Regular sex or masturbation works out your pelvic floor muscles to prevent erectile dysfunction and incontinence.
Masturbation perks
There is nothing wrong in taking a little time
to love yourself. Not only does it feel really, really good, it also has
awesome benefits that you get long after your explosive climax. Menshealth gives all men 5 reasons to give themselves a hand.
It prevents cancer.
A study found that men who ejaculated more than five times a week were a third less likely to develop prostate cancer. Disease-causing toxins build up in your urogenital tract and when you rub one out, you flush the bad guys out of your system.
It makes you harder.
As you age, you naturally lose muscle tone ... even down there. Regular sex or masturbation works out your pelvic floor muscles to prevent erectile dysfunction and incontinence. Aim to (ahem) arrive three to five times a week for rock-solid results.
It helps you last longer.
Taking yourself to palm prom may help you stretch your sack sessions. “[Masturbating]
an hour before a date will give you more control. Train yourself by
timing how long it takes you to orgasm. If it usually takes two minutes
solo, try for three next time. Or count how many strokes you need to get
to your happy place. If you’re spurting after 50, shoot for 60. Most
men can double the number of strokes and the time within one month. READ: Six signs you have a serious sexual problem
It ups your immunity.
Ejaculation
increases levels of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol, which usually gets a
bad rap as a havoc-wrecking stress hormone, actually helps regulate and
maintain your immunity in the small doses. Masturbation can produce the
right environment for a strengthened immune system.
It boosts your mood.
Masturbating
releases a slew of feel-good neurochemicals like dopamine and oxytocin
that lift your spirits, boost your satisfaction, and activate the reward
circuits in your brain. “An orgasm is the biggest non-drug blast
of dopamine available,” says Brame. “A brain scan of someone having
an orgasm looks like a heroin addict’s.”
You might not be getting the most pleasure from your masturbation session.
Masturbation
Most men masturbate. And a lot
of men believe they are doing things right as long as they orgasm. But
did you know you can get much more pleasure than you ever imagined by
making a few changes in your style?
RisingMaster shares 10 ways to make masturbation even better.
1. Put your other hand to good use; Even at the basic level, you can still spice things up by using your other hand. Here are some ideas:
Try only using your other hand once in a while.
Try
using both hands at the same time. If you can put them one next to the
other on your shaft, then lucky for you and any girl you meet. But if
not, you can try holding your penis in-between both palms pressed
together.
You can use one hand to move up and down the shaft while the other plays with the head of your penis.
Wringing
is a great double-handed technique. Imagine wringing the water out of a
cloth by squeezing your hands in opposite directions. Just be a bit
more gentle with yourself!
2. Your balls:
Your balls are more than just an odd-shaped storage facility. They’re
an erogenous zone which you can use to heighten your orgasms. It’s up to
you to work out the best way to masturbate by including your testicles;
all guys are different, but here are some suggestions:
Pull them slightly downwards while masturbating.
Try caressing, stroking or tickling them – experiment to see what and where feels good.
Try just holding them in a light but firm grip with the other hand.
3. Find your erogenous zones:
If you think the best way to masturbate is all about your penis, and
maybe your balls, then think again. It’s a popular belief that only
women are blessed with multiple erogenous zones. However, the truth is
that your body is far more sensitive than you might think.
For
example, try touching your nipples in the way that you would a woman’s.
Experiment with different strokes, pressure and movements. Try
caressing the inside of your thighs or your stomach. If there’s anywhere
that you know you’re sensitive, don’t be afraid to explore yourself
further with touch. Some guys will be more sensitive than others in
different areas, so it’s up to you to find out what works for you. There
are no rules, so get to know your own body and find out what floats
your boat.
4. The Perineum:
The Perineum is the area in-between your anus and balls. It’s a soft
padded area which is sensitive to touch. You can try caressing it or
pushing it gently with your spare hand.
5. Different Positions:
If you just sit in your favorite chair or lie on your bed, you’re not
going to get anywhere near simulating sex. Here are 3 ways you can use
your body more effectively:
Hold your penis under your body, lying on your bed on top of your hand. Then thrust into your hand.
Try kneeling or standing and thrusting into your hand. The idea is to keep your hand still and use your body to move.
Change positions from time to time: kneeling, standing, sitting, swapping hands or anything you can think of to add variety.
6. Lube up: Lubricant is also an awesome addition to the repertoire of self-pleasure techniques.
Whether
you’re using a toy or just your hands, lubricant will get you another
important step closer to the real thing. A real vagina is wet and
slippery, so a dry palm is a poor imitation of that amazing experience.
Lubricant also makes it easier to stimulate the head of your penis, and of course explore your anus if you so desire.
7. Porn: Movies can be great if used the right way; they can also be damaging if used without any thought.
Rushing
masturbation can be a killer of your future sexual performance. And one
thing which is sure to increase your arousal is your favorite movie. If
you just switch it on, get yourself as excited as possible and rush to
climax, you’re unfortunately training yourself to be a future ‘one
minute man’.
However, if you use it as a tool when
learning how to masturbate in a controlled way, then it’s a great way
to test your ability to keep relaxed and calm.
8. Start and Stop: In
terms of techniques, the start and stop method is a really good way to
masturbate. The simple version is that you set yourself a time, for
example 30 minutes, and you don’t allow yourself to ejaculate until that
time is up.
Sound painful?
Well it can be, but not as much as the pain of the embarrassment of coming within 2 minutes every time you have sex.
9. Breathe and Relax: This is more of a side dish to the main course of masturbation techniques. And again it’s on the theme of learning self-control.
Breathing slowly and deeply whilst keeping your body relaxed is a useful skill to learn when masturbating.
The
reason being that tension and over-excitement will extinguish your
sexual performance faster than a fireman’s hose on a wooden match.
10. The G-spot: For
more open-minded and less squeamish guys, one of the best ways to
masturbate is to include the anus. For others it’s strictly a one-way
street.
If you’re willing to explore here though, then you could be in for an orgasm-increasing treat. Here are some ideas for you:
Don’t forget to wash before you start.
Check that your chosen nail (yes – one finger will do) is short and not sharp. File it down if necessary.
Add
plenty of lubricant on your finger (proper lubricant is better so you
don’t accidentally stick something in there which can burn)
Rub around the outside of your anus to begin with.
Gently insert a finger as far as is comfortable.
You
can then just keep the finger inside while you masturbate with your
other hand as normal, or move it gently in and out. Whatever works for
you.
The G-Spot is a small area a couple of inches
inside. It should feel like a little ball just over an inch in
diameter. This is actually the outside of the prostate. You can softly
rub this spot if you manage to find it, and if it’s pleasurable.
Stimulating
the G-Spot is known in the tantric sex world as a prostate massage, and
is an effective way of enhancing orgasm. The key though with all these
ideas is to be gentle and soft.
There is hope. You need not fear, these tips are all natural and does not require surgery or drastic solutions.
Get a bigger penis
Just because your penis is a
less-than-desired size, does not mean you are doomed to a life of
worrying about what women will think about it. There is hope. You need
not fear, these tips are all natural and does not require surgery or
drastic solutions.
Askmen provides 10 ways to change your penis size.
1. Correct your posture: Stress
from work and other sources could be causing your penis to retract
inside your body like a frightened turtle. Stress actually limits blood
flow to your groin area, making for a smaller, softer erection and a
fleeting sense of arousal. Also, poor posture from a sedentary desk job
can cause muscle tension in your groin, which performs a pull-up on
your penis and hides a significant portion of your shaft when you don’t
exactly have an inch to spare. Agood pelvic massage (administered by
yourself, or someone you’re intimate with) should do the trick for both
of these issues. Using circular motions, work your hand through the
genitals’ surrounding areas, like your inner thighs, lower abs and butt.
2. No smoking:
You may be more inclined to quit if you knew that smoking actually
shortens your penis size by an entire centimetre (and we all know that
every bit counts). A study of 200 erect men back in 2010, they found
that smokers’ erect penises were smaller on average than those of
non-smokers. Erections are all about blood flow -- and smoking narrows
arteries, limiting the amount of blood flowing to that precious organ
and making it smaller in both length and girth. Maybe that'll finally be your motivation for kicking the habit!
3. More erections: You
might not be aware of this, but your penis, like other appendages,
needs to be worked out to remain healthy. Regular erections keep your
shaft virile and in shape. If you find your erections are limited due to
lack of arousal during the day, you needn’t worry. The male brain
performs routine boner maintenance while you sleep, even if the dream
isn’t an erotic one.
4. Eat better: Getting rid
of your gut won’t necessarily make your penis larger, but your gut
encroaches on the base of your penis, making it smaller in appearance.
To lose abdominal fats, eat less meat and cheese, as these foods narrow
your arteries, and instead adopt a diet rich in fruits and veggies, as
they contain antioxidants that keep arteries open and welcome blood
flow. Exercising will deliver a similar effect and further reduce gut
protrusion.
5. Cock ring: While a
cock ring won’t create a longer penis, it will temporarily add to its
girth by restricting blood from leaving the penis, which results in a
harder, more engorged erection. Likewise, a penis pump brings blood to
the organ, which also provides temporary enhancement. Don’t get carried
away, though -- the pump can be overused, resulting in tissue damage and
a weaker erection over time. Both objects can certainly be great fun,
but don’t necessarily add inches -- more like... swelling.
6. Groom:
A survey on male grooming trends found 95% of the 1,000 men surveyed
admitted to manscaping. It makes the penis longer as it forces
perspective -- the shorter the pubic hair, the longer your penis will
look. Going completely bald however, could deliver an opposite effect,
making your johnson look pre-pubescent.
7. Consider oral:
A study intended to determine the average man’s penile length and girth
(5.6 and 4.8 inches respectively) also found that men, on average,
reported larger erections after receiving oral sex than if they’d
handled their meat manually. "We don't know if that means that when
men have oral sex that it's more arousing and they get a bigger
erection, or means that men who have bigger penises could be getting
more oral sex in the first place," Debby Heberneck, a researcher at Indiana University told media outlets of her discovery.
8. Hot shower: Warmth
increases blood flow and will temporarily enhance your penis size. It
will also make your scrotum hang lower, further delivering to the
awe-factor of your overall package. Your testicles retract from your
body when you’re warm, and snuggle up close when they’re cold. If a
shower isn’t at your disposal, soak a rag or towel in warm water and
wrap it around your junk for a few minutes.
9. Tugging:
A few tugs of your flaccid penis should add a good inch or more to your
member. This is what the professionals do. The tugging method is simple
and involves gently stretching the penis with one of your hands --
gently stroking works as well. After a few strokes, you will notice your
penis appears larger, but isn’t hard just yet. Congratulations, you’ve
reached the perfect balance between flaccid and erect. Again, this
effect is all about blood flow.
Women were asked to chose among various penis sizes and pick the one
they want for either a long term relationship or a one-night-stand.
Penis size women love
Most men wonder if they have the ideal package size.
While some worry about being too small, others are wondering if they
might be too big. Thankfully, most men fall under the ideal average
penis size, but are women pleased with this?
In a new study,
women were asked to chose among various penis sizes and pick the one
they want for either a long term relationship or a one-night-stand.
It was found that the average length women preferred for a long-term relationship was 6.3 inches, with a girth of 4.8 inches.
For one night stands, women preferred a slightly longer penis, with a length of 6.4 inches and a girth of 5.0 inches.
The researchers explained this numbers, saying, "Women preferred a larger penis size (especially a larger circumference) for one-time partners as compared to long-term partners."
"While this preference for a larger phallus is above the average penis size, it is only very slightly above the average."
The reason for this preference is that women might want something more 'exciting' for a one-night-stand as opposed to one for a long term relationship.
"Novelty
itself contributes to pleasure, so seeking a more novel-sized penis may
be consistent with a goal to pursue pleasure primarily in one-time
partners," the researchers said.
"Women
may prefer a smaller penis size in a long-term partner compared to a
one-time partner for reasons of both physical comfort and a preference
for less masculinity in a longer term partner."
A medical doctor shares a few tips so you know how to take care of your penis to prevent major issues.
How to take care of your penis
Taking good care of your penis
will not only keep it clean, it will also prevent your likelihood of
testicular cancer and other penis-related issues.
A medical doctor shares a few tips that should help you.
1. Clean up: Your penis
should be cleaned daily. So should your bottom and the area in between,
called the perineum. Use a mild soap as these areas can be sensitive.
2. Examine yourself:
It is not just women who need to get their breasts check to prevent
cancer. Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young men. For
this reason, every week you should examine each testis (the plural is
testes) in turn between your finger and thumb by rolling the skin over
them. The most common symptom is a lump of any size but you should book
an appointment with your doctor if you have any new feelings in the
scrotal area.
3. Erection problems: Erectile
dysfunction, or impotence, is unfortunately common from middle age
onwards and it’s caused by a narrowing of the blood vessels that pump
blood to create and maintain an erection. This narrowing may occur for a
number of reasons but high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking are
high on the list. Giving up smoking seems like a no-brainer, and
maintaining a healthy body weight and undertaking regular exercise
reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes.
4. Protect from STIs:
Sexually Transmitted Infections are invisible and often give no
symptoms for many years so you won’t know if you’ve just passed one on,
so you should always wear a condom. They significantly reduce the risk
of the transmission of STIs.
5. Make good use of your penis:
Make ejaculation part of your daily routine. Here’s why: a large
Harvard study of nearly 30,000 men found the risk of prostate cancer was
33 per cent lower in men who’d ejaculated at least 21 times per month,
compared to those who ejaculated only 4-7 times per month. This included
ejaculations during sex, masturbation and, um, “nocturnal emissions”.
A new study titled Penis Perception Study, explored sex and male sexual functioning.
Fuck like a porn star
A new study has shown that most women will prefer it if a sex session lasted a bit longer.
In
a survey conducted recently, it was found that on average, men and
women have sex for about ten minutes but hey would like to have it last
about twenty minutes or more.
Over 14,400 participants consisting of men and women participated. The survey also included single people as well as couples.
The study, titled Penis Perception Study, explored sex and male sexual functioning.
Head of the study, Dr. Mark said women, in particular, benefit from longer sex. “We
know from prior research that in the areas of sexual satisfaction,
orgasm, and pleasure, women tend to need a little bit more time than men
to reach those peaks of pleasure than men, and this research is
supporting that.”
Interestingly enough, 64.2% of men said they get frustrated at least 25% of the time because of ejaculating too early.
Nothing kills the mood like unrealistic expectations and constant criticism.
The fact that you are expecting perfection from your woman might be what is killing your sex life.
According to a recent poll, the imposition of sexual perfectionism can lead to sexual dysfunction
as it leads to women having a negative self-image of themselves.
Nothing kills the mood like unrealistic expectations and constant
criticism.
The study asked the respondents questions about desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain. They also answered questions
about sexual performance standards imposed by themselves on themselves,
by themselves on their partners, by their partners on themselves and by
society on themselves. They were given a follow-up 12 weeks later.
It
was found that partner-prescribed perfectionism was the worst sex move.
It is not only associated with lower sexual esteem and higher sexual
anxiety, but predicted longitudinal decreases in sexual esteem and
increases in sexual anxiety.
As well,
partner-prescribed sexual perfectionism is a psychological factor that
may contribute to sexual self-concept problems in women.
So,
in conclusion, positive reinforcement and encouragement is the best way
to get her to open up sexually. Accusing her of being bad in bed, not
doing something well, comparing her to an ex or another woman sexually
will only cause her to withdraw even more, making her uninterested in
sex with you.
The
President, Muhammadu Buhari had earlier in the week stated that he
would like to go over the recently approved 2016 budget before signing
off on it.This delay has led to government activities being unable to
move forward as many of the agencies are finding it difficult to
implement their programmes.
It was gathered that capital projects, whose contractors would have
gone back to sites, remained abandoned as the first quarter of the year
ended on Thursday.
According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and
Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, Buhari had, in Washington DC, ruled out
early signing of the budget and this has in turn affected the
productivity of the government many of the ministries are having
challenges getting supplies from their contractors.
According to the Punch, the ministry of finance have seen their
supplies of stationery limited owing to what officials described “as a
wait and see attitude of the suppliers.”
The same situation is also being experienced in the ministry of trade and investment and that of budget and national planning.
A top government official in one of the ministries told the Punch
correspondent that as a result of the budget delay, many capital
projects could not be funded.
According to him, many contractors handling the projects had thought
that they would go back to sites within the first quarter of this year
following meetings they held with the government.
He, however, said that the projects, including the Kano- Maiduguri
Road, which have budgetary allocations of N16bn; Abuja-Lokoja Road
(N10bn), and Apapa-Oshodi Road (N5bn), remained abandoned.
Other affected projects are the Sokoto-Kontagora Road project where
the sum of N4bn had been allocated in the budget; Ilorin-Jebba road
project N6bn; Itu-Ikot-Ekpene road project N6bn.
Many of the projects were carried over from the 2015 financial year.
The official said currently, only critical recurrent expenditure
items that had to do with travel expenses of ministers were being met.
The source said, “You will recall that this year’s budget has sparked
a lot of controversies and as such nobody is certain of what will be
the outcome in terms of the expenditure items that have been proposed by
each MDA.
“For instance, in our ministry, majority of expenses have been put on hold owing to the fact that the budget is not ready.
“As we speak, stationery has not been supplied in the store because we don’t know how much would be approved for that purpose.
“Also, some of the workers who did overtime have not been paid their
allowance, even the running of the power generating set is being
threatened because suppliers have started demanding payments.
“So everything is practically on a standstill waiting for the budget.”
Construction firms said they had yet to receive a dime from the
N350bn which Buhari’s administration promised that it would use to
revive the economy, particularly in settling part of the over N600bn
debt owed contractors across the country.
In March, the Federal Government announced that it would inject
N350bn into the economy in order to revive the country’s economic
activities, and stressed that the fund would be used to largely pay the
debts owed contractors in Nigeria.
But when contacted on Friday, contractors under their umbrella body –
Federation of Construction Industry, told one of our correspondents
that they had yet to receive a dime from the administration, despite the
fact that the government owed them over N600bn.
Speaking on behalf of contractors and construction firms, the
President, FOCI, Mr. Solomon Ogunbusola, stated that he was not aware of
any payment to any contractor or construction company with respect to
the debt owed them.
Asked if contractors have been receiving payments from the N350bn
fund, Ogunbusola said, “I am not aware. Maybe the government wants to
borrow or it is planning something else. You know me very well that if I
am aware I will tell you that I’m aware.
“We spoke and made it public that the debt to contractors was over
N600bn and I told you clearly about it. After that, the government said
we should go and bring our documentation and we did, but since that time
we have not heard anything.”
When probed further on why contractors had yet to mobilise to
construction sites across the country, he replied, “If the money has
been paid, then you don’t need to call us before we will mobilise the
equipment the next morning.
“You can call the ministry of finance and clarify if the ministry has
given money to the construction industry. If it says yes, please ask
the ministry the amount.”
Officials from the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing
corroborated the statements of the FOCI president, as they told one of
our correspondents that the Federal Government had yet to disburse the
funds to construction firms.
“The funds have not been given out and I think it is because the
government is taking time in making sure that the right persons or
companies are captured when such payments commence,” an official who
spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak on the
matter, said.
Here are five unfortunate, yet incredibly true reasons why girls don’t like a guy: 1. You’re unattractive. Whether it’s your body type,
your height, your face, or whatever, a girl just may not find your
physique attractive at all. Okay, but what if I go to the gym and
improve myself enough to make myself more attractive? Sure, go for it!
Get in the best shape of your life! But, if you’re going to “improve
upon yourself,” make sure these are actual changes that you want to see in yourself because not every girl likes a gym rat. You really just can’t win them all. 2. You have a horrible lifestyle.
You
probably play video games too much, you binge on TV shows way too often
and you probably drink until you pass out multiple days of the week.
Girls want to be part of a life that is actually somewhat exciting to
them and it starts with you. Do something that can change your life for the better or else you may end up alone. 3. You’re the “nice guy.”
Never
believe any girl that says they go for the “nice guy” because it simply
isn’t true. Nice guys are easily taken advantage of, they lack
confidence and they give girls way too much attention. Translation? Nice
guys are BORING. I now understand why girls don’t usually go for the
“nice guy.” Girls want to turn that so called “bad boy” persona into a
“nice guy.” Why? Because girls like a challenge and it’s in a girl’s
nature to nurture someone. The solution? Stop being the “nice guy!”
Being a “nice guy” is not a bad thing, but it can hurt you sometimes. At
the same time, don’t be a complete douche either. It’s about finding
the perfect balance between the two. 4. You have a poor attitude.
This
even goes past the realm of why girls don’t like you. To be honest,
having a negative attitude sucks. Negative attitudes are the worst
thing, especially around girls. A girl wants to be with someone that
will bring her spirits up, not down! Turn that negativity into
positivity, and you’ll see a big change! 5. You care about girls way too much.
This
sounds a little counter-intuitive, but showing a girl you care too much
makes that girl feel responsible for not only her, but for you as well.
A girl wants a guy that doesn’t allow little things to affect his life
on a day-to-day basis. So, what do you have to do? Be yourself. Don’t
change yourself to get a girl to like you, because it will bite you in
the ass in the end. There is someone special out there for everyone.
Don’t do random things you don’t like just to get a girl to like you;
eventually you’ll realize down the road that what you are doing is
stupid
A Palestinian Teacher’s Methods Earn the Attention of More Than Her Class
A Palestinian Teacher’s Method
Hanan Hroub, an elementary-school
teacher, with her students in the West Bank city of Ramallah in
February. She recently won a $1 million global education prize.
EL-BIREH,
West Bank — The noise signaled that Hanan Hroub’s second-grade students
were not focusing on their assigned task of scrawling math problems on
balloons. Instead, they were staring at the latest interloper, a tall
German journalist, treading through their classroom to meet their
“Miss,” as Palestinians call teachers, who recently won a $1 million global education prize.
And they were popping those balloons.
Since
the prize was announced March 13, Palestinian officials have honored
Ms. Hroub with festivals and honorary degrees. International reporters
have raced to her house and classroom. Some Israelis have denounced her
as part of a Palestinian education system they see as inciting violence,
and noted with dismay that her husband assisted in the killing of six Jewish settlers in the West Bank city of Hebron in 1980.
Amid
all that hubbub, Ms. Hroub, 43, still faced the essential challenge of
every elementary-school teacher: keeping children on task. On the
morning of the balloon exercise, she had put four marks underneath a
frowning yellow face pasted to the whiteboard. The smiling face next to
it had only a single mark.
“No,
Miss! No! We will concentrate, we promise!” piped up a girl named
Shurouq. Ms. Hroub and her charges discussed why they felt distracted,
and promised to do better.
Ms.
Hroub had just returned to school from Dubai, in the United Arab
Emirates, where she received the prize from the Varkey Foundation in a
ceremony involving Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Prince
William, as well as Pope Francis by video.
The
foundation said she had been selected from the original 8,000 nominees
for teaching methods built around educational games that she created for
children traumatized by violence. The award came at an awkward time:
Palestinian teachers, including Ms. Hroub, had been on strike for weeks,
demanding better pay. (The Palestinian Authority acceded to a 10 percent salary increase hours after the prize was announced.)
A
mother of five children, now age 18 to 23, Ms. Hroub said she developed
her play-therapy approach to education for her own children, after
Israeli soldiers shot at their family vehicle at a military checkpoint
near Bethlehem in 2000. Ms. Hroub said she was not in the car and did
not know why the soldiers opened fire, but that her husband, Omar, who
had spent a decade in Israeli prisons, was wounded.
After
the episode, she said, her children often woke up screaming at night,
and became aggressive. “The teachers at their schools weren’t trained to
deal with that, and I feared that I was losing my children,” she
recalled.
Over
time she realized that her children were at their calmest and happiest
while playing. She began scrambling to think of games they could play
together. She built a games section in a corner of the house and told
the children that was their safe place.
During
that time, the violent years of the second intifada, the Israeli
authorities imposed curfews on the Bethlehem area where she then lived.
When the curfews were lifted, sometimes briefly, “other women raced to
buy food,” she said. “I raced to the news agency to buy papers, crayons,
markers, whatever I could to make games for my children.”
Having
seen how much the games helped her children to cope, Ms. Hroub, who
grew up in Dheisheh, a cinder-block refugee camp in Bethlehem, decided
to become a teacher to expand their reach. She enrolled in college,
fulfilling a dream delayed in part by West Bank campuses having been
closed when she finished high school because of the first Palestinian
intifada, and has been at the front of a classroom since 2005. She has
refined her methods, frequently taking games from educational websites
and tailoring them to the Palestinian experience.
“Everything begins with an idea,” she said. “Then I tried it on my children, then in a classroom. Now, the world knows.”
Scenes from Hanan Hroub's classroom in the West Bank posted online last fall. Video by Hanan Hroub
Ms.
Hroub said she planned to use the $1 million prize money to create a
foundation promoting the games. While the Palestinian Education Ministry
has sent dozens of teachers to observe her classroom, she said the
method has not really caught on, something she attributed to a cultural
resistance by people who think play is frivolous.
“Every
year it’s the same,” she said. “The parents are in shock: Are our kids
playing at school? And then they start seeing results.”
Not test score results, emotional results.
She
pointed to a big-boned boy who was on the brink of being expelled for
bullying. The boy’s father begged Ms. Hroub to work with him and she
agreed, on the condition that the parents promise never to hit him. The
day of the balloon exercise, Ms. Hroub reprimanded the boy twice but
also showered him with praise when he completed his work. After he
snatched a pencil and pushed a girl, she gently sat him next to one of
the better-behaved students.
“This boy that you see today is a different child from the one who entered my classroom,” she said.
That
brightly painted classroom on the second floor of the tidy Samiha
Khalil School is a stark departure from the typical Palestinian
classroom of desks in neat rows. For math, the students ran around
holding numbers from 1 to 9, getting together in pairs that added to 10,
then knocked odd-numbered balls into a rabbit’s mouth to review odds
and evens.
At
story time, Ms. Hroub donned a rainbow-colored wig over her Islamic
head scarf and pinched on a red clown nose, reading about a naughty
spider named “Sha-sha-sha-sha-ban.”
She
prodded the children toward what she called “peaceful” ways of
disagreeing, including with her. One child dissented from her decision
to move him after hitting a classmate. “You oppressed me, Miss,” said
Laith, 8. They talked it out.
Ms.
Hroub said she was not political and would welcome her practices being
instituted in Israeli classrooms. Yet, one wall of her classroom has an
enormous map of the region that does not acknowledge Israel’s existence.
As Ms. Hroub took the children on an imagined drive through Jerusalem,
they “toured” Muslim and Christian sites, but she made no mention of
Jewish ones.
Since
the prize was announced, some pro-Israel groups have criticized the
foundation online because Ms. Hroub’s husband — now a legal adviser to
the Palestinian Authority — was involved in the 1980 ambush of a group
of Israelis trying to revive a Jewish settlement in Hebron. (Some
Palestinian news sites have praised him as the “mastermind” of the
attack, though a New York Times article at the time described him as having assisted.)
Others
complained that any Palestinian teacher was honored. Itamar Marcus,
whose Palestinian Media Watch chronicles anti-Israel and anti-Semitic
statements in the Arab news media and who has long complained that
Palestinian schools educate students to hate, said that even if Ms.
Hroub was an excellent teacher, the award would be seen by the
Palestinian Education Ministry “as a confirmation that what they are
doing is O.K.”
Mr.
Marcus complained that 25 Palestinian schools were named after
militants who had killed Israelis or Jews, and that youth sporting
tournaments similarly honored so-called martyrs. He said that videos
broadcast on Palestinian television showing schoolchildren praising such
attacks suggested what they were being taught to do so.
Jamal
Dajani, a spokesman for the Palestinian government, dismissed that
suggestion. “Palestinian children are constantly subjected to Israeli
soldiers and armed settlers waving guns in their faces,” he said. “This
is enough cause for incitement.”
Ms.
Hroub waved away questions on politics. “I’m a teacher. That’s me,” she
said. “I can’t change history, what happened before 10 or 20 years.”
Back
in class, Ms. Hroub ended the balloon-math challenge because it was not
going anywhere. To change the mood, she played a YouTube video of a
baby laughing, and the students collapsed into giggles. They threw their
balloons in the air, stomped on them and danced. They sang about a
Palestinian grandmother, and discussed dental hygiene. They quietly
settled into some language exercises.
With a grin, Ms. Hroub drew a mark under her smiling emoticon on the whiteboard.
“Another, Miss! We deserve another!” a girl called out.
She drew another two strokes, prompting cheers from the children: The happy and sad faces now had the same number.
Indonesia
says it may ban Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio from returning over
his comments on rainforests being cleared for palm oil plantations.
Mr DiCaprio entered Indonesia on a tourist visa and on Sunday visited Gunung Leuser National Park in Aceh.
“A world-class biodiversity hotspot… but palm oil expansion is destroying this unique place,” he posted.
If the comments were judged as “incitement”, he would be banned in future, a top official revealed.
”In terms of [his] visa and immigration permit, Leonardo DiCaprio did
not do anything wrong: He entered and left Indonesia legally. But, we
still investigate,” Heru Santoso, spokesperson for the director general
of immigration department, said.
“If DiCaprio’s posting in his social media can be categorised as
incitement or provocation, we can blacklist him from coming back to
Indonesia.”
It is not the first time a Hollywood star has run into trouble in Indonesia over their environmental activism.
Star Wars actor Harrison Ford was threatened with deportation in 2013
for “harassing state institutions” after interviewing the then forestry
minister about illegal logging.
Angel
Di Maria has criticised Louis van Gaal for playing him in the wrong
position at Manchester United and says he left the club for Paris
Saint-Germain to win titles.
The Argentina international spent one underwhelming season at Old Trafford after a British record transfer from Real Madrid.
The
28-year-old has since become a key player at PSG, playing a big part in
helping them already win Ligue 1 this season while they are also in
contention for the Champions League.
And Di Maria blames Van Gaal
for his failed spell in the Premier League, insisting that nothing has
changed at the club since his departure.
“It’s not nice to say
certain things, but it’s more that they didn’t let me settle properly
than I couldn’t settle,” he told BBC. “I left and that team are still
playing the same way. Out of the European competitions, far from being
champions of the Premier League.
“I don’t think it was my fault or
the fault of my team mates. Every time I was given the opportunity, I
did all I could but it didn’t work out as I hoped.
“So
I decided to leave, not only to be happy but to win things. I started a
game in one position then the next game in another. I scored goals
playing in one position, then suddenly the next game I was picked to
play in a different position.
“I think this also didn’t help me
settle. It’s up to the manager to decide where and how every player
should play, but I think that the player should be comfortable in that
position and adapt to it.”
Di Maria is happy with life at PSG, admitting that he has felt comfortable playing under coach Laurent Blanc from the beginning.
“That
is what I’m doing here at PSG and I’m very thankful to the coach for
it. From the beginning he was clear where he wanted to play me and has
never changed his mind,” added Di Maria.
“He gave me total freedom to move where I needed to move. I’m very happy here and it wasn’t the case over there.”
There
were indications yesterday from the Petroleum Products Pricing
Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) that the product may be sold for N88 per litre
at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) stations and
N88.50 in other stations starting from today.
Until this new template, the NNPC’s official price for a litre of
fuel was N86 while for others it was N86.50. The new price mechanism
that is expected to take effect today is a requirement of price
modulation system that is reviewed every quarter.
The proposal for the price template for the second quarter of the
year (April to June) was tabled before the Minister of State for
Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu by the PPPRA boss, Mrs. Sotonye
Iyoyo early this week.
It could not be ascertained yesterday whether the substantive
Minister of Petroleum Resources, President Muhammadu Buhari, who is
attending a conference in Washington DC in the United States, approved
the template before leaving the country.
The breakdown indicates that government is expected to get N400
million daily as the country still operates on over-recovery basis,
which means that Nigerians are paying extra N10 on every litre of petrol
they buy at the filling stations.
With an estimated 40 million litres of petrol consumed per day, the
Federal Government will mobilise about N36 billion into the dedicated
account that is opened in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for
over-recovery funds in the second quarter of 2016.
The price template on the PPPRA website that was last updated on
March18, 2016 indicates that the landing cost of petrol stood at N71.49
kobo while ex-depot (for collection) was put at N76.50 kobo. But this is
expected to change within the first few hours of today.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has increased import allocation
permits for petrol, from three million metric tonnes in the first
quarter, to 3.5 million tonnes in the second quarter.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, said
it waded into the supply chain with the Independent Petroleum Marketers
Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), as part of moves to end the lingering
fuel scarcity in the country.
The NNPC restated its commitment to boosting the nation’s refining
capacity, which in turn would put an end to the perennial fuel scarcity
in the country.
PPPRA spokesman Lanre Oladele disclosed that the allocation was issued to NNPC and other private fuel marketers.
Among the 47 companies to benefit from the allocation are; Oando, Sahara
Energy, Forte, Conoil, MRS Oil and Gas, Shorelinks, Hyde Energy, Heyden
and the local downstream subsidiaries of ExxonMobil and Total.
In the first quarter the regulator handed 78 per cent of the
allocation to NNPC and 22 per cent to private companies and fuel
marketers.
According to the spokesman, the allocation ratio has been reversed in
the Q2 programme, with NNPC handling 41.7 per cent and private
marketers 58.3 per cent.
Louis van Gaal has admitted he might not be manager of Manchester United next season.
The
Dutchman has come under severe pressure this term, with the Red Devils
unlikely to improve on last season’s fourth-place finish.
United
could even finish outside the Champions League places altogether – they
are currently sixth with eight matches remaining – and Van Gaal has
conceded for the first time he could pay the price with his job. “I think the board has to evaluate after the results of this year, what they have to do,” he said.
“I cannot predict that when I do not know the facts. First you have to see the facts, I have always said that.
“The results and the titles and Champions League positions you can only say at the end.
“I am a rational person. I know a Manchester United manager has to win something, but I am still working on that.”
Van
Gaal has been criticised for failing to get the best out of many of the
players at his disposal, with former winger Angel Di Maria recently
claiming that he struggled at United because he was played out of
position.
But Van Gaal has hit back at the Argentina
international, insisting he must take some of the blame for an
underwhelming single season at Old Trafford in 2014/15.
“I have never seen a player who doesn’t look at himself [like him].
“He looks at the way he performed here and [claims] it is always the fault of the manager.
“So he is one of the players who has no self-criticism. Unfortunately it is my life as a manager. It is always like that.”
United
host Everton on Sunday as they continue their challenge for the
Champions League places, with fourth-placed Manchester City in action
against Bournemouth on Saturday.
An
advocacy group has released rather unsettling news detailing the
horrific tale of how at least 98 Central African Republic (CAR) girls
were allegedly sexually abused by international peacekeepers.
The report was released by AIDS-Free World, an international advocacy
organization, on Wednesday. The group said that MINUSCA, the UN’s
peacekeeping mission in CAR, met with local leaders and victims “who reported that troops from France and Gabon have sexually abused several girls in their province.”
The group cited three CAR girls who said that they, along with a fourth girl, were raped by UN peacekeepers.
The girls said they “were tied up and undressed inside a camp by a
military commander from the Sangaris force (the French military
intervention in CAR) and forced to have sex with a dog,” the group wrote.
Then after the debasing act, each girl was reportedly given 5,000 Central African Francs ($9) or roughly N1800 “The three girls interviewed sought basic medical treatment. The
fourth girl later died of an unknown disease. One of the survivors said
that she was called ‘the Sangaris’ dog’ by people in the community.”
According to the group, the alleged perpetrators “left CAR, returning home in 2015.”
Also the organization mentions one more case of a 16-year-old girl who was allegedly raped by a Congolese UN peacekeeper.
The girl’s mother told police that the peacekeeper “raped her daughter in a hotel room at 4pm on Monday, March 28, 2016.” “When police questioned the accused in the presence of his UN
military commander, the soldier confirmed that he ‘had sexual
intercourse’ with the victim several times, and paid her between 2,000
and 3,000 Central African Francs [$3-5dollars].”(or N600-N900)
The report was sent directly to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who immediately issued a response, expressing his horror. “I am shocked to the core by the latest allegations of abuse by
international forces in the Central African Republic. Our focus must be
on the victims and their families. We are talking about women and young
children who have been traumatized in the worst imaginable way,” Ban said in a statement, released by the UN.
He added that these crimes by UN peacekeepers “only fester in silence.”
“Yet, we must face the fact that a number of troops who were sent to protect people instead acted with hearts of darkness.”
Earlier in March the UN Mission in the Central African Republic
(MINUSCA) said it received new allegations which refer to incidents
which occurred in 2014 and 2015 in the Kemo prefecture of the CAR.
The UN investigation into “these sickening allegations, which
suggest sexual abuse and exploitation of a large number of women and
girls, must leave no stone unturned,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein. “We are taking these allegations – some of which are particularly
odious – extremely seriously. It is vital that the victims are
protected and receive all necessary care,” he said.
The United Nations currently has 106,000 troops and police serving in 16 peacekeeping missions.
(culled from rt.com)
Ghanaian
President, John Dramani Mahama has said that citizens from Nigeria and
other African countries must apply for visas before being allowed entry
into Ghana.
Mahama made this statement during his State of the Nation address earlier this month.
The President said visas will be issued at the entry point and would attract an option of 30 days stay in the country.
This policy will take off from July before they will be allowed to enter Ghana.
“With effect from July this year, we will be allowing
citizens of AU Member States to enter our country and obtain visas on
arrival with the option to stay for up to thirty days and experience
what our country has to offer,” said President Mahama in his address. “This measure, with time, should stimulate air travel, trade, investment and tourism.”
Citizens from only 15 African countries, mostly from the ECOWAS
member countries including Nigeria, currently enjoy free entry into
Ghana.
Sen.
Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, says the Federal
Government has initiated empowerment programmes to engage unemployed
youths against the proposed N5,000 monthly stipend.
Ngige
disclosed this at the Special Day of the National Directorate of
Employment (NDE) at the ongoing 27th Enugu International Trade Fair on
Friday.
Dr Chris Ngige Dr Chris Ngige Dr Chris Ngige He said that there were ample opportunities for unemployed graduates in the country in the 2016 Budget.
“Instead
of paying youths N5,000 monthly for doing nothing, the government has
initiated plans to engage hundreds of thousands of youths in the country
with over 10 empowerment programmes.
“Some of the intervention
programmes will be spearheaded by the NDE including Teach Nigeria, skill
acquisition and community services,” Ngige said.
The minister
said that some of the youths would be employed at the end of the
programme, while others would be assisted to start their own businesses.
“When you enter the programme, the person would be earning far more than N5, 000 depending on his or her input,” he said.
Ngige
said that the Federal Government had started taking stocks of all the
skill acquisition centers in the country and would soon roll out
training programmes for them.
He
said that he appreciated the support of the private sector in the
provision of jobs, stressing that creation of sustainable employment in
the country was basically a challenge for the private sector.
The
minister said that there was need for economic diversification from oil
to other areas such as agriculture and pledged government’s commitment
to tackle poverty in the country.
Earlier, the Acting Director
General of NDE, Mr Kunle Obayan, also expressed the commitment of the
directorate at reducing unemployment rate in the country to minimal
level.
He thanked the Enugu State Chamber of Commerce, Industries,
Mines and Agriculture (ECIMMA) for its continued partnership with the
directorate and for conducting a successful fair.
The President of
ECCIMA, Rev. Ugochukwu Chime, thanked the minister and the NDE for
always contributing to the success of the fair in the state.
Chime described NDE as a strategic partner in the international trade fairs in the state.
He
said that the theme of this year’s fair was in line with the chamber’s
resolution to improve the economy through economically driven actions
and policies.
The theme of the ongoing fair is ‘Diversification of the Nation’s Economy: From Rhetoric to Coordinated Action’.
The
Executive Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose has once again
attacked the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria over his
‘needless foreign trips’.
The governor called on well meaning Nigerians to prevail on the
matter as he, Fayose, described the President’s trip to the United
States of America on Wednesday for the 4th Nuclear Security Summit as
“joke of the year”.
Fayose said; “It remains a mystery what President Buhari that met
power generation at 6,000MW and could not manage it such that power
generation crumbled to 0MW yesterday, will contribute to the Nuclear
Energy Summit in America.”
the Ekiti State Governor through his Special Assistant on Public
Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, added that; “It is shameful
that while President Buhari was far away in the United States of
America, attending a summit that does not have any bearing on Nigeria
and its people, an unprecedented happened – power generation stopped
completely for over three hours!”
Fayose also noted that Nigerians, in their suffering need the all
round attention of the President who instead of facing the problem at
hand squarely was busy junketing around the world, wasting the country’s
scarce foreign exchange.
He added that an estimate of over $50 million must have been spent on
the President’s frequent foreign trips, “Nigerians are suffering.
Petrol has become so scarce that our people now sleep in petrol stations
to buy fuel at N200 per litre while the president who should alleviate
their sufferings is in the USA, attending a summit that he won’t even
understand whatever that is discussed there.
“This is not acceptable. Mr President should stay at home and see to
it that at least, power generation returns to 6,000MW that he met it if
he cannot add to it.
“Mr President should stay at home and bring this fuel scarcity that
has paralysed almost all activities in the country to an end.
“Nigerians are saying their president should stay at home and bring
to an end the killings, raping of women and destruction of farmlands by
Fulani herdsmen.
“Most importantly, the President should listen more to those of us
who criticise him instead of those hailing every of his wrong steps
either because of what they intend to gain or for fear of persecution.”
Ekiti
State Governor Ayodele Fayose has called on well-meaning Nigerians to
prevail on President Muhammadu Buhari to stop his needless foreign
trips, describing the president’s trip to the United States of America
on Wednesday for the 4th Nuclear Security Summit, while Nigerians are
suffering at home, as “joke of the year.”
The governor said, “It
remains a mystery what President Buhari that met power generation at
6,000MW and could not manage it such that power generation crumbled to
0MW yesterday, will contribute to the Nuclear Energy Summit in America.”
Speaking
through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media,
Lere Olayinka, Fayose said, “It is shameful that while President Buhari
was far away in the United States of America, attending a summit that
does not have any bearing on Nigeria and its people, the unprecedented
happened – power generation stopped completely for over three hours!”
He said the sufferings of Nigerians deserved the attention of the
president instead of him junketing around the world, wasting the country’s scarce foreign exchange.
The
governor alleged that over $50 million must have been spent on the
president’s frequent foreign trips, adding that Nigerians should ask
President Buhari whether his trip to the United States of America to
attend Nuclear Energy Summit would bring the lingering fuel scarcity
being experienced in the country to an end.
“Nigerians are
suffering; petrol has become so scarce that our people now sleep at
petrol stations to buy fuel at N200 per litre, while the president, who
should alleviate their sufferings, is in the USA, attending a summit
that he won’t even understand whatever that is discussed there.
“This
is not acceptable. Mr. President should stay at home and see to it that
at least, power generation returns to 6,000MW that he met it if he
cannot add to it.
“Mr. President should stay at home and bring
this fuel scarcity that has paralysed almost all activities in the
country to an end.
“Nigerians are saying their president should
stay at home and bring to an end the killings, raping of women and
destruction of farmlands by Fulani herdsmen.
“Most importantly,
the President should listen more to those of us who criticise him
instead of those hailing every of his wrong steps either because of what
they intend to gain or for fear of persecution,” the governor said.
The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fasoye, has described the President’s trip to the United States as needless.
Governor Fayose, in a statement, said that the President should
concentrate more on tackling the economic challenges in the country.
“It remains a mystery that President Buhari met power generation at 6,000mw but today it has dropped to 2,695mw”.
The Governor insisted that what should be of interest to the
President should be the suffering of Nigerians rather than what he calls
junketing around the world.
“This is not acceptable. Mr President should stay at home and see to
it that at least, power generation returns to 6,000MW that he met it if
he cannot add to it.
“Mr President should stay at home and bring this fuel scarcity that
has paralysed almost all activities in the country to an end.
“Nigerians are saying their president should stay at home and bring
to an end the killings, raping of women and destruction of farmlands by
Fulani herdsmen.
“Most importantly, the President should listen more to those of us
who criticise him instead of those hailing every of his wrong steps
either because of what they intend to gain or for fear of persecution,”
the Governor said.
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“Yet, we must face the fact that a number of troops who were sent to protect people instead acted with hearts of darkness.”
The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fasoye, has described the President’s trip to the United States as needless.