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Governments chase illusory short-term cuts when what’s needed are routes back into lasting employmentView the full article

Berlin says new €150bn funding for defence industry should be open to non-EU partners, but Paris disagreesView the full article

Chancellor-to-be Friedrich Merz wants to expand investment in defence and infrastructure. The race to re-arm could be a much-needed boost for manufacturingView the full article

It is hard for a journalist to accept, but almost all events are ephemeralView the full article

Beijing accuses Ottawa of ‘discriminatory’ levies on electric vehiclesView the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. This comment section is open for any non-work-related discussion you’d like to have with other readers, by popular demand. Here are the rules for the weekend posts. Book recommendation of the week: The Uncommon Reader, by Alan Bennett. The Queen of England stumbles into a mobile library and develops a love of reading, which upends her life as the monarch. (Amazon, Bookshop) * I earn a commission if you use those links. View the full article

Pipedrive has released a new report, The Evolving Role of AI in Sales Workload Management, underscoring how artificial intelligence is reshaping sales roles and optimizing workload distribution. The report finds that AI is no longer just an automation tool but a crucial assistant that enhances sales efficiency and enables professionals to focus on high-value activities. According to the report, AI is increasingly being used to streamline administrative tasks such as data entry, lead enrichment, and CRM record maintenance. “AI is becoming the hardest-working assistant in sales, taking care of the repetitive administrative tasks that have long demanded valuable time from sales professionals—time that could be better spent building relationships, understanding customer needs, and closing deals,” said Sean Evers, VP of Sales & Partner at Pipedrive. Evers emphasized that AI acts as a “force multiplier, not a replacement for human judgment.” By automating key functions such as structuring data from sales calls and improving lead management, AI removes inefficiencies without disrupting sales professionals’ workflows. Key Findings from the Report AI adoption is accelerating. The report reveals that 80% of sales professionals are either using AI or planning to adopt it soon, a dramatic rise from early 2024, when only 35% had integrated AI-powered tools. Shifting focus from volume to quality. AI users are spending more time on strategic sales activities, emphasizing effectiveness over outreach volume. Sales managers lead in AI adoption. AI usage is higher among sales managers (41%) than among salespeople (31%), highlighting a need for broader accessibility and training for frontline sales staff. Optimized workload delegation. 60% of sales professionals prefer to delegate data entry and administrative work to AI, freeing up time for customer engagement and revenue-generating activities. Pipedrive’s report reflects the company’s commitment to equipping businesses with AI-driven insights and tools that enhance efficiency and profitability. As part of its AI-first CRM vision, Pipedrive continues to develop solutions that adapt to the evolving dynamics of sales teams, ensuring they remain competitive in an increasingly data-driven industry. Image: Envato This article, "Pipedrive Report Highlights AI’s Role in Transforming Sales Efficiency" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Pipedrive has released a new report, The Evolving Role of AI in Sales Workload Management, underscoring how artificial intelligence is reshaping sales roles and optimizing workload distribution. The report finds that AI is no longer just an automation tool but a crucial assistant that enhances sales efficiency and enables professionals to focus on high-value activities. According to the report, AI is increasingly being used to streamline administrative tasks such as data entry, lead enrichment, and CRM record maintenance. “AI is becoming the hardest-working assistant in sales, taking care of the repetitive administrative tasks that have long demanded valuable time from sales professionals—time that could be better spent building relationships, understanding customer needs, and closing deals,” said Sean Evers, VP of Sales & Partner at Pipedrive. Evers emphasized that AI acts as a “force multiplier, not a replacement for human judgment.” By automating key functions such as structuring data from sales calls and improving lead management, AI removes inefficiencies without disrupting sales professionals’ workflows. Key Findings from the Report AI adoption is accelerating. The report reveals that 80% of sales professionals are either using AI or planning to adopt it soon, a dramatic rise from early 2024, when only 35% had integrated AI-powered tools. Shifting focus from volume to quality. AI users are spending more time on strategic sales activities, emphasizing effectiveness over outreach volume. Sales managers lead in AI adoption. AI usage is higher among sales managers (41%) than among salespeople (31%), highlighting a need for broader accessibility and training for frontline sales staff. Optimized workload delegation. 60% of sales professionals prefer to delegate data entry and administrative work to AI, freeing up time for customer engagement and revenue-generating activities. Pipedrive’s report reflects the company’s commitment to equipping businesses with AI-driven insights and tools that enhance efficiency and profitability. As part of its AI-first CRM vision, Pipedrive continues to develop solutions that adapt to the evolving dynamics of sales teams, ensuring they remain competitive in an increasingly data-driven industry. Image: Envato This article, "Pipedrive Report Highlights AI’s Role in Transforming Sales Efficiency" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The postponement would pertain to Federal Housing Administration-insured single- and multifamily loans and other final determination dates that have not passed. View the full article

Damascus claims it has brought uprising under control but is now struggling to contain revenge attacks on AlawitesView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. When you watch a piece of media produced in a language you don't speak, you have a couple of options. You can, of course, turn on subtitles and follow along by reading. But in some cases, you can switch the audio track to whichever language you speak. This is called the "dub," and it usually requires voice artists to record the lines in this new language—in a way that matches the original tone of the show or movie. This requires time and money, something studios aren't always willing to part with. As such, not everything has a dub. But what if it could? On Wednesday, Amazon announced "AI-aided dubbing" for Prime Video. On select titles, viewers can choose to play an AI-generated dub of the script in either English or Latin American Spanish. Amazon says there are 12 titles that support this feature at this time, but only named three: El Cid: La Leyenda; Mi Mamá Lora; and Long Lost. The company also says "localization professionals" work with AI to "ensure quality control." It's not clear what that means, other than there are humans checking these AI dubs to make sure they aren't mistranslating or making other mistakes due to hallucinations. I have Prime Video, so I was interested to check out these dubs for myself to see how Amazon's AI compared to, you know, human beings. In my search, I couldn't find Mi Mamá Lora, but I could find the other two titles. In order to use the feature, you need to go into the language selector on the compatible title and choose the "AI beta." Then, you can experience what I experienced. El Cid: La Leyenda There are a few titles on Prime Video going by the name of El Cid, but the only one that supports AI dubbing is this specific option: a 63 minute-long documentary about Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, otherwise known as El Cid. I wasn't watching El Cid: La Layenda to learn more about this ruler from medieval Spain—I wanted to hear how well an AI bot would handle the English dubbing of a movie produced in Spanish. The results are interesting, to say the least. Most of the speaking in the documentary happens via voiceover, which is extremely hit or miss. ("Hit" may be too generous.) When you know the voice is AI-generated, you pick out the bland or odd inflections. It's classic AI-generated speech: items in a list are spoken in inconsistent tones; some words are slurred or artificially slowed down, as if the bot has had a drink or two. But in all honesty, I was expecting worse. This isn't like watching a documentary narrated by the TikTok AI voice. It isn't great (it's not even good), but it does offer a bit more emotion than I expected. The issues extend to the AI dubs of the documentary's interviewees. In many cases, the voice is quite awkward, stilted, and full of the inconsistencies mentioned above. At times, the voice is completely devoid of any emotion, and does sound more like a voiceover tool from years past, rather than the "high quality" AI voices we've come to expect. To Amazon's credit, it does sound like the AI uses a different voice for each person it is dubbing. That makes it a bit easier to distinguish between the different speakers, and spares you from having to listen to the same mediocre AI voice for the entire movie. Long LostLong Lost is a little more difficult to judge: The movie, originally produced in English, has an AI dub in Spanish. Since I don't speak Spanish, it's not as easy to pick out the robotic quirks your ear picks up on when you know the language. Still, Long Lost offered a different experience than El Cid, since this is a movie: You get to hear how the AI handles dubbing over actors. Like the AI voiceover in the documentary, these AI actors aren't as bad as I expected. I was anticipating AI voices delivering their lines totally flat, but there is some emotion here at times. No robot is winning an Oscar here, mind you: In fact, the voices can be quite awkward and lacking, reading the script too loudly, abruptly, or plainly. But, for some lines, I'm not sure I would assume these were AI voices if I didn't already know ahead of time. Even in more intense scenes, the AI does "try." When the character screams, the AI raises its voice. It's far from perfect, but it's an interesting experiment to see what the AI can do: In one scene, two characters compete in a game of "Chubby Bunny," in which each has to continue adding marshmallows to their mouths while still being able to say "chubby bunny." At times, the AI actually sounds muffled, and while it isn't "realistic," it's a nice touch. (Perhaps this is where the human intervention comes into play.) At other times, however, the AI sounds totally normal, while the actors' mouths are clearly full of marshmallow. Another interesting quirk: One of the characters starts speaking in French, so the AI track cuts out and the original audio comes in. It's jarring, because you can hear the difference immediately—not just the different languages, of course, but the difference in how the movie's actual audio sounds when compared to the sterile AI output. I'd like to try this feature again on a movie produced in Spanish with an AI English dub. I imagine it would be easier for me to pick out the issues, and to know whether more (or all) of the voices would sound totally fake. Is the future of dubbing AI?Look, there is no way I would genuinely enjoy watching an entire movie or series with an AI dub. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of human-generated dubs, so I have zero interest in one that, at times, sounds like a robot gunning for the EGOT. But I have to admit, the tech isn't terrible. At some points, the voices sound realistic enough for me to get the gist, especially when the voiceover would also be monotone and informative—such as during a documentary. And it's interesting that these AI dubs can incorporate elements from the show or movie, like muffled speech during a game of Chubby Bunny. I don't want to see any voice actors put out of work here. They deserve to get paid for their labor and audiences deserve a high-quality dub on the shows and movies they pay to watch. However, I do think AI dubbing could offer a compromise for the times when no dub is on its way at all: If a studio isn't going to pay for a dub anyway, it would be helpful to have a dub at all—even if it's on the robotic side. That would certainly help visually impaired viewers, who might not be able to take advantage of subtitles. Of course, it's naive to think studios will only use this tech for those specific uses, rather than eliminate an entire human profession to save some cash. To that end, I'd be happy if the whole AI dubbing practice ends here and now: It's interesting, but it's not good, so please don't replace real voice actors. View the full article

While they will never have the name recognition of the Amazon Kindle, e-ink devices from Chinese tech company Onyx International—sold under the slightly silly "Boox" brand name—are gaining a cult following in the U.S. I've reviewed three of its e-readers and digital notebooks over the past year, and I'm a huge fan. And if you're reading this article, you probably are too (or soon will be). I love Boox devices not only because they're well built and full-featured (though if you want more of my thoughts there, check out my assessments of the Boox Palma, Note Max, and Note Air 4C). I also can't get enough of their customizability. Nothing makes me crazier than trying to do something simple with a device, only to be stymied due to locked down software that doesn't want to let me. From side-loading books onto a Kindle to doing—well, basically anything unsanctioned on an iPad, big companies seem determined to only let me do with my devices what they want me to do. Boox devices are different: They run on an open version of Android that lets you do pretty much whatever you want. You can download any app in the Google Play Store, so you aren't tied to one e-reading platform. If you want to sideload apps, feel free: Plug the device into your laptop and it will mount right to the desktop. If you're truly ambitious, you can even install your own launcher to completely change things up. While all this freedom is nice, it also means Boox devices have a bit more of a learning curve than, say, a plug-and-read Kindle. So if you are the new owner of one of these fantastic devices—whether an e-reader or a full-fledged digital notebook—here are five settings you should change right away to get the most out of it. Set a one-touch refreshLike any e-ink tablet, Boox devices suffer from occasional "ghosting," or visible afterimages once you've turned a page. While the device will automatically refresh itself after a certain number of taps (touching the screen, basically), I like to set up a one-touch refresh that I can trigger whenever I want to. Depending on your device, there are a few ways to do this: a button or a gesture. Setting a manual refresh on a Boox device with buttons Credit: Screenshot by Joel Cunningham If you've got a Boox Palma or another device with page turn/volume buttons, you can map one of them to a screen refresh. For the Palma, it makes the most sense to use the Smart Button for this—that's the button on the left hand side of the device, which can do different things based on whether you press it once, twice, or hold it down. On my own device, I've mapped a manual refresh to a single Smart Button press, as it's the thing I find myself doing most often. However, you can also map a refresh to the volume buttons if you like (though I prefer to use those for page turns). To remap your Smart Button, open the settings app and tap Smart Button. Tap your preferred option (Short-press Function, Double-click Function, or Long-press Function) and select Full-refresh. Setting a manual refresh with a gesture Credit: Screenshot by Joel Cunningham Not all Boox devices have buttons, so if yours doesn't, you'll need to map a manual refresh to a gesture. (Though you can also do this on the Palma, if you like.) To get started, open Settings and scroll down to System Navigation. Under Bottom Navigation, tap More Settings. Choose the area of the screen you'd like to map the refresh to by swiping between the left, center, or right side options. Tap Custom and then choose Full-refresh from your list of options. Choose your cloud storage optionBoox devices tend to have generous onboard storage, but you'll get more out of them by linking your preferred cloud storage service on the system level. This will let you move files on and off the device without the need to plug it in to your computer. To start, open Settings, then Accounts. Tap Move to Cloud Storage in Library, then select your preferred option from the list. You have a bunch of choices, including Dropbox and Google Drive. Tap the one you want, then log in. Change your lock screen image and screensaver Credit: Joel Cunningham Boox devices have some handsome preset lock screen images, but if you want to make the device your own, you can set your own screensaver and wallpaper. This one is pretty straightforward: Choose Desktop & Screensaver in the Settings app—but if you want a custom image, you'll first have to get it saved to the right spot. The easiest way to do this is to find an image you like while browsing the internet using your Boox device. Long press on it and choose Download, which will save it to your downloads folder (naturally). Next, open up the Gallery app, tap your Download folder, and then tap the image you want. In the lower right, tap More and then Set as. You can choose to set it as the Screensaver, the Wallpaper, or the Power-Off image. Alternately, you can plug the device into a computer and manually add the images to your Pictures folder. And here's another helpful hint: If you want to create your own wallpaper image in Photoshop or Canva, the dimensions are 824x1648 for the Boox Palma. For the Note Max or Note Air 4C, 1404 x 1872 should serve you well. View the full article

YouTube is taking steps to crack down on gambling content. On Tuesday, the platform announced a new policy that bans creators from directing viewers to “unapproved” gambling websites through links, images, text, logos, or verbal mentions. According to YouTube, “unapproved” is defined as any site that doesn’t meet local legal requirements or hasn’t undergone review by YouTube or parent company Google. The new rules, which go into effect on March 19th, also include a new age restriction. Online gambling content will no longer be viewable by users who are signed out or signed in under the age of 18. YouTube has made two exceptions to the rule: content focused on online sports betting and in-person gambling. YouTube also made it clear that it may take down videos that “promise guaranteed returns,” regardless of whether the gambling site itself is approved. “We know this update may impact creators who focus on online gambling content like casino games and applications, but we believe these changes are a necessary step in protecting our community, especially younger viewers,” YouTube says in the announcement. This is just one in a number of recent actions YouTube is taking to protect younger viewers on its platform. Just last month, Google announced that it would start testing a machine learning model to estimate user ages more accurately, allowing platforms like YouTube to better tailor content to appropriate audiences. This also isn’t YouTube’s first pushback against gambling-related content. The company previously banned gambling ads for its masthead ad slot in 2021. However, this hasn’t slowed down the flood of gambling content from creators looking to cash in on sponsorships and affiliate programs. On YouTube, videos promising to teach viewers how to cash in on election betting and sports betting rack up hundreds of thousands of views. While platforms like Twitch and X already impose some restrictions on online gambling promotion, enforcement is far from airtight. On X, for instance, viral images often surface with watermarks from gambling company Stake, in an attempt to sidestep the platform’s rules and sneak gambling promotions into the feed. In 2022, Stake’s founders launched Kick, a direct competitor to Twitch, specifically designed to allow livestreamed gambling content and direct promotions for online casinos. In the wild wild west of online gambling, at least YouTube is making attempts to step up and protect young, impressionable viewers. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. While there is something special about a physical book, e-books are a great alternative for reading on the go (and building a library that doesn't take up any space). If you want to read on your phone, tablet, or e-reader, there are a number of options for finding millions of titles to borrow or buy. Your e-reader choice doesn't necessarily limit where you can get e-books, as some of the best e-readers (Kindle and non-Kindle) support a wide range of document formats, which you can convert back and forth using a service like Calibre and Adobe Acrobat, with some limitations. (If you're in need of an e-reader, we've broken down the pros and cons of some of the most popular options on the market, though you can also access content via various apps for your iOS or Android device.) On the flip side, where you buy e-books may limit where can you read them. For example, Amazon has eliminated the option to download your Kindle e-books to a computer to convert them from the company's proprietary .AZW3 format. That means you can read content only on your Kindle or through the Kindle mobile or web app. In addition to compatibility with your reading device, you should also consider factors like book selection and catalog size, whether you want to pay per book or have a subscription, and whether you want to borrow books or own them long-term. Here are some of the best e-book services to consider. Kindle BooksWhile you might be trying to get away from Amazon's services, especially if you're not already a Kindle user, Kindle Books is still one of the top e-book shops out there, with more than 6 million titles to choose from. You can buy individual books a la carte or subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, which allows you to borrow up to 20 eligible e-book or audiobook titles at a time (plus magazine subscriptions) with no due date, for $12 per month after a 30-day trial. Your books and reading progress sync across devices, so you don't lose your place. The downside, as outlined above, is that you can only read books on a Kindle device or in the Kindle app, so you won't be able to transfer content to another e-reader. And while Kindle Unlimited has a huge selection, including popular titles, you may not find everything you want to read is eligible, so you'll have to purchase some books separately. OverDriveOverDrive is the library service that loans titles to anyone with a library card at a participating library system. More than 90% of libraries in North American support OverDrive, and you can check out and read e-books through the Libby app on iOS, Android, and Amazon devices as well as via web. OverDrive is free to use as long as you have a library card, and the Libby app is easy to navigate for browsing, requesting, reading, and returning e-books with features like device syncing and offline access. However, the selection is dependent on your local library's catalog, and you may have to wait for popular titles. Plus, like physical books from the library, you have a limited checkout period before your e-book is returned to circulation—and if other users have requested the title, you may not be able to renew it. If you want to expand your options for library borrowing, you can also use Hoopla, which is similar to OverDrive and allows you to check out e-books to read on your mobile device. Rakuten KoboKobo is a great alternative to Kindle for both e-readers and e-books. The catalog has more than 5 million titles to choose from, which you can read on any Kobo device or with the Kobo app on iOS, Android, or desktop. You can also download Kobo books in EPUB or PDF format to export to other reading devices, and Kobo integrates with OverDrive/Libby for library borrowing. Kobo offers a la carte purchases as well as a subscription borrowing service called Kobo Plus, which costs $8 per month for e-books only or $10 a month for both e-books and audiobooks after a 30-day trial. Kobo Plus doesn't come with access to the full Kobo catalog, though there are 1.5 million e-books and 150,000 audiobooks available to choose from. Google Play BooksGoogle has a catalog of more than 4 million books available to buy or rent through Google Play. You can read books on almost any device (except Kindle) using either the Google Play app or by downloading as an EPUB or PDF file and transferring to an e-reader. The Google interface offers helpful recommendations, and the app syncs across devices with the option to read offline. Google doesn't have its own e-reader, but that makes reading more flexible than content purchased for Kindle. Bookshop.orgIf you want to support your local bookseller with your e-book buys, Bookshop.org is a great alternative to Kindle and Kobo. A portion of all purchases (whether e-book or hard copy) goes to an indie bookstore of your choosing, and you can read e-books through the Bookshop.org app on your iOS or Android device or in a web browser. The selection from Bookshop.org isn't as large as some other catalogs, and you'll pay full price for most titles, as there's also no subscription option for borrowing. Again, though, you are supporting local businesses with each purchase. Everand Everand is the audiobook and e-book arm of Scribd, and a monthly subscription includes access to both content types and a catalog of more than 1.5 million titles. The $12-per-month standard plan unlocks one title per month, or you can pay $17 per month for three unlocks (after a 30-day trial). Both plans include access to community-uploaded documents on Scribd. Everand e-books can be read through the service's iOS or Android app or on Everand.com. eBooks.comeBooks.com is a platform-agnostic shop with more than 2.6 million titles to choose from, making it a good option if you're not locked into a single device. You can download your books in one of several formats depending on your reading device (note that eBooks.com is not compatible with Kindle except for Kindle Fire). You do have to purchase e-books outright—there's no subscription option. Project GutenbergIf you're looking for literary classics, Project Gutenberg is one place to find them for free. First launched in 1971, the (now) online library has digitized over 75,000 books in dozens of languages, with a focus on content with expired U.S. copyrights. File formats are compatible with most e-readers and mobile devices, so you can download and transfer books anywhere you want to read them. You won't find popular titles or current bestsellers here, but it is a great option for books from your English class reading list. Other e-book servicesOf course, there are plenty of other places to get e-books. Those in the Apple ecosystem can purchase individual titles from Apple Books, which you can read on any device with the Apple Books app and share with up to five family members. Barnes & Noble is good choice for Nook users, with more than 4 million titles that can also be accessed in iOS or Android. Or look at platforms that offer discounted or free e-books. View the full article

ZeroBounce has released its Email Statistics Report for 2025, providing insights into email user behavior to help marketers optimize engagement. The report, based on a survey of 985 participants across four continents, details how individuals interact with their inboxes and what influences their email preferences. According to the ZeroBounce survey results, 93% of respondents check their email daily, with 42% doing so three to five times per day. While 35% of users spend less than an hour managing their inbox, another 35% dedicate between two and five hours each day to email. The survey highlights that email remains a crucial tool for both personal and professional communication. Among respondents, 79% stated they check their email for critical work-related messages, while 41% said they primarily look for discounts and promotions from brands. The study indicates that relevance is the primary driver of email engagement, with 46% of respondents opening emails consistently from brands that send relevant messages. Additionally, 67% of users prefer shorter emails, while 28% are indifferent to length as long as the content is tailored to their needs. The report also underscores the importance of permission-based marketing. According to the findings, 80% of people mark an email as spam if it “looks like spam,” while 55% report messages if the sender did not request permission to contact them. Additionally, 47% file a spam complaint when an email lacks an unsubscribe option. Frequent email campaigns can lead to subscriber fatigue, with 43% of respondents stating they unsubscribe from lists when brands email too often. The survey also reveals that while 76% of users check their spam folders, 25% only do so a few times per year, and 14% never review it at all. Despite the rise of alternative communication channels, email remains dominant for workplace interactions. Sixty percent of respondents identified email as their preferred work communication tool, surpassing messaging apps and other digital platforms. The report highlights the growing reliance on mobile devices for email access, with 64% of participants checking their inbox primarily on smartphones. Meanwhile, 25% of users never check their email’s Promotions tab, reinforcing the challenge for marketers to reach consumers outside of their primary inbox. ZeroBounce emphasizes that understanding these user behaviors can help marketers craft more effective email campaigns. The company provides email validation and deliverability solutions to improve inbox placement and minimize spam complaints. Image: ZeroBounce This article, "ZeroBounce Releases 2025 Email Statistics Report" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

ZeroBounce has released its Email Statistics Report for 2025, providing insights into email user behavior to help marketers optimize engagement. The report, based on a survey of 985 participants across four continents, details how individuals interact with their inboxes and what influences their email preferences. According to the ZeroBounce survey results, 93% of respondents check their email daily, with 42% doing so three to five times per day. While 35% of users spend less than an hour managing their inbox, another 35% dedicate between two and five hours each day to email. The survey highlights that email remains a crucial tool for both personal and professional communication. Among respondents, 79% stated they check their email for critical work-related messages, while 41% said they primarily look for discounts and promotions from brands. The study indicates that relevance is the primary driver of email engagement, with 46% of respondents opening emails consistently from brands that send relevant messages. Additionally, 67% of users prefer shorter emails, while 28% are indifferent to length as long as the content is tailored to their needs. The report also underscores the importance of permission-based marketing. According to the findings, 80% of people mark an email as spam if it “looks like spam,” while 55% report messages if the sender did not request permission to contact them. Additionally, 47% file a spam complaint when an email lacks an unsubscribe option. Frequent email campaigns can lead to subscriber fatigue, with 43% of respondents stating they unsubscribe from lists when brands email too often. The survey also reveals that while 76% of users check their spam folders, 25% only do so a few times per year, and 14% never review it at all. Despite the rise of alternative communication channels, email remains dominant for workplace interactions. Sixty percent of respondents identified email as their preferred work communication tool, surpassing messaging apps and other digital platforms. The report highlights the growing reliance on mobile devices for email access, with 64% of participants checking their inbox primarily on smartphones. Meanwhile, 25% of users never check their email’s Promotions tab, reinforcing the challenge for marketers to reach consumers outside of their primary inbox. ZeroBounce emphasizes that understanding these user behaviors can help marketers craft more effective email campaigns. The company provides email validation and deliverability solutions to improve inbox placement and minimize spam complaints. Image: ZeroBounce This article, "ZeroBounce Releases 2025 Email Statistics Report" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Google advises against redirecting all 404 pages to the homepage, recommending proper redirects or maintaining 404 status codes. The post Google’s Martin Splitt Warns Against Redirecting 404s To Homepage appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

More than two-thirds of the counties most at risk of a housing downturn were concentrated in five states, according to a new report from Attom. View the full article

Maybe a better question: Is the IRS trying to make it not work? By CPA Trendlines Research Go PRO for members-only access to more CPA Trendlines Research. View the full article

Maybe a better question: Is the IRS trying to make it not work? By CPA Trendlines Research Go PRO for members-only access to more CPA Trendlines Research. View the full article

Is Notion the right tool for those looking for a project management dashboard? A Notion dashboard would be ideal for monitoring project progress. It’s an essential tool for task management, whether using a business dashboard or personal dashboard. There’s no argument about dashboards. They are an important part of any collaborative work environment. But is there a Notion dashboard? Let’s find out, and if there is one, let’s see what it can and can’t do. Only then will readers be able to make an informed decision on the time-tracking tool that’s right for them. What Is Notion? Notion is an all-in-one workspace designed for organizing and managing various types of information like notes, tasks, documents and more. Users can create pages, add text, images, checklists, tables and even embed content from other apps. It’s a highly customizable tool, which users can adapt to fit their own workflows, whether for personal use, team collaboration or anything in between. It likes to think of itself as a digital notebook that lets users combine many different organization tools into one place but without the rigid structure. Some key features include pages and blocks, which can be text, images, a list, a table or even a calendar. Notion has powerful database features that allow users to organize information. It’s also a collaborative tool allowing users to share pages, comment on content and work together in real time. If this sounds project management adjacent, it is. But is there a Notion dashboard to provide a high-level overview of work? This might be software that can help with some projects, but without a dashboard, it’s going to fall short. That leads us to the big question. Does Notion Have a Dashboard? Project managers and their teams need dashboards. If there is a Notion dashboard, does it have the features that project professionals rely on to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as time, tasks, workload and more? Before deciding on Notion as the software to manage your project, take a moment to see if there is a Notion dashboard and, if there is, what it can do. Managing a project without a dashboard, or even with one that is not robust, is like driving blind. It’s not a good idea. Short Answer: Yes, Notion Has Dashboards Yes, Notion allows users to create dashboards that can help with task management. A Notion dashboard shows tasks and project progress via the kanban boards, tables or timelines. It can also show deadlines and schedules in the calendar view. Meeting notes and documents can be linked pages and embedded files. Progress bars and to-do lists help with goal tracking and other metrics. Embedded widgets and external tools make it excellent for custom workspaces, documentation and personal productivity tracking. /wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Notion-Dashboard-e1741362017728.png Long Answer: Notion Dashboards Lack Key Features for Project Management Again, yes, Notion dashboards do exist! However, users have to create them. On the plus side, they are customizable and flexible. But to reiterate, they don’t come pre-built and some features are lacking. These are not plug-and-play dashboards as found in other apps. Here are some areas where Notion dashboards fall short. No Native Gantt Charts or Advanced Timeline Features While Notion offers a basic timeline view, it lacks the dynamic Gantt chart functionality found in tools like Monday or Asana. Dependencies, critical path tracking and automated scheduling are missing, making it less ideal for complex project planning. Limited Automation & Workflow Triggers Unlike project management tools that support task automation (e.g., auto-assigning tasks, updating statuses), Notion requires manual updates. While third-party tools like Zapier can add automation, it’s not built-in. No Built-In Planned vs. Actual Tracking Notion doesn’t have native features for comparing planned vs. actual timelines, budgets or effort. You would need to manually set up formulas or external integrations, making variance analysis difficult. Lack of Workload & Resource Management There’s no workload view to show team capacity or prevent the overallocation of tasks. Unlike tools with a workload widget, Notion doesn’t easily track who is over- or underutilized across multiple projects. No Dedicated Project Portfolio Management (PPM) Features Notion is not ideal for managing multiple projects at a high level. There’s no native dashboard for tracking interdependencies, prioritization or risk across a portfolio, requiring manual database setups or external tools. Those looking to use a powerful dashboard for their projects will want to look beyond a Notion dashboard to the built-in and dynamic dashboards found in the award-winning project and portfolio management software of ProjectManager. We have dashboards for a high-level overview of single projects, programs and portfolios of projects, all ready to use when you are and delivering real-time data on time, cost, workload and more. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Light-mode-portfolio-dashboard-CTA.pngProjectManager’s real-time project and portfolio dashboards are better than a Notion dashboard. Learn more How to Make a Notion Dashboard Better With ProjectManager For those who are itching for a dashboard that can do more than the Notion dashboard, there is a workaround. Use the data from Notion to make a dashboard in ProjectManager. All it takes is a few steps and users will find that they’re can now monitor their project with more metrics for greater insights. Just start a 30-day trial with ProjectManager for free, no credit card required, and follow these steps. /wp-content/uploads/2025/03/notion-pm-import-dashboard.png 1. Export Your Notion Project Open Notion and navigate to the database or project page that you want to export. 2. Select the Excel File and Import Into ProjectManager Choose that file and export it into a CSV file. Then open up ProjectManager and import that file into our software using the Gantt chart view. /wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Gantt-import-light-mode.png 3. Add the Data to a New or Existing Project In ProjectManager, users will either create a new project or, for those who already have an account, they can add the exported file to an existing project. If you’re adding data to an existing project, make sure the project in ProjectManager aligns with the Notion project’s structure or manually match the task categories and columns to create consistency. 4. Choose What Data to Import ProjectManager allows users to import all the data from the Notion exported file or only the task list. Users can decide to add all data or choose specific task details such as task name due date, assignee, priority level and more. The software will map these fields from the Notion project into ProjectManager. To compare actual vs. planned data on the ProjectManager dashboard, be sure to set a baseline on the Gantt chart. You can then toggle to the ProjectManager dashboard view to access live project data. 5. Success! View Notion Dashboard Data In ProjectManager When the popup window says, success, that means the data is now in ProjectManager. This allows users to view their project on our robust project dashboard as well as have access to real Gantt charts, resource management features, automation, risk management, global search, version control and so much more. ProjectManager Has a Better Dashboard Than Notion Once users have a chance to view their project in our software and compare it to a Notion dashboard, they’ll quickly see how superior ours is. Our real-time dashboard is built in with access to advanced project management features such as progress tracking, cost tracking and slippage reporting. Let’s break it down. Project Portfolio Management Dashboard: While Notion can build a portfolio-style dashboard, it has to be manually set up and a database linked to it. That requires a lot of customization. ProjectManager has portfolio dashboards, which makes it easier to track multiple initiatives simultaneously. Planned vs. Actual Project Management Data: Again, Notion dashboards require custom databases and a lot of manual tracking. ProjectManager has planned vs. actual data tracking built in. Progress Tracking: It sounds like a broken record, but that’s what happens when describing the broken Notion dashboard. Instead of manually setting up progress tracking, ProjectManager has progress tracking with Gantt charts, task lists and, of course, the dashboard, and it’s ready when you are. Cost Tracking: Notion has no automated way to track expenses in real time. You guessed it, ProjectManager tracks costs directly in the dashboard, including labor, materials and other expenses in real time to set a budget and track actual spending against it. Workload Management Data: Notion can assign tasks, but lacks built-in workload management tools. ProjectManager can assign tasks to team members, track their availability and balance workloads to avoid overloading, with its color-coded workload charts. Slippage Reporting: Users better like manually setting up features that ProjectManager has built-in because that’s what they’ll have to do to get slippage reporting. ProjectManager tracks project delays and automatically highlights any milestones or deadlines that are slipping. It helps identify risks early and provides a way to act before the situation gets worse. Notion Dashboard Example Enough abstract talk about what a Notion dashboard can or can’t do, let’s look at an example to view this tool in a real-life scenario. Below is an actual screenshot of a dashboard from the Notion software. /wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Notion-Dashboard-Example-e1741364663682.png Let’s look at two widgets. There’s a today list on the left, which shows a list of tasks, priority, when they’re due and which project they belong to. On the right, there’s a list of projects. These projects are filtered by current and archived projects. How to Make a Dashboard in Notion Let’s now look at how to create a dashboard in Notion. It’s more involved compared to tools with pre-built dashboards like ProjectManager. Users have to create multiple databases and link them together manually. Then set up different views to represent the data in a way that works for them. At this point, filters and sorters can be added to tailor each view based on specific conditions like due dates, assignees, priority, etc. Users can then organize these views into a cohesive layout, which can get complex depending on the amount of information one’s working with. The level of customization in a Notion dashboard is a double-edged sword. It’s nice to design a dashboard how one wants, but it also means having to figure out how to make it work with one’s workflows. Notion doesn’t offer automatic analytics or reporting, though. To track slippage or budget vs. actuals, users have to manually input and calculate that information. Why ProjectManager Is a Better Project Tracking Software Than Notion Rather than doing all that work for so little return, not to mention pulling one away from the more important work of managing the project, users tend to prefer project management software with built-in dashboards. A Notion dashboard is a poor substitute for the real-time project and portfolio dashboards from the award-winning ProjectManager. Not only are our dashboards more robust, but they connect with a suite of powerful project management features that make them stand head and shoulders above the competition. Plan, Schedule and Track With Multiple Project Management Views For one thing, our software also has multiple project views, such as kanban boards for visualizing workflow, task and calendar views. But unlike Notion, we have real Gantt charts, which schedule tasks, resources and costs, add milestones, assign teams and more. Unlike other Gantt charts software, though, we can link all four types of task dependencies, which helps project managers avoid delays and cost overruns. Our Gantt charts can filter for the critical path, which means no time-consuming and difficult calculations. Then set a baseline and track progress in real time, comparing the planned against actual live data. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/critical-path-light-mode-gantt-construction-1.png Track Costs with Online Timesheets, Workload Charts and Reports While our dashboards offer a high-level overview of the project, other features can provide tracking. For example, our secure timesheets streamline payroll and allow team members to update timesheets anywhere and at any time with our mobile app for Android and iOS. But they also give project managers visibility into labor costs, which helps keep the project on budget. Color-coded workload charts show resource allocation, which makes it easy to see who is overallocated or underutilized and balance workload to keep teams working at capacity without threatening burnout. For more details, customizable reports on variance, timesheets, workload, status, portfolio and more can be generated with a keystroke. These reports are also easy to share with stakeholders to keep them updated. /wp-content/uploads/2024/05/timesheet-lightmode-good-version-lots-of-tasks.png Related Content Still curious about Notion or dashboards? No problem, below are links to more recent posts on those subjects and more. Notion Kanban Board: Key Features, Pros & Cons Notion Gantt Chart: Key Features, Pros & Cons Project Dashboard Template (Free Excel Download) Must-Have Project Dashboard Tools KPI Dashboard Template 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 Notion Dashboard: Key Features, Pros and Cons appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

I've recently rented a car in two different states. Both times I was asked if I wanted to pay an extra fee per day to avoid worrying about paying tolls—a crucial issue in some states, like Florida, that no longer accept cash on the road and sometimes won't even allow you to pay online. Both times I declined, and set my Google Maps to "avoid tolls." I was reasonably confident Google would keep me safe from an unpaid toll ticket, but my heart still skipped a beat when, a few weeks ago, I got a text message letting me know I had unpaid I-Pass tolls from Illinois. But then I took a closer look at the text. Missed toll texts are the latest scamIt turns out that texts purporting to be from a tolling administration telling you you have unpaid tolls and you have to pay up, or else face fines or even lose your driver's license, are the latest in an unending stream of text-based phishing scams trying to get you to give up your personal info (and your money). Transportation authorities in multiple states have issued warnings about these texts, which seem fairly legit at a glance. Typically they will purport to come from one of the major tolling programs—the E-ZPass in the northeast, FasTrak in California, I-Pass in Illinois. The text will inform you that you have an unpaid toll, provide a looming due date, and outline dire consequences for failing to pay up. Also included will be a handy, official-looking URL where you can make your payment. Accessing that link will take you to a site that invites you to enter your credit card or banking information to settle your fine. And I'm sure you can imagine what happens from there, because you've just given your credit card number to a scammer. How to spot a scam missed toll textAs scams go, this one isn't very sophisticated. The scammers aren't doing anything special to target you—they just have your phone number somehow and are including you in a mass spamming attempt in the hopes you'll be too distracted to notice the obvious signs the message isn't legit. So here are a few things to watch out for: Do you even use this particular tolling service? In the last week, I've received half a dozen of these texts. Some of them are for services I've used and could conceivably owe money (like I-Pass, which operates in Illinois, one of the states I recently visited). Others, not so much: I didn't even know California used something called "FasTrak" until I googled it. So take a beat to think: Is there a legitimate reason this tolling agency is asking me for money? I might have a missed E-ZPass toll, but I definitely don't have a missed FasTrak toll. Check the sender. One of the most obvious tells is the source of the text. Official automated texts will usually come from a 5-digit number. The texts I get telling me my E-ZPass has topped up, for example, come from "39769." Scam texts will more likely come from a full phone number, likely an international one, with an unfamiliar country code at the start (I recently got one from a number that began with "+44," indicating a number based in the U.K.). Another tell: If the sender is an email—especially if it's from a free email service like Gmail or Outlook (I've even gotten a few from Hotmail, which hasn't existed for years). Non-hyperlinked URLs. When a message comes from a legitimate sender, any URLs included will likely be clickable. Scam texts will almost always have non-clickable URLs, with weird instructions either telling you to copy and paste the address into your browser, or to respond to the text with a Y, and then close and reopen it. This is an attempt to get around an iPhone security feature. Conveniently (for the scammer), once you've responded to a text and then reopened it, the link they sent you before will become clickable, taking you right to the site that will steal your payment info. Look for other signs of an online scam. Chances are good the payment sites these URLs lead you to will also carry telltale signs of a phishing scam, like poor grammar, misspellings, or weird formatting. Luckily, all the ones I've been directed to visit via my most recent scam texts don't actually work, suggesting that the sites are being taken down as fast as the scammers can put them up. But I keep getting more of them, so they probably aren't going to stop trying. View the full article

Love ’em or hate ’em, the cicadas are coming. 2025 will bring back Brood XIV, the largest of all 17-year periodical cicada broods. Cicada enthusiasts surely don’t mind the noisy creatures. But if you’re someone who finds the constant nighttime buzz bothersome and live in one of the following 13 states, maybe consider investing in a good pair of noise-canceling earbuds. Brood XIV are expected this spring in Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Gene Kritsky, founder of Cicada Safari, a group that crowdsources and reviews data on cicadas, told USAToday that some areas will get more of the critters than others, and that based on historical data and the weather, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas can expect to hear the visitors first, starting as early as the end of April. “It takes about two full weeks for the great bulk of the cicadas to come out,” Kritsky said. “Once they start coming out at a specific location, that starts the clock. You’ll have cicadas at that location for the next six weeks.” And though Kritsky predicts that this year’s gang will be heavy in some areas, 2024 was a much busier (and buzzier) year for cicadas. That’s because 13-year cicadas, Brood XIX, and 17-year cicadas, Brood XIII, both emerged last year, according to the University of Connecticut’s research team. That was the first time the two broods synced up since 1803, and it won’t happen again until 2037. If you’re thinking that you’ve seen cicadas way more than once every 17 years, you’re not wrong. There are seven species of cicadas that emerge on different schedules. Four have 13-year cycles and three have 17-year cycles. Plus, most cicada species are annual, which means you can see—and hear—some species every year. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. International Women's Day, in one form or another, has existed since around 1909—placing the holiday's inception roughly in line with the early days of film. It seems fitting, then, to take a look at movies that examine and celebrate the accomplishments (and trials) of real women in history. This isn't an exhaustive list of movies about women who've changed the world (or at least changed their worlds), and there are plenty of very important women whose lives have never been touched by filmmakers (and others, sadly, with movies that aren't streaming—I'm looking at you Hypatia of Alexandria and Agora). But, like International Women's Day itself: It's a start. Colette (2018) Rural village girl Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (played by Keira Knightley) begins an affair with Henry Gauthier-Villars, the author known only, absurdly, as "Willy." He supplements his income by hiring ghostwriters to produce works to be released under his more bankable name and, when he realizes that Colette isn't without storytelling talent of her own, he comes to see her as a source of free material for the Willy brand. As her works become increasingly successful, Colette finds herself unwilling to be locked in a closet toiling for her husband, instead coming to assert her own artistic (and sexual) agency as one of the most important French writers of the last couple of centuries. Her ultimate independence and popularity among women readers helped to change the ways in which books are marketed while also broadening the range of topics (including a lot more sex, and not all of it straight) about which women could be seen to discuss in print. You can stream Colette on Prime Video. Colette (2018) Learn More Learn More Hidden Figures (2016) There's nothing easy about orbital mechanics (I'm told—I count on my fingers), and Hidden Figures tells a story of math involving three women: Katherine Goble Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer), and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe). Long neglected by history books, Hidden Figures dramatizes the stories of the Black women who performed complex calculations in an era before computers, and then became expert programmers once machines were introduced. Their calculations put John Glenn into space. You can rent Hidden Figures from Prime Video. Hidden Figures (2016) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Norma Rae (1979) Sally Field (who won an Oscar) plays the title’s Norma Rae Webster, based pretty squarely on real-life union organizer Crystal Lee Sutton. A factory worker in North Carolina is fired for running off a union sign on the company printer, leading to the climactic, indelible moment when she brings the factory to a complete standstill. One of the most memorable moments in American movie history—when Norma Rae stops the factory with her hand-scribbled "union" sign—is straight from history, and it made Sutton a labor icon. You can stream Norma Rae on Watch TCM. Norma Rae (1979) at Watch TCM Learn More Learn More at Watch TCM Live Nude Girls Unite! (2000) Sex work is work, and workers in the industry face challenges both universal and unique in fighting for wages or improved conditions. In the late 1990s, the staff at the Lusty Lady, a San Francisco peep show, were faced with arbitrary wage policies, racism, and lacked even the most basic job perks while dealing with problem customers without management support. When the staff threatened a strike, management wouldn’t even concede that what the women did was a real job; as though they were doing it for fun. So they got organized, resulting in a truly groundbreaking moment in labor history, even if sex workers still struggle for recognition. Filmmaker Julia Query actually worked at the club and brings a sharp insider’s perspective to this documentary. You can stream Live Nude Girls Unite! on Kanopy or rent it from Prime Video. Live Nude Girls Unite! (2000) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video On the Basis of Sex (2018) Felicity Jones stars as a young Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who, later in life, became the Supreme Court Justice most likely to appear on a T-shirt. The consequences of the end of Ginsburg's career are very much present, but the movie takes us back to the very beginning, with the Harvard law-school student caring for her ailing husband and young daughter while studying. Despite graduating at the top of her class, she's unable to find work until she's introduced to case involving a man who was denied a tax deduction for nursing care of his aging mother because the law was limited to either a woman or a husband. Ginsburg came to believe that a precedent in a case involving a man facing sex discrimination could be used in later cases involving women; while it didn't have quite that impact as precedent, it did lead to changes in law and Ginsburg's success paved the way for other women in American law. You can stream On the Basis of Sex on Netflix or rent it from Prime Video. On the Basis of Sex (2018) Learn More Learn More Harriet (2019) A woman aided by the Underground Railroad system, Harriet Tubman (played here by Cynthia Erivo) quickly became one of its most effective conductors, and is now remembered as the most important single name in the entire operation, an unquestioned leader who approached the quest for freedom with a religious (literally) zeal. Later, she lead soldiers in battle during the Civil War before becoming a leader in the suffragist movement. A $20 bill with her face on it seems like the least we can do, but in the meantime, Kasi Lemmons' thrilling and heartfelt, if occasionally formulaic, biopic will have to do. You can stream Harriet on Hulu or rent it from Prime Video. Harriet (2019) at Hulu Get Deal Get Deal at Hulu The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) Carl Theodor Dreyer's essential historical drama makes as clear a case as any film does for the distinct power of silent cinema, with Renée Jeanne Falconetti offering one of the medium's most profound performances. Interrogated by the French clerical court relentlessly about her belief in her own mission from God, Joan remains steadfast even as it seems that the very architecture around her is closing in to damn her. In the end, whether she's right or wrong, it feels as though Joan's defiant face is the only authentic thing in her increasingly confined world, and her status as a martyr to women in western religion is made secure. You can stream The Passion of Joan of Arc on Max, Tubi, and The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max Suffragette (2015) Blending real-life figures like Emmaline Pankhurst (Meryl Streep) and Emily Davison (Natalie Press) with leads more loosely based on actual suffragettes, the film explores the voting rights movement in Britain of the early 20th century through the eyes of 24-year-old laundry worker Maud Watts (Carey Mulligan). Though only reluctantly caught up in the struggle, Maud gradually becomes radicalized when she witnesses the cost that other women are paying for their activism. Helena Bonham Carter, Brendan Gleeson, and Ben Whishaw make up some of the rest of the impressive cast. You can stream Suffragette on Peacock or rent it from Prime Video. Suffragette (2015) at Peacock Learn More Learn More at Peacock Madame Curie (1943) Though there are elements of melodrama here, at least on the surface, this classic Hollywood biopic from director Mervyn LeRoy has a deep appreciation for the hard mental and physical labor involved in scientific breakthroughs. Greer Garson stars as Marie Curie, working alongside her husband, Pierre (Walter Pidgeon) as she begins a study of pitchblende rock that leads her to the discovery of uranium, and that begins a long and intensive process of refining the substance such that its properties can be fully studied. You can rent Madame Curie from Prime Video. Madame Curie (1943) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Little Women (2019) While decidedly not a biography, this specific adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's 1868 novel does a better job than many biopics at capturing something of the spirit of the author. Played here by Saoirse Ronan, Jo March has always been a bit of a stand-in for the similarly unconventional Alcott, a parallel that director Greta Gerwig takes a step further in the movie's climax. She deliberately blends the novel's reality with Alcott's life story, reminding the viewer that Little Women, while groundbreaking, wasn't entirely the book that Alcott set out to write. There's a great biopic about Alcott yet to be made, but, in the meantime, this 2019 adaptation of her most influential work pays tribute to the writer in smart ways. You can rent Little Women from Prime Video. Little Women (2019) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Barbie (2023) Sticking with Greta Gerwig for a moment, and on the subject of movies that come at their subjects sideways, Barbie pays tremendous tribute to the doll's creator Ruth Handler (played here Rhea Perlman), even as the inventor and magnate only gets limited screen time. Set in matriarchal Barbieland, the film finds Margot Robbie's Barbie doll escaping into the real world to discover both her own worth as an icon and the limitations placed on her that she's never understood. After a couple of cameos, Ruth shows up in the final act to put a button on her creation's journey, both in the movie and in the real world. A full-length biopic about the creation of Mattel (and Handler's IRS issues) could doubtless be fascinating, but couldn't possibly do a better job of relaying her cultural impact. You can stream Barbie on Netflix and Max or rent it from Prime Video. Barbie (2023) at Max Learn More Learn More at Max The Death and Life of Martha P. Johnson (2017) Using a belated investigation into Johnson' mysterious death as a framing device, the film follows activist Victoria Cruz's exploration of the lives of Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and other key figures in the early days of the gay liberation and trans rights movements. While death is the starting point, the movie focuses on the messy and strident vibrancy of Johnson's life and work, and speaks to the challenges and sacrifices for the progress that's been made (and sometimes un-made) in LGBTQIA+ equality. You can stream The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson on Netflix. The Death and Life of Martha P. Johnson (2017) at Netflix Learn More Learn More at Netflix Queen of Katwe (2016) A kid from one of Kampala, Uganda's biggest slums, forced to drop out of school at age nine, Phiona Mutesi (Madina Nalwanga) had the good fortune to meet chess coach Robert Katende (David Oyelowo) at a young age. This smart, feel-good movie charts her real-life progress to the top of the chess rankings first in Uganda, before she competes globally. It might be a bit early to suggest that Mutesi has changed history (her first Candidate title came in 2012), but she's certainly providing inspiration for Ugandan women across a number of fields. You can stream Queen of Katwe on Disney+ or rent it from Prime Video. Queen of Katwe (2016) at Disney+ Learn More Learn More at Disney+ Frida (2002) Stepping from the shadow of her, at one time, more famous husband Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina), Frida Kahlo became one of Mexico's most important artists, blending intimate themes with revolutionary ideas and blurring gender lines—as she did in her own life—and chronicling her own disabilities in ways unheard of at the time. She and her art gave voice to a budding Mexican nationalist movement, and her life serves as a reminder that art can move nations at least as powerfully as traditional politics. Salma Hayek stars in this ultra-stylish adaptation from director Julie Taymor, one that earned multiple Academy Award nominations. You can stream Frida on Paramount+ or rent it from Prime Video. Frida (2002) at Paramount+ Learn More Learn More at Paramount+ Elizabeth (1998) Cate Blanchett plays Queen Elizabeth I, a woman of whom you might have heard, a wildly unlikely heir to the throne of England who became the modern British monarchy, securing her country militarily in a fraught time while solidifying a religious framework that's with us to this day. In many ways, it’s a film about choices: We meet Elizabeth first as a young woman with no expectation of rule, but see that, as she gains power, her options contract rather than expand. Given the enormous pressure to select a husband, and the limitations placed on her choice, she ultimately opts for public celibacy as the “Virgin Queen,” reflecting, in a way, the impossible divide modern women must often navigate between career and family. Women in history are often seen working behind the scenes to change the world but, in Elizabeth, we have someone who very much took center stage. You can stream Elizabeth on Starz or rent it from Prime Video. Elizabeth (1998) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The Lady (2011) Aung San Suu Kyi's legacy has been complicated by failures of leadership (to say the least) during her later role as State Counsellor of Myanmar, but there's no question that her impact on the history of that country and its halting moves away from military rule has been immense. The daughter of an independence leader, the movie sees her living a comfortable life in England before being drawn into the politics of her homeland, becoming a leader and figurehead for independence and democracy. Michelle Yeoh gives a thoroughly impressive performance as the complex Nobel laureate. You can stream The Lady on Tubi or rent it from Prime Video. The Lady (2011) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Battle of the Sexes (2017) Emma Stone and Steve Carell star here as Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in the lead-up to the titular "Battle of the Sexes" in 1973. King is a top women's tennis player, frustrated that the payouts for matches are dramatically lower than anything men would be expected to play for. Riggs, meanwhile, is struggling in his marriage and finances because of a gambling addiction. He hits upon the idea of a flashy, money-making exhibition match with a very reluctant King, reasoning that, even well past his prime, he's perfectly capable of beating even the best woman player. She's eventually convinced to join in and the rest is sports (and queer) history. You can rent Battle of the Sexes from Prime Video. Battle of the Sexes (2017) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video View the full article

McDonald’s, Wingstop, and Starbucks are among Gen Z’s most popular and appealing restaurant brands, according to Dcdx’s new Magnetic 100: Restaurants report, measured by organic, user-generated content. The report looks at what young consumers spent their hard-earned money on in the first quarter of 2025, noting which brands attracted the most organic conversations, either by generating online buzz or through word-of-mouth, including during big cultural moments such as the Super Bowl and holidays like Valentine’s Day. Some surprising names to crack Dcdx’s top-10 roster this year were Crumbl Cookies (#6) and Raising Cane’s (#7), a fast-casual chain specializing in chicken fingers. Here’s the top 10 rankings from the new Magnetic 100: Restaurants: McDonald’s Wingstop Starbucks Chipotle Taco Bell Crumbl Cookies Raising Cane’s KFC Chick-fil-A Subway It’s worth noting that some of the top brands have had success with special-item offerings for a limited time, such as McDonald’s, which has collaborated with popular celebrities in creating some special-edition meals; and Crumbl, which features a rotating menu of cookie flavors. Gen Z’s spending power grows A lot has been written about Gen Z’s spending habits, mostly because the 12-to-27-year-old demographic’s spending power is expected to grow to $12 trillion by 2030, according to Nielsen. That would make it the wealthiest generation to date, giving it significant influence over the products retailers and manufacturers choose to sell, both now and in the future. It’s also the largest generation in history, making up more than 25% of the global population. The report makes clear that brands aren’t just competing for dollars, but also for a share in an ongoing and crowded online conversation. For example, the report’s top 100 brands racked up 7.78 billion total engagements, with McDonald’s, the leading brand, generating 1 billion engagements alone. Of the 139 total restaurant brands analyzed in the report, the top 6 brands drove more than 50% of the conversation in the restaurant category, representing nearly 4 billion engagements. View the full article