Latest news with #neighborhood
CNET
17 hours ago
- CNET
Your Phone Should Always Be Face Down When It's on the Table: Here's Why
Picture this: You're having lunch with a friend at the neighborhood cafe. They're sitting in front of you, but it feels like they're not even there. Why? Because they're staring at their phone. Everyone has probably had a similar experience, whether they're the one getting phone snubbed or doing the snubbing themselves. I've been guilty of paying more attention to my screen than my companion, and I feel bad about it afterward. There's nothing wrong with replying to an urgent Slack message or pulling up a funny TikTok to share. But I know I probably spend too much time staring at screens, and a lot of that time is unhealthy doomscrolling. These days, when I'm not using my phone, I try to be more deliberate about keeping it out of sight and out of mind. If I do need to keep my phone at hand, I always have it face down. It could help save your phone battery I have a few reasons for making sure my phone screen is turned away. The first one is practical: Because my screen is face down and won't turn on for each notification, I can save a little bit of battery charge. A single notification won't mean the difference between my phone lasting the whole day or dying in the afternoon, but notifications can add up, especially if I've enabled them across all of my apps. If I'm in a lot of group chats, my screen might end up turning on dozens of times throughout the day (and that's on the low side since many teenagers have hundreds of notifications a day). It also shows that you pay attention Keeping my phone face down is also a good rule of social etiquette: If I'm hanging out with someone, I keep my screen hidden from view as a subtle way of showing that I won't be distracted by it. I don't want incoming notifications to light up my screen every few seconds, especially if I'm in a bar or other dimly lit setting. I want to keep my eyes on the person I'm talking to. "Eye contact is one of the most powerful forms of human connection. Neuroscience research indicates that when two people make direct eye contact, their brain activity begins to synchronize, supporting more effective communication and increasing empathy. This synchrony can be disrupted when attention shifts to a phone, even briefly," says Michelle Davis, clinical psychologist at Headspace. When I'm with the people I've chosen to spend time with, I want to be fully present with them. A sudden notification will tempt me to glance at, or worse, pick up my phone in the middle of a conversation. It minimizes your phone's presence I also have a more personal reason for keeping my phone face down, and I suspect that other people have had this same thought: My phone takes up too much space in my life. I mean that quite literally. My phone is bigger than it needs to be. That's been especially true since I upgraded from my iPhone Mini to a "normal-sized" iPhone. Yes, I got a much needed boost in battery life, but I also got a screen with more pixels to lure me into the next news headline or autoplaying Instagram reel. A small smartphone isn't something that really exists anymore. My phone is bigger and better at grabbing my attention. It competes against my friends and family, books and movies, the entire world outside of its 6-inch screen. It often wins. But there's still one small thing I can do to minimize its presence: I can keep the screen turned away from me whenever possible. It can sometimes feel like there's no escaping from my phone. Whether that ever changes, or phones evolve into a new form factor, I can't say. I can't control everything about my phone, but I can control whether the screen stares at me when I'm not staring at it.
CBS News
17 hours ago
- General
- CBS News
Wilkinsburg residents frustrated by massive hole left behind from home demolition
People in a Wilkinsburg neighborhood say they need someone to come and solve a smelly and ugly problem soon. A recent home demolition left a deep hole, creating a safety and sanitary issue. The problem is that the hole is filled with stagnant water, raw sewage and debris. It's been here for a couple of months, and people living in this Wilkinsburg neighborhood along Ross Avenue want to know why it hasn't been filled in. "It's sewage. You can smell it and you can see it. And you can see where some of the cones they had fell into the hole," resident Keith Jones said. Neighbors say the whole thing became an issue about eight weeks ago when a nearby home was demolished. "They knocked all of [the house] down, put half of the dirt in the truck, and left," resident Lynda Scott added. Since then, the hole turned into a deep puddle and an open sewage pit. "I felt like the devil himself came out of that hole. Nothing good is going to come from this," Scott said. Scott lives across the street from the mess, and Jones lives next door. "And we have kids in this neighborhood. Plenty of kids," Jones said. "I don't even like standing this close. We don't know what we're breathing in," Scott said. Scott says she's voiced her concerns to a bunch of people and agencies. "Every time I talked to someone, it was, 'Oh, it's the borough. Oh, it's the city.' I don't care if you put concrete there. Just fill it." Wilkinsburg code enforcement says they were supposed to and have capped the sewage line. Now, they're waiting for the Allegheny County Health Department's plumbing division to inspect it, and then they can fill it back in, and the problem will be solved. The big question is: when is that going to happen? Allegheny County officials told KDKA-TV that they are aware of the issue and understand residents' frustrations, and they will be addressing the problem. Scott, meanwhile, says she hopes it's sooner rather than later. "I will keep complaining. That's all I know to do," Scott said.
Washington Post
a day ago
- General
- Washington Post
A chicken salad tartine with fruit and care on the side
This column comes from the Eat Voraciously newsletter. Sign up here to get one weeknight dinner recipe, tips for substitutions, techniques and more in your inbox Monday through Thursday. In the summer of 2024, I was struggling to make sense of my life as a new mother. Every day was filled with uneasy wonder: How did I get here? What was I doing, and why did this new facet of my life, this ancient human experience, seem impossible? One day, I remember putting my son in his crib for a nap and feeling so grateful that I could now, finally, lie down in bed and stare at the ceiling. I cried with relief, then guilt, then sadness. Eventually, I wiped away the tears, and, because I knew it might make me feel better, I opened a food delivery app and started to order lunch. Moments later, there was a knock at the door. When I opened it, I found a blue-and-white paper plate holding an open-faced chicken salad sandwich with mango on the side. Get the recipe: Chicken Salad Tartines My dear neighbor, a mother of three, had made me lunch. The mango seemed to glow in the dim hallway light, its fragrance mingling with the smell of the pungent, herb-flecked dressing on the chicken. I brought the food back to bed and ate it in blissful silence. Then, I cried again. This time it was out of deep gratitude and love. I rummaged around for my phone to send my neighbor a thank-you note. She had texted: 'Chicken salad with lots of red onion — because I like it that way, and because when you eat a lot of raw onion people leave you the hell alone!!! ❤️ Love you!' Just as no two people are the same, no two pregnancies or birthing experiences are the same. Without sufficient support, any mother's individual experience can be extremely isolating. It was only when I started to notice the care other mothers offered to me and each other that I started to feel like maybe, just maybe, I could do this. For a lot of reasons, I never thought I would become a parent. But here I was, and here, too, I eventually discovered, was a club I now belonged to, one full of generosity and reciprocity, of unspoken care and deep love: motherhood. Inspired by my neighbor's chicken salad sandwich, here's a recipe for Chicken Salad Tartines. There's red onion and cucumber for crunch and flavor, plus tarragon and lots of lemon. Yogurt and mayonnaise keep it light and creamy. I highly recommend fresh, juicy fruit on the side for a burst of sweetness. Get the recipe: Chicken Salad Tartines
The Sun
a day ago
- General
- The Sun
Homeowner shames their neighbour's ‘most disgusting ‘pool' ever' & it's so grim it's got dead squirrels floating in it
A HOMEOWNER has shamed their neighbour for having the most "disgusting" pool ever. Not only has it been hailed as 'a breeding ground for mosquitos ', but it's even got dead animals floating in it too. 1 So if you thought your neighbours ' garden was bad, you've come to the right place and may want to think again. Fed up with having to look at their neighbour's 'stock tank' of "stagnant water', the anonymous user took to social media to expose a snap of the jaw-dropping 'pool'. Posting on Reddit, on the r/Wellthatsucks forum under the username @kp33ze, the anonymous user uploaded a picture of their neighbour's pool from their kitchen window, leaving many totally stunned. The image was shared with a caption that read: 'This is my neighbour's disgusting pool. Squirrel drowned in it today..' The author then wrote: 'My neighbour 's sad state of a pool, been like that for nearly three years. 'Today I saw something moving in I thought it was some sort of fish, but nope it was a squirrel that fell in. 'Went over and let my neighbour know but by the time she got back there the squirrel was dead. She took it out and just left it behind the pool…' Disgusted by the revolting 'pool', the user continued: 'I asked her to drain it, cover it or at least put something in there to let animals climb out if they fall in. 'But nope, she didn't want to "scratch" the bottom and she is moving out in a couple days... so not her problem. What a charming person she was. 'Anyways. I sent a message to the city, hoping they will send someone, but who knows.' Horrified by the eyesore, the author later wrote: 'That's the view from MY kitchen window. I wouldn't really call it a garden, it's a neglected wasteland. 'They have let their place fall into ruin over the last four years. It's a shame because in this area that back yard is super desirable.' The user confirmed that the rest of the gardens in the road are 'much better', with many neighbours contributing 'to keeping the place tidy.' Fed up with the shocking smell, the author also snapped: 'Smells from dead animals aren't contained to one person's property. Smells can cross property lines.' The Top Five Reasons Neighbours Squabble One study by Compare the Market revealed the top reason British neighbour's argue Broken fences - top of the board was broken fences and whose responsibility it was to fix it Parking: one of the leading drivers of neighbour disputes, with 54.1 per cent of people having issues with people parking in front of their house, parking bay or driveway Trees - complaints about a neighbour's tree cracking your garden path was also common with nearly half of participants finding it frustrating Bin wars - outdoor bin etiquette continues to ignite the most furious debates between neighbours Nosy Neighbours - some people have their eyes and ears at the ready to have a peek causing problems for others Reddit users were left gasping by the grim "pool" and many eagerly raced to the comments to share their thoughts. One person said: 'That's a stock tank. I've seen them used for pools, but… that's a cup of s**t tea.' Another added: ' Swimming pool? No, that's a giant petri dish.' A third commented: 'That's a breeding ground for mosquitos.' Someone else agreed and penned: "That's a mosquito factory.' Meanwhile, another user gasped: 'That entire yard is a code violation.' But despite this, one shocked person questioned: 'Why don't you help them clean it then? What happened to the sense of community? I had a two-year bin war with my next door neighbour Gemma Smith and Sophie Wood were engaged in a weekly feud for a year over their wheelie bins. When Gemma moved next door to Sophie, 34, who is unemployed, in November 2020 they were civil to one another. Gemma, who is single and doesn't work due to stress, says: 'Sophie seemed nice and we'd stop and exchange pleasantries. 'But it all changed at the beginning of 2022, when Sophie's bin was full and she put her rubbish bag in mine. 'I took it out and put it on top of her bin. 'It fell off, gulls pecked at it and there was rubbish everywhere.' Both women refused to clear up the mess, claiming it was the other one's fault. Gemma says: 'I felt so angry. 'There was cat litter spread all over my drive — it was absolutely disgusting and we ended up shouting at each other. 'We were both as bad as each other — we'd walk past each other and I'd tell her she was a lazy cow and to clean up after herself. 'We'd scream insults at each other." Within six months Sophie had set up a CCTV camera and threatened to report Gemma to the council. In retaliation, Gemma set up the baby monitor — which can record video — to try to pin more wrongdoing on Sophie. Then last July Sophie spotted Gemma in tears on her doorstep following a burglary at her home. Gemma says: 'Sophie came straight round and asked if there was anything she could do. 'We are now the best of friends and help each other out all the time." 'This is your neighbour. People don't care about each other anymore, they just post online to complain about it.' To this, the Reddit author replied: 'I talked to her, she was very much a "not my problem" kind of attitude. And I won't go onto their property without their permission. So, not really an option.' As well as this, another asked: 'Why not worry about yourself? Instead of telling your neighbors what to do on their own private property.' In response, the Reddit author responded and simply confirmed: 'Because dead animals in their pool stink. And then I smell that smell.'
CNET
a day ago
- CNET
Your Phone Should Always Be Facedown When It's on the Table: Here's Why
Picture this: You're having lunch with a friend at the neighborhood cafe. They're sitting in front of you, but it feels like they're not even there. Why? Because they're staring at their phone. Everyone has probably had a similar experience, whether they're the one getting phone snubbed or doing the snubbing themselves. I've been guilty of paying more attention to my screen than my companion, and I feel bad about it afterward. There's nothing wrong with replying to an urgent Slack message or pulling up a funny TikTok to share. But I know I probably spend too much time staring at screens, and a lot of that time is unhealthy doomscrolling. These days, when I'm not using my phone, I try to be more deliberate about keeping it out of sight and out of mind. If I do need to keep my phone at hand, I always have it facedown. It could help save your phone battery I have a few reasons for making sure my phone screen is turned away. The first one is practical: Because my screen is facedown and won't turn on for each notification, I can save a little bit of battery charge. A single notification won't mean the difference between my phone lasting the whole day or dying in the afternoon, but notifications can add up, especially if I've enabled them across all of my apps. If I'm in a lot of group chats, my screen might end up turning on dozens of times throughout the day (and that's on the low side since many teenagers have hundreds of notifications a day). It also shows that you pay attention Keeping my phone facedown is also a good rule of social etiquette: If I'm hanging out with someone, I keep my screen hidden from view as a subtle way of showing that I won't be distracted by it. I don't want incoming notifications to light up my screen every few seconds, especially if I'm in a bar or other dimly lit setting. I want to keep my eyes on the person I'm talking to. "Eye contact is one of the most powerful forms of human connection. Neuroscience research indicates that when two people make direct eye contact, their brain activity begins to synchronize, supporting more effective communication and increasing empathy. This synchrony can be disrupted when attention shifts to a phone, even briefly," says Michelle Davis, clinical psychologist at Headspace. When I'm with the people I've chosen to spend time with, I want to be fully present with them. A sudden notification will tempt me to glance at, or worse, pick up my phone in the middle of a conversation. It minimizes your phone's presence I also have a more personal reason for keeping my phone facedown, and I suspect that other people have had this same thought: My phone takes up too much space in my life. I mean that quite literally. My phone is bigger than it needs to be. That's been especially true since I upgraded from my iPhone Mini to a "normal-sized" iPhone. Yes, I got a much needed boost in battery life, but I also got a screen with more pixels to lure me into the next news headline or autoplaying Instagram reel. A small smartphone isn't something that really exists anymore. My phone is bigger and better at grabbing my attention. It competes against my friends and family, books and movies, the entire world outside of its 6-inch screen. It often wins. But there's still one small thing I can do to minimize its presence: I can keep the screen turned away from me whenever possible. It can sometimes feel like there's no escaping from my phone. Whether that ever changes, or phones evolve into a new form factor, I can't say. I can't control everything about my phone, but I can control whether the screen stares at me when I'm not staring at it.
