Dovi's Digest Volume 9
A weekly newsletter for all your intellectual, spiritual and physical needs
Hello Everyone, and welcome to Volume 9 of Dovi’s Digest.
This week I was forced to confront my own mortality while simultaneously trying to ignore the relentless onward march of time. In other words, it was my birthday. As a nod to myself I’ve included three birthday themed articles, one on the origin of birthdays, one on the birthday paradox and one on the legal ramifications of the “Happy Birthday” song. You’ll also read about shark attacks, luxury resorts for teachers and an audacious Argentinian all-star heist.
There were many correct answers to last week’s riddle. Well done to: Rabbi Jamie Cowland, Kevin Levy, David Greenway, Liav Kalomonowitz, Daniel Rabinovitch, Asher Marcus, Dr Stan Wolberg, Bradley Mervis, Simon Myerson and Eli Berkow. Apparently the answer for the brainteaser two weeks ago was not all that clear, so I have explained it below, along with last week’s answer.
A few people have mentioned to me that sometimes Fridays are too tight on time and another day might be a better bet. As a result, I’ve created this one question survey to gauge what would be your ideal day. You can access the survey by clicking here.
As always, thank you very much to all those who are referring friends, and welcome to all of those who are on the list via my Facebook posts.
Keep those articles (and everything else) coming!
All the best
Dovi
And now, the articles:
The Record-Breaking Jet Which Still Haunts a Country
A decade after the end of World War Two, Canada built a jet which pushed technology to its limits. But its demise showed why smaller nations found it difficult to compete in the Jet Age.
Who Owns the Rights to “Happy Birthday”?
Who knew singing it in a restaurant might cost you up to $50 000?
5 Expert Tips for Surviving a Shark Attack
(Courtesy of Isaac Lipschitz)
Number 1 should be don’t go in the water, but it isn’t.
Netflix’s Billionaire Founder is Secretly Building A Luxury Retreat for Teachers in Rural Colorado
Park County hasn’t been able to figure out who is behind a 2100-acre centre for education reform. It’s Reed Hastings.
Understanding the Birthday Paradox
(Warning, maths heavy)
The chance of someone else in the room sharing your birthday is much higher than you’d think.
Ancient Rome Was Teetering. Then a Volcano Erupted 6000 Miles Away
Scientists have linked historical instability to a number of volcanic events, the latest involving an eruption in the Aleutian Islands.
This is Why You Get to Celebrate Your Birthday Every Year
Spoiler: It’s the obvious combo of pagan rituals and the industrial revolution.
The Great Buenos Aires Bank Heist
They were an all-star crew. They cooked up the perfect plan. And when they pulled off the caper of the century, it made them more than a fortune – it made them folk heroes.
Quote of the Week:
“Have you ever noticed how ‘What the hell?’ is always the right decision to make?” – Terry Johnson
Facts of the Week:
Only 1% of people who buy marmalade are under the age of 28.
Sea urchins are the only animals that can see without having eyes.
Cartoon of the Week:
Brainteaser of the Week:
You’re rummaging around your grandmother’s attic when you find five short chains each made of four gold links. It occurs to you that if you combined them all into one big loop of 20 links, you’d have an incredible necklace. So, you bring it into a jeweller, who tells you that the cost of making the necklace will be $10 for each gold link they have to break and reseal.
What is the cheapest it will cost you?
Last week’s Brainteaser and answer:
What letter should appear next in this series?
2, C, 5, F, 10, K, 14, O, 18, S, 20, U, 25 ?
Answer:
Z. each letter is one alphabetical place after the number.
Volume 7 clarification:
If London has 550 visitors, Budapest has 500, and Madrid has 2001, how many visitors does Paris have?
1. The roman numerals in each name are added together. LonDon (L+D=50+500=550), buDapest (D=500), MaDrID (M+D+I+D=1000+500+1+500=2001). parIs (I = 1)
Is there something you particularly liked or didn’t like? Let me know at dovisdigest@gmail.com