ResidentialBusiness

In Uganda’s Mbale district, famous for its production of arabica coffee, a plague of plastic bags locally known as buveera is creeping beyond the city. It’s a problem that has long littered the landscape in Kampala, the capital, where buveera are woven into the fabric of daily life. They show up in layers of excavated dirt roads and clog waterways. But now, they can be found in remote areas of farmland, too. Some of the debris includes the thick plastic bags used for planting coffee seeds in nurseries. Some farmers are complaining, said Wilson Watira, head of a cultural board for the coffee-growing Bamasaba people. “They are concerned—those farmers who know the effects of buveera on the land,” he said. Around the world, plastics find their way into farm fields. Climate change makes agricultural plastic, already a necessity for many crops, even more unavoidable for some farmers. Meanwhile, research continues to show that itty-bitty microplastics alter ecosystems and end up in human bodies. Scientists, farmers, and consumers all worry about how that’s affecting human health, and many seek solutions. But industry experts say it’s difficult to know where plastic ends up or get rid of it completely, even with the best intentions of reuse and recycling programs. According to a 2021 report on plastics in agriculture by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, soils are one of the main receptors of agricultural plastics. Some studies have estimated that soils are more polluted by microplastics than the oceans. “These things are being released at such a huge, huge scale that it’s going to require major engineering solutions,” said Sarah Zack, an Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Great Lakes Contaminant Specialist who communicates about microplastics to the public. Why researchers want to study plastics in farm fields Microparticles of plastic that come from items like clothes, medications, and beauty products sometimes appear in fertilizer made from the solid byproducts of wastewater treatment—called biosolids—which can also be smelly and toxic to nearby residents depending on the treatment process used. Some seeds are coated in plastic polymers designed to strategically disintegrate at the right time of the season, used in containers to hold pesticides or stretched over fields to lock in moisture. But the agriculture industry itself only accounts for a little over 3% of all plastics used globally. About 40% of all plastics are used in packaging, including single-use plastic food and beverage containers. Microplastics, which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines as being smaller than five millimeters long, are their largest at about the size of a pencil eraser. Some are much smaller. Studies have already shown that microplastics can be taken up by plants on land or plankton in the ocean and subsequently eaten by animals or humans. Scientists are still studying the long-term effects of the plastic that’s been found in human organs. Early findings suggest possible links to a host of health conditions including heart disease and some cancers. Despite “significant research gaps,” the evidence related to the land-based food chain “is certainly raising alarm,” said Lev Neretin, environment lead at the FAO, which is currently working on another technical report looking deeper into the problem of microplastic pollution in soils and crops. A study out this month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that microplastics pollution can even impact plants’ ability to photosynthesize, the process of turning light from the sun into energy. That doesn’t “justify excessive concern” but does “underscore food security risks that necessitate scientific attention,” wrote Fei Dang, one of the study’s authors. Climate change making matters worse The use of plastics has quadrupled over the past 30 years. Plastic is ubiquitous. And most of the world’s plastic goes to landfills, pollutes the environment, or is burned. Less than 10% of plastics are recycled. At the same time, some farmers are becoming more reliant on plastics to shelter crops from the effects of extreme weather. They’re using tarps, hoop houses, and other technology to try to control conditions for their crops. And they’re depending more on chemicals like pesticides and fertilizers to buffer against unreliable weather and more pervasive pest issues. “Through global warming, we have less and less arable land to make crops on. But we need more crops. So therefore the demand on agricultural chemicals is increasing,” said Ole Rosgaard, president and CEO of Greif, a company that makes packaging used for industrial agriculture products like pesticides and other chemicals. Extreme weather, fueled by climate change, also contributes to the breakdown and transport of agricultural plastics. Beating sun can wear on materials over time. And more frequent and intense rainfall events in some areas could drive more plastic particles running into fields and eventually waterways, said Maryam Salehi, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Missouri. Can agriculture escape the plastic problem? This past winter, leaders from around the world gathered in South Korea to produce the first legally binding global treaty on plastics pollution. They didn’t reach an agreement, but the negotiations are scheduled to resume in August. Neretin said the FAO produced a provisional, voluntary code of conduct on sustainable management of plastics in agriculture. But without a formal treaty in place, most countries don’t have a strong incentive to follow it. “The mood is certainly not cheery, that’s for sure,” he said, adding global cooperation “takes time, but the problem does not disappear.” Without political will, much of the onus falls on companies. Rosgaard, of Greif, said that his company has worked to make their products recyclable, and that farmers have incentives to return them because they can get paid in exchange. But he added it’s sometimes hard to prevent people from just burning the plastic or letting it end up in fields or waterways. “We just don’t know where they end up all the time,” he said. Some want to stop the flow of plastic and microplastic waste into ecosystems. Boluwatife Olubusoye, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Mississippi, is trying to see whether biochar, remains of organic matter and plant waste burned under controlled conditions, can filter out microplastics that run from farm fields into waterways. His early experiments have shown promise. He said he was motivated by the feeling that there was “never any timely solution in terms of plastic waste” ending up in fields in the first place, especially in developing countries. Even for farmers who care about plastics in soils, it can be challenging for them to do anything about it. In Uganda, owners of nursery beds cannot afford proper seedling trays, so they resort to cheaply made plastic bags used to germinate seeds, said Jacob Ogola, an independent agronomist there. Farmers hardest hit by climate change are least able to reduce the presence of cheap plastic waste in soils. That frustrates Innocent Piloya, an agroecology entrepreneur who grows coffee in rural Uganda with her company Ribbo Coffee. “It’s like little farmers fighting plastic manufacturers,” she said. Walling reported from Chicago. The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. —Melina Walling and Rodney Muhumuza, Associated Press View the full article

The real 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, is a saying that asserts 80% of outcomes come from 20% of all causes. You can use it to organize your to-do list, among other things. But to many young men, 80/20 means something very different. Young men are not alright. Masculinity is growing more toxic by the day. Online incel communities are growing, and the most receptive audience to poisonous ideas about gender seems to be children. This week's column isn't going to be fun: I'm explaining one of the guiding principles of the incel movement, and discussing a TikToker devoted to changing her red pill son's mind. And I can't talk about toxic masculinity without mentioning Elon Musk! Spray some deodorizer and let's jump into the dank, upsetting world of incel beliefs. What is the 80/20 rule?The Netflix series Adolescence, is currently the buzziest show on streaming, a harrowing exploration of the inner world of an angry young boy accused of murdering one of his classmates, a girl who spurned him. One of the teenage characters mentions the “80/20 rule” as a way of explaining the incel/red pill culture that's central to the murder plot. Put simply, the 80/20 rule is an axiom that states 80% of women are attracted to only 20% of men, and understanding the pervasiveness of this belief is essential to understanding online misogyny. Different communities of toxic dudes believe different weird things—many "looksmaxxers" think breaking your own facial bones can make you more attractive; red pill dudes believe men have to psychologically manipulate women into liking them—but the 80/20 rule is nearly universally accepted. The idea seems to have originated in a post on Medium that was written 10 years ago. Taken on its own terms, the article is a fairly interesting, though methodologically flawed, look at the distribution of “likes” on dating site Tinder. Incel types ignored the problems with the research, ignored the context (it’s only about Tinder likes), and accepted the 80/20 Rule as a hard-to-swallow truth that explains how women relate to men. Even though the Medium post concludes that most men who want to meet women would be “better off just going to a bar or joining some coed recreational sports team” than using Tinder, incels decided the 80/20 rule meant something like "all women are shallow," and/or "it's not my fault that no woman wants to spend time with me." For 10 years, incels and the incel-adjacent have expanded on the theory and repeated it to each other so many times that it’s rarely questioned in those spaces. If anyone you're talking to mentions the 80/20 rule in an affirmative context, you know you’re talking to someone who has a specific set of (wrong) beliefs, and who doesn’t have a large enough social circle to compare what they read on the internet to the way people act in real life. But is there anything you can do about it? Maybe. Viral video of the week: De-pilling a red pill son The creator of in this week's viral video, IAmRchlPrkr, is a mother trying to deprogram her teenage son. He has accepted some beliefs of the "red pill" community, a branch of incels, and she is not into it. She first saw the problem when her child told her "all women are gold-diggers." There's a lot going on with that phrase. Despite bristling and yelling "not all men!" when anyone generalizes their own gender, the toxic male community is dominated by the idea that women are all the same: a Borg-like collective looking for the most attractive 20% of men, or the men with the most gold to dig. This isn't new. In her 1998 book Intercourse, Andrea Dworkin could have been describing the incels of 2025 when she wrote, "the first tenet of male supremacist ideology is that men have a self and that women must, by definition, lack it." The difference is how sexist ideas that were once relegated to obscure corners of society have infiltrated the mainstream to the extent that literal children are repeating them to their mothers. (As with most of societal ills, we can thank the internet for that.) Maybe this TikToker mom has the right approach to returning some sanity: When her son tells her, "all women are gold-diggers," she responds with "Which women?" and "name one woman who is a gold-digger." Of course he can't. Because the incel philosophy falls apart in the face of actual relationships with real humans. What is "serious hat Soyjack?"A fitting response to me quoting Andrew Dworkin in an earnest post about online masculinity is serious hat Soyjak: Credit: SoyGemVault - Deviant Art Created by DevianArt user SoyGemArt, Serious Hat is a Wojak posted to comment on people who are, well, too serious online. (If you're asking "what's a wojak?" I have previously covered the subject.) Elon musk gamer drama continuesSpeaking of toxic men: Elon Musk! If you’re an adult, you probably know Musk best as the CEO of an electric car company or as a dedicated public servant with creative ideas about how forks work. But kids know a different Elon Musk: Gamer Elon. Gamer Elon is seen as the ultimate sweat, and Gamer Elon recently mixed it up on X with the official account of video game Assassin’s Creed and got roasted like a Costco chicken. The online dust-up started when ex-game developer @grummz made a post about streamer Hasan Piker, who he labeled a terrorist (because that’s what you do on X when you disagree with someone about public policy): This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This led Musk, who is a grown adult, to post: This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. And then: This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. At this point, the official account of the video game at the center of the fight Assassin’s Creed: Shadows brought gasoline to the flame war. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. The Assassin’s Creed post was viewed over 52 million times. It references the all-but-confirmed rumor that Elon Musk, a grown adult with a major position of power within the United States government, pays someone so gamers will think he’s really good at Path of Exile 2, a video game where you pretend to be an elf. What does "come eat lobster with a monster" mean?I don't want to leave you with all these toxic men, so let's end with a funny meme. Back in 2020, then-Twitter user @blanketm9 changed the world forever when they tweeted: This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Their post lay dormant until 2023, when a user (whose original post and name has been lost to history) added the context of a text conversation, complete with a "straight man." Credit: iFunny Things were quiet for a couple years, then, for reasons unknown, the meme started truly taking off this month. I guess the time is right for posts like these: This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. View the full article

Summer is on the way—at least for those of us in the northern hemisphere—and Google has pushed out some useful upgrades across several apps to make your travel planning a little easier (and a little more reliant on AI). First, the AI Overviews that you've no doubt noticed up at the top of Google search results are being expanded to cover travel itineraries for regions and countries, as well as cities. All you need to do is ask for a plan for a certain place (like the south of France), together with any requirements (such as kids or a specific budget), and the AI will do the rest. You get a day-by-day breakdown of where you should go and what you should do, and you can check out photos and reviews left by other users—as well as quickly share recommendations via Google Docs or Gmail, if you have fellow travelers. This is live now for U.S. users, but heed Google's own warning that generative AI is experimental: Double-check the details with information from actual human beings. AI Overviews can now produce itineraries for regions and countries. Credit: Google Secondly, there's a new price tracking option over at google.com/hotels. This works like it already does for Google Flights, where Google will email you if prices change for certain dates at a hotel you've got your eye on—so you can grab a bargain quickly. It's a useful feature for saving money on plane tickets, so it's good to see it available for hotels too. This feature is now rolling out globally. Third, there's going to be a new Screenshots feature in Google Maps: If you choose to enable it, the app will scan your screenshots for place names, and quickly get you to those spots on the map. If you're someone who's always collecting screen grabs of places you want to visit, this should prove helpful, and all the AI text detection work is done locally. This place recognition feature seems to be based on text alone, rather than combining images and text, so your screenshots will need recognizable locations that appear as text. This is appearing now in Google Maps for iOS for U.S. users, and is apparently "coming soon" to Google Maps for Android. Google Maps is now able to pick out places from your screenshots. Credit: Google And there's another recent AI upgrade for Google Maps that isn't mentioned in Google's latest official blog post. As spotted by Android Authority, if you select a place in Google Maps on Android and then enable Gemini with a voice command or button push, you get an Ask about place shortcut above the main input box. You can then ask whatever you want about the selected location. It's not a new feature, but it's now easier to get to. Back to Google's official announcements: The last two are more reminders about features that have already gone live. As Lifehacker reported a couple of weeks ago, custom Gemini Gems AI bots are now available to all users, with or without a Gemini Advanced subscription—so anyone can create a Gem specifically for travel advice (from popular spots to visit, to what to pack), Google suggests. Finally, Google again promotes the capabilities of Google Lens for your travels. In the Google app for Android and iOS, you're able to tap the Lens (camera) icon in the search box, snap a picture, and ask questions about what you're looking at—like "what is this used for?" or "what's the history of this place?" You then get AI-powered responses above regular search results. View the full article

On Friday, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar in the northern part of the country. Reuters reports the quake’s epicenter was about 17.2 km (about 10.6 miles) from Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city with a population of about 1.5 million people. The quake destroyed buildings, roads, bridges, and other critical infrastructure in the country. So far, 1,700 people have been confirmed dead and 3,400 injured, but officials say the final death toll may pass 10,000. The quake also hit neighboring Thailand, bringing down a 33-story building with people inside. In Myanmar, the effects of the natural disaster are intensified due to the civil war the country has been engulfed in since 2021. As a result of the conflict, many of the country’s public services, infrastructure, and access to aid were already operating under reduced efficiency. Outside observers, including journalists, have also been limited, which now makes it hard to get a full sense of the true devastation in the Southeast Asian nation. How to donate to Myanmar’s earthquake victims There are ways people outside the country can help Myanmar earthquake victims. This comes via donating to various international relief organizations. Here are five agencies you can donate to right now to help the earthquake victims in Myanmar. Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières): The nongovernmental organization (NGO) provides doctors on the ground to help those who are injured. You can donate to Doctors Without Borders here. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies: The IFRC is accepting donations for Myanmar earthquake initiatives on its dedicated Myanmar earthquake portal. Donations will help the agency provide the urgent support that is needed on the ground. You can donate to the IFRC here. Project HOPE: The humanitarian organization is deploying staff in the region to help with supply chains and to get health professionals, medicines, and other medical supplies to the people who need it the most. You can donate to Project HOPE here. Save the Children: There are a large number of children in Myanmar who have been affected by the quake. The organization’s Save the Children’s Emergency Fund is designed to provide assistance, including shelter. You can donate to Save the Children here. UN Crisis Relief: Run by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN Crisis Relief collects donations to distribute to organizations working on the front lines of humanitarian crises. Donations will go to support lifesaving assistance for the victims of the quake. You can donate to UN Crisis Relief here. View the full article

While Prime Video hasn't released a full list of content coming to the platform in April, the streamer is dropping a handful of original series and films throughout the month. Étoile (April 24), a new series from the creator of Gilmore Girls and Prime Video's hit The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, is a drama/comedy about the competitive world of dance set in New York and Paris. The eight-episode show also stars The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel cast members Luke Kirby and Gideon Glick. Fans of horror and gore (and Kevin Bacon) may want to catch action series The Bondsman (April 3), in which Bacon plays a murdered bondsman who has been resurrected by the devil and sent on a mission to collect demons that have escaped from hell. Also in the action genre (and for fans of Die Hard) is new original film G20 (April 10), in which Viola Davis stars as the U.S. president trying to save the world when the G20 summit is taken over by terrorists. Prime Video's April lineup includes new seasons of two reality shows, starting with the second installment of America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation (April 1). The culinary competition hosted by Jeannie Mai and judge Dan Souza pits 11 aspiring cooks against each other for a spot on America's Test Kitchen. At the end of the month, fashion personalities Clinton Kelly and Stacy London—of What Not To Wear fame—will reunite for Wear Whatever The F You Want (April 29), a reimagining of their original style-makeover show. Here are all the originals coming to Prime Video in April. What’s coming to Prime Video in April 2025Available April 1America's Test Kitchen: The Next Generation Available April 3The Bondsman Available April 8Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Spy High Available April 10G20 Available April 13Godfather of Harlem Available April 17#1 Happy Family USA Leverage: Redemption (US + UK only) Available April 18LOL: Se Rir, Já Era! Available April 24Étoile Available April 29Wear Whatever The F You Want View the full article

The deal, expected to close by the end of 2025, will place Mr. Cooper CEO Jay Bray as president and CEO of Rocket Mortgage. View the full article

In the iOS 18.2 update, Apple gave users a dedicated Default Apps tab, finally letting us pick our own default apps for messages and calls. Unfortunately, not many apps have been updated to take advantage of this yet. I previously talked about DefaultSMS, which takes over the default messaging app and redirects it to WhatsApp, Signal, or Telegram, but at least one of those now has an official option that you can use instead. Yes, WhatsApp has finally been updated the to support the Default Apps feature. This means you can now make WhatsApp the default Calling and Messaging app on iPhone. But does this mean you can stop using the Phone app and Messaging app altogether? Not exactly. Think of it more like a shortcut. When applicable, you can use this feature to quickly call someone using WhatsApp Audio, or open up a text conversation in WhatsApp, directly from the Phone app or anywhere you see a phone number. How to make WhatsApp the default app for calls and messagesFirst, let's talk about how to make this happen. On your iPhone running the latest iOS 18 build, go to Settings > Apps > Default Apps. Credit: Khamosh Pathak Scroll to the Messaging and Calling sections. Here, choose WhatsApp as the default. How the iPhone's default calling and messaging app features workThe default feature doesn't mean that you can simply replace the Phone app and Messages app. When you get an incoming SMS or Apple iMessage, it will still show up in the Messages app. And when you get a phone call, you'll still see it in the Phone app. Credit: Khamosh Pathak In this context, "default app" means that when you tap the Message button or the Call button for a contact in your Phone app or Contacts app, it will now open a call or message with them via WhatsApp app directly. This essentially serves as a shortcut, rather than a full replacement for the apps that come with your phone. After you change your default calling or messaging app, when you open a contact card and tap the Call button or Message button for the first time, you'll get an overflow menu where WhatsApp will be the first and default option. You can pick another option to change your default if you like. From then on, tapping the Call button will directly call the contact using WhatsApp Audio (or whatever you changed your default to), unless you change your default again in your iPhone settings. From there, you're all set... mostly. If your contact doesn't have WhatsApp, WhatsApp will simply tell that they're not on WhatsApp, at which point you'll have to manually open the Phone or Messages app to reach out instead. View the full article

As small businesses grow their size, project management becomes an increasingly important part of the process. It’s easy to deviate from a standard process when there’s only one employee, or a small handful, but trying to herd a team of dozens or hundreds is impossible without tools to guide them along the same path. Good news: While product management software may seem like the domain of enterprise organizations, small businesses stand to benefit substantially from this offering. Use cases abound, starting with setting up a small business itself. New owners can leverage the software to track and comply with legal requirements, maintain visibility into tax preparation, and monitor marketing efforts. Freelancers and independent contractors benefit from the ability to manage personal deliverables and follow up on payments while simultaneously establishing a process for new work. And, as new employees become onboarded, a centralized knowledge-sharing database points them in the right direction. Here are a few ways small businesses can level up how they implement project management solutions, including the technology that can support these efforts: Centralized Ideation Without communication, businesses simply cannot grow. It’s essential that all employees remain on the same page to reduce the chances of doubling up on work or misquoting a price to a potential customer. Still, those early days are special because your employees are unfiltered and perhaps bolder and more willing to take risks. you’ll want to keep everything for posterity. Even if a company employs only a few employees, it must establish a space, accessible to everyone, where team members can brainstorm and share ideas. A shared document works, for a time, but even better results come from a more formalized online project forum. This format helps keep ideas from becoming muddled with one another and enables commenting on each part of an idea. Using a forum also ensures employees can’t accidentally delete text that someone else had written, and an archived forum can serve as a place to peruse old ideas for the purposes of inspiring new ones. Small businesses need to also consider how knowledge is going to be shared within their organization, particularly around onboarding. As the number of employees grows, so, too, will the level of difficulty in disseminating information from the top down, facilitating communication bottlenecks. Project management software often includes the ability to create a Wiki where this essential information can live. By centralizing this information, companies can send articles to clients, as well, to help with onboarding or troubleshooting, reducing the number of resources required for customer service. The presence of a Wiki can also send a strong message to new employees that a company is listening—that everyone’s input is important and can lead to lasting change. Robust R&D Tracking In a time when much data has become democratized, a robust focus on R&D is essential for any growing business that wants to maintain a competitive edge over its competitors. However, this process can feel especially nebulous for newer businesses who don’t employ a full-time R&D department and rely on its staff to innovate when operations are slow—which they rarely are. Robust R&D begins with an accurate understanding of how a business operates. For that, project management software may help accumulate the necessary data. Employees can start utilizing timesheets to determine where they spend the majority of their time and how some of that can be cordoned off for R&D efforts or reorganized to remove road blocks. In fact, some project management software packages come equipped with AI assistants that can assist with tracking and consolidating data, easing the burden on employees. Then, once enough information has been gathered, small businesses can begin setting milestones to break down R&D activities into manageable, bite-sized chunks to be assigned to the appropriate employees. It’s important these tasks include deadlines and deliverables, as well as ensuring they fit within a larger framework of how the company is hoping to evolve. By establishing limitations and accountability, employees will feel like they’re part of the process and will feel empowered to speak up when they encounter issues. For the sake of producing a high-quality product, it’s important for small businesses to maintain a spot where employees can log these issues, saving time tracking them down when teams are ready to perform triage. Production Processes It’s understandable if small businesses accumulate numerous ideas for growth without follow-through. Time is of the essence, and putting out fires will always take precedence over operating in the theoretical. Gantt Charts, available within project management software, can help. These tools help visualize production timelines so managers can track progress and adjust schedules as new information crops up so as not to derail or delay delivery. Once these charts are in place, managers can also receive visibility into resource use to make better use of available team members. For small businesses, this piece of the puzzle is essential; every minute counts when trying to maximize employees’ time. The above processes are meaningless if no one can monitor their success, which is where analytics play a huge part. Production metrics can be fed into an analytics program and measured against past performance and previously stated goals, keeping everyone on target and allowing stakeholders to operate knowing a project’s entire context. This guides improvements and establishes a precedent for data-driven decision-making that hopefully carries on throughout a company’s lifetime. Once again, software in modern product management suites folds many of these functions into a single package, unified within a company’s existing infrastructure, to keep the train running on time. Technology Toolkit Small businesses need to realize they’re not on their own. Owners aren’t the first to launch a company, and they certainly won’t be the last. It’s important to learn from those that came before and establish a foundation for what’s to come, and technology can aid with this effort. The last year has seen an explosion in software capabilities and a general increase in affordability and access across the board. The most successful small businesses are the ones taking full advantage of what’s on offer by managing the most important project: growing their company. This article, "How Small Businesses Can Manage Projects Intelligently for Sustained Growth" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

As small businesses grow their size, project management becomes an increasingly important part of the process. It’s easy to deviate from a standard process when there’s only one employee, or a small handful, but trying to herd a team of dozens or hundreds is impossible without tools to guide them along the same path. Good news: While product management software may seem like the domain of enterprise organizations, small businesses stand to benefit substantially from this offering. Use cases abound, starting with setting up a small business itself. New owners can leverage the software to track and comply with legal requirements, maintain visibility into tax preparation, and monitor marketing efforts. Freelancers and independent contractors benefit from the ability to manage personal deliverables and follow up on payments while simultaneously establishing a process for new work. And, as new employees become onboarded, a centralized knowledge-sharing database points them in the right direction. Here are a few ways small businesses can level up how they implement project management solutions, including the technology that can support these efforts: Centralized Ideation Without communication, businesses simply cannot grow. It’s essential that all employees remain on the same page to reduce the chances of doubling up on work or misquoting a price to a potential customer. Still, those early days are special because your employees are unfiltered and perhaps bolder and more willing to take risks. you’ll want to keep everything for posterity. Even if a company employs only a few employees, it must establish a space, accessible to everyone, where team members can brainstorm and share ideas. A shared document works, for a time, but even better results come from a more formalized online project forum. This format helps keep ideas from becoming muddled with one another and enables commenting on each part of an idea. Using a forum also ensures employees can’t accidentally delete text that someone else had written, and an archived forum can serve as a place to peruse old ideas for the purposes of inspiring new ones. Small businesses need to also consider how knowledge is going to be shared within their organization, particularly around onboarding. As the number of employees grows, so, too, will the level of difficulty in disseminating information from the top down, facilitating communication bottlenecks. Project management software often includes the ability to create a Wiki where this essential information can live. By centralizing this information, companies can send articles to clients, as well, to help with onboarding or troubleshooting, reducing the number of resources required for customer service. The presence of a Wiki can also send a strong message to new employees that a company is listening—that everyone’s input is important and can lead to lasting change. Robust R&D Tracking In a time when much data has become democratized, a robust focus on R&D is essential for any growing business that wants to maintain a competitive edge over its competitors. However, this process can feel especially nebulous for newer businesses who don’t employ a full-time R&D department and rely on its staff to innovate when operations are slow—which they rarely are. Robust R&D begins with an accurate understanding of how a business operates. For that, project management software may help accumulate the necessary data. Employees can start utilizing timesheets to determine where they spend the majority of their time and how some of that can be cordoned off for R&D efforts or reorganized to remove road blocks. In fact, some project management software packages come equipped with AI assistants that can assist with tracking and consolidating data, easing the burden on employees. Then, once enough information has been gathered, small businesses can begin setting milestones to break down R&D activities into manageable, bite-sized chunks to be assigned to the appropriate employees. It’s important these tasks include deadlines and deliverables, as well as ensuring they fit within a larger framework of how the company is hoping to evolve. By establishing limitations and accountability, employees will feel like they’re part of the process and will feel empowered to speak up when they encounter issues. For the sake of producing a high-quality product, it’s important for small businesses to maintain a spot where employees can log these issues, saving time tracking them down when teams are ready to perform triage. Production Processes It’s understandable if small businesses accumulate numerous ideas for growth without follow-through. Time is of the essence, and putting out fires will always take precedence over operating in the theoretical. Gantt Charts, available within project management software, can help. These tools help visualize production timelines so managers can track progress and adjust schedules as new information crops up so as not to derail or delay delivery. Once these charts are in place, managers can also receive visibility into resource use to make better use of available team members. For small businesses, this piece of the puzzle is essential; every minute counts when trying to maximize employees’ time. The above processes are meaningless if no one can monitor their success, which is where analytics play a huge part. Production metrics can be fed into an analytics program and measured against past performance and previously stated goals, keeping everyone on target and allowing stakeholders to operate knowing a project’s entire context. This guides improvements and establishes a precedent for data-driven decision-making that hopefully carries on throughout a company’s lifetime. Once again, software in modern product management suites folds many of these functions into a single package, unified within a company’s existing infrastructure, to keep the train running on time. Technology Toolkit Small businesses need to realize they’re not on their own. Owners aren’t the first to launch a company, and they certainly won’t be the last. It’s important to learn from those that came before and establish a foundation for what’s to come, and technology can aid with this effort. The last year has seen an explosion in software capabilities and a general increase in affordability and access across the board. The most successful small businesses are the ones taking full advantage of what’s on offer by managing the most important project: growing their company. This article, "How Small Businesses Can Manage Projects Intelligently for Sustained Growth" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. What exactly makes a movie a “classic” varies wildly and with the viewer, as does the appropriate timescale. For some, a movie from a decade ago might be eligible (I call these movie fans “children”). For others, you have to go back much further. Today, I’m going to do the latter, taking a look at some of the great (or, at least, greatly entertaining) movies that were released no later than the tail end of the 1970s. (Even if I find it personally distressing to label movies younger than I am “classics.”) Quibbling over semantics aside, these offerings prove how deeply rewarding it is to dig through the back catalog of motion picture history now and again. In the Heat of the Night (1967) Virgil Tibbs’ (Sidney Poitier) entry into Sparta, Mississippi, at the outset of this steamy, socially conscious cop thriller unfolds like a scene from a horror movie, making clear the peril of a Black man in a southern town after dark. That’s of course before the sheriff realizes that Mr. Tibbs is the only one who can solve a murder. Though its politics are dated, this Norman Jewison-directed Oscar winner remains a landmark film of the Civil Rights movement. You can stream In the Heat of the Night on Pluto TV and MGM+ or rent it from Prime Video. In the Heat of the Night (1967) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Rocky (1976) The long-running franchise has had its ups (the Creed films) and downs (that robot butler in Rocky IV), but the original remains one of the ultimate sports movies, with a ton of heart buoyed by characters who feel like real people. (It beat out Network and Taxi Driver for Best Picture and it’s hard to be mad about it.) You can stream Rocky on Pluto TV or rent it from Prime Video. Rocky (1976) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video All About Eve (1950) I’m not sure that Hollywood ever turned out a sharper, funnier script than this one. If Bette Davis had only done All About Eve, she’d still be a legend. Is it one of the best black-and-white movies ever made? Yes. You can rent All About Eve from Prime Video. All About Eve (1950) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Sounder (1972) Cicely Tyson and Paul Winfield are phenomenal in this drama about a family of deep South, Depression-era sharecroppers struggling to survive and to stay together. You can stream Sounder on Pluto TV, Prime Video, and Peacock. Sounder (1972) at Peacock Learn More Learn More at Peacock Casablanca (1940) Everybody’s favorite golden-age Hollywood movie came by its reputation fairly: Bogart and Bergman have tremendous chemistry, and the film blends the doomed romance vibes with real suspense and a sense of humor that keeps the wartime atmosphere from getting too heavy. You can stream Casablanca on Max or rent it from Prime Video. Casablanca (1940) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max Jeanne Dielman, 32 Quai des Commerce (1975) Recently named the best movie ever made in a stupidly controversial Sight & Sound critics’ poll, Chantal Ackerman’s three-hours-plus epic shows us three days in the life of a Brussels single mother. It’s gripping and tragic in its depiction of day-to-day drudgery, even as part-time sex worker Jeanne’s tricks turn out to be the least interesting parts of her day. You can stream Jeanne Dielman on Max and The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. Jeanne Dielman, 32 Quai des Commerce (1975) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max Black Girl (1966) The movie that brought international attention to sub-Saharan African cinema. Black Girl stars Mbissine Thérèse Diop as Diouana, who is isolated and treated as less than human by her French employers as she reflects on her earlier life in Senegal. You can stream Black Girl on Max, The Criterion Channel, and Prime Video. Black Girl (1966) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max Metropolis (1927) Fritz Lang’s story of a future city starkly divided between the haves and the have-nots remains visually stunning, and its themes are no less relevant now than they were nearly a century ago. You can stream Metropolis on The Roku Channel, Kanopy, Pluto TV, and Kino or rent it from Prime Video. Metropolis (1927) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Only Angels Have Wings (1939) Snappy dialogue, interesting, believable characters, and women who are at least as cool and interesting as the men: This Howard Hawks’ romantic adventure is mostly about pilots just hanging out in a South American town, with every takeoff and landing a potential tragedy. You can rent Only Angels Have Wings from Prime Video. Only Angels Have Wings (1939) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The French Connection (1971) Maybe not Gene Hackman's best movie, but it's the one that made him a star, and it's not hard to see why. It's a tense, uncompromising crime drama about a troubled, borderline-dirty cop that nonetheless boasts thrilling action and one of the best car chases in movie history. You can stream The French Connection on Prime Video. The French Connection (1971) Learn More Learn More Some Like It Hot (1959) Two musicians get in drag in order to escape from mobsters in this classic Billy Wilder vehicle for Marilyn Monroe, at the peak of her powers here. Nobody’s perfect, but this movie is close. You can stream Some Like It Hot on The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, and MGM+ or rent it from Prime Video. Some Like It Hot (1959) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) A deliberately paced mind-bender, Stanley Kubrick and company take us from the origins of violence to a hypnotically engaging and highly detailed mid-century modern future where we come face to face with our own evolution. You can stream 2001 on Max or rent it from Prime Video. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) A very satisfying and thoroughly unpretentious crime thriller in which four men hijack a New York City subway train, demanding money in exchange for a release of their hostages and the car itself. The high tension and NYC setting are highlights, as is the cast: Walter Matthau as the lead police lieutenant is believably human while adding a touch of humor. Héctor Elizondo, Martin Balsam, Robert Shaw, Jerry Stiller, and Doris Roberts also put in solid performances. You can stream The Taking of Pelham One Two Three on MGM+ and Pluto TV or rent it from Prime Video. The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The Last Picture Show (1971) Another flashback to a bygone era, this one set in a dying small town in Texas. One of the best movies of the 1970s, Peter Bogdanovich’s breakout is mercifully free of the rosy glow that the high-school films of the ‘70s leaned into. You can stream The Last Picture Show on The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. The Last Picture Show (1971) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Singin’ in the Rain (1952) A cinematic slice of pure joy, with a number of truly great musical numbers punctuated by some genuinely hilarious performances. For my money, the best musical of the era (and far weirder than you’re probably imagining). You can stream Singin' in the Rain on Max or rent it from Prime Video. Singin’ in the Rain (1952) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) A soaring, candy-colored musical about young lovers (Catherine Deneuve and Nino Castelnuovo) separated by circumstance in the titular city. Pretty much every word is sung. In French. Watch it anyway! You can stream The Umbrellas of Cherbourg on Max, The Criterion Channel, and Kanopy or rent it from Prime Video. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Stormy Weather (1943) There's not a ton of plot here, with the film serving instead as a showcase for the talents of some of the biggest Black talent in Hollywood of the era. And that's plenty. Starring Bill Robinson, better known as Mr. Bojangles, the movie is presented as a retrospective of his life, with Lena Horne offering up an indelible, thrilling performance of the title song. Cab Calloway and Fats Waller also appear and perform, as does Casablanca's Paul Dooley. You can rent Stormy Weather from Prime Video. Stormy Weather (1943) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Stagecoach (1939)Travelers on the titular stagecoach find their lives threatened by both vengeful criminals and Apache warriors while traveling from Tonto, Arizona Territory, to Lordsburg, New Mexico. In many ways the prototypical Western, the movie's well-drawn characters and unconventional sympathies (the sex worker here is the hero; the straight-laced banker is no good) make it a much-copied, but never replicated, genre standout. You can stream Stagecoach on Prime Video, Max, The Criterion Channel, and Pluto TV or rent it from Prime Video. Stagecoach (1939) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max Sleeping Beauty (1959) A bomb upon its initial release, time has been very, very kind to this story of the somnolent princess and her wicked adversary, Maleficent. Its art style, inspired by Medieval tapestry work, is among Disney's most beautiful, bar none. You can stream Sleeping Beauty on Disney+ or rent it from Prime Video. Sleeping Beauty (1959) at Disney+ Learn More Learn More at Disney+ The Lady Vanishes (1938) A (relatively) early triumph for Hitchcock, the director assembles a memorable cast on a train from which sweet, kindly Miss Froy (Dame May Whitty) has, well, vanished. Only Iris Henderson (Margaret Lockwood) seems to remember that Miss Froy even got on the train, leading to a brisk, clever, often quite funny, mystery. You can stream The Lady Vanishes on Max, The Criterion Channel, and Pluto TV or rent it from Prime Video. The Lady Vanishes (1938) Learn More Learn More The Muppet Movie (1979) Kermit and company set out on a road trip in this essential Muppets origin story (sort of, approximately) that kicks off with a heartwarming rendition of "Rainbow Connection" and then leads us on a journey across America to fame and fortune in Hollywood—not without some obstacles along the way. The songs are wildly memorable, and Jim Henson's trademark blend of heart and silliness (with an oddly believable tone) is well in place. The Muppets have never been (quite) done better. You can stream The Muppet Movie on Disney+ or rent it from Prime Video. The Muppet Movie (1979) at Disney+ Learn More Learn More at Disney+ Night Nurse (1931) A pre-code classic, Night Nurse stars the great Barbara Stanwyck as sexy trainee nurse Lora Hart, who uncovers a plot to kill some kids in order to get control of a trust fund. For all that drama, the movie is brisk and fun, and it's immensely satisfying to watch Lora come out swinging when her patients are in danger. You can stream Night Nurse on Max or rent it from Prime Video. Night Nurse (1931) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max 8½ (1963) If not Federico Fellini's finest, it's right up there. The very meta story involves a writer/director (played by Marcello Mastroianni) struggling with writer's block while trying to get his science fiction movie off the ground. Wildly visually inventive, it's a fabulous film about the art of moviemaking. You can stream 8 1/2 on Max, the Criterion Channel, and Kanopy, or rent it from Prime Video. 8½ (1963) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max Godzilla (1954) There's plenty of city-stomping action in this, the original kaiju film, but also a poignance and deep resonance for Japan, a country then only just coming to grips with both nuclear horror and its own actions during World War II. As 2023's Godzilla Minus One reminded us, the monster was born out of real trauma. You can stream Godzilla on Max and The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. Godzilla (1954) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max Odds Against Tomorrow (1959) A noir essential with a classic setup (a disgraced cop enlists a couple of old associates to rob a bank) complicated by the skin color of the film's lead Johnny Ingram, played by Harry Belafonte. Noir characters are pretty much always doomed, but here it's not just that their plan is shoddy—it's that confidently racist Earl Slater (a believably seething Robert Ryan) is never going to be able to make it work. It all builds to an appropriately apocalyptic climax. You can stream Odds Against Tomorrow on Prime Video and The Roku Channel. Odds Against Tomorrow (1959) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Sunset Boulevard (1950) Gloria Swanson was just 50 when she was cast as the horrifyingly outdated silent-film star at the center of this very dark comedy/film noir. Doesn’t matter; she kills it. You can stream Sunset Boulevard on Kanopy or rent it from Prime Video. Sunset Boulevard (1950) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Sunrise (1927) With some of the most brilliant cinematography and camerawork of the silent era, F. W. Murnau tells a story of romance (and attempted murder) that feels epic, even with stakes that, ultimately, aren’t any bigger than the marriage between the film’s troubled couple. You can stream Sunrise on The Roku Channel or rent it from Prime Video. Sunrise (1927) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) Just an old-fashioned love story about the romance between a young engaged couple, a genderfluid scientist, and a jacked lab experiment. A cult classic now too famous to qualify as a cult classic, and for good reason. You can rent The Rocky Horror Picture Show from Prime Video. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The Wizard of Oz (1939) A sweet-seeming Kansas girl heads off to the magical Land of Oz, announcing her arrival by murdering a lady and stealing her shoes. Only one thing to do at that point, really: take out her sister, as well. You can stream The Wizard of Oz on Max or rent it from Prime Video. The Wizard of Oz (1939) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max Psycho (1960) Near the tail-end of his career, Alfred Hitchcock reinvented American horror cinema and introduced the definitive screen slasher: Norman Bates’ mother and best friend, Norma. You can rent Psycho from Prime Video. Psycho (1960) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video It Happened One Night (1934) Frank Capra’s risqué romantic comedy swept the Academy Awards in its year, with leads Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert making for a brilliant pairing in the movie that defined the rom-com, and remains among the best of the form. You can stream It Happened One Night on The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. It Happened One Night (1934) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Cooley High (1974) Cochise (Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs), a basketball star, and Preach (Glynn Turman), an aspiring playwright, plot to play hooky during their final weeks of senior year. Their plan leads to a series of adventures and misadventures that look very much like the stuff of a more typical teen comedy, before the comedy slowly gives way to more serious introspection. This movie had a profound influence on filmmakers from John Singleton to Spike Lee. You can stream Cooley High on The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, and Prime Video. Cooley High (1974) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) A postwar drama made right in the thick of things, exploring the high cost of World War II on returning soldiers. Sharp, well-observed performances from veterans like Myrna Loy and and Fredric March, as well as from newcomer Harold Russell, a then-recent veteran who won one of the film's many Oscars for his performance. A smart and impressively honest movie that must have taken a lot of courage to make. You can stream The Best Years of Our Lives on Prime Video, Kanopy, Pluto TV, and Peacock. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) at Peacock Learn More Learn More at Peacock Kwaidan (1964) This Japanese anthology of horror-tinged stories isn't necessarily terrifying, but it is one of the most stunningly beautiful, and sumptuously designed films that you're likely to find this side of Japanese folklore. A highly influential film, it kicks off with the story of a horribly wronged woman and her very long, very black hair. You can stream Kwaidan on Max and The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. Kwaidan (1964) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) This historical drama brings Medieval Europe to stunning life with its depiction of Arthur, King of the Britons (Graham Chapman), scouring the English countryside in search of men brave enough to join his Knights of the Round Table, desperate to figure out if swallows can, indeed, carry coconuts. It’s all deeply serious. (Cough cough.) You can stream Monty Python and the Holy Grail on Prime Video, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, and Britbox. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The Godfather (1972) It’s said by many that the second film is better—and they’re not wrong, though the first is a similarly brilliant piece of filmmaking, and absolutely the place to start when watching or rewatching Francis Ford Coppola’s saga. You can stream The Godfather on Paramount+ or rent it from Prime Video. The Godfather (1972) at Paramount+ Learn More Learn More at Paramount+ M (1931) Peter Lorre is chilling as a murderer of children in Fritz Lang’s thriller. Aside from being a masterful film in its own right, M influenced every crime drama, serial killer film, and police procedural that’s come along since. You can stream M on Max, Kanopy, and The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. M (1931) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max Gilda (1946) One of the greatest and most entertaining noir films of its era also foregrounds one of the hottest bisexual love triangles you’re likely to find in film. You can rent Gilda from Prime Video. Gilda (1946) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Mildred Pierce (1945) Joan Crawford is at her very dramatic best in this story of a mother dealing with a hyper-entitled snotbag of a daughter. Joan and director Michael Curtiz take all of the great noir trappings of the era (including murder) and put a single mother at the center of them. Now central in her filmography, this was a comeback for Joan at the time, and proved that she could still pack cinemas as a middle-aged woman. You can stream Mildred Pierce on Max or rent it from Prime Video. Mildred Pierce (1945) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Superman (1978) In our highly dystopian present, every third movie is a superhero punch-'em-up. But not so in 1978, when Richard Donner directed the original (more or less) and best (more or less). Christopher Reeve remains a steadfast combination of believable sincerity and dorky charm, generating real chemistry with Margot Kidder's Lois Lane. You can stream Superman on Max or rent it from Prime Video. Superman (1978) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max The Seventh Seal (1957) Max von Sydow stars as a medieval knight in Ingmar Bergman's dark fantasy about finding human connection in the absence of faith. The film tells its story using some of the most indelible imagery in the history of cinema—anyone for a game of chess? With death? You can stream The Seventh Seal on Max, The Criterion Channel, and Kanopy. The Seventh Seal (1957) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max Citizen Kane (1941) The pretentious film student's answer to the question: "What's the greatest film of all time?" is, as it happens, a genuinely great film. It's an appropriately dark and wildly innovative commentary on the corrupting powers of money and American-style capitalism. In those regards, it hasn't aged a day. You can rent Citizen Kane from Prime Video. Citizen Kane (1941) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Battleship Potemkin (1925) So rousing is Sergei Eisenstein's film, set during the early Russian Revolution of 1905, that you'll be cheering on the rebellion that lead to the birth of the Soviet Union (where this film was no less controversial than elsewhere). Among the movie's many brilliantly directed moments is the iconic Odessa Steps sequence, which has been referenced by everyone from Laurel and Hardy to Denis Villeneuve. You can stream Battleship Potemkin on Max, The Roku Channel, Kanopy, Kino, and The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. Battleship Potemkin (1925) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) This all-star road race film is goofy, sure, but it's also got a mean streak a mile wide—and I absolutely mean that as a compliment. The cast all compete to make it across the state of California to collect a chunk of money that they've learned is buried in a state park. It's cute watching Milton Berle, Ethel Merman, Mickey Rooney, Jonathan Winters, Eddie Anderson, Sid Caesar and others team up to get the money—but it's even better when they fall out and start fighting tooth and nail, all alongside crooked cop Spencer Tracy. You can stream It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World on Prime Video, Kanopy, and Pluto TV. It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) The all-star cast can be a little distracting, but Stanley Kramer’s courtroom drama remains powerful and depressingly relevant in its depiction of normal, everyday people driven to commit atrocities with only minimal encouragement. You can stream Judgment at Nuremberg on MGM+ and Pluto TV or rent it from Apple TV. Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) at Apple TV Learn More Learn More at Apple TV Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (1953) The first in a series of charming, and increasingly inventive comedies from the great director (and star) Jacques Tati. M. Hulot feels like a silent film character in a world of sound, and, indeed, the focus here is less on dialogue than in the inadvertent ways in which our hero brings absolute chaos wherever he goes. There's a method to the comedy, as well, Tati finding satisfaction in seeing the thin veneers of the comfortable, snobby, rich vacationers worn away. You can stream M. Hulot's Holiday on Max and The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (1953) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max Carnival of Souls (1962) This deeply haunting, low-budget independent beat George Romero's Night of the Living Dead to the punch by around five years, following a young woman (Candace Hilligoss) through a dark night of her own. Thoroughly eerie, it's a movie that stays with you, like it or not. You can stream Carnival of Souls on Max, The Roku Channel, AMC+, MGM+, The Criterion Channel, Kanopy, Shudder, and Pluto TV or rent it from Prime Video. Carnival of Souls (1962) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max The Sound of Music (1965) The hills are alive, etc., as a charmingly goofy nun-in-training gets a job at the home of an Austrian aristocrat. What starts out as a very hummable sing-a-long takes a dark turn as the shadow of Nazi Germany comes to loom. That genuine threat elevates Julie Andrews' breakout into something as meaningful as it is fun. You can stream The Sound of Music on Disney+ and Hulu or rent it from Prime Video. The Sound of Music (1965) at Disney+ Learn More Learn More at Disney+ Pather Panchali (1955) India’s answer to the French New Wave, Satyajit Ray’s gorgeous but down-to-earth drama finds universal truths in the fraught relationships between desperately poor Apu, his sister Durga, and their mother, Sarbajaya. (The subsequent two films in what would eventually become known as the Apu Trilogy are just as great.) You can stream Pather Panchali on Max, The Criterion Collection, and Kanopy or rent it from Prime Video. Pather Panchali (1955) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max Sherlock Jr. (1924) The General is often seen as Buster Keaton’s masterpiece, but I prefer Sherlock Jr., in which a normal schlub finds himself, literally, drawn into the movies. It’s an acrobatic and often hilarious journey into film history. You can stream Sherlock Jr. on The Criterion Channel, Kanopy, and Kino or rent it from Prime Video. Sherlock Jr. (1924) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Funny Girl (1968) Barbra Streisand broke through in a big way in this funny (naturally), moving, and ultimately epic story about the rise of real-life comedian Fanny Brice and her troubled romance with Nicky Arnstein (Omar Sharif). It’s like buttah. You can stream Funny Girl on Prime Video. Funny Girl (1968) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video His Girl Friday (1940) One of the films that defined the sharp, fast-talking screwball comedy genre, with Rosalind Russell and Cary Grant as an ex-married newshound couple trying to uncover the truth behind the story of a convicted murderer. You can stream His Girl Friday on Prime Video, MGM+, The Roku Channel, Kanopy, Pluto TV, and Shout Factory TV. His Girl Friday (1940) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Bride of Frankenstein (1935) On the eve of his wedding, Dr. Frankenstein finds himself drawn into temptation when his old mentor shows up in town. The two run off together with every intention of giving birth to new life. You can rent Bride of Frankenstein from Prime Video. Bride of Frankenstein (1935) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Modern Times (1936) Ever feel like you’re just a cog in the capitalist machinery of life? Charlie Chaplin’s masterpiece is the perfect movie for anyone who’s ever been stuck in a rut at work. You can stream Modern Times on Prime Video, Max, The Criterion Channel, and Kanopy. Modern Times (1936) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max Rashomon (1950) Akira Kurosawa’s samurai tale is not only wildly influential, it’s also film’s definitive statement on the unreliability of memory and the ease with which we spin stories for our own benefit. A warrior’s murder is recounted by a series of characters, each with a similar tale, but with details that vary in crucial ways. You can stream Rashomon on Max and The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. Rashomon (1950) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max Jaws (1975) Steven Spielberg created the thrilling, harrowing summer blockbuster to beat them all way back in 1975, shaping the cinematic landscape we’re still living in, for better or worse. You can rent Jaws from Prime Video. Jaws (1975) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video High Noon (1952) It’s hard to believe, all these decades later, that this simple story of a sheriff abandoned by a terrified town was one of the most controversial films of its era. There’s a lot going on here just under the surface, including a strong defiance of the Red Scare and its accompanying Hollywood blacklist. You can rent High Noon from Prime Video. High Noon (1952) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Carrie (1976) One of Stephen King’s earliest works translates into this memorably bloody coming-of-age story about a shy young woman (Sissy Spacek) with growing telekenetic powers, caught between her controlling mother at home and her cruel classmates at school. You can stream Carrie on MGM+ and Max or rent it from Prime Video. Carrie (1976) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max The Night of the Hunter (1955) Actor Charles Laughton's sole directorial effort is a wildly impressive one, with serial-killing preacher Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum) charming and then terrorizing a rural West Virginia family during the Great Depression. Audiences at the time found it impossibly weird and arty, and often weren't thrilled with Laughton's take on religious hypocrisy. Time has revealed it as a taut, idiosyncratic masterpiece. You can stream Night of the Hunter on Pluto TV and Prime Video. The Night of the Hunter (1955) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video A Raisin in the Sun (1961) Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Claudia McNeil, Diana Sands, Roy Glenn, and Louis Gossett Jr. star in this family drama about a Black family about to come into a small windfall, and the intergenerational conflict and trauma that impacts the ways in which family members want to spend it, and even their their definitions of a better life. You can rent A Raisin in the Sun from Prime Video. A Raisin in the Sun (1961) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video View the full article

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Fast Company is extending its application deadline for Best Workplaces for Innovators 2025 to Friday, April 4, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. This marks the seventh year Fast Company will be recognizing companies and organizations from around the world that most effectively empower employees at all levels to improve processes, create new products, or invent whole new ways of doing business. In addition to honoring the world’s 100 Best Workplaces for Innovators, we will recognize companies in more than a dozen different categories. What differentiates Best Workplaces for Innovators from existing best-places-to-work lists is that it goes beyond benefits, competitive compensation, and collegiality (mere table stakes in today’s competitive talent marketplace) to identify which companies are actively creating and sustaining the kinds of innovative cultures that many top employees value even more than money. With Best Workplaces for Innovators, Fast Company aims to identify companies where employees can do the best work of their careers and improve the lives of hundreds, thousands, even millions of people around the world. For more than a decade, Fast Company has been recognizing outstanding achievement in business innovation with its annual awards programs. In addition to Best Workplaces for Innovators, Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, Innovation by Design, World Changing Ideas, Brands That Matter, and the Next Big Thing in Tech lists have celebrated thousands of organizations transforming industries and shaping society through paradigm-shifting products, insights, or services. For more information on applying, see the FAQs. The final deadline to apply is now April 4 at 11:59 p.m. PT. View the full article

Those of us living in the harsher climates can all commiserate about what felt like a really long winter. It was cold! And windy! Perfect weather for staying inside, inert, and keeping warm with dense carbs and saturated fats. Well, the party’s over. As the chill of winter melts away and spring begins to bloom, it’s time to shed those extra layers—both figuratively and literally. So whether you’re counting calories, trying new workouts, or simply trying to move a little more, these free tools are here to help you reach your goals. MyFitnessPal MyFitnessPal (iOS, Android) is a do-it-all weight loss tool that helps you monitor your daily food intake, exercise, and weight progress. With an extensive food database, barcode scanner, and macro-tracking features, this app is perfect for anyone looking to stay accountable with their diet. You can also connect with friends for some added motivation. The free version offers basic calorie and exercise tracking, while the paid version includes advanced features like meal plans, macronutrient goals by gram, and an ad-free experience. Nike Training Club No gym membership, no problem. The Nike Training Club app (iOS, Android) offers a variety of free workouts ranging from yoga to high-intensity interval training (HIIT). With expert coaching and curated plans tailored to your fitness level, it’s like having a personal trainer in your pocket—except this one doesn’t yell at you like a drill sergeant. While there used to be a premium version, Nike Training Club is now completely free, offering all previously premium content at no cost, including guided programs and wellness tips. Fitbit Even if you don’t own a Fitbit device, the Fitbit app (iOS, Android) is a solid, straightforward way to track your daily steps, activity, and sleep. Use it to set challenges for yourself or compete with friends if you need a little extra motivation. The free version tracks basic metrics like steps and sleep, while the paid version offers deeper insights, guided programs, and wellness reports. 7 Minute Workout If you’re short on time, the 7 Minute Workout app (iOS, Android) is a lifesaver. It provides short, efficient routines designed to get your heart rate up and your muscles working. These science-backed exercises are perfect for squeezing in a workout during a busy day. The free version includes the basic seven-minute workout, while the paid version unlocks additional workout variations and personalized plans. Darebee Darebee (Web, Android) is a unique fitness resource offering a positively enormous collection of workouts, challenges, and programs—all completely free. Designed to be accessible to everyone, Darebee provides visual guides for exercises that require little to no equipment, making it perfect for home workouts. Feel guilty about using this app without paying anything? Users can support the project via donations to keep the site up and running. View the full article

Over the course of its 40-year history, J.Crew has explored all kinds of design collaborations. Last year, for instance, it partnered with the designers Christopher John Rogers and Maryam Nassir Zadeh. But if you walk into a store, you might also come across slightly more unexpected collaborations. On a recent visit to J.Crew’s Columbus Circle store in New York, I found a collection of kids’ clothes emblazoned with the logo of the Fire Department of New York. In February, to celebrate The New Yorker magazine’s centennial anniversary, J.Crew created a special line of sweaters, rugby shirts, and baseball caps featuring the magazine’s logo. And last summer, it dropped work jackets and sweatshirts made in collaboration with the FX show The Bear, which was heading into its third season. Last week, J.Crew announced that it had launched a three-year partnership with the U.S. Ski and Snowboard association to create a lifestyle collection that will land in the lead-up to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. The thread that ties all of these collaborations together is that they focus on beloved organizations with a loyal following, rather than designers. J.Crew is trying to make a comeback after it filed for bankruptcy in May 2020. In November of that year, the company named Libby Wadle, a 20-year veteran of the company, CEO. Through these collaborations, we’re getting a glimpse into Wadle’s vision for trying to make J.Crew relevant again. Wadle says that the U.S. Ski and Snowboard collab is likely to generate a lot of revenue. But some of the smaller, niche collabs aren’t necessarily about making a lot of money. Instead, they’re an effort to stretch our imagination about what J.Crew represents—and it’s about trying to ensure that the brand is part of the broader conversation. “We’re looking to partners who can help put us at the center of culture,” she says. “We do some partnerships that are not just about revenue. They just feel culturally relevant and feel great from a creative perspective.” Expanding What J.Crew Stands For When Wadle first stepped into the CEO position, her goal was to go back to the brand’s aesthetic roots, which are grounded in preppy, vintage Ivy League style. Brendon Babenzien and Olympia Gayot, the menswear and womenswear designers respectively, created updated versions of iconic J.Crew pieces, like its roll-neck sweater and barn jacket. She also brought back the print catalog, which was designed to serve as another storytelling device and a way to reintroduce the brand to consumers who may have lost interest. “It’s a way to get back in front of people who maybe don’t know us or who used to know us,” she says. With these collaborations, Wadle is trying to expand what J.Crew can be. For instance, most people think of it as a coastal New England brand, particularly when you think of all of the catalogs of the past featuring beachy scenes, with models in swimsuits and boat shoes. But Wadle points out that the brand is also connected to New York City. “Our headquarters are here, and New York means a lot to us,“ she says. Wadle has been eager to highlight this connection. Last fall, J.Crew hosted a dinner party at the New York Public Library to celebrate the relaunch of the catalog; the year before, it celebrated its 40th anniversary with a concert featuring The Strokes at New York Fashion Week. Its collabs with The New Yorker and FDNY were meant to deepen this connection with the city. But Wadle says that J.Crew designers also happened to be drawn to the branding around these organizations. “Brendon (the menswear creative director) loved the FDNY logo, and the old firehouses around the city,” Wadle says. “So he was passionate about bringing the collaboration to life.” The pieces from these New York–focused collaborations are fairly simple. The design team took J.Crew staples, like fleece sweatshirts, baseball caps, and vintage-washed T-shirts. They then incorporated the brand’s logos and mascots. The FDNY collection features the iconic spotty dog associated with New York firemen; The New Yorker collab included T-shirts with custom cartoons. The capsule collection for The Bear was also something the creative team was personally passionate about. Babenzien happened to have a relationship with Matty Matheson, who plays the handyman Neil Fak on the show, and also happens to have his own clothing line. So they decided to create a few key pieces, such as a work jacket and a trucker hat, with the character’s fictional company, “Matter of Fak Supply,” on it. Wadle says the brand doesn’t expect these niche collabs to be a cash grab; instead, they’re more of a marketing play, to get in front of fans of The Bear, or The New Yorker, or the FDNY. “It’s not always a big revenue-driving opportunity,” she says. “It’s about brand integrity and to create authentic, culturally relevant moments.” Sports Partnerships Wadle also wants J.Crew to be part of major sporting events. Last summer, the brand partnered with USA Swimming in advance of the Paris summer Olympics. The collaboration was unconventional because J.Crew wasn’t an official sponsor of the games, nor did it have the technical expertise to create swimsuits for Olympians. Instead, it created a collection of lifestyle pieces, from hoodies to shorts, that reflected J.Crew’s preppy aesthetic, but also featured the USA Swimming logo. The collection was a huge hit. Within the first day the products were released, 80% were snatched up. And Wadle says that the collaboration was responsible for a 10% spike in new customers in the first week of the release, compared to the year before. It quickly added a second collection to meet the demand. “The energy around swimming and the families participating by cheering on swimmers surprised us,” Wadle says. Now, Wadle wants to create similar magic with the collaboration with this new partnership with U.S. Ski and Snowboard. In this case it will create pieces that lean into the lifestyle around skiing, including après ski fashion. J.Crew will tap into U.S. Ski archives along with its own archive of winter catalogs to create vintage looks in line with its preppy heritage. Much like the New York–based collaborations, these sports partnership are a way to highlight different aspects of J.Crew’s brand that they might not be familiar with. Wadle points out that both swim and ski culture are part of J.Crew’s heritage. But now, these aspects will be at the forefront of consumers’ minds. “We believe this partnership will be big,” says Wadle. “We believe we have the ability to tap into a platform that is bigger than competitive athletes. It’s about tapping into a sport that many people love.” View the full article

A New York-based AI startup called Hebbia says it’s developed techniques that let AI answer questions about massive amounts of data without merely regurgitating what it’s read or, worse, making up information. To help generative AI tools answer questions beyond the information in their training data, AI companies have recently used a technique called retrieval-augmented generation, or RAG. When users ask a question, RAG-powered AI typically uses a search-engine-style system to locate relevant information it has access to, whether that’s on the web or in a private database. Then, that information is fed to the underlying AI model along with the user’s query and any other instructions, so it can use it to formulate a response. The problem, says Hebbia CEO George Sivulka, is that RAG can get too bogged down in keyword matches to focus on answering a user’s actual question. For instance, if an investor asks a RAG-powered system whether a particular company looks like a good investment, the search process might surface parts of the business’s financial filings using that kind of language, like favorable quotes from the CEO, rather than conducting an in-depth analysis based on criteria for picking a stock. “Traditional RAG is good at answering questions that are in the data, but it fails for questions that are about the data,” Sivulka says. It’s a problem that surfaces in general-purpose AI-powered search engines, which can confidently regurgitate satire, misinformation, or off-topic information that matches a query, as well as special-purpose tools. One recent test of a legal AI tool, where the system was asked to find notable opinions by a made-up judge, found it highlighted a case involving a party with a similar name. And, according to Hebbia, questions that require an analysis of a big data set that goes beyond finding relevant documents often can’t be answered by RAG alone. Hebbia, says Sivulka, has approached the problem with a technique the company calls iterative source decomposition. That method identifies relevant portions of a data set or collection of documents using an actual AI model rather than mere keyword or textual similarity matching, feeding what it finds into a nested network of AI models that can analyze portions of the data and intermediate results together. Then, the system can ultimately come up with a comprehensive answer to a question. “Technically, what it’s doing is running a LLM over every token that matters and then using that to feed that into another model, that feeds it into another model, and so it recurses all the way up to the top,” Sivulka says. Hebbia’s nested processing techniques also help overcome limitations with AI context windows, which limit the amount of information that can be provided to a language model in one query, he says. Hebbia announced a $130 million Series A funding round in July and claims clients like the U.S. Air Force, law firm Gunderson Dettmer, and private equity firms Charlesbank and Cinven. Sivulka says various clients harness the company’s technology to answer complex questions about financial data for potential investments or to search for valuable information buried deep in voluminous legal discovery data sets, among numerous other use cases. The tool can also be configured to notify users when new data enables it to draw new conclusions, such as when new financial filings by a particular company appear online, Sivulka says. Demand is high enough that Hebbia, which uses models from big providers like OpenAI and Anthopic, has developed its own software to maximize the number of queries it can send to different models. Its system even takes into account varying rate limits for, say, access to GPT offered by Microsoft and by OpenAI directly. And, says Sivulka, demand continues to increase, as customers use Hebbia’s software to consider larger data sets than previously would have been possible in making decisions. The company says it’s handled 250 million queries from users so far this year, compared to 100 million last year. “If you’re an investor and you’re building a case to invest or not to invest, you can look at—and corroborate your assumptions with—way more data,” Sivulka says. View the full article

Biggest US airlines have already reported a slowdown in domestic demandView the full article

Gerardo Valerio had been looking for a bathroom in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo neighborhood for 20 minutes when he stumbled across a blue and white trailer with “FREE BATHROOM” at the top. At first, he was hesitant to enter the bathroom, which had been installed by the Washington, D.C.-based portable toilet startup Throne. To get in, he had to scan a QR code which pre-loaded a text onto his phone. After sending the text, the door would automatically slide open. “What do I text, ‘I need to pee’?” he jokes. All in all, he says, it was a positive experience: “It was pretty to look at but it definitely has a smell to it. It needs to be maintained a bit more. But overall, nice.” In Little Tokyo, there are almost no public restrooms—in most of the restaurants and shops, you have to buy something first. “There should be more,” Valerio says. After years of complaints from riders, LA Metro is rolling out more free public Throne bathrooms this year at transit stations across L.A. County. The portable, touchless trailers are self-contained, requiring no water or electric hookup. This allows the company to rapidly deploy restrooms wherever needed—like a busy train station. The new location at Little Tokyo station has been particularly popular, with 120 to 150 uses per day during the weekend. Thrones have also been deployed in the D.C. area, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Beverly Hills; and in the Bay area at two Caltrain stations. Built on accountability Throne says its “smart” bathrooms use accountability to solve the age-old problem of unwanted bathroom activity. Accessing a Throne requires a unique user ID, usually a cell phone number. For those without access to a phone, Throne also distributes key cards through local service providers. “[It’s] just behavioral science,” explains Throne cofounder and COO Jessica Heinzelman. “If somebody knows that they’ve used their phone to get into a bathroom, they’re treating it a little bit nicer, kind of the same mentality of if you have somebody in line behind you in a regular bathroom.” Every user is asked to rate the cleanliness of the Throne and can report any issues via text. Throne uses this feedback to optimize the cleaning schedule— which relies on gig labor—and rapidly respond to any issues. As of March 1, there have been 425,900 uses nationally, with 168,600 in L.A., and a rating of 4.07 out of five stars. The biggest issue facing public bathrooms in Metro stations has been preventing inappropriate behavior, says Stephen Tu, deputy executive officer of station experience at Metro. Throne bathrooms are cheaper to clean and maintain because problem users can be banned from the system. So far, only 375 people out of 37,144 unique users across the national Throne network have been access-restricted, according to Heinzelman. Last year, after a six-month pilot at four locations, Metro approved a $22 million four-year contract with Throne to provide up to 64 bathrooms. Currently, there are 14 Thrones in the Metro system, with four more set to roll out in April. Tapping the gig workforce Some Throne features might be high-tech, but the bathrooms are still cleaned the old-fashioned way: by people, specifically gig workers who sign up to clean specific locations at specific times through an app. “It allows us to respond really quickly, while also providing people flexible income opportunities,” says Heinzelman. “If we had a W-2 workforce, we would probably be able to accomplish a quarter of the cleans in twice the time.” Correna T., a public transportation advocate with the L.A. chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, believes that the bathrooms should be staffed by unionized Metro employees, not gig workers. “We would much rather see those jobs go to union employees who have protections and benefits and are staffed publicly,” she says. In July of last year, DSA-LA successfully mobilized to push LA Metro to conduct a feasibility study on bringing cleaning staff in-house. Over seven months later, the report is still not out. Next City reached out to Metro for a status update on the report but did not receive a response. Throne declined to provide details about how much a member of the cleaning network is paid per clean, but according to Throne’s website, each clean is priced “dynamically.” “There are all sorts of variables to how we are setting clean tasks including when we have two Thrones co-located next to each other (no transit time or transit cost) [plus] the ability to get bonuses for rapid response,” says Heinzelman in an email. Workers can receive an extra $15 for “extra tough jobs” after submitting before-and-after photos that are then confirmed by the company. Throne’s top earners are making up to $1,800 per week, says Heinzelman. “Having bathrooms is an enormous social service support and health and safety strategy that we wholeheartedly support,” says Alfonso Directo, Jr., advocacy director for the Alliance for Community Transit, a coalition of transportation and housing organizations. But ACT-LA would rather see Metro provide stable employment for local residents. “Metro, as a public agency with public dollars, could be using those dollars to develop the infrastructure themselves,” he says. A temporary fix? Correna T. was initially excited about the Throne bathroom program, but thinks it doesn’t go far enough in providing a permanent solution. The bathrooms are portable, not permanent, she points out. Metro doesn’t own them—Throne does. The contract only extends to 2028—the year that L.A. is hosting the summer Olympic games. To DSA-LA, this shows that the Throne partnership is primarily meant to serve tourists during the Olympics. “If they don’t expand this program past the Olympics, Throne could literally just come in and take them away, and they would no longer be an amenity for the city,” she adds. Tu doesn’t see the restrooms as “necessarily temporary” and says the agency has the option to renew the contract at the end of four years. “The beauty of its portability allows us to scale very quickly, because to be able to do this with a more traditional approach would take many years to be able to get this at up to 64 locations,” he says. LA Metro riders have been requesting bathrooms for decades with little success. The system has only three stations with permanent bathrooms in a system with 107 rail stations and about 12,000 bus stops (the city of Los Angeles has four bathrooms at Metro stations that it maintains separately). Tu says that the challenge with building and maintaining public bathrooms has been not just the capital costs of adding new bathrooms, but also the amount of money needed to staff them and keep them clean. During the pilot, Metro saw a 50% reduction in public urination and defecation incidents at locations where Thrones were deployed. When Next City asked if Metro could use the money saved on maintenance to build permanent bathrooms, Tu repeated that the partnership with Throne allows the agency to roll out multiple bathrooms in a short period of time. He stresses the high rating that Throne has received from users as evidence of the program’s success, though he states that Metro is not opposed to exploring other options in the future. “The only solution we see in the market right now is the Throne solution,” he says. This story was originally published by Next City, a nonprofit news outlet covering solutions for equitable cities. Sign up for Next City’s newsletter for their latest articles and events. View the full article

Judges will rule later on Monday on whether to ban far-right leader from standing for officeView the full article

After making his mark in Silicon Valley, Icelandic designer and tech mogul Haraldur “Halli” Thorleifsson is now solving a far more analog problem: the inaccessibility of local storefronts. As a wheelchair user, Thorleifsson knows firsthand how exclusion can be built into a city. “If you don’t see anyone using a wheelchair,” he says, “it’s not because they don’t exist—it’s because they have nowhere to go.” Thorleifsson has experienced such access barriers to public spaces throughout his life, but the turning point came on a late-night walk with his family in downtown Reykjavík, when he couldn’t join his son in a corner store because of a single step at the entrance. “As I was sitting outside, I kept looking at that one step,” he recalls. “Over the years, steps like that had stopped me from being able to go cafés to meet friends, from going to the barber, or going Christmas shopping with my family. That one step was the main obstacle between me and fully participating in society. And, not just me; anyone who uses a mobility device to get around. I decided that this had to change and since nobody else seemed to be doing anything, I figured it was up to me.” So in 2021, Thorleifsson launched Ramp Up Reykjavík to fund the installation of 100 ramps in places with the most foot traffic across Iceland’s capital—cafés, restaurants, and shops. Four years later, the project has delivered far more ramps than initially promised and well beyond Reykjavík to additional Icelandic cities, garnering a fitting name change to Ramp Up Iceland. On March 14, Thorleifsson celebrated the completion of Ramp Up Iceland with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and the support of the mayor, prime minister, president, and other leaders of the municipal governments across Iceland. Now, the team plans to expand the initiative to Paris and Lviv, Ukraine. An age-old accessibility problem Creating accessibility in any urban environment is often met with logistical and bureaucratic challenges. But in cities with historic buildings that predate modern accessibility standards by decades or even centuries, those challenges are even further amplified. In downtown Reykjavík, most buildings date back to the 18th century with storefronts that sit slightly elevated above street level, making one or two steps a recurring access barrier across most of the city’s core business district. And this isn’t just an Icelandic issue. In a recent study, 70% of disabled people surveyed said they’ve shown up to a building only to realize they couldn’t get inside. More than half of them (60%) reported that they had to leave without completing their task because the building wasn’t accessible. This study was conducted in the United States, where we have the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a law intended to protect the rights of disabled people and ensure accessible infrastructure. Yet, even with the ADA, there are still massive access inequities in our urban environments. Buildings, sidewalks, and transportation systems often remain out of compliance or are poorly maintained, and legal protections such as the ADA aren’t universal. In many older cities around the world, accessibility standards are inconsistent, and the push to retrofit historic areas is often delayed or deprioritized in favor of architectural preservation. Thorleifsson’s work is beginning to change this. The goal of Ramp Up Reykjavík was to install 100 ramps within a year; the project finished it in half the time and under budget. Following the success of the trial project, Thorleifsson expanded the initiative to cities across Iceland, with a new target goal of building 1,000 ramps in five years. They ended up building more than 1,700 ramps and again came in under budget. Building a better ramp Each ramp is built for the location, and is integrated into the environment with designers working with the city and municipalities to try and match existing materials when possible. In many cases, passersby wouldn’t even notice modifications to the historic buildings because the ramps are intentional design choices built into the urban environment. “The role of a designer is to make something simple and beautiful to use, for as many people as possible,” says Thorleifsson. “So when I look at how some things are made, I can’t help but wonder how easy it would have been, with small tweaks, to make it usable by more people without losing any of the beauty.” “The biggest challenge in the beginning was making people believe that this was possible,” Thorleifsson says. “These problems have been discussed for decades, often with very little progress. So the approach was really to give people no excuses. We fund, design, build, and get all the permits; it’s all free for the shop owner or the person who owns the building. Once people start seeing success, where before there was none, all the arguments go away and doors open.” Thorleifsson initially funded the project with dividends made through the sale of his digital design agency Ueno to Twitter in 2021. He joined the company as a senior director of product design but was abruptly terminated in 2022 along with some 200 others when Elon Musk took over Twitter—which led to a Twitter exchange with Musk that made international headlines. The sale of Thorleifsson’s company helped get the Ramp Up Reykjavík initiative off the ground, but the project has been a collaborative venture between Thorleifsson and local businesses, government agencies, and city officials. “I had some money, and I was able to quickly raise more. Once the snowball was rolling, everyone jumped on board very quickly,” he says. Now he is looking to make quick improvements at the international level. “Ukraine has a lot of people coming back from the war that need access. So the urgency is there,” Thorleifsson explains of where the initiative will head next. “I’m not a very patient person. I don’t think there is any excuse to move slowly on fixing a human rights issue. So I sometimes have to push hard for change to happen.” When asked what lessons he’s learned that other cities should consider when trying to improve accessibility, Thorleifsson says, “It’s easy. It’s cheap. There’s no excuse. Just do it. We can help. Call me.” View the full article