THE STATE OF THINGS

THE NEFF ZONE -- BY JIM NEFF

CADILLAC NEWS -- OCTOBER 14, 2023

The official state motto of Michigan is: “Si Quæris Peninsulam Amœnam Circumspice.” In English that translates to: "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.” With this in mind, it's a good time to check on how things are going in our state. 

When it comes to happiness, Michigan is about in the middle of the pack. “The state in which you live may have an impact on how happy you are. WalletHub drew upon the findings of 'happiness' research to determine which environmental factors are linked to a person’s overall well-being and satisfaction with life. We examined the fifty states across thirty key metrics.” 

Although happiness may be a relative thing, the top five states were: Utah, Hawaii, Maryland, Minnesota, and New Jersey. The states at the bottom of the misery chart were: Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, and West Virginia. Michigan finished thirty-third. (https://wallethub.com/edu/happiest-states/6959)

Michigan fared a bit better in another WalletHub study about underprivileged children. “In the U.S., nearly one in six children live in poverty and a child is abused or neglected every forty-eight seconds. In addition, one year of all confirmed cases of child maltreatment leads to $124 billion in costs over those children’s lifetimes. To determine where children are most disadvantaged, WalletHub compared the states and across twenty-six key indicators of neediness.”

Regardless of the rankings, every state could do better. The states with the most underprivileged children were: Alaska, Mississippi, New Mexico, West Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Arkansas. States with the fewest were: Maryland, Virginia, Connecticut, Utah, and New Jersey. Michigan finished a semi-respectable twenty-forth. (https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-states-underprivileged-children/5403)

In another category, comparing states produced interesting results. “Depending on where you live, the salary you need to get by as a single worker can vary immensely. In Hawaii, the living wage for single workers is $112,411 — the highest in the country. In Mississippi, however, the living wage is just $45,906. The U.S median income for single, full-time workers is $57,200, according to GOBankingRates data.” 

Michigan comes in below the national average. “In Michigan, the annual living wage for a single person is $50,049. See all the data at: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/29/the-salary-a-single-person-needs-to-get-by-in-every-us-state.html. 

According to another study, even if an employer wants to lure workers away their current jobs for greener pastures, those pastures will have to be very green indeed. “The average reservation wage soared in 2023, showing that U.S. workers now need higher incentives to change jobs. The average reservation wage now sits at $78,645. This figure, a measure of the lowest wage U.S. workers will accept when leaving a job for another, has increased by nearly $6,000 since 2022.” 

In this jobs climate, some other factors are worth noting. “College graduates now expect a salary of nearly $100,000 in order to switch jobs and those without college degrees are looking for a salary of at least $63,300. Workers over the age of forty-five saw the highest increase in reservation wage. In 2023, the average job offer was $69,475, an increase of almost $9,000 which beat study expectations.” (https://fox11online.com/news/nation-world/us-workers-wont-switch-jobs-for-less-than-80k-data-shows-federal-reserve-bank-of-new-york-average-reservation-wage-salary-inflation) 

Finally, seriousness aside, Michigan is included on another list: “The Coolest Offbeat Attraction in All Fifty States.” Actually it's quite an honor to be on the roster of these doozies. (https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/coolest-offbeat-attractions-united-states)

For example, in Idaho you can stay in a bed and breakfast inside the world's largest beagle. The Dog Bark Inn is unique: “Sweet Willy, at thirty feet tall, is the biggest beagle in the world. Inside of Sweet Willy, chainsaw artists Dennis J. Sullivan and his wife, Frances Conklin, have built a single room, complete with bathroom and loft, for visitors passing through the area.” See photos at: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/dog-bark-park-inn. 

Ah, but Michigan is not to be outdone. “The World Almanac listed Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum in Farmington Hills, Michigan, as one of the United States’ 100 Most Unusual Museums. It features, among many, many other items, something called 'The Disgusting Spectacle,' which is an animatronic dude picking his nose.”

But wait, there's more! “There are rows of coin-operated pinball machines and uncategorizable oddities (like 'The Guillotine,' which comes to life for a small fee). Even the ceilings are festooned with remote control airplanes on laundry conveying belts, contributing to a childish sensory overload that’s fun for any age.” The “see-it-to-believe-it” video is at: https://youtu.be/ZP5OMZFpvlc?si=JI9Qr8hRQoKfKaZR. 

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