HOLIDAYS Q&A
THE NEFF ZONE -- BY JIM NEFF
CADILLAC NEWS -- DECEMBER 16, 2023
When you're at a holidays get-together, it's always fun to pose a question and watch people go through gyrations trying to determine the answer. Observing weird facial expressions and various stages of angst can be quite entertaining.
For example, name any town in your area. Now, would you be willing to pay an admission fee to enter that town? If so, what's the most you would pay?
This may seem like a ridiculous question, but it's not. There's a term for this – overtourism. It occurs when travelers overwhelm a location. It's the case in Venice, Italy where thirty million tourists arrive every year. “Starting in the spring of 2024, the entry fee will affect day-trippers over the age of fourteen who are arriving at peak times of the year and are not staying in the city at night. It remains to be seen if other victims of overtourism will join the trend.” (https://www.interestingfacts.com/fact/654bc58ea4ae67142cbf9fe3)
Another question related to tourism is a little closer to home. What is the geographic center of the United States? This question has two answers. If you’re including only the lower 48 states, it's a nondescript field north of Lebanon, Kansas.” When You add Alaska and Hawaii it's near Belle Fourche, South Dakota. (https://www.interestingfacts.com/fact/65540d0e57a53f64cd51673c)
In Michigan, if you drive an electric vehicle you might ask: “Where can I charge the batteries in my car?” In Detroit, the answer is as simple as driving along a street. “Crews have installed what’s billed as the nation’s first wireless-charging public roadway for electric vehicles beneath a street just west of downtown Detroit. Copper inductive charging coils allow vehicles equipped with receivers to charge up their batteries while driving, idling or parking above the coils. The quarter-mile segment will be used to test and perfect the technology ahead of making it available to the public within a few years.” (https://apnews.com/article/wireless-roadway-electric-vehicle-charging-detroit-22fcdeabd026d81712a0c1a12b190d9a)
While people are driving they often listen to music. This leads to a music question. If you could listen to just one song over and over, what would it be? Fortunately, this premise can be tested at The Eternal Jukebox. The tag line for this is: “For when your favorite song just isn’t long enough.”
For instance, if you're in the Christmas mood you could ask it to play “White Christmas.” You'll be given multiple versions from which to choose, from Bing Crosby to Taylor Swift. The Eternal Jukebox will then play the song over and over until you tell it to stop. You can also search for any song from any genre. Go to: https://jukebox.davi.gq/jukebox_index.html.
Another way to pass the time during the holidays is munching on sweet treats. So, the obvious question is what is your favorite Christmas Candy? This is important. “The latest National Retail Federation survey puts food and candy as a top item on consumers' shopping lists, ranking significantly at 29% (toys came in at 37%). This indicates a strong inclination towards gifting candy and edible treats.”
Tastes vary, so each state has its favorites. A nifty interactive map is at: https://www.candystore.com/blogs/holidays/christmas-candy-popular-states. In Michigan, the top three are: Peppermint Bark, Reindeer Corn, and Reese's Cup Minis.
Michigan's preferences are interesting, because Reindeer Corn is rates as number one on the “Worst Christmas Candy” list.
CandyStore.com asked survey respondents what they thought, but not everyone agreed with the survey's results. “I actually like Reindeer Corn. Maybe it's because I'm from Michigan, and we seem to love it here. It's got that sweet, sugary taste and brings back all those holiday memories. It's like a piece of classic America.” See the worst at: https://www.candystore.com/blogs/holidays/worst-christmas-candy.
Since the Super Bowl is on the horizon, there's another candy-related question that's timely. What candy has become so popular in the last few years that its company will purchase its first Super Bowl ad? The answer will probably surprise you – Nerds.
“The sugary treat has become so popular since its 2020 release that Nerds parent company Ferrara Candy has more ad money than it knows what to do with: It plans to run a 30-second spot during the second quarter of Super Bowl LVIII, which will reportedly cost up to $7 million.” Fans of the Detroit Lions have an interesting dilemma. Should they stock up on Nerds or Tums? (https://www.morningbrew.com/daily/stories/2023/12/14/football-jocks-and-nerds-to-join-forces)
Finally, when it comes to questions there are two quizzes on the Neff Zone holidays webpage. A general Christmas quiz tests your knowledge about Christmas. The Charlie Brown Christmas quiz determines how much you know about the classic Christmas television program. Both are at: https://www.neffzone.com/holidays/.
Jim Neff is a local columnist. Read Neff Zone columns online at CadillacNews.com and NeffZone.com/cadillacnews.
(Click on a state to see the favorite candies.)
