In this week’s Our Take, some mad scientists are all thumbs, Stormzy throws a party and London shows up, a Chinese tourist attraction has a great fall, and a brand looks on the bright side.
Three Thumbs up
If you’ve ever been accused of being ‘all thumbs’ then this is for you. Ironically, your clutziness may have been due to ‘not enough thumbs’. Thankfully, you’re living in the future, where some mad scientists from Cambridge University have crafted a flexible, 3D printed Third Thumb which enhances dexterity, grasping abilities and carrying capacity. Worn on the opposite side of the palm to the natural thumb, the Third Thumb is controlled by sensors under the big toe or foot, and is, according to users, surprisingly easy to get the hang of.
The ‘digital’ enhancement could open up possibilities for multiple professions such as surgeons and artists, as well as supporting people with everyday activities. It has the potential to improve quality of life for people with disabilities and the able bodied alike. This handy augmentations may reshape our bodies and minds, perhaps even being more impactful than AI in simplifying our life.
It gets three thumbs up from us.
Stormzy crashes London’s Club Scene
“Nightlife is dead.” We’ve all heard it. Blame sky-high rents, too many hotels, and archaic licensing laws. Enter Stormzy, to save the day night, with nothing more than a keg and a brilliant idea. His House Party is a seven-story sensation that’s turning London’s club scene on its head.
Think sticky floors, crowded kitchens, bedroom karaoke, and dodgy characters everywhere (relax- they’re played by actors). It’s like every epic house party you ever crashed, but with better cocktails and proper grub.
Each floor brings a different vibe. There’s even a rooftop with fake marijuana plants and a smoke machine for that added ‘hotbox’ feel – just like old times.
Stormzy’s House Party is more than just a club; it’s a new and disruptive concept that embraces the chaos of those great, unexpected times that are both nights out and nights in.
Nightlife is dead. Long live the House Party.
Fake falls hurt reputation
What do you do if your tourist attraction dries up? The tallest waterfall in China – the (apparently) famous Yuntai Falls was secretly ‘enhanced’ so that the water (and the tourists) would keep flowing through the dry season. And by enhanced we mean that the water that falls is coming out of a hidden pipe.
This week, a hiker in Yuntai Mountain Geopark posted a video revealing the true source of the Falls, creating a very real cascade of controversy for the park authorities.
Talking in the POV of the waterfall, the park posted on social media:
“I didn’t expect to meet everyone this way… I made a small enhancement during the dry season only so I would look my best to meet my friends.”
It’s the sort of ridiculous response that’s only going to cause their reputation to fall even further. Ouch.
LG Looks on the bright side
LG, known for its motto “Life’s Good”, carried out a survey that found that 52% of people see lots of negative content on their feeds.
Well, D’uh. (Also, who on earth are the 48% that aren’t seeing negative content, and what are they on?).
LG wants to help the 52% to “Optimism your Feed,” by bringing positivity to social media. They’ve made a playlist on TikTok and YouTube to brighten your mood and make scrolling through your feed enjoyable again. The playlist features big names like Willow Smith, Josh Harmon and Tina Choi, as part of what they’ve dubbed The Optimism Squad. The point is to bring smiles and joy with everything positive – cute animals, comedians, tutorials, and motivational videos – and recalibrate your FYP into a joyous daily experience.
We hate it. Frankly, LG, people like the Blues. They like country music. They want to feel something, even if it’s misery, or rage. Especially if it’s rage.
OK, maybe we do need it. We’ll give it another look.