South Korean start-up 'Dot' strives to be a pioneer in accessible and affordable innovations for the vision impaired and the deafblind. The design of its minimalist smartwatch is informed by the iconic style of Dieter Rams, and the technology behind it gives new meaning to the word ‘smart’, as this is the first time active braille technology has been integrated into a mobile device. Combining a lightweight aluminium body with a white plastic face and a choice of bands, the watch not only tells the time and date, but also offers notification on calls and messages, and can be combined with an app for further features. They recently won best in class 'Life Enhancer of the Year' at the Wallpaper 2018 Design Awards. An alarm, find phone feature, stopwatch, listen to music.. This one is a game changer. 

A new collaborative mural was revealed in New York yesterday. In true Banksy style, the enormous, 70-foot-mural has a strong political message, protesting, the imprisonment of the Turkish-Kurdish artist, Zehra Dogan, who was sentenced to prison for two years and nine months for her painting of the Kurdish town, Nusaybin. Her painting was copied from a newspaper photograph, showing the town reduced to rubble with Turkish flags draped over the destruction. This image is shown above traditional calendar scratch strokes in the form of the Roman numeral 5, with Ms Dogan's image appearing in one section with a pencil depicted as the last stroke. This mural is a collaboration with Borf, who is a well-known graffiti artist who has also served time for his work. Banksy is claimed to have issued an official statement saying “I really feel for her. I’ve painted things much more worthy of a custodial sentence”.  

During the same week, a rat in a clock also appeared on a building that used to house a large bank. 

We are officially crushing on this phenomenal Japanese artist who combines innermost fears and emotions with acute inner soul accuracy. He somehow manages to embody the paired oxymorons of 'simplicity and sophistication' and 'humble confidence'. Add to these, incredible depth and understanding, and you've just about got him. However, in reality, little is known. His profile picture, depicts the scientist, Lorenzo Avogadro, who is noted for his contribution to molecular theory, known as Avogadro's Law, after which nada! He showcases on Twitter under the above handle.  

The UK's Metropolitan Police have come up with a brilliant initiative to protect women in bars.  It's available at participating venues throughout the UK and aims to reduce sexual violence and vulnerability by providing customers with a discrete phrase to gain assistance and attention from staff members, enabling them to be extracted, safely, from uncomfortable, or potentially threatening situations. 

By “asking for Angela”, an individual is alerting staff that they require help. They will be taken aside, or to a safer location, so they can speak in confidence to that staff member about what assistance they need.

Options available to staff include: offering to call a taxi for the individual; contacting their friends or family; or requesting that an individual causing the distress leaves the venue.

Posters are placed in the washrooms of participating establishments so that ladies know that the venue's staff are briefed and will help.   This initiative, or variations of it, needs to go global.  

​Like what you're reading? Click on The 411 tab for more. 

​Life is stranger than fiction, but sometimes the most abstract teaches us valuable lessons. You are never too old. 

In today’s world, we are continuously on display,  and the public eye is no longer reserved for movie stars and royalty, we star in our own movie. Sometimes this has a downside as it makes us more conscious of the risk of failure, a little more afraid to try for fear of failure.
 
Kimiko Nishimoto is a perfect example of why you should throw caution to the wind and just embrace life.  Kimiko Nishimoto is an  89-year-old Japanese grandmother who, at the age of 72, enrolled in a beginners photography class that was being taught by her son. The course ignited a passion, and besides, still-life macro work, she began creating eclectic self-portraits, using a wireless camera remote (at 89!). Prior to this she was a professional cyclist and a beautician. She says "I will give a try to whatever interests me." 

Her heterogeneous selfies have already earned her a solo exhibition, and from December 17 she will have a new exhibition called ‘ Asobokane’, which means ‘Let’s play’ at the Epson Imaging Gallery in the Shinjuku Ward of Tokyo.  All digital enhancements are done herself after having taught herself photoshop - of course, she did! 

​Life is stranger than fiction, but sometimes the most abstract teaches us valuable lessons. You are never too old. 

In today’s world, we are continuously on display,  and the public eye is no longer reserved for movie stars and royalty, we star in our own movie. Sometimes this has a downside as it makes us more conscious of the risk of failure, a little more afraid to try for fear of failure.
 ​

​In a post demographic age, did the #MeToo hashtag spark a watershed for transparency? The allegations against Harvey Weinstein, and now several others, have fueled a phenomenal, and global online campaign to encourage anyone, of any demographic, to step forward and share their experiences of sexual assault, harassment or misconduct, simply by using the #Metoo hashtag.

The ‘Me too’ movement was created in 2006, long before hashtags came into popular use. It’s creator, social activist Tarana Burke, came up with the phrase after a 13-year-old girl confided she was sexually abused. As a victim herself, Burke found herself ill-equipped to respond and while struggling to verbalise her feelings to the young girl, referred her to another councellor. Retrospectively and haunted by the experience, Burke wished she had simply told the girl “Me too.” Which inspired her to create ‘Me Too’ as a powerful grassroots movement to support and give  voice to sexual assault survivors in underprivileged communities.”  

As expected, millennials have embraced it, with millions opening up publicly on social media channels. The New York Daily Times claims that one in five Americans knows someone who has shared a #MeToo story. However, it is interesting to note that many of the Generation X’ers, ironically known as ‘the lost generation', are quite happy to share their experiences verbally, but when asked why they did not share on social media, mainly responded that they didn’t want to embarrass their families….  There’s an aura of deeply rooted shame that even today's era of transparency can’t shift, which is sadly ironic as theirs is a generation often considered to be one who suffered some of the most flagrant violations.  

From a marketing perspective, it is, quite frankly genius. It’s simple, current, emotive, wide-reaching and all-inclusive and a lesson to all of us, that you don’t always need a degree to go viral, sometimes you just need heart.