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16th Birthday Gifts

2010-04-25T20:35:00.000-07:00

By Falon Perez

When you think 16th birthday gift you think car, but let's face it, not everyone can afford or want to buy a car for a soon to be sixteen year old. For those here are other great gift ideas. Gifts for a 16th birthday vary for gender but most is gender neutral with just a little higher price tag.

Gifts that vary with gender most of the time are jewelry and sports items. They both make excellent coming of age birthday gifts but are not often enjoyed by both genders. For great jewelry for you're soon to be sixteen year old princess, Sea of Diamonds has a wonderful variety of diamond and color stones bound to make her feel like royalty on her special day. Jewelry gifts for a male sixteen year old can be found at Sears. They have very tasteful masculine jewelry like watches, bracelets and rings. For the ever-enduring sports fan Sports Memorabilia has a huge selection of autographed sports gear. You can get a signed jersey for your 16 year olds favorite player that you know he will treasure forever.

Most gifts are gender neutral that you're soon to be sixteen year old will love to receive. A great gift idea is a gift card for new clothes, so that they can pick out the styles they love for themselves. They are growing up, with their own sense of fashion. They can embrace that style at Sears which has a great selection of top brand names your teen will love. With a gift card for sears, your teen can purchase the clothes they, want with the money you place on the card, and feel fabulous each time they wear them.

Lastly, you can never go wrong with technology. With all the new gadgets and gizmos that continually come out, to make life a little bit more enjoyable, are never wrong as a birthday gift. Teens love their technology so your 16 year old would love to receive an MP3 Player or Digital Camera as a gift. Buy has MP3 Players from all the top manufactures along with great accessories to go with them. Tiger Direct is the place to go for all the best Point and Shoot or Digital SLRs cameras that will be use by your teen to capture their favorite moments.

When your teen hits 16th milestone it means they are one-step closer to becoming adults. 16th Birthday Gifts received should be meaningful and something that your teen will enjoy having. It shouldn't be something that is overly exuberant but something that shows you know they are getting older but they will always be your little angels.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Falon_Perez

Does My Boyfriend Care About Me? 3 Signs That He Truly Loves You

2010-01-18T23:47:00.000-08:00

By Gillian Reynolds Platinum Quality Author
Does my boyfriend care about me? Have you been asking that question as of late? Unfortunately, not all men are willing to share their innermost feelings with the woman they are involved with. If that's the case with your guy, you're left to guessing what's going on in his heart, and that rarely turns out well. Luckily there are ways to gain some insight into what your boyfriend is feeling, even if he's not telling you directly. There are some signs in a man's behavior that suggest that he's deeply in love. Once you understand what these are, you can then take some comfort in knowing that your guy loves you as much as you love him.

Three signs that your boyfriend is head over heels for you are:

He doesn't make excuses for why he can't see you.

Some men are incredibly skilled at coming up with believable and unquestionable excuses for why they can't hang out. The fact of the matter is when a man is in love he doesn't need or want to find a reason for why he can't see his woman. If your boyfriend is constantly coming up with excuses for why he's too busy to be with you, he's not in love with you. If you're with a guy who seems driven to see you, even if it's just for a few moments in the middle of the day, he's wild about you.

He constantly reaches out to touch you.

Holding the hand of the man you adore is such a comforting feeling. Men feel this way as well when they reach out to pull you closer. If your boyfriend truly loves you he'll want to hold your hand, stroke your back or touch your leg. Being physically close to you will be incredibly important to you. Some men even go so far as to insist on sitting next to their woman in a restaurant. They do this because they want to hold her hand the entire time they are dining. If this sounds familiar because it's what your boyfriend does, he's definitely in love with you.

He does things to make your life easier.

Not all men are the flowers and love letter type. Some men show their deep affection and adoration for a woman by doing things that will make her life easier. That includes taking her car for an oil change or doing a bit of the housework. If your boyfriend enjoys cooking you dinner and insists that you relax while he does it, he's crazy about you. A man in love will go out of his way to ensure that the woman he loves doesn't have to deal with all the small things in life. He'll tend to them for her. If this is what is happening in your relationship, he feels incredibly close to you.

Confused about what your boyfriend feels for you? Do you want to ensure he falls in love with you? You can capture and keep the heart of any man.

You don't have to leave love to fate or chance. Learn how to create an unbreakable emotional connection with him.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gillian_Reynolds

Clues That He Loves You - How to Know What Your Man is Feeling For You

2010-01-18T23:45:00.000-08:00

By Gillian Reynolds Platinum Quality Author
Wouldn't life be so much simpler if men were as open with their feelings as most women are? We no longer would have to spend time trying to decipher his voicemails or text messages. Long gone would be the days when we'd call up our friends to ask what it means when our guy says something in particular to us. If this sounds like your relationship, there's a better way to know what your man is feeling for you. There are clues that he loves you in his behavior. Once you understand how to recognize them, you can take a lot of comfort in knowing that he's just as wild about you as you are about him.

One of the most obvious clues that he loves you is he'll constantly want to spend time with you. A surefire way of knowing how into you a man is can be found in his reaction when you have other plans or you have to postpone a date. If he seems genuinely disappointed, he likely is. On the other hand if your guy is the one who is constantly coming up with excuses for why he can't be with you, he's not a man in love. That's clearly a man who is still testing the waters in the dating pool.

Does your man make a point of asking you about your day and does he seem much more interested in talking about you than himself? If that's the case he's crazy about you. A man in love can never learn enough about the woman he cares for. He craves information about her and he's always thrilled when he learns something new that he didn't know about you. If your conversations with the man in your life tend to be centered more around him than you, that's not promising. He probably hasn't fallen in love with you yet.

If you've already met and spent time with his family and close friends he's either in love with you or falling in love with you. As women we tend to be very open with introducing the man in our lives to the people we love. Men aren't the same. Most men don't cross that boundary until they feel emotionally connected to the woman they're with. They don't want to introduce someone new to their family or friends if they don't see the relationship progressing past the dating stage. If you are often invited to family functions or if you spend a lot of time with him and his close friends, he's feeling very close to you.

Confused about what men really want? Is there a particular man in your life that you want to fall in love with you? You can capture and keep the heart of any man.

You don't have to leave love to fate or chance. Learn how to create an unbreakable emotional connection with him.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gillian_Reynolds

Make Him Feel You Truly Love Him Without Announcing It

2010-01-18T23:38:00.000-08:00

By Tina L. Jones Platinum Quality Author
Do you have a special man in your life and you want to make him feel you truly love him? Have you ever considered if men want to feel loved? Do you invest enough time in your relationship with your special man to ensure that he knows exactly how special he is to you? Here are a few tips to accomplish all of the answers to these questions and learn how to make him feel you truly love him without announcing it.

Step # 1: Never let your affection for him show too much.

Men are much more reserved about showing their feelings than women ever could be. Since women will often show their feelings much more openly, men tend to be scared off by this open display of affection. They especially dislike it when your true feelings are displayed in front of their buddies.

Step # 2: Find smaller ways in which to show your man that you care.

There are many ways in which to show the man you love your true feelings without being so open about it. For example, you could fix him his favorite meal or perhaps make him some cupcakes with little hearts on top of them every now and then. The main thing is to not over do it. When you are alone together this is the time you should let your physical gestures show through. Believe me he will not only notice, but he will appreciate this gesture.

Step # 3: Allow him to lead your relationship in the direction it goes.

Always allow him to set the pace of your relationship and do not make him feel that you are pushing him. This is due to the fact that it normally takes men much longer to take that plunge and fall in love than it ever does women. However, when men do finally fall in love, then they are normally there for the long haul.

Step # 4: Learn the signs that he is giving you and how to follow his direction.

One of those signs might be that he begins calling you on a daily basis just to check on how your day is going and how you are. If this happens, then it is perfectly fine for you to begin to do the same with him. You can tell if your man is beginning to become more serious about your relationship if he takes you to meet his family, but do not push him into this situation.

Step # 5: Never be the first in your relationship to say the words, "I love you."

If you watch your man, then you will know when to declare your feelings for him. In fact, you want him to say those three words, 'I love you,' to you first before you ever declare them to him. However, this will take a large amount of patience on your part. By no means do you have to act like you do not love him, because oftentimes actions will speak louder than words.

The majority of men will enjoy being able to chase you. Men do not like things that come easy to them and a woman's love is the same way. They like to work hard to get what they want, because it makes them feel like a true winner. Even though you may be head over heels in love with this man, if you really want him in your life then you must make him feel you truly love him without saying those words.

To learn more, click Fall in Love and learn Love Mistakes that 99% of women make without knowing.

This article is contributed by Tina Jones from the Unforgettable Woman Publishing Team. She works together with founder Alexandra Fox and writes dating/relationship articles for women. You can find more about Unforgettable Woman Publishing by visiting their website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tina_L._Jones

Make a Man Fall in Love With You - Any Woman Can Do It

2010-01-18T23:31:00.000-08:00

By Tina L. Jones Platinum Quality Author
Do you know how to make a man fall in love with you? Are you tired of feeling unlucky in love? Do you want more from your love life then what you have right now? There are a lot of women who feel unlucky in love. They feel that they don't have what it takes to make a man love them. However, any woman can do it. You can use these tips to make a man fall in love with you.

1. Love yourself.
While it isn't always easy, you need start by loving yourself. By loving yourself you are showing others that you are lovable and that you are worthy. You are also showing them that you can love them.

2. Take time for yourself.
It is important that you take time for yourself. You need to do this so that you can be your best and so that you can give him some time and space as well. Keep up with your interests. Spend time with your friends and family. Make sure that you are spending time away from him.

3. Become his best friend.
It is important that you take the time to make him your best friend. You also need to become his best friend. You want to be the one that he confides in. You want to be the one that supports him and that meets his close friend needs.

4. Have some fun.
You want to make sure that you are having a lot of fun with him. It is important to show him that you are a fun person to be around. Plus you want him to enjoy himself while you are at it. This fun time is what will make a man fall in love with you.

5. Take it easy.
You also want to make sure that you are taking it easy. This will require that you take it one step at a time and that you don't push him. Instead make it so that he leads the pace of the relationship. This will allow you to keep him comfortable in the relationship.

These five things will help you make a man fall in love. The best thing is that they can be used by any woman. You don't have to be someone special or have something special to make it work. Instead, you can make him yours, no matter who you are!

If you are looking for a system to make every man adore you, chase you, love you, and commit to you, click Unforgettable Woman Dating Advice. If you're ready for a highly effective method that's different from what every else is teaching, click 77 Secrets to Attract and Keep Him Now. You don't want to miss this!

This article is contributed by Tina Jones. Tina is part of the Unforgettable Woman Publishing Team. She works together with founder Alexandra Fox and writes dating/relationship articles for women who want to understand male psychology, how to attract men, and find true love. You can find more about Unforgettable Woman Publishing by visiting their website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tina_L._Jones

How to Make Her Fall Head Over Heels in Love With You

2010-01-18T23:20:00.000-08:00

By Chris Tyler Platinum Quality Author
So, you probably have one woman in particular that you REALLY want to make fall in love with you. She's all that you think about and you only want to know how to make her want you as much as you want her. Sometimes this can seem to be nearly impossible for a man to do. For whatever reason, it seems like the more that you fall for her, the more she seems to be almost unreachable for YOU.

So, what can you do?

What could you possibly do to make her fall head over heels in love with YOU?

Being able to resist the urge to throw yourself at her is a MUST. The more that you try to pursue a woman, the less likely it is that you will actually get her. You have to be able to play the classic game of cat and mouse to an extent with her. Unfortunately, most men just toss themselves at a woman and never realize that this is NOT the way to go about things.

Women don't want an easy man. They want a challenge.

You have to learn how to challenge a woman, because the moment that she realizes that she has you wrapped around her finger, then you are DONE. Gone is whatever sexual attraction that might have been there and she does need to feel this for you if she is going to fall head over heels in love with YOU.

You've got to be a bit of a tease.

To tease a woman is to welcome her into your trance. When you tease a woman and demonstrate that unlike other men, you are not going to be there for her every whim and that she will have to work to get your attention, the whole thing becomes fun for her. This is when women find that for some odd reason they cannot get a certain guy out of their heads.

Of course, this is how you WANT her to feel.

She has to be able to feel as though she is not quite sure if she has you. Sure, she might complain about this to her girlfriends a bit, but she will keep coming after YOU. This is what you need to happen. Instead of being the kind of guy that desperately pursues a woman, you want her to pursue YOU.

To make a woman fall head over heels in love, you have to be able to resist temptation a bit and make her work for YOUR attention.

Learn how to make a woman fall in love with YOU...

Click HERE to GRAB Your FREE Report TODAY!

Copyright © 2009 Chris Tyler All Rights Reserved.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Tyler

Make Any Man Fall in Love - Learn the Hidden Secrets

2010-01-18T23:17:00.000-08:00

By Tina L. Jones Platinum Quality Author
Are you like most females and find it almost impossible to make any man fall in love with you? Times have changed and so why is it no longer proper for women to attract men in the old fashion way? Are you like most females and are willing to do what ever is necessary to attract the man of your dreams? Follow these suggestions to make any man fall in love with you as you learn the hidden secrets.

A lot has changed in the past few decades and some of those things are not necessarily for the better. Times sure where different when your parents were courting, because things were so much more simpler then. Nowadays, everyone has changed because society has changed as a whole, whether they feel if it is acceptable or not.

No longer are you able to stand completely out away from the crowd, but you have become part of the crowd, which makes it so much harder for that special man to notice you. Now you have to really work to get that special man notice you or even to make that all important first impression on him. This first impression can make any man fall in love with you, but you have to work for it.

In past decades this was accomplished pretty easily, because men knew what you liked and had no problem noticing you, but no longer. With the growing and changing times, this process has become extremely difficult to accomplish. Today, it seems as if men are not only looking for women that will make them a good housewife, but a good companion in life as well.

Yes, men have learn to have many more expectations out of women, which might be due to equal rights some feel, but is that a bad thing? Learn why other people like you so that you can use these qualities to get that special man to notice you. Remember, you have got to love yourself before anyone else can love you.

You also need to try to figure out what that special man in your life wants out of woman. Learn what it is that really makes him tick, but most of all try to figure out why he acts the way he acts sometimes, which is not going to easy. Oftentimes, women feel that men should come with some type of manual so that we can understand them better, but since they do not we have have figure them out alone.

Figuring men out can be extremely confusing at times, but if you will pay close attention to that special man in your life, then you will see that he is trying to show you want he wants and needs. The main problem is that the majority of women are not that good at reading some of these strange signals that many men give them.

Oftentimes, these signals are overlooked simply because women do not know what they should look for from that special man in their life. Think about how life is today and where you would like to see yourself in the future, while at the same time including that special man in your life.

\This man might not be your one true love, but he is out there some where, and all you have to do is learn how to read those signals he is giving you. By no means will changing your life be easy, but learning to read the signs that your special man gives you will help your relationships, especially if you want to make any man fall in love with you, then you have to learn his hidden secrets.

To learn more, click Fall in Love and learn Love Mistakes that 99% of women make without knowing.

This article is contributed by Tina Jones from the Unforgettable Woman Publishing Team. She works together with founder Alexandra Fox and writes dating/relationship articles for women. You can find more about Unforgettable Woman Publishing by visiting their website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tina_L._Jones

Comprehensive Sex Education Might Reduce Teen Pregnancies, Study Suggests

2010-01-18T21:57:00.000-08:00

New research suggests that comprehensive sex education might lead to less teen pregnancy, and there are no indications that it boosts the levels of sexual intercourse or sexually transmitted diseases.

“It is not harmful to teach teens about birth control in addition to abstinence,” said study lead author Pamela Kohler, a program manager at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Parents and educators have long argued over whether students should get instruction in birth control or simply learn how to say no. At issue is which approach will best postpone sex.

Kohler and colleagues examined the results of the 2002 national survey and focused on heterosexual teens ages 15 to 19. The findings — based on responses from 1,719 teens — appear in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

After reviewing the results, which researchers weighted to reflect the U.S. population better, the researchers found that one in four teens received abstinence-only education. Nine percent — particularly the poor and those in rural areas — received no sex education at all. The other two-thirds received comprehensive instruction with discussion of birth control.

Teens who received comprehensive sex education were 60 percent less likely to report becoming pregnant or impregnating someone than those who received no sex education.

The likelihood of pregnancy was 30 percent lower among those who had abstinence-only education compared to those who received no sex education, but the researchers deemed that number statistically insignificant because few teens fit into the categories that researchers analyzed.

While they also did not reach statistical significance, other survey results suggested that comprehensive sex education — but not abstinence-based sex education — slightly reduced the likelihood of teens having engaged in vaginal intercourse. Neither approach seemed to reduce the likelihood of reported cases of sexually transmitted diseases, but again the results were not statistically significant.

The findings support comprehensive sex education, Kohler said.

“There was no evidence to suggest that abstinence-only education decreased the likelihood of ever having sex or getting pregnant.”

Don Operario, Ph.D., a professor at Oxford University in England, said the study provides “further compelling evidence” about the value of comprehensive sex education and the “ineffectiveness” of the abstinence-only approach.

Still, the study does not show how educators should implement comprehensive sex education in the classroom, said Operario, who studies sex education. “We need a better understanding of the most effective ways of delivering this type of education in order to maximize audience comprehension and community acceptability.”

Journal reference: Kohler PK, Manhart LE, Lafferty WE. Abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education and the initiation of sexual activity and teen pregnancy. J Adolesc Health 42(4), 2008.

Source : http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080319151225.htm

“KOST DUKA” kenangan waktu SMA

2007-11-23T19:12:00.000-08:00

Pada zaman dahulu kala, di suatu Negara kepulauan yang diapit oleh dua samudra dan dua benua tersebutlah suatu tanah subur di pulau JAVA yang merupakan tanah kelahiran Ku. Tanah itu bernama CroCodiLE_fOrGet. Disinilah kuhabiskan masa kanak-kanak Q hingga beranjak ABG. NAH , kale ini cerita kan berkisar tentang masa ABG ku di Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA). :roll:

Dulu, kata orang SMA terfavorit di TANAH AIR ku ( BOYOLALI) adalah SMA N 1 BOYOLALI, so aku masuk kesana. Sebenernya agak males juaga sih. Dari rumah sampe sekolah (SMA) berjarak 36 km gT jadi tiap hari musti naek bus ±1 jam’an Gt (doloe kan blum boleh naek sepeda motor gt..!). hampir satu tahun gue naik bus yaitu waktu kelas satu SMA. Asik juga kok naek BUS…! Tapi resikonya musti telat tiap hari sampe sekolahnya. SMA N 1 BOYOLALI kan sekolah favorit tp berhubung guru-guru dah pada hapal ma Q jd tiap hari dimaafkan GT, kn rumahQ jauh. Wekekekeke…! :oops:

Nah waktu menginjak kelas 2 SMA, gue mulai berpikir. Kan pelajaran mulai terasa berat, mulai aktif di sekolah, n berbagain persoalan remaja. Biasa kan kalo ABG mulai LIRIK SANA LIRIK SINI n persiapan penjurusan masuk kelas 3 ( pilih IPA, IPS, or BAHASA GT). Jadi mulai kesuliatan ngatur waktu. Maka, KU putuskan untuk beralih mencari kost-kostan. Disekitar SMA N 1 BOYOLALI kan banyak kost-kost’an cowok , pa lagi yang cewek, berjamur uiiih (maksudnya banyak gT). Setelah muter2 nyari kost-kostan sambil ngebandingin harga sewanya, letak geografisnya n kestrategisan lokasinya, aQ pilih kost di belakang sekolah. Tepatnya di pojokan belakang sebelah kanan SMA N 1 BOYOLALI yang hanya berjarak 15 meter dari pagar sekolah tercinta (wuih deket bgty kn?) :cool:

Nah kost inilah yang namanya “KOST DUKA”. Waktu pertama masuk, gue agak penasaran juga kenapa dinamain kost duka, tapi setelah keluar dari sana baru deh gue nyadar apa maksud “kata itu” yang sebenarnya. Temen2 satu kost disana za adik2 kelasQ, kakak kelas, n temen2 satu angkatan. zA otomatis gue kenal lah ma mereka! Da beberapa juga sih yg dr sekolah laen (SMA, SMK, or STM) di deket2 situ.

Kamar gue juga sama kayak2 kamar2 biasa, dgn ukuran 2,5 m x 2,5 m n sewa perbulan Rp 50.000,- tapi jgn salah, fasilitas lengkap coi ( tapi musti bawa sendiri ). Kamar2 kost duka lumayan banyak sih 11 kamar n diisi cowok semua. Dari beberapa kamar ada yng satu kamar diisi 2 orang da yang 1 orang (kayak gue GT). Nah dinilah kulalui 2 tahun masa SMA ku. Di KOST DUKA sering terjadi deman yang menyerang tiba2, misalnya kja demam maen PLAYSTATION, demam maen KARTu (tapi 9 pake duit loh…!), demam maen VOLI, sepakbola n yg baru-baru ini demam maen GAME OL ( itutuh game yg dimaenin lewat internet) mulai dari SealOnline, Tantra OL, RAGNAROk OL, GunBOUND, RYL, WARCRAFT, RedAlert n banyak lagi game2 lainya.

Temen2 yang membekas di hati GUE za: GOTRIE, pinter maen PS doang tp cumin sepak bola. BASHORI , pinteer ngaji n paling o’on klo maen kartu (jadi tukang kasut) dah jadi calon dokter hewan ni. RAFI , PlayBoy cap kaleng yg pinter ngerayu cewek. HERI , A.K.A “koplo”. Dia pinter paan za? Susah untuk dijabarin..! tapi satu hal yg pasti, jgn macem2 ma dia. Dh jd POLISI gT. OKKY A.K.A “cabul”, Nah ini dia yg paling cabul. Tetangga gue ni, n dh jd POLISI. ANDI ADITAMA, si JENDRAL yg pinter di sekolah. Punya badan n potongan rambut kayak tentara tapi orangnya “cengengesan”. Juara paskibraka oiii. BAYU, pinter maen PS n dah jadi anak kuliahan di UGM. N TEMEN2 yg lae ( joko, onang, widi, singgih, allen si tukang ngiler, agus, kenthus, n banyak lagi yg laenya). :lol:

Ni semua temen2 gue yg gokil-gokil. Di kost duka, kita lalui semua hal bersama jadi udah kayak brother/ saudara gToh..! walaupun sering bercanda n bertengkar.

Nah baru setelah gue tinggalin kost2an ntu, gue baru nyadar kalau hidup kita di kost2an sangat FUN , banyak kenangan , n banyak suka dukanya. Pokoknya tak terlupakan deh. Baru ktika beberapa hari ini ketemu ma anak2 kost duka lagi, n gue nyadar knapa kost itu dinamain kost duka. Alasanya karena setelah kita lulus dari kost duka baru nyadar kalo kita nyesel banget n berduka meninggalkan masa-masa ABG yg FUN di sana. Rasanya pengen balik lagi tapi “LIVE MUST GO ON”

Sumber : http://nobon.blog.uns.ac.id/2009/07/28/kos-duka-sma-nobon/

Pendidikan Seks Remaja, Masih Perlukah?

2007-11-23T19:10:00.000-08:00

oleh Arli Aditya Parikesit
Selama ini banyak kalangan yang mempertanyakan kegunaan pendidikan seks bagi remaja. Benarkah tidak ada gunanya? Bagaimana status pendidikan seks di luar negeri? Mari kita simak untuk perbandingan!

ScienceDaily (Mar.20, 2008). Riset terbaru menunjukkan bahwa pendidikan seks komprehensif dapat mengurangi kemungkinan kehamilan remaja, dan tidak ada indikasi bahwa hal tersebut meningkatkan level hubungan seks atau penyakit menular seksual (PMS). “Sama sekali tidak membahayakan untuk mengajari remaja mengenai kontrol kelahiran, sebagai tambahan dari penolakan hubungan seks,’ demikian kata pimpinan kajian, Pamela Kohler, Manajer program pada Universitas Washington di Seattle. Orang tua dan pendidik telah lama berargumentasi, apakah siswa harus mendapatkan pengajaran kontrol kelahiran, atau secara mudah bilang saja tidak terhadap seks bebas. Opsi mana yang lebih baik untuk menunda hubungan seks pada remaja.

Kohler dan kolega mengamati hasil dari survei nasional Amerika Serikat tahun 2002 dan berfokus pada remaja heteroseksual umur 15 sampai 19 tahun. Penemuan ini- berdasarkan respon dari 1719 remaja- dipublikasi pada journal of Adolescent Health. Setelah mereview hasil, peneliti menemukan bahwa satu dari empat remaja menerima pendidikan penolakan hubungan seks saja. Sembilan persen, terutama di daerah miskin dan pedesaan, tidak menerima pendidikan seks sama sekali. Dua pertiga sisanya menerima instruksi komprehensif, dengan diskusi kontrol kelahiran dan penolakan hubungan. Remaja yang menerima pendidikan seks komprehensif memiliki kemungkinan 60 persen lebih kecil untuk mendapatkan kehamilan, dibandingkan yang tidak menerima pendidikan seks sama sekali. Kemungkinan kehamilah adalah 30 persen lebih rendah pada mereka yang hanya menerima pendidikan penolakan hubungan seks saja, dibanding mereka yang tidak menerima hubungan seks, namun peneliti mengasumsikan bahwa angka tersebut kurang signifikan secara statistik, sebab beberapa remaja yang masuk dalam kategori diteliti.

Walau mereka juga tidak mencapai signifkansi statistik, survei lain juga menganjurkan bahwa pendidikan seks komprehensif, bukan penolakan hubungan seks saja, mengurangi kemungkinan remaja terlibat pada hubungan vaginal. Kedua pendekatan tersebut tidak dilaporkan mengurangi kemungkinan PMS, namun hasil tersebut secara statistik tidak signifikan. Bagaimanapun, penemuan tersebut mendukung diberikannya pendidikan seks komprehensif, demikian tandas Kohler. ‘Tidak ada bukti untuk mendukung bahwa pendidikan penolakan hubungan seks saja mengurangi kemungkinan terjadinya hubungan seks, atau kehamilan’, kata Kohler lagi.

Don Operario, PhD., profesor pada Universitas Oxford di Inggris mengatakan bahwa kajian tersebut memberikan ‘bukti lebih jauh’, terhadap kegunaan pendidikan seks komprehensif dan ketidak efektifitas dari pendekatan penolakan hubungan seks saja. Bagaimanapun, kajian tersebut tidak menunjukkan bagaimana pendidik harus mengimplementasikan pendidikan seks komprehensif pada ruang kelas, demikian kata Operario, yang mempelajari pendidikan seks. ‘Kita memerlukan pemahaman lebih baik terhadap cara yang paling efektif untuk memberikan tipe pendidikan dalam rangka untuk memaksimalkan pemahaman murid dan penerimaan komunitas’, kata Operario.

Referensi Jurnal : Kohler PK, Manhart LE, Lafferty WE. Abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education and the initiation of sexual activity and teen pregnancy. J Adolesc Health 42(4), 2008.

Diterjemahkan dari:

The Center for the Advancement of Health. “Comprehensive Sex Education Might Reduce Teen Pregnancies, Study Suggests.” ScienceDaily 20 March 2008. 28 November 2008 http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2008/03/080319151225.htm .

Sumber : http://netsains.com/2008/12/pendidikan-seks-remaja-masih-perlukah/

Gay Pride: Homoseksual Dipicu Lingkungan dan Gaya Hidup

2007-11-23T19:09:00.000-08:00

oleh Hosea Handoyo
‘Gay Pride’ mungkin masih terdengar asing di Indonesia. namun tidak di Belanda. Akhir pekan kemarin, tepatnya 4 Agustus, merupakan salah satu puncak acara Gay Pride Amsterdam: We are Proud dengan Boat Parade.
Yang menarik dari acara ini adalah dibawanya pesan-pesan perdamaian dalam parade yang menarik lebih dari 500.000 orang ini dan hamper 70% adalah kaum homoseksual dan transvestites. Tidak hanya disitu saja, beberapa partai politik, perusahaan internasional hingga kaum peneliti yang biasanya bekerja di lab mulai unjuk gigi.

Terlepas dari semua kontroversi yang ada, Gay Pride Amsterdam sejak tahun 1960 telah membawa kegerakan integrasi kaum homoseksual dalam damai di Eropa melalui acara-acara yang artistik dan melibatkan banyak orang. Cara inilah yang perlu kita contoh untuk membawa perubahan di bumi Indonesia mungkin – tentu saja bukan menjadi homoseksual yang kita contoh.

Pengaruh Keluarga
Saya teringat akan topik riset institut saya di Amsterdam, Netherlands Institute of Neuroscience, mengenai seksualitas dan biologi. Kini diketahui bahwa terdapat beberapa perbedaan biologis antara kaum homoseksual dan heteroseksual, misal anatomi otak (Swaab, 1990; Le-Vay, 1991) dan ekspresi genetik dan metabolik di dalam tubuh mereka (Hamer et al. 1993; Cooke et al. 1999; Kinnunen, Moltz et al. 2004; Berglund, Lindstrom et al. 2006). Tidak berhenti sampai di situ saja, ternyata banyak juga faktor lingkungan yang dapat menyebabkan homoseksualitas seperti kekerasan seksual, sodomi, hingga stres pada ibu hamil (Dörner et al. 1988; Ellis et al. 1998 & 1990).

Faktor lingkungan ternyata menyangkut bagaimana seorang anak dibesarkan. Orang tua ternyata menentukan seksualitas anak-anaknya. Penelitian di awal abad ke-20 oleh Sigmund Freud. Beliau mengungkapkan teori Oedipal Phase (1957) yang hingga kini belum termentahkan. Menurutnya, seorang laki-laki dapat menjadi seorang ‘gay’ bila memiliki hubungan yang terlalu erat dengan ibunya atau kurangnya atau hilangnya figur kebapakan dalam keluarga hingga bapak yang terlalu disiplin hingga memunculkan kebencian pada lali-laki secara umum.

Hal ini berlaku terbalik pada kasus perempuan lesbian dimana posisi ibu hilang atau terlalu disiplin dan ayah yang terlalu dekat dengan anak perempuannya ((Bell, Weinberg et al. 1981; Freund and Blanchard 1983). Sebagian besar kaum psikolog dan psikiatri percaya bahwa hal ini adalah “penyebab” utama homoseksualitas yang baru kemudian mengubah proses biologis dalam tubuh (Bogaert, 2006).

Gaya Hidup
Bila kita lihat gaya hidup masyarakat dunia, khususnya Indonesia, tidak mengherankan bila jumlah kaum homoseksualitas akan terus meningkat tiap tahunnya. Tuntutan karir dan gaya hidup metropolitan telah memaksa para orang tua kehilangan waktu dengan dengan anak-anaknya. Anak-anak pun mulai kehilangan figur bapak dan atau ibu. Efektivitas “waktu keluarga” nampak sangat penting di sini.

Gay Pride Amsterdam: We are Proud, telah menjadi indikator seberapa banyak “korban” gaya hidup metropolitan zaman modern di Eropa. Sebelum lebih terlambat di Indonesia, ada baiknya kita introspeksi. Seberapa baikkah hubungan orang tua dengan anak-anaknya? Bagi orang tua yang tidak ingin anak-anaknya menjadi homoseksual maka sudah sepatutnya kita memperhatikan “waktu keluarga” yang kita miliki. Mungkin Belanda perlu mengubah topik Gay Pride tahun depan menjadi Gay Pride Amsterdam: We are Proud (?) Apakah kita perlu bangga melihat bukti-bukti dari banyaknya anak-anak yang kurang kasih sayang?

Daftar Pustaka:

* Berglund, H., P. Lindstrom, et al. (2006). “Brain response to putative pheromones in lesbian women.” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 103(21): 8269-74.
* Bogaert, A. F. (2006). “Biological versus nonbiological older brothers and men’s sexual orientation.” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 103(28): 10771-4.
* Cooke, B. M., G. Tabibnia, et al. (1999). “A brain sexual dimorphism controlled by adult circulating androgens.” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 96(13): 7538-40.
* Dörner, G., B. Schenk, et al. (1983). “Stressful events in prenatal life of bi- and homosexual men.” Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology 81(83-87).
* Ellis, L., H. Hoffman, et al. (1990). “Sex, sexual orientation and criminal and violent behavior.” Personality and Individual Differences 11: 1207-1211.
* Ellis, L., M. A. Ames, et al. (1988). “Sexual orientation of human offspring may be altered by severe maternal stress during pregnancy.” Journal of Sex Research 25: 152-157.
* Freud, S. (1920/1955). The psychogenesis of a case of homosexuality in a woman. The standard edition of the complete works of Sigmund Freud. J. Strachey. London, Hogarth. 18: 147-172.
* Freud, S. (1957). Leonardo da Vince and a memory of his childhood. Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud. J. Strachey. London, Hogarth Press. 11: 100.
* Freund, K. and R. Blanchard (1983). “Is the distant relationship of fathers and homosexual sons related to the son’s erotic preference for male partners, or to the sons’ atypical gender identity, or both?” Journal of Homosexuality 9: 7-25.
* Hamer, D. H., S. Hu, et al. (1993). “A linkage between DNA markers on the X chromosome and male sexual orientation.” Science 261(5119): 321-7.
* Kinnunen, L. H., H. Moltz, et al. (2004). “Differential brain activation in exclusively homosexual and heterosexual men produced by the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, fluoxetine.” Brain Res 1024(1-2): 251-4.
* LeVay, S. (1991). “A difference in hypothalamic structure between heterosexual and homosexual men.” Science 253(5023): 1034-7.
* Swaab, D. F. and M. A. Hofman (1990). “An enlarged suprachiasmatic nucleus in homosexual men.” Brain Res 537(1-2): 141-8.

Sumber : http://netsains.com/2007/07/gay-pride-homoseksual-dipicu-lingkungan-dan-gaya-hidup/

International Conference of Young Scientists (ICYS)

2007-11-22T01:19:00.000-08:00

7 Emas Disabet Pelajar Indonesia di Kompetisi Penelitian Internasional
JAKARTA,kompas..com—Prestasi pelajar Indonesia di kompetisi sains internasional tidak diragukan lagi. Dari kompetisi penelitian sains tingkat internasional, pelajar Indonesia berhasil membawa pulang sedikitnya tujuh medali emas.
Di ajang lomba penelitian dan presentasi tingkat dunia atau International Conference of Young Scientists (ICYS) 2009 di Polandia 24-28 April, pelajar Indonesia mengharumkan nama Indonesia dengan meraih enam emas, satu perak, dan tiga perunggu.Perolehan dua medali emas didapat dari bidang fisika oleh Guinandra Lutfan Jatikusumo (SMA Taruna Nusantara) dengan penelitian berjudul "Menghilangkan Asap dan Debu dari Tank Perang", serta Idelia Chandra (SMA St Laurensia) yang meneliti perbedaan suara secara fisika dalam Gamelan Bali.Medali emas lainnya dari bidang komputer dipersembahkan Nugra Akbari (SMA Global Mandiri) dengan yang mempresentasikan penelitian soal batik yang dapat didesain lewat fractal. Selanjutnya, tiga medali emas didapat dari bidang ekologi dipersembahkan J Karli (SMA Cita Hati) yang mempresentasikan soal durian yang ternyata bisa membunuh nyamuk, Gabriella Alicia Kosasih (SMA St Laurensia) soal bakteri bisa memutus rantai molekul oli sehingga mudah dihancurkan tanah, dan Fernanda Novelia (SMA Petra 3) soal cara mengontrol hama dengan cara efektif.Di tempat terpisah, empat pelajar Indonesia yakni Dede Chyntia, Evelyn Wibowo, Reza Dwi Aji, dan Luthfi Rais yang ikut dalam Olimpiade Energi Teknik dan Lingkungan di di Houston, Amerika Serikat, pada 15-20 April lalu juga mempersembahkan medali emas dan perak. Peserta berasal dari 60 negara ditambah 40 peserta dari negara bagian AS.Dalam presentasinya di bidang lingkungan, Dede dan Evelyn meneliti penggunaan debu terbang hasil pembakaran batu bara untuk mengurangi keasaman pada air hujan serta mengurangi polusi udara. Atas penelitian ini, Dede dan Evelyn mendapat medali emas.Adapun Reza dan Luthfi meneliti bidang energi dengan tema memaksimalkan energi matahari untuk penggunaan manusia dalam kehidupan sehari-hari. Keduanya menyabet medali perak.

Sumber : http://edukasi.kompas.com/read/xml/2009/04/28/19081244/7.emas.disabet.pelajar.indonesia.di.kompetisi.penelitian.internasional

International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO)

2007-11-22T01:18:00.000-08:00

Indonesia Raih Prestasi Prestisius di IJSO
JAKARTA, SELASA—Pelajar SMP Indonesia yang bertanding di International Junior Science Olympiad yang berakhir pada Selasa (16/12) di Changwon, Korea Selatan, berhasil menyabet prestasi prestisius sebagai juara pertama dalam tes eksperimen.
Predikat tes eksperimen terbaik itu mendongkrak perolehan medali yang diraih tim Indonesia.Keenam siswa SMP yang mewakili Indonesia mampu menyumbangkan empat medali emas, empat medali perak, dan satu medali perunggu. International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) ke-5 itu diikuti 257 siswa dari 48 negara peserta dan lima negara sebagai pengamat.Kompetisi sains bagi anak berumur 15 tahun ke bawah itu meliputi biologi, fisika, dan kimia yang berlangsung dalam tiga tahap yaitu tes kompetisi, teori, dan eksperimen. Kompetisi tahun ini dinilai lebih berat dari sebelumnya karena peserta melonjak 30 persen.Pelajar Indonesia yang mewakili meraih medali emas adalah Andhika Tangguh Pradhana (SMP Al Azhar III Bintaro Jakarta), medali perak disumbangkan oleh Fuad Ikhwanda (SMPN I Padang Panjang, Sumatera Barat), Erwin Wibowo (SMP Susteran Purwokerto, Jawa Tengah), Jessica Handojo (SMP Santa Ursula DKI Jakarta) dan Florencia Irena (SMP Santa Ursula DKI Jakarta), serta medali perunggu diraih Abidah Rahmah (SMP Islam Nurul Fikri Banten).Salah satu kelompok eksperimen Indonesia yang berhasil meraih predikat tes eksperimen terbaik menambah tiga medali emas.

Sumber : http://www.kompas.com/read/xml/2008/12/16/21121759/indonesia.raih.prestasi.prestisius.di.ijso.

International Mathematic Competition (IMC)

2007-11-22T01:17:00.000-08:00

Pelajar Indonesia Raih 3 Emas dari Kompetisi Matematika Internasional 2008
Para pelajar Indonesia berhasil meraih tiga medali emas, 16 medali perak, dan 30 medali perunggu pada ajang Kompetisi Matematika Internasional atau International Mathematic Competition (IMC) 2008 yang diselenggarakan di Chiang Mai, Thailand pada 25-30 Oktober 2008.
Tim IMC tiba di Tanah Air pada Sabtu, 1 November 2008 pukul 12.00 WIB di terminal kedatangan II E Bandara Intenasional Soekarno-Hatta, Cengkareng, Tangerang, Banten.Hasil peroleh medali itu menempatkan Indonesia pada posisi tiga setelah Cina dan Taiwan. Peringkat Indonesia berada di atas tuan rumah Thailand. IMC 2008 diikuti oleh 580 siswa dari 25 negara. IMC dibagi menjadi dua divisi, yakni tingkat usia 13 tahun atau setingkat sekolah dasar (TEMIC) dan tingkat usia 16 tahun atau setingkat sekolah menengah pertama (TIWYMIC). Pada divisi TEMIC kategori individu tim Indonesia meraih dua medali emas, delapan medali perak, dan 20 medali perunggu, sedangkan pada kategori tim berhasil meraih satu medali emas dan satu medali perak.Pada divisi TEMIC kategori individu medali emas dipersembahkan oleh Fransisca Susan, siswi SMP Santa Ursula Jakarta dan Christa Lorenzia, siswi SMPK Tirta Martha BPK Penabur Jakarta. Adapun medali perak diraih oleh Henry Jayakusuma, siswa SD PL Bernardus Jawa Tengah, Peter Tirtowijoyo Young, siswa SMP Petra I Surabaya , Stevano Chiesa Suryanto, siswa SD Santa Theresia Jakarta , Richard Akira Heru, siswa SMP PL Domenico Savio , Semarang Jawa Tengah. Adapun pada divisi TIWYMIC kategori individu, tim Indonesia berhasil meraih enam medali perak dan sepuluh medali perunggu, sedangkan pada kategori tim berhasil meraih satu medali perak.Pada divisi TIWYMIC kategori individu medali perak dipersembahkan oleh Tobi Moektijono, siswa SMP Koless Kanisius DKI Jakarta, Ivan Wangsaciptalingga, siswa SMAK 1 BPK Penabur Jakarta, Stephen Sanjaya, siswa SMP Colese Kanisius, DKI Jakarta, Ivan Adrian Koswara, siswa SMP Bintang Mulia Bandung, Jawa Barat, Bivan Alzacky Harmanto, siswa SMP Labschool Rawamangun, DKI Jakarta, dan Jeremiah Riker Gunawan, siswa SMP Pangudi Luhur Bintang Laut Surakarta.Adapun pada divisi TIWYMIC kategori tim medali perak diraih oleh Tim 1 terdiri atas Tobi Moektijono, Jennifer Santoso, Ivan Wangsaciptalingga, dan Ivan Adrian Koswara.

Sumber : http://www.diknas.go.id/headline.php?id=4