WEEKEND WRAP-UP

THE NEFF ZONE -- BY JIM NEFF

CADILLAC NEWS - JULY 6, 2024

It's almost over. This is the final weekend of the July Fourth holiday. That said, there is probably a tad more celebrating on your docket. So, it's not too late to make additions to your conversational quiver. 

Many people will be relaxing around a campfire this weekend. A popular treat for this activity is the traditional s'more. However, if you want to enjoy this taste with a twist , a new product may fit the bill. “Cup Noodles Campfire S’mores takes the classic dish in a whole new direction. The summertime classic food gets slurping with an unexpected flavor mash-up.” This is a limited edition at $1.18 per cup. 

The claim is that these taste like the real thing. “Overall, the ramen capture that chocolate, marshmallow, and graham cracker flavor. Consider topping the noodles with more marshmallows or even a little graham cracker dusting with a chocolate drizzle.” (https://foodsided.com/posts/cup-noodles-campfire-s-mores-satisfies-01j1p2bydh5x)

If you drive to a store to grab some ramen, you may need to get some gas for your car. Do you ever wonder why there is an additional nine-tenths of a cent added to the price of each gallon? “Why bother charging a fraction of a cent? As it turns out, the strange pricing is a holdover from a 1932 law.”

Here's the skinny. “During the Great Depression, the average gallon of gas cost about ten to twenty cents. When the Revenue Act of 1932 was passed, it allowed for the first federal gas tax. The tax rate of one cent per gallon was pretty significant at the time. Gas station owners were faced with three options: They could eat the tax and take the hit to their profit margin, raise prices by an entire cent, or increase prices by less than a penny. The third option was less of a shock to motorists, so it seemed like a good compromise to most retailers.  Consumers tend to focus on the leftmost digit of a price, making for an effective illusion even to savvy shoppers.” 

So why keep the illusion in place? “That last fraction of a penny adds up to millions of dollars in revenue each month for gas retailers.” (https://historyfacts.com/us-history/fact/gas-prices-include-nine-tenths-of-a-cent-due-to-a-90-year-old-law/)

During the summer, golf is a prominent sport. A new trend may alter the way your clubs are transported around a golf course. “Golfing with llama caddies — who carry your clubs uncomplainingly — is the hottest ticket in North Carolina.”

In an odd way, this trend makes sense. “Llamas are sturdy and docile animals bred to carry heavy loads in the Andes Mountains, so they don't think twice about being saddled with 23 pounds of golf clubs. Their soft toes are easier on the fairway than golf carts. Plus, Llamas are amazingly trainable and hypoallergenic to boot.” (https://www.axios.com/2024/06/24/golf-llama-caddies-nc-tourism)

Speaking of sports, football season will soon be upon us. There's an interesting football idea afoot in Michigan right now. “Flag football has grown in popularity over the past four years in the U.S. and has been especially impactful for girls looking to play football. It's a sanctioned high school sport in eleven states. Students and coaches across the state say they hope the growing number of high schools playing the sport in Michigan will lead to the same official distinction here, with a state championship, like soccer, volleyball and basketball.”

This may be something to keep an eye on in the future. “It was recently announced that boys volleyball and girls field hockey will be the next sponsored sports in the Michigan High School Athletic Association beginning the 2025-2026 season.” (https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2024/07/02/female-athletes-push-hard-for-flag-football-in-michigan-schools/73529716007/)

In other football news, the NFL has announced it's getting into the movie business. For fans of the Hallmark Channel, this is sort of surprising. Right now the channel is in their annual “Christmas in July” mode, but the NFL flick will air this winter during the “Countdown to Christmas” offerings.

The channel says: “Kansas City and Hallmark are collaborating with the NFL and Skydance Sports to make a holiday movie. Tyler Hynes, Hunter King and Ed Begley Jr. will star in the Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story. By blending the warmth of Hallmark storytelling with the excitement of professional football, we are thrilled to give audiences a front-row seat all wrapped up in the comforting and uplifting Hallmark way.” (https://www.nfl.com/news/chiefs-hallmark-team-up-to-produce-christmas-movie-holiday-touchdown-a-chiefs-love-story)

After football season comes basketball season. There may be a unique reason to watch college basketball this year. “Young basketball player Olivier Rioux is so tall that he's setting records simply by continuing his education. The 18-year-old Montreal native recently graduated from high school and has committed to Florida. The school lists his height at a mind-blowing 7-foot-9. That would make him the tallest college basketball player in history.”

This is one of those “see it to believe it” deals. Photos and videos are at: https://sports.yahoo.com/7-foot-9-olivier-rioux-worlds-tallest-teenager-set-to-become-tallest-college-basketball-player-ever-192230975.html. 

Finally, fireworks displays are a main attraction for most Independence Day celebrations. These are colorful presentations in the sky, but there is quite a bit of science behind what you see. 

The president of Pyrotechnics Guild International, explains: “I consider fireworks a great example of combustion reactions that produce colored fire. But the invention of colored fireworks is relatively recent and not all colors are easy to produce. As different elements ignite they release different wavelengths of light which translate as different colors.”

Given that, what color would you guess needs the most precise chemistry? “Not all colors of fireworks are equally easy to create. Blue is the most difficult color to produce. That is because the evening sky is a shade of blue, which means that most blues do not show up as well. If you try to make the blue brighter to contrast with the background it can look washed out. The right balance of copper and other chemicals in the flame or combustion reaction produce the best blue color flame in a firework. When you see blue-colored dots of light creating a pattern in the night sky, you really are seeing excited electrons releasing energy as blue light.” (https://www.yahoo.com/news/red-white-rarely-blue-science-145326663.html)

All this chemistry causes sounds to emanate from the crowds of onlookers.  “Oooooooo and Ahhhhh” are the usual reactions. 

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