AUGUST 20, 2016 -- BY JIM NEFF
THE NEFF ZONE
CADILLAC NEWS
HEADS UP!
I don't walk around while staring down at my phone. This is mainly because I am not coordinated enough to walk and do a second thing at the same time. Being a klutz has its advantages though. Having your head up allows you to be more aware of what's going on around you in the real world.
For instance, I came upon an interesting theory relating to on how “people perceive game-changing ideas over time.” The progression goes “silly, controversial, progressive, then obvious.” That's a simplification of a quote by Mahatma Gandhi:
“First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win.” In a 1914 trade union address, the theory was also explained: “First they ignore you. Then they ridicule you. And then they attack you and want to burn you. And then they build monuments to you.” If you apply this theory to many of the big issues that have been fought over in this country's political history, it's surprising how many have been resolved just this way over time. (http://kottke.org/09/06/big-ideas-from-silly-to-obvious)
Speaking of theories, the general public assumption is that the gun industry is an ally of the Republican party. In reality, however, it turns out that the industry is actually better off when Democrats are in power. During the Obama administration,
'gun industry job growth is up 73 percent, wages are up 127 percent, total economic impact is up 158 percent, and you’d have made 10 times your money in Smith & Wesson stock if you had invested eight years ago.' ABC News observed: “The Trump Organization doesn’t allow guns on many of its properties. That’s bad for business. What the gun industry needs is someone like Clinton. Someone it can’t stand.”
When it comes to standing (how's that for a smooth segue), your feet take center stage. According to a survey by Rockport shoes, “75 percent of women have walked barefoot in public because their shoes were uncomfortable.” A more disconcerting fact (if you're a guy) also came to light in this survey. One in four women would opt for cushy insoles over 'fooling around in the bedroom.' I guess bringing your honey a bouquet of roses would not be appreciated as much as a two-pack of Dr. Scholls. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-5-things-about-clothing-you-dont-need-to-tell-older-women_us_57aca6c1e4b0db3be07d6d28)
Looking at a related report, it turns out that wearing comfortable shoes may be a good idea, but there may be an asterisk in this regard. “Public bathroom floors contain about 2 million bacteria per square inch. For some perspective, toilet seats only contain about 50. The soles of your shoes seem even nastier...Common bacteria found on shoes include e.coli, c.diff, meningitis, and plenty of other species. In other words, not the sort of stuff you’d let your baby roll around in or put in their mouth. And yet, that’s exactly what happens when you don’t take your shoes off in your home. Researchers found that more than 90 percent of the bacteria you wear on your shoes will transfer to tile floors in your home. Carpeting is even worse.” Yuk! And some people go into these public bathrooms in bare feet. Double yuk! (http://www.davidwolfe.com/this-is-why-you-must-stop-wearing-shoes-in-the-house-and-go-barefoot/)
Well, short of cleansing your tootsies with a flame thrower, bathing your feet while in the shower is probably a good idea. But that's not the only thing people do in the shower. A Delta faucet survey had an interesting finding. “Fifty-eight percent of Americans (and 79 percent of millennials) admit to singing in the shower.
Topping the shower charts: Pop (27 percent), Rock (24 percent), R&B (21 percent), Country (20 percent) and Show Tunes (7 percent).” In the delusions of grandeur category, “24 percent of shower singers liken themselves to British songstress Adele, followed by Taylor Swift (17 percent) and Michael Jackson (16 percent). Shower singers’ favorite decades are he 2000s (31 percent), hitmakers from the 1990s (20 percent), faves from the ’80s (17 percent), jams from the ’70s (17 percent) and oldies from the ’60s (15 percent). (https://www.deltafaucet.com/design-innovation/inspiredliving/good-morning-america-shower-karaoke).
If you find yourself singing the blues in the shower, chances are you're a long-suffering Detroit Lions fan. This year, the Lions are hoping if they fill you full of snacks at Ford Field you will be distracted from the disappointments on the gridiron. One of these taste treats is a “massive, 4-pound blue doughnut with sweet Michigan apple filling.” You can enjoy one of these monstrosities for just $15. It will go great with a warm, 16 ounce draft beer for $7.50. Don't have a second thought that you are handling your food with paws that have been in one of those bacteria infested public restrooms. All of this blends into a unique culinary experience. (http://www.businessinsider.com/beer-prices-nfl-stadium-2015-9 and http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2016/08/16/detroit-lions-2016--food-ford-field/88832554/)
Finally, if you are walking around Cadillac, it's fun to check out the houses for sale and try to speculate what the asking price might be. What value would you put on a one bedroom, one bathroom, 850 square foot home in Cadillac? Would $4.15 million be your guesstimate? That's the listing price for this exact house owned by Eve Plumb (Jan Brady in the Brady bunch TV series). She bought the home in 1969 for $55,300. Of course, the fact that it's on the beach in Malibu might have something to do with the price. Tidy profit. I bet Marsha Brady is jealous. To which Jan would surely remark: “Oh Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!” (http://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/hot-property/la-fi-hp-hotprop-20160813-snap-story.html)
Jim Neff is a local columnist. Read Neff Zone columns online at CadillacNews.com and NeffZone.com/cadillacnews.
|
John Auchter
MichiganRadio.org Aug 19, 2016 |
