Blog — "Dullog"
There's not much that's dull in Ireland, not even traffic lights.
Dull men like to watch traffic lights change. In Ireland, however, this might be too exciting for them — click here.
Patrick O'Malley
Dublin
Hot off the press, some of "All the News That's Fit to Print" from the New York Times is an article about chickens in a park in Brooklyn.
A NIMBY ("not in my backyard") battle began when members of the Warren-St. Marks Community Garden in Park Slope brought eight clucking hens into the garden.
The pro-chicken residents say the chickens are good to have in the garden. They improve the environment there by eating scraps and contributing to the garden's compost pile.
The anti-chicken residents say the chickens stink and might bring flies, vermin, lead poisoning, and possibly even avian flue into the neighborhood.
We dull men would have enjoyed being at a meeting of local residents Sunday when discussed, in detail, composting and chicken coop wiring. And a city rat consultant explained that the chickens were rat-free.
Hopefully the dispute is resolved soon. "I want to get along with my neighbors — I don't want a chicken to get between me and my neighbor," says Ibon Muhammad, a Warren Street resident since 1980.
To read the NYT article, click here
The folks in Washington DC certainly know how to celebrate the ordinary. Yesterday a special ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for the reopening of the city's subway escalators at the Dupont Circle South Entrance:
The entrance was closed for 8.5 months for a complete rebuilding of the escalators.
It's exciting to read about how the work was done, as reported in huffingtonpost.com:
"Working in a narrow space with the proportions of a drinking straw, the old escalators, each weighing nearly 55 tons, had to be cut into 24 separate sections and individually moved out of the entrance on three separate cranes. Then each section of the new escalators had to be installed 24 sections in all, each traveling on 3 cranes. In total, there were nearly 150 crane picks during the project, many happening late at night with 19th Street closed to vehicular traffic."
Additional articles about this are in myfoxdc.com and in washingtonpost.com.
Members of the Pembroke DMC continue to do stuff that delights readers.
The Boston Globe reports on one of their meetings: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2012/10/17/dull-men-club-celebrates-the-ordinary-pembroke/1k8y9FiOYIOgBeo49gZzbM/story.html
A great joke told at the meeting is included in the article:
"One member launched into an amusing story about a drug test that took place at his place of work. He said one of his colleagues refused to urinate in the plastic cup and instead filled it with apple juice. Later on, when the nurse approached the colleague, he grabbed the cup back from her and said, “Here, let me put it through again [exclamation point removed]” He put the cup to his lips, tipped it back, and drank it, as the nurse looked on in horror."
Actually, high winds did this.
It happend near Chappell, Nebraska — near the DMC's back office (our favorite place to work).
Our member there who took this picture said it’s the most exciting thing he’s seen there in quite a while.
Holgate Mill Roundabout, in York
Here's an article no dull man will want to miss:
Cheers
Ian McIver
Brisbane, Australia
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Wow. A multitasking roundabout. A roundabout that generates power. What will they think of next?
I was gobsmacked," said Kevin Beresford, president of the Roundabout Appreciation Society. Beresford added that this one is the Holy Grail of roundabouts, unlike most roundabouts that are merely "an oasis in a sea of asphalt."
Read more: Holgate's "Roundabout 'round a Windmill" — chosen for 2013 Roundabout Calendar's cover
I was watching CBS's "Sunday Morning" yesterday. There was an amazing story about a traffic copy in LA — Elton Simmons — who has an amazing record of complaints from drivers he's issued tickets to.
Zero complaints. That's for 25,000 arrests over a 20-year period.
Read more: Traffic Cop — a great one — we need many more like this
Prarie Home Companion — next week, October 20: Joke Show — "Pretty Good Jokes"
I was listening to Prairie Home Companion yesterday and the repeat today. They announced that next week's show will have more of their jokes.
If you like the jokes on our Groaners page, you'll like the jokes on Prairie Home Companion.
"You could see it grow," said Ron Wallace of Greene, Rhode Island, grower of a 2009 pound pumpkin.
The pumpkin grew at the rate of 40 pounds a day.
Watching a pumpkin like this growing is a great kind of safe excitement for dull men.
Just as breaking the sound barrier was to aerospace and running the four-minute mile was to sports, the Holy Grail for giant pumpkin people is this one-ton pumpkin. For decades, pumpkin growers have been pursuing this.
CBS News, "One-ton pumpkin shatters weight record, click here
Hello all at the DMC,
I was checking out your calendar for October and noticed that apart from Raking Leaves there is nothing else listed.
Last month you covered events including Bathtubbing, Gurning and Rock Flipping and I wondered if you'd like to list some Crazy Golf events coming up in October and November (the last 5 competitions of 2012).
Read more: Minigolf (much safer for dull men than regular golf)
October 3, 2012
Swanson TV dinner — long a meal of choice for us dull men. That's why we were pleased to see the article "Kid's meal of choice" by Craig Wilson in today's USA Today.
Read more: A kid's meal of choice: Swanson TV Dinner (some years back)
I read that the presidential candidates trying to lower expectations for Wednesday's debate.
It reminds me of an advantage I enjoy as a dull man. We come with lower expectations.
Life's easier. Less is expected of me.
Sincerely,
Wynn Underwood
Columbus Ohio
Kitchen Window
As a card carrying member of the DMC who likes to “Celebrate the Ordinary,” and also a member of one of those 12-step outfits, I thought I’d share with readers something I came across a few days ago: “Don’t overlook the wonder of the ordinary.” It was in a daily email from Hazelden in Minnesota. Here are excerpts:
Don't overlook the wonder of the ordinary.
The extraordinary, the amazing, the phenomenon are daily glorified in the movies, the news, and on television. Our senses become bombarded. We become addicted to drama. The only things that get our attention are the big, catastrophic, knee-jerking events.
Entomologist and pest expert Hal Coleman — better known as “The Internet Bug Guy” — he shares, on video, tips and facts that the insiders — the professional exterminators — don’t want you to know — click here — but be forewarned: there are some exclamation points.
September 28, 2012
October, which will be here in a few days, is Raking Leaves month for us Dull Men.
There's a lot to like about October. Apples. Crisp air. Falling leaves.
Hello
I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for a website full of useful information, in particular the list of luggage carousels in airports with has saved me several seconds and given me somewhat of a reputation in the Scandinavian aviation society.
I have been to Arlanda several times and I am fairly certain that the carousels are going counter clockwise. I might of course be mistaken so I implore you to use your, I am sure, vast connections to verify my claim.
Regards
Martin
Stockholm
This is one of the luggage belts at Malaga Airport.
It's a shame I didn't take a video, but you can tell from the way the lady is facing, that the belt is moving in a clockwise direction.
I like belts that travel in a clockwise direction.
Sent from my iPhone.
Tom Ditchfield
Winchester
Hampshire (England)
The club took part in the Pembroke Massachusetts' 300th anniversary parade on Sunday September 23. It was a big event — 16 bands in eight divisions.
We now have new black with gold shirts and matching hats.
The antique car we rode in belongs to member Tiny Brown. The magnetic signs on the sides of the car had the club's logo.
Dick Nickerson
Pembroke DMC
The Dull Man will always wish to ensure when he travels to foreign parts that he takes the power adaptor(s) necessary to connect his electrical appliances to the local supply.
Click here to read the article
The article has "aroused lots of mirth locally [exclmation mark removed]" its author, Jane Bakowski, reports in an email us.
Here is some dull news from Harrogate, Yorkshire, about prize-winning giant vegetables.
The onion in the picture weighs 18 pounds – or as much as two reasonably-sized babies.
http://www.anorak.co.uk/333435/the-consumer/harrogate-autumn-flower-show-photos-of-massive-vegetables.html/
Regards
Steve Reszetniak
London
World Gurning Championships — held Saturday 15 September
in Egremont in Cumbria
Tommy Mattinson, winner
Read more: World Gurning Championships 2012 — Mattinson wins 14th year in a row
Reported in the Ecco:
Two men in a dinghy were almost left stranded after their engine failed in blustery conditions.
The men were just 50 yards off the beach at The Leas, Westcliff [east coast of England] when the dinghy's engine cut out.
- Today: World Gurning Championships — in Egremont in Cumbria — click here
New entrants ? . . . . . . :
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Hey, how about me?
There a many art exhibits that are far too exciting for dull men. We came across one, however, that we like. It has only five photos. Five stunning photos of bus stops.
Not only are the photos of something quite ordinary — the bus stops go nowhere. There are no buses.
In fact, they are not even on roads that buses travel on. They are on the grounds of nursing homes in Germany.
They are fake.
They are for patients suffering from dementia. The patients wait at the bus stops until they are escorted back inside or return of their volition, having forgotten where it is they won’t be going that day.
Click here to see all five photos in the magazine. Which one of the five is your favorite?
This week's New Yorker has exhigit of photos by Timo Klos.
Thanks to Gerry Cook and Steve Reszetniak for clueing us in on this
Dear DMC
Here is a real silly season story.
Reports of a lion on the loose in Essex were a slight exaggeration. It was only a big pussycat.
"Was Essex 'Lion' a Pet Cat?, " click here
Regards
Steve Reszetniak
London
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Thanks Steve.
This will be quite a relief to quite a few of our DMC members, those who are caravaners.
A related article says the police have called off their search:
"Police Call Off Search for Essex Lion, " click here
Now our cavaning members can breath a sign of relief knowing it’s safe to go to St. Osyth Caravan Park again.
DMC
I must admit that I sometimes feel sleepy after a meeting. Now I know that this is due to the heroic amount of energy I expend in sitting down for minutes at a time.
Read more: Gold Medals for Daily Chores—chores burning calories than Olympic events?
Reports from London 2012 are still trickling in. This one is really amusing. Watch all the way to the end if you have the time/ The best part is at the end:
Compass
Level
Have you seen this? Very interesting.
http://flowingdata.com/2012/08/08/celebrating-the-joy-of-metering/
Kurt Kessler
Lexington Kentucky
As we in the DMC relish the ordinary and have a distaste for the extraordinary, the phrase “the curse of the ordinary” in the opening paragraph of a recent article the New York Times caught our eyes. The article is “Finding the Facebook Magic” by Peter Eavis.
The article says “it’s all about valuations” and “the transition from extraordinary to ordinary is brutal.” It points out that the hyping of the share value for the public offering was based on projections of amazing, extraordinary profits. Then came the nightmare when investors stopped believing in the hype.
Moral of the story: stick with ordinary, steer clear of extraordinary — "Celebrate the Ordinary."
The Rev. Al Sharpton host of NBC's show PoliticsNation, talks about snail racing when talking about summer breaks, observing that snails move as fast as Congress. Click here to watch the race.
There's nothing wrong with coming in second. In fact, it can be very rewarding. After all, it's the second mouse that gets the cheese:
A Class Act — Zara Phillips — "Chuffed" with Silver
she won with UK Equestrian Team — truly royal behavior
A different viewpoint — obviously ungracious
American gymnast McKayla Maroney
Dear DMC
There are some fine queues here. Note that The Times Fast Track entrance is not so popular. Clearly the queuing experience is diminished there so it's avoided.
Joining queues gives the opportunity to enlighten confused visitors, particularly those from overseas, talk about the weather and discover the price of burgers and CocaCola in countries all over the world.
I met a gentleman from Tajikstan who told me with some pride that his country had won one bronze medal for boxing and another from Latvia who had won a medal for Beach Volleyball. I think I might check out the beaches in Latvia for my holiday next year.
Tom Ditchfield
Winchester
Dear DMC
The lavatory queues are fine too. Here you see a group of people discussing the possibility of joining the existing queue or perhaps forming a new one.
The sixth cubicle is clearly very popular, so that's a hard one.
Tom Ditchfield
Winchester
Dear DMC
Empty seats in the Stadium. Can only think its because people are still queuing at the 2012 Store.
Tom Ditchfield
Winchester
See previous article in El País, click here.
This is the queue for the souvenir store — the London 2012 Megastore in Olympic Park.
I'm here. The queues are real. They are exciting. They are fantastic. 2012 will be the year to remember.
Tom Ditchfield
Winchester
8 August 2012
Sent from my emd
We wish we could find a website or other facility that provides live information on queues — where they are and their size.
We can't fine one. The best we can do is a blog post of articles queuing at the London Olympics. We will be updating the report with our own research as well as content contributed by readers, about queuing at the London 2012 Olympics.
If queuing is a favorite pastime for you, as it is for many Brits, you can use these articles to find queues. If you want to avoid queues, you can find where to go.
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7 August — Telegraph — "Long queues for trains to London 2012 Olympic park" — http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9449135/Long-queues-for-trains-to-London-2012-Olympic-park.html#disqus_thread
29 July — Guardian — "Dressage spectators miss key moment queuing" — http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-18981998
27 July — BBC News — "Olympic football delay at St James' Park 'unacceptable'" — http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-19013655
26 July — BBC News — "Queues for Olympic football at Newcastle's St James' Park" — http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-18981998
25 July — ABC News (Australia) — "Olympic ticket queue strectches for hours" . . . "Australina trying to collect their pre-paid Olympic tickets in London have been forced to wait for up to nine hours in hot weather" — http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-07-25/olympic-ticket-queue-stretches-for-hours/4154816
23 July — Daily Mail — "Foreign visitors forced to queue for hours in 27C heat after administrative error means they can't get their Olympics tickets" — http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2177859/London-Olympics-2012-Visitors-forced-queue-hours-27C-heat-tickets-administrative-error.html
Dear DMC
Samantha Cameron speaks up for the joy of accounting. (Mrs Cameron is married to David Cameron, who is something in politics over here.)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/aug/05/samatha-cameron-vogue-interview?INTCMP=SRCH
Read more: UK PM's wife Samantha Cameron speaks up for joy of accounting
How to Get Things Really Flat
Enlightenment for Every Man on Ironing,
Vacuuming and Other Household Acts
Examples of what's covered:
When dusting, where does the dust go?
How to load a dishwasher without inducing comments
What’s the worst thing that can happen during ironing?
Toilet cleaning — an overview
This book is in our aStore, click here
Pellston Regional Airport [PLN] — no carousel
Emil Bentgen
Cross Junction, Virginia
No list of roundabouts is complete without the one in the center of East Longmeadow MA.
It is in the Guinness Book of Records.
It has seven roads which go into it: North Main, Somers, Prospect, Pleasant, Maple, Elm and Shaker.
Hooray for dullness.
Frank Driscoll
Here is a useful link about the engineering properties of sand castles. It's mostly about the moisture content.
Best wishes
Steve Reszetniak
London
Read more: "The Physics of Sand Castles" — from The Economist
I was in the U.K. when the games began. Was watching them live on TV there. Monday flew to Dulles (one of our favorite dull airports). Duller to watch them here in the U.S.
There's a five-hour time delay. By the time I see the games on TV, I already know the winners.
Which games are dull to watch? Rowing? Same motions over and over again? Same countries always win (U.S., U.K., Germany)?
Grover
August 2, 2012
Dear DMC
I have always believed that it is a good idea to leave two spaces after a full stop (period). This man disagrees very forcefully. I have no idea if he is right, but this looks like a good topic for discussion by dull men.
Read more: Good meeting topic: after each sentence—one or two spaces?
I happened to run across this just before finding out about your list. I knew you would want to know about this.
The General Shale company in Johnson City, TN has a "Museum of Ancient Brick." The website is below.
http://www.generalshale.com/company/museum/
Cindy
Riverdale Maryland
Pole dancing classes have been a fitness craze in recent years. It's now moved beyond being a fad. Dancers from all over the world participate in pole dancing competitions. The most recent one was held on March 15, 2012 in Hong Kong.
"It can be extremely challenging. It's Olympic level difficulty depending on what the style is," said pole dancer Becca Butcher.
Tim Trautman, president of the Interiational Pole Sport Federaton is leading an effort to make pole dancing an Olympic Sport. For their application to the Olympic Committee, we suggest that they kick off the high heels and remove the eroticism, at least some of it.
We like mazes. They are a fine form of safe excitement for us.
That's why we enjoyed so much today watching the Olympic Torch being carried into and back out of the amazing maze at Hampton Court Palace.
You too can enjoy watching this, it's now on YouTube, click here
Sheep shearing, Queen watching
The New Zealand Federated Farmers says the time has come to elevate sheep shearing to Olympic status. "The world's top shearers are athletes who take it to another level," according to the farm group.
This is reported in The Huffington Post, including a video of the sport, click here.
And in Aljazeera, also with a video, click here.
We are watching the excitement of the Olympics and looking at the list of events.
We wonder why some wonderful long-standing English events are not on the list. After all, as was recognized years ago in the Official Report for the 1908 London Olympic Games [click here], "England is the cradle of so many forms of athletic sport."
The organizers of the World Black Pudding Throwing Championships tried, unsuccessfully, to get Black Pudding Throwing to be an event in the London 2012 Olympics.
We hope they try again for the 2016 Olympics, which will take place in Rio de Janeiro.
In the application for Olympic status, since the shot put is an Olympic sport, naming it the the "pudd put" might help it qualify.
In this event, competitors throw black puddings at a stack of a dozen Yorkshire puddings on a 30-foot high plinth. Competitors have three turns in an attempt to knock down as many Yorkshire puddings as possible. The black puddings must be thrown underarm.
Black Pudding Throwing stems from the ancient rivalry between Lancashire and Yorkshire during the War of Roses, a war fought spasmodically 1455-1485. Two rival branches of the Royal House of Plantagenet, the House of Lancaster and the House of York, were fighting each other. The troops ran out of traditional military ammunition. So they threw food.
The present championships take place at The Royal Oak pub, which is in Ramsbottom, near Manchester. They take place on the second Sunday of September every year. Contestants come from England, Scotland, Wales, South Africa, Australia and many other countries.
It's on our Calendar, click here. For the blog called "World Black Pudding Thrower Diary," click here.
If air rifle shooting and the biathlon are Olympic sports why not pea shooting?
Peashooting began in 1971 in the Cambridgeshire village of Witcham. Competitions have been held every year since then. This year the 42nd Annual World Peashoting Competition was held on July 14. It was on our Calendar, click here.
It all began when the village schoolmaster, John I. Tyson, caught mischievous pupils amusing themselves by pinging their unfortunate schoolmates with peas. He confiscated the offending weapons.
Around the same time the village had identified a need for a village hall and they were seeking ways to raise funds, John suggested a World Peashooting Championship. The idea was an instant success and is central to each year's fund-raising activities to this day.
Although innovations like laser sights and telescopic sights are being used by some shooters now, traditionalists are holding their own. The innovations have, however, been a source of keen interest from the media and raised the national profile of the event.
Participants and spectators come from, the U.S., Scandinavia, France, Spain, New Zealand, Holland and many other countries.
The secret to wining? “It’s all about selecting the right pea,” says former world champion George Hollis, a local from Witcham.
Click here to get to Witcham's website about this big event.
Stilton
Cheese rolling is an annual event in Stilton, a village in Cambridgeshire. Hundreds of villagers and visitors line the racecourse that begins at The Bell Inn and ends at the bottom of Fen Street and Church Street. Contestants group together in teams of four.
Click here to read about it on our Calendar page.
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Gloucester
An eight pound large round Gloucester cheese is set rolling down Cooper's Hill, a steep hill in Gloustershire. Participants chase the cheese down the steep slope. There's ittle hope they'll catch up with the cheese. There's lots of sprawling, rolling, tumbling.
The first to the bottom wins the cheese.
Medics are on hand to carry injured participants off the hill, usually on stretchers. Safety nets are on each side of the course to protect spectators.
Queuing
Our Worldwide Report on Airport Luggage Carousels was on "Mock the Week: too hot for TV3," now can be watched on YouTube.
Click here to view the episode
A lively discussion indeed, at least as lively as dull men ever get. Do these guys qualify for DMC membership?
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We've gone back into our archives and rediscussed [dull men like to rediscuss things, over and over again] this report. Here are some of the things we rediscussed:
Meeting Room
The first thing to do is find a place to meet. There are many possibilities: local community centers, schools, churches; restaurants often have back rooms available for meetings; perhaps one of your members has a garage that could be used for the meeting.
Chairs
What kind of chairs? Folding chairs are convenient to store away if that needs to be done. Chairs with arms are more comfortable.
Read more: Suggestions for Starting DMC Meeting in Your Town
Today's Wall Street Journal writes about the very active (at least as active as dull men ever get) Dull Men’s Club in Pembroke Massachusetts and also about our website — if you are one of us — or are interested or curious about us, you’ll enjoy reading this article.
Click here to read the article. There’s also a hilarious video, click here to watch it.
July 20, 2012
- Snow shovels
- Oil Change Intervals
- Tire rotation
- One or two spaces after a sentence? click here
- Filing systems
- Staples versus paper clips
- Favorite shades of gray — click here to see our iPhone app about this
- Apostrophizing
I arrived at Southampton Airport from Paris Tuesday night. The luggage carousel where I picked up my bag was rotating counterclockwise.
I see on our Worldwide Report, the direct indicated for Southampton is clockwise. This clearly needs to be investigated. I'll drive back to the airport sometime soon to sort this out.
Meanwhile, here's a photo I took of my bag arriving . . . counterclockwise . . . it's always such a joy to see one's bag arriving:
Grover Click
Winchester, England
Flores, Guatemala [FRS] is clockwise.
I was last in Hobart 15 years ago. Glad to see that they are still using the tractor [exclmation mark removed]
Michael Howland
Dear DMC
I was wondering if there is such a thing as a Vulture Appreciation Society. I couldn’t find one exactly, but this site gets close – and has links to web cams. I hope the members will appreciate it.
The way I look at it, vultures eat all that stuff so we don’t have to.
http://vulturesociety.homestead.com/
Regards
Steve Reszetniak
London
18 July 2012
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Dear Steve
When I arrived at Orly airport yesterday, I noticed that Orly had not yet been included in our world-famous worldwide report of luggage carousels.
Orly's carousels rotate counterclockwise:
Grover Click
July 14, 2012 (Bastille Day)
In yesterday’s International Herald Tribune, there was an article that naturally caught our eye: “Celebrate Boring Africa Aid.”
America’s foreign aid in Africa these days is taking a down-to-earth approach. It’s focusing on agriculture. Results are mixed.
On the plus side, the initiatives are cost-effective and potentially transformative.
On the negative side, they’re boring. The aid to African farmers doesn’t wow Congress or voters.
But, even though it’s boring, it’s succeeding.
Fields are being irrigated for the first time — with pumps powered by foot pedal treadle pumps resembling elliptical machines from an American gym. A picture of this multitasking shown above.
To get to the article, click here.
July 14, 2012
In today's International Herald Tribune — "From the top, a new tone in France":
"Mr Ordinary," Francois Hollande, France's new president, is impressing the French with his down-to-earth style.
In sharp contrast to the "bling-bling" of the presidency of Nicolas Sarkosy.
• Hollande took the train instead of plane to a meeting in Brussels recently.
• Ministers to travel coach class on planes.
• Smaller cars for government officials.
• Champaign is at receptions replaced with Muscadet
Click here to get to the article.
July 13, 2012
Dear DMC,
This week I've been watching the "Running of the Bulls" in Spain on TV. Shame on me. It's not a suitable sport for a Dull Man like me.
Dear DMC
This is a sort of public service announcement. Dull men may have become aware of a new book entitled "50 Shades of Grey" by E L James.
I was rather hoping this might be something for us, but after doing a little research I have come to the conclusion that E L James is not a dull man; and that this book is not likely to be of interest to dull men. I could say more, but I think that is quite enough.
Sincerely
Steve Reszetniak
London
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Dear Steve,
We agree. The title sounds like it's right up our alley, grey being our favorite color. But the books are too frisky for us.
Shades of grey is sometimes a topic at our meetings.
And many of us have the suits in our closet hung based on shades of grey, usually from light grey upwards to dark grey.
DMC
http://www.thegreatbritishduckrace.co.uk/
Dear Readers,
In past years, Dull Men have enjoyed watching this race. Does anyone know what is happening this year? All we can find is the sign we show above. If you know anything about this, please email us: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Thanks,
DMC
It caught our eye: an article "Redefining Success and Celebrating the Ordinary" by Alina Tugend, New York Times, June 29 — because of the words "Celebrating the Ordinary" — words that have long headed up our logo, which is at the top of this page.
The article laments that there being no place any longer for people who live ordinary lives. No place for people who are good citizens but are not setting the world on fire. Ordinary and average are out, extraordinary and above average are in.
Even in Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon "all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average".
The article builds upon a commencement address, "You're Not Special," given at Wellesley High School in Massachusetts that went viral. The address was given by one of the school's English teachers, David McCullough Jr. (son of David McCullough, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian).
After citing accomplishments of the graduates, McCullough said, "But do not get the idea you're anything special. Because you're not."
Read more: "Redefining Success and Celebrating the Ordinary"
Dear DMC,
I believe that for anyone who likes queues, and the majority of English members of the DMC must surely love them, the 2012 Olympics is going to be the place to go to join the most phenomenal queues of the decade, if not the century.
Forget airports, railway stations and checkout queues at Sainsbury's and Tesco. Everyone is going crazy just waiting for the queues to start, let alone getting into them and being part of them.
They've sold 8 million tickets already. You're never going to find 8 million people at an airport or a railway station or a supermarket. No. The only place you're going to find eight million people this year is at the Olympics and the queues are going to break all records. That's for sure. I'm really grateful that I can be part of this.
Tom Ditchfield
Winchester
16 June 2012
Dear DMC,
I know some fathers are worried they won't get cards from their kids on Father's Day.
As a happy bachelor, I'm worried too — that I might get cards.
Cheers,
Randy Amore
Loveland, Colorado
Will queuing become an Olympic Sport?
It was invented in 1899. It hasn't been improved since. What is it?
Yours
François Gojat
France
Read more: The mighty paper clip—invented in 1899, not improved upon since
Goldman Sachs announced Friday it has hired a junior analyst, Greg Kohler, who possesses a clear set of morals and a basic understanding of right and wrong.
Click here for the story, which was in "America's Finest News Source."
Dear DMC,
Is that one of you dull men heading to the beach?
After Dull and Boring came to light, we're hearing about more names: Staines (Surrey), Lost (Aberdeenshire), Hell (Michigan), Crapstone, (Devon), Thong (Kent), Looneyville (Texas), Intercourse (Pennsylvania),
The proposal from Dull to Boring was made over a month ago. We have been waiting with baited breath ever since to see how the vote in Boring would turn out.
Read more: Breaking news: Boring (Oregon) votes to twin with Dull (Scotland)
Dear Sir
You cannot imagine my disappointment when I clicked on This is "International Clothesline Week" and the link went nowhere.
We have the highest clothesline poles in the village with three horizontal lines between them (my father put them up years ago, I think they’re set in 3 ft of concrete) which makes putting the washing out no chore at all.
There’s nothing I like more than, having hoisted the lines up, leaning against the garden wall, smoking a cigarette (can I use that word?) and watching the clothes blow.
It’s especially satisfying if you have sheets and or duvet covers on the line, they really billow out, if, of course, you have pegged them in the right way to catch the wind properly.
Read more: Clothesline Report from Cornwall — highest clothesline poles in Penzance
For your information, the carousels at Munich, Germany (MUC) go counterclockwise. And the airport code for Dulles in Virginia, USA is IAD, not DIA. I can verify that the motion is ccw there too.
You're welcome.
Richard Lindstrom
--------------------
Many thanks for letting us know about Munich. And for correcting the airport code for Dulles and confirming that its a counterclockwise airport.
Jim Cotter — painting
Dear DMC,
CBS Sunday Morning yesterday had an interesting segment about a man who set out to paint the town, and is getting the job done.
Before I describe the show, however, I wish to point a key thing it lacked. There was nothing said about whether any dull men are there watching the paint dry. I expect there were. It would be great if they emailed us about their experiences in this regard.
Dear DMC
Dull Men everywhere will mourn the passing of Eugene Polley, inventor of the TV remote control: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-18164200
Read more: TV Remote Control's Founding Father — we mourn him now
Dull men adore orderliness. Orderliness is especially gratifying when has amazing results.
A fallout from Manhattan's orderly grid system of streets is Manhattanhenge, which occurs twice each year when the sun is aligned exactly with Manhattan's east/west streets — presenting stunning views of the sunset. (The grid system was the subject of our May 5 newsletter [click here].)
The name "Manhattanhenge" was coined by astronomer Neil deGrassse Thyson, Director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Nature History in New York. As Thyson explains, "Manhattanhenge takes place when the setting sun aligns precisely with the Manhattan street grid, creating a radiant glow of light across Manhattan’s brick and steel canyons, simultaneously illuminating both the north and south sides of every cross street of the borough’s grid. A rare and beautiful sight.”
2012
The 2012 dates are May 30 and July 11. Unfortunately, on May 30 the view was dampened by bad weather. A cold front with rain showers moved across Manhattan — disappointing spectators as well as photographers hoping to get more stunning photos.
Street grid tilts 29 degrees to the east, thus not aligned with equinoxes
The sunset point moves each day. It moves north until the first day of summer (the summer equinox), then south until the first day of winter (the winter equinox). The sun rises precisely to the east and sets precisely to the west only on the equinoxes. But Manhattan's grid of streets is not exactly aligned with geography's north/south course. The streets tilt 29 degrees to the east of geographic north. Therefore, unlike Stonehenge where the stones are properly aligned north/south, the days to view the sunsets at Manhattanhenge are not the same as the summer and winter equinoxes.
It's not "Manhattansolstice"
"Solstice" is a Latin word that means "stopped sun." At a solstice, the sun stops moving for a moment and then reverses to move in the opposite direction. At Manhattanhenge, the sun is still moving.
Do you, as a dull man, feel you are apart from other people when you do -- and enjoy doing -- doing mundane things, life's daily chores?
Good news for you in this new book -- you're not alone. Great writers do these things too. as explained in the book: Hemingway hung wallpaper; Hunter Thompson put up a garden fence; Julius Caesar put up a shelf; Machiavelli espoused on the Art of Mowing; Harold Pinter made cheese on toast; Charles Dickens made plum pudding.
Congratulations on being selected for inclusion in the Chase’s Book of Events.
Read more: Congrats on listing in Chase's Calendar of Events
Dear DMC,
I recall Hollande was one of the nominees for Dull Man of the Year last year. So I thought your members would enjoy seeing him in action now as President of France.
Wanda Ring
Philadelphia
Dear DMC
Ants and ballet – two words that go together like gravel and birthdays.
"The humble spud. Not much to look at, admittedly.
But in our hands it becomes the ultimate feel-good food."
Am dining at a great restaurant for a Dull Man — a restaurant that specializes in mashed potatoes — Mother Mash on Ganton Street just off Canaby Street.
Read more: "Mother Mash" — London restaurant specializing in mashed potatoes
Chase's Calendar of Events -- next year will include our "Fill Our Staplers Day"
Event title: "Fill Our Staplers Day"
Dates: March 11 and November 4, 2013
Description: To avoid those annoying empty staplers, the Dull Men's Club has established Fill Our Staplers Day. The day occurs twice a year - the days after the days we change our clocks to and from Daylight Saving Time. For info: Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Web: www.dullmensclub.com.
Formula: Days Days after our clocks change to and from Daylight Saving Time
David Rees is now an artisanal pencil sharpener. His rapid rise to being the leader in his field is yet one more American success story.
A one exit/entrance roundabouts
For when four way roundabouts are too exciting.
Eager Way, Ide
KevinCaulfield
Edinburgh
New York is the "World Capital" of many things — but did you know it's the "World Capital of Park Benches"? There are 9,000 benches in Central Park and more in other parks and squares around the city.
Gracie Deegan, winner last year
Am looking forward to seeing the results of yesterday's Pun-Off that's listed on the DMC Calendar [click here]. Am wondering when we'll hear the results — who won and with what puns?
Reviewd by DMC member Paige Turner:
Is there any musical instrument more ordinary that the ukulele? I think not.
Read more: "Uke of Wallington: one man and his ukulele round Britain," by Mark Wallington
Although New York has many world-famous restaurants, there are places where dull men can comfortably eat, where reservations are not required, there's no wait to get in, the food is good and reasonably priced.
Read more: Dull Man's Guide to New York — Dining — 600 Greek Diners
Our members indeed have patience. We continue to get emails about how they are waiting for the next drop.
There's good news in once sense. Unlike many dripping things, no one's complaining about this one being too bothersome.
Dull Webcam of the Year? Perhaps, addition to our annual Dull Man of the Year award, we should start a Dull Webcam of the Year award.
From Australia:
Gentlemen,
I submit for your consideration:
Read more: Pitch Drop Experiment — DMC members still waiting
Emil Bentgen
Cross Junction, Virginia
She's gone now but am glad I have fond memories of her, my mother Edna. She made me laugh, mostly at my own expense.
Valedictorian
Peter Willis, retired postman in England, intends to photograph all of Britain's 115,000 postboxes. So far, he has photographed 2,500 of them. He started when he retired in 2007.
Today Peter was interviewed on BBC Radio 4, click here to listen.
11 May 2012
Dear DMC
Here is news of a new dull activity, together with a nomination for Dull Man of the Year.
The article ends: “Are you more boring than Peter Willis? Call our newsdesk on 0800 282 591.” I think we should keep an eye on the Mirror.
• The carousel, located towards the southern end of the park, is one of America's biggest carousels.
May 8, 2012
News articles about Hollande's victory Sunday reiterate what we've been commenting on over the past year — that he's one of us.
From the New York Times — headline "In French Race, the Tortoise Sets His Own Pace":
Report from Stilton's 2012 Cheese Rolling — 7 May
8 May 2012
Yesterday's events are being reported on now on the town's website. Their headline is:
"A bit of rain during the rolling didn't dampen our spirits; another great cheese rolling day [exclmation mark removed]"
Read more: Report from Stilton — "A rather soggy cheese rolling"
We’re starting a series of tips for surviving in exciting places. Dull men are not always able to avoid traveling to exciting places. The trips might be for work, or for family reasons—weddings, birthdays, funerals—or dragged there by the wife.
We’re starting with New York. What officially is New York, New York. Also known as Manhattan, its Indian name.
Read more: Dull Man’s Guide to New York — Grid System for Streets
Dear DMC, I rarely visit YouTube (too much adverse energy) but I found this video quite educational and illuminating, in a subdued sort of way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=xFQ_fO2D7f0
Michael Decker
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Dear DMC, I'm writing to you from my office at appliancesonline.co.uk where I'm sitting with some of the Dull Men [but don't tell them called them that] I work with. We’ve just spent fifteen minutes having a good laugh at your website [exclamation mark removed]
One of our training tasks for new recruits is for them to come up with jokes. Here are some of our favourites, hope you like them:
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An Englishman, Irishman and a Scotsman all walk into a bar.
The barman says, “What is this? Some kind of joke?”
Dear DMC, one of the birthday presents I received was a Lodge Grill Press. I used it yesterday. It was most enjoyable to watch. And to enjoy eating the bacon that was flattened, duller that way than when it's curly.
To watch the it in action, click here.
Tim Ditchbank
Winchester, Hampshire
Dear DMC, I thought you might be interested in this video: 'Dull' and 'Boring' to become 'sister communities'?.
Emil Bentgen
Cross Junction, Virginia
Two Dear DMC emails arrived at our doorstep to let us know about the late-breaking news of Dull's invitation to Boring to twin.
Franchois Hollande is emerging as the front-runner. He's pulling ahead of incumbent president Nicolas Sarkozy. Running for president is a big turnaround for Hollande.
A year ago he was a nominee for our Dull Man of the Year.
For years, Hollande was referred to as Monsieur Ordinaire. And l'homme tranquillite,"The Quiet Man." He was the Socialist Party's eternal backroom boy, working in the shadows of the party's stars, including his former wife, Segolene Royal.
Franchois Hollande is emerging as the front-runner. He's pulling ahead of incumbent president Nicolas Sarkozy. Running for president is a big turnaround for Hollande.
Dear DMC
Dull men surely relish tinned fish: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/apr/13/tinned-fish-recipes-sardines-anchovies
I received this in an email this morning. I finally stopped laughing enough to forward it to dullmensclub.com.
Like many dull men, I spend time in computer stores, probably more than I should. I overhear inane conversations about computers. But none as funny as Abbott and Costello’s:
[Warning to dull men: this contains exclamation points.]
ABBOTT: Welcome to the Computer Store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: Thanks I'm setting up an office in my house and I'm thinking about buying a computer.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.
Monday night I checked into a Holiday Inn in Denver. I had a choice of rooms: looking east across Colorado Boulevard at Shotgun Willies [strip tease] or south down at the Waterway Car Wash.
Read more: View from hotel room—Shotgun Willie's or car wash?
Late-breaking news of a thrilling annual sporting event. One for the diary in 2013: http://www.varsity.co.uk/news/2232
Read more: Second Annual Oxford-Cambridge Goat Race—Cambridge Wins
NZ Herald travel wroter Jim Eagles, stuck at an airport, killed time by reading our website.
Mind you, he did this during an eight-hour layover at Charles de Gaulle Airpot in Paris. There would have been enough time to visit Paris. But instead he read our website. There's little doubt — he's one of us.
Dear DMC
There're plenty of nettle recipes around, and nettles from back gardens to the Chelsea Flower Show in London. What about April being 'Nettle Month'? Contributors are welcome.
Dear DMC
Lovers of the traditional British telephone box may have wondered what they look like when covered with a knitted woolen “cosy”.
I know how you dull guys like to watch sap drip. And you don't get out much. You like to watch web cams instead. I've been looking for a web cam of sap dripping. But can't find one.
A video is the best I can find. Click here to see what I found for you.
It has audio as well of course. I should warn you, however: the sound of the sap dripping might be too staccato for you.
Enjoy [wish I could use an exclamation point here but I don't want to offend you]
Camilla Weber
Pacific Palisades, California
Dear DMC
I read this article in the Guardian "Why the World Needs Introverts":
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/mar/13/why-the-world-needs-introverts
Do we fit in?
Yours sincerely
François Gojat
France
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Dear François
Yes, we fit in.
In fact, our Grover went to the launch of this book in SoHo (NY), met the author Susan Cain, left with an autographed copy of Quiet.
He posted this on our Home Page:
"Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking — a new book — launched Tuesday [January 24, 2012] — it's right up our alley — it's about the many accomplishments of introverts — much like our motto "It's OK to be dull," the book's message is "It's OK to be an introvert."
The posting linked to the book where it is now in our aStore — click here.
Dear DMC
What can I say about this?
http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/artist-creates-british-icons-in-jaffa-cakes.html
Greetings,
I would just like to contribute the fact that the luggage carousels inthe Nikos Kazantzakis airport (code: HER, Heraklion, Greece) go
Read more: Airport Luggage Carousel Report — Nikos Kazantzakis, Greece
ESTONIA
TALLINN
CLOCKWISE
Urmas Piir
Tallinn, Estonia
March 14, 2012
I'm catching up on reading the Sunday Times from last Sunday. I read 'I've got a lust for . . . slippers'. It's an article about Iggy, who the article describes as the godfather of punk.
But might he now be one of us dull men?
Not only does he lust for slippers, according to the article:
• He likes to potter — walks around the garden, smells the flowers, listens to the waterfall, watches the clouds
• He's a big cloud fancier
• He's ploughing through de Tocqueville's Democracy in America
• Goes to bed at 10:00 p.m., sometimes even earlier
Here's the article: http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/Magazine/a_life_in_the_day/article985699.ece
Bryce Blandford
London
Hello again, I'm the fellow who told you about the Flashlight museum. I have another one you may or may not be interested in adding to your list. Tho it may be a little too tangy for most.
It is the Mustard Museum in Wisconsin.
The web address is mustardmuseum.com.
February 28, 2012
Leap Day is just around the corner. It's tomorrow. What will you be doing with the extra time?
Wall Street Journal article about what people will be doing with their Leap Day: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204131004577235610148743548.html
February 25, 2012
Unfortunately, there'll be no awards for Movie Extras, the unsung heroes of almost every film, at the 84th Academy Awards ceremony tomorrow night. But they won't be forgotten tomorrow. CBS's Sunday Morning will cover them:
http://nl.com.com/view_online_newsletter.jsp?list_id=e884http://nl.com.com/view_online_newsletter.jsp?list_id=e884
We're appreciate CBS doing this. Behind each of the stars are unsung heroes — making it possible for leading lights to shine.
Dear DMC
Another suggestion for 2012's Dull Man of the Year nominees — the Swede who survived two months in his car:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2012/feb/20/car-peter-skyllberg-survived-two-months
Read more: Dull Man of Year Nominee: Swede Who Survived Two Months Buried in Car
According to research recently announced, pygmy goats develop "accents" as they grow up.
Good Morning,
My name is Julia McCartney and I am a staff researcher/part-time writer for SeniorCare.net. While searching for inspirational resources, I discovered your site through this page titled “Famous Last Words (thanks to Car Talk)” at this url: http://www.dullmensclub.com/blog/24-blog/597-famous-last-words-thanks-to-car-talk.html
A women-only event for 565 years, then in 2010 a BBC presenter ran in it. Click here for the BBC news report about this.
What about after 2010? Did any men run in 2011? Are any expected to run in 2012? (The 2012 race will be this upcoming Tuesday, February 21).
Dear DMC
DMC members will certainly enjoy the gentle humour of misplaced quotation marks:
Yours sincerely
François Gojat
Wimereux, France
Here is some seasonably dull news from Yorkshire. Unfortunately the card in question is not grey, but otherwise Mr Myers seems to have got the right idea.
Regards
Steve Reszetniak
London
--------
That's right, Mr Myers evidently is one of us . . . steadfast to the nth degree . . . likely will be nominated for our list of Dull Men of the Year.
Grover
Dear DMC,
I have an explanation for "submarine races" in racing category. In some areas of the US, when young couples wish time alone to romantically explore each other, they park their car in a lonely spot . . . and it is said that they are ". . . going to the submarine races . . . ."
Average Wins
Dear DMC,
I overheard a conversation in a coffee shop the other day. Was sitting next to two ladies who were having lunch. One said to the other, "I just want to be average." Unfortunaly, I didn't hear the other's response (I felt like asking them to speak up but am too shy to do a thing like that (does that prove I'm a dull man?)).
This got me thinking. About me. ("I'm Always on My Mind.")
Five advantage of being Plain Jane, click here
Tom Bland
Washington DC
More "Extremes." In addition to the Extreme Grammarian we learned about a few days ago [click here], we now find there are Extreme Couponers:
"Why spend 15 hours a week cutting coupons?"
by Brian Wheeler from BBC News, Washington — click here
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Dear DMC
Is this dull enough for our members? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16537076
Regards
Steve Reszetniak
London
PS In England we use the term BOGOF (buy-one-get-one-free) rather than BOGO.
This Dull Man reads grammar books for fun.
Strunk & White's The Elements of Style has always been my favorite. This review of a paean to that book explains why:
A Brief History of The Elements of Style and What Makes It Great — reviewed in "Brain Pickings":
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/02/03/stylized-elements-of-style/
Mark R Yeatts
Lexington, South Carolina
February 6, 2012
Dear DMC
It seems the earth is getting lighter. I was planning to go on a diet, but now I am not sure this is a good idea as it will only add to the problem.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/magazine-16787636
Best wishes
Steve Reszetniak
(Temporarily in Kosovo)
1 February 2012
Here's a link to a video that shows what Ikea and its shoppers looks like from a trolley's viewpoint: click here
It reminds me of the 1982 film ET The Extra-Terrestrial. The film was shot from a lower camera angle — from a child's point-of-view — to encourage younger viewers to identify with the characters — to simulate how overwhelming and threatening adults look to children.
So was this video of the Ikea shopping trolley shot from a lower angle — from the trolley's point-of-view — to show how overwhelming and threading shoppers look to trolleys?
I hope readers enjoy this.
A warning, however: the music on this video is too exuberant for us dull men.
Norman Quest
London
85-year experiment still going strong to test the viscosity of pitch (a tar derivative). You can watch tar drip once every couple of years live via webcam. This is science at its most interesting:
http://smp.uq.edu.au/content/pitch-drop-experiment
Scott Dicus
Kansas City
January 27, 2012
January 28, 2012
Thanks for bringing Quiet to my attention [click here to see blog post about the book]. I bought it and am enjoying reading it. I've never been quite sure whether I am an introvert or extrovert.
I heard something a while back that there such a thing as an Extroverted Introvert: when he's talking to you, instead of looking at his shoes looks, he looks at your shoes.
Joe Kerr
New York
27 January 2012
Reuters today: "Revealed: Famous names who snubbed UK Queen"s honors"
Dear DMC
Our humble readers will enjoy reading what's on Reuters today about the snubs.
Avoiding limelight . . . avoiding fame . . . avoiding glitz and glam . . . these are hallmarks of dull men.
Turning down one of the many honours handed out under the Queen's system for this twice a year — not joining one of the many Knights, Dames, CBEs, QBEs, MBEs — isn't that one of noblest acts a dull man can undertake?
Click here to get to the Snub List on Reuter's.
Norman Quest
London
Want to join the DMC? It's simple to do, if you qualify.
We've held off having a membership drive. We've always felt that would be pushy of us. (There's no Prince Pushy in our club).
But, as we are often asked how does one become a member of the DMC, we'll explain here how to join us.
First determine whether you qualify. There's a test for this. It's self-assessment. Click here to get to the test.
Second, you can print out your membership certificate. Click here to get to the certificate.
Third, we'd like you to email us letting us know that you've joined. Click here for our Contact Us page.
January 24, 2012
Dear DMC members and website readers,
A great book out today that I'm enjoying reading:
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking"
I see in the book that it's OK to do things introverts do. Like staying in on New Year's Eve. Just like us dull men. I stayed in this time. I practiced writing 2012 over and over again. It's paid off. I have not made any mistakes this year when writing checks.
Click here to order Quiet from Amazon.
Sincerely,
Paige Turner
DMC Book Review Editor
From our Facebook page:
I just wanted to inform all Dull Men about a new webcam in Wisconsin. It sounds fascinating:
Paul Schearf
Dear Grover
This is a tricky one. I admire the ingenuity involved in building a salad tower, but I am not sure if we should encourage the craze. Perhaps we could advise readers to “enjoy salad responsibly”. It seems to work for whisky.
Regards
Steve Reszetniak
London
Goal: After England's recent disappointments in sports — football and rugby ("it's more exciting to watch paint dry") — it's time to find something at which England can excel. The sponsors of these championships think watching paint dry could be the answer.
How to Enter: send in (1) picture of you watching paint dry; (2) state the longest time you've stared at a wall, watching paint dry, without looking away; (3) favorite paint color to watch dry and why.
Dull Man of Year
Michael Kennedy — moves rocks every day to build seawall
Michael, who lives in Hunstanton on the Norfolk coast, spends two hours every day, except Saturdays, moving rocks to build a seawall that prevents erosion of the cliffs along the coast.
He moves about 40 pounds of rocks each day. He’s been doing this for 14 years. He’s worked 9,000 hour, has moved 200 tons of rocks.
“I used to walk to Old Hunstanton and back, two and a half miles every day, but that wasn't enough physical exercise for me. I started moving rocks and now I can’t stop. It’s better than sitting in the armchair and I’ll do it for as long as I’m healthy.”
Read more: Dull Man of the Year 2011 Announced (also Runners-Up)
Dear Fellow Dull Men,
I have a new activity that can be practiced by dull men--watching frost thaw.
This morning I was at a golf course where a sharp freeze had covered the ground with frost. Because the dull men who run the course won't let people play until the frost is gone -- walking on the frost might kill the grass and that would be exciting -- a bunch of dull men were standing around just staring at the first tee, watching the frost thaw.
As I see it, watching frost thaw is duller than
Dear DMC
Here is a video of an enormous model railway — and then some — in Hamburg:
http://www.miniatur-wunderland.com/exhibit/video/5-minutes-wunderland/
Best Wishes
Steve Reszetniak
London
----------------------
Dear Steve,
Wunderbar. Danke.
Read more: Hamburg's "Minatur Wunderland"—world's largest model railway
I realize this might be too exciting for dull men. It is interesting information, however, and I believe it needs to be shared.
After I finished researching why we never see pictures of dead penguins out there on the ice in Antarctica [click here to read about this], I turned to another subject.
Here's what I found out:
The anwwer turned out to be simpler than I thought it would be.
Sincerely (dull men are always sincere, mostly),
Joe Kerr
New York
Hi there Dull Men
I expect those of you who are Christmas Cracker aficionados already read the article in the Sunday Telegraph about the panel of experts' ratings of this year's cracker offerings.
I found the article to most helpful when I set out to buy crackers.
Morrisons won. Their crackers had the loudest bank, an ear-splitting 81 decibels, classic hats, and a really funny joke:
"Dad, there is a man at the door collecting for the new swimming pool."
"Give him a glass of water [exclamation mark removed]", replied the father.
Harrods' flaws, compared to Morrisons, apparently were a muffled bang, only 78 decibels, and flimsy hat. They had a good joke though:
"I'm worried about you always being at the bottom of your class" said the father to his son.
"Don't worry dad," the son replied. "They still teach the same thing at both ends."
Price also played a role — a tenfold price difference: 50p for a Morrison cracker; £4.99 for a Harrods cracker.
Click here to read about this on the Telegraph's website
Merry Christmas to all my Dull Men friends
Holly Day
London
- Two fish in a tank. One says to the other, "Do you know how to drive this thing?"
- Two parrots sitting on a Perch. One says to the other "can you smell fish"?
- What do you a call a deer with no eyes? No idea?
- What do you call a fish with no eyes. A fsh.
- What do you a call a deer with no eyes and no legs. Still no idea?
- What do you call a dinosaur with one eye. A Dew-think-e-saurus
Many more in a similar vein, but such excitement must be shared in moderation.
Robert Lock
Wellington Somerset England
Table of Contents
Michael Kennedy — two hours every day gathering rocks to build sea walls
John Kubiatowicz — measured increase in Kindl'e weight when fully loaded with books
Terry Green — "Cashier number three please," says Mr. Queue who as a matter of fact is Terry
Peter Adamson — broadcasting a History of Western Philosophy (without any gaps) in 20 minute episodes — complete Aristotle in 50 episodes
François Hollande — candidate for president of France — known as "Mr. Ordinary" and also as "The Quiet Man"
Keith Richards — closet librarian
London Police — with arms folded, stood around merely watching as the looting was taking place — now watching 40,000 hours of CCTV to catch the looters
Please add Rocking Chairs, the ultimate adrenaline rush.
Samantha Messick
Dear DMC
Here is a wonderful article about road signs. Two good things about it: It mentions a cow called Patience and does not use the word “iconic” at all.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15990443
Regards
Steve Reszetniak
London
12 December 2011
-----------------------
Dear Steve
That's an interesting article indeed. I expect it will be read out at Dull Men's Club meetings everywhere.
After reading the article, a lively discussion is likely to break out about signs in all caps versus signs that use both upper and lower case.
A particularly interesting thing the article points out is that the pictogram for "Men Working" looks more like a man opening an umbrella than a man using a shovel. Perhaps the sign can be used to warn about "Rain Ahead" instead of men working.
Sincerely (dull men are always sincere, mostly),
Grover
The new Vision Toaster by Magimix:
Click here to view it on Magimix'a website
Click here to watch Magimix's video about it. You can actaully see the toating inside the toaster. What fun.
We should warn you, however — the ending of the video might be too exciting for you — it's the toast popping up.
Click here to read more about this wonderful toaster on a posting on our Duilog back in 2010.
Other Christmas gift favorites for dull men are:
- Slippers
- Ear Muffs
- Gloves
- Snow Globe
- Stapler
- Staples
- And, of course, an Anorak
Do you have suggestions? If so, click here to send them to us. Thanks.
From time to time, even though a card-carrying DMC member, I like to read a thriller. I came across one on Amazon that’s coming out soon. December 27.
This is perfect timing for me. I’m always wondering what to do with gift certificates I get for Christmas.
Thanks to Patrick Lee and his new thriller Deep Sky, I now know what buy with a gift certificate.
From what I’ve read about it so far, Deep Sky opens with a horrific scene. A missile obliterates most of the White House. The U.S. president, right in the middle of delivering a televised address to the nation, is killed.
After reading this book, I expect I'll be grateful I'm dull and don't have to actually live through all that excitement.
If you’d like to learn more about the book, click here to get to Amazon's info about it.
Happy reading,
Paige Turner
New York City
An article that's spot on about the Dull Men's Club. It was almost too exciting for us to read.
While reading it, several DMC members are having to stop to rest for a while before continuing on.
We are glad to see that the writer of the article, Rick Steelhammer, will be doing the steps of our program.
We also like the fine form of safe excitement he brings to our attention: watching reruns of videos of the construction of Hoover Dam on the History Channel.
Here's a link to the article: http://sundaygazettemail.com/News/201112100081
Dear DMC
In these austere times, dull men would be advised to stick at a partridge in a pear tree. All that other stuff adds up to be much to much.
http://consumerist.com/2011/11/reenacting-12-days-of-christmas-will-now-cost-you-more-than-100k.html
With seasonal best wishes
Steve Reszetniak
London
5 December 2011
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Steve,
How about some cutbacks — cost reductions?
Instead of swans a swimming, how about ducks? Ducks are less expensive than swans.
Ladies dancing? Two ways this cost could be reduced: (a) instead of dancing, they sit down and rest; (b) instead of ladies, hire little girls, who would probably charge less.
Grover
Dear Friends,
I would like to share the following information, not previously listed:
"United Kingdom Northern Ireland, Belfast City (BHD): two carousels — both clockwise"
Best wishes
Peter Thompson
30 November 2011
2 Carousels. #1 rotates clockwise, #2 Counter clockwise.
Captain Howard Sandefer
Virginia Beach, Virginia
November 28, 2011
++++++
Captain Sandefer,
Thanks for this interesting report. I suppose we can say that they swing both ways at the Norfolk Airport.
Grover
I am grateful to our local Cheese Purveyor for educating me into the seasonality of cheeses:
http://www.thecheeseandwineshop.co.uk/cheese-calendar.asp
Such knowledge must be shared.
Enjoy [exclamation mark removed]
Rob Lock
Wellington, Somerset, UK
Dear DMC
From American Samoa about their football (soccer) team:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-15867180
Regards
Steve Reszetniak
London
November 24, 2011
+++++++++++
Dear Steve,
Wow, this is great — a team that has never ever won a game finally wins one.
The Dull Men's Club admires underdogs, especially underdogs that keep on keeping on. As the American Samoa Football Team has now demonstrated, persistence pays.
DMC
I read Gloria's comment adding to the thankfulness list — that she's thankful for the window in her oven — so she can watch the turkey bake for hours.
I'm doing something similar. I'm watching a turkey on a rotisserie. I enjoy watching it going around and around.
There's so much for a dull man like me to be grateful for today. There's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for example. I not only watched the parade, I went to Central Park West last night and watched them blowing up the balloons — fascinating indeed.
It's the 85th year of the parade. Dull men value continuity.
And sponsored by Macy's, one of my favorite stores. Similar to what they say about Paul's Pretty Good Grocery in Lake Woebegone, "If you can't find it at Macy's, you probably don't need it."
Tom Bland
New York
November 24, 2011
This book details exactly how stone walls eventually become a pile of rocks. Highly recommended for dull men.
John A. Stavola
Dear DMC
This is a story that positively oozes dullness. I grew up in Lincolnshire, which may well be the dullest county in England.
Steep Hill is actually less dull than most of it, as it is (a) a hill and (b) in a city. Lincolnshire is otherwise very flat and contains few large towns.
I suspect Steep Hill qualified for the Best Place award (a sort of geographical Oscar) mainly for the aptness of its name. If there was a long road called Long Road it might have been a close call.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-15691941
With best wishes
Steve Reszetniak
London
- Turkey — the blandest of meats
- The bleak weather that arrives in November
- Color has gone from trees and grass
- Leaves everywhere — fun to rake
- Snow will soon cover the ground — fun to shovel
- Boring conversations at Thanksgiving Dinner
- That they are not turkeys
Grover,
This looks like wonderfully appropriate reading material for dull men:
"All Fall Down: Christchurch’s Lost Chimneys," by Geoff Rice
http://www.cup.canterbury.ac.nz/releases/2011/111114a.shtml.
It documents the different types of chimneys and chimney pots found in my home city.
Regrettably there are many fewer chimneys around now, following the recent earthquakes (which I can assure you were not at all dull).
I've just ordered a copy through my local library, a pleasantly dull place.
Yours most sincerely,
Roy Britten
Christ Church
++++++++++
Roy,
Great. I agree. Wonderfully approptirea reading material for dull men.
This reminds me of a book we came across a while back: "A Lust for Window Sills," by Harry Mount.
Grover
Dear DMC
Should they rise up against New Boring?
"… the New Boring is everywhere"
A stimulating article in today's Guardian. Most undull, indeed.
Yours sincerely
François Gojat
Wimereux, France
This man (Ursus Wehrli) is definitely our kind of artist.
http://jusdecreative.wordpress.com/2011/09/11/tidy-up-art/
Best wishes
Steve Reszetniak
London
November 13 2011
+++++++++++++++
Dear Steve,
Wow. Amazing.
It's probably correct to say this is typically Swiss. Switzerland seems to be such a tidy country. And sensible.
It' makes sense to have things arranged like this. The bowl of fruit, for example; laying it out like Ursus has done makes it much easier find the fruit you want to eat next and to see how much of each fruit you have left.
The cars sorted by colors is brilliant. Makes it much easier to find your car.
The child's sandbox — getting them started at tidiness at an early age.
Grover
Dear DMC: No doubt DMC members and fans will enjoy reading a fine article by David Newbury published 11/11/11 in The Independent about the propitious date for corduroy lovers and the joys of corduroy.
David points out that there has been a detachment from the fabric we wear with garments simply covering us rather than bonding with the wearer and that corduroy counteracts this — corduroy stands out. In praise of corduroy David says, "It’s noticeable, soft to the touch and pliable. Its brashness cannot be avoided as it stands out from standard flat fabric, like a future wife at a crowded party. No wonder we fall under its spell. You touch it, it’s sexy."
Here's the link to the article: http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/11/11/111111-the-day-which-most-closely-resembles-corduroy/
Cheers,
Norman Quest
London
Dear DMC,
Andreas Gursky's Rhine II photograph sells for $4.3 million.
An image of a desolate, featureless landscape sets new world record for a photograph
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/nov/11/andreas-gursky-rhine-ii-photograph
Yours sincerely
François Gojat
Wimereux, France
October 30, 2011
Today is Checklist Day. I'm recapping in my mind and writing here about the "mini checklist" I use.
It's simple. It's what I call my poor man's Filofax.
Each day I put into my pocket, usually a shirt pocket, a single sheet of A4 paper (if in the UK) or letter paper (is in U.S.).
I write the date, day, and where I am that day in the upper right corner.
It's very free form from there.
First I usually list out to-dos for the day.
Then, as the day moves along, each time a new idea pops into my mind — another to-do or a brilliant thought — I write it on the paper.
This gives me great peace of mind. The thought is no longer clogging up my mind. Yet it has not been lost and will get done.
When it gets done, I have the thrill of checking it off the checklist.
Sometimes, when I've done something that's not on the checklist, I write it on the checklist even after it's done so I can have the thrill of checking it off.
At the end of the day, the paper gets filed. The day is over.
This system is helpful for compartmentalizing my life — living in day-tight compartments — living one day at a time.
For me, this single sheet for each day is better than a notebook. It's easier to carry than a notebook. And losing it is not such a catastrophe compared to losing a notebook.
Grover
Dear DMC,
Kosovo, Pristina [PRN]: counterclockwise
Paul Scoggin
-----
Dear Paul,
Thanks for this. Up to now we'd had a gap in our coverage of Airport Luggage Carousels. Until your email to us, we had nothing for Kosovo.
Sincerely (dull men are always sincere, mostly),
DMC
Dear DMC
We may have suspected that a Kindle full of books weighs more than an empty one.
We were right – and here’s why:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/oct/26/kindle-weighs-more-when-fully-loaded?INTCMP=SRCH
Regards
Steve Reszetniak
London
-----------------
Dear Steve,
This is good to know.
A billionth of a billionth of a gram increase in weight when loaded compared to empty.
I expect that Professor Kubiatowicz will be nominated for Dull Man of the Year.
Grover
Dear DMC: Tweets I like to follow are about tide movements of River Thames:
http://twitter.com/#!/riverthames
Other dull men might enjoy these tweets also.
E.Z. Pace
Indianapolis, Indiana
Dear DMC: This is a rare opportunity to mention Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.
How could I resist? Just don’t ask me to pronounce it.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-15371036
Regards
Steve Reszetniak
London
October 24, 2011
--------
Dear Readers:
Here's how to pronounce it:
The picture is from Wikipedia; cick here for the Wikipedia page where you can click on the picture to get a bigger version of it, easier to read.
Grover
Hi Grover - I hope you're recovering well from your surgery. I thought members might be interested in this UK pylon development. The only hint of unwelcome excitement is the name of the Pylon Appreciation Society spokesman - 'Flash Bristow' [exclamation point removed]:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15293918
Tom Murphy
London
October 14, 2011
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear DMC
Here is some mildly exciting news about pylons, in case you have not caught up with it yet:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15293918
Regards
Steve Reszetniak
London
October 18, 2011
Dear DMC
I would like to nominate Peter Adamson for Dull Man of the year.
Peter is Professor of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy at King's College London. For the past year or so he has been broadcasting a history of Western philosophy, "without any gaps" in weekly 20-minute episodes. After fifty podcasts he has just finished with Aristotle.
This is truly wonderful stuff and deserves to be better known. Episode 41 – “On time and eternity in Aristotle” – could perhaps qualify as the dullest title. Episode 44 – “The Goldilocks Theory” arguably stakes a claim for Aristotle as one of the earliest dull men. Aristotle liked to avoid extremes so, like Goldilocks, he would have wanted his porridge to be not too hot, not too cold.
Here’s a link: http://historyofphilosophy.net/
Best wishes
Steve Reszetniak
London
Dear DMC: The Sense of an Ending, Barnes' 11th novel, explores memory: how fuzzy it can be and how we amend the past to suit our own wellbeing. It tells the story through the apparently insignificant and dull life of arts administrator Tony Webster.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/oct/18/booker-prize-julian-barnes-wins
Yours
François Gojat
Wimereux, France
October 19, 2011
Dear DMC
Is Mr Ordinary going to be the first Modest Head of State?
More in today's Guardian:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/17/francois-hollande-monsieur-ordinary-profile
Yours sincerely
François Gojat
Wimereux, France
October 17th 2011
Dear DMC,
These are photos of “everyday things” arranged in such as way to deceive you:
click here for "whats_it_made_of.pps"
I really like the first one taken “point by point” from Georges Seurat’s Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte (The Art Institute of Chicago): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunday_Afternoon_on_the_Island_of_La_Grande_Jatte
Andrew DiPalma
Upstate New York
October 17, 2011
Dear DMC,
Watching the hour hand [exclamation point removed]
Gives me a *frisson* just thinking about it [another exclamation point removed]
Leonard
Los Angeles
October 10, 2011
Dear DMC
I invented a game the other day, whilst driving home from work.
I decided to count, out loud, slowly and precisely from 1 and see how far I could get.
I got to 168 before I quit counting.
Can anyone beat that?
Jamie Regan
Dunbar, Scotland
Octdober 6, 2011
Dear DMC: Thanks to Steve for the news about this year’s Ig Nobel awards. It's indeed good to know that yawning by tortoises is not contagious. I expect that will put the minds of many people at ease.
When reading the BBC article, what particularly caught my eye was the prize for Literature. The prize went to John Perry, Professor of Philosophy at Stanford, for his Theory of Structured Procrastination.
As I see it, to get things done I need to structure the things properly:
• things that are important;
• things that are even more important.
What came to mind was something Robert Benchley wrote some years back. Sure enough, when I went to Perry's web page about Structure Procrainaion, at the top of the page was a quote from Benchley: “anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn't the work he is supposed to be doing at that moment." (From Robert Benchley's "Chips off the Old Benchley" (1949)).Here's John's website: http://www.structuredprocrastination.com/
Joe Kerr
New York
October 3, 2011
Dear DMC
Here is news of the latest Ig Nobel awards. Dare I say it, one of the laureates could qualify as a Dull Woman.
Anna Wilkinson, from the University of Lincoln, and colleagues won the Physiology Prize for their study in the journal Current Zoology titled "No Evidence of Contagious Yawning in the Red-Footed Tortoise" – a finding that will settle any number of saloon bar arguments.
Here's BBC coverage of this:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15117051
Regards
Steve Reszetniak
London
September 30, 2011
Dear Readers,
I apologize for the lack of postings recently. I've been recovering from eye surgery. The surgeon fixed a hole — macular hole — in the retina of my right eye.
For the recovery, I've had to spend most of the day with my face down.
Face down is not new for me, of course — we dull men typcially look at our shoes when we talk with someone.
Do you know what an extroverted dull man is? He's someone who looks are your shoes instea of his own shows when he's talking to you.
Ever seen a macular hole? Here's what mine looked like:
Is this more information than you need/want?
Sincerely,
Grover
September 30, 2011
October, which will be here tomorrow, is Raking Leaves month for us Dull Men.
There's a lot to like about October. Apples. Crisp air. Falling leaves.
Falling leaves should not be viewed as a burden. It is an opportunity to get good exercise. AARP reports that, according to Barbara Ainsworth, an exercise epidemiologist at San Diego State University, raking leaves is categorized as moderate physical activity similar to a brisk walk. Your arms are moving and your core is working to stabilize your body. A 135-pound person burns 240 calories per hour when raking leaves.
Getting prepared
It is a good time now to get prepared for raking leaves.
Warming up. As with any physical activity, you should warm up your muscles before raking. Almost all your muscles are used when raking — arms, chest, shoulders, legs, upper back, and lower back. To get ready for raking, walk around your yard doing circular arm movements and also bending exercises, bending forward, backward, and from side to side. Then do some gentle stretches.
What to wear. Get your clothes ready now. If you need to shop for the right clothes, do it before leaves start falling. Dress in layers. If you get too warm while raking, you can peal off a layer.
Dear DMC
Here is an interesting article about calendars, which prompts two thoughts.
On the personal level, I will be dropping a broad hint to Mrs Reszetniak that I would be delighted to receive a “Goats in trees” calendar at Christmas. (I wonder how I have managed without one all these years.)
More generally, members may perhaps like to speculate about what a Dull Mens’ calendar would contain, if we had one. There must be at least twelve shades of grey, one for each month.
The article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14969674
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14969674
Regards Steve Reszetniak
London PS For a variety of reasons, I have severe doubts about “Nuns having fun”.
Dear DMC
Amish jailed by Kentucky judge over warning triangle fine non-payment
Reading this morning's Guardian (Saturday September 17, 2011) I have found out about the fate of eight other Nominees for Dull Men of the Year. Their "modesty grounds" behind their actions deserves respect.
Eight men from conservative sect refuse to fix warning triangles to their horse-drawn buggies – then refuse to pay fine.
The group hail from the stricter Old Order Swartzentruber sect and objected to the bright triangles on modesty grounds, saying they were barred from wearing or displaying anything bright or colourful.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/17/amish-jailed-kentucky-warning-triangle-fine
Yours sincerely
François Gojat
Wimereux, France
"What's brown and sticky?"
"A stick"
Arthur Weissman
Amherst, NY
Your page is missing one of the great boring-man-related jokes:
“How many boring people does it take to change a lightbulb?”
“I don’t know. How many?”
“One.”
Anonymous
Dear DMC: A simile bites the dust: For many years, we Brits have been able to use the painting of the Forth (Railway) Bridge as a well-understood simile for all repetitive and seemingly endless tasks (viz “Checking my emails is like painting the Forth Bridge”). Sadly we may do so no longer.
Read more: "Painting Forth Bridge" no longer job without end
A Tweet from CrazyGolfMuseum:
"dullmensclub: Would be great for us to get a listing on your Collections & Museums page"
----------------
Thanks for the Tweet. Click here to see your great museum now on our Collections & Museums page.
Can we post my favorite bar joke on our Groaners page?
"A man walks into a bar. Do you know what he said?"
"He said, 'Ouch'."
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