Dovi’s Digest Volume 84
A weekly newsletter for all your intellectual, spiritual, and physical needs
Hello readers, welcome to Volume 84 of Dovi’s Digest.
In case it wasn’t crystal clear to you, I’m a bit of a nerd. And not the “ooh, look at me I wear glasses and like (insert superhero franchise here)” sort of nerd. I know some Elvish. I play Dungeons and Dragons. I’ve read The Silmarillion. These are just a few of my credentials. (However, there is no gatekeeping here! Enjoy what you want and call yourself what you want, I don’t mind.)
For the more astute of you, you can see that in this very brief list there are two (and technically three, as much of D&D is drawn from his lore) Tolkien references. My lifelong love of fantasy began when my mother bought me The Hobbit when I was eight. I devoured it and within a couple years had moved onto the Lord of the Rings, which was very daunting for a 10-year seeing as it has over 1000 pages. LOTR is quite widely known as being one of the greatest pieces of fiction ever written, and for good reason. It has everything one would want in a book. A hero’s quest. Conflict between friends. Epic battles, an arc of salvation, and a love story for the ages. Throw in some prose and you have the magnum opus of fantasy, so much so, that almost every book written since then has been shaped in some way or another by Tolkien. In 1999, Peter Jackson announced that he was making a movie series based on the book. This was met with mixed reactions. Today however, the films are loved by fans and critics alike.
This week’s headline article is about those films (and Harry Potter), and how 20 years ago they changed the face of cinema. Without them leading the way, chances are we wouldn’t have the Marvel franchise.
If you really want to know how epic the films are, I highly recommend watching the rap Steven Colbert (a Tolkien superfan) did about the trilogy on his show this week. It has great hook, even better lyrics, and features Hugo Weaving (Elrond) rapping in Quenta (high Elvish) while Andy Serkis (Gollum) plays the flute. You can find the video here.
This weekend is also Christmas, which brings with it one of my favourite musical genres. For the last few weeks, I’ve been singing I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas, Little Drummer Boy, and my favourite, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas. The amount of special albums increases each year as artists try to cash in on the festive period. For some perspective, it is estimated that Mariah Carey makes in excess of $3m a year just from All I Want for Christmas Is You. So there is also an article about that.
There were TWO correct answers to last week’s brainteaser. Well done to Liron Gordon and Yisroel Greenberg!!! The answer and this week’s riddle are below.
Your other articles include chickens that keep aeroplanes safe, the future of working out, giant squids, remote islands, and a sum up of Elon Musk’s insane year (even though it’s from 2020, much of it still applies). Enjoy!
Keep those articles (and everything else) coming,
Have a great week, and merry/happy Christmas to those who are celebrating it tomorrow,
Dovi
And now, the articles:
Twenty Years Ago, “Harry Potter” and “Lord of the Rings” Changed the Future of Hollywood
Released toward the end of 2001, the blockbuster adaptations of two beloved fantasy epics created a blueprint for commodifying fandom that remains the film industry’s primary method of business.
Rockin’ Around the Christmas Streams: Why Festive Music Is Bigger Than Ever
As they chase a wildly lucrative market with their new Christmas albums, Gary Barlow, Jamie Cullum, Leona Lewis and more explain the financial – and emotional – pull of a seasonal hit.
The Cannons Keeping Airplanes Safe, One Chicken at A Time
(Courtesy of Jackie Labovitz)
Birds may be the undisputed masters of the air, but they've been at the losing end of airborne collisions since the dawn of aviation.
Scientists Capture Ghostly Images of a Rare Squid
The bigfin squid in Australian waters offers more than meets the eye.
Foula: Britain's Most Remote Inhabited Island
Just 30 permanent residents live on Foula, which lays claim to being Britain's most remote inhabited island and operates on a different calendar to the rest of the UK.
Gyms Aren’t Coming Back. Here’s How You’ll Work Out in the Future
Some 59% of Americans don’t plan to return to a physical gym after the pandemic. What will fitness look like then?
Elon Musk’s Totally Awful, Batshit-Crazy, Completely Bonkers, Most Excellent Year
In 2020, the COVID-doubting, media-hating Twitterholic CEO became the third-richest man alive (now richest – ed.), SpaceX launched two astronauts into orbit, and Tesla became the most valuable car company on the planet. Inside the mind of Silicon Valley’s most vainglorious villain.
Quote of the Week:
“Ideas are cheap. Execution is expensive. The ability to execute separates people, not the ability to come up with ideas.” – Shane Parrish
Facts of the Week:
Horses have five hearts: each hoof acts as an extra blood pump.
People who walk slowly are more likely to die of heart disease.
Babies born in October are more likely to live to 100 than those born in March.
When a sperm meets an egg and conception takes place, zinc atoms are released, and sparks literally fly.
A study at the University of Illinois has concluded that sex doesn't sell.
Ted Hughes was so attractive that one woman who met him had to rush straight to the bathroom to be physically sick.
John Wilkes Booth, the man who shot Abraham Lincoln, was dating five different women when he himself was shot.
A sex pheromone found in male mouse urine is named darcin, after Mr. Darcy.
Cartoon of the Week:
Tweet of the Week:
Headline of the Week:
Brainteaser of the Week:
The store owner didn't want to be left with Christmas tree decorations. The box cost $40 originally, so he reduced it 20% on December 23. After Christmas, He reduced it another 50%. What would the box cost after Christmas?
Last Week’s Brainteaser and Answer:
Delete two numbers in each row so that the sum of each horizontal and vertical line is 30.
Answer: