SURPRISING NUMBERS

THE NEFF ZONE -- BY JIM NEFF

CADILLAC NEWS -- OCTOBER 19,2024

I'm not a math guy, so when I come across numbers that I can understand it's a surprising revelation. Most of the time, numbers get tossed into the junk drawer section of my brain. However, once in a while a number actually makes sense to me.

For instance, I recently learned we all have brains that are really fast. “Some signals from our body’s command centers can reach a speed of 268 miles per hour.” 

It turns out that the central nervous system is like a speedometer. “The central nervous system puts in a lot of work to maintain the complex mechanisms of the human body. Pace is crucial to keep this system running smoothly.” 

Some things require more speed than others. “The function that requires the most speed is our ability to sense the movement and positioning of body parts without looking. At the other end of the spectrum are the fibers that relay pain signals at a near-crawl of one mile per hour — evidence that our central nervous systems at least attempts to cushion the blow when serving as the bearer of bad news.” (https://interestingfacts.com/fact/information-from-your-central-nervous-system-travels-at-up-to-268-mph/)

It might take a lot of that brain speed just to keep up with new words being added to the dictionary every year. Merriam-Webster says: “We’ve added two-hundred new words and definitions to our iconic dictionary. We continuously encounter new ways of describing the world around us, and the dictionary is a record of those changes.”

One category requires continual updating. “Social media fuels 'shadow ban' and 'touch grass' (to participate in normal activities in the real world especially as opposed to online experiences and interactions).” Another is 'For You page' (or FYP). “It's a social media feed that contains personalized content based on the user's interests.” You can see the new words at: https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/new-words-in-the-dictionary.

The dictionary changes as each generation comes and goes. It's interesting to know the years when each generation was born. “While pigeonholing someone to a particular generation based solely on birth year isn't a perfect way to determine that person's identity, it helps to establish a baseline.” 

There are  widely accepted year ranges that define generations. The Silent Generation was born between 1928 and 1945. The Gen Alpha Generation was born from 2013 to today. “In 2023, Millennials (1981-1996) maintained their place as the largest segment of the U.S. population, a trend that began in 2019 when they surpassed baby boomers because of aging.” (https://www.usatoday.com/story/graphics/2024/10/08/generation-names-years-explained/74701974007/)

Regardless of your generation, a common bond is our love for an upcoming holiday dinner – Thanksgiving. The big meal may seem like it's a long way off, but now is the prime time for planning. “Thanksgiving is quite literally all about the bird, so the last thing we want is to head to the grocery store the week before the holiday only to find empty shelves.” 

Ah, but just procuring the bird does not mean the preparations are over. “Everyone knows there’s one surefire way to ruin Thanksgiving: you forget to thaw your turkey in time.  If you don’t take your turkey out of the freezer at least a few days before Thanksgiving, you can kiss your turkey dinner goodbye.”

According to AllRecipes.com, here's where science and math come into play. “Butterball’s new, first-of-its-kind innovation doesn’t require any of that prep. The new Cook from Frozen Premium Whole Turkey can go straight from the freezer to the oven in minutes. All you have to do is unwrap the turkey, stick it in a roasting pan, and bake it in a 350-degree oven for about four hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees in the breast and thigh. The turkey even comes pre-brined, so you don’t have to season or baste it.” You can bet that other brands will follow suit with their own versions. (https://www.allrecipes.com/butterball-new-cook-from-frozen-turkey-8726607)

Topping off the big dinner with some pumpkin pie is also a tradition. That won't be a problem for a guy from Minnesota. “A Minnesota horticulture teacher remained the reigning champion Monday of an annual pumpkin-weighing contest in Northern California where his massive gourds have won the top prize four years in a row. His winning gourd came in at 2,471 pounds.” (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/minnesota-teacher-2471-pound-pumpkin-wins-california-contest-rcna175404)

I went on that internet thingy and consulted some online calculators. That 2,471 pounds of pumpkin would make about 1,650 pies. We're going to need every drop of whipped cream the local dairy farms can produce. 

Finally, if you get an upset tummy from eating all that pie, don't look to the past for a remedy. “Long before tomatoes were eaten in salads and sliced on sandwiches, they were advertised as medicine. In 1834, Ohio physician John Cook Bennett propagated the idea that tomatoes could cure indigestion.” (https://historyfacts.com/us-history/fact/tomatoes-were-once-sold-as-medicine/)

That cure was debunked by 1850 and the number “57” was a main reason. Thee versatile fruit saw a resurgence due to the introduction of a new tomato-based condiment: ketchup. Heinz ketchup was sold in the now-iconic clear glass bottles.”

So how does the “57” figure into this? “Starting in 1896, Heinz  began featuring the number '57' on its packaging, though it had nothing to do with the number of varieties sold. Founder Henry John Heinz chose '57' for the branding because it combined his lucky number, five, with his wife’s favorite number, seven.” 

This leaves us with what may be the number one ketchup conundrum in America. Does ketchup belong on a hot dog? The answer comes from the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council at: https://www.hot-dog.org/culture/hot-dog-etiquette. “Don't use ketchup on your hot dog after the age of eighteen. Mustard, relish, onions, cheese and chili are acceptable.”

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