Dovi's Digest Volume 26
A weekly newsletter for all your intellectual, spiritual and physical needs
Hi All, and welcome to Volume 26 of Dovi’s Digest.
Compared to last week, this one has been a breeze. As last week’s newsletter was being written, we were all waiting with bated breath, waiting for any sort of outcome in one of the most hotly contested political battles in a while. Thankfully, by Saturday evening we had a winner. Wilbur, a 6-month-old French bulldog (pictured below), was elected as the mayor of Rabbit Hash, Kentucky.
In South Africa summer is finally starting, with hot, clear mornings, thunderstorms in the afternoons, and a propensity to complain that this year is hotter or colder than it used to be, depending on the time of day. In the before times, this would signal the start of the cricket season, one of my favourite sports. However, not only is the season truncated because of that which must not be named, but the few matches they are playing will be behind closed doors, with no spectators allowed. If you have any suggestions that would allow me to sit in the sun and drink copious amounts of beer in public, they would be greatly appreciated.
Last week, the newsletter went out under the heading of “Dovi’s Volume 25”. I unreservedly apologise for this oversight. In my defence, it was late, and my editors had already retired for the night. Needless to say, if I had been punctual and actually submitted on time, I would have flayed them for their apostasy.
Again, there was only one correct answer to last week’s riddle. Well done to Akiva Crouse. The answer and this week’s one is below.
There are a fair amount of new subscribers this week (Welcome again!), so thank you to all those who have been referring. To all the newbies, how this newsletter generally works is that people send me articles that they’ve enjoyed, which I then read and put in the digest. Submissions of quotes, cartoons etc. are also gladly accepted!
I’m in the process of putting together a referral programme, with goodies and giveaways if you hit a certain amount of signups. Hopefully this will be up and running early next year. If you have any ideas for giveaways, or even tips on implementation, please shoot me an email!
Keep those articles (and everything else) coming!
All the best
Dovi
And now, the articles:
A Brief History of Children Sent Through the Mail
Courtesy of Simon Myerson
In the early days of the parcel post, some parents took advantage of the mail in unexpected ways.
How to Hack Your Brain to Remember Almost Anything
Four-time USA Memory Champion Nelson Dellis and psychological scientist Julia Shaw explain how to use the memory palace technique to boost your memory skills.
The Rise, Fall, and Rise of the Status Pineapple
Symbols have always been used to signal one's status. Military insignia, family signet rings and heirloom watches; impressive properties filled with original art, expensive cars and designer handbags ensure a luxury lifestyle is obvious to all. But for about 250 years, all of these signposts of wealth and good breeding were ably fulfilled by... the pineapple.
What It’s Like to Be the Phillie Phanatic Right Now
“Weird and strange doesn’t even begin to describe it”. A brave mascot reveals what it’s like to fill the crushing emptiness of an MLB stadium.
As if the Platypus Couldn’t Get Any Weirder
Courtesy of Isaac Lipschitz
Turns out that platypuses have been hiding yet another odd feature: they can freakin’ glow in the dark.
Blockchain, the Amazing Solution for Almost Nothing
The enthusiasm for it mainly stems from a lack of knowledge and understanding. The blockchain is a solution in search of a problem.
Un-Adopted
YouTubers Myka and James Stauffer shared every step of their parenting journey. Except the last.
Quote of the Week:
“You’re only given one little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it.”
― Robin Williams
Facts of the Week:
1 in 100 Americans work for Walmart.
The first editorial assistant to work on the Oxford English Dictionary was sacked for industrial espionage.
My Adventures as a Spy, by Lord Baden-Powell, has a chapter on “The Value of Being Stupid”.
Secret Agents have to be trained to forget their advanced driving courses.
The CIA uses board games to train spies.
The CIA Museum in Langley, Virginia, is not open to the public.
Cartoon of the Week:
Brainteaser of the Week:
How quickly can you find out what is unusual about this paragraph? It looks so ordinary that you would think that nothing was wrong with it at all, and in fact, nothing is. But it is unusual. Why? If you study it and think about it you may find out, but I am not going to assist you in any way. You must do it without coaching. No doubt if you work at it for long, it will dawn on you. I don’t know. Now, go to work and try your luck.
Last week’s Brainteaser and answer:
You have two ropes. Each rope can burn in exactly one hour. The ropes are not of the same length or width. Both ropes are also not of uniform width or thickness. The ropes are thick at certain places and thin at other places. Thus, a rope that is half burnt will not necessarily have taken 30 minutes to burn.
By burning the ropes, how do you measure exactly 15 minutes worth of time?
Answer:
Let’s name the ropes as A and B.
Light A from both the ends and B from one end.
When A is finished burning we know that 30 minutes have elapsed and B has 30 minutes remaining. Now, light the other non-burning end of B and start the timer.
When B is finished burning, stop the timer as 15 minutes have elapsed.
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Is there something you particularly liked or didn’t like? Let me know at dovisdigest@gmail.com
re "How to Hack Your Brain to Remember Almost Anything"
Here's a TED talk from a journalist who got interested in a piece he was writing on the Intl Memory Competition, and then decided to learn the techniques himself that he was writing about, and ended up winning the competition.
https://www.ted.com/talks/joshua_foer_feats_of_memory_anyone_can_do?language=en
Living in Israel I can easily relate to the pineapple as being a status-symbol - here you could find them selling in the makolet for 30 Shekels easily. (That's about R140). And it won't even be a particularly large one either.