A MEMORY GAME

THE NEFF ZONE -- BY JIM NEFF

CADILLAC NEWS -- JULY 19, 2025

My family claims that I am a font of useless information. For instance, I know that the shortest number one song in rock and roll history is "Stay" by Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs (97 seconds). However, sending me to the store without a written list is an exercise in futility.  

My defense is that a nun at Flint St. Michael High School taught us that the human brain can only remember seven things at a time. If you add an eighth thing something has to drop out of the queue. This brings us to an interesting question. Can you use up all the memory space in your brain? 

There's some science at play here. “Neuroscientists say that for a typical, healthy brain, memory capacity isn't fixed or easily used up. That's because the brain doesn't store memories as isolated files in one specific nerve cell. Instead, a single memory is distributed across many neurons called an engram — a group of brain cells connected and scattered across brain regions. Each of those individual brain cells plays a role in many different memories.”

Okay, so why don't I remember everything at once? “This is because the brain's memory system runs much more slowly than life happens. While information constantly streams in, only a fraction can make it into long-term storage.”  (https://www.livescience.com/health/neuroscience/can-your-brain-run-out-of-memory)

Add it all up and maybe that nun was ahead of her time. So, let's play a memory game. Here are some random items to remember. The seven things you retain is up to you. 

One place where you'd want to remember things is at work. According o the Visual Capitalist, the nature of jobs has changed over the years. “Retail salesperson (39 states) and cashiers (7) were the most common job categories by state back in 1998.

In 2024, it’s fast food worker (15 states) and retail salesperson (11) topped the list. Michigan was one of the states for retail sales persons in 1998. By 2024 the leading job was assemblers, the only state where that job was number one.” (https://www.visualcapitalist.com/each-states-most-common-job-1998-vs-2024/)

When it comes to vehicles, what's one of the most important thing buyers want? “J.D. Power recently asked car owners and lessees what bugged them about their new cars, and an unprecedented number of them said: cup holders. The tradition of drinking in vehicles is alive and well, but the relatively limited slate of cup-holder designs frustrates drivers who want easy access to their favorite tumbler or straight-up jug.” 

Cup-holders are becoming more important every year. “J.D. Power Senior Director of Benchmarking Frank Hanley told The Drive that cup-holder difficulties ranked seventh among respondents’ concerns last year; this year, they rose to third. The auto industry considers cup holders a 'touchpoint,' one of the smaller details of a car that makes an outsized impression on user experience.” (https://www.morningbrew.com/stories/2025/07/14/americans-just-want-to-fit-stanley-cups-in-their-center-consoles)

Speaking of cups, do you know the name of the the cardboard sleeve around cups that are used to carry a hot beverage? That thingy, called a zarf, has been around since the 19th century. Back then, the wealthy had gold and diamond-encrusted zarfs. “While a flimsy modern version may not feature precious gemstones, it serves the same purpose: to protect your hands from burns.” (https://wordsmarts.com/weird-names/)

When it comes to odd words, did you know there are English words that lack a perfect rhyming companion? A common example is the word “orange.” Word Smarts says: “The word applies to the fruit or the color and there’s no true rhyme for the word 'orange' in the standard English lexicon.”

There are other rhymeless words: silver, purple, walrus, wolf, penguin, angel, bulb, husband, and warmth. Some have slant rhymes (close but not perfect), and you'll find some of these in dad jokes. (https://wordsmarts.com/no-rhymes/)

Another word that has no rhyme is “woman.” But guys, if you enjoy a cold brewski on a hot day, thank the woman (or women) in your life.

Interesting Facts tells the story. “Fermented beverages have played a vital role in human culture for perhaps almost as long as society has existed, providing nutrients, enjoyment, and often a safer alternative to drinking water before the advent of modern sanitation. Scholars disagree over exactly when beer was first introduced, but one thing has never been in question: Women absolutely have, in all societies, throughout world history, been primarily responsible for brewing beer.” (https://interestingfacts.com/fact/women-were-the-first-beer-brewers/)

On the same subject, the most potent beer in the world comes from Scotland. “Snake Venom, a fortified Scottish beer, has been the world's strongest beer, at 67.5 percent (alcohol by volume), since 2013. This is not for the faint-hearted; that's why the beer is sold one bottle at a time and has a label with warning.” (https://www.hopsandhopes.nl/en/beers/snake-venom) 

Finally, something near and dear to my heart arrives on Monday (July 21). “Vernors is about to come out with a new flavor of soda pop. The limited-edition Vernors Boston Cooler blends its signature ginger flavor flavor with smooth vanilla to essentially make it taste just like a Boston Cooler, without having to add ice cream.” (https://www.mlive.com/business/2025/07/vernors-new-pop-flavor-tastes-just-like-a-creamy-boston-cooler.html)

Legend has it that the Boston Cooler was first served in Detroit in 1866. One theory about the name is that the shop that served the drink was located on Boston Boulevard. However, I grew up drinking Boston Coolers served in Flint (at Kewpee's and then Halo Burgers).

Here's a breakdown of the history. “Kewpee Hotel Hamburgers was founded in Flint, Michigan in 1923, becoming one of the earliest hamburger chains in the United States. In 1967, the original Flint location separated from the larger Kewpee chain and was renamed Halo Burger. Halo Burger continues to operate today in and around the Flint area. I never visit or pass through Flint without enjoying a Boston Cooler. (https://www.haloburger.com/about)

Even better, we don't have to share our Vernors Boston Coolers with the rest of the country. It will only be sold in Michigan (and the Toledo, Ohio area). I'll be the first in line on Monday. 

Jim Neff is a local columnist. Read Neff Zone columns online at CadillacNews.com and NeffZone.com/cadillacnews.