A weekly newsletter for all your intellectual, spiritual, and physical needs
Hello all! Welcome to Volume 144 of Dovi’s Digest.
Most times that we put on pants and venture out into the world, we interact with other humans. And when we do, there is an unwritten social code that we all unwittingly adhere to (for the most part). But as our society changes, the mores change with it. As rude as it may be, when you slap someone in the face with a glove, they won’t be forced to duel you (generally). This has changed even more with the advent of modern technology. No longer does your boss have to physically hand you a pink slip, he can just send an email with your letter of termination, eye contact not required.
It’s difficult to keep up with all these changes, and it’s not uncommon to inadvertently put one’s foot in it. Back in the day whole books were written on etiquette; the way to hold a love interest’s hand, what to wear, and even how to place one’s knife and fork on a plate once a meal was finished.
Thankfully, there is now a modern equivalent. This week’s headline article teaches us how to tactfully “ghost” someone (and when it’s appropriate), how to be courteous with people who still wear masks, and what in my mind is a very controversial take on what’s the latest time to text or call someone. (People leave their phones on overnight in case there’s an emergency, no one needs to receive your stream of consciousness quasi essay about Shrek at 3am, that can wait until the next morning).
I like to think of myself as a polite person, sometimes to a fault, and some of these assuaged my guilt about certain actions I’ve taken. I hope you get something out of it too, even if it’s only a wry smile (number 33 springs to mind). Enjoy!
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Not everyone will have the privilege of going to the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam and see their new exhibit on Vermeer. Even fewer people will have a guided tour. And practically no one would’ve had that tour given by Stephen Fry. Luckily now you can do just that. Your added extra this week is an exploration of Johannes Vermeer’s life and paintings, all done virtually. Check it out over here.
Do you enjoy the Digest? Would you like it to get better? Then please consider sharing it, as the more articles I’m sent, the better it is. It only takes a few seconds, and all you need to do is click here 👇. Thank you!
There were FOUR correct answer to last week’s brainteaser. Well done to Gabi Fortune, Ariel Subotzky, Hazel Levine,and Chaim Ehrlich! The answer and this week’s puzzle are below.
If you’re a maverick who doesn’t play by society’s rules and eat pizza with a knife and fork like a psychopath, there is other stuff to fill your brain. Get the inside scoop on radical minimalist guru Marie Kondo’s life now that she has kids, find out how being a one hit wonder changes your life, for better or for worse, where to sit on a plane to minimise your chances of dying in a fiery crash, the biggest bangs seen in the movies and how they pulled them off, the man who can find out how many times you posed for that perfect picture holding an umbrella in rain using just CCTV, and one woman’s solo skiing journey across the ice of Antarctica.
Keep those articles (and everything else) coming.
Have a great week,
Dovi
And now, the articles:
Do You Know How to Behave? Are You Sure?
How to text, tip, ghost, host, and generally exist in polite society today.
Marie Kondo’s Life Is Messier Now
And she’s fine with it.
What It’s Like Being a One-Hit Wonder
We spoke to Chumbawamba, Sweet Female Attitude and Nizlopi about what it feels like to strike gold just once.
What’s the Safest Seat on a Plane? We Asked an Aviation Expert
When booking a flight, do you ever think about which seat will protect you the most in an emergency?
The Hair-Raising Stories Behind the Biggest Explosions in Movies
Ranking the destructive power of the big screen’s biggest bangs
This Surveillance Artist Knows How You Got That Perfect Instagram Photo
A tech-savvy artist unearthed video footage of people working hard to capture the perfect shot for Instagram. It is a lesson in the artifice of social media and the ubiquity of surveillance.
She Skied Alone Through Antarctica For 70 Days, Covering 922 Miles
When ultramarathons aren’t doing it for you anymore, where do you turn?
Quote of the Week:
“Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” – Isaac Asimov
Facts of the Week:
Migrating birds are welcomed to New Zealand every spring by the bells of St Paul's, Papanui, ringing for half an hour.
Birds in cages hop in the direction they would migrate, if they could.
More than half of all species on Earth are moving their habitats due to climate change.
The average frog breeds eight days earlier than it would have done 10 years ago.
65 million years ago, there were frogs that ate dinosaurs.
Dinosaurs were living on Earth before Saturn got its rings.
The world’s oldest rock is 4.38 billion years old.
The world’s largest gold nugget had to be broken up because it was too big to fit on the bank’s scales.
Cartoon of the Week:
Tweet of the Week:
Headline of the Week:
Brainteaser of the Week:
What number corresponds to 1 9 8 5?
0 0 0 0 – 4
1 7 5 2 – 0
1 8 7 9 – 3
2 0 6 1 – 2
3 1 4 1 – 0
4 0 9 6 – 3
7 7 7 7 – 0
9 9 7 3 – 2
1 9 8 5 – ???
Last Week’s Brainteaser and Answer:
Words starting with a “kw-” sound usually start with the letters “qu-,” as in “question,” or “kw-,” as in “Kwanza.” What common, uncapitalized English word starting with a “kw-” sound contains none of the letters Q, U, K, or W?
Answer:
Choir