National youth curfew Essay

National youth curfew Essay National youth curfew Essay National Youth Curfew One of the biggest conflict causing issues between parents and teenagers is curfew. Intended to extend social courtesy to parents and keep teenagers out of trouble, a curfew sets boundaries pertaining to the time a teen should have to be home by. Many communities across the United States enforce a citywide curfew, requiring anyone under a certain age to be home by a certain time in the night unless accompanied by a parent or individual over the age of 21. Now, many people have applied this idea to a larger scale, a national teen curfew instead of a citywide curfew. According to Deana Case, teenage curfews have been around for centuries, and are considered as a right of passage, requiring the young adult to show that he has learned to handle the responsibilities that go along with freedom (Case). While parents may have many different motives for imposing a curfew on a teenaged child, the most popular reasoning is that parents want to keep their child safe, they want to know where they are and when to expect them home safe and sound. A parent’s number one concern is the child’s safety. A curfew could also act as an excuse to get out of unsafe or undesirable situations, or as a simple excuse to leave. These curfews eliminate worry by allowing the parent the knowledge of when their child will be home by and ensuring that if need be, the child has a reliable excuse to leave if they were to be caught up in a risky situation (Case). City curfews are imposed in the hopes of reducing the rate of crime and gang violence that goes on in the later hours of the night. The Aspen Education Group wrote an article to help parents determine curfews for their children. They advised parents to do some research and find out what kind of crime and gang violence occurs in their cities, and where and when these activities occur to help determine a curfew fit to keep their child out of trouble (Aspen Edu.). While curfews are obviously a great tool to teach teenagers responsibility, to ensure safety and keep teens out of trouble, it should ultimately be up to the parent of the teen to decide when they should be home each night. A nationwide teenage curfew would bring teens back

Tornado Dangers and Quick Safety Tips

Tornado Dangers and Quick Safety Tips Perhaps one of the most feared weather anomalies is the tornado. The unpredictability of a tornado produces terror in many families. Some people are so afraid they develop a phobia called lilapsophobia. A large part of this fear stems from the fact that tornadoes can develop with little warning and are extremely violent.   Tornadoes Cause Damage in Three Ways Strong Winds:  The strong winds of a tornado can rip just about anything off of the ground including trees, vehicles, and even houses. The winds inside of tornadoes travel at over 310 miles per hour. Even weak tornadoes can pull shingles and siding off of houses.Debris:  The second damaging effect of tornadoes is actually from the debris that the storm picks up. People have been buried alive by houses or mud picked up and then dropped by a tornado. Smaller objects become damaging projectiles when thrown by tornadoes. One tornado took a child’s bicycle and wrapped it around a tree!Hail and Lightning:  It is not only the wind that causes damage in a tornado, but also the hail and lightning that the storm produces. Large hailstones can damage cars and injure people, and lighting can cause fires and electrical problems. The Environment Suffers From Tornadoes Tornadoes produce devastating effects on the environment. They can uproot trees, cause mass migrations of animals, and destroy the habitats of local wildlife. Family Safety During a Tornado If there is a tornado approaching, what safety measures should you take? First, it is important to realize that there is no specific way to know if a storm is going to produce a tornado. Meteorologists have developed warning systems that tell them if a storm is capable of producing a tornado.   During severe weather, have a weather radio on.  They are relatively inexpensive and could save your life. If you hear the announcer say there is a tornado watch, that means the conditions are correct for forming a tornado. A tornado warning means a tornado has been spotted. If you hear a tornado warning, you may be in danger! If You Hear a Tornado Warning... First, find shelter in the lowest possible place, such as a basement. If your home does not have a basement, go to the innermost room. Stay clear of windows or anything heavy like furniture or appliances. A bathroom is a good location. Take your battery-powered weather radio to your shelter and turn it on. Kneel on the floor and cover your head with your hands. This is the best position to be in to avoid damage during a tornado. Should you be caught out in the open with a tornado approaching, do not try to outrun the storm. Find a low lying spot such as a ravine and crouch down with your arms over your head. Because tornadoes are so unpredictable, you are in much more danger if you try to outrun them. While tornadoes cause much damage in the areas where they hit, one good thing about tornadoes is that the area they damage is relatively small. If you take a few safety precautions, you have the best chance of making it through a dangerous tornado. Resources and Further Reading The Weather Watchers Library: Tornadoes by Dean GalianoTornado Alert! By Wendy Scavuzzo   Edited by Tiffany Means