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22 witty and inspiring Albert Einstein quotes
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Theoretical physicist Albert Einstein born in Southern Germany on this day in 1879 has become a universal icon of intelligence and scientific discovery over the nearly 150 years since his birth.

His theories revolutionized the way we see the universe, altering our perception of space and time and introducing the scientific basis for nuclear energy. Einstein received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics for his services to Theoretical Physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect."

In 1999, Time magazine named Einstein Person of the Century, declaring him the pre-eminent scientist in a century dominated by science. To many, Einstein is now synonymous with genius.

Known for his playful humor, Einstein is also celebrated for his many pithy aphorisms.

In October 2017, a piece of paper on which Einstein wrote, "A calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness," sold for $1.3 million at auction.

According to NPRs Morning Edition, Einstein penned the sentence in 1922 after learning he had just won the Nobel Prize. At the time, he didnt have money to tip a bellboy, so he offered him this scrap of advice instead.

In honor of Einstein's birthday, here are 21 more quotes that give us a glimpse into his wit, humanity and deep curiosity.

On authority:

"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."

1901 letter to Swiss linguist Jost Winteler

On being present:

"A happy man is too satisfied with the present to think too much about the future."

1896 school essay titled "My Future Plans," written at age 17

On certainty:

"As far as the propositions of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality."

1921 lecture before the Prussian Academy of Sciences

On common sense:

"Common sense is nothing more than a deposit of prejudices laid down in the mind before you reach eighteen."

Attributed to Einstein by Lincoln Barnett's in the 1948 book "The Universe and Dr. Einstein"

On curiosity:

"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious."

1952 letter to Einsteins first biographer, Carl Seelig

On death:

"Our death is not an end if we have lived on in our children and the younger generation. For they are us; our bodies are only wilted leaves on the tree of life."

1926 letter to Maria Bijleveld, the widow of Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes

On education:

"The aim (of education) must be the training of independently thinking and acting individuals, who, however, see in the service of the community their highest life problem."

1931 address at the State University of New York at Albany

On fame:

"With fame I become more and more stupid, which of course is a very common phenomenon."

1919 letter to physiology professor Heinrich Zangger

On his own genius:

"It strikes me as unfair, and even in bad taste, to select a few individuals for boundless admiration, attributing superhuman powers of mind and character to them. This has been my fate, and the contrast between the popular assessment of my powers and achievements and the reality is simply grotesque."

Quote from a 1921 interview in Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant, a Dutch newspaper

On his physical appearance:

"Let me tell you what I look like: pale face, long hair, and a tiny start of a paunch. In addition, an awkward gait, and a cigar in the mouth ... and a pen in pocket or hand. But crooked legs and warts he does not have, and so is quite handsome also there's no hair on his hands, as is so often the case with ugly men. So it really is a pity that you didn't see me."

1920 postcard to eight-year-old cousin Elisabeth Ney

On imagination:

"I am enough of the artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."

Quote from a 1929 interview published in The Saturday Evening Post

On the limits of human knowledge:

"As a human being, one has been endowed with just enough intelligence to be able to see clearly how utterly inadequate that intelligence is when confronted with what exists."

1932 letter to Queen Elisabeth of Belgium

On moving forward:

"People are like bicycles. They can keep their balance only as long as they keep moving."

1930 letter to Einsteins son, Eduard

On music:

"If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music. I cannot tell if I would have done any creative work of importance in music, but I do know that I get most joy in life out of my violin."

Quote from a 1929 interview published in the Saturday Evening Post

On mystery:

"The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. He who knows it not and can no longer wonder, no longer feel amazement, is as good as dead, a snuffed-out candle."

"The World As I See It," 1949

On national identity:

"I am by heritage a Jew, by citizenship a Swiss, and by disposition a human being, and only a human being, without any special attachment to any state or national entity whatsoever."

1918 letter to German mathematician Adolf Kneser

On nationalism:

"Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind."

Quote from a 1929 interview published in The Saturday Evening Post

On relativity:

"When a man sits with a pretty girl for an hour, it seems like a minute. But let him sit on a hot stove for a minute and it's longer than any hour. That's relativity."

Quote from James B. Simpson book "Best Quotes of '54, '55, '56"

On science:

"One thing I have learned in a long life: that all our science, measured against reality, is primitive and childlike and yet it is the most precious thing we have."

Quote from Banesh Hoffmanns 1972 "Albert Einstein: Creator and Rebel"

On success:

"If A is a success in life, then A equals X plus Y plus Z. Work is X; Y is play; and Z is keeping your mouth shut."

Quote from a 1950 Observer article

On worry:

"I never think of the future. It comes soon enough."

Attributed to a December 1930 interview on the Belgenland, a ship on which Einstein traveled to New York that month
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How to avoid 'sharenting' and other paparazzi parenting habits
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A recent study revealed parents often spend up to two hours staging a single photo of his or her child to post online. - photo by Amy Iverson
Before having kids, some people just dont appreciate their friends baby posts. But after having a child of their own, three fourths of new parents jump right on the parental social media bandwagon. If you have become a member of this group, there are some rules to follow for posting responsibly.

Much of a parents worry is how to teach their children to use social media responsibly. We talk with our kids about privacy, oversharing, and setting restrictions on their devices to keep them safe. But parents themselves need to look in the digital mirror once in a while. Before having children, it doesnt take as much effort to think about what to post online. Its up to us to decide what we share about our own lives. But once you become a parent, there are many questions to think about regarding what is appropriate to post about your kids on social media.

In a recent survey, kids clothing subscription company Mac and Mia surveyed 2000 new parents to find out how they are documenting their kids lives on social media, and what concerns they may have.

First of all, people without children seem to feel a bit differently about the onslaught of baby pictures online than those who are parents. 18 percent of people say before they had kids, they were annoyed by their friends baby posts. But after having children of their own, 73 percent admit they post progress pictures of their little ones every single month.

Not only are new parents letting the world know each time their baby is a month older, but they are posting about their kids every few days or so. Men and women report they post 6-7 times per month about their baby.

And while 70 percent of new parents say the benefit of using social media is how easy it is to help family and friends feel involved, there are some downsides. Here are a few tips to avoid the pitfall of becoming paparazzi parents.

Dont miss the moment

In the Mac and Mia survey, some parents admitted to spending up to two hours to get the perfect shot of their baby. That seems a little extreme. New and old parents alike should be careful about spending so much time taking pictures and videos that they dont enjoy the moment. Years ago, I decided to never live an experience through my phone. A study by Linda Henkel, a psychology professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, found that when people took pictures of objects in an art museum, they didnt remember the objects as well as if they simply observed them.

This photo-taking impairment effect can happen to parents as well. If we are so consumed by getting the perfect photo, we can miss out on the moment all together, and our memory of it will suffer.

Dont forget about privacy

60 percent of couples say they have discussed rules and boundaries for posting their babys photos, according to the Mac and Mia survey. Even so, men are 34 percent more likely to publish baby posts on public accounts. If parents are concerned about their childrens privacy, keeping photos off of public accounts is a given.

In the Washington Post, Stacey Steinberg, a legal skills professor at the University of Florida, and Bahareh Keith, a Portland pediatrician, wrote that sharing too much information about kids online puts them at risk. They write that all that sharenting can make it easier for data thieves to target out kids for identity theft. Check that your privacy settings are where they should be and never share identifying information like full names and birth dates.

Dont be paparazzi parents

36 percent of parents say they take issue when their childs photo is posted online by someone else. Responsible social media users will always ask permission before posting a photo of another child. But parents should also think about whether their own children will take issue with their own posted photos a few years down the road.

When parents are constantly snapping pictures and throwing them on social media, it can be easy to forget to pause and make sure the post is appropriate. I always use the billboard example with my kids. I ask them to picture whatever they are posting going up on a billboard in our neighborhood. If they are okay with that, then their post is probably fine. Parents should ask themselves this same question when posting about their children. But they should also ask themselves if their child would be OK with this post on a billboard in 15 years. If it would cause embarrassment or humiliation, it might be best to keep it private.

Once children reach an appropriate age, parents should include them in the process of deciding what pictures are OK to post. Researchers at the University of Michigan surveyed 10- to 17-year-olds and found children believe their parents should ask permission more than parents think they should. The kids in the survey said sharing happy family moments, or accomplishments in sports, school and hobbies is fine. But when the post is negative (like when a child is disciplined) or embarrassing (think naked baby pictures or messy hair), kids say to keep it off social media.
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