Needles pierce fabric and carry thread through it, allowing the user to stitch together materials.

FORBES: No. 13 The Needle

While we could define these missions by their tragic endings, I prefer to reflect on the common thread that weaves their stories together.

FORBES: Connect

The ability to pull together all these messages from different systems into a unified thread is definitely valuable in some contexts.

FORBES: Facebook Messages Isn't A Gmail Killer -- And That's The Problem

Water is the common thread that links together much of what you addressed: poverty reduction, food security, and reducing vulnerability to disasters.

ECONOMIST: Letters