ang hirap a!.. :x

whahaha.. ang hirap ng logsign.. ang utak ni mam e.. apat na row.. mag kakaiba nang question.. aus!.. XD

bahala na si batman sa grades ko..^^

-dm

my blog statistic..^^

1. Number of Blog Visitor = 106
2. Number of article posted = 9
3. Total Number of Comments = 2
4. SEO page number by typing STI lucena "larawan" = hmm..
5. Number of Followers = 8

♥ for you.. :))

i love you so much.. ^^

haha.. syempre my joke!.. :))

 

O.o

amp.. doblemons um aking blog e.. dalawang beses na popost.. katanga!.. :))

ako?

wala lang.. haha.. :))

THE GRAMATICALLY CHALLENGING LOVE STORY NI INDAY (A MUST READ)

Nasa SM ako noon at katatapos ko lang mamili ng groceries. Timing naman nasa foodcore si Angel Locsin, nagpro-provoke ng movie nya. Grabe, andaming fans, pull-packed talaga! Dahil fans nya rin ako, nakipila rin ako.

Then suddenly, out of the loo, may bumulong sa akin ng: "Indaaaayyyy. ....."

Huh? It sounded like a familiar sound. Who can it be now? "Dodong!" sigaw ko.

Napalakas yata voice ko. Kasi the other fans turned their backs to their behind at napatingin sa amin. Sabi ko "Sorry, I didn't mean to be loud and proud." Hinawakan na lang ni Dodong ang kamay ko at lumayo kami from the crowd.

"Kamusta na Inday? Do you come here open? tanong nya.

"Bihira lang, Dodong. I'm just droppings by. Ethnic and schedule ko eh" sabi ko.

Memories came flushing in my mind. How can I forget to remember Dodong? Siya na may mata ni Piolo, dimple ni Aga, at bigote ni Rex Cortez. he's every woman's dreamboat. I was just starting my tour of duty kay ate noon nang unang makilala ko si Dodong. Contraction worker siya sa ginagawang bahay sa tapat namin. Naging kami for a while then after that were not an item anymore.

"Tanghali na Inday. What did you say we have lunch together?" tanong ni Dodong. "I don't mine" sagot ko. Sa restaurant, nilapitan kaagad kami ng waiter. "What's your odor sir?" Sabi nung waiter kay Dodong.

"Do you have porkshop?" tanong ni Dodong.

"Yes sir" sabi nito. "Our porkshop with a resistance to the teeth of Boast of our chef. Domestic careful selection of pork with little fat of Female liking is used. The exquisite cooking which repeated trial and error and Was completed. it also has healthy vegetables with salad feeling fully" Dagdag niya.

"And you mam?" sabay tingin naman sa akin.

Hmmm... mukhang masarap yung porkshop. Pero I'm cutting down on my carbon kaya pinigilan ko.

"I'll just have water, thanks. Liquidate diet ako eh." sagot ko.

Pagkatapos kumain, nagyaya si Dodong manood ng sine. Teka teka, this is going too far. Besides, it's a long, long way to run.

"Reality chess, Dodong. May asawa na ako, si Jay. As a mother of fact, I'm happily married" pagmamalaki ko.

"Di na pwede yung tulad ng dati. Sorry pero I didn't expect you still have more feelings than I expected. i don't want you getting the way. Past is fast. Therefore, cause and defect." dagdag ko pa.

Tumahimik sya. Parang may language barrel na namagitan sa amin. The Seconds that passed seemed like fraternity. Di nagla-on, nagsalita na rin sya.

"I don't care less!" sigaw ni Dodong.

Shocks, give me a brake! The nerd ng taong ito para sigawan ako! To Think it's his other woman that caused our separation to part.

Kinabahan na ako. I felt speedbumps all over my body and was having Panic attach. Tinalikuran ko siya at nagmadali akong lumakad palayo. Pero Sumunod pa rin siya like a monkey on my butt. Hanggang sa makakita ako ng Security guard. Biglang nawala si Dodong.

"Excuse me kuya, pwedeng magtanong?" sabi ko sa mamang guard.

"Of course miss, I can help you with my pleasure." sagot niya.

"Saan po ba ang exit? Could you point me to the right erection? I got Lost in my eyes."

"Diretso lang." sabi niya. "Then turn right anytime with care."

"Thanks for your corporation" sabi ko.

Buti na lang nandun si kuya. Pero saglit lang, I smell something peachy. As I turned, nakita ko na namang nakasunod si Dodong! Delaying static lang pala kanina ang pag disappear nya.

"Nyahahaha! You can run but you can hide, Inday. No matter where you go, there you are!" pananakot nya.

Oh no, is this the end? This is too much, I feel degradable. My world started falling afar.

Then suddenly, Jay come from behind! Dodong was caught to the act! In the matter of minute, it's all over. I'm out of arm's way.

"Thanks Jay, my love. But how did you?" bago pa man ako matapos, sabi niya:

"I was in the neighborhood. Fans din ako ni Angel eh. I heard you shout But at first I didn't give it a thought. Pero nang makita ko kayong magkahawak ng holding hands, then i give it a thought. I know something is a missed."

From then on, Dodong did not brother me again. In fact, he didn't even sister me. As in platonic at wala na talaga.

Pero kami ni Jay, heto, shoot sailing pa rin ang relationship. Lalo pa ngayon, open na kami sa isa't-isa at walang exhibitions. i feel I'm on cloud. XD

♥in a relationship.. :)

Don’t think in terms of forever, "think of now", and forever will take care of itself.

Grow up together constantly, expect to invest a great deal of time and energy in your relationship.

Lasting relationship don’t just happen, they are created; they are built. Recognize their temporary quality but continue to act as if they are permanent.

Never idealize others, they will never live up to your expectations.

Take your time. Remove price tags from people. Everyone has worth, and the excitement lies in the discovery of their value.

"Don’t be afraid of giving. You can never give too much if you’re giving it willingly."

Don’t feel as if you’re required to spend every walking hour with those you love. Move aside from time to time and allow seperate space, too.

Realize that you always have choices – it’s up to you. Don’t hold unto anger, hurt or pain. They steal your energy and keep you away from love!

There are many times when you may want to give up in a relationship, but never give up on relating. Keep the child in you alive and playing.

See people as good and beautiful even if they seem to be trying hard or not to appear so.

If you take time to talk together each day, you’ll never become strangers.

Value yourself. The only people who appreciate a doormat are people with dirty shoes.

"Don’t risk what you can’t afford to lose!" ♥

hayley williams.. :))

Birth name	Hayley Nichole Williams
Born	December 27, 1988 (1988-12-27) (age 21) Meridian, Mississippi, U.S.
Genres	Alternative rock, emo, pop punk
Occupations	Musician, singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, keyboards, piano, drums
Years active	2004–present
Associated acts	Paramore
Website	www.paramore.net

Life and career

In 2002, at the age of 13, Williams moved from her hometown, Meridian, Mississippi, to Franklin, Tennessee, where she met fellow band members Josh Farro and Zac Farro in school. Shortly after arriving, she began taking vocal lessons with Brett Manning.Jeremy Davis. While still in school, she tried out for a local funk cover band called The Factory where she met

Williams was discovered in 2003 by managers Dave Steunebrink and Richard Williams who signed the 14-year-old to a production deal.Jeff Hanson in an interview with HitQuarters, at the time she was writing pop songs with top songwriters in Nashville. Williams was introduced to Atlantic Records A&R Tom Storms through Richard's attorneys Jim Zumwalt and Kent Marcus, and then signed to the label by Jason Flom. The label's original plan for their new artist was to make her a solo pop artist but Williams objected to this, saying that she wanted to be part of a band and play alternative music. Atlantic decided to go along with her wishes and she then formed Paramore with Jeremy Davis and Josh and Zach Farro. According to former manager

The music of Paramore was originally supposed to come out on Atlantic Records but the label's marketing department decided it would be better for the image of the band to not have them attached to a huge label. They instead released their music through a cooler niche label in Fueled by Ramen.

In 2007, Williams appeared in the music video for "Kiss Me" by New Found Glory.

In the 2007 Kerrang! Readers' Poll she finished second to Evanescence's Amy Lee in the "Sexiest Female" category, going on to win the first place spot for "Sexiest Female" a year later in the 2008 poll, and again in the 2009 poll. She also appears as a playable character in the video game Guitar Hero World Tour.

Williams wrote and recorded the song "Teenagers", which was featured in the soundtrack for the film Jennifer's Body. After the release of "Teenagers", Williams stated that she had no plans to establish herself as a solo artist. In 2010, she appeared on the tracks "Airplanes" and "Airplanes (Part II)" from alternative rapper B.o.B's debut album, B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray. "Airplanes", later released as a single, peaked within the top twenty in sixteen countries, including number one peak positions in the United Kingdom and New Zealand.

Williams has been announced to be included in hard rock band You Me At Six's upcoming album.

Paramore

Main article: Paramore

 

Paramore was created in Franklin, Tennessee in 2004, with Hayley Williams (lead vocals/keyboards) alongside Josh Farro (lead guitar/backing vocals), Jeremy Davis (bass guitar) and Zac Farrodrums). Prior to forming Paramore, the other members of what was soon to be Paramore had been "edgy about the whole female thing" of having Williams as singer, but as they were good friends she began writing with them and eventually became a member. The band has released three studio albums, All We Know Is Falling, Riot!, and Brand New Eyes as well as two live albums and one EP. In June 2009, the band welcomed Taylor York (rhythm guitar) as an official member, although he had already been playing as a touring member with the band since 2007

 

 

 

Personal life

In the October 2009 issue of Alternative Press, Williams and Paramore guitarist Josh Farro confirmed they had been dating for nearly three years before splitting in the Fall of 2007. "We didn't know if it would look bad," said Williams. "We were so young, and it seemed like it would look like a big joke", Farro added. "We didn't want the band to be about me and Hayley being in a relationship together because then [the band] would be about our relationship, not our music. It distracts people from the whole point in being in a band."
Williams is now dating New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert. Williams has stated she is a Christian.

 - woohooo... i ♥ PARAMORE.. :)

\m/  hahaha... \m/

\m/ paramore.. :))

Paramore is an American rock band from Franklin, Tennessee, formed in 2004. The band consists of lead vocalist Hayley Williams, lead guitarist Josh Farro, bassist Jeremy Davis, drummer Zac Farro, and rhythm guitarist Taylor York.

The group released their debut album All We Know Is Falling in 2005, and their second album, Riot! in 2007, which was certified Platinum in the US and Gold in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK. Brand New Eyes, Paramore's third album, was released on September 29, 2009. Brand New Eyes is the band's highest charting album to date.

The band has sold over 4 million albums worldwide. \m/

History 

2002–2004: Formation

In 2002, at age 13, vocalist Hayley Williams moved from her hometown Meridian, Mississippi to Franklin, Tennessee where she met brothers Josh Farro and Zac Farro while she was attending a private school. Shortly after arriving, she began taking vocal lessons with Brett Manning. Prior to forming Paramore, Williams and bassist Jeremy Davis, along with friend Kimee Read, took part in a funk cover band called The Factory, while Josh and Zac Farro had practiced together after school. The other members of what was soon to be Paramore had been "edgy about the whole female thing" of having Williams as vocalist, but, because they were really good friends, she started writing for them. Williams said of the guys when she first met them, "They were the first people I met who were as passionate about music as I was."  The band was officially formed by Josh Farro (lead guitar/backing vocals), Zac Farro (drums), Jeremy Davis (bass guitar) and Hayley Williams (lead vocals) in 2004, with the later addition of Williams' neighbor Jason Bynum (rhythm guitar). When Davis showed up, he was stunned to find out the drummer was only twelve years old. He admitted "I had very, very, very, little faith in everyone in the band because of their age. I remember thinking, 'This is not going to work because this kid is way too young,' but that first day of practice was amazing. I knew we were on to something." According to Williams, the name "Paramore" came from the maiden name of the mother of one of their first bass players. Once the group learned the meaning of the homophone "paramour" ("secret lover"), they decided to adopt the name, using the Paramore spelling.

Williams was originally signed to Atlantic Records as a solo artist in 2003. She had been introduced to Atlantic A&R Tom Storms through Kent Marcus and Jim Zumwalt, lawyers of managers Dave Steunebrink and Richard Williams, and then eventually signed to Atlantic by Jason Flom. Steunebrink and Richard Williams had originally discovered and signed her to a production deal that was later bought out by Atlantic. The original plan of the label was to turn her into a pop singer, but Williams resisted, saying that she wanted to play alternative rock music and wanted a band behind her. In an interview with HitQuarters the band's A&R at Atlantic, Steve Robertson, said, "She wanted to make sure that we didn’t look at her as some straight to Top 40 pop princess. She wanted to make sure that she and her band got the chance to show what they can do as a rock band writing their own songs." Label president Julie Greenwald and the label staff decided to go with her wishes. The original management team for the band was Dave Steunebrink, Creed manager Jeff Hanson, and Hanson's assistant Mark Mercado.

Paramore were originally supposed to come out on Atlantic Records but the label's marketing department decided it would be better for the image of the band to not have them attached to a major label. They instead released their music through a cooler niche label in Fueled by Ramen.^[11] Head of Warner Music Group, Lyor Cohen had already identified Fueled by Ramen as a label they should partner with and it was decided the rock label would make an ideal match for Paramore. According to Robertson, when the band were presented to Fueled by Ramen's CEO John Janick, "he got the vision of the band immediately." Janick went to a Taste of Chaos performance in Orlando, Florida to see the band perform live. In April 2005, after a smaller private performance at a warehouse, the band was signed to Atlantic Records and Fueled By Ramen.

The band's first song written together was "Conspiracy", which was later used on their debut album. In 2004, they were a featured band in Purple Door. At this time, they were touring the southeast, usually being driven by Williams' parents. She commented that "Back then, I guess we were all thinking, after school we'll go to the house and practice. It was what we loved to do for fun, and still do! I don't think any of us really knew this would turn out to be what it's become." 

2005–2006: All We Know Is Falling

Main article: All We Know Is Falling

Paramore traveled back to Orlando, Florida, but shortly after arriving, Jeremy Davis left the band, citing personal reasons. The remaining four members of Paramore continued with the album, writing "All We Know" about his departure, and later deciding to base All We Know Is Falling around the concept. The album artwork also reflected Paramore's grief as Hayley Williams explains, "The couch on the cover of All We Know is Falling with no one there and the shadow walking away; it's all about Jeremy leaving us and us feeling like there's an empty space." Recording took three weeks, and promotional material for the album only featured the four remaining members.

Before touring, the band added John Hembree (bass guitar) to their line up to replace Jeremy Davis. During that summer, Paramore was featured on the Shira Girl stage of the 2005 Warped Tour. After being asked by the band, Jeremy Davis returned to Paramore after five months apart, replacing Hembree. All We Know Is Falling was released on July 24, 2005, and reached #30 on the Billboard's Heatseekers Chart. Paramore released "Pressure" as its first single, with a video directed by Shane Drake, but the song had failed to place in the charts. The video featured the band performing in a warehouse, eventually getting sprayed with water sprinklers as the storyline of a conflicted couple occurs. In July, "Emergency" was released as the second single, the video again reuniting the band with director Shane Drake and featuring Hunter Lamb (rhythm guitar), who replaced Jason Bynum. The video for "Emergency" showcased Paramore in another performance, this time fixing the members bloody costumes. The third single, "All We Know", was released with limited airtime, with the video consisting of a collection of live performances and backstage footage.

In January 2006, the band took part in the Winter Go West tour where they played alongside Seattle bands Amber Pacific and The Lashes. In February, Hayley Williams was featured on "Keep Dreaming Upside Down" by October Fall.^[16] In spring of 2006, Paramore was an opening act on headlining tours for both Bayside and soon afterwards, The Rocket Summer. They toured the United Kingdom from October 5 to October 15, 2006, where they ended in London at The Mean Fiddler. The band then covered Foo Fighters' "My Hero" for the Sound of Superman soundtrack which was released on June 26, 2006.

During the summer of 2006, Paramore played a portion of Warped Tour, primarily on the Volcom and Hurley Stages, and their first night on the Main Stage was at a date in their hometown of Nashville. Paramore's first United States headlining tour began on August 2, 2006 to a sold-out audience with support from This Providence, Cute Is What We Aim For, and Hit the Lights with the final show in Nashville. That year they were voted "Best New Band", and Hayley Williams was voted as #2 "Sexiest Female", by readers of the British magazine Kerrang!.

In 2007, Hunter Lamb left the group to get married, and Paramore continued onward as a quartet.Paramore was then named by British magazine NME as one of ten bands to watch out for in their "New Noise 2007" feature. In January, the band played an acoustic set for the grand opening of a Warped Tour exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the dress Hayley Williams wore in the video for "Emergency" was also put on display in the exhibit.

Paramore was featured in Kerrang! magazine once more, however, Hayley Williams believed the article was an untrue portrayal of the band, particularly because it focused on her as the main component. Afterwards, Williams addressed the issue in the band's LiveJournal, with a post saying, "we could’ve done without a cover piece. sorry, if it offends anyone at Kerrang! but i don’t think there was one bit of truth in that article." In April, Hayley Williams' vocals were featured in "Then Came To Kill" by The Chariot. They headlined a tour in early 2007 with This Providence, The Almost and Love Arcade.

2007–2008: Riot! and other projects

Main article: Riot!

Paramore began recording their second album, Riot! in January 2007, ending production in March without rhythm guitarist Hunter Lamb (who left the band early in 2007 after getting married); without Lamb, lead guitarist Josh Farro was required to play both guitar parts on the album. Taylor York, who had been in a band with the Farro brothers before the two met Hayley Williams, joined as a replacement for Lamb. After being courted by producers Neal Avron and Howard Benson, Paramore opted to record Riot! with New Jersey producer David Bendeth (Your Vegas, Breaking Benjamin), releasing the album on June 12, 2007. Riot! entered the Billboard 200 at number 20, the UK charts at number 24, and sold 44,000 its first week in the United States.

The name Riot! had been chosen because it meant "a sudden outburst of uncontrolled emotion", and it was a word that "summed it all up". The first single from the album, released June 21, 2007, "Misery Business", is, according to Williams, "more honest than anything I've ever written, and the guys matched that emotion musically."

Summer of 2007 saw Paramore participating on their third Warped Tour and posting journals of their experiences on yourhereblog for MTV. In June they were declared by Rolling Stone as "Ones to Watch". Paramore made their live television debut on Fuse Networks daily show, The Sauce. The second single from Riot!, "Hallelujah", was released on July 30, 2007, and is only available online and on UK television. The video, much like "All We Know", features backstage footage and live performances.

In August 2007, Paramore had been featured in television spots on MTV, performing acoustic versions of their songs or acting in short accompaniments to MTV program commercials. As "MTV Artists of the Week", the band filmed the faux camping themed spots in Queens, New York, all written and directed by Evan Silver and Gina Fortunato. MTV.com also has a collection of short videos with the band to promote Riot! as well. For weeks in August 2007, the "Misery Business" video was the number one streamed video at MTV.com. On October 8, Paramore played "Misery Business" live on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, a booking made possible due to the friendship struck between the band and Max Weinberg during the 2007 Warped Tour. In August, Paramore participated in New Found Glory's music video for their cover of Sixpence None the Richer's song "Kiss Me".

On October 11, 2007, the music video for "Crushcrushcrush" debuted on the United States television as the next single from Riot!. The video for "Crushcrushcrush" featured the band playing a performance in a barren desert, being spied upon, and later destroying their equipment. The single was released in the United States on November 19 and made available in the United Kingdom on November 12, 2007. Hayley Williams recorded guest vocals for the tracks "The Church Channel" and "Plea" for the Say Anything concept album In Defense of the Genre released on October 23, 2007. The group performed live, acoustic style in Boston on November 29, 2007 for FNX radio. On December 31, 2007, Paramore performed on the MTV New Year's Eve program which ran from 11:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

Paramore was featured on the cover of February 2008 issue of Alternative Press magazine and voted "Best Band Of 2007" by the readers. The band was nominated for "Best New Artist" at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards presented on February 10, 2008 but lost to Amy Winehouse. Early 2008 saw Paramore touring the United Kingdom, supporting their album Riot!, along with New Found Glory, Kids in Glass Houses and Conditions. In early February 2008, the band began a tour in Europe, however on February 21, 2008, the band announced that they had canceled six shows due to personal issues. Williams wrote on the band's web site that "the break will give that band 'a chance to get away and work out our personal issues'". MTV.com reported that fans of Paramore were speculating about the future of the band and reported rumors of trouble had begun earlier in the month when Josh Farro expressed his anger against the media's focus on Hayley Williams. The band, however, returned to their hometown to record the music video for the fourth single "That's What You Get", which was then released on March 24, 2008.

The band toured with Jimmy Eat World in the United States in April and May 2008. The band headlined the Give It A Name festival in the United Kingdom on May 10 and May 11, 2008. Also the band performed on the In New Music We Trust Stage at Radio 1's One Big Weekend in Mote Park, Kent on May 10, 2008. Paramore played their first Ireland show at the RDS in Dublin on June 2, 2008, followed by the 2008 Vans Warped Tour from July 1–6.

On MTV's TRL, May 7, 2008, lead singer Hayley Williams said that the band was working on a new album and that it would hopefully be released by next summer. Hayley Williams says she and the band have been practicing the new songs during the sound checks on tour.^{[citation needed]} In an Alternative Press cover story, Zac Farro speculated on a forthcoming album, saying that it would sound like bands Mew, Thrice, and Arcade Fire.

On May 19, 2008, Paramore announced on their website that they will be going on tour again, the tour being named "The Final Riot!", starting July 25 and ending September 1. On this tour, the band performed part of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". On September 2, 2008, Paramore released a collaboration hoodie along with Hurley Clothing based on the album Riot!. All proceeds went to the Love146 foundation.

Paramore's song "Decode" was the lead single for the novel-based Twilight film. Another song called "I Caught Myself^" is also featured on the film's soundtrack. "Decode" was released on October 1, 2008 on the Paramore Fan Club site as well as Stephenie Meyer's website. The band began shooting the video October 13 and it premiered on November 3. Hot Topic hosted listening parties for the soundtrack on October 24, 2008, and the album was released on November 4, 2008. Borders released an exclusive version of the soundtrack that features an acoustic version of "Decode."

The band released a live album named The Final Riot! on November 25, 2008. The album includes a bonus DVD with a full concert recorded in Chicago, as well as a behind the scenes documentary. As of the 9 of April 2009, The Final Riot! is certified gold in the United States.

MUSIC OR NOISE?

Vibration is movement and sound that comes from objects which vibrate. For example, guitar strings, when touched, vibrate and make a sound; and drum skins, when hit, vibrate and make a sound. Vibrations are described in terms of amplitude and frequency. In the case of a guitar, the amplitude. or loudness, is the distance the string moves; and in the case of a drum, the skin moves at a certain speed and vibrates a certain number of times each second. If the skin, or the string, vibrates 440 times per second, then we say it has a frequency of 440 Hertz (or 440 Hz for short). If it moves faster or slower, then it has a higher or lower frequency.

The human ear cannot detect all sounds. Sounds must have a certain amplitude, and a frequency between 40 Hz and 16,000 Hz. Vibrations above or below these will not be detected by the human ear even if they are extremely loud. Many animals have better hearing than us. Dogs, for example, can hear higher frequencies; and bats can hear sounds with incredibly high frequencies – up to 48,000 Hz. The vibrating object first causes the molecules in the air around it to vibrate at the same frequency and amplitude. These molecules then cause other molecules to vibrate and so it continues until molecules of air inside our ears vibrate. Finally our eardrums vibrate and cause minute, i.e. very small, electrical signals to be sent to the brain. All sounds come from vibrations. But not all sounds are the same.
Some are pleasant to hear, such as music. Others are unpleasant and these we call noise. What’s the difference between the two? This is a difficult question to answer. But the sounds of musical instruments, which are usually good to hear, do have a special characteristic: musical instruments, such as the guitar and the drum, vibrate at more than one frequency. Thus, when a guitar string produces the note of A, the vibration of greatest amplitude has a frequency of 440 Hz. But. there are vibrations of other frequencies present, too. They have less amplitude, and so we do not consciously hear them. But thev add to the sound and form a pattern of frequencies which is pleasant to hear.
This is called harmonics. It is harmonics which help us to identify the musical instrument we hear.Of course, there are other characteristics of music, too. One of these is rhythm, the sequence of sounds. Rhythm is not exclusive to musical sound; but it is one of the factors which help make music pleasant to hear.

SEX EDUCATION!.. :))

The majority of studies have shown that sex education programs of adequate duration, content, and methodology are effective in reducing pregnancy and abortion. Programs with greater effectiveness are those that promote responsibility, abstinence, and (for those who are sexually active) protection against pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Successful programs combine the promotion of mutual respect and gender power balance with knowledge of sexual and reproductive physiology and sexually transmitted infection, knowledge that is mostly lacking, particularly among young people in developing countries. Contrary to the fears of some people, sex education does not increase sexual activity or promote early sexual experimentation; on the contrary, it may encourage adolescents to postpone the initiation of sexual activity, thus reducing the proportion of adolescents who have sexual relations. The countries with the lowest abortion rates are those that have broad-based, progressive sex education programs in their schools and nearly universal school attendance.
The Netherlands and several European Nordic countries fulfilling these conditions have the lowest teen abortion and teen pregnancy rates. This has been achieved through implementation of comprehensive sex education; confidential, high-quality family planning services; and access to a wide selection of contraceptive methods. Age of first intercourse has remained unchanged in these countries, but contraceptive use has increased dramatically. For instance, a study in Finland showed that in 1997, 87% of sexually active 16-year-old girls had used a condom during their last intercourse. These data suggest that sex education is an effective intervention for reducing gender power imbalance and promoting mutual respect concerning sexual decisions, a basic factor in the efforts to reduce unwanted pregnancy and abortion. In contrast, countries that have a high abortion rate either have no sex education programs or have local programs that are narrow in scope. The emergency created by the HIV epidemic has stimulated the acceptance of sex education, but the lack of both adequately trained personnel and strong political support reduces the effectiveness of the few programs that are being implemented. www.sti.,edu