Optimizing the Water Injection System in the Offshore Drilling Wells Research Proposal

Optimizing the Water Injection System in the Offshore Drilling Wells - Research Proposal Example As noted by Krupnick et al surface as well as subsurface situations and conditions of the discovery made have significant effect on the extraction work, related expenses and determine the success or failure of the whole project. Technical success maybe achieved but the project may fail economically. First hand experience has shown that the most technical success is easy to achieve, but economic success is much difficulty. According to Spellman, and Whiting the process of analyzing the best way to optimize extraction of recoverable reserves starts by formulation of a development plan (266). This development plan takes into consideration all existing geologic as well as engineering data and information to come up with initial ways of optimizing water injection systems Research aims The following research will have two aims: 1. What are the contaminants in sea water? 2. What are the main methods used in optimizing water for injection in the offshore wells? Research design methodology (d ata collection methods and analysis of data) Research Design This research will be carried out using secondary research also qualitative research. The methods used to get information will be collection, analysis and evaluation of past studies rather than primary research, as noted by Mason secondary research can obtain its data from internal or external sources (26). The current online libraries provide a source where extensive research can be carried out on this topic and latest information obtained. Methodology The research will be conducted using secondary sources, whereby it will be based on past studies that were done on the same topic in order to answer the formulated research question. The topic under discussion requires extensive resources for a researcher to carry out a primary research, this is because it would involve visiting a number of offshore wells, carrying out interviews and formulating questionnaires. Though there are some limitations towards this methods, like th e researcher has to depend on views of other researchers, its main benefits is that it avails a big database of information to the research, and he can select relevant and substantial material to use in the research (Robson 78). For the sake of keeping the data to managerial size, it was thought that the research should concentrate basically on the methods used to optimize water injection in the offshore wells. Methods of Data Collection Since our study will be based on secondary research, data collection will entail getting information results from the previously done studies and analyzing the information. Though the results from the previous studies may be not 100% accurate meaning that this will affect our final outcome, still, this will be reliable data. It should be noted that methods of optimizing injection of water in offshore wells requires extensive resources and technology used do not change quickly. Data Collection procedures and Data Analysis To evaluate and review the d ata collected from the study seeking to answer the research question, the study will use known database application like Microsoft Excel to compile table and other data to compilation. This data will be used to statistically determine if the studies relevance of data collected fr

E-bay Essay Example for Free

E-bay Essay Through the centuries, technology has changed people’s way of life, playing a main part in developments of the 21st century. There has been a change from the old economy to the new â€Å"digital† economy, such as the transition from manufacturing to service, and physical resources to knowledge resources (Human Resources Development, n. d. ). New products and services have changed many aspects of how the world works. Further, innovative kinds of trades and businesses are being available for people to utilize. One example is the availability of products and services through e-commerce. The growth of the Internet has caused venturing into e-commerce. Nowadays, the Internet is not only a means of acquiring information and leisure; the Internet has become a medium for business transactions and profit. E-commerce describes how the Internet has become a â€Å"global electronic marketplace† (Rodman, n. d. ) where people can sell and purchase items and have them shipped to their locality. There are countless of online shops selling different kinds of products to people who surf the Net. Perhaps, one of the most popular and successful ventures operating under this system is E-bay. E-Bay is one of the world’s largest online shopping portals (James, 2006), having generated incomes excess of 10 billion USD last year. The company was established during the dot com era with a unique business model of bringing shops to the homes. Based in the United States, it markets its products globally based on the bidding system and couriers the items to the customers (Hamel, n. d. ). E-bay is one of the companies that led the way for enabling websites to be transformed into business ventures (Epstein, 2004). Advertisements helped in the promotion and eventual purchase of the products of sellers. The customer has an advantage, as the price of the goods is dependent on the bidding (highest) amount and the excess of shipping costs to be borne (Hamel, n. d. ). The introduction of an online market has brought both advantages and disadvantages in businesses worldwide. These next paragraphs will elaborate on these said pros and cons. Technological innovations were developed and intended to bring a level of convenience, to make people’s lives easier. In this manner, trends that include online companies like E-bay, brought about by technology, share in this cause. The main advantage of E-bay and e-commerce is convenience. In particular, online companies such as E-bay have saved customers the hassle of going out of their homes to be able to purchase items of use. Because E-bay is accessible through the website, the website has become the endpoint of all the aspects of business. Buyers and sellers can communicate effectively through the website, as electronic communication is one of the fastest forms of communication. According to Rodman (n. d. ), the â€Å"Internet is ideal for encouraging customer communications. This helps in knowing more information and feedback from the customer. According to Huba McConnell (2003), E-bay is very fervent on this aspect, even creating a â€Å"Voice of the Customer† program. Further, all advertisements and promotions concerning the products can be placed and easily updated in the same website. Sellers, and especially buyers, are able to access it in any time of day regardless of the location of the person so there is no worry about distance and time differences (Rodman, n. d. ). All of these contribute to effective and convenient dealings. E-commerce, which includes E-bay, creates opportunities for many people with talents and skills all over the world (Human Resources Development, n. d. ). Anyone who has something to sell, as long as it condones to the terms that E-bay has created, upon the presence of an interested buyer, can profit from selling his or her item over the Internet. Despite the convenience that E-bay brings, there are also drawbacks that come with the system. Because online markets rely on the Internet, certain weaknesses of the Internet and e-commerce in general, also affect companies such as E-bay. The main reasons for failures in systems of E-bay include power failure, data corruption, disk failure and network failure (Hamel, n. d. ). These can threaten sales as E-bay has experienced in the past (Huba McConnell, 2003). There can also be problems with cost. Equipment, as well as the service and technology required to maintain the equipment can be costly. Convenience also has a price as there are certain extra â€Å"hidden† costs, (such as shipping, other taxes) that when applicable, must be arranged and paid. The fact that e-commerce has a tendency to be impersonal also has its effects. Although anyone can sell anything on E-bay, there are certain people who sell things that do not abide by E-bay terms. Moreover, buyers could not easily check if the items that they are selling are of good condition. These impersonal implications can socially have an impact because people would be more inclined to stay at home instead of interacting with others (About e-commerce, n. d. ). If more and more people will resort to online shopping, actual shops may lose returning customers and their business may be affected. Sales personnel may lose their jobs and businesses may close. Other factors such as challenges in areas of online security and identification that can lead to fraud can contribute to its limitations as well. Because the Internet does not necessarily require face-to-face transactions, many sellers with harmful intentions can take advantage of the certain level of anonymity they have and manipulate the system or mislead and trick customers. Online identification for financial transactions also poses a threat. Computer security is an issue that has been dealt with in e-business such as e-Bay. To avoid any problems, computer knowledge for understanding hardware and cyber security is of utmost importance for individuals (Hamel, n. d. ). Crimes involving illegal system access and use of computer services are also a concern. Hackers make use of their computer knowledge to gain access to others computers to get valuable information such as access to credit card accounts. Sometimes, files, passwords, programs, or processing power are stolen. An intruder may alter the data or destroy the data making it unusable and useless. A hacker writes a small password snifter that that can steal passwords and gain access to data and files (Hamel, n. . ). Despite these drawbacks, there are systems that E-bay has implemented in order to safe guard its business and the interests of its customers. Activity of employees can be recorded and this data can be used to monitor employees, such as in estimating the number of breaks an employee takes and the time they use to concentrate on work. There are Antisniff Programs used by E-Bay to detect and block a password snifter and protect the identity so that hackers are prevented and neat trading of goods and bids takes place (Hamel, n. d. ) E-bay also acts on the prevention of unauthorized use as well. E-bay makes use of data and information for this. Moreover, the use of biometric is of strategic importance in e-Bay. The fingerprint identification has been extended to identify authorized users. Iris and retina scans which use to be part of science fiction movies has now become part of sophisticated identification methods. The latest is use of magnetic card that is checked by a magnetic card reader to allow entry. To address the problems due to natural disasters or technology failure that can cause the hardware to be unusable, E-Bay provides a hot site that has an operational ready to use system. This is an expensive option, as the system is kept up to date, usually in different seismic zone. A cold site provides the infrastructure but not the processing power and data. In case of a problem, the backup system is made operational (Hamel, n. d. ). E-bay has opened many doors and lifted barriers for buyers and sellers worldwide. E-bay is constantly catering to the needs of their buyers and sellers and with the continual rise of technology and the Internet, more and more people will avail of their service.

Evidence about the asteroid theory

Evidence about the asteroid theory Introduction The purpose of the case study is to investigate Did a meteorite make the dinosaurs extinct.These theories are not exactly been justified. It is an unsolved mystery nobody knows the reason and what caused the dinosaurs to become extinct. A meteorite is a body of matter that reaches the earths surface because it has not been heated up by friction with the atmosphere. It is made up of iron, stone or a mixture of both. Most meteorites are made as two asteroids are collided with each other or fragments of asteroids and comets. Asteroids are medium sized rocks that orbit the sun; Asteroids can be smaller than one-mile to almost 600 miles. There are many asteroids in our solar system. The asteroid belt was created when the solar system was formed and the asteroid belt is made from a cloud of dust, ice and gas. The Earth orbits the sun. The earth meets objects in space like dust or bits of rock broken off from asteroids. By the end of the Cretaceous period 50% of all living things on Earth and in sea were wiped out. Dinosaurs had been living on the earth about 230 million years ago and they became extinct nearly 65millionyearsago.Theirextinction hasconfused scientistsforyears. It affected plant and animals on land and in wa ter. Somescientistsbelievethatdinosaursdiedinallatonce,inamass extinction. AlargeasteroidorcometcrashedintoEarthandchangedtheclimate. Anincreaseinvolcanicactivitycausedashand dust whichblockedthesun. Diseaseswipedoutentirepopulationsofdinosaurs. AsevereiceagecouldhavechangedtemperaturesandfrozenalotofEarthswater. The amount of earths oxygen could have dropped which caused suffocation to the dinosaurs. Mammals came that ate dinosaur eggs. An exploding start supernova could have killed the dinosaurs. Any of these theories could have been responsible for the extinction of dinosaurs; none of these theories have been proven. The theory which has the most evidence and has been approved by most of the geologists and scientist is the Asteroid theory. Scientific Theories There are two types of extinction theories: Gradual extinction and catastrophic extinction. Gradual extinction would have been like the changes in the earths climate. It could also have been because new animals achieved in the struggle and coped with all the difficulties example mammals, etc. Theory explained that mammals ate dinosaurs eggs. Catastrophic extinction would have caused the death of the dinosaurs suddenly, such as an asteroid hitting the earth, or the eruption of volcanoes causing sudden death. There were many theories to show how the dinosaurs were wiped out.   The theories are not been declared yet. The most accepted theory is the Asteroid Theory. The first people who found this theory were Luis and Walter Alvarez in 1980. This theory explains that an asteroid hit or collided with the Earth nearly 65 million years ago and this collision would have given off so much dust into the environment that the sun rays would not be able to enter or shine and plants and animals would die. The debris in the atmosphere would have obstructed the sun for a long time causing changes in temperature; the temperature would get cooler and caused severe interruption to photosynthesis. Dinosaurs could not adapt to the changes in climate the occurred from this huge collision and therefore they were not able to survive. Because plants energy comes from the sun, they would probably be affected first by the changes in climate. Even though having this much support to the evidence a few geologists did not believe in the Asteroid Theory and asked to show the crater where the meteorite must have fallen but the crater had buried in sediment.The elements were left behind in lots of amounts in the K-T layer where the collision happened. The impact would have also created forest fires and long term environmental changes. The speed of the asteroid would have been 100,000 kilometres per hour approximately. Another theory that shows how the dinosaurs were wiped off is volcanic theory. The consequences of volcanic activity could have caused so much ash and gasses added to the atmosphere which then blocked sunlight and creating difficult conditions for dinosaurs. The level of volcanic activity would also have given off greenhouse gasses which increased the Earths temperature. It has also been suggested that a disease killed off the dinosaurs. A very dangerous disease may have spread among all the dinosaurs causing them to become extinct. A disease might have wiped out all the dinosaurs if they had no cure, but the disease wouldnt kill off all the plants all around the earth. Another theory is that the dinosaurs died during an ice age. During this time periods, temperatures drop, cooler temperatures may have killed all the plants and dinosaurs. Scientists have not found any evidence of an ice age that could have happened during the life of the dinosaurs. A supernova explodes with plenty energy and can keep our sun burning for billions of years. A supernova is a star that gives off large volumes of energy. The chance of a supernova to occur is nearly one in a million. The increased amount of radiation from a supernova could have affected the Earths ozone layer. Effects on Marine Life The amount of oxygen in the seas would have decreased. Many sea creatures would have died because of the collapse of the food chain. There could have been an increase of acid rain. The Asteroid effected species both on sea and land. Deflecting a meteorite To collision can only be avoided if we move the meteorite away or if the meteorite can split into small pieces so that they can burn up in the atmosphere by friction. The often move around very fast which makes it difficult to deflect it. If the meteorite is broken you would expect to get many small rocks intead of a large meteorite, but some of the small rocks may brun up in the atmosphere which is better than having a larger meteorite hitting the earth and causing problems A graph to explain the extinction, climate and the amount of iridium The climate is normal at the start of the Cretaceous period but during the end it eventually decreases and shows the evidence that climate change might have also caused the extinction. Cooler temperatures may have caused problems like the sunlight would not be able to shine. The dust from the asteroid would have blocked the sun. The mass extinction shows the decline of the dinosaurs almost towards the end of the Cretaceous period and by the beginning of the tertiary period all of the dinosaurs had vanished. The KT boundary sediments has high amount of element iridium shown, which is common in extraterrestrial material. Extraterrestrial material is a type of material or object that has fallen out of the Earth or its atmosphere and falls onto the planet. The page will explain the evidence about the two most proved theory. Evidence about the asteroid theory The evidence to explain the asteroid theory is that a crater was then found at around 1990, 150 miles in diameter named the Chicxulub crater which is located on the Yucatan peninsula. The crater was about 120 mile wide or across and 1 mile deep. Seismic monitoring equipment which is designed to hunt for oil discovered the huge crater. The iridium layer is what lead the Alvarez team to blame an asteroid collision for the extinction asteroids and other extraterrestrial bodies are enriched with high amounts of   iridium than the Earths crust The asteroid theory has gained more evidence than any other of the theories Evidence against Asteroid theory The Asteroid theory has proved more evidence than any other theory; there is still a problem with the theory. Paleontologists have to find dinosaurs fossils related to the time period of the impact and some evidence explains that dinosaurs might have already been extinct before this impact. Actually dinosaurs had been declining slowly before the asteroid hit the earth. There have been a lot of mass extinctions in the past history and many large asteroid collisions. Even though there have been many of these collisions they havent caused mass extinctions all around the world. The asteroid theory is still the most powerful theory to provide reasons for the extinction of the dinosaurs. Some scientist believe this impact did not cause the extinction of all the dinosaurs and other creatures, there could have been two or more collisions. Evidence to volcanic activity The dinosaurs could have died because of a volcano. A research explains that a volcano erupted in India. The researcher said: Now we find that another catastrophe, which is Deccan Volcanism, which has not had much attention paid to it, may be the real culprit. Volcanic eruptions on Indias Deccan plateau between 63 and 67 million years ago spewed huge amounts of sulfur dioxide into the air for around 10,000 years

Abortions Pros and Cons Essay -- Abortion Reasearch Papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nowadays, in this world, there are a lot of problems that can make tremendous conflicts for human beings. They are very complicated and bring a lot of argument and nobody knows what the exact answer is. They also have pros and cons. One of the most complex problems is abortion. This is due to moral and ethical values which we all have. The majority of us are Christians or are brought up in that kind of ambiance which means that as small children we were taught values that are based on the bible such as that famous phrase â€Å"Thou shall not kill†. This phrase relates to this topic because an abortion is the murder of a human being.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A 52% of women getting abortions performed on them are younger than 25 years old and 19% are teenagers. The abortion rate is highest for those women aged 18 to 19 (56 per 1,000 in 1992 pregnancy centers.org).the reasons for this alarming rate are various and vary from person to person. But the most common decision to have an abortion is to postpone childbearing. This decision is mostly picked by the older group of women in this statistic. Another alarming fact is that a percentage of women are been pressured into abortion. Either by peers or by them realizing that they could no longer do the things they did before they became pregnant and that is when they encounter a struggle with their values. Since there is also a considerate percentage of teenage girls having abortions they are at high risk for developing serious emotional and psychological problems following abortion. Such as the impact abortion can have on a minor's emotional health, physical health, fertili ty, and future pregnancies. All these factors can play an important role in the future of that teenager. All of this wouldn’t have been possible without the Roe v. Wade case which in 1973, the Supreme Court decided the case of Roe v. Wade, and made abortion legal for the first time in the United States. This decision allowed women the choice to decide if they are going to terminate a pregnancy, and it allowed women the right to get a safe and legal abortion. From 1880 to 1973 abortions were illegal, and many women were having illegal and very unsafe abortions-often causing permanent damage to their reproductive organs or sometimes even death from i bleeding or infections. Since the decision was handed down by the Supreme Court, women's access to abortion ha... ...); forbidding of abortions for certain reasons(law.com/abortion laws)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Abortion is a significant issue in our life because it might happen to anybody, even to our relatives . We see in just one problem, abortion, there are a lot of pros and cons. There is still no conclusion because both sides of the argument be can be seen from many points of view. If you are one who supports Pro-life or Pro-choice group, you cannot judge if the other group has a different way of thinking although we still have a tendency to do this . People cannot judge Pro-life people as a people who have no respect for human feeling because they would not allow a woman who had been raped to have an abortion. On the other hand people cannot say that Pro-choice is a better group because they are more aware of human needs. People will never know the feelings of women who have had an abortion unless they are the ones that are facing the abortion decision. To face this problem, people need to spend their time on the main points of each group to think and to weigh both sides to make the best decision and fro there go with what best suits your style of thinking or values after all the choice is yours.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Abortions Pros and Cons Essay -- Abortion Reasearch Papers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nowadays, in this world, there are a lot of problems that can make tremendous conflicts for human beings. They are very complicated and bring a lot of argument and nobody knows what the exact answer is. They also have pros and cons. One of the most complex problems is abortion. This is due to moral and ethical values which we all have. The majority of us are Christians or are brought up in that kind of ambiance which means that as small children we were taught values that are based on the bible such as that famous phrase â€Å"Thou shall not kill†. This phrase relates to this topic because an abortion is the murder of a human being.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A 52% of women getting abortions performed on them are younger than 25 years old and 19% are teenagers. The abortion rate is highest for those women aged 18 to 19 (56 per 1,000 in 1992 pregnancy centers.org).the reasons for this alarming rate are various and vary from person to person. But the most common decision to have an abortion is to postpone childbearing. This decision is mostly picked by the older group of women in this statistic. Another alarming fact is that a percentage of women are been pressured into abortion. Either by peers or by them realizing that they could no longer do the things they did before they became pregnant and that is when they encounter a struggle with their values. Since there is also a considerate percentage of teenage girls having abortions they are at high risk for developing serious emotional and psychological problems following abortion. Such as the impact abortion can have on a minor's emotional health, physical health, fertili ty, and future pregnancies. All these factors can play an important role in the future of that teenager. All of this wouldn’t have been possible without the Roe v. Wade case which in 1973, the Supreme Court decided the case of Roe v. Wade, and made abortion legal for the first time in the United States. This decision allowed women the choice to decide if they are going to terminate a pregnancy, and it allowed women the right to get a safe and legal abortion. From 1880 to 1973 abortions were illegal, and many women were having illegal and very unsafe abortions-often causing permanent damage to their reproductive organs or sometimes even death from i bleeding or infections. Since the decision was handed down by the Supreme Court, women's access to abortion ha... ...); forbidding of abortions for certain reasons(law.com/abortion laws)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Abortion is a significant issue in our life because it might happen to anybody, even to our relatives . We see in just one problem, abortion, there are a lot of pros and cons. There is still no conclusion because both sides of the argument be can be seen from many points of view. If you are one who supports Pro-life or Pro-choice group, you cannot judge if the other group has a different way of thinking although we still have a tendency to do this . People cannot judge Pro-life people as a people who have no respect for human feeling because they would not allow a woman who had been raped to have an abortion. On the other hand people cannot say that Pro-choice is a better group because they are more aware of human needs. People will never know the feelings of women who have had an abortion unless they are the ones that are facing the abortion decision. To face this problem, people need to spend their time on the main points of each group to think and to weigh both sides to make the best decision and fro there go with what best suits your style of thinking or values after all the choice is yours.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Sex Ed Reduces Teen Pregnancy

We have all heard it, parents, teachers, and students, gossiping about the latest young girl to become pregnant in high school. They make comments like, â€Å"What was she thinking† or â€Å"Her parents must be so disappointed. † Did anyone question if she had been properly educated on the risks of sexual activity or if she had been provided with medically correct information? No one stops to think about the big picture; instead they choose to be judgmental and critical of other’s decision-making skills, or lack thereof. That’s where sexual education comes in. Teenage pregnancy, along with sex education continues to be a highly controversial subject, especially with regards to when and where it should be taught. Much of the debate comes from the two types of education, abstinence-only or comprehensive, also known as abstinence-plus. Abstinence-only education promotes sexual abstinence until marriage, leaving out crucial topics like birth control and condoms. A comprehensive curriculum includes education on the use of contraceptives while maintaining a basis of abstinence. Although there has been a steady decline in the United States teen birth rate, it remains higher than many other developed countries. Statistics show that sexually active teens in the United States are less likely to use varying forms of contraception and are more likely to become pregnant, than those of other equal nations (Rubin). Partially to blame is the United States government, which supports the abstinence-only approach; therefore, most schools are not required to teach subject matter that surpasses that concept (Stanger). Media, although equally controversial, can play a vital role in opening the door for parents to engage in conversation with their children. According to Rachel Canter, executive director of Mississippi First, â€Å"An effective, comprehensive sex education program starts with a base of abstinence but includes medically accurate information about contraception and health† (Pettus). The research is proven; comprehensive sex education reduces teenage pregnancy. Not only are most schools lacking in the information that is covered in their curriculums, some are providing medically incorrect information to students. A recent report revealed that 30% of schools instruct that birth control does not prevent pregnancy (Rubin). In 2009, a lawsuit was filed against a Fresno county school district in California for violating state law by only teaching about abstinence, and for using textbooks that were not in compliance with that law, which requires medically accurate information be taught, along with methods to prevent pregnancy and diseases. With one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in California, parents were compelled to do something to protect their children (Watanabe). According to a recent survey, more than half of adults questioned feel that federally funded programs should offer more education about contraception and three-quarters of those wish education included information about both abstinence and contraception (Teens). If statistics prove that abstinence education is ineffective at preventing pregnancy and most adults are on board with a more comprehensive approach, maybe lawmakers should take that information into account when developing policies about sex education. A step in that direction would be requiring that curriculums include a more comprehensive style. Abstinence-only programs tend to leave out valuable information such as contraception, which some believe sends the wrong message to students (Stanger). Although abstinence programs play an important role in comprehensive education, there is little evidence to support that these curriculum alone help reduce teenage pregnancy. According to Lisa Wirthman, a Denver journalist, â€Å"By trying to scare and shame kids and withholding critical health information, abstinence-only programs treat teens like toddlers† (Wirthman). A report released this year by the Centers for Disease Control reveals that nearly 50% of pregnant teenagers denied using contraception. Furthermore, 30% were under the impression that they could not get pregnant, while others simply â€Å"misunderstood how one gets pregnant and the risk of becoming pregnant after unprotected intercourse† (Brakman). Therefore, it can be concluded that many young people are under informed about their sexual health and lack proper decision making skills regarding their sexual behaviors. Studies show that states that support the abstinence-only approach to sex education tend to have higher teenage pregnancy and birth rates as compared to those who support a more comprehensive approach. Nevada, having one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the nation, does not mandate that contraceptive methods and condom use be included in their curriculum (Stanger). Likely, if it is not required, most schools will not cover such aspects in its studies. The majority of supporters of these programs do not acknowledge that many students will become sexually active during their teenage years. It is inevitable that teenagers are going to have sex, choosing to ignore that fact by not teaching them the proper methods to protect themselves is negligent. Abstinence-only education fails at teaching students many important aspects of sexual health. Those included are, sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy prevention and contraception. Much of the information provided in these programs is misleading and medically inaccurate, leaving students uninformed and at risk (Watanabe). The typical abstinence curriculum lectures that the only way to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases is to â€Å"abstain† from such behaviors that may result in either of the two. While this is truthful, little to no information is provided to students about how to protect themselves if they choose to participate in these activities, leaving them at high risk for unplanned pregnancy. . According to Congress, it was found that abstinence-only programs provide misconceptions of reproductive health and a lack of proper decision-making tools, therefore, promoting irresponsible behavior (Stanger). A study by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy shows that nearly 8 out of 10 teenagers believe they are properly informed on how to prevent pregnancy, yet confess to knowing hardly anything at all about contraception and condoms (Teens). As statistics like this show, young people are, in general, naive about many aspects of their sexual health and require a more all-encompassing education to be able to make appropriate decisions regarding their sexual wellbeing. A common misconception about ‘sex-ed’ is that it only includes information about sexual intercourse; however, it incorporates a variety of topics. These include, but are not limited to, anatomy, reproduction, body image, relationships, and safe sex practices. Comprehensive sex education, or abstinence-plus, includes a wide array of age-appropriate, evidence-based, medically accurate information to enable teenagers to make well-informed decisions about their overall health, while still advocating that abstinence is the only true method to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (Wirthman). Not only does comprehensive education provide insight to multiple sex-health topics, it also stresses the importance of delaying sexual behaviors. To the disbelief of abstinence-only supporters, studies show that students that are taught comprehensive sex education are no more likely to be infected with sexually transmitted diseases, than those taught only about abstinence. Also contrary to pro-abstinence belief, those that are taught a more comprehensive approach have a lower risk of becoming pregnant teenagers (Stanger). One study revealed that of those who are taught more comprehensively, 40% waited to have sex and more than 60% used protection (Wirthman). It is obvious that the more educated students are about the risks associated with sexual activity, the better decisions they make. A recent survey revealed that 38% of teenagers are more influenced by their parents regarding their decisions about sex (Teens). As stated by Emily Pettus, some legislators argue that sex education, including contraception and condoms, should be taught at home, not by the education system (Pettus). This is also where much of the debate is centered. However, teenagers typically do not open up to their parents about sexual activity and many parents tend to bury their heads in the sand and act like it is not happening with their children. Often times, parents and teenagers are unsure about how to discuss the somewhat awkward subject of sex, so they do not talk about it at all. Therefore, education is often left up to teenagers’ peers and other typically inaccurate sources. One study revealed that nearly 90% of young people think if they could have open conversations with their parents about sex, it would be easier to postpone sexual activity. Also, nearly 80% of parents wish their kids would talk to them about sex so that they can provide them with the proper resources to protect themselves (Teens). Kathrin Stanger, professor at the University of Georgia states, â€Å"If teens don’t learn about human reproduction, including safe sexual health practices to prevent unintended pregnancies and STDs, and how to plan their reproductive adult life in school, then when should they learn it, and from whom? † (Stanger). Parents, along with the education system, can provide accurate, age-appropriate information to teenagers to help empower them to make healthy, responsible choices; however, when both of these options fall short, teenagers often turn to the media as a source of education. Many critics often accuse the media of promoting teenage pregnancy, and even glamorizing it. However, little thought is given as to what the benefit of these shows might be. The more teens are watching, the more producers are showing. Nevertheless, there might be some advantages to the influence media has on its young viewers, especially regarding pregnancy (Suellentrop). Although some parents believe the media creates a false sense of reality by glorifying teenage pregnancy, they often fail to realize that such television shows can actually help bridge the conversation gap between them and their children. Two of the television shows popular amongst high school students are MTV’s Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant. Both are reality shows that follow several young girls and their daily struggles as pregnant teenagers and young parents. A recent study by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy revealed interesting results when they asked teenagers their thoughts about such shows. The results revealed a surprising 40% talked to a parent about the show after watching and most agreed that becoming teenage parents would have an overall negative impact on their lives (Suellentrop). If watching these episodes results in teenagers talking to their parents about sex, then ultimately it can be a positive influence, not only by seeing the struggles that young parents face, but by giving parents and teenagers an opportunity to openly discuss their views and opinions about sex and relationships. Research shows that episodes such as these can be used in a positive manner to teach young people about the risks of becoming pregnant and how their lives could change drastically. Also, it seems that teenagers are willing to discuss these shows with their parents, allowing the opportunity to engage in educational conversations with their teenagers. Clearly, the media influences its viewers; however, advantage can be taken to properly inform today’s youth of the risks of sexual behavior while presenting information in an alluring way (Suellentrop). Although there has been a steady decline in the U. S. een birth rate, it remains higher than many other countries. Students are more educated and are therefore making more informed decisions about sex (Kann).    How can we expect teenagers to make appropriate, well-informed decisions regarding their sexual health if we do not give them the proper education and factual information to do so? The statistics show that â€Å"evidence-based sex education works,† so why go against the grain? (Wirthman). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more teenagers are using birth control, which has help lead the way to a record low birthrate, and the numbers of hose using contraception keep rising. Also leading to the decline, is â€Å"more effective† sex education, according to Leslie Kantor, vice president of education for Planned Parenthood (Tulumello). Hopefully in the future, additional school districts will adopt a more comprehensive approach to their curriculums, as it is shown to be much more effective in reducing teenage pregnancy than abstinence-only education. Telling a teenager not to experiment is like a meteorologist saying there is a 50% chance of rain. Yo u hope it does not rain; however, you bring an umbrella just in case it does. As much as we would like to believe that teenagers will not have sex, it is likely that they will engage in some type of sexual behavior in high school and providing them with accurate, age-appropriate information is vital. Sexual education can come from many avenues, including parents, schools, and the media. Comprehensive sex education will not stop the occurrence of teenage pregnancy 100%, but by adequately educating teenagers on safe sex practices, and providing them with medically accurate information, today’s youth are able make healthy, well-informed decisions regarding their sexual well being.

Winnie-the-Pooh

Milne named the character Winnie-the-Pooh after a teddy bear owned by his son, Christopher Robin Milne, who was the basis for the character Christopher Robin. Christopher's toys also lent their names to most of the other characters, except for Owl and Rabbit, as well as the Gopher character, who was added in the Disney version. Christopher Robin's toy bear is now on display at the Main Branch of the New York Public Library in New York. [2] Harry Colebourne and Winnie, 1914 Christopher Milne had named his toy bear after Winnie, a Canadian black bear which he often saw at London Zoo, and â€Å"Pooh†, a swan they had met while on holiday. The bear cub was purchased from a hunter for $20 by Canadian Lieutenant Harry Colebourn in White River, Ontario, Canada, while en route to England during the First World War. He named the bear â€Å"Winnie† after his hometown in Winnipeg, Manitoba. â€Å"Winnie† was surreptitiously brought to England with her owner, and gained unofficial recognition as The Fort Garry Horse regimental mascot. Colebourne left Winnie at the London Zoo while he and his unit were in France; after the war she was officially donated to the zoo, as she had become a much loved attraction there. [3] Pooh the swan appears as a character in its own right in When We Were Very Young. In the first chapter of Winnie-the-Pooh, Milne offers this explanation of why Winnie-the-Pooh is often called simply â€Å"Pooh†: â€Å"But his arms were so stiff †¦ they stayed up straight in the air for more than a week, and whenever a fly came and settled on his nose he had to blow it off. And I think — but I am not sure — that that is why he is always called Pooh. † Ashdown Forest: the setting for the stories The Winnie-the-Pooh stories are set in Ashdown Forest, Sussex, England. The forest is a large area of tranquil open heathland on the highest sandy ridges of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty situated 30 miles (50 km) south of London. In 1925 Milne, a Londoner, bought a country home a mile to the north of the forest at Cotchford Farm, near Hartfield. According to Christopher Milne, while his father continued to live in London â€Å"†¦ he four of us—he, his wife, his son and his son's nanny—would pile into a large blue, chauffeur-driven Fiat and travel down every Saturday morning and back again every Monday afternoon. And we would spend a whole glorious month there in the spring and two months in the summer. † [4] From the front lawn the family had a view across a meadow to a line of alders that fringed the River Medway, beyond which the ground rose through more trees until finally â€Å"above them, in the faraway distance, crowning the view, was a bare hilltop. In the center of this hilltop was a clump of pines. † Most of his father's visits to the forest at this time were, he noted, family expeditions on foot â€Å"to make yet another attempt to count the pine trees on Gill's Lap or to search for the marsh gentian†. Christopher added that, inspired by Ashdown Forest, his father had made it â€Å"the setting for two of his books, finishing the second little over three years after his arrival†. Many locations in the stories can be linked to real places in and around the forest. As Christopher Milne wrote in his autobiography: â€Å"Pooh’s forest and Ashdown Forest are identical†. For example, the fictional â€Å"Hundred Acre Wood† was in reality Five Hundred Acre Wood; Galleon's Leap was inspired by the prominent hilltop of Gill's Lap, while a clump of trees just north of Gill's Lap became Christopher Robin's The Enchanted Place because no-one had ever been able to count whether there were sixty-three or sixty-four trees in the circle. [5] The landscapes depicted in E. H.  Shepard’s illustrations for the Winnie-the-Pooh books are directly inspired by the distinctive landscape of Ashdown Forest, with its high, open heathlands of heather, gorse, bracken and silver birch punctuated by hilltop clumps of pine trees. In many cases Shepard's illustrations can be matched to actual views, allowing for a degree of artistic license. Shepard's sketches of pine trees and other forest scenes are on display at the V&A Museum in London. The game of Poohsticks was originally played by Christopher Milne on a footbridge across a tributary of the River Medway in Posingford Wood, close to Cotchford Farm. It is traditional to play the game there using sticks gathered in nearby woodland. When the footbridge required replacement in recent times the engineer designed a new structure based closely on the drawings by E. H. Shepard of the bridge in the original books, as the bridge did not originally appear as the artist drew it. An information board at the bridge describes how to play the game. First publication Winnie-the-Pooh's debut in the 24 December 1925 London Evening News There are three claimants, depending on the precise question posed. Christopher Robin's teddy bear, Edward, made his character debut in a poem called â€Å"Teddy Bear† in Milne's book of children's verse When We Were Very Young (6 November 1924) although his true first appearance was within the 13 February 1924 edition of Punch magazine which contained the same poem along with other stories by Milne and Shepard. Winnie-the-Pooh first appeared by name on 24 December 1925, in a Christmas story commissioned and published by the London newspaper The Evening News. It was illustrated by J. H. Dowd. [6] The first collection of Pooh stories appeared in the book Winnie-the-Pooh. The Evening News Christmas story reappeared as the first chapter of the book, and at the very beginning it explained that Pooh was in fact Christopher Robin's Edward Bear, who had simply been renamed by the boy. The book was published in October 1926 by the publisher of Milne's earlier children's work, Methuen, in England, and E. P. Dutton in the United States.