MORE FUN TO KNOW

THE NEFF ZONE -- BY JIM NEFF

CADILLAC NEWS -- OCTOBER 12, 2024

An interesting thing happened to me on the way to writing this column. Last week I wrote: “It's fun to know a few things that are not all that important.” Some readers responded with “keep these things coming” messages. So, here are more things that could be fun to know. 

If you brushed your teeth today, thank the Greatest Generation. Prior to WWII, this was not commonly practiced. “Most Americans started brushing their teeth daily only after soldiers brought the habit home with them after the war. During WWI, poor dental care contributed to soldiers suffering trench mouth, a painful infection that caused sore and bleeding gums. As a result, the military emphasized mandatory toothbrushing at least once a day for soldiers during WWII. The habit was ingrained with returning soldiers and became a daily routine in many American households.”

(https://historyfacts.com/world-history/article/everyday-etiquette-that-came-out-of-world-war-ii/)

Hopefully, your sparkling teeth will be utilized in big smiles if Detroit's professional sports teams keep the current good times rolling. However, if you celebrate with champagne, you might want to wear a mouth guard and goggles. “The American Academy of Ophthalmology notes that champagne corks can easily go flying at around fifty mph.” 

Point that bottle away from people. “Such a violently ejected projectile needs to be handled carefully; while it's used to comic effect in movies, a poorly aimed cork can shatter glass and result in ghastly injuries like a split eyeball or a detached retina.”

(https://interestingfacts.com/fact/champagne-corks-can-fly-at-50-mph/)

Fifty miles per hour is pretty quick, but a “jiffy” is even faster. “Jiffy actually refers to a defined period of time. To physicists, a jiffy is how long it takes for light to travel one femtometer (a millionth of a millionth of a millimeter). Femtometers are used to measure things smaller than an atom, so you can imagine how short a jiffy is.”

“I'll be back in a few shakes” is another thing people say. It turns out that “shakes” is also a unit of time. “In the world of physics, a shake is a unit used to measure one step of a nuclear chain reaction that equals ten billionths of a second.”

(https://wordsmarts.com/jiffy/)

The animal kingdom has always been a source of (sort of) fun things to know. “Mad honey” is an example. “Mad honey is a rarity, found mostly among Himalayan giant honeybees in the mountains of Turkey and Nepal. Pollen and nectar from several species of rhododendrons in these areas contain grayanotoxins, a poison.”

This stuff might be a tad dangerous to spread on your biscuits. While small doses of grayanotoxins can cause euphoria and lightheadedness in humans, larger doses can cause hallucinations, vomiting, temporary paralysis, and even death.” (https://interestingfacts.com/fact/honey-made-from-rhododendrons-can-be-hallucinogenic/)

There is also some good news in the animal kingdom, particularly for the dogs in your household. Pretty soon, those embarrassing neck cones could be a thing of the past. “A small white and brown Chilean terrier is one of the first dogs in the world to get neutered without having to go under the knife. The procedure happened in his home in Santiago while he was being held by his owner, receiving treats during and after, and he later scampered off like nothing had happened. There was no sedation or surgical procedure, just a simple injection that the developers say is an immunocastration vaccine called Egalitte. It works by blocking the hormone in charge of reproduction and is reversible.”

More testing is upcoming, but Chilean scientists say this could be an option for pet owners in the future. “The vaccine can be used for both males and females and costs about 50,000 Chilean Pesos ($54). It requires a veterinarian's prescription and evaluation to ensure the dog is a suitable candidate.” (https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/chilean-scientists-develop-reversible-dog-neutering-vaccine-2024-10-04/)

While that vaccine is good news for male dogs, this is the season that spells bad news for male tarantula spiders. “Between September and October, the spiders become particularly active near dusk when temperatures begin to cool. At that point, adult male tarantulas emerge and search their surroundings for a mate, even if it might be the last thing they ever do.”

See, once the mating is completed, things get dicey for a male tarantula. Many times, he  becomes a postcoital snack for his slightly bigger partner, who needs the nutrients for her pregnancy. The Associated Press explains that male spiders typically only live another year or so after reaching sexual maturity. Female tarantulas, on the other hand, can thrive for twenty or more years.” (https://www.popsci.com/environment/tarantula-mating-season/)

Halloween will be here soon and that means things tend to get a little spooky. If you want to listen to some ghastly radio programs of the past, go to a scary website at: https://www.relicradio.com/otr/show/horror/. 

Relic Radio has compiled horror classics from the past. The shows include offerings from: CBS Mystery Theater, The Hermit's Cave, Lights Out, Creeps By Night, Suspense, and scores more. These make for good listening with the lights off and the covers pulled over your head. 

Finally, sprinkling some jokes into a fact-filled conversation can be amusing. “Here are fifteen of the best one-liners from timeless talents such as Rodney Dangerfield, Joan Rivers, Steven Wright, and more.” (https://www.inspiringquotes.com/the-best-one-liner-jokes-from-comedy-legends/ZAUlQrpZngAHgS1z)

The chuckles begin with a Rodney Dangerfield one-liner: “When I was a kid my parents moved a lot, but I always found them.” Even as a youth, he never got any respect. 

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