According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute and other reliable sources, a sexually active young adult who does not use contraceptives has around a 90% chance of becoming pregnant within just one year. That's not a new statistic or anything a lot of people don't know, but it's one that makes clear how important it is for sexually active teens to find, have and use a birth control method which works for them.

Not only do we all usher in a new year today, but 2008 marks the start of our 10th year at Scarleteen. Holy moley! I've got some plans a'brewing for some anniversary festivities throughout '08, but I'd like to usher in the year with you with a few ideas for some great resolutions to consider adding to your own lists.

I read about this site in a book that I'm currently reading. I thought I'd check it out for myself. I think the content of your site is terrible. You think that you give teens all the information that they need so they can make informed decisions about their sex life. What bologna. The only decision that teens need to make is to not have sex until they are married. Certainly we all need to be informed about our physical health, our bodies, and how to have a healthy sexual relationship. But what about talking to teens about abstinence?

...and we love them back!

We interrupt your regular programming for a little bit of shameless and self-congratulatory self-promotion.

The reviews of our young adult sex guide, S.E.X.: The All-You-Need-to-Know Progressive Sexuality Guide to Get You Through High School and College have been coming in, and we're elated to hear that readers and reviewers of the book seem to think it's just as special and essential as we do.

I'm about to take a much-needed week off -- one I've needed for a good year or more! -- but I wanted to hop in and catch all of you up with some recent changes here at the site, some new articles, and a couple pressing issues out and about in the world.

When I was a teenager, having sex wasn't really part of my rebellion.

Having GOOD sex was.

It's been an incredibly excellent week for myself, Scarleteen, and -- in my opinion -- the world at large.

We have the first woman speaker of the House in history -- now democratic -- today, the fantastic, feminist Nancy Pelosi.

We're THIS close to a democratic Senate win, and Dems dominate the Governors. We now have 82 women -- 82 women! -- in the Senate.

The South Dakota abortion ban was overturned (thanks, SD voters, for turning out in record numbers!), and prop 85 also didn't pass.

To: Brian Alexander, c/o Sexploration, MSNBC
CC: Dean Wright, Lead Editor, MSNBC

Dear Mr. Alexander,

I was recently pointed to your article, Sex Ed on the Web at MSNBC.