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WhatsApp is adding a new privacy feature that will allow you to block others from exporting chats, automatically downloading media, and using your messages for AI features, among other limitations. All of this is a part of a new option called Advanced Chat Privacy, which is currently rolling out to WhatsApp users worldwide. How to block people from exporting your WhatsApp chatsTo use these features, make sure you are running the latest version of WhatsApp on your device. Then, open a private chat or a group in WhatsApp, tap the name of the contact or group, and scroll down until you see Advanced Chat Privacy. This button is located near the Lock Chat option on this page. Note that it may not appear on WhatsApp immediately since it's being rolled out in batches worldwide. If you don't see this feature, sit tight, as it should roll out to you soon. Once you enable Advanced Chat Privacy, others won't be able to export your chats from WhatsApp. You can also block others from enabling automatic media downloads on their device or using your messages for AI features in WhatsApp. Notably, the company is calling this the "first version" of Advanced Chat Privacy, and says it will add more features to this setting in the future. You should know that enabling this setting doesn't make it impossible to export your chats or save media. If someone is determined to export data from WhatsApp, they can easily take screenshots or manually download media. This privacy feature will make it a little harder to export data, since users won't be able to rely on WhatsApp's built-in options, but it won't really be able to stop someone who is determined to bypass these restrictions. The latest update follows a slew of new WhatsApp features, including the ability to see who's online in a group chat, more control over group notifications, a built-in document scanner on WhatsApp for iPhone, and many more. View the full article

Bank of England governor signals that central bank is likely to cut UK interest rates next month in response to uncertaintyView the full article

Homebuilding industry CEOs said tariff impacts would likely be felt in the back half of the year, but affordability concerns are applying pressure now. View the full article

Google Ads quietly rolled out Tree Table Views within its reporting interface, offering advertisers a more structured way to analyze campaign performance data. The new view transforms traditional flat data tables into hierarchical layouts where dimensions are visually stacked and nested, creating clearer relationships between data points. The big picture. The Tree Table View offers several practical benefits: Organized hierarchy. Clearer visualization of multi-level dimensions Improved navigation. Faster insight discovery across nested segments Enhanced structure. Better organization for complex performance breakdowns For example, users can now easily view relationships like: Campaign –> Campaign Status: Activated –> Ad Group Status: Activated –> Campaign Type: Search –> Subtype: All Features Why we care. This reporting enhancement addresses a common pain point for advertisers who need to analyze complex campaign structures with multiple dimensions and segments. How to access it. Users can access the new view by: Going to Reports Optionally generating a report using the beta feature Switching the table view to “Tree Table View” First seen. This updated report view was brought to our attention by Digital Marketer Thomas Eccel as he shared the view on LinkedIn: What’s next. The feature appears to be rolling out gradually and works with the “Generate Report” beta functionality, suggesting Google continues to enhance its reporting capabilities for more complex analysis needs. View the full article

Projects might have a roadmap, but when executed, they rarely go as planned. Internal and external factors can impact the project’s scope, budget, schedule and more. To address these issues before they even occur falls under project contingency. Let’s start by defining project contingency and what makes up a contingency plan. Then, we’ll show how to execute that plan to avoid scope creep, budget overruns and schedule delays. Finally, we’ll share a few free templates to help facilitate the process. What Is Project Contingency? Project contingency refers to a reserved amount of time, money or resources set aside to address unexpected events or uncertainties that may arise during a project. It acts as a buffer to manage risks, deal with unforeseen challenges and ensure the project remains on track despite disruptions. The purpose of project contingency is to provide a financial or time cushion to handle identified and unforeseen risks. It also helps to cover unexpected expenses without jeopardizing the project’s financial health. This allows for extra time to accommodate delays or unplanned tasks. It also reassures stakeholders that the project is prepared to handle uncertainties. /wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Contingency-action-plan-template-featured-image.jpg Get your free Contingency Plan Template Use this free Contingency Plan Template to manage your projects better. Get the Template Whether applying a cost contingency, time contingency or resource contingency, when the time comes to implement a contingency plan, project management software will be essential. That’s because they have Gantt charts that can set the initiative to a timeline, add resources and ensure that unexpected delays or issues can be managed without disrupting the entire project. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with robust Gantt charts that can schedule tasks, resources and costs. But it also links all four types of task dependencies to avoid cost overruns and absorb delays without immediately affecting subsequent tasks. Improve Contingency Planning with ProjectManager Use the Gantt chart alongside the sheet, board, list and calendar view to manage contingencies Leverage one-click reports and dashboards to keep an eye on data Share contingency plans with stakeholders using free guest licenses. Try it free /wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Gantt-CTA-2025.jpgLearn more Key Elements of Project Contingency Planning Project contingency planning is a crucial process for managing uncertainties and ensuring the successful completion of a project despite unforeseen risks or challenges. By preparing for potential disruptions, project managers can minimize the impact of unexpected events on timelines, budgets and resources. Below are the key elements that contribute to effective project contingency planning. Risk Identification & Analysis Risk identification and analysis involve recognizing potential risks, assessing their impact and prioritizing them based on their likelihood and severity. By systematically analyzing risks, project managers can create a targeted approach for risk management and establish effective contingency measures to address them before they become significant issues. Risk Mitigation Plan A risk mitigation plan outlines strategies and actions to minimize or eliminate identified risks. It focuses on reducing the probability of risks occurring or their impact if they do happen. This plan provides a proactive approach, ensuring that preventive measures are in place and contingency plans can be executed when necessary. Project Controls Project controls are systems and processes put in place to monitor and manage project performance. These controls help track progress, compare it against the baseline and detect any deviations early. Effective project controls allow for corrective actions to be taken promptly, helping to keep the project within scope, budget and schedule. Project Status Reports Project status reports provide regular updates on the progress of the project. They highlight key performance indicators (KPIs), risks, issues and the overall project health. These reports help project managers and stakeholders stay informed and make data-driven decisions to address potential problems that arise during the project lifecycle. Issue Log An issue log is a documented record of problems or issues that arise during the project. It tracks the nature, impact and resolution of these issues, helping the project team to address them effectively. An issue log ensures transparency and accountability, providing a structured approach to resolving problems quickly. Contingency Budget A contingency budget is a reserve fund set aside to address unexpected costs or changes in a project’s scope. This budget ensures financial resources are available to handle unforeseen circumstances, preventing the project from exceeding its allocated budget and maintaining financial control throughout its lifecycle. Contingency Reserve A contingency reserve is a specific allocation within the project budget or schedule to cover anticipated risks. It provides a safety net, ensuring that funds or time are available to deal with risks that have been identified and assessed. This reserve allows the project to adapt to changes without affecting its overall objectives. Management Reserve A management reserve is an additional fund or time set aside for unforeseen risks not initially identified. It acts as a buffer for risks outside the project’s current risk profile, providing flexibility to address unforeseen challenges that might emerge unexpectedly during the project. Schedule Compression Techniques Schedule compression techniques, such as crashing or fast-tracking, help reduce the project timeline when delays occur or unforeseen circumstances arise. These methods involve adding resources (crashing) or overlapping tasks (fast-tracking) to recover lost time, ensuring the project remains on schedule despite setbacks. By integrating these elements into contingency planning, project managers can effectively navigate uncertainties and ensure that their projects remain on track, even in the face of unforeseen challenges. When to Execute a Project Contingency Plan A project contingency plan is crucial for navigating the unexpected during a project. It provides a pre-established set of actions to mitigate risks and manage any disruptions that may arise. Knowing when to activate the contingency plan is key to ensuring the project’s success, and it should be triggered under certain conditions when the project deviates from its original course. Scope Creep Scope creep occurs when the project’s scope expands beyond the initial agreed-upon parameters without proper control or approval. This can lead to additional work, resources, and costs that were not originally planned for. When scope creep is identified, executing the contingency plan helps address the issue by realigning the project with its original objectives or allocating additional resources and time to accommodate the changes. Budget Overruns Budget overruns happen when the project exceeds its financial resources due to unexpected costs, poor planning or mismanagement. When a budget overrun occurs, it’s essential to activate the contingency plan to assess the impact, identify solutions such as securing additional funds or re-scoping the project and implement measures to keep the project on track financially. This ensures that the project can continue to progress without jeopardizing its completion. Project Delays Project delays can happen due to unforeseen events, such as resource shortages, external factors or changes in priorities. When delays occur, executing the contingency plan may involve schedule compression techniques or reallocating resources to recover lost time. It may also require reevaluating the project timeline to determine if adjustments are necessary to deliver the project on time. The contingency plan helps project managers minimize the impact of delays and maintain progress toward completion. Free Related Project Management Templates As promised, some templates can help with project contingency. These templates address risk management and action plans to get the project back on track. Below are links to those free templates, which are but a few of the over 100 free project management templates available for instant download from our site. These Excel and Word templates cover all aspects of managing a project. Contingency Plan Template Use this contingency plan template as part of the risk management process. It encourages the team to think ahead and develop strategies before issues arise. It’s fully customizable and can support projects across industries such as IT, manufacturing, construction and more. Risk Register Template Download this free risk register template for Excel to document and track potential risks in a project, including their likelihood, impact and proposed mitigation strategies. It helps with project contingency by identifying and prioritizing risks early on, allowing project managers to plan for uncertainties. Risk Assessment Template Use this free risk assessment template for Excel to identify, evaluate and prioritize potential risks in a project. It helps with project contingency by assessing the severity and likelihood of risks, enabling project managers to develop targeted mitigation strategies. How ProjectManager Helps Manage Project Contingency Templates are fine, but they are not the best way to plan for project contingency. That’s because they’re static documents and projects are dynamic. Templates must be manually updated and are poor collaborative tools. Much better to use project management software, but not all those products are created equally. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that has contingency planning tools like Gantt charts, kanban boards and calendar views that outline tasks, assign responsibilities and collaborate in real time. Task lists can be used to detail all elements of a contingency plan, including necessary resources. But there’s more. Effectively Manage Resources While human and nonhuman resources can be scheduled on Gantt charts, when making assignments, our software can set team availability, skills and pay rate. This streamlines the assignment process and ensures the right resources at the right time and place. To view resource allocation, visit the color-coded workload chart. It shows who is overallocated or underutilized and can balance the team workload from that chart. This keeps everyone productive without threatening burnout. To view a daily or weekly activity summary, use the team page. It can be filtered by progress and priority, plus tasks can be updated from that page. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Team-Light-2554x1372-1.png Get Real-Time Monitoring With Dashboards and Reports For a high-level overview of live data, visit the real-time project or portfolio dashboards that automatically populate with unique project data. They display easy-to-read graphs and charts showing key project metrics such as time, cost, workload and more to glean insights at a glance and keep contingency plans executed effectively. For more details, use customizable reports on status, variance, workload, timesheets and more. They can also be filtered for a more general view of progress, which then can be shared with stakeholders. Secure timesheets track labor costs to help stay on budget. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Portfolio-Summary-Dashboard-Home-Screen-Light-Mode.png Related Project Management Content Project contingency is akin to risk management and part of the larger project management process. For those who want to read more about this topic, below are some recently published blog posts that cover everything from budgets to risk response. Budget Templates for Business & Project Budgeting Manage a Project Budget with Project Budgeting Software The Best Risk Management Tools & Techniques for PM Pros Free Risk Management Templates for Excel Risk Response in Project Management: Key Strategies ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office or out in the field. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post Project Contingency: How to Get Projects Back On Track appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

Google is rolling out channel controls in beta for Demand Gen campaigns, giving advertisers more granular control over where their visual ads appear across Google’s ecosystem. The new controls, first announced in January and spotted in March, allow marketers to choose specific placements across YouTube, Gmail, Discover, and the Google Display Network — including the ability to target YouTube Shorts specifically. Between the lines. The beta release signals Google’s recognition that advertisers want more transparency and control over ad placements, especially as competition with social media platforms intensifies. The YouTube Shorts targeting option specifically appears aimed at competing with TikTok and Instagram Reels for advertisers’ short-form video budgets. The big picture. These controls offer three main benefits, according to Google: Creative customization: Advertisers can tailor content to specific platforms (like vertical videos for YouTube Shorts) Social strategy extension: Opportunity to expand beyond traditional social platforms while maintaining format-specific approaches Performance transparency: More detailed channel-level performance data for optimization How to access reporting. Channel-level reporting is available throughout the campaign hierarchy—at campaign, ad group, and ad levels. Advertisers can use network segmentation to break down performance across: Discover Gmail YouTube Google Display Network For YouTube traffic specifically, Demand Gen campaigns can be further segmented by ad format: Skippable in-stream In-feed Shorts Why we care. This update provides advertisers with control over their visual ad inventory on Google platforms, allowing for more tailored creative approaches and better alignment with specific channel strategies. With the channel reporting functionality now available, advertisers can also switch strategies according to performance. What’s next. Despite offering manual channel selection, Google still recommends most advertisers use the automatic “All Google channels” option, suggesting the algorithm-driven approach remains their preferred optimization method. The feature is in beta with limited availability, with Google promising additional features in the coming months. View the full article

The infamous “Am I The A**hole?” subreddit is making its way to the small screen. Hosted by Jimmy Carr, the new game show for Comedy Central U.K. will feature members of the public appearing before Carr and a panel of two comedians to reveal their deepest secrets and most bizarre disputes—before receiving judgement, per Deadline. The show is based on the popular Reddit subreddit of the same name, which boasts 24 million members at the time of writing. The subreddit’s creator, Marc Beaulac, is one of the executive producers of the series. Jimmy Carr’s Am I The A**hole? is being produced by STV Studios-owned Tuesday’s Child. Filming will take place in late spring, and the series is set to premiere later this year on Comedy Central UK, consisting of eight hour-long episodes. Steph Harris, executive producer at Tuesday’s Child, said per Chortle: Am I the A**hole? is only a question you ask if you’re convinced you’re right in an argument, but will our guests get the answer they’re hoping for when they share awkward real-life scenarios with comedians who pull no punches in delivering judgements?” Carr added: “Seems odd that anyone would ask me to host a show about a**holes. I should be grateful, but I feel a little insulted. I guess I’m an a**hole. Well, it takes an a**hole to know an a**hole, so I’m the right man for the job. “I’m very much looking forward to being Comedy Central’s Proctologist in Residence. There are an impressive number of a**holes in our country, and they’re finally getting the recognition they deserve on national television.” From giving your stay-at-home wife a written performance review (kind of the A-hole) to catching out a lactose-intolerant milk thief (not the A-hole), Reddit’s Am I The A**hole thread—also known by the acronym AITA—has become a safe space for people to vent anonymously and ask an impartial jury of Internet strangers: Am I in the wrong? Since its creation in 2013, AITA has evolved from a niche online forum into a cultural phenomenon, the subject of philosophical and demographic study and endless internet discourse. Over a decade on, it has inspired an entire ecosystem, including TikToks and podcast episodes dedicated to dissecting the most viral posts. Now, a panel of comedians and a TV audience will have their turn weighing in on real-life conflicts—offering insight, validation, or, in some cases, a much-needed dose of self-reflection. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Following a brief delay while Nintendo evaluated the ongoing tariff situation, Switch 2 preorders are back on. The company made the new date official last week, and retailers have been getting their stores ready for the likely digital stampede. If you're interested in picking up the latest Nintendo handheld-console hybrid, there are a number of stores to choose from. Here's when each plans to start preorders, so you can secure your unit among the masses. WalmartLike most retailers, Walmart's Switch 2 preorders go live starting April 24 at 12 a.m. ET. The store will happy sell you any number of Switch 2 games and accessories, but if you're just looking for the console or the Mario Kart World bundle, you can simplify your preorder that way. The company is advertising free delivery by 9 a.m. on June 5 if you preorder right away—the only store on this list guaranteeing such a timeframe. Nintendo Switch™ 2 System $449.00 at Walmart Get Deal Get Deal $449.00 at Walmart TargetTarget also opens up preorders at midnight tonight, April 24. It won't guarantee a timeframe, but like Walmart, you can preorder the standalone console, the Mario Kart World bundle, or Switch 2 games and accessories, like Donkey Kong Bananza or the Switch 2 Pro controller. GameStopGameStop is very excited about the fact that it is holding midnight releases for Switch 2 in June. However, it's not doing the same for Switch 2 preorders. In fact, you can preorder the console in person starting when the brick and mortar stores open, or 11 a.m. ET on April 24—11 hours after other retailers open their preorders. That might make GameStop a great backup in case you run out of luck with the midnight preorders at other stores. Like others, you can order the console by itself, or bundle it with Mario Kart World. Best BuyBest Buy is also launching preorders at midnight tonight. There isn't too much that differentiates it here, as it's the same deal as other stores: You can pick up the console, the bundle, or any number of accessories and games. NintendoYou can, in fact, preorder a Switch 2 from Nintendo directly—but it's a bit weird. First of all, you aren't really "preordering" a console through Nintendo so much as registering your interest to buy one. From there, Nintendo will contact you with an "invitation" to buy the console if you are selected. In order to be eligible for selection, however, you need to meet some odd criteria. In an effort to minimize scalpers, Nintendo is requiring preorder customers to connect their Nintendo accounts to the registration. Each account needs to have at least 50 hours of play time associated with it, as of April 2. That means you cannot create multiple accounts to try to game the system, nor can you apply if you just started your Nintendo journey after the second of the month. If you meet these specifications, go for it. It won't be necessary if you secure a preorder through any of the other retailers, but it could be another good backup option—if you qualify, anyway. View the full article

US president says Kyiv’s position is ‘very harmful to the peace negotiations with Russia’View the full article

Google quietly announced it will be ending support for a COVID-era structured data type The post Google Quietly Ends COVID-Era Structured Data Support appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

There are a lot of trends in generative AI right now. There are the reasoning models like OpenAI's o3, that "think" through each step of a problem before it answers. There are also "deep research" features that can compile information from across the web to generate reports for you. But perhaps the trend that is most "futuristic" of all is Voice Mode. This is the future 2013's Her promised: a chatbot that you can talk to like any other person. The chatbot doesn't say anything differently than it would if you were chatting over text; however, it responds in a "realistic" and "natural" voice, which could create the illusion that you're talking to a person, not a robot. I've never found the feature to be particularly engaging, even from big names like ChatGPT. The tech is impressive, sure, but it's still painfully obvious to my ear that I'm talking to a bot. AI companies haven't been able to shake these identifying quirks, but that hasn't stopped people from forming "relationships" with chatbots—even falling in love with them. What's more impressive to me is the feature's "vision" component. Some chatbots can not only talk back to you, but can access your camera to see what you're seeing, and incorporate that information in its replies. Both ChatGPT and Gemini offer these features, and now, so does Grok. Grok can seeGrok is the latest chatbot to gain this ability in its Voice Mode. xAI developer Ebby Amir announced the feature, dubbed "Grok Vision," on X Tuesday, noting that Grok Vision supports multilingual audio as well as realtime search. Those latter features are exclusive to SuperGrok subscribers, however. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. The feature is already live on my end. You can access it by tapping the existing Voice Mode option. If you haven't used this feature already, you'll need to grant Grok permission to access your device's microphone. Following this, you'll be able to start chatting immediately. However, to access Vision, you'll need to tap the camera icon in the bottom left corner. Here, allow Grok to access your camera. Once the feed is live, you can start asking Grok about what it sees. I'm not super keen on sending my live video feed directly to xAI, so I kept my phone directly on the table, so the video feed was all black. Grok, to its credit, tried earnestly to help me fix the problem, suggesting there might be something wrong with the camera, or that my environment was too dark. When I informed it that I had actually taken my phone up to outer space with me, it "laughed," and concluded that had to be the problem: "Ha, outer space, huh? That black feed makes sense now—no light out there, and the camera’s probably not designed for that environment. You might need a space-grade device to get a proper feed." This is the second big feature drop for Grok this month. Last week, xAI rolled out a memory feature for the bot, which allows it to access past conversations for more relevant responses. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. A reader writes: I recently interviewed for and accepted a job as a nurse at the very small hospital in my very small midwestern town. My lovely manager was very transparent about how they are big supporters of work-life balance, and gave tangible examples of how they support families, because they have “small town values.” She is clearly very proud of this fact and puts a lot of stock in being a “good” manager. I know some of the employees on that floor, and everything she says seems to be true and not just lip service. Well, I am pregnant (around 15-16 weeks when I interviewed) but, naturally, did not disclose this fact until I had a verbal offer from HR, at which point I asked about some unpaid leave since I won’t be eligible for FMLA. The HR rep asked if I had disclosed my pregnancy during the interview. I answered no, and she said something along the lines of, “Of course not, I didn’t think so, I’ll let your manager know.” Well, my manager said to me on my first day, “Congratulations on your pregnancy! I hope you know that I’m very supportive of families and you could’ve told me during your interview.” She seemed, and seems, very miffed. I responded with the usual stuff about how you never know until you know who you’re interviewing with, that the common advice is to wait, blah blah blah. Since then, I’ve committed to being aggressively normal and am planning to let her work out her angst on her own. My question is, if you are relatively certain that the place that you’re interviewing is family-friendly, and you suspect that your manager will be … sensitive to not being disclosed to, or to being perceived as untrustworthy, does it make sense to disclose? I am confident (and was confident during the interview) that they would have hired me either way. I feel like I lost some political capital with her. You can’t know if it’s safe to disclose or not, so you should default to not disclosing. Lots of companies say they’re family-friendly but aren’t. And lots of companies are pretty good at supporting pregnant employees who worked there for a while but might still balk at hiring someone who would be out on leave for months soon after starting. And some would hire a pregnant candidate for some jobs but not for others. And sure, maybe there’s a company out there that’s great about it across the board and would always happily hire pregnant candidates … but you have no way of knowing from the outside which category this company is in, which is why it’s always safer not to disclose until you’ve been hired. In some hypothetical situation where you’d seen the company hire a slew of obviously pregnant candidates, maybe the calculation would be different. Even then, though, you’d be taking the risk that they’d balk at it this time — maybe even because they’d accommodated so many maternity leaves recently, or maybe because this particular job made it harder to accommodate for some reason. A manager who takes that personally and gets upset that you didn’t “trust” her enough to disclose your pregnancy ahead of time is a manager who really isn’t that family-friendly at all. It’s not family-friendly for her to make it about herself and her feelings, rather than understanding that of course people need to worry about discrimination, and of course you don’t know her well enough to feel confident, and there’s a reason the law makes it clear you don’t have to disclose a pregnancy when you’re interviewing for a job. Your manager being “miffed” that you didn’t trust her, a stranger, not to unconsciously or consciously factor your pregnancy into her hiring decision (which is illegal but happens all the time) is a really odd reaction. You didn’t know her! You had nothing to judge on. And frankly, even if you did know her and still decided to use the legal protection afforded to you and not disclose, she’d still have no right to be miffed because discrimination is really common, and your right not to be illegally discriminated against The Presidents her desire to feel like a trusted ally. (Ironically, her response is proving that she isn’t really a trusted ally anyway.) And to add to all that, at 15-16 weeks you might not have been sharing the news with anyone. Ultimately, it’s just not info she was entitled to. As for what to do from here, being aggressively normal and letting her work out her angst on her own is exactly the right approach. View the full article

Treasury secretary denies reports Washington will make unilateral cuts to tariffsView the full article

Leo Robitschek says he loves gin-based martinis and negronis. Unfortunately, they don’t always love him back. “After two, that decision to have a third is usually a tricky one,” says Robitschek, who has worked in the liquor industry for more than two decades, including serving as a bar director for Manhattan hot spots Eleven Madison Park and the NoMad Hotel. To lessen the pain after a boozy night out, Robitschek joined forces with another bartender, Nick Strangeway, and the founder of the sparkling beverage brand Dry Soda, Sharelle Klaus, to launch Second Sip Gin. The London dry gin is 20% alcohol by volume (ABV), roughly half the level of most gins, and was formulated over the course of six months as “somewhere between Beefeater and Tanqueray” gins. Second Sip has a juniper forward flavor, along with angelica root, coriander, bitter orange, and licorice, so it can retain an array of botanicals that gin is known for. “Two martinis are better than one,” says Robitschek. “But hopefully, there’s no regrets in the morning.” The rise of mindful drinking Lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a spike in alcohol consumption as Americans were stuck at home with little to do. After life returned to normal, many consumers sought to reset their relationship by participating in Dry January—avoiding booze for the full month—and giving nonalcoholic beverages a try. All this coincided with the rise of Gen Z into legal drinking age, a generation that’s drinking less than other young people before them. But industry data shows that a vast majority of adults that consume nonalcoholic drinks aren’t exactly sober. More than 90% drink alcohol, too. And often, they will alternate between alcohol and N/A brands within the same evening, a social concept called “zebra striping.” “That idea of zebra striping and the consumer having two options results in this low alcohol space in the middle,” says Kaleigh Theriault, associate director of beverage alcohol thought leadership at research firm NIQ. “They can trust that the product is going to be moderate for them and they don’t have to be as conscious about making a decision between a non-alc and a regular ABV [alcohol by volume].” Lower alcohol sales total nearly $3.6 billion annually in U.S. grocery, liquor, convenience, and other retailers tracked by NIQ, but the category is also evolving differently across beer, wine, and spirits. Within beer, there has been less appetite for low-strength alternatives because major brands like Miller Lite and Coors Light are already naturally low in alcoholic content and the N/A brands that have emerged, led by Heineken 0.0 and Athletic Brewing, taste similar to their full-strength cousins. Redefining the buzz Fabian Clark says he enjoys N/A beers, but when he worked in hospitality and ran a restaurant in London, he consistently declined to stock Seedlip and other N/A spirits he was pitched. “For me, I felt they didn’t deliver on the flavor that I was looking for,” says Clark. After his restaurant shut down due to COVID, Clark cofounded Quarter Proof in 2022, launching with a gin and later a tequila and vodka that all contain 15% ABV, a level he says allows the startup to deliver spirits that retain a similar flavor profile to the higher proof competitors. “They’re not looking to abstain, they’re looking to moderate,” Clark says of the shifting consumer mindset. “And we feel that we offer seamless moderation. As we like to say, ‘All of the buzz, none of the blur.’” Stateside, Quarter Proof is only sold in bars and restaurants in New York and Miami, but Clark is in talks with a national distributor to bring the brand to additional markets. Clark also intends to move to the U.S. before the end of the year to have a more active in-person role building up Quarter Proof. Brandon Joldersma, the CEO of N/A wine brand Surely, says that the dealcoholization techniques changed the flavor profile too much for some consumers. “You really want to taste as similar as possible,” says Joldersma. “It’s just much more difficult to do with wine than it is for beer.” With that in mind, he launched the low-alcohol wine brand Arlow last year, with varietals including sauvignon blanc, rosé, and cabernet sauvignon, all with a 6.5% ABV and fewer calories and sugar than the full-strength wines. The brand is sold online in nearly all states and has scored wholesale distribution in New York as a test market. A category without clear rules NIQ’s Theriault says there’s no set guidelines for lower proof alcohols and thus the ranges for each category aren’t yet settled. Generally, NIQ’s unofficial definitions settle on beers under 4% ABV, and most wines under 10% and spirits below 30%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for upstarts like Arlow and Quarter Proof. “ABV math is something that consumers don’t necessarily do when at the shelf making a purchase,” says Theriault. “And probably not while ordering a drink while at a bar.” Beyond explaining the claims about ABV and better-for-you proposition for Arlow, Joldersma says he’s fielded questions like if Arlow adds water to dilute it (they don’t). “This is a brand new category that we are introducing and there’s some education that comes with that,” says Joldersma. Some say Americans are finally playing catch-up by embracing mid-strength cocktails like the aperol and hugo spritzes. “That lighter daytime drinking moment has always been part of European culture,” says Emma Fox, global VP for St-Germain elderflower liqueur and Martini vermouth. Fox estimates that globally, the aperitif and N/A-low alcohol segment is worth $11 billion and projected to grow 6% over the next four years. Google Search volume for the hugo spritz, made with St-Germain, prosecco, and mint, spiked by 130% in 2024 from the prior year and saw content on TikTok more than triple. St-Germain launched a global ad campaign with actress Sophie Turner last year to bolster the hugo spritz during the summer, when the cocktail tends to be more popular. To bolster popularity during the colder months, the French liqueur brand has also developed après-ski pop-ups at ski resorts. A new standard for bar menus Proof Creative, which conceptualizes cocktails menus for luxury hotel clients like the Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton, anticipates menus will soon be engineered to offer N/A, low ABV, and full strength options across every beverage category. Bobby Carey, creative director for bar consultancy Proof Creative, says the lower-proof brands are also emerging in response to some consumer pushback that the N/A brands were being sold at lofty price points on par with the full strength spirits and wines. “Why am I paying so much for a nonalcoholic drink?,” asks Carey, explaining a common gripe he’s witnessed. “If you can turn around and say, ‘This is still alcohol. It’s still giving you the same flavor.’ That’s a more winning proposition.” View the full article

Sen. Dick Durbin, the Senate's No. 2 Democrat, announced he will not seek reelection in 2026, concluding more than four decades in Congress. The Illinois lawmaker leaves behind a notable imprint on U.S. financial policy, particularly regarding swipe fees. View the full article

The president said he had "no intention" of firing the Federal Reserve chair and promised that tariffs against Chinese imports would be lowered "substantially." View the full article

Key Takeaways Definition and Concept: “Paying it forward” involves performing acts of kindness without expecting anything in return, fostering community and goodwill.Community Engagement: The practice builds stronger connections and relationships within communities, promoting a culture of kindness and generosity.Psychological Benefits: Acts of kindness benefit both the giver and the receiver, enhancing feelings of connection and fulfillment, and leading to increased customer loyalty.Real-Life Impact: Tangible acts of kindness can inspire others and create positive ripple effects, as demonstrated by remarkable stories around the world.Overcoming Misconceptions: Understanding that even small gestures count is vital, as misconceptions can limit the impact of acts of kindness.Daily Implementation: Practical actions, such as mentoring or buying coffee for a stranger, can spread goodwill and encourage a mindset of paying it forward in everyday life. Imagine a world where kindness ripples through the lives of strangers, creating a chain of goodwill that knows no bounds. The concept of “paying it forward” captures this beautiful idea, inspiring you to perform acts of kindness without expecting anything in return. It’s a simple yet profound way to make a difference, not just in someone else’s life but in your own as well. Whether it’s buying a coffee for the person behind you in line or volunteering your time to help those in need, every small gesture can spark a movement. By embracing the spirit of paying it forward, you contribute to a culture of compassion and generosity that can transform communities. Join the movement and discover how your actions can create a lasting impact. Understanding Pay It Forward Paying it forward involves performing acts of kindness without expecting anything in return. This concept builds community, fosters relationships, and encourages a spirit of generosity. Definition and Origin Paying it forward refers to the practice of doing something beneficial for someone else, often prompted by a previous act of kindness received. The term gained popularity in the early 2000s, largely due to the book by Catherine Ryan Hyde and its subsequent film adaptation. This movement emphasizes reciprocity through good deeds, encouraging individuals to extend kindness to others rather than directly repaying the original benefactor. How It Works You can implement pay it forward strategies in your small business. Start by showcasing goodwill through local events or community involvement. For instance, sponsoring a neighborhood event or partnering with local charities boosts your brand while strengthening community ties. You can also leverage social media marketing to encourage customers to share their positive experiences. Utilizing platforms like Facebook and Instagram for business allows you to promote local partnerships and community engagement through compelling content. Additionally, small gestures, such as offering loyalty programs or creating local promotions, encourage repeat customers and enhance customer retention. Word-of-mouth marketing often stems from these acts, generating organic buzz that elevates your local search presence and Google My Business listings. By integrating paying it forward within your marketing strategy, you enhance brand awareness and foster a loyal customer base, ultimately leading to greater business success. The Importance of Pay It Forward Paying it forward plays a crucial role in enhancing community engagement and fostering a culture of kindness. By embracing this philosophy, you can build stronger customer relationships and elevate your brand’s presence within the community. Social Impact The concept of pay it forward creates a chain reaction of kindness, inspiring individuals to perform good deeds for others, thereby strengthening community ties. Initiatives like International Pay It Forward Day showcase this impact, having inspired over five million acts of kindness across 70 countries. For small businesses, participating in local events and sponsorships represents a powerful strategy. Engaging in community endeavors not only boosts your visibility but also increases brand awareness through word-of-mouth referrals and positive online reviews. Psychological Benefits Paying it forward instills a sense of connection and fulfillment among individuals. When you perform acts of kindness, both the giver and the receiver experience psychological benefits, leading to stronger community ties. These initiatives can enhance customer loyalty as customers appreciate businesses that contribute positively to their neighborhoods. Incorporating local marketing techniques, such as social media marketing and grassroots marketing, helps you showcase your commitment to your community. Building an online presence through local listings and encouraging online reviews reinforces your business as a valuable community member. Real-Life Examples of Pay It Forward Paying it forward inspires communities through tangible acts of kindness. Here are some remarkable examples highlighting how individuals and groups influence others positively. Acts of Kindness in the Community Everyday gestures can significantly uplift your community. For instance, an Australian family, motivated by the Pay It Forward movement, prepared food bundles for frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This act not only supported local heroes but also enhanced community morale. You can adopt similar local marketing strategies by organizing small business events or local promotions, fostering goodwill and encouraging word of mouth. Notable Stories from Around the World Pay It Forward stories span the globe and illustrate the impact of selfless giving. One poignant example involves a stranger donating $10,000 for a woman’s liver operation. Despite the donor remaining anonymous, the woman’s gratitude exemplifies the powerful connection created by such acts. These stories resonate on social media platforms, encouraging local influencer partnerships and enhancing online presence. Sharing these narratives through local blogs or community newsletters can promote customer loyalty and highlight your commitment to community involvement. Challenges and Misconceptions Understanding the challenges and misconceptions surrounding the concept of paying it forward enhances your efforts in community engagement as a small business. Common Misunderstandings Many consumers associate paying it forward solely with grand gestures or financial donations. Some may believe that small acts, like complimenting a customer or providing an extra service, lack impact. This misconception minimizes the importance of everyday kindness, which can create a ripple effect within your target market. Emphasizing that any act contributes to goodwill helps clarify its significance in enhancing customer loyalty. Barriers to Practicing It Several barriers prevent businesses from embracing the pay-it-forward philosophy. Psychological Barriers: Research indicates that inequity aversion, the discomfort with unequal outcomes, affects willingness to give. Even when you know your kindness will encourage others, the fear of unequal reciprocation can hold you back. Social and Community Factors: Successful pay-it-forward initiatives require community support. If your local area lacks recognition of such actions, sustaining these behaviors becomes difficult. Engaging in neighborhood marketing and building local partnerships showcases the value of paying it forward to local consumers. Lack of Awareness: Many small businesses may not know how to leverage platforms like Google My Business or Yelp effectively to promote paying it forward. Incorporating grassroots marketing strategies, such as local events or sponsorships, can enhance visibility and participation. Fear of Negative Feedback: Concerns about online reviews or social media backlash can inhibit businesses from taking risks with their initiative. However, focusing on authentic customer connections can counter this fear and foster a culture of kindness. Acknowledging these challenges and misconceptions can lead to a greater understanding of how paying it forward truly benefits your small business and the broader community. How to Implement Pay It Forward in Daily Life Implementing “paying it forward” in your daily life consists of practical, straightforward actions that enrich community bonds and foster goodwill. Simple Acts You Can Do You can perform straightforward acts that make a difference. Mentoring someone in your field can help boost their skills and confidence. Paying for a stranger’s coffee at your local café can create a moment of joy and inspire them to be kinder. Offering genuine compliments to customers or coworkers enhances morale and creates a positive atmosphere. These actions can establish a culture of kindness in your small business, leading to increased customer loyalty and community engagement. Encouraging Others to Join In You can inspire others to embrace the “pay it forward” mindset by highlighting its benefits. Utilize your online presence, such as social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram for business, to showcase acts of kindness within your community. Engage with local influencers to amplify your message and create a ripple effect. Initiating local events or sponsorships can further encourage participation, fostering a network of businesses and individuals committed to supporting one another. Sharing stories of kindness through local blogs or your small business website helps motivate others. Celebrate these moments to build camaraderie and reinforce a sense of community. Conclusion Embracing the “pay it forward” philosophy can truly transform not just your life but also the lives of those around you. Every small act of kindness contributes to a larger movement of compassion and community connection. By engaging in simple gestures and encouraging others to do the same, you create a ripple effect that fosters goodwill and strengthens relationships. As you integrate this mindset into your daily routine or business practices, you’ll discover the profound impact it can have. Remember that kindness doesn’t have to be grand to be meaningful. Every small effort counts and can inspire others to follow suit. So go ahead and spread kindness today; you never know how far your actions might reach. Frequently Asked Questions What does “paying it forward” mean? “Paying it forward” refers to the practice of doing good deeds or acts of kindness for others without expecting anything in return. It promotes a cycle of generosity, encouraging individuals to spread goodwill in their communities. How did the concept of paying it forward originate? The concept gained popularity through Catherine Ryan Hyde’s book and its film adaptation, which emphasized the importance of selfless acts and their ability to initiate positive change in society. How can individuals implement paying it forward in their daily lives? Individuals can engage in simple acts such as buying coffee for a stranger, volunteering, mentoring someone, or giving genuine compliments. Small gestures can create significant impacts on both the giver and receiver. What are some benefits of paying it forward for businesses? Businesses that embrace paying it forward can enhance brand awareness, foster customer loyalty, and build stronger community relationships. Engaging in acts of kindness can improve their reputation and encourage positive customer experiences. Are there any misconceptions about paying it forward? Many people believe that paying it forward only involves grand gestures or significant financial donations. In reality, even small acts of kindness can have profound effects on individuals and communities. How can social media enhance the practice of paying it forward? Social media can amplify acts of kindness by sharing stories and inspiring others to participate. Engaging with local influencers and showcasing positive experiences can encourage a broader community to embrace this mindset. What challenges might one face while practicing paying it forward? Some challenges include psychological barriers like inequity aversion, a lack of awareness about effective strategies, and fear of negative feedback. Recognizing these barriers can help individuals and businesses navigate the path to generosity. What is International Pay It Forward Day? International Pay It Forward Day is a global initiative encouraging acts of kindness within communities. It aims to inspire millions of people to perform good deeds and recognize the value of generosity in fostering positive social connections. Can you provide an example of paying it forward in action? An example includes an Australian family who prepared food bundles for frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, uplifting community morale while supporting local heroes through their acts of kindness. How can I inspire others to pay it forward? You can inspire others by sharing your own acts of kindness on social media, engaging in community events, and encouraging conversations about the benefits of generosity. Highlighting these moments can motivate others to join in and make a difference. Image Via Envato This article, "Embrace the Spirit of Generosity: How to Pay It Forward and Transform Your Community" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Chancellor says a deal ‘can be done’ with Washington but insists Britain will not lower food or auto standards View the full article

Join us for a powerful strategy session designed to help you stay visible, profitable, and one step ahead in 2025. The post The CMO’s Guide To Winning In AI Search With Ahrefs [Webinar] appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Review part of package of measures aimed at guarding against Chinese products being diverted to BritainView the full article

The US lender told the FT it was shutting its Spanish Costa del Sol office as part of a strategy to ‘simplify the firm’View the full article

Google unexpectedly decided not to implement a new standalone prompt for third-party cookies in Chrome, allowing ad tech companies to continue using this targeting technology in the world’s most popular web browser. “We’ve made the decision to maintain our current approach to offering users third-party cookie choice in Chrome, and will not be rolling out a new standalone prompt for third-party cookies,” Anthony Chavez, VP of Privacy Sandbox at Google, wrote in a blog post. Between the lines. While Google is stepping back from the cookie prompt, a third party consent mechanism first mentioned in February, it isn’t abandoning Privacy Sandbox entirely. The company plans to continue certain initiatives, including IP Protection for Chrome Incognito users, scheduled for Q3 deployment. Industry feedback prompted this change, according to Chavez: “It remains clear that there are divergent perspectives on making changes that could impact the availability of third-party cookies.” Google also noted its ongoing engagement with regulatory bodies, including UK competition and data privacy authorities. Why we care. Google’s decision not to implement a standalone cookie prompt in Chrome allows advertisers to continue using familiar third-party cookie tracking without disruption. This provides short-term stability for ad campaigns and preserves current targeting efficiency across Chrome’s dominant market share. However, advertisers should view this as a temporary reprieve rather than a permanent solution, as the broader industry shift toward privacy-first advertising hasn’t disappeared. First-party data will still be the most reliable source of truth. The big picture. Privacy Sandbox has faced criticism following its latest progress report earlier this year, which acknowledged technical challenges in its proposals, particularly for attribution. Despite active participation from companies like BidSwitch (owned by Criteo), Index Exchange, and Raptive, feedback highlighted fundamental issues: The system’s 1:1 design conflicts with ad tech’s multi-party structure. Scalability and real-time data processing remain problematic. Publishers have hesitated to fully commit, prioritizing immediate revenue through header bidding. Latency issues and limited video support have hindered adoption. What’s next. “We’ll engage with the industry to gather feedback and share an updated roadmap for these technologies, including our future areas of investment, in the coming months.” Chavez stated. Industry observers have described Privacy Sandbox as being “in limbo” as experimentation with the initiative has largely stalled. Google’s blog post. Next steps for Privacy Sandbox and tracking protections in Chrome View the full article

A bold new building at Spelman College in Atlanta is all about breaking down barriers. Designed by the architecture firm Studio Gang, the Center for Innovation and the Arts is the new home for collaboration between students of science, technology, art, and performance at the historically Black women’s liberal arts college. It will provide a new space where Spelman’s programs in dance, documentary filmmaking, photography, theater and performance, and music can tap into emerging technologies from the worlds of science and computer science. Studio Gang founder, Jeanne Gang, says the primary goals of the project were to help the college better connect its programs and events with the broader community, and to help its robust arts and science programs have more opportunity to overlap and intersect. “Our job was to make sure that there’s fluid connections between them,” Gang says. The four-story building is a mashup of labs, studios, and collaboration areas, with a publicly accessible performance hall on the ground floor, and college-only learning spaces above. There are design spaces, a recording studio, galleries, faculty offices, and a tech-filled Innovation Lab for experimentation and prototyping. All this is built around a central atrium that’s lit from above by a large skylight and either visibly or physically accessible from nearly every other space in the building. This central space, known as the Forum, is meant to be used for events, gatherings, exhibitions, and, most often, design critiques for students studying a range of creative disciplines. “Even if you’re not walking right through the middle of the crit space, you’re always circulating around it,” Gang says. “So it’s a way of giving character to this space where these interactions happen.” Giving so much of the building over to a central atrium was a decision informed by Gang’s own design school experience, as a student, as a professor, and as a seasoned designer with several university buildings in her firm’s portfolio. “People are comfortable staying in their silos,” she says. “How can you make it natural for people that are from different disciplines to interact?” That thinking extends to Spelman’s expansion beyond its campus gates. Located directly adjacent to the campus, the Center for Innovation and the Arts was intended from the start to be a way for the college to spread its impact past its historical edge. After the project had to pause for a few years during the pandemic, this aspiration felt even more relevant. Gang says that during the early research her firm did for this project, they found a smattering of small art galleries in the surrounding Westside neighborhood. By the time the project picked back up a few years ago, those had grown and more had followed. “It has really developed into a more full neighborhood,” she says. “It made sense to us for this project to be a center.” It also stands out. The 84,000-square-foot building is a large square peeking out through the neighborhood’s tree cover, and bordering on a popular public plaza. Gang says the building was designed to counter Atlanta’s heat, with its upper floors forming a shaded canopy over the ground floor, creating what she calls a “porch-like” feeling. The rest of the building is wrapped with a slitted facade of sun shades that resemble a woven basket—a notable departure from the traditional brick buildings that make up much of Spelman’s campus. The baffles are specifically tuned to block sunlight and glare from each part of the building, with a tighter weave on the south and southwest. “They’re very functional but also makes it feel more friendly,” Gang says. “It’s not a hard exterior of solid brick, and this lets it be more in the environment, breathing.” All of which helps the building foster connections with the surrounding neighborhood. But the main users will be the students of the college, and Gang says the fluidity of the spaces inside were essential elements of designing a building so focused on collaboration and innovation. “The building creates the relationships that you’re going to have with other people, other creators, and your own work,” she says, “so it’s really important to get it right.” View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. The descriptor “science fiction and fantasy” serves as an umbrella term for fantastical stories all the time, but if you look closer, the genres each contain multitudes. A sci-fi/fantasy movie might be an alien invasion blockbuster; a bloody sword-and-sorcery epic; or a quiet, reflective fable. What these movies all have in common is the imagination to think outside of the world we can see from the window. Here are 30 of the best you can stream on Netflix right now. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) I wasn't expecting much from this adaptation of a game with an impenetrable mythology, and which had previously garnered a string of fairly dismal adaptations. Happily, it turns out to be unexpectedly delightful: funny, action-packed, and respectful of the franchise without getting bogged down by decades of lore. Chris Pine stars as bard Edgin Darvis, imprisoned after a heist gone wrong but hoping to be reunited with the daughter, who's since come under the influence of ambitious con artist Forge (Hugh Grant). Luckily, he's got help from Holga (Michelle Rodriguez), a barbarian with a heart of gold, who cares as much about Edgin's daughter as he does. It makes the case that IP movies don't have to be soulless. You can stream Dungeons & Dragons here. Blade Runner (1982) Back in 1982, Ridley Scott's influential Philip K. Dick adaptation painted a vision of the future back that we're still living with today (though the Cybertruck may well put the aesthetic to bed once and for all). Images of a rainy Los Angeles filled with impossibly tall skyscrapers, floating cars, and endless electronic advertisements are indelible, so much so that style nearly outweighs the substantial plot: Harrison Ford plays Rick Deckard, a Blade Runner for the LAPD charged with hunting down and "retiring" replicants, bioengineered humans who were created as workers but who've outlived their usefulness. You can stream Blade Runner here. Damsel (2024) Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things, Enola Holmes) is practically the face of Netflix these days. In this dark fantasy from director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 Weeks Later), she plays Elodie, the titular damsel, who's been offered into an arranged marriage by her family. It doesn't sound too terrible, until she learns that it's all been part of an elaborate ritual sacrifice intended to keep a dragon from destroying the kingdom. Lucky for her, she's far more resourceful than her in-laws give her credit for. First goal: get out. Second goal? Get even. You can stream Damsel here. Paradise (2023) Time is a literal commodity on this German sci-fi dystopia. Max (Kostja Ullmann) works for the appropriately named Aeon, a tech company that buys time (as in years) from the poor to extend the lives of its wealthy and powerful clients. He's great at his job, but it doesn't matter much when his condo burns down and he's liable for the loan backed by 40 years of his wife Elana's life. Suddenly married to a senior citizen, he's determined to get his wife's time back, whatever the cost. You can stream Paradise here. Nimona (2023) Based on the graphic novel from ND Stevenson, Nimona traveled a rocky road to the screen, surviving delays, company shut-downs, the pandemic, and pressure from Disney to tone down its queer themes. Luckily, none of that drama made it into the finished product (eventually brought to streaming by Netflix). It's a heartfelt, joyful, and funny fantasy set in a futuristic world full of medieval trappings. Ballister Boldheart, alongside his boyfriend Ambrosius Goldenloin, is about to be knighted by the queen, the first commoner ever to receive the honor. It's all good, until he’s framed for the queen’s murder and forced to flee, becoming the criminal that the snobs already took him for. Luckily (or not) he’s joined by Nimona, a teenager outcast shunned for her shapeshifting powers. The two work together to clear Ballister’s name, even as Nimona has things to teach Ballister about living authentically. You can stream Nimona here. The Old Guard (2020) The comic-inspired Netflix film stars Charlize Theron as Andromache, the sometimes-leader of a group of immortal-ish individuals who are already centuries old as the film starts. They generally work as mercenaries when the cause is right, but find their group starting to splinter in the face of a new threat: Modern technology has made it harder to hide their secret, and a pharmaceutical exec has plans to capture them, figure out why they’re immortal, and then make a sellable product. The movie’s a solid blend of comic-book heroics and mercenary-movie action, with a sequel on the way. Shortly after this, director Gina Prince-Bythewood made the historical action-drama The Woman King, also on Netflix. You can stream The Old Guard here. Circle (2015) It’s alien abduction for the Squid Game generation, this one picks up in the aftermath of a mass snatching. Circle opens on 50 people waking up in a dark room. They’re on platforms from which they can’t move on pain of laser-inflicted death, and they quickly realize they’re trapped in a game with simple, specific rules: Via hand gestures, they’re meant to vote on the next person to die (if not, someone is chose at random every two minutes). It’s a sick scheme enacted by would-be invaders, but it’s also a study of our species, and reaches some not-entirely-flattering conclusions about how quickly we’ll throw each other under the bus (er, laser beam). You can stream Circle here. Godzilla Minus One (2023) Eschewing the more-is-more approach of the American Godzilla series, writer/director Takashi Yamazaki offers up this reminder that Japanese filmmakers really know their monster king. A prequel of sorts to the original 1954 film, this one finds kamikaze pilot Koichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) encountering Godzilla multiple times over the years following World War II. That wartime trauma, which harkens back to the original film, lends this one a kaiju-sized emotional weight. Nearly as important: the masterful, Oscar-winning visual effects make Godzilla scary again, and the action sequences have real weight and stakes. You can stream Godzilla Minus One here. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024) Where the Japanese iteration of the franchise has gone back to Godzilla's roots for a deeper, more emotionally satisfying story involving that country's nuclear terror in Godzilla Minus One (also on Netflix), the American spinoff series is doing very well for itself with a bit of counter-programming. Leaning on the wilder and more outré elements of kaiju lore, director Adam Wingard and company toss everything at the wall to see what sticks; the result is goofy, colorful, and generally a fair bit of fun—if endless giant monster fights don't give you too much of a headache. You can stream Godzilla x Kong here. The Call (2020) I love a good time travel horror movie (a specific but venerable genre that includes the likes of Timecrimes, Triangle, and Happy Death Day). This one involves Seo-yeon (Park Shin-hye) visiting her childhood home in 2019, only to discover that an old cordless phone still works (never a good sign), and connects her to Young-sook (Jeon Jong-seo), living in the house in 1999. The two bond over shared experiences, but things soon go very wrong when Seo-Yeon tells the other young woman about the future, and influences her to make changes. It's clever and disturbing, with a solid high concept. You can stream The Call here. Reversi (2024) Did I mention that I like my movies with a bit of time travel? This effective Malaysian import stars Beto Kusyairy as Akid, a police negotiator who loses his wife and son to tragedy—fortunately for Akid, though, he has a genetic propensity for time travel. But each trip to the past knocks a bit off of Akid's own lifespan, and he soon discovers that trying to rewrite history can be at least as traumatic as moving on from loss. You can stream Reversi here. Ultraman: Rising (2024) This Japanese-American co-production reboots the beloved half-century-plus franchise with help of director Shannon Tindle and co-writer Marc Haimes (both of the brilliant Kubo and the Two Strings). Professional baseball player Ken Sato returns home to Japan when he inherits the mantle of (you guessed it!) Ultraman from his retired father. The stylish animation is lovely and there plenty of family-friendly action, but it wouldn't work half as well without the emotional arc: egotistical sports star Sato needs to reconnect with his distant father, even as he becomes the unwilling parental figure to an orphaned kaiju child. You can stream Ultraman: Rising here. Conan the Barbarian (1982) It might not be exactly what prolific writer and Conan-creator Robert E. Howard had in mind but it’s a lot of fun in a shirtless, sweaty, sword-and-sorcery kind of way. It’s the movie that kicked off a pretty cool cycle of ‘80s fantasy films, and also gave Arnold Schwarzenegger his big cinematic break. A long-haired James Earl Jones also offers up his second-most-memorable villainous performance as evil sorcerer Thulsa Doom. You can stream Conan the Barbarian here. See You Yesterday (2019) See You Yesterday tricks you into thinking you’re signing on for a sci-fi romp—an early cameo from Michael J. Fox seems to underline it. As it begins, young prodigies CJ Walker (Eden Duncan Smith) and Sebastian Thomas (Dante Crichlow) develop a time machine and plan to test it by traveling back one day and scrupulously avoiding making any changes. Shortly after, the Spike Lee-produced film takes a dark turn: CJ’s older brother is shot and killed by an NYPD officer who mistakes a phone for a gun. CJ tries again and again to save him, but is frustrated as each attempt goes wrong in a new way. It’s not an entirely downbeat movie, but, in the best sci-fi tradition, the high concept at its core has more down-to-earth relevance. You can stream See You Yesterday here. The Midnight Sky (2020) There’s quite a bit derivative in this George Clooney-directed film, but it’s also quietly poignant in ways that modern science fiction rarely is. That’s a very specific mode, but refreshing in its way. Clooney plays Augustine, a scientist with a terminal condition in 2049 who’s become one of the very few remaining humans alive on Earth after some unknown event left the surface contaminated with radiation. He discovers that a mission from a moon of Jupiter is on its way back to Earth, and makes it his mission to warn them that the planet is no longer hospitable—a mission complicated by the discovery of a young girl he feels the need to protect. You can stream The Midnight Sky here. The Platform (2019) OK, the metaphor is a little heavy-handed: In a large tower, euphemistically referred to as the “Vertical Self-Management Center,” food is delivered in a shaft that stops on each floor from the top down: those near the top get to eat their fill; those at the bottom get scraps. The Spanish-language thriller is wildly violent, but inventive, and it’s not as if real-life capitalism is particularly subtle in its deprivations. You can stream The Platform here. What Happened to Monday (2017) Tommy Wirkola, director of the recent David Harbour Christmas-themed action movie Violent Night and the upcoming Spermageddon, helmed this high-concept science fiction story about the perils of overpopulation. In the near-ish future, a one-child policy sees spare kids frozen cryogenically until such time as they can be either become colonists on another planet, or until Earth finds more resources—whichever comes first. Think Children of Men, but a bit goofier. Glenn Close is in charge of enforcing the policy, while Willem Dafoe plays the grandfather of identical septuplets. He comes up with a plan to keep all the kids out of the freezer: they’ll take turns playing at being the same person (Noomi Rapace, in multiple roles). Ridiculous, but fun. You can stream What Happened to Monday here. Rebel Moon (2023) Zack Snyder, late of the entire DC cinematic universe, inspires passionate opinions all around—but his science fiction Army of the Dead followup can't be faulted for lack of ambition. It's a multi-part (currently unclear how many parts that will be) space opera that blends Snyder's distinctive visual style with Star Wars-style action. Sofia Boutella stars as a former soldier who rallies warriors from across the galaxy to join in a revolt against the imperial Motherworld on the title's out-of-the-way farming moon. You can currently catch part one (aka A Child of Fire) and part two (The Scargiver), as well as an R-rated director's cut of the first movie. You can stream Rebel Moon: A Child of Fire here. The Curse of Bridge Hollow (2022) Halloween movies are valid at any time of year, so there's no reason to hold off on this family-friendly seasonal fantasy. The Howard family has moved to the town of Bridge Hollow just in time for the holiday, and daughter Sydney (Priah Ferguson of Stranger Things) couldn't be more exited about the town's holiday spirit. Dad (Marlon Wayans), on the other hand, is all about the science and hates the spooky nonsense—mom Kelly Rowland often left to referee. The family has to try to come together, though, when Sydney accidentally frees a ghost who makes an army out of the town's decorations. Whoops! You can stream The Curse of Bridge Hollow here. Bubble (2022) From Attack on Titan and Death Note director Tetsurô Araki and an all-star creative team, Bubble finds Tokyo cut off from the rest of the world when reality-bending bubbles rain down on the city (shades of Stephen King’s Under the Dome, perhaps). Anime fans were almost certainly on the lookout for the gorgeous, parkour-infused love story, but anyone who loves animation (or great sci-fi films in general) should check it out. You can stream Bubble here. My Father’s Dragon (2022) Based on Ruth Stiles Gannett’s 1948 children’s novel of the same name, and geared toward even younger audiences than the other all-ages animated movies on this list, My Father’s Dragon still has plenty to recommend it to just about anyone—along with more emotional intelligence than many movies made for adults. In the film, a boy named Elmer (Jacob Tremblay) and his shopkeeper mother, Dela (Golshifteh Farahani) leave their tight-knit town in favor of a bigger city—though the promise of better circumstances doesn’t quickly materialize. Elmer’s patience is rewarded, though, when a talking cat invites him to take a beautiful, candy-colored adventure. The movie is from the director of the The Breadwinner, set in modern-day Afghanistan, and Cartoon Saloon, production company behind animated movies like the beautiful Irish folk tale, Wolfwalkers. You can stream My Father's Dragon here. The Wandering Earth (2019) The title isn’t a metaphor: this Chinese blockbuster is literally about what happens when the Earth goes off-course, and the people who come together to keep it from smashing into Jupiter. The whole thing begins when a rogue red giant threatens to engulf the Earth within a century, leading the nations of the world to come together around building giant engines to shove us out of the way. It’s bonkers in the best possible way, with special effects that easily outpace those of many American blockbusters. The human element here is also a plus, as the movie makes room for a broad ensemble of interesting characters, suggesting that great things (like not hitting Jupiter) happen when people work together. You can stream The Wandering Earth here. Space Sweepers (2021) It doesn’t entirely reinvent the wheel, but there’s a refreshing focus on the underclasses of the future, without edging too far into the dystopian. I’m not the first to make a comparison between Space Sweepers and Cowboy Bebop, but, given the recent and speedy failure of Netflix’s live-action version of that cartoon, it’s not going too far to say that you’ll find a better encapsulation of Bebop’s spirit of rag-tag found family and its outer space western milieu here then in the live-action show that bore its name. What this one lacks in originality, it makes up for in engaging characters and extravagant special effects. It’s also nice to see a less American-centric perspective on the future. You can stream Space Sweepers here. The Block Island Sound (2020) Strange doings are afoot on Block Island, the most obvious of which are the vast numbers of dead fish that keep washing up on shore. More alarming though is the behavior of one of the local fishermen, Tom, who keeps waking up in strange places and generally losing time. His daughter Audry (Michaela McManus) works for the Environmental Protection Agency and is sent to investigate the mass fish deaths; she brings along her daughter and reunites with brother Tom (Chris Sheffield) along the way. Together, they discover no ordinary environmental catastrophe is to blame for all the dead fish, as the film blends the family drama and the eerie local events as it builds to a fairly chilling climax. You can stream The Block Island Sound here. They Cloned Tyrone (2023) This genre mashup from debut director Juel Taylor spins plenty of plates, and mostly manages to keep them from crashing down. John Bodega stars as Fontaine, a drug dealer in a Blaxsploitation-inspired world just this side of our own. Following a showdown with one-time Pimp of the Year Slick Charles (Jamie Foxx), Fontaine is shot dead, but awakens the next day in his own bed with nothing seemingly having changed. Teaming up with Slick Charles and sex worker Yo Yo (Teyonah Parris), he dives into an unlikely web of scientific conspiracy, the gist of which you can kinda get from the title. A sci-fi genre parody shouldn’t work nearly so well, but the stellar cast and assured direction from Juel Taylor sell it. You can stream They Cloned Tyrone here. Dune: Part Two (2024) The fickle nature of streaming means that you can only watch the second part of Denis Villeneuve's Best Picture-nominated epic on Netflix, so you'll want to catch that one first, then rejoin Villeneuve and company for the conclusion (for now) of the journey, and descent, of exiled Duke Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he joins with the Fremen of Arrakis to overturn the colonial rule of the Harkonnens—or perhaps just to restore his own power. With an epic, thoroughly cinematic scope, and tremendous performances, particularly from Zendaya as Fremen warrior Chani and Rebecca Ferguson as Paul's thoroughly relentless mother, Lady Jessica, it's a sci-fi epic like no other. You can stream Dune: Part Two here. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) This Fury Road prequel is every bit the thrill-ride it's predecessor was, even as it slightly dials back the action in favor of a bit more emotional complexity in and around our titular ass-kicker. Anna-Taylor Joy takes over from Charlize Theron as Furiosa, born into the Green Place of Many Mothers, one of the last remaining oases in a radioactive, post-apocalyptic Australia. When she's taken by warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth), she winds up on a decades-long journey to get home. Even after four decades of Mad Max movies, George Miller is still innovating. You can stream Furiosa here. Okja (2017) A Korean-language sci-fi fantasy about a girl and her genetically modified pig might not sound like an easy sell, but the movie certainly attracted more much-deserved attention when its director, Bong Joon-Ho, won one of the best-justified Best Picture Oscars in recent memory for Parasite. The darkly whimsical film that challenges the norms of the American and South Korean meat industries is very much its own thing, but fans of Parasite will recognize Bong’s mix of dark comedy, action, and hard-to-ignore social commentary. You can stream Okja here. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022) The director’s passion project, Pinnochio had a long road to the screen, but it’s hard to argue that it wasn’t all worth it. Set in fascist Italy between the wars, and told through stunning stop-motion animation, the beautifully moving film won a well-deserved Best Animated Feature Oscar. You can stream Pinocchio here. Blame! (2017) In the future, The City grows like a virus, endlessly in all directions, humans long since having lost control of the automated systems designed to run things. Those same systems now see views humans as “illegals” to be purged, so flesh-and-blood survivors are caught between the city’s murderous defense systems and the need to find food. One group of humans, though, is on the hunt for the existence of someone with a genetic marker that they believe will allow for access to the city’s control systems—a hunt lead by Killy, a synthetic human who might have the key. You can stream Blame! here. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. A reader shares this story: I recently received what I believe to be a scam job offer. It seemed too good to be true, and I should have realized it was a scam, especially since I don’t remember applying for the position at the company that supposedly offered it to me. The most obvious red flag was that it seemed too good to be true, and the text in the email was clearly copied and pasted from a template. Still, in the excitement of the moment, I almost fell for it. Here’s how it went down: First email: A seemingly legitimate email from someone within the organization asked me to reply “yes” if I was interested in being considered for the position. I replied “yes,” as I have been applying for jobs almost daily for the past three weeks. It’s possible that I applied for this position and simply forgot. Given the large number of applicants applying for jobs through LinkedIn, I can understand the need for email verification. The name of the emailer and the email address appeared to be real enough, but the emailer did not list a phone number or job title, just an address (which was listed below his name and is a real address for a corporation in Wisconsin). I googled the company, and they are a legitimate organization involved in energy infrastructure. However, the emailer’s name and email address returned no search results. I then googled the emailer’s name by itself and found real people on LinkedIn with similar names, but none of them were employed by the company the emailer claimed to be working for. I reached out to these people on LinkedIn to ask if they had ever worked for the company, and those who replied said no. Second email: I received a job screening questionnaire that was way too generic to be legitimate. There was also a deadline to return the questionnaire by a certain time on the day of receipt. It took me a while to answer the questions, but I made the deadline. I also noticed that the emails sent by the emailer were usually during evening/early morning hours in the United States — certainly, non-standard workday hours for a recruiter, unless they work a third shift. I should have noticed this sooner, but I was still overly thrilled to have been offered a seemingly legitimate job, so I didn’t pay attention to the timing. Third email: After sending in the questionnaire before the deadline, I received an email during those non-working hours telling me that I had “got the job.” However, rather than offering me a salaried position, they said it would be hourly pay with weekly disbursements. This was the first red flag I noticed, as the questionnaire had listed the position as salaried, and now it was hourly. The next step was for me to forward my phone number, physical address, and full name to an HR email address, which would supposedly begin the hiring process, and I would start training immediately. The second red flag was that the email’s text was clearly a copy-paste job — too many spaces between phrases, inconsistent font, capitalization of certain words, and still no job title or phone number for the mysterious emailer. The language also seemed unprofessional for someone working at a company involved in energy infrastructure. The third red flag came when the emailer mentioned that the company would be sending me a check for work expenses and equipment. Having worked in higher education for almost 20 years, I know that reimbursement and expense processes are never that simple, especially when done over email! I was about to reply with the details requested, but I couldn’t shake the “it’s all too good to be true” feeling, especially since I had never communicated with the emailer in person, over the phone, or via Zoom. I still didn’t know their position at the company or how to contact them other than by email. I’ve never been offered a job this quickly or this easily. It just couldn’t be real. So, I replied to the third email with the following: Just a few questions before I confirm or deny the position offered: What is your official position at the company? There is no phone number listed with your email — could you please provide one so I can call you? Please provide the phone number for a human resources representative so I can verify the details you’ve provided. No response as of yet. I even called the corporate headquarters of the company they said they were from and spoke with the head of human resources, and they had no clue who the person was and no record of anybody by that name working there or at any office, and asked me to forward the emails to them so they can investigate for fraud. I now understand how this happened: I have a website that hosts my professional portfolio, resume, and projects. I also list this email address as a contact, so it wouldn’t be hard for someone to craft a scam email based on the information available on my website. I was almost fooled, but it was the small inconsistencies in the text that eventually led me to question the legitimacy of this “job offer.” The most embarrassing part of it all is that I almost fell for it. It was the small things that really added up that made me really question if it was legitimate. Me again. A couple more red flags to note, as well: If that initial email literally just asked you to reply with “yes” … that’s weird and not typical for hiring. Something like “please let us know if you’re still interested,” sure. But “send back the word ‘yes'” is pretty spammy. Offering you the job without a single interview or giving either side a chance to actually talk to each other: huge red flag. It can happen in some pretty narrow circumstances, but it’s incredibly rare for professional jobs. Thanks for sharing this! View the full article