Happy Blog Action Day 2013 - Human Rights

Founded in 2007, Blog Action Day brings together bloggers from different countries, interests and languages to blog about one important global topic on the same day. 

My past topics have included Water in 2010, Climate Change in 2009, Poverty, Food in 2011 and the Power of We, with over 25,000 blogs taking part since 2007.

This year's topic is Human Rights.

There are different categories of Human Rights;  economic, political, civil, cultural, but I am going to concentrate on the social aspect of human rights as this is something incredibly close to my heart.  I'm going to share a shocking story about a wee boy called Clayton Moss.

A wee boy who was tortured by his own family and chained up like a dog for days on end in a 2ft x 2ft cupboard. 

Not for sensitive viewers.

 

The sad thing is that there are loads of Clayton's out there that are unable to fight for themselves.  Children who do not understand why they are being hurt and neglected or why they are being targeted.  

A child needs a safe place, someone to trust a warm embrace and when they do not receive these basic needs it can have serious long-term affects.

In my eyes its one of the worst crimes committed. 

Teachers and carers need to be trained and educated properly on how to read the signs of child abuse. These are the people that usually have the first "feeling" that something is not right with the child.  Even a "hunch" needs to be reported and investigated.  The institutions and government needs to take each case seriously and investigate properly.  These children need it, they deserve it and sometimes its their only hope of escaping the clutches of their abusers.

The government needs to increase the severity of sentences for child abusers.  Often these criminals will only get a few years and, with "good behaviour" these so-called-parents are released early.  Sometimes as early as only serving 18 months?  In the meantime, they are fed, clothed, housed and even educated by tax payers money.  Is this really fair? 

 If you know anyone or suspect anyone of child abuse, please contact Child Protection or phone 035 474 0710. You may be the one to save a child's life just like the office in Clayton's story.
 

Blog Action Day - Food Glorious Food

So, Plonkity-Plonkers...its Blog Action Day today and the theme this year is Food.  One of my favourite things, that's why my arse resembles the rear of a Renault Migraine...er Megane.  It's so fucking wide!

Anyhoozer, if you're anything like me and domestically challenged...  actually, I'm not that bad.  It's just that I don't enjoy cooking or being in the kitchen.  I'm certainly no Domestic Goddess but I can calculate kilojoules to calories and back again with uncanny precision because I'm forever on diet.  

My meals in the kitchen are what my loving family call "The Quick and Nasty". 

Don't get me wrong, I CAN cook and bake if I want to, when I feel the desire (which is not often) but I'd rather not, quite frankly.  Lets just say I could think of dozens of other things I'd rather be doing. I do what I need to do - get in - get out - clean up - done.  That's A Daft Scots Lass in the kitchen.  

So, I thought I'd talk about Cooking Classes and what I found while Googling for it.

Take The Anatomy of Food Cooking Classes within the comfort of your own home. Anatomy of Food chef, Aimee Hunter will instruct you, you and your preferred partner, or you and three of your closest friends on how to enhance your home cooking with local ingredients.

Braise, bake, and baste to your heart's delight with the season's bounty:  think Winter vegetables and Fall fruit crumbles. Not your average food blogger or cooking instructor, chef Hunter will teach you how to make a favorite dish sustainably or revisit the basics to enhance your health and everyday cooking. 

Learn in an intimate setting, solo or with your best pals, over a glass of mulled wine if you so choose. They say that's the anatomy of a great evening!

If all the pomp and and garnishing is not for you, then head on out to MacDonalds for a 4 year old cheese burger!