Dovi’s Digest Volume 64
A weekly newsletter for all your intellectual, spiritual, and physical needs
Hello err-one! Welcome to Volume 64 of Dovi’s Digest.
Well, it seems I spoke too soon. Last week, I had a little bit of a go at the South African Olympic team and their apparent lack of performances. No sooner had I pressed send, that Tatjana Schoenmaker heard my plaintive cries and went on to win gold in the women’s 200m breaststroke in a world record time. Watching the race, her joy at winning, and then her belated realisation that she’d broken the world record is incredibly heart-warming and I’ve linked the video here for your enjoyment.
The rest of the South African team didn’t fare as well, with Akani Simbine going closest by just missing out on the bronze medal in the men’s 100m sprint. The golden boy from the Rio games in 2016, Wayde van Niekerk, who won the 400m in world record time while running blind in lane nine, didn’t even qualify for the semi-finals of the race. In fairness, he tore his ACL in a celebrity touch rugby match in 2017 and hasn’t been the same since.
The Olympics will end on Sunday, and I’ll post one last thing about them. Most of you will be familiar with kimonos. However, what many people don’t know is that a kimono made the authentic way will cost well in excess of $20,000, and that can rise to $60,000 depending on the family who makes the kimono and the dyes used. Despite this, Imagine Oneworld had 213 kimonos commissioned as well as corresponding obis (the silk sash worn around the waist), one for each country or territory taking part in these games. The Kimono Project as it’s known thankfully hasn’t kept these designs secret, and all of them are available on their website. Each kimono uses motifs and colours associated with the country and its flag. Going through the pictures and reading a bit about them is a lovely way to spend some time.
The articles this week are your usual eclectic mix, ranging from the benefits of competing naked, to solarpunk architecture (which is similar to steampunk, except that it imagines how things can get better), and stopping at why spelling in English is so messed up.
There were ZERO correct answer to last week’s brainteaser, well done to no one. I’m going to leave this one up for another week just because it’s trickier than it looks.
Keep those articles (and everything else) coming,
Have a great week,
Dovi
And now, the articles:
Typos, Tricks, and Misprints
(Courtesy of Daniel Rabinovitch)
Why is English spelling so weird and unpredictable? Don’t blame the mix of languages; look to quirks of timing and technology.
What if Olympic Athletes Went Back to Competing Naked?
While modern shoes and athletic outfits offer some benefits to competitors, the psychological impacts of not wearing clothes might outweigh the physical effects.
A Painting or an NFT of It: Which Will Be More Valuable?
The new technology is raising questions about the risks and rewards of investing in digital art forms.
Inside the Imaginarium of a Solarpunk Architect
Imagine a world where, as opposed to the modern world replacing nature, the two are intertwined.
“We’re Not Allowed to Hang Up”: The Harsh Reality of Working in Customer Service
In their own voices, seven customer service representatives reveal what it’s like being caught between abusive callers and demanding employers.
How The Olympic Medal Table Explains the World
Charting history via gold, silver, and bronze.
The Fall of the Billionaire Gucci Master
Authorities say Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi, perfected a simple internet scam and laundered millions of dollars. His past says a lot about digital swagger, and the kinds of stories that get told online.
Quote of the Week:
“Success is measured on how high you bounce up after hitting bottom.” – General George S. Patton
Facts of the Week:
The most dangerous music to play while driving is Wagner's “Ride of the Valkyries”.
At the 1967 South African Grand Prix, the Mexican national anthem couldn't be found, so the organizers played the “Mexican Hat Dance” instead.
The Czechoslovak national anthem was the Czech national anthem played between two halves of the Slovak national anthem.
Chinese citizens hearing their national anthem are advised to stand still but be full of energy.
The sun generates more energy in one second than has been used during the whole of human history.
The centre of the sun is 40,000 times hotter than boiling water.
The strike of a mantis shrimp is so quick it makes the surrounding water boil.
Mantis shrimp can see a type of light that no other animal can, and they use it to send each other secret messages.
Cartoon of the Week:
Tweet of the Week:
Headline of the Week:
Brainteaser of the Week:
A snail travels to his favourite vegetable patch at 110cm per hour.
After munching through the veg, it returns, over exactly the same distance at 73.3333cm per hour.
What is the snail's average speed over the return trip?