 Toy Story 4, which opened in theaters this June, became the biggest box office animated film blockbuster yet—and it’s no wonder, with beloved toys like Mr. Potato Head playing a starring role. Toys that engage the body, mind, and imagination, still hold the #1 place in the hearts of children, despite the pervasiveness of digital devices. In fact, Mr. Potato Head and Play Doh are the top vintage toys that have withstood the test of time, according to new a study of 2,000 American parents. Other toys that are still starring in American homes and continue to enchant kids after decades of familiarity include trolls, toy phones, teddy bears, and plastic dinosaurs. Board games have proven to be timeless, as well. Whether you grew up in the ’70s, ’80s, or 90s, families can’t get enough of classic board games—particularly, Scrabble, Monopoly, Candy Land, the Game of Life, and Mouse Trap. They all ranked in the top 30 of toys that were played with by both parents and, later, their children. Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Mr. Potato Head, who has undergone several iterations of his own, the survey revealed that adults are still kids-at-heart who love playing with these toys. Nearly half of parents said their favorite childhood toy is still on the market—and 84% have purchased, or plan to purchase, that toy for their own child. When it comes to buying any toy for a child, parents are on the look out for a certain set of qualities. Three in five parents want a toy that’s educational, but just behind that is a toy’s ability to make their kid laugh (60%). Fifty-nine percent are on the hunt for a toy that’s colorful, while 56% look for something interactive. TOP TIMELESS TOYS (ENJOYED OVER MULTIPLE GENERATIONS) 1. Play Doh 2. Mr. Potato Head 3. Trolls 4. My Little Pony 5. Furby 6. Puzzles 7. Toy phone 8. Bop It 9. Building blocks 10. Bicycle 11. Yoyo 12. Guess Who? 13. Water blasters 14. Teddy bear 15. Scrabble 16. Tricycle 17. Candy Land 18. Game Boy 19. Spinning tops 20. Toy cash register 21. Plastic animals 22. Monopoly 23. Mouse Trap 24. Game of Life 25. Transformers 26. Clue 27. Baby Alive 28. Plastic food/kitchen supplies 29. Scattergories 30. Perfection ALSO CHECK OUT THE TOP TOYS LOVED BY ADULTS WHEN THEY WERE KIDS 1. Mr. Potato Head 2. Trolls 3. Play-Doh 4. My Little Pony 5. Toy phones 6. Furby 7. Puzzles 8. Building blocks 9. Yoyo 10. Bicycles 11. Bop It 12. Teddy bears 13. Baby dolls 14. Spinning tops 15. Candy Land 16. Guess Who? 17. Tricycle 18. Scrabble 19. Plastic animals 20. Toy cash register 21. Yahtzee! 22. Monopoly 23. Rubber duck 24. Clue 25. Mouse Trap 26. Game of Life 27. Plastic food/kitchen supplies 28. Perfection 29. Scattergories 30. Hungry, Hungry Hippos 31. Scooter 32. Bead maze 33. Sorry! 34. Operation 35. GI Joe 36. Super Soakers 37. Chutes + Ladders 38. Taboo 39. TroubleThe GNN staff loved the surprise of seeing Mousetrap and other favorites making the list of toys that are not in the attic. Tell us which ones have been passed down or repurchased in your family? Despite Living in the Digital Age, Kids Are Still Playing With Their Parents’ Favorite Childhood Toys |
Youth NGO teaches African traditions in digital world (2025-08-05T14:01:00+05:30)
 Egbe Omo Oni Isese Traditional African Association has spent years teaching people about the faith using digital platforms, with YouTube videos dating back 14 years, but wants to take the value of its music a step further. -It is the long-term goal of members of the Egbe Omo Oni Isese Traditional African Association to host an Orisha symphony. The youth NGO has spent years teaching people about the faith using digital platforms, with YouTube videos dating back 14 years, but wants to take the value of its music a step further. Egbe Omo Oni Isese Traditional African Association’s musical coordinator and secretary Sheena Ajibola Richardson is the holder of the symphony dream. She said TT’s Orisha songs are not as well-known as others across the region, and collaborating with groups across the diaspora would help spread knowledge of TT’s songs. That is why she plans to host an Orisha symphony based solely on TT’s Orisha music and hopes it could become reality in a year and a half. “As well as have our singers and drummers do this whole symphonic piece,” Richardson said. “We only see Orisha music in TT as a spiritual thing and I want to take it and the entire group to bigger stages in TT and the world.” Founded in 2009 with just four members, the NGO is now a body with over 40 members, most of whom are between the ages of 16 and 30.  Egbe Omo Oni Isese performs at the 2025 Yoruba Village Drum Festival. -In a recent Zoom meeting, founder, manager and projects coordinator Michael Olumbe Diaz, PRO, education and development officer Omoleye Afiya Diaz and Richardson spoke to Newsday about the group’s work and plans. Diaz said the south-based group is composed of members from across TT. “Our organisation aims to sensitise the local, regional and international community about traditional African drumming, music, practices. “We are not only a drumming group, but we are a spiritually-inclined group that practises the Ifa tradition, known as Orisha in Trinidad,” she said. The original group was called the Ome Orisha Team. “This grew from being four members to over 30-something members today. We also have associate members,” she said. But the organisation really took shape when several Orisha elders and cultural groups asked the organisation to support cultural events they were hosting, Olumbe said. The group has since participated in Emancipation, Carnival and international Orisha events. He said members of the group established themselves as disciplined musicians which earned them the respect of the respective communities and led to the group’s expansion. “Over the years, moving from different shrines/areas in TT, people became interested and involved… “We have different support groups of people who just assist, whether it is with videography or cultural preservation.” Olumbe said the group does a lot of cultural preservation and public education about Orisha, encourages professional development and does drum construction and repair.  Founded in 2009 with just four members, the Egbe Omo Oni Isese Traditional African Association is now a body with over 40 members, most of whom are between the ages of 16 and 30. - Photos courtesy Egbe Omo Oni Isese Traditional African Association It is head-quartered in Point Fortin and most of its rehearsals take place between San Fernando and Point Fortin. “We engage the entire group probably on a weekly basis, not only for events, but also for in-house growth and development. “Our events schedule is very packed, especially coming out of the spiritual traditions. There are spiritual events: weddings, feasts, national festivals every week in TT within different parts of the community.” During the covid19 pandemic, the group increased its online public education. “I remember during the covid19 period, we started using social media a lot more than before, and we started a pilot project with one video and that was to have a backup and a contribution to Emancipation during the pandemic when all festivals were stopped.” Even though the faith has been practised in TT for more than a century, many people are still unaware of the meanings of Orisha songs, he said. “Several of them have their influence from the French, patois and a combination of different languages. What we did, as an organisation, as part of our ongoing projects, is dive deep into the translation of the songs and putting it out in a format where it would be accepted and understood by the general public, people outside of the tradition." Olumbe said one of the ways in which the group presents new or lost information to the community is through video and the creation of social media content. “We utilise the videos to teach parts of the tradition that were misunderstood or unrecognised here in TT." Its YouTube channel shows content from thanksgivings, the Yoruba Drum Festival, its members assisting with conducting an Orisha wedding, among many other things. “We continue to build on understanding the aspects we would have lost over post-slavery, late 1800s into the 1900s. “That is one of the major ways we are, currently, ensuring that we enhance and maximise on increased communication between ourselves and West Africa,” he said. This is just the start for the trainline of projects the Egbe Omo Oni Isese Traditional African Association has on its cards. So much so, that Olumbe said there will still be things for the next generation of leaders to accomplish. The group has also partnered with other organisations like The Orisha Learning Hub to teach and lecture, spreading the information. While TT’s youth engage with the material, Olumbe thinks there is still stigma surrounding the practice of African traditions, but he believes greater sensitisation could help to combat this. “TT youths are culturally inclined, whether through spoken word (which is African tradition), to steelpan, which is also African based coming out of the freed slaves who would have settled in Belmont and what not. “In the absence of the drums that were made with skins, they would have developed the drums made of steel. The youth are engaged but we need to do more sensitisation in the community.” All the group’s work is funded by some of its associate members, but it hopes, one day, to have a sponsor. Meanwhile, the Egbe Omo Oni Isese Traditional African Association will continue its work as best as it can and will be participating in three events at the Lidj Yasu Omowale Emancipation Village. “We want to reconstruct the mindset of ourselves as well as the public, and therefore we will execute to the best of our abilities with the love and support of TT and the rest of the world,” Diaz said. It is the long-term goal of members of the Egbe Omo Oni Isese Traditional African Association to host an Orisha symphony. Youth NGO teaches African traditions in digital world - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday |
Young Adults Joining 'Offline Clubs' Across Europe–to Replace Screen Time with Real Time (2025-06-27T12:59:00+05:30)
 – credit The Offline Club via InstagramNot everyone pines for the days without cell phones, but what about social media? Would you erase social media from the history books if you could? If you said yes, you share the feelings of a staggering 46% of teenage respondents to a recent survey from the British Standards Institution (BSI), which also found that 68% of respondents said they felt worse when they spend too much time on their socials. Despite often being seen as the most vulnerable generation to smartphone addiction and social media use, it appears teens, who in any generation are extremely quick to pick up emerging social trends, are picking up on the negative impact social media has had on their lives, and are enthusiastically looking to cut back. Enter The Offline Club, (who ironically have 530,000 followers on Instagram) a Dutch social movement looking to create screen-free public spaces and events in cafes to revive the time before phones, when board games, social interaction, and reading were the activities observed in public. They also host digital detox retreats, where participants unplug from not only their smartphones, but computers too, and experience a life before the internet. In a time when social media and mass, internet-enabled communication through text and video have allowed psychology and medical professionals to gain celebrity levels of influence, many of those same professionals, be it Jonathan Haidt or Dr. Phil McGraw, are sounding the alarm over the harm which the introduction of handheld internet access has had on the mental wellbeing of the youngest generations. BSI’s research showed that out of 1,290 individuals aged 16-21, 47% would prefer to be young in a world without the internet, with 50% also saying a social media curfew would improve their lives. Some countries, DW reports, are considering age restrictions on social media accounts. Australia has already implemented one at age 16. Cell phone bans at schools is becoming more and more common around the world, especially in the UK. The Offline Club is taking advantage of this rising cross-cultural awareness and helps its followers replace “screen time with real time.” Their founders envision a world where time spent in public is present and offline. It started in Amsterdam, but Club chapters quickly organized in Milan, Berlin, Paris, London, Barcelona, Brussels, Antwerp, Dubai, Copenhagen, and Lisbon. Anyone can start a club in a city. So long as they can register a business entity in their country, the Club provides training and branded material. Young Adults Joining 'Offline Clubs' Across Europe–to Replace Screen Time with Real Time |
Here’s how more screen time, no exercise may push you to digital dementia (2024-09-03T13:13:00+05:30)
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Digital eye strain (2024-07-19T12:16:00+05:30)
 New Delhi, (IANSlife) In our modern, fast-paced world, screens have seamlessly integrated into our daily routines. Whether we are working on computers, scrolling through social media on smartphones, or indulging in our favorite shows on tablets, the time spent in front of screens has soared. This increased screen exposure, however, brings with it a growing concern – digital eye strain. Understanding Digital Eye Strain Digital eye strain, also known as computer vision syndrome, encompasses a range of eye and vision-related issues resulting from prolonged digital device use such as headaches, eyestrain, blurred vision and dry eyes. As our reliance on screens continues to rise, it becomes imperative to adopt strategies to manage and minimize the impact of digital eye strain on our overall well-being. The 20-20-20 Rule When working on a desktop, ensure that your screen is at eye level, about an arm's length away and that you are sitting in a comfortable, well-supported chair. Prolonged exposure to screens without breaks is a significant contributor to digital eye strain. The 20-20-20 rule proves invaluable in mitigating this strain: take a 20-second break every 20 minutes of screen usage and look at something 20 feet away. Incorporating this simple habit into your routine helps reduce eye strain and keeps your eyes refreshed. This can also be done by setting timers or using apps that remind you to take these regular breaks, ensuring your eyes get the rest they need. Adjusting Brightness The brightness of your screens plays an important role in eye comfort. Adjust your device brightness to match your surroundings, avoiding both excessive and low brightness that can put a strain on your eyes. Besides, consider using dark or night mode in the evenings to decrease exposure to blue light, which has been associated with disrupted sleep patterns. Blinking and Eye Moisture Blinking, often overlooked, is crucial for maintaining eye moisture. Extended screen time can lead to reduced blinking frequency, resulting in dry and irritated eyes. Therefore, make a conscious effort to blink regularly as it keeps your eyes lubricated. If necessary, use artificial tears recommended by a healthcare professional to alleviate persistent dryness. Screen Quality Matters Invest in high-resolution screens with anti-glare technology to minimize eye strain. Anti-glare filters can be added to existing screens, diminishing reflections and glare. Besides, regular eye check-ups are essential to address any underlying vision problems promptly.Managing digital eye strain requires a proactive approach. Incorporate simple habits like taking regular screen breaks, adjusting screen brightness and maintaining proper ergonomics into your daily routine to reduce eye strain. Being mindful of your screen time and adopting these strategies not only enhances visual comfort but also contributes to your overall well-being. Striking a healthy balance between screen use and eye care is key to preserving your vision in a screen-centric world. Digital eye strain | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
Couple exchanges digital 'NFT' rings with wedding vows (2024-06-18T12:17:00+05:30)
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Digital mindfulness could help reduce the effects of technostress at work (2024-03-26T11:24:00+05:30)
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Technology-related stress, overload and anxiety are common problems in today’s workplace, potentially leading to higher burnout and poorer health. Many of these issues are likely to have increased since remote working became much more widespread following the pandemic. In 2022, along with colleagues at the University of Nottingham, I conducted a review of the academic literature on the downsides of digital working. We looked at nearly 200 studies from over the past decade, which revealed extensive evidence of negative health impacts of technostress and related “dark side of digital workplace” effects. Building on that research, our next study, published in 2024, investigated whether mindfulness and digital confidence – the ability to apply existing digital skills to new devices, apps and platforms – might help reduce these negative effects. We found that being more confident and mindful when using technology could help protect the health of digital workers. Mindfulness is a technique to develop an nonjudgmental awareness of one’s feelings, thoughts and surroundings in the present moment. It can help some people to avoid negative habits and responses by learning to observe their thoughts and emotions and tune in to the breath and body as an anchor. Becoming aware of habitual reactions In this way can help us to respond in a calmer, more effective manner. Our latest study adds to evidence collected through many decades of workplace mindfulness research, which has demonstrated its potential to reduce stress and anxiety among workers, as well as promoting better mental health and improving work engagement. While our research did not investigate specific mindfulness techniques, our interview participants talked about ways that being mindful helped them to reduce stress in the digital workplace. This could be as simple as pausing for a few deep breaths or stepping away from the technology for a short period. Checking in with their own mental, emotional and physical state while working digitally was also something that people said really helped them. Participants with higher levels of mindfulness tended to be less overwhelmed by technology. They talked about avoiding multitasking online – for example, reading emails while on a video call – as well as establishing clear boundaries around its use, such as only using technology at certain times of the day. It is worth noting that some workers were uneasy about taking time to disconnect, noting that they feared being seen as slacking or falling behind. Overall, workers who were more confident with technology experienced less anxiety. And those who were more mindful appeared better protected from the negative aspects of digital working. Our results suggest that although digital mindfulness and confidence are both important for employee wellbeing, ultimately, mindfulness is more effective than confidence with technology in protecting against technostress. Change perceptions to improve wellbeing: In our analysis we explore the idea, based on previous studies, that mindfulness can help reduce anxiety by altering employees’ perceptions of digital stressors. For example, researchers from the University of Turin in 2019 found that higher mindfulness among teachers was associated with a more positive workload stress appraisal and lower rates of subsequent burnout. In our study, we found that digital workers who were more mindfully and digitally confident appeared to have a greater sense of agency when working digitally. They were also better equipped to change their digital habits for the better. These changes involved setting boundaries by implementing rules for how and when to engage in the digital workplace. For example, turning off notifications, batching email or shutting down devices at the end of the working day. Some participants also used short mindful practices to regulate their engagement with technology and take care of physical and mental health while working digitally. Beneficial activities included taking a short break from technology, going for a walk or making a cup of tea. Reflection is key to healthy digital habits: To help employees thrive during the ongoing digital transformation of the workplace, organisations should consider ways to support staff with digital skills and mindful practices. Otherwise, they risk workers suffering further negative effects. Conducting this research made our team think about our own digital practices and identify areas for change. For instance, being setting clearer boundaries around reading and responding to emails outside of work hours and taking more pauses while working digitally. There are opportunities for all of us to grow our own skills in these areas, for example by engaging with training or self-learning to raise our digital competencies for work and learn some basic mindfulness practices. Reflecting on what is and isn’t working in your digital work day can be a great place to start in fostering healthy digital work habits.  Elizabeth Marsh, PhD Candidate, employee technostress and the potential of mindfulness, School of Psychology, University of Nottingham This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. |
Digital campaign to promote SL as premier wellness destination in France, Germany (2024-02-23T12:41:00+05:30)
 Interface Tourism, a leading marketing and communications agency in the tourism has announced the launch of a ground-breaking wellness campaign to promote Sri Lanka, targeted at the French and German markets. This initiative, commissioned by the European Union Delegation with the support of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, is a part of Sri Lanka’s strategic effort to position itself as a premier wellness destination in Asia. Interface Tourism is launching a 2-month digital campaign to promote Sri Lanka as the premier wellness destination in Asia, tapping into the burgeoning global wellness tourism market. This initiative underscores Sri Lanka’s unparalleled wellness offerings, such as authentic Ayurveda, Yoga, meditation, Pancha Karma, and Hela Wedakama, against the backdrop of the country’s abundant biodiversity. At the heart of the campaign are thirty influencers from France and Germany, embarking on journeys through Sri Lanka to share the country’s wellness experiences on their social media platforms, bringing to life the authentic and captivating aspects of their travels. Supplementing these influencer stories is a well-crafted digital media strategy, featuring captivating video content, a lively social media footprint, and targeted display advertising. A multilingual microsite further enriches the campaign, acting as a comprehensive source of information and experiences related to Sri Lanka’s wellness offerings. The campaign commenced on 15 February with the introduction of six German influencers to Sri Lanka. They are set to discover the country’s distinct landscapes, rich culture, and diverse wellness services. Their experiences will be broadcasted on Instagram and TikTok, providing a glimpse into their journeys to a global audience. Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Chairman Chalaka Gajabahu said, “This collaborative effort with the European Union in promoting wellness tourism segment through this campaign will definitely support the Srilankan Tourism stakeholders to capture a lucrative market having a great potential for Sri Lanka especially from the European countries.” He also expressed his sincere gratitude to European Union, Interface Tourism and local industry for their contribution in making this campaign a success. Digital campaign to promote SL as premier wellness destination in France, Germany | Daily FT |
The move to a cashless society isn’t just a possibility, it’s well underway (2023-10-18T12:44:00+05:30)
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When was the last time you used cash? For many Australians using cash or even swiping a card has become a rare event. The move towards a cashless society started 50 years ago with the introduction of the Bankcard and was driven by technological advancements. But it really took off with the COVID pandemic when consumers and retailers were reluctant to handle potentially infected notes and coins. The federal government last week underscored its recognition of this trend by unveiling reforms to regulate digital payment providers. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said: As payments increasingly become digital, our payments system needs to remain fit for purpose so that it delivers for consumers and small businesses. We want to make sure the shift to digital payments occurs in a way that promotes greater competition, innovation and productivity across our entire economy. From big cities to remote rural corners the shift towards digital payments is evident. This raises the question, is a cashless society inevitable? The phenomenal growth of the digital payments: The convenience of digital transactions has become irresistible for consumers and businesses and has led to the sector eclipsing traditional payment methods. The relentless march of technology has produced myriad innovative platforms from mobile wallets to buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) schemes, each vying for a piece of this burgeoning market. A recent report by the Australian Banking Association paints a vivid picture of the digital payment industry’s explosive expansion. The use of digital wallet payments on smartphones and watches has soared from $746 million in 2018 to over $93 billion in 2022. Cash only accounts for 13% of consumer payments in Australia as of the end of 2022, a stark contrast to 70% in 2007. Digital wallets are popular with most age groups. Young Australians aged between 18 and 29 are leading the pack, with two thirds using digital wallets to pay for goods and services. About 40% of Australians are comfortable leaving home without their actual wallets or even credit or debit cards, as long as they have their mobile devices with digital wallets. The astonishing speed at which Australians have embraced digital payments places the country among the top users of cashless payments globally, surpassing the United States and European countries. Digital wallets are not the only players in this space. The use of BNPL products is also growing rapidly in Australia, which was where many of the large-scale products in this category started. The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) reports the total value of all BNPL transactions increased by 79% in the 2018–19 financial year. This continues into 2022 with an annual growth beyond 30% according to the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). PayID and PayPal payments are also claiming their shares in this space. Are government regulations necessary? The government’s planned regulation of the system, contained in amendments to the Reforms to the Payment Systems (Regulation) Act 1998, is a big step towards establishing a secure and trustworthy cashless society in Australia. It will subject BNPL and digital wallet service providers like Apple Pay and Google Pay to the same oversight by the RBA as traditional credit and debit cards. The regulations will require providers meet clear standards for security measures, data protection and dispute resolution to give Australians confidence their funds and personal information are safeguarded. With increasing concern over cyber attacks, the regulations will help reduce the risk of fraudulent activities and money laundering and help identify suspicious transactions, maintaining the integrity of the financial system. Also, regulation will promote fair competition and market stability by levelling the playing field and by preventing monopolies. While banks support the forthcoming regulation, new market players are less positive. For example, Apple Pay says it is merely providing technical architecture rather than payment services. The current regulatory debate is not new. When credit cards made their debut in Australia in the early 1970s, there were hardly any safeguards for consumers. This led to card users being hit with high interest rates on money owed, sneaky fees and aggressive marketing tactics. Consequently, regulations were introduced to hold card providers to a standard of responsible behaviour. Today, they must openly disclose interest rates, fees and charges, and follow stringent guidelines in advertising their products and services. Regulating digital wallet providers strikes a crucial balance between innovation and accountability, ensuring life-changing technology continues to serve the public interest. The shift towards a cashless society in Australia isn’t just a possibility, it’s already well underway. The blend of technological advancements, changing consumer preferences and regulatory adaptations has set the stage for this transformation. The new regulations will help Australians navigate this transition more confidently.  Angel Zhong, Associate Professor of Finance, RMIT University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. |
Digital intoxication in kids can affect physical, mental health (2016-10-15T12:59:00+05:30)
New Delhi: Heard of the term 'phubbing'? According to the Collins Dictionary, it means ignoring someone in a social setting by looking at your phone instead of paying attention. Sounds familiar? We have all been either phubbed, or have done that to somebody else at some time. But this increasing digital intoxication in children and adolescents can have grave implications on their physical and mental health, doctors warn. "When there is excessive exposure to one stimulus, the brain ignores other stimuli. So someone who is constantly hooked to his or her electronic gadget, like a phone or tablet, may neglect other information and have cognitive problems, like difficulty in concentrating, analysing, and taking decisions," Achal Bhagat, paediatrician at New Delhi's Apollo Hospital, told this correspondent. He also dismissed the idea that being on the internet hones creativity. "Activities on the internet are template based, which means that someone else has made a choice (while making the template). So you are not really innovating." Paediatric surgeon Vivek Rege at Mumbai's Saifee Hospital and Wadia Hospital agreed, and added that being constantly glued to one's electronic gadgets makes a child inattentive towards his surroundings and makes him unsocial. "I see it every day in my consultation room. After a child is examined, he is lost in his phone or tablet, completely unaware of what is being discussed between his parents and me about him," Rege said. Not only does this take away focus from building relationships but such behavioural trends also invite the risk of diseases, particularly childhood obesity. "As a result of increasing digitisation, kids these days are more keen on playing online games rather than some physical activity out in the open. To add to that is the rise in junk food consumption. All of this has resulted in increase in childhood obesity, which in turn increases their chances of coronary diseases, liver problems, diabetes, arthritis, ten times more than another child," Rege said. He also warned about the effects of radiation from a mobile phone on a child's brain. Not just that, Rajiv Chhabra, head of the paediatrics and neonatal care department at Gurgaon's Artemis Hospital, said that mobile and laptop radiation is attributed to many neurological problems in children these days. "The developing brain is very vulnerable. Many diseases like autism, and genetic disorders because of DNA changes have been attributed to exposure to radiations," Chhabra said. In the long term, in adulthood, it can also result in infertility and dementia. "In the short term, it can result in headaches, dryness of the eyes, small joint problems and the like," he added. So what can a parent do? Isolating a teenager, or a child, from all kinds of digital or electronic gadget is nearly impossible in today's world - and impractical too. "A parent has to first identify if the child is excessively using digital media like phones and laptops. If there is unnecessary usage - like, not for their assignment - for more than six hours a day, over three months, you have a problem that may need professional help; and these cases are rising," said Ravikesh Tripathi, paediatric psychologist at Bengaluru's Narayana Health City. "Otherwise, positive parenting is the key. Spend quality time with your children, talk to them, so that there is no excessive usage," he added. Bhagat also advised parents to lead by example. "If the mother is always on whats app or the father is always busy on work calls, then advising children on not using their phones will not work," he said. "There are three things a parent can do. One, take out an earmarked digital-free time for the family. Two, take out a discovery time without digital information - like, solving puzzles without the use of internet. And three, take out a digital time as a family; when you all do something together," Bhagat advised. (Azera Parveen Rahman can be contacted at azera.rahman@gmail.com.in) Source: ummid.com
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Meet new breed of digital age: Generation Z (2016-05-01T01:27:00+05:30)
Facebook? Of course. Books? Definitely not. Video games? For sure. Sport? No way. Speed? Yes. Patience? Not so much. This, in a nutshell, is the life of the “Generation Z” — independent, stubborn, pragmatic and always in a rush. Numbering around two billion, these youngsters, born after 1995 and unaware of a world without Internet, live a life that seems a million miles removed from the hopes, dreams and morals of previous generations. Here are a few of the habits of Generation Z: Daily life: They want everything, everywhere and immediately. They surf on two screens simultaneously. They don’t mind paying through the nose for the latest smartphone but turn up their nose at paying for a film or a song when you can get that for free online. Aged 13 to 20, they get all the latest trends from social media and find the morals of their elders out-of-date. Their fashions are those found worldwide over the web: they watch American blockbusters like Hunger Games or Divergent, listen to Korean K-pop and, when they dance, they “twerk”. When they speak, their vocabulary is peppered with acronyms, incomprehensible to those not in the know. “Swag” is the new “cool”. Their friends: People from Generation Z find it easier to talk online than in person. Their friends on social media are as important to them as their friends in real life but sometimes they do actually meet up in person with these “virtual” pals. What they know: Even as young as they are, they have already seen so many technologies become obsolete. For this reason, they have become the ultimate “self-educators”, learning how to use new stuff via self-help videos on YouTube. What they watch: They live in constant “FOMO”, fear of missing out. They can’t stand the idea of not being in the loop when something new and exciting comes out. Facebook is their main poison, despite its flagging popularity among some Americans. Photos on Instagram, quick messages on Snapchat. Twitter and Tumblr are omnipresent. At work: They believe success comes from their “network” rather than from qualifications and they prefer a flat organisation to a hierarchy at work. The future of Generation Z: These are children of the crisis and it shows in their outlook. Most of them say they are “stressed out” by what they see as a bleak future, especially in terms of economy and environment. Given the same pay, 25 per cent of the Generation Z in France would choose the most “fun” company, 22 per cent the most innovative and 21 per cent the most ethical. But like any idealistic generation, they want to change the world. Source: Articlee, Reference-Image
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Children help parents on how to use Technology (2015-09-16T00:34:00+05:30)
Teresa Correa, University Diego Portales in Chile conducted a deep study, did a lot of surveys, conducted interviews, and found that youth helps parents learning in all technologies like computer, mobile, internet, social networking etc. It occurs up to 40% of the time. Children scores were higher compared to parents which shows that parents dont recognize the influence themselves. Parents also learned how to use technologies by self experimentation. This phenomenon mainly occurs with mothers and lower socioeconomic families. This is what happens among low income immigrant families where children plays a vital role in connecting between the family and the new environment. Digital media, recent innovations & new technologies attracts everyone in this universe, and this is a new environment for the children from poor families learning new things from school and friends. This spills over and in turn the children teach their parents. Past studies have connected younger family members influence of older family members with the computers and internet. "The fact that this bottom up technology transmission occurs more frequently among women and lower families has important implications" said Correa. "Women and poor people usually lag behind in the adoption and usage of technology. Many times, they do not have the means to acquire new technologies but, most importantly, they are less likely to have the knowledge, skills, perceived competence, and positive attitudes toward digital media. These results suggest that schools in lower income areas should be especially considered in government or foundation led intervention programs that promote usage of media."Source: Article
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ECommerce branding - in search of identity (2015-07-27T18:41:00+05:30)
By Homeo Mart: The eCommerce market is a fiercely growing and competitive business landscape in India. It takes a lot more to stand out than a mere value proposition.. Having a simple, clear yet strong identity was also crucial to occupying the consumer mind space. Online Health care in this space is like the plain Jane on the ramp walk: unglamorous and barely noticeable. For the young Indian demographic crowd gorging on clothes, footwear and accessories, where fashion and trends is the buzz-word, hip hop happening market places selling lifestyle products are the toast of the eCom world today. But a churn is happening, albeit slowly and as the population greys, consumer priorities and preferences will follow suit. We went into a brain storming exercise and looked around for an easily identifiable icon that had a strong connect with our core business idea and provided a visual cue. Vitruvian man is a perfect culmination of the genius of Michelangelo whose skill of fine arts and knowledge of science culminated into a humdinger of a picture. It packs a thousand punches, so to say, about the divinity of creation and His sense of proportion in humans and paradox in numbers (I.e, trigonometry if you like). And Michelangelo brought this paradox and proportion beautifully in the vitruvian man. NASA was inspired too, it sent a vitruvian type image of human form in the deep space probe as beacon for the intelligent life (?) on earth about 30 years ago. And it just entered inter stellar space! For us vitruvian man stood for the 1490 AD message of Michelangelo: that the Meso-cosm unites the Microcosm with the Macrocosm of our known Universe. Simply put the workings of the human body is an analogy for the workings of the universe. Cosmic healing therapy for instance is based on this premise, it believes that Gaia (energy of mother earth) which is a part of the energy of the supreme consciousness and intelligence, which we are surrounded by, has the power to unblock the malfunctioning chakras in the human body and restore it to normal health. Hahnemann the father of homeopathy propounded this in a slightly different way - Similaia Similibus Curantur(like cure likes). Starting with cinchona tree, he proved that substances that cause symptoms similar to an existing disease would acutely aggravate the condition and present other side beneficial effects. He devised a process called potentization that would release the spirit or the dynamic healing force contained in these substances. Given in small doses, these highly potentised substances stimulate the body's ability to heal itself ( a bit like how they show advanced alien forms cure themselves in Hollywood movies). And this system of medicine stood the test of time (200 years to-date) and is delicately poised at the intersection of medical, human, biological, physical and spiritual sciences. The logo that came out of this exercise encapsulates this spirit. The image is made up of small dots in various dimensions represent the pills and drops (common form in which homeopathy is administered). The dots spread out in all directions from the center (inside out) indicating the innate healing abilities of this form of medicine. The dots are placed like the petals in a flower representing the bach flower remedial system of homeopathy. Inside it is the Michelangelo's Vitruvian man signifying the oneness with nature striving for balance and proportion. Source: articlebase
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