FOURTH FLAPDOODLE ENCORE

THE NEFF ZONE -- BY JIM NEFF

CADILLAC NEWS -- JULY 3, 2026

Last week we set a course for maximum flapdoodlism. I noted: “With the Fourth of July holiday on the horizon, it's a good time to get your flapdoodle in order. These would be safe conversation items that are interesting and innocuous at the same time.” Even so, the crate beneath my desk still overflowed with more flapdoodlogy. I'm banking an encore will show that you can never have enough flapdoodle at your disposal. 

To begin, how about a semi-scientific experiment you can do at home. You need a can of Regular Coke, a can of Diet Coke, and a bucket. “ If you were to drop a full, closed can of each into water, you’d observe Regular Coke sinks, while Diet Coke floats.” 

The reason for this is because sugar weighs more than artificial sweetener. “The diet can weighs a bit less overall. Objects that are denser than water sink while those that are less dense float, and Coca-Cola’s sugar adds enough extra mass to make the can slightly denser than water.” (https://interestingfacts.com/fact/coke-cans-sink-diet-coke-floats/)

You might have a soft drink to go along with (what we call) a submarine sandwich. However, submarines are not called that in other parts of the country. Poor Boy is common in the South. Along the East coast terms like Hogie, Hero, Grinder, and Wedge are used. My favorite term is Spukie. “It's a Boston-area term based on the Italian word spuccadella, which is a long roll. This is particularly popular in the Italian-heavy neighborhoods  in the southern part of the city, and you’re unlikely to hear spukie from anyone outside of Boston.” (https://wordsmarts.com/sandwich-names/)

Subs are a corner of the fast-food arena and residents of some states pay more for those foods than others. “To identify where fast-food purchases take up the largest share of people’s income, WalletHub examined the prices of fast-food across all 50 states. The combined costs were then compared with each state’s median household income.” (https://wallethub.com/edu/states-where-people-spend-the-most-least-on-fast-food/146260) 

The most thrifty states were: Connecticut, Utah, Massachusetts, Maryland, and New Jersey. The spendthrifts were in: Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and West Virginia. Michigan finished at fifteenth best. 

Eating fast-food on summer road trips is pretty common. In this regard, Michigan finished a respectable twenty-first in another survey. “Keeping road trippers in mind, WalletHub compared all 50 U.S. states across 32 key metrics to identify the best road-trip destinations based on fun, scenery, and affordability.” Minnesota finished as the best, while Rhode Island was deemed the worst. See all the rankings at: https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-states-for-summer-road-trips/4648.

In that survey, Washington finished fortieth. However, if you do tour that state you may want to stop by the Hyatt Regency at Lake Washington in Seattle. The attraction is a  floating pickleball court. This is one of those “see it to believe it” deals. There is a photo at: https://travellingforbusiness.co.uk/bleisure/lakefront-seattle-hotel-kicks-off-summer-with-floating-pickleball-experience/. 

Better yet, you can buy one of these for your very own. “Built for pickleball enthusiasts ready to elevate their game, this court is portable, durable, and jaw-dropping in any setting.” The price ranges from $25K to $40K. Purchase at: https://inflatableisland.co/products/floating-pickleball-court. 

By the way, if you take photos during your road trip it's common to ask your subjects to say “cheese” before you snap the shot. It wasn't always this way. At one point ”prunes” was the word used. “Most 19th- and early 20th-century photos show subjects with a solemn expression, a look that’s often attributed to the long exposure times of early cameras; holding a neutral expression for several minutes was easier than maintaining a smile.” 

Dentistry also came into play. “Without widespread access to dental care, missing or rotten teeth were common, a detail many wouldn’t have wanted featured in their portrait.” (https://interestingfacts.com/fact/people-used-to-say-prunes-instead-of-cheese-while-taking-a-photo/)

If you are staying home on this holiday, nothing is more American than hot dogs on the menu. “Preparing a hot dog is simple enough. But what is the best way to cook this summertime staple? Chef Kenji López-Alt, the James Beard Award winner and cookbook author, has some advice. “It all starts in the supermarket. Look for a hot dog that has a natural casing. Natural casings give hot dogs a bit of a curve, while the hot dogs without casing pack flat into the package. That's what's going to give you the snap no matter how you cook it.” 

there are several ways to cook hot dog, but one way is the preferred method. “The best flavor emerges with time.  Low and slow is always a good idea with any kind of sausages. Roast the dogs away from the coals for a minute and a half to warm them up. Then put them right over the coals until they are sweating and crisp. The skin has beautiful grill marks and a perfect color.” (https://www.npr.org/2026/06/28/nx-s1-5863039/win-the-family-cookout-with-perfectly-cooked-hot-dogs)

If you're grilling and you get attacked by annoying mosquitoes, there may be a reason you are such a prime target. “Summer means mosquitoes. While mosquitoes are drawn to a range of signals, some research suggests blood type may also play a role in how attractive a person is to mosquitoes. Some controlled experiments have found that mosquitoes land on people with type O blood about twice as often as those with type A, with preferences for type B and type AB typically falling somewhere in-between.” (https://interestingfacts.com/fact/mosquitos-prefer-a-certain-blood-type/) 

Assuming you can keep the skeeters at bay, relaxing with a good book is popular in the summer. Southern Living says there are: “11 Books Everyone Should Read Before They Turn 75.” These range from “Goodnight Moon” to Huckleberry Finn” to “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” to “1984” and others. See the entire list at: https://www.southernliving.com/books-everyone-should-read-before-they-turn-75-12000884.

Finally, do you know what breed of dog is the most patriotic? A Yankee Doodle. 

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