SOME GOOD IN 2023

THE NEFF ZONE -- BY JIM NEFF

CADILLAC NEWS -- JANUARY 6, 2024

Looking back on 2023, it's easy to focus on the news items that are a bit gloomy. However, a lot happened during this past year that should give us hope for the future. In some respects, 2023 was a very good year. 

 

This optimism was highlighted in a recent article: “66 Good News Stories You Didn't Hear About in 2023.” FutureCrunch noted: “This year, we found over 2,000 of those kinds of stories. We rounded up 400 of our favorites, and then crammed all of those again into this final list of 66. It's been a difficult year, but in so many ways and in so many places, we've made progress too.” See the list at: https://futurecrunch.com/goodnews2023/. 

 

Some of the items are big news. For instance, a lot of progress is being made in the fight against cancer. “European cancer mortality for 2023 was estimated to be 6.5% lower for men and 3.7% lower for women than in 2018. The United States reported cancer death rates have fallen by a third in the last three decades, There were major breakthroughs in treatments for colon, skin, bladder and cervical cancer.” 

 

Other items were seemingly small, but significant none the less. An example would be that access to electricity increased. “The number of people without electricity is expected to decrease to 745 million this year. In sub-Saharan Africa, the number of people without access is on track to stabilize in 2023.” Significant? Imagine your life with no electricity. 

 

On the energy home front, there's a green manufacturing boom. You'll be surprised which state is leading the way. “Texas is undergoing the fastest pace of clean energy expansion anywhere in the world outside China. Twelve states have now passed laws requiring a shift to 100% clean electricity.” 

 

One way all of us can conserve energy is to do less driving. Luckily, there is new 2023 data that tells us when not to leave the house. The Visual Capitalist outlined this: “The Most Dangerous Time to Drive in Each U.S. State.” 

 

Most accidents happen at certain times of the day. Avoid traveling then. “The number of fatal traffic accidents across various parts of the U.S. increases after 5pm, peaking between 9pm and 10pm.” This jibes with Michigan data which indicates you should leave you car parked from 9-9:59 each night. 

 

The most dangerous day to drive is Saturday, but the most dangerous month is sort of surprising. “September is actually the most dangerous month to drive in America, as the Labor Day weekend and the new school term bring new drivers to the roads. Other popular U.S. holidays, including the Fourth of July, New Year’s Eve, and Halloween, are also more dangerous than average. In addition to increased instances of drinking and driving, many holidays involve long-distance travel, leading to fatigue.” Nifty maps at: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/cp/mapped-the-most-dangerous-time-to-drive-in-each-u-s-state/.

 

Not driving during sketchy times may seem extreme, but a recent article suggests a way to efficiently use that extra time – napping. It turns out napping is good for you. According to Dr. Michael Gradner, director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona in Tucson: “A power nap, between 15 and 45 minutes, can improve memory and reduce fatigue for the rest of the day. If you’re otherwise well-rested, that kind of nap can actually boost performance pretty well.”

 

This confirms findings in a British study. “The British medical journal 'Heart' found that those who nap once or twice a week were 48% less likely to have a cardiovascular event than those who didn’t.” (https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/this-is-what-your-napping-habit-is-actually-doing-to-your-brain-and-body_uk_658ed74ae4b0b01d3e3fb2bf)

 

When it comes to good news there is no better place to find it than the Good News Network. They asked readers to choose the top ten good news stories of 2023. “There are some that remind us the planet is changing for the better, and others that capture the goodness in people. From a potential treatment to one of the world’s rarest and deadliest genetic diseases, to the recovery of species extinct in the wild, the list will hopefully having you pen resolutions fit for a better world; a more positive world. “

(https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/readers-choice-top-10-good-news-of-the-year-2023/)

 

I liked the story about a former military base in California being turned into a city park. “The new Great Park of Irvine will span 1,300 acres and include several museums, an amphitheater, a veterans memorial garden, an aquatics center, a sports complex, and not one but two lakes.”

 

I also thought another project was amazing. “After selling his company for eight figures to a competitor, one Canadian entrepreneur is using his profit to build a community of tiny homes for those who need it most. In the New Brunswick city of Fredericton, his factory is now churning out one tiny home every four business days in a bid to create 99 homes and an enterprise center to give homeless Frederictonians a real second chance.” 

 

Finally, given the weird weather we're now experiencing, an old Michigan story is interesting in 2023. The Gander newsletter tells the tale. “This winter season has been odd in Michigan so far, with a distinct lack of snowfall. It's the perfect time to revisit a time nearly 46 years ago when the state experienced one of the most powerful winter storms in its history—bringing much of the Mitten to a standstill. Here's the story of the Great Blizzard of 1978.” 

 

To read the saga and see some amazing photos, go to: https://link.gandernewsroom.com/view/65527f367dd5d81a8af1b206k5y00.otl/d4b24d97. “After all was said and done, forecasters said the storm was rivaled only by the Great White Hurricane of 1913 for its strength.”

 

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