Dovi’s Digest Volume 75
A weekly newsletter for all your intellectual, spiritual, and physical needs
Bonjour! Welcome to Volume 75 of Dovi’s Digest.
We all feel lucky sometimes. It could be as small as picking up a penny, or big, like winning the lotto. The reverse is also true. We ask, “why me?” when we’re the last car to not get through a traffic light, or the same question when we just go for it and get into an accident. I feel that it kinda evens out in the grand scheme of things.
Take, for example, the last 10 days for me. I spent the better part of this week in the bush, far from cities and reliable cell phone signal. I was sent by work to check on some chilli farms, and to sign some new contracts. These are things that I enjoy (being in rural areas, chillies, and cooking on open fires).
Lucky right? Well, yes. But it was counterbalanced by the events at the weekend where I was emotionally kicked in the sore bits just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
On the long drive back, I thought about the concept of luck, and whether we all experience it in the same way. I also thought about this week’s Digest, and the two melded together. Therefore, over the next few weeks, I’ll be dedicating one article per edition to the science of luck, whether it actually exists, and even how to become luckier.
If this isn’t your thing, luckily (herherher) there are the normal mix of articles in this week’s edition. So please enjoy stories about being bitten by a rattlesnake and nearly dying (my pick of this week’s bunch), how money doesn’t buy everything, mysterious sounds that we can't explain, and why it’s important to hold onto a piece of your inner child. Enjoy!
There was ONE correct answer to last week’s brainteaser, well done to Liron Gordon!! There were also TWO correct answers to Ivor Berger’s puzzle. Well done to Adam Frame and Liron Gordon! The answers and this week’s riddle are below.
Keep those articles (and everything else) coming,
Have a great week,
Dovi
And now, the articles:
The Unreality of Luck
Optimists believe in good luck, pessimists in bad. But if it’s all a matter of perspective, does luck even exist?
Time Millionaires: Meet the People Pursuing the Pleasure of Leisure
It is often a struggle just to stay afloat. But if you had enough money, would you pursue more of it – or should time now be our greatest aspiration?
Most of the World’s Bread Clips Are Made by a Single Company
A brief history of the Kwik Lok Closure.
Why You Need to Protect Your Sense of Wonder — Especially Now
As the pandemic era goes on, more than ever we need ways to refresh our energies, calm our anxieties, and nurse our well-being.
Why 1971 Was an Extraordinary Year in Film
Fifty years ago, with both the industry and wider society in turmoil, an astounding set of movies was born – which offer pause for thought about cinema today, writes Christina Newland.
Seven Mysterious Sounds Science Has Yet to Solve
The loneliest whale in the world is just one example.
A Rattle with Death in Yosemite
When Kyle Dickman set out on a month-long road trip with his wife and infant son last spring, he was fuelled by a carefree sense of adventure that had defined his entire life. Then he got bit by a venomous snake in a remote area of Yosemite National Park, and the harrowing event changed everything.
Quote of the Week:
"If one wants to be active, one mustn’t be afraid to do something wrong sometimes, not afraid to lapse into some mistakes.”
— Vincent Van Gogh
Facts of the Week:
A petition to change the name of Bell End, in the West Midlands, was called a “bit silly” by Steven Young, 72, of Minge Lane, Worcester.
The designer of the Spitfire hated its name, saying, “It's just the sort of bloody silly name they would choose”.
Dunkin' Donuts is taking steps to drop the word “Donuts” from its name.
Tunnock’s teacakes (soft marshmallow on a biscuit base covered in chocolate) aren't allowed in RAF planes in case they explode.
Bumblebees’ penises explode when they ejaculate.
1% of middle-aged Honeybee's work as undertakers.
According to last wishes, Elizabeth Taylor arrived late for her own funeral.
Over 2 million people went to Victor Hugo's funeral – twice the population of Paris at the time.
Cartoon of the Week:
Tweet of the Week:
Headline of the Week:
(Courtesy of Ori Tobias)
Brainteaser of the Week:
What letter should come next in this sequence?
O T F S N E ?
Last week’s Brainteaser and answer:
A clock was correct at midnight. From that moment it began to lose four minutes per hour.
The clock stopped two and a half hours ago showing 10:16 am.
The clock runs for less than 24 hours.
What is the correct time now?
Answer:
13:30
Bonus Extra!
(Courtesy of Ivor Berger)
Everyday a person gets into a lift on the 35th floor of an apartment building and presses the G button. They then alight on the ground floor. In the evening they get in on the ground floor and press the button marked 22. They alight on the 22nd floor and walk up to the 35th floor. Why?
Answer:
They have dwarfism, and as such can’t reach the buttons at the top.