EventsWomen in Sign Painting: Burds of the BrushRachel E Millar shares her and her guests' reflections on the first Burds of the Brush in Glasgow.Better LettersMar 6, 2025 7 min readJorge Jacobs, Dee Maher Ring, Hana Sunny Whaler, and Tozer Signs at the 2022 Burds of the Brush Letterheads meet in Glasgow.Hot on the heels of events in Bristol and Copenhagen (see BLAG 04), the fourth annual Burds of the Brush will take place in Berlin, 57 September. With that in mind, and International Women's Day happening this week, here is Rachel E Millar's BLAG 03 article about hosting the inaugural Burds, and why these events are important for the trade at large.Rachel E Millar's article was first published in BLAG 03, Summer 2023.Burds of the Brush: One Year* On*Now three years.In 2022, I hosted a weekend sign painters meet called Burds of the Brush in Glasgow, Scotland. In attendance were 44 women and non-binary sign painters from nine countries, and it drew attention to how these spaces are vital to supporting and uplifting those who dont fit the stereotypical image of a sign painter.This article is for subscribers only.Sign up for a free membership to unlock sign painting resources and the latest news.Subscribe nowAlready have an account? Sign in

Sonic Intermediates Triad Walker Trinity (2020), powder-coated steel and handles, casters, nickel and brass-plated bells, metal rings, plastic twine, turbine vents, artificial plants, pine cones, and foam. Photo by Nick Ash. Image courtesy of kurimanzutto, Mexico City / New York. All images courtesy of the artist, shared with permissionFolk Traditions, Quotidian Items, and Spiritual Symbolism Merge in Haegue Yangs Sensory SculpturesMarch 6, 2025ArtKate MothesAbstraction is not asimplified way of thinking: its a leapa leap into a dimension that cannot otherwise be understood, says Haegue Yang, whose multimedia installations and sculptures explore a wide array of material associations, immersing the senses. Series such as Light Sculptures and Sonic Sculptures defy genres, often combining ready-made, mass-produced items with industrially created substances.At the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, Yangs solo exhibition Lost Lands and Sunken Fields engages viewers in a dialectic of contrasts: light and dark, aerial and grounded, buoyant and heavy, spare and dense, interior and exterior, a statement says. The show follows the artists first major survey in the U.K. at Londons Hayward Gallery, which embarked on a collage-forward celebration of work created during the past 20 years.Frosted Scales Mermaid Queen Mesmerizing Mesh #218 (2023), Hanji, washi, and origami paper on alu-dibond, framed, 24 3/8 x 24 3/8 inches. Image courtesy of kurimanzutto, Mexico City / New YorkWorking between Seoul and Berlin, Yang hybridizes folk customs and craftsmanship, everyday items, and vernacular techniques in pieces that combine sculpture, installation, collage, text, video, wallpaper, and sound. Sonic Intermediates Triad Walker Trinity, for example, coats steel frames in tiny bells, metal rings, plastic twine, and more, which evoke vaguely animalistic forms that move around on casters.Time and geography collapse in an abstracted visual language that merges the modern and the pre-modern, art history and literature, and themes of displacement, migration, forced exile, and global diasporas. Her works link various geopolitical contexts and histories in an attempt to understand and comment on our own time, says a statement from kurimanzutto, which represents the artist.The gallery also presents a concurrent exhibition titled Arcane Abstractions, including two-dimensional collage works complemented by an archival display of pieces by Mexican artisans. Yang continues to investigate cultural heritage and ritualistic symbolism through materials as she forwards a proposal to live our lives today with a holistic view of mobility and technology, respect for spirituality, as well as contemplation on the resilient adaptability of both nature and humans, says a statement.Arcane Abstractions continues through April 5 in Mexico City, and Lost Lands and Sunken Fields runs through April 27 in Dallas. Airborne Paper Creatures Flutterers (2025), birch plywood, wood stain, stainless steel components, Hanji, washi, origami paper, marbled paper, honeycomb paper balls, beads, metal bells, plastic crown flowers, parandy, Punjabi earrings and ornaments, stainless steel chains, split rings, steel wire ropes, and swivels, 47 3/4 x 22 x 25 1/2 inches, 21 3/4 x 12 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches, and 36 1/2 x 23 1/2 x 23 1/2 inches (three parts). Photo by Studio Haegue Yang. Image courtesy of the Nasher Sculpture CenterDetail of Airborne Paper Creatures Flutterers. Image courtesy of the Nasher Sculpture CenterInstallation view of Haegue Yang: Leap Year (2024). Photo by Mark Blower. Image courtesy of the artist and the Hayward Gallery, LondonInstallation view of Haegue Yang: Leap Year (2024). Photo by Mark Blower. Image courtesy of the artist and the Hayward Gallery, LondonAztec Underwater Wanderer Mesmerizing Mesh #214 (2023), Hanji and washi on alu-dibond, framed, 24 3/8 x 24 3/8 inches. Image courtesy of kurimanzutto, Mexico City / New YorkRadial Tousled Epiphyte (2025), birch plywood, wood stain, acrylic board, powder-coated stainless steel wall mount, stainless steel components, Hanji, and marbled paper, 54 3/4 x 54 3/4 x 8 1/4 inches. Photo by Studio Haegue Yang. Image courtesy of the Nasher Sculpture CenterDetail of Radial Tousled Epiphyte. Image courtesy of the Nasher Sculpture CenterSonic ClotheshorseDressage #3 (2019), powder-coated aluminum frame, mesh and handles, casters, brass-and nickel- plated bells, split rings, 60 1/4 x 22 x 30 3/4 inches, and Sonic ClotheshorseDressage #4 (2019), powder-coated aluminum frame, mesh and handles, casters, brass-and nickel-plated bells, and split rings, 50 1/4 x 19 1/4 x 33 3/4 inches. Installation view of Haegue Yang: Emergence at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Canada, 2020. Photo by Craig Boyko, AGOAqua-Respirating Soul Sheet Mesmerizing Mesh #263 (2024), Hanji, washi, and origami paper on alu-dibond, framed, 24 3/8 x 24 3/8 inches. Image courtesy of kurimanzutto, Mexico City / New YorkNext article

Birmingham City Councils Oracle system woes have continued into 2025, with concerns being raised in Mondays meeting of the council to set the annual budget, highlighting accounting problems. These cannot be fixed until reimplementation of the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is operational.One councillor said: When you look into the budget book, you find that there is a deficit in the budget of 380m over the next three years, but what really concerns me is the effect of Oracle and that we have a deficit of 141m of uncollected business rates that is equivalent to a 30% increase in council tax.During the latest Birmingham audit committee meeting, which took place the following day, on 5 March, councillors raised serious questions over why the decision to go live with the Oracle system was taken, despite many areas of the project being incomplete.There was an optimism bias, said Grant Thornton auditor, Mark Stocks.Reflecting the findings of the Grant Thornton value-for-money report in relation to the implementation of the ERP system, which was published at the end of February, Stocks, who led the team of two external auditors present, said: Nobody took ownership.Stocks went on to describe how the council had lost corporate knowledge of the reimplementation of the Oracle ERP system after its finance officer Fiona Greenway left. Significantly, the suppliers all told the council to go live.The information was there to stop this, but all the suppliers said go live. The system wasnt ready when it went live, he added.As Computer Weekly previously reported, since the implementation of an Oracle ERP system to replace SAP in April 2022, the council has faced significant issues with the processes and interfaces, as well as the systems ability to produce reports.Rather than adapting its internal business processes to align with the way the new system worked, Birmingham embarked on an ERP programme involving adapting the Oracle system, which resulted in an incomplete implementation at the time the system was meant to go live.Regarding the decision to proceed with going live with Oracle, the auditor said that council officers did not have a thorough understanding of the risks they were taking. The advice from the suppliers was caveated and these caveats, according to the auditor, should have been looked at. The areas of concern included the bank reconciliation system (BRS) and general ledger in testing.Theres correspondence from officers saying they were struggling with the BRS system, the accounts receivable and some aspects of the general ledger were reported as untestable. Concerns were expressed over past customisations; accounts payable and accounts receivable customisations were not switched on and the programme was still receiving change requests, he said.Commenting on the Grant Thornton report, councillor Richard Parkins said: This report is probably the worst one Ive seen. Of all the reports across my desk, this really is a case study in how not to implement an IT system. The go-live decision is an astonishing one when you look at where we were and how many people sat around the table.When questioned on whether the system had been adequately tested before the go-live date, auditor Thomas Foster from Grant Thornton, said: Testing was completed in many areas. Payroll had been highlighted as a key area, but the problem was that the testing wasnt complete and there were key areas that hadnt been tested and they, perhaps, were lower down the list of risk highlighted items and therefore didnt get the focus that they deserved at that time.The commissioners review of the audit committee report published on 5 March stated that the council is running a business change programme underpinned by technology, which requires people to be trained and upskilled in how to use the new ERP software.The council must not deviate from adopting the best practice processes offered by the software, it must focus on completing the system design and obtaining full executive commitment, the review document stated.The commissioners also said they remain concerned about the inherited quality of data that was loaded into the 2022 implementation and the current poor-quality data held in the current system.Even if the council delivers a well-designed system and equips users with the training required to use it, if the quality of the data migrated to the new system is of poor quality (missing, inaccurate, duplicated), the system will again fail to operate and deliver the benefits the council needs, the commissioners warn in the review document. They urged the council to address data quality ahead of the implementation.At the previous audit committee meeting on 29 January, councillor Paul Tilsey asked if the culture of the council is changing around areas such as the ERP project: Do you think that there are adequate independent ways of reporting on progress of these to make sure that we are on track?The need to change the culture at the council is among the key recommendations Grant Thornton highlighted in its report.Stocks, who was the auditor at the 29 January meeting, acknowledged Tilseys concerns that the ERP may not be fixed in a short time. The earliest I think is April 26, he said. Until I see everything aligned, I am worried. Until you have an operating financial system, this is always going to be difficult.Read more stories about the Birmingham City Council ERP projectBirmingham City Councils Oracle implementation explained What went wrong: The council swapped out a heavily customised SAP ERP system for Oracle Cloud, but since it went live, it has had numerous technical challenges.Birmingham looks into reimplementing troubled Oracle ERP: City council audit committee meeting shows Birmingham City Council plans to follow Oracle best practices.

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Dana White (Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesFighters who usually rise by the KO usually fall by the KO.That was the case with middleweight knockout specialist Julian Marquez. According to Bert MMA aka Robert Tellez, Marquez was released following his fourth straight loss. All of the losses have come by KO.Most recently, Marquez suffered a first-round KO loss to Cody Brundage in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 103 on March 1 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. While it was likely Marquezs last fight in the UFC, he went out with a bang.Marquez, aka The Cuban Missile Crisis, compiled a 9-6 professional MMA record and a 3-5 mark in the UFC. Marquez broke into the UFC in August 2017 when he dazzled UFC President Dana White with a head-kick KO over Phil Hawes. Just four months later, in Marquezs main roster debut, he locked in a first-round submission win over Darren Stewart via front choke.LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - JUNE 05: Julian Marquez poses for a portrait during a UFC photo session on ... [+] June 5, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesIn July 2018, Marquez struggled to make weight against Alessio Di Chirico, and the fight was contested at a catchweight. Di Chirico took a split decision in the fight.Marquez would miss all of 2019 and 2020 following the loss. However, he responded well to his first loss in the UFC and the long layoff.In February 2021, Marquez defeated Maki Pitolo in the third round with an anaconda choke. Less than two months later, Marquez submitted veteran Sam Alvey with a second-round rear-naked choke.Unfortunately for Marquez, everything went downhill from there.In June 2022, Marquez was knocked out in the first round by Gregory Rodrigues. In March 2023, Marc-Andr Barriault stopped Marquez in the second round of their fight with a standing TKO.LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 04: Julian Marquez reacts after his loss to Marc-Andre Barriault of Canada ... [+] in a middleweight fight during the UFC 285 event at T-Mobile Arena on March 04, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesIn June 2024, Zach Reese scored a vicious first-round KO win over Marquez, which led to the fourth and final KO loss to Brundage. At 34, Marquezs MMA career may not be over. However, it does seem safe to say that Marquezs run in the UFC is over.It would be interesting to see if he lands with the Global Fighting League or if he gets a chance to compete in the Professional Fighters League..Up Next - UFC 313SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - OCTOBER 05: Alex Pereira of Brazil poses for a portrait after his victory ... [+] during the UFC 307 event at Delta Center on October 05, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC)Zuffa LLCOn Saturday from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, UFC 313 will take center stage in the world of MMA. UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira defends his title against Magomed Ankalaev in the main event. Here is a look at the entire card with start times and viewing information.UFC 313Date: Saturday, March 8, 2025Location: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NevadaMain Card: 10:00 PM ET | Prelims: 8:00 PM ET | Early Prelims: 6:00 PM ETMain Card (10:00 PM ET)Light Heavyweight Championship Bout: Alex Pereira (C) vs. Magomed AnkalaevLightweight Bout: Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael FizievLightweight Bout: Jalin Turner vs. Ignacio BahamondesWomens Strawweight Bout: Amanda Lemos vs. Iasmin LucindoLightweight Bout: King Green vs. Mauricio RuffyPreliminary Card (8:00 PM ET)Heavyweight Bout: Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan KunievFlyweight Bout: Joshua Van vs. Rei TsuruyaMiddleweight Bout: Brunno Ferreira vs. Armen PetrosyanWelterweight Bout: Alex Morono vs. Carlos LealEarly Preliminary Card (6:00 PM ET)Featherweight Bout: Mairon Santos vs. Francis MarshallMiddleweight Bout: Djorden Santos vs. Ozzy DiazFeatherweight Bout: Chris Gutierrez vs. John Casteneda

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What just happened? Intel has received a rare piece of good news. A shareholder lawsuit filed last year over accusations it fraudulently concealed problems in its foundry business has been dismissed. However, the company continues to face other similar lawsuits related to its foundry operations. The lawsuit accused Intel of misleading investors by taking too long to report a $7 billion operational loss in fiscal 2023 related to its foundry business.Intel had reported its contracted manufacturing division as a segment separate from its internal manufacturing operations, which create its own products. But that changed last year following a corporate restructure in which both the internal and external foundry operations were consolidated into a single unit called Intel Foundry, which showed a $7 billion loss.That amount came as a shock to shareholders, especially as Intel and former CEO Pat Gelsinger had repeatedly boasted about the growing interest in the business while inflating the company's share price, leading to a lawsuit alleging the company fraudulently concealed the problems.However, US District Judge Trina Thompson dismissed the claims. Thompson said shareholders incorrectly attributed the $7 billion loss to the Intel Foundry Services business unit, and were not misled into believing the unit's reported results included results for the entire Internal Foundry Model.Former Intel CEO Pat GelsingerThe judge added that the comments Gelsinger made about Intel enjoying significant traction and growing demand for its foundry offerings were not misleading, as they referred to customers' and contracts rather than the declining overall revenue. // Related Stories"There are no allegations that indicate defendants led investors to believe that the IFS reporting results for fiscal year 2023 included results for the entire internal foundry model," Thompson wrote. "The complaint itself misleadingly conflates IFS and the internal foundry."In August 2024, Intel reported a $1.61 billion net loss and lowered its forecast for the quarter, leading Gelsinger to call the Q2 financial performance "disappointing." Shares fell 26% in a single day to their lowest point since 2013, marking Intel's worst trading day since 1974 and wiping $32 billion off its market value. The company said it would lay off 15,000 employees and suspend its dividend to help save $10 billion in 2025.Thompson said the plaintiffs have the opportunity to file an amended complaint. Intel is also facing several other lawsuits related to its foundry business.

The big picture: Western Digital, a titan in the storage industry long renowned for its hard disk drives and solid-state drives, has officially separated its NAND flash memory business, effectively ending the company's direct involvement in SSD production and sales. Western Digital's exit from the market leaves behind a legacy of innovation and quality that has significantly impacted the PC gaming community. This move, which had been in development for some time, was finalized last week. The SSD division has been fully spun off into SanDisk, leaving Western Digital to focus exclusively on hard disk drive technology. This separation marks a pivotal moment for the company, which has been a household name in both HDD and SSD markets, competing alongside industry giants like Samsung and Crucial.For PC gaming enthusiasts, who have increasingly gravitated toward SSDs for their superior speed and performance, this development represents a bittersweet moment. Western Digital has produced some of the most popular SSDs in the gaming community, with the WD Black SN850X currently holding the title of best SSD for gaming. The iconic WD_Black design has become a staple in the industry, and its potential absence from future products marks the end of an era.However, it's important to note that this corporate restructuring doesn't spell the end of SSD production altogether. SanDisk, which has already been overseeing flash memory-related operations since last year, will continue to manufacture and sell SSDs. The groundwork for this transition was laid in October 2023, allowing the industry ample time to prepare for the change.The production of SSDs is expected to continue without significant disruption. Western Digital had been utilizing Kioxia's (formerly Toshiba) manufacturing facilities for NAND production, and this arrangement could continue under SanDisk's management.Alternatively, SanDisk may partner with other manufacturers, such as Samsung, to meet production needs. // Related StoriesThe most noticeable change for consumers will likely be the absence of the familiar WD branding on future SSD products. The industry will be watching to see how SanDisk brands its SSDs moving forward, given that simply replacing 'WD' with 'SD' could lead to confusion with SD cards used in cameras and handheld devices.Meanwhile, Western Digital is focusing on the evolving opportunities in the HDD market. "As AI accelerates and impacts industries around the world, and as companies generate and store more data, HDD exabyte shipments are expected to increase," CEO Irving Tan said. He also points out that much of the data stored by cloud service providers, such as native cloud application data, AI data lakes, media, and machine learning data, runs on HDDs.Tan said the near-term plan is to deliver HAMR when it reaches economic crossover. "Beyond HDD, our teams are exploring new growth opportunities that leverage our core capabilities in magnetics and materials science, and with their dedication, the possibilities for future applications of our technologies are truly endless."

Undoubtedly, AI will significantly impact areas like search in the coming years. However, the speed at which this integration should occur is debatable. Industry leader Google is fully committed to incorporating AI into all its search tools, while privacy-focused DuckDuckGo allows users to decide how far into AI they want to go. This flexibility could score DuckDuckGO major points in a world where not everyone is prepared to embrace AI at least not yet fully.According to a recent report by The Verge, DuckDuckGo has ambitious plans to incorporate AI into its popular search engine. As a result, users will soon see AI-generated answers for specific queries on the DuckDuckGo website and the app. Additionally, the company is integrating web search capabilities within its AI chatbot. Both of these tools are now exiting their beta phase.Recommended VideosDuckDuckGo introduced its AI-assisted answers, known as DuckAssist, in 2023. The company initially emphasized that this tool aims to be a less obnoxious alternative to features like Googles AI Overviews. The result is a service that provides more concise responses while allowing users to control how often they see AI-generated results. Even more impressively, DuckDuckGo offers the option to disable these responses altogether. In the current version of the DuckDuckGo app, you can choose to use Assist, Sometimes, On-demand, Often, or Never. Sometimes only shows AI-assisted answers when highly relevant, while On-demand only shows AI-assisted answers if you click the Assist button. When set to the Often setting, AI-assisted answers frequently appear on a broader range of searches.Just how frequently? Gabriel Weinberg, the CEO and founder of DuckDuckGo, says only 20% of searches are currently AI-generated, although that is expected to rise over time.They explain:Wed like to raise that over time Thats another major area that were working on We want to kind of stay conservative with it. We dont want to put it in front of people if we dont think its right.Even while implementing AI, DuckDuckGo hasnt forgotten its privacy roots. Interactions with AI models are done anonymously every time by hiding your IP address, regardless of the model you choose. DuckDuckGos agreements with the AI company behind each available model also guarantee that your data isnt used for training.Currently, you can toggle between GPT-4o mini, o3-mini, Llama 3.3, Mistral Small 3, and Claude 3 Haiku.DuckDuckGos AI tools can be explored via its chatbot on the Duck.ai website or through the DuckDuckGo browser. Additionally, AI-assisted answers will appear in the DuckDuckGo search engine.DuckDuckGo AI settings DuckDuckGoIf youre using Google Search, the most popular search tool in the world, its essential to understand that entirely opting out of all of Googles AI search features isnt straightforward. However, there are ways to minimize or bypass the AI Overviews feature.For instance, many of these features are still considered experimental, making it somewhat easier to disable them. Additionally, third parties have discovered workarounds, although many of these are hit-or-miss.Ultimately, its important to recognize that Googles AI Overviews are becoming integral to the overall Google Search experience, for better or worse.Many people will be pleased to know that DuckDuckGo is taking AI seriously and integrating it into its various search products. However, the company recognizes that not everyone wants to use AI. Opting out of AI features is a simple process for those users. That option is also available for those who wish to experience AI search in small doses.Editors Recommendations