Over the past few weeks, Republican lawmakers around the country holding town halls have faced angry questioning and booing from their constituents who are upset with mass federal layoffs, among other controversial moves by the Trump administration. Now, after a series of (televised) tense confrontations, Congressional Republicans have been advised to hold their historically in-person town halls online.Its hard not to note the irony here: The same party thats requiring federal employees to work in-person full-time has suddenly learned to embrace the conceptual power of a Zoom meeting (aka, remote) conducted from a distance. All it took, apparently, was some in-person criticism from their own voters.In response to the onslaught of hostile instances, the chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) encouraged members to host town halls on Facebook Live and other virtual platforms, ABC News reported. Remote meetings would give them more control over the event, such as being able to screen questions in advance and conceivably have the ability to mute a particularly agitated constituent, or 10. The news comes after Kansas Senator Roger Marshall was booed at a town hall he held Tuesday in a hospital. At a Texas GOP town hall on Saturday, a raucous crowd continually heckled Rep. Keith Self. And a few weeks earlier, Georgia Rep. Rich McCormick faced intense criticism at a town hall in Georgia, where a constituent told him: We are all fricking pissed off.After the NRCCs meeting, House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters that many of the disruptions in the town halls came from professional protestors. There is no evidence that this is true.The move to take town halls virtual has elicited backlash from voters because they want their local representatives to hear their anger, feel their pain, and be held publicly accountable for what this GOP administration is doing. Several petitions have circulated urging these lawmakers back into the public eye, to stop hiding behind a screen. One, asking Senator Thom Tillis to hold a Charlotte town hall, has garnered more than a thousand verified signatures at press time. And several similar petitions are popping up on Change.org, a site that allows anyone to create and post a petition and circulate it online to acquire a requisite number of signatures. In a Tuesday morning X post, former vice presidential candidate Governor Tim Walz offered to host in-person town halls in lieu of Republican lawmakers who are now refusing to.If your Republican representative wont meet with you because their agenda is so unpopular, maybe a Democrat will, Governor Walz wrote. Hell, maybe I will. If your congressman refuses to meet, Ill come host an event in their district to help local Democrats beat em.

Women bring immense value to creative fields like product design and industrial design, but studies indicate that they make up only 19 to 22 percent of the workforce in developed countries like the U.K. and the U.S. This highlights the need for greater representation. However, women have reshaped design leadership in recent years by spearheading projects and introducing initiatives that drive innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability across diverse creative design fields.They also bring in a unique blend of skills and qualities that make them outstanding designers, shaping products that are functional, aesthetically pleasing, and deeply user-centric. Beyond their role in design, women have the extraordinary power to create life, which is a testament to their strength, resilience, and nurturing nature. On this Womens Day, lets recognize how the unique qualities of women contribute to more thoughtful and efficient design solutions that can cater to a wider audience.1. Emphasis on Function and AestheticsDesigner: Carla Baz, United Arab Emirates, LebanonModern product design seamlessly integrates diverse perspectives, particularly the unique insights of women, to enhance both aesthetics and usability. Since women and men approach problem-solving differently, women play a crucial role in refining finer details, making designs more intuitive, aesthetically pleasing, and universally compatible. Their contributions add depth and thoughtfulness, ensuring products are not only functional but also look good and can cater to a broader demographic.This harmonious fusion of form and function is exemplified in the work of Beirut-based designer Carla Baz, whose approach embodies the principles of functionality and craftsmanship. She studied Interior Architecture at Penninghen in Paris before pursuing Product Design at ECAL in Switzerland under Pierre Keller to refine her aesthetic sensibilities. Upon returning to Lebanon to establish her studio, she focused on infusing design with expressive craftsmanship by collaborating with skilled artisans to modernise traditional craft.Through a fusion of artistic innovation, functionality, and sustainability, she transforms age-old techniques into contemporary lighting, seating, and objects, redefining craftsmanship for a progressive and responsible design industry.2. Have Good Problem-Solving AbilitiesDesigner: Mary Ratcliffe, Toronto.Traditionally, women have been the rock around which the family revolves, skilled at multitasking and solving day-to-day issues with finesse and effective time management. Their ability to see that everything is in place translates seamlessly into design, ensuring that products are intuitive, well-organised, and highly efficient. A blend of empathy and strong problem-solving skills enables women to play a central role in the design process by creating user-friendly and meaningful designs that enhance the user experience.This problem-solving mindset is evident in the work of Mary Ratcliffe, a Toronto-based industrial designer and longevity-focused creative problem-solver. Committed to sustainability and craftsmanship, she prioritises raw materials and meticulous handcrafting processes. Each piece is skillfully made by artisans from start to finish. Since launching her business in 2013, she has led bespoke projects ranging from large-scale lighting installations to furniture and interior renovations. Every project embodies longevity-minded design and exceptional craftsmanship to ensure that each piece enhances spaces with beauty and purpose.3. Collaborative SpiritDesigner: Anna Karlin, New York.Women excel in collaborative environments, using emotional intelligence to strengthen teams and networking to enhance diversity. By fostering open dialogue and valuing diverse perspectives, they create dynamic spaces where innovation thrives. Beyond work, they balance home and career, seamlessly integrating collaboration into both arenas. This ability to juggle multiple responsibilities fosters harmony, driving meaningful and impactful outcomes in professional and personal spaces.One such talent is Anna Karlin, a London-born, New York-based multidisciplinary designer who embodies a collaborative spirit. Her eponymous studio spans furniture, lighting, interiors, set design, and print, driven by the belief that each discipline enriches the others. Both her studio and Anna Karlin Furniture + Fine Objects reflect this philosophy, embracing balance and creative synergy. Blending natural and man-made elements, she works with stone, wood, metal, and leather to craft functional yet thought-provoking pieces. With an alchemic vision, she seamlessly integrates diverse mediums, fostering collaboration to create compelling design narratives.4. A Keen Eye For DetailDesigner: Caroline Monnet, Montreal.A sharp focus on aesthetics, functionality, attention to detail, and user experience enables the creation of well-balanced, high-quality design solutions. Women excel in articulating ideas clearly, good communication skills, thinking beyond conventional boundaries, and offering unique design perspectives that result in visually appealing and user-friendly products. They are naturally intuitive, with an innate ability to match, contrast, and experiment with styles efficiently.Their refined sense of color, composition, and harmony plays a crucial role in crafting visually striking, cohesive, and emotionally engaging designs that appeal to a wide audience.For instance, Caroline Monnet, an Anishinaabe-French artist from Outaouais, Quebec, uses visual and media arts to explore Indigenous identity and bicultural life. With a focus on attention to detail, she carefully blends traditional and modern styles, working with industrial materials to create unique designs. Her art reinterprets history, updating old ideas with native perspectives. Focused on precision and experimentation, Monnets work reflects the resilience of Indigenous culture while offering fresh, modern expressions that challenge and reshape historical narratives.5. The Female PerspectiveDesigner: Kim Mupangila, Belgium, CongoIn design, women bring a unique perspective and skill set, making them invaluable in creative fields. This is because men and women perceive the world differently, partly due to variations in visual sensitivity, which significantly influences product design. While mens strengths often lie in precision, functionality, and structure, womens refined sense of colour enhances aesthetics, form, contrast, integration of cultures, and user-friendly interfaces.Beyond their design expertise, womens natural nurturing quality plays a key role in fostering thoughtful, user-centric designs. Their ability to empathize with users allows them to create products that are not only functional but also comfortable and emotionally engaging.A Belgian-Congolese interior architect and designer based in New York, Mupangila explores the intersection of culture and design through her sculptural furniture. Her work balances art and function, reflecting the cultural tensions between Belgium and the Congo. Inspired by the historical appropriation of Congolese heritage in Belgian visual culture, she challenges narratives while embracing playfulness and subjectivity. Her creative pieces serve as a cross-cultural self-portrait, continuously evolving with her identity, which includes two profound forces she describes as the yin-yang of her conceptual process.6. Leaders in Sustainable DesignDesigner: Maha Alavi, TokyoWomens creativity extends beyond design into daily life, especially in kitchens, where resourcefulness in minimising waste and optimising ingredients mirrors sustainable design thinking. Their vision and strategic foresight drive eco-friendly practices, from responsible sourcing to designing for longevity. By redefining product lifecycles, they foster innovation in material efficiency, circular design, and responsible consumption, making a lasting impact on consumers and the planet.This commitment to sustainability is exemplified by Maha Alavi, who is a Tokyo-based Canadian industrial designer. Drawing from philosophy and psychology, she incorporates cradle-to-cradle principles into her work, ensuring products are both recycled and designed for recyclability. Her Canadian-made furniture utilises upcycled and recycled materials, while small-batch production reduces waste. Alavi further reinforces sustainability through biodegradable and recyclable packaging, demonstrating how conscious design choices can shape a more responsible and environmentally friendly industry7. Progressive Vision in DesignDesigner: Aleksandra Zawistowska, Amsterdam and Warsaw.The best part is that women in design leadership are at the forefront of innovation, leveraging technology, experimenting with different materials, and using advanced prototyping to enhance creativity, efficiency, and personalization. Through strategic leadership, they redefine how technology, craft, and experimentation shape modern design.This balance between innovation and artistic exploration is evident in the work of designers like Aleksandra Zawistowska. An artist and designer who thrives on diverse techniques and disciplines, she studied architecture at the Warsaw University of Technology before furthering her education at the Sandberg Institutes Studio for Immediate Spaces. In her design process, she blends raw, natural materials with spontaneity while embracing the unpredictability of glass, stone, and metal. Her work spans object creation, spatial design, visual identities, and exhibition curation. Fascinated by glasss transformation from molten fluidity to fragile form, Aleksandra integrates experimentation into her sculptural and artistic practice.8. Drive GrowthDesigner: Victoria Yakusha, Ukraine.Additionally, women in design are driving growth by integrating design into core business strategies, aligning it with branding, customer loyalty, and market expansion. No longer confined to traditional design roles, women are shaping leadership, fostering multidimensional expansion, and elevating firms to new levels. Through strategic thinking and adaptability, they transform design into a powerful tool for business growth and long-term success.Award-winning Victoria Yakusha, a renowned Ukrainian architect, designer, and artist, is known for her live design philosophy, which deeply connects to nature and cultural heritage. Since founding her multidisciplinary studio Yakusha in 2007, she has worked across architecture, interiors, creative direction, and product design, including FAINA, her brand specialising in furniture, decor, and lighting. By pioneering live minimalism, she merges simplicity with sustainability, using innovative materials like Ztistaa sustainable material she invented, composed of recycled paper, clay, hay, and other natural elements that decompose in soil. Through her visionary approach, she drives growth and expands Ukrainian designs global influence to shape a lasting cultural legacy.Women bring a diverse set of qualities like good communication, creativity, leadership, and a strong commitment to sustainability that makes them exceptional designers of the modern world. Their ability to think outside the box and tackle problems from fresh perspectives leads to groundbreaking innovations and trend-setting designs. By staying ahead of industry trends and continuously refining their skills, women thrive in the ever-evolving world of design and are surely redefining the future of design.The post Female Designers And Their Forward-Thinking Approach That Shape Sustainable Design Practices first appeared on Yanko Design.

Icon, a prominent leader in 3D printing technology, has announced its latest venture to construct twelve new homes in Austin, Texas. These residences will showcase a striking blend of state-of-the-art 3D printing technology alongside conventional construction methods, featuring two-story designs.This ambitious project is a joint effort between Icon and the Michael Hsu Office of Architecture and will be situated in Austins Mueller community. It joins the increasing trend of 3D-printed architectural developments in the United States, alongside noteworthy projects like Wolf Ranch and Community First! Village.Designer: Icon x Michael Hsu Office of ArchitectureThe upcoming homes will offer a variety of floorplans catering to diverse preferences and needs, with sizes ranging from 650 to 2,400 square feet (approximately 60 to 222 square meters). These residences will include options with one to three bedrooms, allowing potential buyers to select a layout that best suits their lifestyle. The pricing for these homes will start at approximately $350,000 and can extend up to $1.3 million, depending on the size, finishes, and additional options selected. There are plans to introduce more affordable housing options shortly, aiming to accommodate a broader range of buyers.The architectural renderings suggest that the homes will emphasize the unique blend of construction methods. The distinct ribbed texture on the lower floors will showcase the 3D-printed aspect of the build, setting these homes apart from traditional constructions. Inside, the homes will offer open, spacious layouts that are flooded with natural light, owing to the extensive use of large windows. This design approach enhances the aesthetic appeal while creating a warm and inviting atmosphere, prioritizing comfort and livability.The construction of these innovative homes will rely on Icons proprietary Vulcan model 3D printers, which are pivotal to the projects futuristic approach. These advanced printers will be deployed on-site to create the foundational first story of each residence. This is achieved by extruding a specially formulated cement-like mixture through a nozzle and building the structure in layers to form a sturdy shell. Once the 3D printing phase is complete, human builders will be called upon to add the second story. This phase of construction will utilize traditional building techniques, although specific details about this stage have not yet been fully disclosed.Besides constructing the upper levels, the human builders will be responsible for the meticulous tasks required to transform the concrete shell into a fully functional home. This includes fitting windows, installing doors, and completing all other essential components that ensure the structure is ready for occupancy, offering a seamless blend of cutting-edge technology and skilled craftsmanship.Icon builds high-performance, durable homes using robotic technology and proprietary cementitious-based material, CarbonX, said the firm. Designed and engineered for precision, speed, and resiliency, the innovative technology allows for faster builds and, consequently, more schedule predictability. The 3D-printed wall systems of an Icon home provide higher levels of insulation that decreases the homes temperature fluctuations in the summer and winter, and are designed to resist water, mold, termites, and fire.The post Revolutionary 3D-Printing Technology Meets Traditional Craftsmanship In Icons New Austin Homes first appeared on Yanko Design.

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The UKs Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) spent a great deal of time deciding whether it should investigate Microsofts investment in OpenAI as a potential merger situation, but in the end, decided to open and close the investigation within 24 hours.In explaining why the the investigation was closed so quickly, Joel Bamford, CMA executive director, wrote in a LinkedIn post, looking at the evidence in the round (including the recent changes), we have found that there has not been a change of control by Microsoft from material influence to de facto control over OpenAI. Because this change of control has not happened, the partnership in its current form does not qualify for review under the UKs merger control regime.However, he wrote, the CMAs findings on jurisdiction should not be read as the partnership being given a clean bill of health on potential competition concerns; but the UK merger control regime must of course operate within the remit set down by Parliament.Recent changes in relationship helpedThe CMA, he wrote, engaged directly and constructively with executives at Microsoft and OpenAI throughout the process, carefully reviewing both companies operations and documents as the partnership continued to evolve.According to Bamford, the changing nature of the arrangements between Microsoft and OpenAI during the course of our investigation added a further layer of complexity in what is already a rapidly evolving sector. As recently as January 2025, Microsoft announced a change to its contractual rights in relation to supply of compute capacity, which reduced OpenAIs reliance on Microsoft.Phil Brunkard, executive counselor at Info-Tech Research Group UK, said that perhaps OpenAIs plans with Project Stargate, its gradual distancing from Microsoft, and Microsofts scaling down of its plans for building AI infrastructure were just the levers the CMA needed to close the investigation.The CMA, he said, recognizes that they need to address the Pace, Predictability, Proportionality, and Process of their merger investigations. For the AI market, perhaps they need to consider which of those factors is most important.Pace, said Brunkard, is important because businesses and investors need guidance in the current climate, but that is challenging when the AI market is unpredictable, as we have seen with the shifting dynamic between Microsoft and OpenAI.As regulators, he said, they need to give guidance at a pace that is in proportion to degrees of confidence in what they are assessing. Overdo the process and decisions take too long, as we can see in this instance, leading to a so what when the decision is eventually made.The CMA, added Brunkard, admitted this took a long time because of the degree of complexity (predictability), the changing nature of the arrangements and how they operate in practice (pace), and the mutual desire for open dialogue between the CMA and the companies to ensure [they] understood these developments over time (proportionality), has led to an exceptionally extended period of review (process).The changing of any of those dynamics, he said, enhances the ability of the UK regulator to make a quicker decision on the cases it reviews.Ritu Jyoti, group vice president of the worldwide AI, automation, data and analytics research practice at IDC, said she thinks too much is being read into Microsofts cancellation of data center leases. Per my understanding, they have reiterated that its sticking to its plan to allocate more than $80 billion of its cash to capital expenditures this fiscal year, which ends in June. I know they have also clarified that they are looking at it strategically and adjusting their infrastructure in some areas, she said.Similarly, on the Stargate project, said Jyoti, heres their official statement: Microsoft and OpenAI evolve partnership to drive the next phase of AI The Official Microsoft Blog. I would not speculate more than this.She said that the last paragraph of the official statement is important; it indicates that in some ways, the altered agreement is a win-win. It reads:In addition to this, OpenAI recently made a new, large Azure commitment that will continue to support all OpenAI products as well as training. This new agreement also includes changes to the exclusivity on new capacity, moving to a model where Microsoft has a right of first refusal (ROFR). To further support OpenAI, Microsoft has approved OpenAIs ability to build additional capacity, primarily for research and training of models.In addition, Brunkard said, investments alone dont guarantee business value. We can all use Copilot and see some efficiency gains, but does that move the bottom line? AIs future is inevitable, but outside of a few niche areas, ROI is a big question mark. Thats the real challenge here not just keeping up with the pace, but figuring out what actually matters when the dust settles.

The Keychron K10 Max is an incredibly sturdy and versatile wireless mechanical keyboard that is a welcome addition to both Mac and Windows workspaces.Keychron K10 MaxIn 2025, the world of mechanical keyboards is as vast as the Marvel Comics multiverse, with offerings of every shape, size, color, and feature. From custom keys to RGB lights to knobs and app integrations, the possible options are staggering.Numerous companies jockey for position as leaders in the industry. As consumers in this market, every year brings us opportunities to find the perfect keyboard for our lifestyles and workspaces. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Two nonprofit organizationsthe Riders Alliance and Sierra Clubhave joined the Metropolitan Transportation Administration (MTA) in a legal effort to halt the federal government from withdrawing its past approval of congestion pricing in New York City.The groups filed to join the MTAs lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York as interveners. Earthjustice has more details on their attempt, which follows the Trump Administrations revocation of the Department of Transportations support on February 19th.

A new guesthouse design on Tasmanias Bruny Island that balances site context, art, and material is worth noting for its transposition of landscape and cubist formalism.Designed by the Hobart-based firm Room11 Architects, the Vipp Tunnel is an architecturally daring, off-the-grid guesthouse that covers 1,700 square feet and gets its name from the elongated cantilevering concrete volume that joins a separate 375-square-foot cubic studio to offer guests an extra meditative space or office.Photo by Adam GibsonThe latest design in the Danish Vipp brands catalogue of single-room guesthouses, Vipp Tunnel, follows three others completed last year in Denmark, Latvia, and Mexico and is the first Australian location. Room11 director Thomas Bailey says, "It is a place where the cut of contemporary architectural thinking is starkly rendered against a raw natural context."Photo by Adam GibsonThe island property, which is accessible via ferry, comes replete with an outdoor sculptural install...