distracting

Virginia high school teacher Joe Clement keeps track of the text messages parents have sent students sitting in his economics and government classes:— “What did you get on your test?” — “Did you get the field trip form signed?” — “Do you want chicken or hamburgers for dinner tonight?”Clement has a plea for parents: Stop texting your kids at school.Parents are distressingly aware of the distractions and the mental health issues associated with smartphones and social media. But teachers say parents might not realize how…

Walking is a popular mode of transportation in Ghana. Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Linda Fletcher Dabo Walking has health and environmental benefits—but it's not always a person's choice for getting around. And it does come with hazards. One fifth of the people killed on the roads globally are pedestrians. In Ghana, like other…

Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse LoughreyGet our The Life Cinematic email for freeAndrew Garfield was apparently overheard telling off local residents for “distracting” him while filming in London.The Amazing Spider-Man star is currently shooting the romcom We Live In Time with Florence Pugh in south-west London.Garfield was filming a scene outside a block of flats, with local residents who lived in a flat opposite gathering at the window to watch filming taking…

Screengrab via Paramount Pictures The long-awaited sequel to James Cameron’s Avatar is widely celebrated as just as gorgeous and impacting as the first, but the film isn’t immune to criticism. And we do have some criticism. There’s plenty the fantasy film did right, but just as much that it did wrong, and considering its sky-high budget, we just can’t manage to ignore these glaring shortcomings. The Way of Water’s arrival on streaming is only reminding us of the film’s overarching issues, even as it continues to…

Taylor Swift was apparently rejected from a role as an extra in Twilight: New Moon as the director thought her appearance would steal focus from the rest of the film. At the time of The Twilight Saga’s prominence, the singer was a known fan of the books and films (a “Twi-hard”, as supporters often called themselves).In a new interview, Chris Weitz, who directed the second Twilight film, revealed that he reluctantly had to deny her the part of an extra in the background.“Taylor Swift was a huge Twi-hard, and Taylor Swift…

A roadside dynamic messaging sign in Texas, displaying the death toll from road crashes. Credit: Jonathan Hall, Author provided Behavioral interventions involve gently suggesting that people reconsider or change specific undesirable behaviors. They are a low-cost, easy-to-implement and increasingly common tool used by policymakers to encourage socially desirable behaviors.…