poor markets. One constant that history always confirms is that timber values eventually go up. 6. Protect Your Land After the Harvest Is Complete Steps should be taken immediately after harvest to protect the land from erosion and to ensure the productivity of this future forest. Roads, skid trails, and logging decks should be secured and reshaped if necessary. Bare areas should be seeded with grass to prevent erosion and provide food for wildlife.
Friday, November 22, 2019
Overview of the Peoples Crusade
Overview of the People's Crusade A popular movement of crusaders, mostly commoners but also including individuals from all levels of society, who did not wait for the official leaders of the expedition but took off for the Holy Land early, unprepared and inexperienced. The Peoples Crusade was also known as: The Peasants Crusade, The Popular Crusade, or The Crusade of the Poor People. The Peoples Crusade has also been termed the first wave of crusaders by noted Crusades scholar Jonathan Riley-Smith, who has pointed out the difficulty of distinguishing separate crusade expeditions among the almost ceaseless stream of pilgrims from Europe to Jerusalem. How the Peoples Crusade got started: In November 1095, Pope Urban II made a speech at the Council of Clermont calling for Christian warriors to go to Jerusalem and free it from the rule of Muslim Turks. Urban no doubt envisioned an organized military campaign led by those whose entire social class had been built around military prowess: the nobility. He set the official date of departure for mid-August of the following year, knowing the time it would take for funds to be raised, supplies to be procured and armies to be organized. Shortly after the speech, a monk known as Peter the Hermit also began to preach Crusade. Charismatic and passionate, Peter (and probably several others like him, whose names are lost to us) appealed not just to a select portion of travel-ready combatants but to all Christians men, women, children, the elderly, nobles, commoners even serfs. His enthralling sermons fired the religious zeal in his listeners, and many people not only resolved to go on Crusade but to go right then and there, some even following Peter himself. The fact that they had little food, less money, and no military experience did not deter them in the least; they believed they were on a holy mission, and that God would provide. Armies of the Peoples Crusade: For some time, the participants in the Peoples Crusade were regarded as nothing more than peasants. While it is true many of them were commoners of one variety or another, there were also noblemen among their ranks, and the individual bands that formed were usually led by trained, experienced knights. For the most part, to call these bands armies would be a gross overstatement; in many cases, the groups were simply a collection of pilgrims traveling together. Most were on foot and armed with crude weapons, and discipline was almost nonexistent. However, some of the leaders were able to exercise more control over their followers, and a crude weapon can still inflict serious damage; so scholars continue to refer to some of these groups as armies. The Peoples Crusade moves through Europe: In March 1096, bands of pilgrims began to journey eastward through France and Germany on their way to the Holy Land. Most of them followed an ancient road of pilgrimage that ran along the Danube and into Hungary, then south into the Byzantine Empire and its capital, Constantinople. There they expected to cross the Bosphorus to territory controlled by the Turks in Asia Minor. The first to leave France was Walter Sans Avoir, who commanded a retinue of eight knights and a large company of infantry. They proceeded with surprisingly little incident along the old pilgrim route, only encountering any real trouble in Belgrade when their foraging got out of hand. Their early arrival at Constantinople in July took the Byzantine leaders by surprise; they had not had time to prepare proper lodging and supplies for their western visitors. More bands of crusaders coalesced around Peter the Hermit, who followed not far behind Walter and his men. Greater in number and less disciplined, Peters followers encountered more trouble in the Balkans. At Zemun, the last town in Hungary before reaching the Byzantine border, a riot broke out and many Hungarians were killed. The crusaders wanted to escape punishment by crossing the Sava River into Byzantium, and when Byzantine forces tried to stop them, violence ensued. When Peters followers got to Belgrade they found it deserted, and they probably sacked it in their ongoing quest for food. At nearby Nish, the governor allowed them to exchange hostages for supplies, and the town almost escaped without damage until some Germans set fire to mills as the company was leaving. The governor sent troops to attack the retreating crusaders, and although Peter ordered them not to, many of his followers turned to face the attackers and were cut down. Eventually, they reached Constantinople without further incident, but the Peoples Crusade had lost many participants and funds, and they had inflicted serious damage on the lands between their homes and Byzantium. Many other bands of pilgrims followed after Peter, but none made it to the Holy Land. Some of them faltered and turned back; others were sidetracked in some of the most horrific pogroms in medieval European history. The Peoples Crusade and the First Holocaust: The speeches of Pope Urban, Peter the Hermit, and others of his ilk had stirred up more than a pious yearning to see the Holy Land. Urbans appeal to the warrior elite had painted Muslims as enemies of Christ, subhuman, loathsome, and in need of vanquishing. Peters speeches were even more incendiary. From this malevolent viewpoint, it was a small step to see Jews in the same light. It was, sadly, an all-too-common belief that Jews had not only killed Jesus but that they continued to pose a threat to good Christians. Added to this was the fact that some Jews were notably prosperous, and they made the perfect target for greedy lords, who used their followers to massacre entire Jewish communities and plunder them for their wealth. The violence that was perpetrated against European Jews in the spring of 1096 is a significant turning point in Christian and Jewish relations. The horrific events, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of Jews, have even been called the First Holocaust. From May to July, pogroms occurred at Speyer, Worms, Mainz, and Cologne. In some cases, the bishop of the town or local Christians, or both, sheltered their neighbors. This was successful at Speyer but proved futile in other Rhineland towns. The attackers sometimes demanded that the Jews convert to Christianity on the spot or lose their lives; not only did they refuse to convert, but some even killed their children and themselves rather than die at the hands of their tormentors. The most notorious of the anti-Jewish crusaders was Count Emicho of Leiningen, who was definitely responsible for the attacks on Mainz and Cologne and may have had a hand in the earlier massacres. After the bloodshed along the Rhine was over, Emicho led his forces onward to Hungary. His reputation preceded him, and the Hungarians would not let him pass. After a three-week siege, Emichos forces were crushed, and he went home in disgrace. The pogroms were decried by many Christians of the day. Some even pointed to these crimes as the reason God forsook their fellow crusaders at Nicaea and Civetot. The end of the Peoples Crusade: By the time Peter the Hermit arrived in Constantinople, Walter Sans Avoirs army had been restlessly waiting there for weeks. Emperor Alexius convinced Peter and Walter that they should wait in Constantinople until the main body of Crusaders, who were massing in Europe under powerful noble commanders, arrived. But their followers were not happy with the decision. Theyd undergone a long journey and many trials to get there, and they were eager for action and glory. Furthermore, there still wasnt enough food and supplies for everyone, and foraging and theft were rampant. So, less than a week after Peters arrival, Alexius ferried the Peoples Crusade across the Bosporus and into Asia Minor. Now the crusaders were in a truly hostile territory where there was little food or water to be found anywhere, and they had no plan for how to proceed. They quickly began squabbling amongst themselves. Eventually, Peter returned to Constantinople to elicit help from Alexius, and the Peoples Crusade broke into two groups: one primarily made up of Germans with a few Italians, the other of Frenchmen. Toward the end of September, the French crusaders managed to loot a suburb of Nicaea. The Germans decided to do the same. Unfortunately, Turkish forces expected another attack and surrounded the German crusaders, who managed to take refuge in the fortress at Xerigordon. After eight days, the Crusaders surrendered. Those who did not convert to Islam were killed on the spot; those who did convert were enslaved and sent eastward, never to be heard from again. The Turks then sent a forged message to the French crusaders, telling of great riches the Germans had acquired. In spite of warnings from wiser men, the Frenchmen took the bait. They rushed onward, only to be ambushed at Civetot, where every last crusader was slaughtered. The Peoples Crusade was over. Peter considered returning home but instead remained in Constantinople until the main body of the more organized crusading forces arrived. The text of this document is copyright à ©2011-2015 Melissa Snell. You may download or print this document for personal or school use, as long as the URL below is included. Permission isà not granted to reproduce this document on another website.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Timothy Mc Veigh ( terrorist) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1
Timothy Mc Veigh ( terrorist) - Research Paper Example The involvement of an American left the whole nation in a shock as most of the terrorist attacks in United States were carried out by a foreign agency. Timothy McVeigh used to be in United States army but got against the state due to certain incidents that took place in the history of the US. This essay would revolve around the life of Timothy McVeigh and his aims in life with regard to success and failure that he could achieve in life (Michel & Herbeck 2001). Timothy McVeigh was born in Pendleton New York in the year of 1968. He had two siblings and was the only boy in his family. He grew up in a rural community near Buffalo, Niagara and Canada and had a very disturbed life from an early age. His father was a worker in the General Motors manufacturing plant and his mother used to be a homemaker. His life seemed in turmoil at a very early age when his parents divorced each other when he was ten years old (CNN News 2001). His childhood was the most disturbing of all as it saw different types of events happening all over his life. His parents were not always around him and he felt their need as was quoted by one of his best friendââ¬â¢s mother "I just felt for him," she said. "His mother wasnt around. The father worked nights. The kids were alone. But he never showed any troubled side to me. He never seemed to be affected by it. He was always smiling, always polite.â⬠But his problem was not limited as it was also noticed by boys li ving in the neighborhood. According to them McVeigh had a different life than any of the boy living in the area as he did not seem to enjoy the slightest moments of life, such as the birthday parties. Tim had a business mind from a very early age and was innovative in his careers. Tim was that sort of a person who liked people all around him and so he built himself a haunted house in his basement where he used to call upon his friends. Timothy McVeigh held his own weekend casino
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Lady Gaga Telephone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Lady Gaga Telephone - Essay Example The song, without the video, sounds like a simple scenario where the girl isnââ¬â¢t picking up a phone call while she is at the club, but the music video shows a hidden, deeper meaning. In 2011, the song was nominated for the Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the Grammyââ¬â¢s. It became one of the best-selling singles of Gaga in 2010 after 7.4 million copies were sold. It was also nominated as the Video of the Year at the 2010 MTV Music Video Awards. Thus, the song has a deeper, hidden meaning which is not understandable by the masses because it is meant to be ââ¬Ëhiddenââ¬â¢. The telephone is actually used as a metaphor to describe Gagaââ¬â¢s brain, and she is not answering the phone means she is disconnected from the reality. Lady Gaga is an American singer, record producer, songwriter along with being a fashion designer and businesswoman. She had initially started working as a songwriter when hired by Vincent Herbert for the label Interscope Records. Her vocal abilities were soon recognized by Akon, a recording artist, who signed her for his own label. Her debut album was The Fame after which she rose to prominence in 2008. The album was a commercial and critical success with some of the best international numbers such as Poker Face and Just Dance. Then she released The Fame Monster in 2009 which was an extended play that produced some of the biggest hits including Telephone and Bad Romance. Gaga has widely recognized for her songs and more importantly her music videos. Her videos always have a deep meaning which is not noticeable from the lyrics of the song. She always adds a deeper meaning to the lyrics through her videos and her videos provide great insight into the reality and cruelty of the world. In the video of Telephone also she has succeeded in providing a deep meaning which canââ¬â¢t be understood by the masses because they are meant to be understood by the elites only (Marshall 148).
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Introduction to Terrorism Essay Example for Free
Introduction to Terrorism Essay The paper would analyze the definitions for terrorism proposed by some authors deeply along with criticizing them and proposing a global definition of terrorism. Secondly, ââ¬Å"the concept of ââ¬Ëjust war theoryââ¬â¢ would also be evaluated by highlighting its limitations. And finally, just war theory concept would be applied on the recent military action in Afghanistan, whether it fits the scenario or not. Answer -1 There are hundreds of definitions of terrorism defined by many authors, journalists, and politicians. But the problem is that the idea or concept of what terrorism actually is, is vague and not perceived globally as a single concept. The definition proposed by Lawless revolves around three key words; violence political purpose, and non-state actor. It goes this way, ââ¬Å"the unlawful threat or act of violence committed for a political purpose by a non-state actorâ⬠(Lawless, 2007). This definition seems to be quite rigid and inflexible because it says that terrorism happens only because of political purposes by the non-state actors. In fact, terrorism does not always take place due to political purposes; for instance, these days, countries themselves want to get rid of terrorism that is overwhelming them and worsening their relationships with other countries. There is no doubt that non-state actors are mostly involved in terrorism, but they usually do so for purposes such as, smuggling, harassing the legal authorities who try to resist them, and certain mafias or groups who want to take revenge of any injustice done to them before or being done. Secondly, the definition does not highlight the idea about the innocent people or victims. Terrorism for political purposes means that riots or revenges are taken for their own sake, purpose, and benefit. The global definition that I propose is that ââ¬Ëany unlawful or illegal act done to hurt, damage, or overwhelm the party who is innocent and was not involved in any conspiracy or threatening act against the party who is hurting themââ¬â¢. See more: introduction paragraph example Answer ââ¬â 2 Just war theory proposes the idea that lies between permissivism and pacifism. Permissivism suggests using arms as many as wanted and as the way the armed forces want to; whereas, pacifism says not to use arms against civilians or innocent people but to kill those who deserve to be killed. Therefore, just war theory says that war must be fought when it is fair or when there is a reason to be fought with the enemies or for a legitimate cause (Wilson, 2006). There are certain limitations of this theory such as, it does not define what a ââ¬Ëlegitimateââ¬â¢ cause actually is and when is it just or fair to attack the enemy (mtholyoke.edu, n.d). Therefore, countries or parties always think of their own interest and consider their cause as a legitimate one and considerable to attack the enemy, even they may be wrong at their side. Moreover, not killing civilians is just a saying; armed forces often kill and harass the civilians such as, kidnapping them, and smuggling them, etc. So, f rom here, the desire to take revenge arises in the other party and the issue never resolves, in fact it goes on. I think the idea of just war theory must be reconceptualized. Answer ââ¬â 3 The recent military action against Afghanistan does not fit on the concept of just war theory because the American started the raid against them without having solid evidence against them. Moreover, they did not only killed the Afghan terrorists, but also took lives of thousands of innocent people including children, women, and aged ones. They brutally destroyed their houses, properties, lands, lives, and everything.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
First Persian Gulf War: 1990-1991 Essay -- history
First Persian Gulf War: 1990-1991 The First Persian Gulf War between 1990 and 1991 was the most militarily efficient campaign in US history where comparatively few lives were lost. This war accomplished many goals, including that it secured the economic advantages for the ââ¬Å"Western Worldâ⬠. It encouraged a free flow of natural resources, established the value of air power and superiority, and verified that a free alliance for justice will prevail over armed aggression. In the end, the United Stateââ¬â¢s goals were accomplished: Kuwait was liberated from Saddam and peace settled into the Middle East (Rayment). The Soviet Union attacked Afghanistan on December 27, 1979. This posed a threat on the United States because of their oil ties in this area. On January 23, 1980 President Jimmy Carter responded with a statement called the Carter Doctrine. In this, Carter stated that, ââ¬Å"An attempt by any outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the United States of America, and such an assault will be repelled by any means necessary, including military force.â⬠(Richie, 25). Ten years later, United States officials were reminded of the Doctrine as signs of an Iraqi invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein began to appear. With a portion of the worldââ¬â¢s oil of eleven percent, this invasion would add another nine percent. Not only was this dangerous but if Iraq continued a southern advance, he would gain the oil of Saudi Arabia. Saddam could possibly control forty-six percent of the worldââ¬â¢s oil supply and manipulate the global economy (Richie, 25). On July 17, 1990, photos from a KH-11 spy satellite showed that Iraqi military equipment was being positioned near the Kuwait border .General Colin Powell was not concerned with this advancement because the lineup did not include necessary equipment such as fuel trucks and artillery that would be needed for an invasion. Powell believed that this was just a practice exercise or a bluff because Saddam had been pressing Kuwait to lower the oil production in order to keep the prices high (Richie, 26). Kuwait was a small country that had once been part of the Ottoman Empire like Iraq. Then Kuwait had become a British Protectorate from which it had been granted its independence. Its borders had been set in a subjective manner causing it to be difficult to de... ...s pride, and possibly his life. Saddam and his troops were not the only ones to have made faults (Marshel). Had the United States carried out their task, Saddam would not have repressed his own people, violated peace agreements and worked on weapons of mass destruction (Rayment). The United States was able to keep Saddam from succeeding in his attempt to conquer the Middle East eight years ago, but they stopped when they should have pursued the most (Marshel). Without the errors that both sides had made, the present day world would have been affected in a completely different way. Works Cited Allen, Thomas B., et al. War in the Gulf. Atlanta, Georgia: Turner Pub., 1991. Bush, George. ââ¬Å"Persian Gulf War.â⬠Annals of American History. 3 Mar. 2004 "Desert Storm 1: 1990-1991." Gulf War. 2003. 3 Mar. 2004 . Lee, Roger A. ââ¬Å"The Persian Gulf War (1990-1991).â⬠The History Guy. 14 Aug. 2001. 3 Mar. 2004 Marshel, Jim. "Mistakes of the Gulf War." Unpublished essay, 13 Mar. 1998. 3 Mar. 2004 . Rayment, W. J. The Gulf War. 2004. 3 Mar. 2004 . Richie, Jason. ââ¬Å"Persian Gulf War, 1991.â⬠Iraq and the Fall of Saddam Hussein. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Oliver Press, 2003.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Bad Grades Equals No Driverââ¬â¢s License Essay
Imagine if you were in high school and you werenââ¬â¢t the brightest student, which resulted in bad grades, and then there was a policy made where you couldnââ¬â¢t even get your driverââ¬â¢s license until your grades got up and stayed up. This is a policy that is being debated on by some legislators who think itââ¬â¢s a good policy and some who donââ¬â¢t think itââ¬â¢s such a good policy. I would be siding with the legislators who donââ¬â¢t think itââ¬â¢s a good policy. Itââ¬â¢s not a good policy because I feel like itââ¬â¢s not really the legislators place. Also, students would be getting good grades for the wrong reasons. Lastly, someoneââ¬â¢s academic in school doesnââ¬â¢t have anything to do with the ability to drive. Legislators trying to make a policy, that teenagers should be required to maintain a ââ¬Å"Câ⬠average in school before receiving a driverââ¬â¢s license is a bad idea. I feel that it isnââ¬â¢t really the legislators place to decide that only kids with good grades get their driverââ¬â¢s license. Itââ¬â¢s only the parents/ guardians place to decide if their own child should get their driverââ¬â¢s license or not. It would almost be taking some freedom away, because parents/guardians can raise their children however they want, that isnââ¬â¢t illegal of course, but if legislators pass this policy, thatââ¬â¢s something parents donââ¬â¢t have a say in when raising their children. Some parents may want their teen to have their driverââ¬â¢s license even if the teen doesnââ¬â¢t have good grades. Some may not, but itââ¬â¢s the parentsââ¬â¢ choice. An example is if the parent needed the teen to be able to drive around and do errands for them because the parent is too busy but their grades arenââ¬â¢t to the policyââ¬â¢s requirements, then the teen wouldnââ¬â¢t be able to help their parents out because thereââ¬â¢s a policy against teens getting their license while having bad grades. Also, if the parent had become temporarily or even permanently disabled and couldnââ¬â¢t drive but needed to be chauffeured places by their teen who is old enough to have a license but isnââ¬â¢t allowed to because of his grades. Situations like the examples are reasons why the policy is a bad idea. Parents should have a right to make the decision not the legislators. If this policy were to be passed students would be getting good grades for the wrong reasons. Teens wouldnââ¬â¢t be trying to get good grades for their future; theyââ¬â¢ll be doing it because they want to be able to receive the driverââ¬â¢s license. Theyââ¬â¢d forget all about what good grades does for them in their career life, because theyââ¬â¢d be so focused on maintaining their grades for the driving privileges. Also, itââ¬â¢s almost similar to bribing teens into getting good grades, instead of encouraging them to so theyââ¬â¢ll have a brighter future. Once they get out of high school theyââ¬â¢ll have the instinct to only get things done if they get something in return. That isnââ¬â¢t the best instinct to live by because itââ¬â¢ll cause them to not do certain not-so-pleasant things when they get to college or the real world like go grocery shopping, paying their student loans, or even doing their work in college because theyââ¬â¢ll be expecting something material in return, all because they grew accustomed to only doing the things you need to when youââ¬â¢re getting something in return. Someone that is for this policy would most likely argue that a student with good grades would lead to better drivers on the road. If the student is truly trying to get good grades then they are getting smarter and when theyââ¬â¢re ready to drive theyââ¬â¢ll make smarter decisions on the road. Statistics show that, â⬠In 2005, 46% of U.S. 12th-grade students scored ââ¬Å"below basicâ⬠on the NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) National science scale 18% scored ââ¬Å"proficientâ⬠or above, and 2% scored ââ¬Å"advancedâ⬠â⬠( Agus, Jessica.). This statistic proves how not many students are doing as good, considering the majority of them scored ââ¬Å"below basicsâ⬠. However, if we were to pass the policy then the score would most likely rise because students would be working harder in school and doing what they need to do. It could possibly give the student a better comprehension level and decision making level, so when they do begin dr iving the people around them along with themselves will be safer. However, their argument would be invalid considering that studentsââ¬â¢ grades/ intelligence level and their driving skills donââ¬â¢t have anything to do with the other. If students are getting good grades in school it doesnââ¬â¢t necessarily mean that their driving skills are going to be equal with the intelligence level. Besides, in an article it reads that, ââ¬Å"The mean grade point average for female high school graduates was 3.10 in 2009, .33 higher than the average GPA for young women in 1990. The average GPA for male high school graduates over the same period rose .31 points to 2.90.â⬠and that, ââ¬Å"Some say this means American high schools are churning out smarter, harder-working students.â⬠( U.S. News). This evidence proves that the policy that students should have good grades before they can receive their license is unnecessary because students are already doing better grade wise. I canââ¬â¢t say myself for a fact that teens driving skills are bet ter, but I can say in an opinion that it probably hasnââ¬â¢t changed. I believe that the policy isnââ¬â¢t needed for teens to do better in school because students are doing it themselves without the bribing. Legislatorsââ¬â¢ deciding to make a policy, that teenagers should be required to have a ââ¬Å"Câ⬠grade average in school before being able to receive a driverââ¬â¢s license isnââ¬â¢t a bright idea. It isnââ¬â¢t the legislators place to decide that only kids with good grades get their driverââ¬â¢s license. Also, if a policy like this were to be passed students would be getting good grades for the wrong reasons. They should get good grades to have a better career future not to have a driverââ¬â¢s license. Lastly, studentsââ¬â¢ grades/ intelligence level and driving skills donââ¬â¢t have anything to do with the other. I believe that a policy like this could probably mess up a studentsââ¬â¢ future, therefore, legislators should give up the policy before they give students the wrong idea of success. U.S. News Staff. ââ¬Å"Average High School GPAs Increased since 1990.â⬠US News. U.S.News & World Report, 19 Apr. 2011. Web. 23 Sept. 2013. . Agus, Jessica. ââ¬Å"High School Student Achievement.â⬠High Schools in the United States. National High School Center at AIR, Dec. 2010. Web. 25 Sept. 2013. .
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