text:
- Stefan H. Farr
- Cluj-Napoca
- Romania
This conversation is closed.
Debate: Our culture isn't adapting to our rapidly progressing technology.
There is a lot of talk about the current economic crises. Projections, promises or just plain old confusion, everybody seems to have an opinion on when and how it will get resolved or on the contrary how it will not resolve, but rather bring about the end of us.
Personally, I believe that it "can" resolve, but not by traditional economic measures, because the cause of it is not purely economic in nature. I believe, that this crises stems from a profound conflict brought about by the increasing incompatibility of our cultural, social and economic values with the ever more advanced technological progress that we are accumulating. Our inability to culturally adapt to this rapid technological progress is like a dead weight that impedes our metamorphosis as a species altogether.
Consequently, I believe that the next giant leap in our evolution must be a cultural / spiritual / intellectual / social one and not a technological one. Technologically we are way beyond what we can culturally accommodate and so any more progress in this domain will only deepen the conflict rather than resolve it.
Thank you!
Closing Statement from Stefan H. Farr
It's been a pleasure reading your comments. Thank you very much everybody for the excellent insight.
Oct 13 2012: Thank you all very much for your responses!
I see there is a little bit of confusion so let me elaborate a little bit:
If you live a kid in a candy store by itself, it will eat until eventually it will get sick to its stomach. When I talk about technology I am not talking about the day to day gadgets and toys, how fast one should acquire smart phones to, God forbid, skip an addition, that's the "kid in the candy store".
I am talking about how we should come to our senses and start using technology in a responsible way. I am saying that we don't even realize how technologically advanced we are. If we would want to, we could probably completely switch to clean energy in a matter of years, of course it would take lots of effort, coordination and discipline, but that is exactly what I am pointing out: we have the technology for it, it's the other stuff that we lack (the collective will and need to doing that). We have the technology to improve farming but we continue to deplete the oceans of fish because "the other country depletes them too". So let's see who depletes them first? Big companies continue to treat people like objects because people allow them to do so, it is culturally normal, leading to continuous economic crises. I am saying that our economic model, based exclusively on property is just poorly modelled and full of bugs that continue to plague us again and again. We print more money when we find a pot of gold in our dirt, but we don't do that when a person is born.
We don't see what real value is, exactly because we hide behind stupid gadgets, age masking products, and so many other things which we must "have" to get our next endorphin kick. I'm not saying those things are not important but we pursue them obsessively neglecting the big picture. I am a technology person and I love technology. I believe that technology has the power to make our lives much much better. But we need to see the real power of it and learn how to use it responsibly.
Oct 13 2012: Well since you put it that way Stefan i now understand where you are coming from.
IMO there has been 3 major shifts since 1400 ad, the printing press, the steam engine and the net which we are still coming to grips with and will probably take another few years to fully integrate it into our lives and minds but it can also spur confrontation like the printing press did after a hundred years of it's use and the availability of it's product to the masses.
Our future is bright but will always be one bumpy road.
Oct 13 2012: Thank you Ken, you caught exactly what I was referring to.
I would add that, now, that we know that there is this conflict, this bumpy road, we are in a privileged position. We know about the problem, maybe we can consciously work on fixing it. Guide our culture, our way of thinking, our intellect rather than letting it to adjust on it's own. Teaching has worked so well in other domains, perhaps this side of us can be educated too.Oct 15 2012: Great idea. I know what you're trying to say.
I kind of struggle whenever I want to find a proper way or words to put this kind of question to many people around me.
And some people don't get or confuse my intention as if it's Technology versus Philosophy or Technology versus Nature or something like that.
That would be the last answer we're looking for.
I love your 'responsible' word on this matter.
'Cause whether we're aware of it or not really matters.Oct 23 2012: Culture changes very slowly even in response to laws..witness the lingering resentment in the deep south to civil rights legislation or lingering corporate resentment of fair wage legislation, So when culture is slow to change even to adapt the law of the land, we should not be surprised when a new , even transformational technology or innovation,n doesn't permeate culture in depth or allow the full realization of its potential.
If the purpose is to change culture ( rather than just sell product or in the ca of laws to force compliance through enforcement actions), then the cultural acceptance has to be an intentional focus at the outset (which raises its own set of questions and issues.)
Most modern constitutions do not seek or embrace the idea of cultural homogeneity even though they do reflect a new consensus on certain aspects of shared community and shared national values. The engineering of a massive cultural spiritual transformational shift is certainly beyond government and apparently beyond existing religious institutions.
As a contemplative I hear this idea of massive dynamic shift often expressed . Sometimes as the next stage of evolution of humanity, of human kind and perhaps there is some evidence here and here that this is happening but I don't really see that or expect that.
Any individual can decide to only purchase what is needed..what is durable, practical, useful, essential..to use all resources wisely ( e.g. ,not ever buy bottled water ever again. boycottingg genetically engineered food products) to be personally responsible for what we rely on institutions to do ( teach our children, care for our elderly, deal with ) and enough of us do that as individuals we will change what is produced and how it is disrtibuted and at hat proint the cultural shift will have been effected. .
We bring that shift about by making wise choices one by one not by advocating for or waiting for a shift.Oct 15 2012: Shawn: I was reading your answers and I think we are in a great deal of agreement here, but in fact here lies the problem that brought up the conversation.
We really DO have the technology to do all this that you are saying: solve energy crises, biodiversity loss, have more free time and better quality lives (as Karen put it so nicely) and much more that we cannot even imagine. We could solve world hunger, eliminate a lot of tropical diseases (which by the way together kill millions of people yearly but that is no loss in terms of our culture, because we didn't loose money or gold, just people).
There are many things that can be solved, but we are stuck in the trap of "feasibility". In the western culture we don't move a finger unless it is feasible to do so. Unfortunately our definition of feasibility is only about here and now and involves nothing more than money. A clean air 20 years from now, dose not get thrown into the equation. Nor does having a disaster recovery plan in case a catastrophy hits. That's all in the future, it is not our responsibility. Our kids will deal with them. What is important is to make things feasible here and now, as in, to extract money from it in the short term and for that not only we ignore future future effects, we deliberately sacrifice the future to make the present feasible.
We pretend we do all this for our children, but do we? Will it matter if my kids will have 10million dollars in their bank account it there won't be food, freshwater, or clean air and the streets will be filled with rioting hungry sick people? I'm not even sure that money will matter. Wealth and power only exist if the people around accept it, and that will greatly depend on the condition the general population will find itself in.
Mats K
Oct 14 2012: Brilliant put, Stefan!
- +2
There has to be a value shift in order to realize the potential of technology. I feel that part of the problem of ignorance is our schools. They have steadily been based on curriculum that are at least 200 years old and hasn't undergone any significant transformation or adaptation to our technological possibilities.
How would you define progress, though?
non tech
Oct 14 2012: I agree that it wouldn't hurt to try to improve our education system.
- 0
Progress? I would say that progress is anything that makes people's lives better, either on an individual level or on a societal/community/global level. I think it's clear that some technologies (toilets, medical advances, etc...) represent genuine progress, whereas the effects of other technologies (televisions, iPads, etc...) are much more obscure. As Thoreau said, "... so with a hundred 'modern improvements'; there is an illusion about them; there is not always a positive advance."Oct 15 2012: Very tough question Mats. An extremely helpful point. I will think about it, include it in my analysis.
Thank you very much.
Gail .
Oct 13 2012: Please allow me to replace the word "technology" with the word "automation", because technology automates that which humans used to do or never could do.
- +2
Now take a burgeoning global population that depends on people to be consumers in order to sustain a money-based social system. Now automate to the point where so many are automated out of jobs that there are not enough consumers. The economy (which is really a social system) will eventually collapse. This will force change.
I agree that the next giant leap in our evolution must be cultural / spiritual / intellectual / social. There has recently been a huge leap in our understanding of WHAT a human being really is (thanks to technology). The problem is that the discoveries fly in the face of conventional wisdom and are an insult to many religions.
In the USA, thanks to a corrupt political model that gives evangelical christians (a minority) power over the majority, education is viewed as a threat by the powerful minority. One of our states (Texas) has one party with a political platform that would outlaw the teaching of critical thinking and higher level learning where that knowledge disrupts beliefs that parents want instilled in their children.
What we need to know to evolve beyond what we have done to ourselves is not being taught in schools. It's more than just the hyper-religious who fight education. It's the entire political structure (owned by the military-industrial complex) that establishes a stilted educational paradigm as a subsidy for mega global corporations - who worship at money's altars.
The evidence coming out of quantum physics and the complementary study of "mind" is quite amazing and EMPOWERING. How do we convince a huge part of the earth's population that it is not "evil"?
Oct 15 2012: I agree with you, mostly .. You will be happy to know that most of the World's ppoulation do not actually subscribe to the fanatic Christian belief in "Evil", with all its implications. That doesn't mean , of course , that they think its OK if we go around abusing them..
Oct 15 2012: Who is abusing THEM? (i.e. Chrisitians). I do wish that they would stop abusing non-christians in the USA (which is the only country I can speak knowledgeably about).Oct 12 2012: You can't impede the progress of technology for the sake of those unwilling to embrace the realities of life in the 21st Century. Look what we have setting trip wires for society's adaptation to technological advancements and critical thinking: Theocratic Neanderthals in our legislature, boards of education and govt. bureaus shackled to man made deities and mythologies wishing to cast off the sciences as demonic, and march us back to the Dark Ages with their folly. Pastors pumping out the bilge, and the congregations wallowing in the polluted concepts of a Young Earth and Six Day Creation disregarding the vast tonnage of contrary evidence and casting off scientific proofs as trickery. The "dumbing down" of this nation is not an imagined theory, it is a sad fact.
We once turned to the halls of academia to welcome the next vanguard of progressive thinkers, movers and shakers, and independent thinkers. Alas, their numbers have diminished, the results of a latchkey childhood as the guidance and motivation of the parental units are taken out of the picture and are forced into the workplaces to generate the incomes needed for survival. Dinnertime input/output sessions between the family units have been replaced with notes on a refrigerator. The bright beacons we once had to guide others to higher realms of thinking and understanding are now dimmed and apathetic, seeking shelter from the harsh realities of an economically crippled nation in the virtual realms of World Of Warcraft.
Water will seek its own level, we will pick up and rebuild from the tsunami of global economic meltdown that washed over us. There then must come yet another tidal wave washing over the land ushering in a New Era of Enlightenment. Our evolution as a species depends on it. The Universe demands it.
Oct 12 2012: I am not suggesting to stop technological progress to accommodate our outdated culture, on the contrary I am suggesting we open our minds and shed old habits so that we can more easily take in the wonders of the technology that we created. And I am trying to advocate that we do not need an economic meltdown, a tidal wave, that wipes out half the world population to initiate a change. I am hoping that we are smart enough that for the first time in the history we could deliberately, systematically engineer the way we perceive the world instead of simply relying on our impulses. But for that we need a large scale common effort.
chen xin
Oct 13 2012: i thin k you make a good point ,we should open our mind and enbrace out tecOct 15 2012: Stefan: you 're right, but I guess the large scale common effort comes down to a lot of conversations, on every level , about what's true , and how do you check up on the "answers". TED for everyone. The evolution of solving mysteries by , like about thunderstorms, by science rather than Theology , is a hopefull and continuing process .A big obstacle for people has always been the mystery of "who we are". Its remarkable in science lately how the assumptions have drifted more in line with the Asian relationships of "opposites", as opposed to the mechanistic Newtonian scheme which most of our society operates.with. Consciousness manufactured in the Brain on one side, vs . Consciousness as something like an electric field on the other. Look up the "Superorganism" in Biology. for some new ideas along these lines. E.O. Wilson, the Ant expert, mentioned it. This is all going to be much more about "who we are" than any technology.
- 0
Oct 15 2012: I completely agree. It will come down to "Who we are". And "who we are" boils down to "what we do, with what we have at our disposal". The question is, when we look back 20-30 years from now will we be proud or ashamed.Oct 12 2012: Charles your treatise is soundly written and reasoned. I would, if I may, add another perspective on what has become of the halls of academia; commercialization and the so called "business model" have devastated these areas. Many academics have to bring in funds by selling the academic imprimatur to bogus studies that say whatever the provider wishes. Additionally, the treatment of new PhDs as educators has devolved to part time piece work at below minimum wage salaries.
This all lends credence to the general dumbing down of the people. Mr. Farr is correct. Society is facing a massive upheaval. It is adapt or die time. Those who deny it and those who attempt to impede the changes are the very ones who will cause the demise.
At this very moment the progressive intellectual adapters are badly outnumbered by the frightened.
Oct 15 2012: Thank you, Sharon, for added data that I wasn't aware of. It's sad to acknowledge this "selling out" for funding going on.
Oct 15 2012: I think it is always a good idea to establish the extent of a phenomenon (by looking at actual data) rather than assuming that something is widespread in the sense of applying to a significant proportion of a field..Oct 13 2012: Wow! You write very well! AND, you are so correct!Oct 13 2012: WOW! Charles, you write so well! You are also spot-on in your assessments.
David Green
Nov 10 2012: I'm currently teaching in Bhutan,a country that joined the online world not many years back. The impacts are going to be huge here because the generational gap in knowledge is so big. I'm trying to arrange a placement with the Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy with funding from the UN to try to get involved in spreading awareness of media literacy and the impacts of the new technologies that about to come bursting through the interpipes. It's a very interesting situation here - the issues you describe are hypertrophic.Oct 25 2012: "Our inability to culturally adapt to this rapid technological progress is like a dead weight that impedes our metamorphosis as a species altogether."
- +1
I totally agree with You.
I know people who surely will run and hide under a stone if they discover that siri exists.
Due to the astonishing diferences in technological knowledge the cultures' evolution run at diferent speeds generating huge internal stresses in our societies.
Apart of that I see that we as people are not as rational as we think because having the knowledge, the technology and the power we still use them in stupid ways. We know about global warming but d'ont do anything serious about that. We know about economic theories and we go in debt. The market makers crash the markets.
In my opinion the main problem is the lack of direction as a whole Humanity.
We waste almost all of our lifetime and resources going to nowhere and that has to change. I think we have to define our goals for the future: our evolution.
Dan Conine
Oct 22 2012: Our culture IS a form of technology. To understand what is wrong with humans, you first have to determine what you are evaluating. Any species lives based on its ability to be useful to its own future. If not, it goes extinct. Humans invented a technology unconsciously called "imagination". It is a useful extens ion of the memory process which creates a model universe based on the information we collect during development. Upon physical maturity, the human moves their id/ego into the model universe and avoids the real universe at all costs. Before the industrial revolution created so much wealth (mostly by stealing it from our future selves with debts and fossil resources), humans created tricks of community, culture, and religion to fool ourselves into not being too consumptive (greed, sloth, etc. were frowned upon). With the freedom of wealth came greater detachment from Malthusian needs, and thus, greater detachment from reality. As with all civilization processes, the end result is that generations of people who live within a refined, homogenized isolation of society do not have a clue about what it took to create and maintain that stable artificial environment, so it fails and the fringe members of the species start over again. The mean Mean do not "evolve". As with any evolutionary process, the middle of the curve is adapted to PAST environments, and some few lucky members on the outer limits of the bell curve MIGHT be adapted to living more generously(the opposite of consumption is not frugality, but generosity) and sensibly.Nov 12 2012: Well yeah have you noticed that it's a device that people instead of learning use as entertainment, and causes a lot of people to become anti-social. Meanwhile the Media keeps uses it to convince people to buy into conformity and very bias unchecked facts.
- +1
Examples Look how people feel the need to broadcast there lives on fb and twitter. Or how the history channel now has shows about gator farms or "Dick Dynasty". How Nelson Mandela, Ghandi, Stephen Hawking, or Da Vinci is an unknown figure to children and urban kids but, everyone has great concern over Kim Kardisian Marriage, Paris Hilton, Snooki, Pauly D, and other stupid celebrities who are famous for ludicris behavior.
Take the Presindential campaign Ads, which both had really covincing agruements filled with proganda on both sides.
Finally look at all the ads trying to less stuff you don't need like clothes, cigs, jewelry, junk food, lastest electronics that don't seem that different from the other generations. If your not truly convinced of this last statement then look at this FUNNY LINKS
http://youtu.be/FhljTM6vuEUNov 10 2012: YEAH, agree ^ ^Nov 10 2012: Thanks for your reply. But you should know that this can happen in china.
really. Educators or civil sevents usually do this kind of stuff.
in our city, a second-level one in china, the same road is being digged and fixed over and over again. Why do they do this? If they want to make a profit, they have to apply a project to get the money from a higher lever govenment. and sometimes they give the projects to their relatives thus they can make an indirect profit.
My point is: in some countries, policy-making can misguide our society.Nov 10 2012: Interesting thing is that I still remember the time when the Education Department of our city is struggling of whether students in junior high should use calculators. Even then, I thought the adult can be so hesitant and ridiculous.
First, we are encouraged to use the calculator and everyone is demaded to buy one powerful Casio calculator which can even calculate the sin, cos of trangle; then, we are not allowed to use that. At last, the calculator is back.
Maybe, the officials are just using us to make a profit, but this really leads to a contraversial question.
Or maybe these specialists were trying to do a good thing, but in my view this constant left-and-right change should not be tested on teenagers.
Many people in China say that our generation is one that is just like the guinea pig. How sad it is...
Nov 10 2012: Hi, Linda. I don't think this confusion over calculators was related to profit. Rather there was a dispute among educators as to whether mental math skills are vital and would be impaired by excessive use of calcultor, whether the thinking that develops to provide facility with arithmetic calculations is foundational to understanding algebra and higher mathematics, and so forth.
Nov 10 2012: Thanks for your reply. But you should know that this can happen in china.
really. Educators or civil sevents usually do this kind of stuff.
in our city, a second-level one in china, the same road is being digged and fixed over and over again. Why do they do this? If they want to make a profit, they have to apply a project to get the money from a higher lever govenment. and sometimes they give the projects to their relatives thus they can make an indirect profit.
My point is: in some countries, policy-making can misguide our society.
Nov 10 2012: I understand that people will often promote their commercial interests in any country.
I shared what I know about the calculator issue generally just in case you didn't know that there is a genuine pedagogical question involved.Nov 9 2012: Hi Tyler. I'm not much of a FB user but I'm proficient enough to search and after a while I gave up--I couldn't find you.
My FB locaction is : http://www.facebook.com/#!/RareBird0
Let's knock this around a bit. This subject is where so much potential lies. Hope to hear from you. JimNov 7 2012: I wouldn't necessarily write off the cultural evolution due to technological advancement. After all, even the simple art of the written or spoken word is a form of technology, which allowed an actual cultural and human evolution. Technology is just another thing that we can use to do the exact same thing that we have been doing for thousands of years, which is adapting to not only our environmental needs but also adapt to what culture(s) arise. The thing with human evolution is that we are evolving on par with our technology. The thing that isn't happens to be multiple sectors of the business world that continually tries to crush many of the ways that the consumers, especially creative ones, can use various forms of technology.Nov 7 2012: Culturally speaking, if we took all the current technology away from the kids today, the resulting psychosis would drive us into a health-care hole in the ground. The current generation has never known a day without a cell phone or computer. To suddenly resort to doing arithmetic in their minds would break their brains.
The older generation have become so dependent on this technology that to go back to the old ways would cause many of them to take early retirement. I say early retirement because they would realize the resources they would need for the transition to old ways of running an office do not exist outside their generation. The human power to accomplish it no longer exists. It would be temporary chaos.
Yes, culturally we have fully adopted the new technology and any new understandings about our reality will be as a result of using and devising even more powerful technology. We are seeing the tiny fluctuations of the atom. Soon, we will see them in HD resolution, in real time.
The technology of the future will be easily accepted by this current generation and implemented into their lives with an ease the older generation could only imagine through science fiction.
I started down this road in 1978, pushing the new technology onto my generation who accepted it with great reluctance, having nothing but foresight to idealize it's usefulness. The current generation doesn't need foresight, they have experienced the results of new technology. In the near future, culture will have a global tone and color. Indeed, the notion of cultural is undergoing an ideological shift from what we used to call cultural nationalism.
Two or three generations from now, the word "Culture" will start to fade into obscurity through lack of use. It will become an epistemological artifact like the word "thou" or "thine".
I add, "welcome back Obama!!"Nov 5 2012: You're right. But technology is the only medium which can facilitate an encompassing philosophy able to create a "new literacy" which can then enable a new "modernity". It would take a hundred years and a lot of luck to educate an esoteric few on what the unique powers of non-linear communication are versus all that have passed before if we stick to conventional communications methods.. I feel we are so on the same wave length though.
Firstly, society doesn't even understand itself--it doesn't know that technology use actually changes our capacity--that this thing called "neuroplasticity" isn't some "reactive" provision to mend our brains in case we get hit in the head but is instead the constant provisional mechanism for new capacity in which we grow new interconnections that allow us to "use" or even create each new level of technology. This is a monumental dynamic around which education must be reformed (among a few others) because no human who fails a test on day is hopeless. To the contrary, with the proper remedy, the same person could become a super-achiever.
I'd really like to converse with you about this but TED boxes are so confining. I'll offer my e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com and assure you no obligation. I have partially written the philosophy that makes for the development of a synthesis of an "ethical intermediary" where, with a few new forms of journalism and dialog, make for that means to establish the "new literacy and its engine of acceptance" I can sense that you believe is necessary. I hope to hear from you. I'm sure you know what we are on is the fulcrum upon which the future of the Digital Revolution teters. There's big money there too.
Nov 8 2012: Do you have a Facebook? I'm from Piqua, Ohio. Look me up.Nov 1 2012: One thing I think we could do, is change the way we teach kids. They are our future after all. As long as we come up with a way to teach them how and why we got here, things will work it's self out. I was on google earth one day and thought, why don't someone make one just like that, but it goes form the beginning of earth till now. Then you could go to the day Jesus was crusifide. Then you can go see what's happening in other parts of the world. School then can make a lesson that could teach the whole world.
Another way we could help is by making are kids bilingual. One reason society to me is falling is, the language difference in a society full of so many. Studies have shown that kids with bilingual parents will speak both language. They learn them just by listening. So it is safe to say, you could record a different language and play them when they are in the belly till they are old enough to read and write it.Oct 31 2012: At the risk of addressing this too theoretically, I get very suspicious whenever I hear pronouncements about undefined things such as "culture", "society", etc. My answer and that of everyone else has everything to do with the definition of those terms that I and they have in mind when we respond.
For example, my response to the statement "Our culture isn't adapting to our rapidly progressing technology" depends entirely on which "culture" I'm thinking of. I live in Orange County in Southern California along with approximately 3 million others. In contrast my wife's aunt and uncle who we visited this summer, live in Marshal County Minnesota with a total population of just over 10 thousand residents. OC County has 3 cities each with populations that are no less than 10 times the entire population of Marshal County. Orange County's size is 56% that of Marshal County.
Knowing nothing more than this you can imagine that discussions regarding the "culture" of Marshal County versus OC County will be very different. Indeed, such discussions of a city in north OC County will be as well from those in south OC County even though those cities are no more than 15 miles apart..
Stefan said, "I believe, that this crises stems from a profound conflict brought about by the increasing incompatibility of our cultural, social and economic values with the ever more advanced technological progress that we are accumulating", followed later by "Consequently, I believe that the next giant leap in our evolution must be a cultural / spiritual / intellectual / social one and not a technological one."
I'm not sure we can separate technology from questions of culture, spiritual, intellectual, and social context, at least I know I can't. But I do think he is right in suggeting that assuming technology alone to be the key to our problems, which it often appears we do, is also wrong.
Oct 31 2012: One of the things I like about the way Stefan phrased this question, is that for me the question works at all scales of culture and society from the smallest to the largest. So I assumed the usual definitions of culture and society that work at all scales. But Stefan also includes an intriguing reference to a "metamorphosis as a species altogether," implying a global scope, as if all the disparate cultures might eventually link up some how to evolve.Nov 5 2012: Hi Bill. I get your point about those terms. How do you feel if instead of saying our culture or our society or even our species or world "needs" x,y or z, we said that a technological phenomenon has occurred which offers answers to trillion dollar problem--massive sums of which we keep squandering because we need a new literacy above standard literacy and above technological literacy which is not esoteric -- which technology itself could deliver, which could help a new modernity reveal itself people will want to buy into and get for their children, and that this technology itself is now so cheap and so pervasive it is possible to achieve this new literacy in just a few years with just a few players?Oct 31 2012: technology has changed our living style besides our civilization. our culture is the backbone of our attitude and enhancing factor of humanity. technology is for our life comfort. it is purely physical. the culture part of it is purely inner and spiritual. it must not deteriorate at the cost of modernization/technology. well civilized/modernized man with no cultural values is not worth mentioning for the benefit of living planet.Oct 31 2012: @ non tech: I think very often and more and more our discoveries DO lead to more roads being opened up from there on adding to the complexity of that which we have to navigate as our knowledge increases. That, in and of itself is a problem and, yeah, there often end up being more than originally led here but maybe we can eventually work out all the problems if we're working on a greater number of them and at an ever increasing rate. ;D YaY! No more problems. LOL :)
Lejan .
Oct 28 2012: In my view, it is not technology itself our culture got problems to cope with, it is its application more and more individuals have problems to digest.
- 0
To me, the purpose of technology is to better and to ease our lifes, and much of it does, but it also started to work against us and to enslave us in order to maintain our benefits.
Somewhere in the past we crossed a tipping point in which our technology began to use us and to accelerate the speed of our lifes way beyond healthy limits for most of us.
To me there is no coincidence in rising numbers of depression disorder, burn out syndroms, stroke and heart diseases (except unhealthy diets) and personal isolation tendencies.
Technically we should be in the most convenient and fulfilling times our species ever attained. But practically it seems, that most of us does not feel and experience it this way.
So one may argue, that we, humans, can not value anything we never lacked or missed. And I think this got a lot to do with it, especially for generations who exclusively thrived in abundance. Yet nevertheless there are also other reasons causing the decay of personal contentment.
This is quite a wide field, but it got to do with speed and application of our technology not with technology itself (besides weapons, of course).Oct 27 2012: "We need to combine ancient wisdom with new technologies. That's all we need." -Paulo CoelhoOct 25 2012: We have allowed the world to decline to a place where moral and ethical issues are so vague that any depravity can be well defended by sophistry.
And we have placed too much emphasis on science and inventions; on knowledge and fancy gadgets; on materialism and the acquisition of wealth; all obsessively pursued at the expense of the human soul; most of the pursuits are at the expense of human relationships and dignity.
P W Botha once said "Adapt or Die". I think its time to start making efforts to adapt; as it is now, we are not even trying.Oct 25 2012: Hello there,
quite right, for years we have had the capability to transform our socio-economic system into one that is actually sustainable, but our values got/get in the way. It is also about changing what we value most. A value war, if you will. Interestingly enough though, for years there has been a man called Jacque Fresco that has been working on social design, and intelligent management of resources. Probably the following shows the ideas in a more understandable way.
Oct 25 2012: As you infer, I too believe we are on the verge of a transformation unlike any in history. We no longer are just 'making tools', we are 're-assembling' our universe and our definition of what it means to be human. Unfortunately, just as no laws are made until there's a loss, we will probably be overwhelmed by our abilities before we can refocus our energies towards the ultimate importance of social understanding, cooperation, and wisdom in living.Oct 23 2012: Well Stefan, I think you have posed THE CRUCIAL question - and thus; will the human race survive in any sort of sensible fashion? I have spent my life considering this question, and now, I think I can see the end game within the next generation or two. This is because of technology, as you say. This will deliver, in the next lurch of human ascent, from agriculture, animal power, steam, transistor, information...to the final push. All previous technical revolutions have managed to lever man's ability to 'produce much more efficiently'. But the next lurch will take most humans out of the loop - and this really does change everything - practically and therefore, consequently, culturally. As with all moments in time, historically and now, we are so 'up to our eyes' in solving immediate issues, we really cannot see further ahead easily. And therefore we fail to plan, the human race are poor long term planners anyway - but we are great at reacting - and will this lead us to nirvana?
- 0
Perhaps a view from the future is the best way to understand what we really face (and its not pretty) see: Level 2 history notes Nov 25th 2199 (I hope it is thought provoking).
JPOct 23 2012: We are adapting, you may not like the speed or the direction, but you are also assuming that we can control our adaptation.
Can we?
It seems to me that the biosphere self organizes and we are just a very very tiny part of it.
Oct 23 2012: Absolutely - we are just a small part of the biosphere - and, totally inconsequential to Mother Nature!
But, equally - are you, as a sentient being, (not personally, but as a member of the human race), prepared to let Mother Nature go her own way and we just play along? Surely not - Nature gave us the ability to think - should we not use that facility to out-think Mother Nature? We need to take on Nature, Is this possible? This is, I believe, the real question.
See: The Human Contradiction,
bart hsi
Oct 23 2012: The new technology of automation and robotics is upon us regardless of whether we wanted it or not. Some people worried about the "greed" of the innovators of such new technology. But I don't think that is the really important matter. The new tech in the past such as electricity, telecommunication, automobiles and airplanes, did make someone rich, but at most the patents or makers of these products either expired or died, but all of us still enjoy such comfort/convenience without even knowing who were the inventors of them. So the matter of whether these innovators should have their fair shares or not is rather trivial, would you agree?.
- 0
As to the problem of the harmony or adaptation of our cultural life with the new tech, I would make a suggestion. We all know that we also have a population aging problem which not only poses a financial burden of the elderly population on the younger generation, it also makes up a very unhappy population of elderly who are lonely, poorly attended, and sometimes left sick without nursing attention. A solution to this is to construct a group of condominiums, each consists of an old fashioned "large family" with elderly and younger families. The elderly will have high tech assistance so that they can move freely around and have automated food services. They can even "attend" meetings, church services and entertainment, in house, by the teleconference technology. They also could make shopping trips or attend a chat or bridge party in their own room. All these new tech can be managed by the assistance of the teenagers withing the condo. This arrangement not only benefits the elderly, who in turn can also serve as tutors, counselors or companions for the children in the same condo too. In summary, we should return to the old times when people usually live in a large family where the interaction between the grandparents and the grandchildren benefits each other while without the heavy physical labor for the caretakers.Oct 22 2012: ı agree with you but in the 21st century people don't care holy things such as bible or koran...corruption is everywhere notably in the cultural field people are afraid of everything we live in our small worlds without thinking ı think technology is a very little part of the situationOct 21 2012: I agree Stephan, but I offer a different point of view to consider: The conflicts are here today as the "most important" cultural publications like Bible or Koran etc. are not up-to-dated by adapting our rapidly progressing technology. "Priests" and theologies have difficulties to follow the latest developments in science - as well as scientists - too. For example famous "Logos hymn" is not up-to-dated concerning the beginning of everything. The Bible and Koran are only translated to the latest language tricks, but never up-to-dated based on the results of science.
This situation is really sad as the people do not understand the original contexts as such any more, but on the same time they are ready to fight against rapidly progressing technology, because they do not understand modern science. If the problem with the "holy texts" and science is fixed with the aid of persistent deep co-operation, then we can stop wars caused by "different cultural backgrounds and religions"Oct 21 2012: We each represent our own distinct beliefs arising from our families and cultures. These beliefs bring those of the flock together but usually separate us from the rest. Some of us do not want to forsake our beliefs no matter what the economic crises brings.
Technology is purposefully replacing our toil of brain and brawn with ever improving machines. This is a good thing if we all shared in those gains. Some hold fast to the belief greed is good. I am certain greed is grotesque for its creed to purposely exclude others for its own survival .. while want is wonderful and drives our technological efforts. Where one person's want will drive them to successes this is good indeed but when they then keep all of that gain for themselves just because they believe this is fair—is bad! Of course it was their sweat that made it but this is the very lie that must be destroyed. This is the belief that is deeply ingrained in most of us but must go if we are going to take that next evolutionary step. The belief I purpose to replace greed: if you make a gain and I make a gain that we will share so we both gain both gains. It's not the righteous form but it's a step in the righteous direction. Would you not seek to replace my hard labor if I could do the same for you? Symbol me this: Greed is Grotesque!
Comment deleted
Oct 20 2012: family, we are one big happy family not lots of little fighting onesOct 17 2012: if my understanding of culture is still fresh; is a way of life by a group of people. With this definition set as a base form my commenting, technology isn't a way of life. culture was installed in us right from childhood. making it impossible to change it. Technology will improve and advance, whereas culture will stay the same. But I believe we can, and are even bridging the gap between culture and technology; with the youth of today.Oct 16 2012: Technology requires money, and most of the 7 billion on this plants don't have any discretionary. Change historically has been made (by labor unions and others) by organized rebellion and refusal to preform. As special interests generally have much greater influence in governments than populations it is not realistic to believe political, social, or cultural change will ever take place, with or without technology, without rebellion. The refusal to conform "passively". If millions refused to go to work, buy a specific product, and/or pay a specific tax. If millions chose to not buy fuel on a specific day and date each month....change would take place simply due to "logistics". Profit and the loss there of speaks loudly! Technology is viewed and propagated by the media, which is owned by the wealthy, and view as a threat in the hands of the masses...therefore presented difficult.
There is a difference between good technology and technology at large. When a human has to change, alter behaviors, or learn to adapt to interface with technology it is very unlikely to be successful to the adult populations at large. An example is cell phones that are so small one cannot see or push the buttons and/or one needs a PHD to operate. This phone it is not likely to be accepted or used outside of a select group willing to and having the time to adapt.
Once, I designed an electric motor years ago that could have revolutionized power consumption (as everything manufactured either uses or is manufactured by electric motors in operation) yet the design was never used, but a company secretly attempt to patent my design without my knowledge. The electric engine has not changed in more than a hundred years and is likely the greatest potential to reduce our carbon signature. When ideas and technology threaten profit, security, and asset potential of the wealthy they are projected as of "no use or a fad"
Technophobia is a symptom not the cause or root of the problem.Oct 15 2012: I want to pose some leading questions for the amusement of the group. I will use the term spirituality but will ask the group to determine whether or not to associate spirituality to politics and/or religion.
-What relationship exists between intellect and philopsophy?
-What relationship exists between intellect and technology?
-What relationship exists between spirituality and philosophy?
-What relationship exists between social value, culture and spirituality?
We may agree that intellect and philosophy are closely bound in as much as many of the brightest minds in history contributed to philosophy. Philosophy on the other hand typically yields questions but few absolute answers. We may also agree that spirituality and philosophy are closely bound in as much as spirituality attempts to provide answers or at least context to philosophical questions. We may also agree that technology is a significant function, although not the only function in progressing intellect. This suggests a relationship between technology, philosophy and spirituality. Finally, I suggest that cultural, spiritual and social values are closely bound. I won't attempt to qualify this statement but would suggest that the strength of this binding indicates effective cultural - social stability although I don't think this is a linear function.
If we accept these conditions, it places spiritual leaders in an interesting position. How can spiritual leaders present philosophical questions in such a manner that cultures can evolve in the face of social change driven by technological advancement? Additionally, is there likely to be a point where advancement in technology isn't the strongest influence to social change?
If you've read this far, thank you for your indulgence.Oct 15 2012: I completely agree with you we need a S.C.I.S. (I took the liberty of making an abbreviation of Social Cultural Intellectual Spiritual) revolution.
The problem with our world are surprisingly simple especially considering the immense complexity of every individual problem.
The problem is money or better yet, what it has become.
The concept of money by itself is not a bad one.
You take a single resource that is rare and can't be copied (gold for example) and use it as an mediator between two other resources.
A good idea but this makes the mediator or better know as "money" the all powerful middle man.
This is why there is and always will be an never ending demand for it. Which is fine except someone came up with the great idea loaning money to others with interest.
Anyone with knowledge of basic math can tell you this is an impossible concept unless there is a constant economic growth of at least equal the amount of interest.
So things where fine at first. The economy was growing faster then the population (partly due to the several large wars).
But now (actually several years ago) we hit the point where our population growth became larger then our economic growth.
Technology has improved our way of life and people are living longer on average which is great socially but incredibly destructive economically.
And there is really only one way to resolve this and that is to take out the middle man (read: money).
Our world has more then enough resources to provide a high quality of life for everyone on this planet and unlike many years ago we now have the technology to automate almost all forms resource gathering and transport them anywhere often within 24 hours.
It makes me sick to see good, intelligent people slaving away at jobs that can be done faster and better by machines. But in order to make this possible we need that SCIS revolution to make people realize money has no reason to exist in our society.
Oct 23 2012: Robert - I think you make an excellent point - personally I believe we are not quite there yet, perhaps there is a small gap between now and 'man out of the loop'.
see: Mind The Gap
The key to my mind - where you are exactly correct - is our existing ability to create massive (clean) energy for the whole world - this should be done now and there is no excuse for not doing so, (history will be harsh with us for not doing it), it solves most of the worlds core issues (water, food, transport etc). The reason we don't do it is political/business interests as we do have the resources - more than enough as you say!
JPOct 15 2012: I am intrigued by the progress of this debate. It occurs to me particularly with regards Charles's comments and Mats initiative, how and who is to decide what "makes peoples lives better" and which people are we talking about?. There is no doubt that capitalism has made a few peoples lives very much easier and filled with pleasant distractions ( I would question if they are happier or more fulfilled than our ancestral peasants working on the land but that is an opinion). It has also made very many people lives poorer and less free than many apparently less " progressive" economic models.
How then folks, are we to measure the well being of the whole worlds population ? I suggest to you that capitalism and the power it gives to a few is now of a global nature, and governments on the whole way behind the curve on the issue of cultural and technological development and often quite ignorant as to the behaviour of the majority. Culture I believe to be as much if not more about what people do, rather than what people think. ( the two may often be well removed, we mostly do what is acceptable to others around us. We can think what we choose (at least up until this moment we can). History is a harsh judge of those arrogant enough to believe they knew what was good for the world. Well we have the technology , perhaps we should first ask the world what would make you happy, or perhaps at least what would make people less unhappy? A big question. I am not even sure I can answer it myself!Oct 15 2012: Indeed, the TED community would seem to be a progressive one, however, technology, as a progressive tool for our future betterment, Hmmmm, really ???
Those currently making money from it, i'd suggest, are those who are still advocating it's use in our progression, but, anything reflecting on technology & it's impact, be it factual, or, an artistic representation, seems to indicate a less than positive outcome.
Technology is moving much faster than culture because in a great many ways, what it has done, has stunted cultural development. Cultural development surely resides in the physical interaction of people, be they of the same or different backgrounds, now assess how we travel, ipods in ears, psp's etc .... children who'd rather communicate via txt speak than REAL speak, aids to cultural advancements ?
It's easy to criticize yes, as I sit on my macbook connecting, due to internet provision, but, after reading this, how many of you will actually make the effort to connect with me & build something in terms of inter-community building or otherwise huh ?
How many of you will give me a thumbs up or down & say I want to communicate directly with this human being ahead of the next internet fix of whatever, that will satisfy your need for that quick net fix ....
I think that Stefan is onto something, but, Giant Leaps now, are rarely made in the areas he specified. There is a great deal of rhetoric about spirituality etc, online, but who really takes the time to develop that side of themselves when e-mails are coming regarding the next sexual encounter or bit of business that's going to enable them to buy themselves the latest gadget that looks cool & gives them a sense of status due to it's perception in the public eye
We have so far to go & technological methods, as useful as they've become, are not for the purpose of cultural development, if anything, technology, in terms of recent timescales & it's advancement, have coincided with our regression as people.
Oct 22 2012: Technology has changed so quickly over the last few decades and it is sometimes difficult to study and understand fully before it changes again.
Current technology may have replaced many of the "face to face" and physical parts of communication, but it has also enhanced and promoted more communication. Live video chat, online forums (such as this one) instant video and picture streaming are just the beginning of the next wave in technology and communication.
As information flows faster through our world, so does the interaction. It is not physical interaction, but a global connectivity of "online" interactions that will propel us in to the future. Here's a video from a Tedx showing a device that will allow for even more interaction with the world and other individuals:
I know more about my planet and other cultures in thanks to the internet and phone than my great grandfather and that can be attributed to advancements in technology. Your voice and mine would have less of a chance being heard if it weren't for these advancements. Videos of cultures and traditions would be widely unknown had it not been for recent technological capabilities.
I do agree that we are regressing in certain ways, but we are progressing in others. The manner in which we connect or communicate has changed, but cultures are still alive and well. There are even sub groups to online interaction.Oct 15 2012: Hi, Ted Lover, and thanks....I am thrilled I found this little oasis of rational, open-minded thinkers. I'd like to start a think tank forum for all of us to come up with what we think would be solutions to the social, economic, and political ailments wreaking havoc presently. I feel we are at a perilous brink looking down into a dark abyss. Sharon, in her comment above, is right on the money with her statement regarding the frightened.
It seems our government is not providing any solutions and the "trickle down' sprinkler has been shut off as the fund providers we once had are now pumping money into campaigns to elect guard dogs to protect their stashes. The Mid East is about to supernova which will draw us into yet another campaign we can not afford to get involved in. And the beat goes on.....
Mats K
Oct 15 2012: "I'd like to start a think tank forum for all of us to come up with what we think would be solutions to the social, economic, and political ailments wreaking havoc presently."
- 0
Great initiative! I would love that! Stay tuned for the 'Global Redesign Institute' which will work like a similar think tank applying the scientific method for social design and decision-making, where engineers, scientists, architects and artists will meet and collaborate in an open-source Wikipedia fashion. http://globalredesigninstitute.org
Oct 15 2012: I look forward to this. Maybe be a part of it from the beginning. I have a blog on this subject but it's just a blog. It would be nice to find people and actually work on a solution.
Mats K
Oct 16 2012: Excellent! We need every hand on deck. Please feel free to link the blog, I would love to read it.Oct 22 2012: I think we can actually fix this issue by pushing the limits of technology even further. Technology won't go away, but how we use it is up to us. Perhaps technology like this will help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC6_XpBW6wwOct 17 2012: It is in my profile. I tried to add my blog when I opened the conversation, but it was censored out. I've been told many attempt to hijack conversation with spam. Although this was not my intention I will respect the rules and not post it here. I am a big believer in rules, even though they are some times uncomfortable. TED's policy is that they allow links in your profile, please refer to my blog there.
- 0
Thanks.Oct 14 2012: On the contrary, our culture is adapting ever faster to tech - trivial example,smartphones. There is no 'next giant leap' in evolution, there never was over millions of years of slow progress.
Oct 15 2012: Smartphones are tools. The fact that people spend their day massaging the touchscreen instead of reading a book of doing something useful is a cultural thing. In fact that people consider that to be useful is a cultural thing.
Don't get me wrong, I like smartphones, they are really useful in the hands of somebody who uses them as a tool to make themselves more efficient in doing what they do, liberating some of their time and thus improving their lives.Oct 14 2012: Thy still don't. Look around.


text:
Rupert Goldsworthy is an Adjunct Professor in MFA Photography. He has been a member of the part-time faculty at Parsons since 2011. He also currently teaches at School of Visual Arts, the International Center for Photography and Pratt Institute.
His work spans art-making, curating and writing.
Solo exhibitions include Ritter-Zamet Gallery, London; and Illuminated Metropolis Gallery, New York. Group exhibitions include the Tate Modern, London; the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Kunst-Werke Institut, Berlin; Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art/Conservas, Spain; Paula Cooper Gallery, New York; The Swiss Institute, New York; White Columns, New York; and the Whitworth Gallery, Manchester, England.
From 1995-2010, Goldsworthy ran an artist-run gallery project between Berlin and Chelsea, New York. He has curated over sixty exhibitions.
His writing has been published in the magazines Art in America, Artcritical, Artnet, Brooklyn Rail, Fantom Editions, and Sculpture.
He holds a PhD from New York University.
Rupert Goldsworthy "CONSUMING//TERROR: Images of the Baader-Meinhof" (DMV 2010).
Visual culture, the Cold War, artist-run galleries, artist-practioners and socially-engaged practice, colonial history, the iconography of Seventies radicalism.
1995 Grant recipient, The British Council, London, 1996 Grant recipient, The British Council, Berlin, 1999 Grant recipient, The British Council, New York, 1996 Funding recipient, Progress Film-Verleih, Berlin,1996 Funding recipient, Australian Consulate, Berlin,1995-6 Grant recipient, Kunstamt-Mitte, Berlin
< back

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This table lamp features a bold shade design from internationally renowned hospitality designer Stacy Garcia. Known for her use of color and pattern, Stacy's exclusive line of lighting makes a wonderfully colorful and unique design statement. The contemporary, brushed steel finished base features an on/off pull chain. The design has been printed onto a high quality art canvas and is custom-made-to-order. U.S. Patent # 7,347,593.
Shipping and Delivery Information - For item EU60757-H4418 if ordered by 1 pm Pacific Time


text:
|Amount Per Serving
|% Daily Value
|Decaffeinated Green Tea Extract (Camellia sinensis) (leaf)
[standardized to 98% polyphenols, 75% catechins, 45% EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate)]
|725 mg
Your entire order ships free*
with purchase of this product.
Buy one, get one 50% Off.
No promo code required
& your entire order ships free*
Added to My List as a guest*.
*Your guest list will be temporarily saved until you end this browser session.
Vitacost Decaffeinated Green Tea Extract -- 725 mg - 200 Vegetarian Capsules
Oops! Something went wrong and we were unable to process your request. Please try again.
|Amount Per Serving
|% Daily Value
|Decaffeinated Green Tea Extract (Camellia sinensis) (leaf)
[standardized to 98% polyphenols, 75% catechins, 45% EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate)]
|725 mg
Premium-quality green tea extract standardized to 45% EGCG, 98% polyphenols and 75% catechins. Convenient, once-daily formula! Provides antioxidant protection, and more.*
What is Vitacost Decaffeinated Green Tea Extract?
Vitacost Decaffeinated Green Tea Extract is a decaffeinated supplement that supplies the benefits of green tea in convenient capsule form.It features standardized extracts of the herb's active ingredients (EGCG, catechins and polyphenols), ensuring consistent, quality levels in every dose.
Green tea, prepared from the dried leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, is a traditional herbal beverage that's been enjoyed for centuries for its simple, soothing taste and its diverse health benefits.* Green tea is consumed worldwide, but is especially popular in China, Japan, India, Thailand and the U.S.
Green tea is produced by lightly steaming and then immediately drying the tea leaves. This process prevents oxidation and preserves active constituents in the herb. Green tea is a source of polyphenols, particularly the catechin epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which offer powerful antioxidant protection.*
How does green tea support health?
Why choose Vitacost Decaffeinated Green Tea Extract?
About Vitacost
Vitacost nutritional products are manufactured to high standards of quality, efficacy and safety. Each Vitacost product meets or exceeds the standards and requirements set forth in the FDA's Code of Federal Regulation (21 CFR, 111) Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP).
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
As a dietary supplement, take 1 capsule daily with food or as directed by a healthcare professional.
Store in a cool, dry place.


text:
Marketing Information
Office furniture is made of steel with a powder-coated textured finish for easy care. Durable laminate tops feature radius edges. Drawers and flipper doors glide on steel ball-bearings. Desk and credenza tops include 2" grommets. Use the two grommets in each leg for cable connections between desks. Open shelves include wire channeling to desktop. Modular desking is Greenguard Indoor Air Quality Certified.
General Information
Recycled Content
Assembly Required
Green Compliance
Green Compliance Certificate/Authority
Physical Characteristics
Product Information


text:
Tonyblack wrote:Welcome to the site, innovatao!
I'm not sure about this, but sometimes people bid at charity auctions to be included in the books. I don't know if this is the case with the other Brian Roberts.
Brian Roberts DOES seem a rather ordinary name for a character in the DW books though huh.


text:
Welcome to the home of Nathan Desch Photography, LLC. We are wedding photographers that serve Philadelphia, Lancaster, and Harrisburg, as well as the rest of Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, and New Jersey. We would love to hear from you if you are looking for a wedding, portrait, or event photographer. Thanks for checking us out!
-Featured Posts-
Wedding Gallery
Fine Art. Modern. Stunning. Complete
Engagement Gallery
Laid back. Creative. Comfortable
Family and Senior Gallery
Fresh. Relaxed. Real. Fun.


text:
Event organisers from Germany and abroad recognise the venue's unique synthesis of stylish ambience and state-of-the-art technology – whether you are looking to stage a congress, AGM, anniversary celebration, award ceremony, gala evening, ball or TV event, the Alte Oper Frankfurt has what it takes to turn your event into a surefire success.
The Alte Oper Frankfurt is a member of the European Association of Event Centres (EVVC) and the German Convention Bureau (GCB).
The concert hall and congress centre was voted one of the best venues by German congress and conference organisers in the Conga Award's Event Location category, and was also recognised by the city of Frankfurt for its dedicated and successful cooperation in the ECO PROFIT corporate environmental project.
Alte Oper Frankfurt at a glance:


text:
Theme description
SKY is a clean, modern and minimalist one page template.
Suitable for those who want to show their work in a simple and interesting way. Ideal for a web and graphic designers, personal and professional use, photographers etc.
Theme Features:
- One Page template with jQuery Smooth Page Scrolling
- Working contact form
- PSD included
- Fullscreen Slit Slider
- Portfolio Circle Hover Effect
- Isotope Filter
- prettyPhoto for displaying images
Hope you like it, if you have any problem please feel free to send me a PM.
Thank you for your time and don't forget to rate


text:
|Joyce Chen Foods
Amazing Asian Sauces
As a child, Stephen Chen remembers his mother Joyce entertaining both her Chinese and Western friends with authentic Chinese dishes she learned while growing up in China.
Joyce Chen came to America from Shanghai, China in 1949 and settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Adjusting to her new way of life, she volunteered at her children's school and prepared some home-made eggrolls for sale at a school fair. Her eggrolls sold out immediately. Cooking had always been Joyce's passion, and she continued to please her friends with her traditional and unique dishes.
She eventually understood the growing interest in Chinese food and began teaching lessons first at home and, later, at Cambridge's and Boston's Adult Education Centers. She opened The Joyce Chen Chinese Restaurant in 1958, wrote her first Joyce Chen Cook Book in 1964, and in1968 starred in her own national televised PBS cooking series called "Joyce Chen Cooks". In 1994 Joyce Chen passed away, but in 1998, was inducted, posthumously, into the James Beard Foundation Hall of Fame. Stephen Chen, Joyce's entrepreneurial youngest son, is now president of Joyce Chen Foods.
The good news for kosher shoppers is that all of the company's sauces are certified kosher-parve under the Star-K. They are natural, with no MSG added!
The Sauces:
KosherEye has become a fan of Joyce Chen sauce products. They are healthful, natural, delicious and convenient. Now, Stephen, how about those delicious pot stickers that we cannot feature, because they are not yet kosher certified? We're waiting – we heard that they were irresistible!
Use the Joyce Chen sauces in the following recipes – Egg Rolls, Chicken with Cashews, Chicken with Duck Sauce, and Eggplant with Garlic. Enjoy!


text:
By Benito Vila
With bright helmets, sleek eyewear and sponsor-splashed skin tight team wear, riders in last weekend's Whitmore's Landscaping Super Cross Cup at the Southampton Youth Services recreation center on Majors Path looked like they came out of the sky.
Whipping in and out of the woods and across the fields, the cyclocross professionals rode and ran the rugged course astounding the young and old alike. No obstacle or grade was too much, their speed and agility displaying unimaginable stamina and drive.
The event, part of the East Coast-based MAC Cyclocross Series and the International North American Cyclocross Trophy (NACT) series, turned the SYS facility into an impromptu happening, sponsor tents, team trucks, cycle magazine photographers, hip music and humorous announcers creating an other worldly spectacle.
The frenzy started Saturday morning and ended towards sunset Sunday, Cannondale Cyclocross.com rider Tim Johnson and his teammates, Jeremy Powers and Jamey Driscoll setting the pace in the men's events each day. Johnson's win in Sunday's finale earned him Sunday's Super Cross Cup title and the NACT championship belt.
In winning, Johnson credited his teammates, saying, "With three of us in the mix, there's a lot of drive between us to do well." Johnson also praised the course and his competition in noting "a nice elevation gain" and "all the best guys are here."
He also appreciated the venue for its facility and its modest size. "Sometimes when we're out west in Boulder, Portland, Seattle and northern California, we have as many as 1500 racers; here we had 50. But Myles [Romanow, the event coordinator] has made this a got-to-get-to event."
Romanow, who heads HamptonVelo, a local bike club, in turn, praised the Town of Southampton's vision in developing the recreation center and allowing the riders to use its yard. "Our summer traffic prohibits road racing so having this facility is really key. We're lucky to have here one of the best venues in North America, with warm up areas and changing rooms."
One of the "innovations" Romanow introduced to the Super Cross Cup at the event's outset in 2005 was equal prize money for women. That attracted those elite riders, the men following in the five years since.
The weekend's women winners were all from different teams, but all from Colorado, Amy Dombrowski of Boulder finishing first and Kelli Emmett of Colorado Springs and Georgia Gould of Fort Collins, second and third.
Romanow also appreciated the involvement of Spokespeople, a local bike advocacy group, who hosted a mid-day kids' event. "Having them involved made this an even better day for everyone. It helped get the community more involved in what we're doing. And what we have is a really spectator-friendly form of cycling."


text:
Jennifer Aniston looks perky in low-cut dress
She's 42 but she still looks gorgeous, so Jennifer Aniston isn't shy about wearing a sexy low-cut dress – and we thank her for that. Here she's arriving at ELLE's 18th Annual Women in Hollywood Tribute at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles.
Check out more photos of Jennifer on the red carpet from this event after the jump.
You can follow us on Twitter and Facebook for content updates. Also, sign up for our email list for weekly updates and check us out on Google+ as well.
Posted in: Entertainment
Tags: actresses, Annual Women in Hollywood Tribute, celeb babes, celeb babes on the red carpet, celeb gallery, celebrities, celebrity babe watch, celebrity babes, celebrity galleries, celebrity hottie watch, celebrity watch, celebs, ELLE, famous actresses, female celebrities, female celebs, Hollywood starlets, hot actresses, hot celebs, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Aniston low-cut dress, Jennifer Aniston perky, Jennifer Aniston red carpet, red carpet babes, red carpet celebs, sexy actresses, sexy celebrities


text:
Sony Ericsson Xperia Active6 February 2012
There aren't many people who would argue that staying in shape is important, and an increasingly popular pastime for many. So mobile phone companies are keen to appeal to active sorts with phones that can help them in their pursuits. Sony Ericsson markets... >>


text:
On December 1st 2012, Geek Squad entered the space race by successfully sending a Geek Squad Badge to near-space. After a one-month design and build period, a team of Agents launched Icarus I, which achieved an altitude of nearly 90,000 feet and traveled 165 miles. The flight lasted approximately two hours and forty minutes, after which the capsule returned safely to Earth and was recovered by the ground crew.
Site: http://www.geeksquad.com/icarus/


text:
Yes! Now you, too, can
copy my exact cash flow blueprint
for traffic exchanges to earn automated income with
any business or program you're promoting!
From: The Creator of TE Profits
RE: The Science of Surfing
Albert Einstein may very well have written the fundamental Internet Marketing money-making formula like this...
Traffic + Conversion = Income
You must have a way to generate traffic, and you must have a way to convert your traffic into income.
Turning a mouse click into income is simply a process of converting your traffic into sales. When the process is automated, all you have to provide is the click!
Imagine an automated process that converts your traffic into sales as easily as toasting bread...
Drop in the bread, turn on the process, out pops toast.
With my proven formula, add a few clicks of the mouse and out pops profit.
Traffic is absolutely essential to building an online business. Without traffic you have no conversions, no sales, and no income.
Anyone who knows me agrees I have good reason to be fond of traffic exchanges. My entire business has been built almost exclusively with free traffic exchanges and safelists. When used properly they work like a charm.
You will not find an easier source of guaranteed traffic than with traffic exchanges. Just put in a website URL and start clicking.
However, turning traffic into bankable profit is entirely another matter...
The Cold, Hard Truth
Let's face it. Traffic exchanges can be frustrating. Surfing for traffic is pointless if you are not getting paid for your time and effort.
If you want take-it-to-the-bank results with traffic exchanges, you must
use proven strategies or you will quickly give up in frustration.
Implementing effective marketing strategies is not magic, but it involves preparation and you must know what you're doing. It can take months to learn the
ropes and put the necessary pieces in place, especially if you're new to marketing.
Now there's a much quicker and easier solution...
End the frustration and fast track your success with TE Profits. Learn the exact steps to take so you can experience real results starting today.
Inside our full-featured membership site you'll receive professional training that saves you from information overload. No more jumping around trying to figure out what to advertise in traffic exchanges through trial-and-error.
Plug into my proven traffic exchange blueprint and go from traffic that was essentially worthless to finally making those wanted sales and profits.
You will discover...
How to turn worthless traffic into wanted sales, then automatically increase your profits as your marketing machine grows.
One simple step guaranteed to increase how fast you earn traffic and what that traffic is worth without any additional effort.
How continuity and repeat business dramatically increase the value of your traffic on complete autopilot.
How to create multiple streams of income without diluting your marketing efforts or causing multiple streams of expenses.
How to purchase traffic credits and realize instant profits from traffic exchanges without surfing!
Follow my proven blueprint and you will soon earn effortless traffic and up front profit in your advertising just like the pros. Growth in your business will no longer be limited by how much time you have to surf for traffic!
It's not rocket science. If you can follow simple directions, you can implement my blueprint and start succeeding with traffic exchanges today!
The hard work has already been done for you. Everything you need is ready to go so you can start getting results right away. You receive detailed instructions to set up your turn-key marketing system so you are up and running as quickly as possible.
It's simple, effective and easy to implement.
TE Profits is excellent training ground for how to start getting tons of free traffic to your websites.
It's also the BEST *follow-me* system I have ever experienced.
I'm earning from SEVERAL sources on AUTO PILOT all by promoting just ONE, and so are my downline members!
Barbie Zabel
Your Viral eBook Marketing
Your membership entitles you to rebrand our FREE Traffic Report at no cost. This is easily a $47 value included FREE to our members!
Simply enter your affiliate links in your TE Profits back office and the report is instantly branded with YOUR links and published online for you. It's like handing out candy at a carnival!
Your Step-By-Step Blueprint
Positive cash flow is critical in business and marketing, especially if you are on a tight budget. TE Profits allows you to make money first, then grow a massive traffic and profit machine... without using your own money to do it!
With the right process in place you can easily generate non-stop traffic. Follow this blueprint to effortlessly build strong traffic downlines and earn unstoppable traffic.
Your traffic will grow virally... soon earning traffic without surfing at all. Once your perpetual traffic kicks in you can let the system work for you on complete autopilot!
Put my blueprint into action and you honestly cannot fail!
After being introduced to TE Profits, my business began to explode.
The concepts in TE Profits to get traffic to your website, leads for your business, and cash flow for income have been responsible for me to passively earn $1,000's and generate hundreds of leads each month, both of which continue to grow today.
This is by far the best decision for leverage and passive income I have ever made in my online business. Thanks Scott!
Chase Swift
Fast Action Bonuses!
Inside you will discover our exclusive discounts for instant savings in several top-rated Traffic Exchanges. You will learn where to grab additional free traffic... without surfing!
Start today and discover why our members love TE Profits!
And So Much More...
Because your time is valuable, I have kept this letter as brief as possible. Yet there are still more benefits and unadvertised bonuses inside your TE Profits members area. We simply do not have time to list them all!
Everything is already set up and waiting for you. We've done the heavy lifting so you can have your new marketing system up and running just minutes from now.
Don't wait... I don't know how much longer this 100% FREE offer will last. It truly may disappear at any time. Get it now before I come to my senses!
I could easily charge $20 per month for the TE Profits membership and training. Or I could have created a killer sales page and sold you my success blueprint for $47 like others have done. But that's not my style.
You are getting the hottest training and bonuses ever conceived for traffic exchange surfers, plus everything you need to turn your clicks into cash... starting now!
You have absolutely nothing to lose and your own massive profits to gain!
It's your future...
You can continue to experiment with traffic exchanges until quitting in utter frustration, or copy my success blueprint to explode your traffic and profits!
I understand that my free TE Profits membership includes all the benefits and bonuses detailed above, including:
- Professional Training and Insider Tips - I'll learn how to get much more traffic and maximum profits while building my business. I'll be able to start making money first, then leverage it into ever increasing profits with no additional work.
- Turnkey Marketing System - I'll get proven splash pages, brandable reports and more... so I can start seeing results with traffic exchanges as early as today!
- Step-By-Step Blueprint - With your blueprint the value of my traffic will increase automatically. The better I follow the plan, the more profit I'll make.
- Advertising Credits - You'll show me how to get free bonus traffic and advertising credits right now without surfing.
- Exclusive Members-Only Discounts - I will receive special discounts available only to TE Profits members for instant savings!
There's really no decision here at all. With everything that is included, this is a license to print money on demand!
Yes, Scott... I want my FREE Membership right now!
You're just minutes away from getting your hands on the hottest
traffic exchange system ever conceived plus everything you
need to Succeed With Traffic Exchanges starting now!
To All Your Profits,
Creator, TE Profits
PS. I look forward to working with you. See you inside!


text:
Weider Pro 350 L
|Eligible for 15% Off A Single Fitness, Bike, Boat, Golf Set, or Basketball Hoop When You Spend $250 or More! (see promotion details)
|Free Shipping on Fitness Equipment Over $999.99! (see promotion details)
|Members of The League get 5% back when you spend $100! (see promotion details)
Product Details
Target and tone both your upper and lower body with the multi-position Weider Pro 350 L bench. Featuring a 4-roll leg developer and adjustable weight crutches, this bench is perfect for strengthening your quads, hamstrings, glutes, biceps, shoulders and chest. The included exercise chart allows you to follow step-by-step instructions to maximize your workout time.
Key Specs:
- Type: Adjustable
- Construction: Heavy-Duty Steel
Additional Info
- Foam-covered 4-roll leg developer strengthens quads, hamstrings, glutes and hip flexors
- Adjustable weight crutches
- Exercise chart is included
Product Recommendations
Product Reviews
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®by PowerReviews
- Durable (3)
- Easy storage (3)
Best Uses
- General fitness (4)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (3)
Reviewed by 4 customers
Sort by
- Bang For Your Buck
- Multifunctional
- Limited Use
- Missing Squat Stand
Best Uses
- Body Building
- General Fitness
Comments about Weider Pro 350 L:
I got this bench a couple months into a training regime when I was what some would call a "noob." I selected it based on several reviews I saw. I set it up myself in about an hour, and while it does come with everything you need to put it together getting socket wrenches (which I had to do later down the line once I realized I couldn't tighten bolts properly without one) is something I highly, highly recommend beforehand. I use a 7' bar for this because anything shorter would be too short. It feels stable, but the standing leg where the leg extension part is has some wobble to it - I think by nature of its design since I tightened the bolts as far as I could get them to go. The fold-up feature is great. Overall, this is a good bench for "noobs" or people who train at home occasionally like myself. Is it perfect? Nothing in life is, so why expect the Weider Pro 350L to be? It does its job and it does its job perfectly well. The incline portion is too steep for the most part because your torso gets stretched too far to truly be comfortable, so that I would fix if I was talking to Weider Fitness. I'd also like to put it a little higher off the ground because it is pretty low. I never thought about it until I looked at some other benches afterward, but I miss having a squat rack in the back as some benches do because that would save needing to get squat stands or a Smith machine to do squats in.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
- Easy Storage
- Easy To Set Up
- Sturdy
- Poor Design
- Uncomfortable
Best Uses
- General Fitness
- Strength Training
- Weight Loss
Comments about Weider Pro 350 L:
I'm 50 and my wife is 47, we bought this bench because we wanted to include free weights in our work out. I use to workout a lot as a teenager and used free weights and had a Romine chair, so I know what equipment is best for my wife and I to use at our age.
While talking to the sales rep my wife noticed that the upper portion was made for Olympic weight bar, while the leg curl portion was made for Standard weights.
The standard bench was to flimsy for me so I told the salesman that I would not buy a bench unless I could use both portions with Olympic weights.
He went to the stockroom to read the box and came back and said that it had a sleeve that would turn it into an Olympic leg curl. LIER!! My wife got in line while I went to get my truck for loading at the front door, it was loaded and we went home.
We got home last night and put it together and there was no adapter! It was fairly easy to put together however the bolt to the leg lift sticks out and rubs on my wife's right leg so she has to put a wash cloth over the bolt.
We are using a small bedroom as our Gym so the folding bench is a must for us as we have an elliptical/recumbent bike and a treadmill in the room as well.
With the exception of the Leg curl arm, the bench is well designed for our height and size 5'9" 206 Lbs. and 5'0" 126 Lbs. I like the "A" frame style bar support legs. The bench on display had loose bolts and that made it seem flimsy but when all of the bolts are tight, it is study. I wish it had a preacher curl attachment but I will just buy or make one.
I contacted the products maker to see if they have an adapter for the leg curl arm? They said
We bought a Pro-Form Elliptical/Recumbent bike from the same sales man last month, but from this point on I will not trust what a sales person says, they will have to open the box and show me any equipment that they clam has an adapter.
I called Weider-Pro and waited for 50 minutes for a Rep to answer. The Rep Wendy did not know the difference between Olympic and Standard weights, and could not understand my question about the adapter to convert the Standard weight holder to an Olympic weight holder. She would not allow me to explain the difference between them and talked over me and was rude. I asked for a supervisor and she talked over my request.
I was able to get her to tell me that Weider-Pro, Pro-Form, and "I Fit" was the same company. Wendy told me that the parts that was in the box where all that comes with the bench and that there is no adapter.
I am going to write Weider-Pro and recommend that "Wendy" be trained in People Skills and the equipment there Products are designed for and just return the bench to buy another brand from a different retailer.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
- Easy Storage
- Easy To Set Up
- Easy To Use
- Sturdy
- Not Effective
Best Uses
- General Fitness
- Strength Training
- Weight Loss
Comments about Weider Pro 350 L:
First off I want to say that this unit is fairly sturdy for the price and seeing as I'm a big guy. I got a good amount of use out of this bench but I was a little upset that I could not use the incline for normal incline bench press. The bench comes so far forward that you're literally extending behind your head to lift bar up. There is no way I'm doing that and breaking my arms. I found myself using the incline more so for dumbbell incline press. The decline was just fine though. As for the leg curl I could careless because I'm too tall for it to be effective. I knew this going into purchasing it. I do like how it folds and stores because it came in handy until I moved it to a spot where I never had to fold it anymore.
I will be selling this unit and getting a stand alone squat rack and rolling bench to get full range usage going forward.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
- Comfortable
- Easy Storage
- Easy To Use
- Quiet
- Strengthens
- Sturdy
Best Uses
- General Fitness
Comments about Weider Pro 350 L:
You need to own a 6 foot weight bar, we bought a 5 ft bar and had to upgrade. Still like the new bench, very sturdy if you tighten it up.
- Was this a gift?:
- No


text:
Jump to content
Toggle Housekeeping Housekeeping
Toggle Blogs Blogs
Toggle Meet Other Members Meet Other Members
Toggle Parents' Groups Parents' Groups
Toggle Conception Conception
Toggle Pregnancy Pregnancy
Toggle Miscarriage, Stillbirth & the Loss of a Child Miscarriage, Stillbirth & the Loss of a Child
Toggle Birth Birth
Toggle Babies Babies
Toggle Toddler & Kids Toddler & Kids
Toggle Daycare, Pre-School and School Daycare, Pre-School and School
Toggle Parties & Special Occasions Parties & Special Occasions
Toggle The Parents' Room The Parents' Room
Toggle Hobbies & Crafts Hobbies & Crafts
Toggle Lifestyle & Entertainment Lifestyle & Entertainment
Toggle General General
Toggle Essential Work Essential Work
Toggle Health Health
Toggle Shopping Shopping
Toggle The Trading Area The Trading Area
Toggle Dad's Zone Dad's Zone
3415 users are online (in the past 15 minutes)
118 members, 3134 guests, 163 anonymous users (See full list)
Spikey2, Google, moucheka, Mooples, Tiish, Yahoo, Bing, PinkPastell, Roxi, bella400, angelinaballerina, pollyjo, JuliaGulia, ~~Cleopatra~~, peachpie, Quack Quack, Feral teens?, StarandMoon, Olive-pip, ednaboo, Myprincesses, ILFC, *~Shell**~~, gizmoliz, RipeWickedPlum, mysticmoo, Meg&Dave, Psiren, eve13, JKTMum, JazMar, Two-one-two, vanilla_bear, blimpette, Google Mobile, jenniferl, krissyc, danandcoral, Ivf2015?, wallofdodo, kirsty47, powerof3, Peacock12, greenfields, GingerCats, rachelm81, kentieness, AnotherFeral, Quay11, tanyak1, louise07, walkingFish, Mollycoddle, Liv_FERAL_sh, Runner5, Mumv24, becstar101, Drbunny, LACharlotte, RTM, Bearynice, FeralAndIKnowIt, iznlachsmum, Shesrunning, eigne, mamatomia, Mrs.W, Ice Queen, sasar, Blueflower, Elsee, heart-beat, kiwilisa, tonitheponi, Cranky Old Woman, Neuron jockey, abby66, hodgepodge, Melssssh, kerilyntaryn, kablel, daydreamer123, movingonup, Molondy, Facebook, MrsK79, Letstryagain111, yellowledbetter, bluecardigans, Kay1, Moukmouk, Mummaduke, Manda, wowsers, cjmck, foom, threemonkeys, Elle161, LipStick, littleone80, katy_bride, TL;DR, SenatorPrissypants, capablechristine, CookieCutter, sabsabsab, *molly*, Julzoz, Canquestions, carriesshoes, mamabeanie, kibblecat, Mel from the Creek, Ozquoll, Thalidae, A_Mum, EmNZ, MightyDuck, tia44, YellowPaper, Mrs Fred, Christabelle86, Lost4eva
Get your FREE Baby & Toddler ticket!
Get your free tickets to the Sydney The Essential Baby & Toddler Show for September 25-27! Register online for your free ticket now!
Wet wipes linked to rise in allergic reactions
The government has issued a health warning after a rise in allergic skin reactions has been linked to a preservative found in some wet wipes.
Gay couple in their 80s first to wed in Dallas after Supreme Court ruling
Love may have won, but it came with quite the wait.
William Tyrrell's family marks birthday with cake and renewed appeal
The family of missing boy William Tyrrell will mark his fourth birthday on Friday making a cake to share with friends and family as NSW police renewed their public appeal for information on his disappearance.
What all parents should know about safe babywearing
A picture of Ryan Reynolds always gets the girls talking, and a recently shared photo has done exactly that - but this time, it's for all the wrong reasons.
Baby's head shape reveals potentially fatal condition
Thinking her baby just had an unusually shaped head, a mother was shocked to discover it was instead linked to a dangerous condition.
'Help - my toddler hits me!'
My toddler has started hitting when he gets frustrated, is feeling ignored, or just thinks it might be fun.
Why IVF success rates may not be what you think
Transparency, accountability and responsibilityare essential measures to protect IVF vulnerable patients.
On the 10th anniversary of my son's death
This day marks a significant day. Today marks 10 years since I lost my son Kai.
Owning a pair of nail scissors does not make me a hairdresser
It's been a whole year since sleeping in until 10am. A whole year since having a peaceful shower.
Are you a parent, or are you planning to be? Tell us what you think and you'll go in the draw to win a $500 gift card!
Sexy time
Why you should get excited about scheduling sex
Unfortunately, the belief that sex should always be spontaneous is a myth. It just isn't.
Orphaned baby daughter Ayla wakes from coma
Former All Black Jerry Collins' critically injured orphaned daughter has awoken from her coma and is able to bottle-feed.
Dad takes miraculous catch while feeding baby
One American father has taken multitasking to a new level at a Cubs-Dodgers baseball game at Wrigley Field.
'Samuel is our firstborn, and he will never be forgotten'
Having lost their firstborn at one day old, the Carrolls were overjoyed to welcome their daughter Isobel into the world a year later.
The top 6 misleading parenting terms
From 'morning sickness' to 'the terrible twos', there are many parenting terms that are misleading.
When 'good' nannies go bad
While most nannies take pride in their work, there can be some who have a hidden side.
Woman hospitalised for skinny jeans injury
Beware: skinny jeans might be bad for your health.
Gauze seeding: the bacteria-breeding birth trend
A number of women having caesarean deliveries are now taking steps to give their baby a better 'microbiome' start in life.
Jimmy Fallon writes new children's book for dads
Jimmy Fallon, host of NBC's The Tonight Show, recently wrote a children's book about every father's secret wish for their baby's first word to be "dada" - not "mama".
28 names for babies born in winter
Looking for some baby name inspiration for a bub born during the colder months? Here are 28 options from around the world to consider.
Top 5 Articles
Skip to:
Recipe ideas
Family feast
Shepherd's pie with cauliflower mash
We are discussing...
What's hot on EB
27 funny ultrasound pictures
Ultrasounds give you a look at your growing baby ... and sometimes what appears to their womb-buddy, or your bub in an amusing position.
The horrible act that sparked a brawl at child's birthday party
The uncle of the seven-year-old girl at the centre of the brawl at child's birthday party in Sydney's west has described the events leading up to the alarming show of violence.
Babies 'benefit from iPads at a young age': study
More often than not, you'll read that screen time for children should be kept to a minimum - but some scientists are now challenging this way of thinking.
Do mums really just obsessively talk about their children?
Natalie Reilly describes three main types of conversations mothers have. And, surprise, they're not all about kids.
Why some dogs might attack babies or young kids
A baby's smell, the noises it makes and even its gaze can contribute to the potential for a dog attack.
Mum demands refund for 'beargina' christening cake
It was meant to be a tasteful cake to help celebrate a three-year-old's christening.
5 things no one warns you about after giving birth
How many times have you been warned about all the sleepless nights you have to 'look forward to' when you become a parent?
Police officer sang nursery rhyme as heartbreaking photo was taken
A police officer arrived at a devastating scene on Thursday: a car crash resulting in all passengers being thrown from the vehicle.
Don't worry, working mums: Just leave Dad in charge at home
Want to open the boardroom doors for women? Encourage - heck, praise - dads who stay home with their children.
Hilaria Baldwin shares post-baby selfie
Just two days after giving birth, actor Alec Balwin's wife posted a post-baby picture on social media.
'Help - my child won't ever do what I ask!'
Compliance is part of the parent-child relationship, but so is resistance. It's all natural.
Postnatal depression support gets $23 million boost in NSW
The Baird government will include $22.8 million in Tuesday's NSW budget to expand a program designed to help parents at risk of postnatal depression (PND).
'I'm just as tired, scared and stressed as you': stay-at-home dad's plea
I'm really lucky to have two great kids, but I found it really tough with so much being aimed at the mothers and not the fathers.
6 tips for transitioning back to work after baby
Mums returning to work - and yes, dads too - aren't the same as when they left. But that doesn't mean they're not as good as they once were.
Couple reveals pregnancy with epic Britney Spears parody
How do you create an original pregnancy announcement and gender reveal? You turn to Britney Spears.
The truth about birthing a big baby
When told that they are having a 'big baby', many women have a lot of fears. But those fears are often unfounded.
Eight months pregnant and addicted to eating soap
This bizarre snack takes the cake (of soap) when it comes to weird pregnancy cravings.
Can you spot the drowning child?
Can you spot him in the video? The child who loses his rubber ring, panics, and then almost drowns? It isn't easy.
Noodles, peanuts, wee wees and lady bits
Yes, I know it's silly. I know all the advice from experts is to use the right terminology from the moment your child can talk. But I just can't.
Mum's brave battle for unborn triplets amid cancer diagnosis
Bree O'Malley has a cancer diagnosis, a rare blood condition, kidney and liver failure and other complications. And she is pregnant with triplets.
Win $500
Are you are parent or planning to be? We want to know what you think - let us know and you'll be in the draw to win a $500 gift card.


text:
DeWitt football coach Rob Zimmerman: No 'I' in 'dynasty'
By all accounts, MEA member Rob Zimmerman has had a very good year— but if you were to ask him, he might tell you it's been a great year for everyone else.
In addition to fulfilling his regular duties as a physical education and health teacher at DeWitt High School in DeWitt Public Schools, Zimmerman has guided the DeWitt Panthers' football team to an undefeated regular season.
With the playoffs starting soon, Zimmerman hopes to lead his boys to yet another statewide final four appearance; it would be DeWitt's ninth final four in 13 years.
Zimmerman is quick to give credit to everyone except himself. When asked how he's been so successful for so long, he lauded the efforts of his assistant coaches, school staff, community members, parents and students.
"When I look back — and I've been coaching for a while now — I think the thing that I appreciate the most is the relationship we've built with the kids," Zimmerman said.
For his successes both in the classroom and on the field, Zimmerman was recently presented with the "Building Leaders" award from WVFN-AM's "The Drive with Jack Ebling." The award, co-sponsored by MEA and Home Management Company, recognizes Mid-Michigan school employees who have gone above and beyond to help student athletes.
Parental involvement is particularly critical to building a strong football program, Zimmerman said.
"We have parents that understand that it's a great deal of work to be a top-level football program, and they're willing to let their kids work and make the commitment we ask of them in order for us to have the success that we've had," Zimmerman said.
Ebling said he has known Zimmerman for a long time and he can't think of another coach he respects more.
"He's the kind of guy that if he were coaching your kid in pee-wee ball, you'd be thrilled," Ebling said.
Click here to listen to the WVFN segment featuring Zimmerman.
To nominate a school employee for the "Building Leaders" award, email David Crim at firstname.lastname@example.com. Make sure to include in your email a description of the nominee's efforts on behalf of student athletes.