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France just unveiled its charming new TGV Inoui trains, and theyre a jealousy-inducing reminder that Americas rail travel renaissance cant come fast enough. The TGV Inoui is a high-speed rail system, running at around 200 miles per hour, that connects Frances major cities as well as providing connections into Italy, Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany. This Tuesday, the manufacturing company Alstom and the TGVs operator, SNCF Voyageurs, revealed the brand-new fifth generation TGV Inoui interior design at Pariss Gare de Lyon. [Photo: Alstom] The new train, which is slated to hit the rails in 2026, includes a delightfully colorful aesthetic, an ultra-sleek bar car, and expanded accommodations for wheelchair usersand its further proof that, for now, Americas rail system might as well be in the dark ages. [Photo: Alstom] An interior fit for a ’70s space age mood board According to Alstom, a team of more than 2,000 designers started entirely from scratch to create the new TGV Inoui cars, which are constructed in a modular format that allows them to be reconfigured in less than a day to suit the particular needs of each trip. The trains are made from 97% recyclable materials, have a 20% higher seating capacity than previous iterations (up to 740 passengers), and are 20% more energy-efficient than the fourth generation trains. [Photo: Alstom] While most trains tend to incorporate a monochromatic palette of gray or blue, the TGV Inoui cars are a fun experiment in color and shape. Designed by the French agency AREP and Japanese design firm Nendo, the cars feature a soft palette of primary red, blue, and yellow hues accented by rounded shapes. The combination of these comforting colors with the trains sleek metallic fixtures lends the whole interior a kind of 70s space-age aesthetic. According to a press release, the designers used the concept of flow as a guiding principle, looking to water currents in nature to inform the placement of furniture and colors. [Photo: Alstom] [The train] makes its way through the landscape, rather like the flow of a river, the release reads. The designers played with the idea of depth inside, with a strong horizon line running through all the elements and giving the impression of the surface of water. The flow is inspired by the soft shapes of pebbles and objects polished by water, which can be seen in the details of the seats and the lamp, as well as the use of darker materials in the lower section and lighter ones above. [Photo: Alstom] One of those polished detailsthe table lamphas been a constant fixture in all past TGV train designs, but AREP and Nendo have taken it up a notch. In the new cars, the lamps are the brightest element of the whole interior, rendered in a crisp canary yellow thats meant to serve as a touch of humor in every room. [Photo: Alstom] The bathrooms have been enlarged and touched up with a frosted window that lets in natural light. Shockingly large stairwells allow passengers to pass easily from the first to second floor. The bar car has been expanded to take up two stories, with a self-service grocery section (including full-size drink coolers) on the bottom floor, and an upstairs bistro space with booth-like seats for passengers to enjoy their meals. [Photo: Alstom] And, for the first time ever, the train now incorporates a boarding platform that allows wheelchair users to enter the space autonomously, as well as adding more accessible seating options and signage. It’s a design approach that goes beyond maximizing square footage to consider the travel experience of all riders. [Photo: Alstom] Why can’t we have this in the U.S.? While French citizens are enjoying the new TGV designs, American Twitter is busy lamenting the lack of similar transit options in the U.S. Under a tweet showcasing the new train cars, one user wrote, Trains would be the elite form of public transit in the US if they were fast, to which the original poster responded, sad state of things for the country that was literally built by railroad. [Photo: Alstom] As France moves on to its fifth generation of high-speed trains and, Japan has also added yet another innovative bullet train to its already advanced arsenal. The U.S. has yet to truly embark on building high-speed rail infrastructure. The closest weve come is Amtraks Acela route in the Northeast, which still travels at only 160 miles per hour. Most other Amtrak trains dont move much faster than the average car. To be fair, we are getting a bit closer to embracing passenger rail travel. Amtrak had a record-breaking year in 2024, moving an all-time high of 32.8 million riders between October 2023 and September 2024. The company is aiming to double its ridership to 66 million by 2024 through building new routes, updating some of its fleet with faster trains, and modernizing its amenities. Meanwhile, the private rail service Brightline has gained popularity in Florida and is currently constructing a line between Las Vegas and L.A., which is slated to become the country’s first truly high speed railway. Even with these advances, the U.S. is still light-years behind countries like France, Japan, Switzerland, and China. For now, well have to content ourselves with gazing longingly at the TGV Inoui and dreaming of a cross-country train trip that doesnt take 96 hours.
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E-Commerce
Getting invited to a first-round interview is exciting. Its a chance to highlight your interpersonal skills, tell your story, and share how you would be an asset to their team. The first interview is your chance to make a great first impressionbut more importantly, its where you can build a genuine connection, says Niki Jorgensen, general manager of client implementation at Insperity. To make the most of your first interview, experts recommend researching the company, practicing common interview questions so that you allow your personality to shine through, and create a connection with your interviewer. But here are some other ways to give yourself an extra edgeand make it to the next round: 1. Find your magic hour Before scheduling an interview with a recruiter or hiring manager, consider when you naturally perform at your best, Jorgensen recommends. Are you most energized and clear-headed in the morning, or does your creativity peak in the afternoon? Once you identify your magic hour, she suggests working to secure that time slot for a more effective conversation. Aligning with your natural rhythm ensures youre poised to perform at your best, says Jorgensen. 2. Create your logistics plan in advance We all know that GPS directions arent foolproof and that offices can be difficult to find, so if you have an in-person interview, make sure you know how to get to the interview location in advance, says April Brasher, HR knowledge adviser with the Society for Human Resource Management. Its helpful to do a test-drive beforehand to estimate travel time, then add an additional 30 minutes on the day of the interview to account for traffic, accidents, or parking, she explains. Planning exercises like this are indeed part of interview prep. Arriving early gives you extra time to prepare, she also notes. However, dont arrive to the interview more than 1520 minutes before the scheduled time to avoid making the interviewer feel rushed, Brasher cautions. 3. Tailor your attire with a subtle message Try and incorporate a hint of the brand or company youre interviewing with through a well-chosen accessory or a color that aligns with its brand identity, says Jorgensen with Insperity. This gesture subtly shows enthusiasm. Its less about wearing head-to-toe branded gear, but more about signaling subtly that you understand and appreciate the company ethos, she says. Plus, as an added benefit, it can also serve as an icebreaker. For example, if you were interviewing for a job at Wilson Sporting Goods, you may throw on your branded Wilson pullover, while still looking professionally put together, says Jorgensen. 4. Articulate how you can improve a company on day one Employers arent just looking for skills on a résumé; theyre seeking problem-solvers, good communicators, and individuals who can help drive the business forward, says Joe Galvin, chief research officer with Vistage. The best candidates walk into an interview already proving their valuenot just talking about itand they rise to the top by successfully connecting the dots between their experience and the companys challenges, Galvin says. These candidates research the company, understand its competitive landscape, and are ready to discuss how they can contribute from day one, he says. 5. Lean into AI Touting your AI skills in a job interview is necessary these days, says Galvin. AI proficiency is a competitive advantage today, but will be a must-have requirement tomorrow, he says. In your interview prep, weave in your AI expertise to show you are at the forefront of technology and innovation. 6. Practice and dig deeper Job seekers should role-play and practice interview exchanges to hone their craft and boost communication skills. Candidates should find a mentor, friend, or even use AI to rehearse their answers until theyre fully polished, says Galvin. Plus, be ready to respond to out-of-the box questions and be well-versed to answer queries about the company, its services, and mission. The job market is competitive. However, the candidates who do their research, communicate with impact, and demonstrate real business value will stand ahead of the pack, says Galvin. 7. Prepare your interview exit strategy As you research both the company culture and the person who is interviewing you, a vital component of interview prep is to plan how youre going to leave your interviewer with a strong closing impression. Prepare thoughtful questions for the end of the interview that show genuine interest in the company culture, the responsibilities of the role, the future trajectory of the position, and any other topics not yet addressed, says Brasher. In a pool of competitive candidates, experts say such preparation can distinguish you and leave a positive final impression with your interviewer.
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E-Commerce
Soon, when residents of a village in Floridas Miami-Dade County drop off their egg shells, banana peels, and other kitchen scraps for composting, theyll be helping restore the Evergladesand benefit a community garden run by the local Miccosukee Tribe. The Everglades are a massive wetland ecosystem crucial for the environment: Its the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States, is home to multiple threatened and endangered species, and is a significant carbon sink. The Everglades directly benefit people, too; the watershed provides drinking water for more than eight million Floridians, and Indigenous tribes live in that region. But that vital ecosystem is being threatened by soil loss, agricultural runoff, and encroaching development. [Photo: courtesy Fertile Earth Worm Farm] Pinecrest, which has a population of around 18,000 people, has had a free residential composting program for about two yearsthe first in Miami-Dade Countythrough a partnership with the Fertile Earth Worm Farm. Now, the village and the farm are working with the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida and the Love The Everglades Movement to use that compost to rejuvenate the wetlands. Through the first phase of the program, compost will go to the Miccosukees Swampy Meadows Community Garden, which grows vegetables right in the Everglades. [Photo: courtesy Fertile Earth Worm Farm] The project is made possible thanks to a $400,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded at the end of December, before the Trump administration was in place and started attacking funding and programs that use climate change terms. (There’s also additional funding from Pinecrest village and others.) Though the Everglades are crucial to Florida, locals can feel a sort of distance, physical or mental, from its ecosystem, which helps to make people feel separate from it, says Reverend Houston Cypress, a Miccosukee Tribe member, artist, and cofounder of the Love the Everglades Movement. Were trying to encourage people [to remember] were a part of it. Lets take a little bit more responsibility for our impacts on the place and use better practices, and walk softer and more in harmony with these lands and waters. [Photo: courtesy Fertile Earth Worm Farm] Adding more healthy soil to the Everglades could counter some of those threats, particularly agricultural pollution. Fertilizers from nearby farms run off into the Everglades, saturating the land with nitrogen and phosphorus that impedes the flow of water, chokes out native vegetation, and causes harmful algae blooms that end up killing fish. [Photo: courtesy Fertile Earth Worm Farm] But compost makes the soil healthier, which helps it hold onto nutrients so they dont wash into the water. If you have something toxic, you dont give it to the water. You give it to the soil, because the soil cleans, says Lanette Sobel, founder of Fertile Earth Worm Farm. It makes perfect sense that we’re giving this back to the Everglades, and giving this back to the Miccosukee, the stewards of the Everglades. The USDA grant will add compost drop-off bins throughout the village, and go towards community outreach, to educate and inform residents about this option. The hope is also to divert food waste from landfills, where it becomes a significant source of planet-warming methane, and from incinerators, which release harmful pollutants. [Photo: courtesy Fertile Earth Worm Farm] Why would you consider incinerating food? Sobel asks. Miami-Dade Countys incinerator burned down in 2023, but the county is considering building a new onethough no one really wants it. Sobel hopes this program can show residents about some alternatives for our waste: Instead of using intense amounts of energy to burn food, which also releases pollution, that food can be a resource for the soil. The program could also save locals, including businesses, money on other waste hauling options. (Compost drop-off is free for individuals, and local businesses can get a discount on hauling rates.) The organizations estimate that the USDA grant will have an economic impact of more than $8 million to the Everglades community as a whole, when considering impacts like the savings on waste hauling, the worth of the compost, how much it would cost to remove those nutrients from the watershed, and more. [Photo: courtesy Fertile Earth Worm Farm] Already, Pinecrests compost program has diverted more than 90,000 pounds of food waste from landfills and incinerators in about a year and a halfan amount equivalent to the weight of 12 Land Rovers. With the expanded drop-off centers and outreach, this project could divert around 390,000 pounds of food scraps per yearand help the Everglades in the process. Cypress hopes the projects also brings the community together. Hearing from and supporting the Miccosukee efforts on protecting the Everglades, we’re always learning about teamwork, about coalition building, about partnerships and friendships, he says. And so I think that that’s one of the cool things about this project, that we’re being good neighbors. Sometimes you want to invite your neighbor over for a potluck, and then sometimes you want to bring some soil for the next potluck.
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E-Commerce
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