Human Rights and Female protection

In the face of the recent mass molestation of female revellers at a New Year's event in Bengaluru, the words “men will be men” continues to be sloppily thrown around. It's an excuse we've had drilled into our psyche since time immemorial.

This begs the question “What constitutes a man?” A feral beast that cannot control its sexual urge? A title that offers liberties over the fairer sex? A being with an inborn masculine complex that is only fuelled and sated by exercising dominance over females?

We are constantly outraged as story after story of molestation and rape is featured in the media. We are up in arms, we vent our frustrations on every social media outlet, we begin trending hashtags (in case you were wondering, there's one this time too - #notallmen), sometimes, depending on the severity, we take to the streets. And then we move on. That is, until the next case once again fuels our anger and frustration.

While Sri Lanka may seem comparatively tame compared to our neighbours, we aren't particularly  devoid of such evils. Women here still face harassment in all forms. Many are raped.

Little boys grow up being taught that possession of a certain appendage gives them way more than a smidgen of entitlement. A license, if you will, to do as they please. Without a doubt, a few exploit this freedom. Excuses are made. They are forgiven - they are men, after all, and men will be men.

This in turn paves the way for victim blaming. Words like “culture”, “clothing” and “asked for it” get thrown around. So let's get this straight - are we to understand that this same “culture” denies women simple freedoms under the guise of modesty and safety, but justifies a man's right to rape and molest, yes?

Such excuses are why society is to blame for the continued spate of attacks against women that show no signs of abating. Attacks that happen in plain view as countless people pass by. We teach little girls to behave a certain way, to dress a certain way, to speak a certain way. What a girl may be chastised for, a boy will receive praise and applause. We never tell the boys to respect women, that women are not sexual playthings to be had. We don't teach them about consent - that “No” actually does mean NO. We don't tell them that wearing “revealing” clothes is NOT an invitation to molest and rape. We don't explain to them that even if a woman is drunk or has passed out, that it in NO WAY means you have a right to throw yourself at her.

Love Your Kids. They will love you back

1. When you're tired, hand your kids a brush, point to your head and tell them to play beauty parlor.

2. When you're really tired, pretend that you're Sleeping Beauty.

3. Take your mother to a spa. While you're both getting seaweed wraps, tell her all your favorite memories of growing up.

4. Take a bath with your infant. Make sure your husband is around for the handoff, so you can relax until the last minute. (Don't forget to smell your baby right afterward. Heaven!)

5. At the end of every summer, take a family photo for the holiday card (you'll be happy to have this accomplished once December comes). Every year, add a framed 11-by-14-inch print to your front hall. Your kids will be proud now and laugh later at the funny styles.

6. On St. Patrick's Day, dye the milk and eggs green and turn the furniture upside down so your home looks like total chaos. When your little ones wake up, tell them that the leprechauns came.
The next time you have to go to a boring kiddie activity, invite another mom-friend along. Hide wine in sippy cups for the two of you to nurse undercover.

7. Play Freaky Friday with your husband and switch roles for a day. Enjoy his renewed appreciation for his Super Mom wife.

8. In the dead of winter, fix some snacks, get under warm quilts and watch Happy Feet on DVD. Tell your kids you love them even more than the penguins love their chicks.

9. Go to the beach in the off-season. Throw rocks in the water and collect shells. Put them in a vase and use it as shelf decor in your living room.

10. Skip the Raffi and Barney. Turn your kids on to Bob Marley, They Might Be Giants, and Gwen Stefani.

11. Take your baby out to the movies at night. (Infants love the dark, and loud trailers make them snooze immediately.) Then you can sip your soda and munch your popcorn in peace.

12. Buy yourself that fancy watch, strand of pearls or whatever piece of expensive jewelry you've been lusting after. Justify your purchase by rationalizing that you'll pass it down to your daughter (or son's wife) eventually.

13. Take your kids to live music performances from very early ages. Cheap ones outdoors are great to start with in case you need to make a hasty exit (like when a diaper explodes).

14. Use your kids as an excuse to do the things you want to do, like going to silly feel-good movies, eating mac and cheese for dinner and jumping in the moonbounce. Use your kids as an excuse to get out of things you don't want to do, like going to a wedding or office party.

15. Every Mother's Day, have a picture taken with your kids. Keep the photos all together—along with special cards, ticket stubs, mementos and anything else that makes you feel good about being a mom - in a shoe box. (Of course, you must get those new shoes you love in order to do this correctly.)

16. Every year, look through your Goddess Mom box and see how much your kids have grown.
Give your kids quiet time every day. Let them learn to be by themselves with books, crayons or blocks.

17. Let your whole family take a day off and hang out in pj's all day long.
Rent Sex and the City on DVD, and reminisce about the days when you were single and the biggest problem you had was whether the "He" of the moment was going to call. Let the romance of your youth seduce you. Then remember that, despite your freedom, all you really wanted was to fall in love and have beautiful babies.

18. Pitch a tent in the backyard. Use it as your outdoor reading room. Or when there's a full moon, plan a family campout with sleeping bags, a transistor radio and s'mores, of course.
Invent a house fairy. Give her a name, and tell your kids that she is always watching them and counting up their good deeds.

19. Listen for the deep, happy sighs that come after your kids play or laugh really hard. Tuck them away in your heart.

Top 4 Benefits of Higher Education

High school graduation is something most young people look forward to – not just because it’s an accomplishment, but also because of the freedom it brings. No more school! No more 6 a.m. alarm clock, no more hall passes, no more homework. Sure, entering the work force will entail a schedule, but it’ll be different than school – there’s a paycheck involved, and no classes to sit through.

Graduation

Many young people develop a negative attitude toward education. Though schools vary, this is likely because there is limited freedom and self-direction in middle and high school. While there may be elective courses students can choose, much of secondary school can feel more like an obligation or chore than a choice. This may be due to the fact that many curriculums are pre-established, many classes are chosen for students and many assignments come with rigid guidelines that don’t leave much room for creativity. It’s an educational circumstance that most of us push through because we know a high school diploma is important.

45 Tips To Live a Healthier Life

How healthy are you? Do you have a healthy diet? Do you exercise regularly? Do you drink at least 8 glasses of water a day? Do you get enough sleep every day?

Our body is our temple, and we need to take care of it to have a healthy life. Do you know that a shocking over 65% of Americans are either obese or overweight? That’s insane! Think of your body as your physical shell to take you through life. If you repeatedly abuse it with unhealthy food, your shell will wear out quickly. While you may look okay on the outside, on the inside, your arteries are getting clogged up with cholesterol and arterial plaque. That’s not a pretty sight!

10 tips for a happier, healthier life

There’s no secret – the simplest things are often the best, says nutritionist Dr John Briffa, if we want to feel good all year round

at ‘primally’ Common sense dictates that the best diet is one based on foods we’ve been eating the longest in terms of our time on this planet. These are the foods that we’ve evolved to eat and are best adapted to. Studies show that a ‘primal’ diet made up of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, as well as meat, fish and eggs, is best for weight control and improvement in risk markers for illnesses, such as heart disease and diabetes. This ‘go primal’ food philosophy will enable you to cut through the marketing hype and dietary misinformation, and allow you to make healthy food choices quickly and confidently.