Everyday we will feature TEDster submissions. Return here to see if your submission has been highlighted.
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Anna F.Huntington Station, NYNovember 23, 2010
In a world of nuclear weapons, humanity's best defense is empathy. I independently research the origins of knowledge and the psyche, focusing on the works of Jung, Sagan, Petr Beckmann, and Richard M. Bucke. I recently found myself commenting that in regard to a Humanities based education, "Empathy cannot be taught. " Expanding on Jeremy Rifkin's The Empathic Civilization, I intend to highlight the interdependent relationship between how knowledge is created and an evolving human consciousness.
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Samantha F.Charlotte, NCNovember 23, 2010
While exercise is beneficial for most children, it is especially important for children with autism as they tend to lead sedentary lifestyles, and research has correlated physical activity with decreased stereotypical behavior (e.g. meltdowns). I believe technological exercise games could be an effective way of motivating exercise in these children, and have developed a stereoscopic virtual reality game that I am using to identify guidelines for the design of exergames for children with autism.
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Rieneke L.Virginia Beach, VANovember 22, 2010
Inspired by years of travel, I asked women from around the world to pose for a portrait and tell a story from their female cultural perspective. Workload, health, education and abuse were some of the issues they discussed. I then created a show, composed of large portraits of the women alongside their first person stories. During the exhibitions that followed I noticed that viewers often deeply related to these women, whose stories elicit compassion and an incentive to push for gender equality.
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Rachel K.North Bend, ORNovember 21, 2010
Being Bipolar is my campaign to reduce the stigma of mental illness through individual stories. My upcoming book - Being Bipolar: Stories from Those Living with the Disorder and Those Who Love Them - includes stories of pain, growth, fear and hope. Stories give us the power to reach out, feel less alone, and educate others. This is the book I wanted when I was diagnosed in 1978. Through the book and speaking/seminar opportunities, I join the growing chorus-we are more than our diagnosis.
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Brooke J.Bolton, MANovember 20, 2010
Soup Makers AnonymousWomen who cook large, as in huge, quantities of soup and deliver weekly to the doorstep of those in need.In our small town of 5000 residents, we have twelve soup makers who have been ladling out warm, nutritious soup for ten years. With one in eight going hungry in our country, this is an idea that needs to be copied in every town across the land...a simple way we take care of one another.
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Mary R. and Rosemarie H.Williamsburg, VANovember 19, 2010
In 2002, we began Abrakadoodle Multi-Arts Program with a simple idea: all children are born with natural creativity and curiosity that can be fostered. We focus upon what kids are learning while they create art rather than the end product. Children thrive in our programs because they are encouraged to experiment and create something that is pleasing to them- even if it creates a mess! Today this 100% women-owned franchise company.
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Kathryn M.Miami, FLNovember 18, 2010
I co-produce a live, monthly storytelling event that contributes artistically to our local community and and am now working on a new project, Talk Story, with EngAGE, a non-profit organization that promotes Creativity and Aging. We will be teaching senior citizens living in low-to-middle income housing to shape their own true personal stories, for the stage and radio broadcasting, shining a spotlight on these under-recognized voices, celebrating their lives, creativity and experience!
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Alicia S.Santa Monica, CANovember 17, 2010
I co-produce a live, monthly storytelling event that contributes artistically to our local community and and am now working on a new project, Talk Story, with EngAGE, a non-profit organization that promotes Creativity and Aging. We will be teaching senior citizens living in low-to-middle income housing to shape their own true personal stories, for the stage and radio broadcasting, shining a spotlight on these under-recognized voices, celebrating their lives, creativity and experience!
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Karen B.Washington, D.C.November 17, 2010
The movement I am in is the movement movement. As a movement analyst, I teach, write, observe, and describe how people move. It may appear that we all move in similar ways, but know that our movement lives are uniquely ours, and that the rich variety of patterns in our bodies speaks volumes. Stories abound about the ways in which movement heals and reveals. I'd like the opportunity to share some of those stories, because how we move is how we live, and how we move with each other is how we love.
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Carol H.Grantham, NHNovember 16, 2010
My big idea is to present how civilization has developed, a flyby overview of how we are surviving now and the status of the major systems upon which we depend. The presentation will examine the worldwide weather anomalies of the past decade, and include a clear explanation of the science that lets us know what earth was like 1000s and even millions of years ago, a summary of how we are doing now as a species and what it is going to take to allow us and some version of civilization to survive.
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Iris D.Cocoa, FLNovember 16, 2010
I would like to empower all women to feel their beauty through health and wellness. I am a 66 years young personal trainer and it continually amazes me how many women have no idea of their worth, after leaving themselves almost without identity after bringing up children, being married and allowing themselves to be swallowed up for years. Through exercise and great social interaction, it never ceases to thrill me to see women emerge even more beautiful than in their youth.
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Amy L.Peoria, ILNovember 15, 2010
My big idea is to start a local creative institute that puts media tools in the hands of at-risk young adults and teaches them how to use them. We’ll teach all aspects of educational filmmaking, teamwork, and organization. Filmmakers will create segments about our community, non-profit orgs and services etc. Segments created will be shown on-line and, for those without home computer access, will air through our community’s public television channel, educating the community through their children.
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Nichon G.Columbia, MONovember 15, 2010
The modern camera is a wonderful thing, but it's nice to remember how simple the mechanism can be. You CAN strip away technology until there's little left but the abstraction on which those sophisticated machines are based. I'd like to talk about the pinhole manifesto I am currently writing. In our world which is increasingly perceived through pixels, the hands-on act of creating pinhole truly preserves, and reflects reality in a way that feeds the constant growth of the creative process.
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Kristina S.Portland, ORNovember 14, 2010
I left corporate advertising to bring an unproven gold mining device to the world’s poorest miners as an alternative to their widespread use of mercury. Cleangold is a simple, inexpensive tool, well-suited for millions of miners in developing countries without access to clean water or power. I started the NGO Artminers and Cleangold has since been proven to outperform mercury while increasing yield. Cleangold is now in over 30 countries, offering a simple, direct path to development.
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Beverly B.Branford, CTNovember 14, 2010
I want to create a template and from it establish a wellness office in every multi-physician office in the country. A place where every patient can wait for his appointment and at the same time have his curiosity piqued, his mind stimulated, and be inspired by the latest research in preventive medicine... Food as Medicine, the Mind/Body Connection, the Exercise Challenge are critical components of staying well, and the ideas expanded via books,videos,counseling, group discussion, etc.
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Joanne R.Pacific Grove, CANovember 13, 2010
When I was downsized due to changes in publishing, I went back to school and tried something I had never done before. I picked up a torch and began a journey in metalsmithing. When people asked me why, I told them the truth. I was creating for my own amazement. Not for money or praise, just to stretch and simply see what I could do. I discovered that amazing oneself just keeps growing as one grows, and creating for your own amazement can make life more meaningful and rewarding.
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Cynthia W.Dallas, TXNovember 13, 2010
As a cancer patient, now in remission, I propose a national Caregiver's Day to thank everyone who sees us - the millions of men, women and children diagnosed with cancer each year - and helps us through the dark days to the other side. From doctors and nurses, who save our lives, to the friends and family members who care for us, cry with us, listen to us and laugh with us, there is a deep well of gratitude for them and they truly should be recognized by a national day of thanks!
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Carling L.Belmont, CANovember 12, 2010
Argentine Tango is an international social language. Each embrace or movement tells a story. Years ago I was too sad and looked for happiness. I was dancing alone even with a partner. Not until I opened my heart to listen, I finally connected to my partner and was able to follow him with my senses. One can have a mind-blowing journey listening to fun, serious, dramatic, or blank stories with different partners every fifteen minutes until happily exhausted. Tango passion creates friendship without borders.
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Heather H.New York, NYNovember 12, 2010
I founded and run the organization 'Reach the World'. My two great passions are education & travel; I wanted to find a way to combine these to benefit at-risk youth who have few opportunities to interact in the global community. RTW builds long-term relationships between young students and world travelers. We’ve created a new way of learning geography called GeoGames. My talk would focus on the power of personal connections to help build ‘mental maps’ of the world and become empowered global citizens.
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Amy C.Mountain View, ARNovember 11, 2010
The Art of Counting team brings advanced statistical analysis to the study of visual material, taking the study of art from the squishy realms of the qualitative to the bright light of the quantifiable. We often know what many ancient cultures did, but re-uncovering the “why” behind the “what”, searching for patterns across cultures and millennia. Our discoveries have been with ancient Egypt, but our approach can revolutionize any study of art and uncover the contextual drivers of content.
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Tina T.Culver City, CANovember 11, 2010
I want to change the way people shop. I want to bring socially conscious consumerism to the forefront of the retail market. I want my vanity to be the dignity of hundreds of women across the globe. I am the founder of Della, a fashion accessory line handmade by women in Ghana. Della provides jobs, education and skills training to our partners in Ghana. I seek to empower women so that they will take opportunities Della has provided them with and turn them into a lasting, better way of life.
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Pamela K.Mountain View, CANovember 10, 2010
I work at a hospital where I am leading efforts to make an innovative video game to improve patient safety. The game teaches young doctors about patient safety topics while also helping them learn to control their physiology through biofeedback in gameplay. We aim to help doctors gain insight into how errors occur in healthcare, how to manage errors to protect their patients from harm, and how they can manage their own stress so they can work more effectively and safely. Games can save lives!
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Jacquelynn F.Park Ridge, NJNovember 10, 2010
I have developed a tracking system that entails a way for students to be separated into classes based on their ability in each subject area; however, taught with the same exact material, only delivered in a way that best fits that class. This type of tracking system benefits all students, and every student has the opportunity for advancement. The stigmas of being labeled will end because students will participate in a variety of high and low level classes, making all students feel they have value.
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Dr. Deborah H.Mojave, CANovember 9, 2010
I volunteer countless hours toward disaster relief efforts i.e. Katrina, Haiti, Mexico. I am passionate about helping people and would love to see us have a way for all who come to the forefront in these times work together better. We all have different resources- if I can help you get a plane to get your food; you can help someone else get medications and food. We can work together with government entities. It would be amazing what can be accomplished. Make a difference!
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Therese E.Las Vegas, NVNovember 9, 2010
I work for a non-profit agency that rehabilitates homes for low-income homeowners. Over the last 13 years I’ve been in thousands of homes. Most of the homeowners I help are widowed senior citizens. They have no family and are so lonely. Most of the time, when I get ready to leave our appointment, they beg me to stay. I want to start a network where these seniors can connect and interact with each other using a mail or telephone system as many of them don’t have computers.
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