A weekly newsletter for all your intellectual, spiritual, and physical needs
Hello all! Welcome to Volume 172 of Dovi’s Digest.
It’s pretty normal to play out fictional situations in your own head, right? Whether it’s stopping a mugger, or accepting an Oscar, or winning an argument with the perfect comeback, we all have that little bit of whimsy in us.
I think that men seem to be more prone to these flights of fancy. For example 50% of men between 20 and 50 believe they can land an aeroplane without any prior experience. Many of us harbour that little bit of hope that we’ll be called up to land said plane, save someone with CPR, or sub in for our favourite sports team when there’s some sort of mass injury. There’s a subset of this one: the in-game contest. Often at half time or TV breaks, to keep the crowd engaged, stadiums will run small competitions where one lucky member of the crowd will get the chance to win a car or a large amount of money. All they have to do is make one shot, score one goal, or hit a six (or some variation of this. I’ve seen closest to the line, as well as most scored in a minute). The odds of one of these happening is astronomical, which makes it worthwhile for the sponsors. Plus, they take out insurance, the industry behind it has been in the Digest before.
The most well-known example is known in the biz as “the shot”. In 1993, Don Calhoun stood on the court of the Chicago Bulls, only a few metres away from Michael Jordan, with a basketball in hand and the possibility of $1 million. All he had to do was score from 80 feet away.
This week’s headline article is about Don, his winning shot, and how he nearly didn’t get his million due to a technicality.
A correction from last week: In the facts section, it was stated that South American Scorpions shed their “tales” to escape predators. This was of course meant to be “tails”. To the best of my knowledge, their life stories, lore, and mythology remains intact.
In this week’s added extras: Kids (and adults tbh) are fascinated by all sorts of tractors, diggers, and loaders. But what do they all do? This video handily explains all those construction machines and their specialised tasks.
Have wanderlust but aren’t able to get away? These virtual tours give you a 360-degree view of some of the world's most famous places, allowing you to explore cities and nature without getting dressed (although I guess you could do that in person too).
Once again, we have top photography shots, but this time it isn’t animals. Have a gander at the top sports photos from the last year.
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 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 TWO correct answer to last week’s brainteaser. Well done Chaim Ehrlich and Josh Hazan! The answer and this week’s puzzle are below.
If reading about someone living out their boyhood fantasy doesn’t do it for you, never fear, we have oodles more for you. Go through the last texts to loved ones from those who succumbed to Covid, gnaw on the story of the cannibal ants who live in a nuclear bunker (which has to be the origin story for a horror movie), read about voice acting with a twist, learn about the library full of books you’ll never be able to read, grapple with the story of women wrestlers who are taking the fight to India’s PM, and stick your nose into the story of the man who is saving the Amazon through his cocaine business. Enjoy!
Keep those articles (and everything else) coming.
Have a great weekend,
Dovi
And now, the articles:
The $1 Million Shot That Changed Sports Contests Forever
Thirty years ago, Don Calhoun got picked to try a three-quarter-court shot during a Bulls game. He made it, sending Michael Jordan and the Bulls into an all-out frenzy that he had won $1 million. Or so everybody thought.
1 Million Deaths, 13 Last Messages
13 final texts from loved ones lost to covid.
The Saga of the Cannibal Ants in a Soviet Nuclear Bunker
They had no sun, no warmth, no light, and no honeydew. So they survived on the flesh of their fellow ants. Their colony was the wretched result of individuals falling from the healthier colony above, and with no way to climb out of the bunker, they could never return.
Experience: My Scream Is Famous
You’ve heard me in Paranormal Activity, Free Guy, and Scream. We are like stunt people, doing stuff that could damage an actor’s voice.
The Norwegian Library with Unreadable Books
Some of the world's most celebrated authors have written manuscripts that won't be published for a century – why?
The Incredible Women Wrestlers Who Pinned India’s Prime Minister
The nationalist government’s repressive tactics failed in the face of a protest movement that wouldn’t tap out.
A Cocaine Warlord Is Saving the Amazon with His Campaign of Terror
Insurgents are doing the jobs of park rangers in Colombia.
Quote of the Week:
“One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats.” – Iris Murdoch
Word of the Week:
Verschlimmbesserung (fɛ'flim,bɛsǝRO:ŋ)
(feh-SHLIM-bes-seh-rong)
Noun, German
An attempted improvement that ends up making things worse.
Facts of the Week:
Horses can remember if you smiled when they last saw you.
Women have broader smiles than men.
There are more species of ladybirds than there are species of mammals.
Only 26 of the 47 British species of ladybird look like ladybirds.
Ladybirds recognise each other by the smell of their feet.
The brains of pigeons have six times as many nerve cells as human brains.
Climbing Mount Everest causes brain damage.
Nepal has eight of the ten highest mountains in the world.
Mountaineers can get “third man syndrome”, where they feel as if someone else is there with them.
Cartoon of the Week:
Tweet of the Week:
Headline of the Week:
Brainteaser of the Week:
Each of the nine letters in the equations below represents a different digit from 1 to 9. Your task is to figure out the integer value of each letter.
A + B = 9
B + C = 10
C + D = 9
D + E = 10
E + F = 9
F + G = 10
G + H = 9
H + I = 10
Last Week’s Brainteaser and Answer:
One hundred people are standing in a circle in order from 1 to 100.
No. 1 has a sword. He smites the next person (No. 2) and passes the sword to the next (No. 3).
All people do the same until only one remains.
Which number is the last remaining person?
Answer:
73. Here’s a solution.
Thanks for reading Dovi’s Digest!