A weekly newsletter for all your intellectual, spiritual, and physical needs
Hello all! Welcome to Volume 170 of Dovi’s Digest.
Firstly, I’d like to say thank you to the many readers who enjoyed last week’s headline article. It was a special experience for us all, and I'm glad that you felt a connection too.
Just like all of you, each Friday I receive the digest in my inbox. And just like all (well, most) of you, I may put it off a bit, but I eventually read it, as if I was trying to see it for the first time. Two weeks ago I was a little disappointed in what I read. The initial idea seemed solid, but the execution was lacking. It was written late at night, and I stared at that blinking cursor for what felt like hours, writing, deleting, rewriting; eventually just banging something out and sending it to my long-suffering editors. I will admit that there was a point at about midnight when I briefly (and I truly mean briefly) considered just putting a few prompts into ChatGPT and copy pasting. In the end I didn’t, and after this week’s headline article came across my desk, I’m glad I didn’t.
A lot has been said about AI, how it may steal jobs or possibly kill us all. It’s also been said that one of the industries most at risk is writing. But the more I researched it (and the article also goes into it in detail) the more I realised that although the writing is fine, it’s nothing special. When you put aside the novelty of it being written by a computer the prose itself is often unremarkable. A solid C+, but as the article says, who wants to always receive a C+?
Is my writing sometimes bad? For sure. But sometimes it’s excellent too. There’s depth to it, there’s feeling. It’s that spectrum that makes us unique, that separates us from the machines.
That edition was headlined by smiles. Serial contributor Yisroel Greenberg subsequently sent me this excellent article about AI, and how it misrepresents smiles in other cultures, forcing our western normative idea of smiling in photos onto them.
In this week’s added extras: the Nat Geo “Picture of the Year” winners, which include volcanoes, salt mines, and Kazakh eagle hunters. You can also watch this short timelapse of massive cruise ships turning and exiting a harbour, and finally you can check out the hidden symbols, meanings, and messages in these well known brand logos.
I know only having one weekly digest can leave you wanting more. Luckily for you there are three separate platforms for you to get your fill, each with all new and exciting content. Check them out at the links below 👇
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 EIGHT correct answers to last week’s brainteaser. Well done to Tanya Perel, Ariel Subotzky, Josh Hazan, Yisroel Greenberg, Ariel Raff, Ayelet Garber, Akiva Subotzky, and Chaim Ehrlich! The answer and this week’s puzzle are below.
You may not be worried about the robot uprising, so instead you can dive into an article about why we know more about space than we do about the oceans, enlist your curiosity about the WWII propaganda powerhouse Disney became, learn about the multiple ways humanity could have ended through sheer negligence/bravado, find out how old humans can get, soar among the clouds and read about the brothers who brought planespotting to the masses, and finally the sad story of one of the world’s great free soloists and his demise will bring you down to earth . Enjoy!
Keep those articles (and everything else) coming.
Have a great weekend,
Dovi
And now, the articles:
What AI Teaches Us About Good Writing
While AI can speed up the writing process, it doesn’t optimize quality — and it endangers our sense of connection to ourselves and others.
Our Deepest Dreams: Why Do We Prioritise Space Over the Mysteries of the Ocean?
Less than 1 percent of the deep sea has been explored, but billions of dollars are being poured into space exploration.
Donald Duck and Uncle Sam Fought Side by Side In WWII
The entertainment powerhouse turned into a propaganda machine during World War II.
The Moments That Could Have Accidentally Ended Humanity
In recent history, a few individuals have made decisions that could, in theory, have unleashed killer aliens or set Earth's atmosphere on fire. What can they tell us about attitudes to the existential risks we face today?
How Old Can Humans Get?
An expert on ageing thinks humans could live to be 1,000 years old—with a few tweaks to our genetic “software”.
How 2 Brothers Turned Planespotting into YouTube Gold
From A380s to DC-10s, L.A Flights has built an empire on takeoffs and landings.
The Free Soloist Who Fell to Earth
Austin Howell soloed harder and more often than almost anyone else in the country, documenting his exploits on Instagram and a podcast. But behind the scenes his mental health was faltering.
Quotes of the Week:
"I used to live hand to mouth. Do you know what changed my life? Cutlery" – Tim Vine
Facts of the Week:
Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson began recording an album together but fell out because Jackson kept bringing his pet llama to the studio.
Llamas urinate backwards.
The ancient Romans had war dogs that were trained to fight in formation.
Sheep fighting is a popular, but illegal, sport in Algeria.
Santo Tomas, Peru, celebrates Christmas by holding a village punch-up.
A fight broke out after the first indoor ice hockey match between the players and people who wanted to go skating.
After winning a fight with a rival, the male Southeast Asian mangrove crab does a victory dance.
The Queen loved to dance to “Dancing Queen”.
Cartoon of the Week:
Tweet of the Week:
Headline of the Week:
Brainteaser of the Week:
Today’s puzzle is all about the sound “zh” and the many English letters that can represent it.
The “g” in beige
The “s” in measure
The “z” in azure
But there is only one word in the English language in which the “zh” sound is spelled with a “t.” Can you name it?
Last Week’s Brainteaser and Answer:
The year 2023 is special for the four members of the Smith family who are aged 11, 13, 41, and 47. What will be the next special year for the Smith family?
Answer:
2029. In 2023 all their ages are prime numbers, and te next year they’ll all be prime again is 2029 (17, 19, 47, 53).
Thanks for reading Dovi’s Digest!