INFORMATION OVERLOAD

THE NEFF ZONE -- BY JIM NEFF

CADILLAC NEWS -- APRIL 12, 2025

One of my high school teachers said the human mind could only focus on seven things at a time. If a new thought emerged an old thought had to be discarded. This theory could explain why my brain seems to be on a constant spin cycle. These days, there is too much information coming at us from all directions. 

A recent article about “digital clutter” dealt with the problem. “While many people are familiar with how disorganized or messy physical spaces can impact things like productivity, anxiety, and stress levels, the modern world has introduced a new space where clutter can have similar impacts: your digital life. The average person has twelve unread text messages waiting for them, and more than one-thousand unread emails in their inbox.”

This mess can be frustrating. “Nearly one-third of people have paid to upgrade a device to one with more storage because of digital clutter. The volume of messages and notifications can make it more likely that something important goes unseen in the mass of notifications vying for their attention.” See some explanatory graphs at: https://allaboutcookies.org/digital-clutter. 

Also related to the digital world are some facts about working at home. WalletHub notes: “While more and more businesses are embracing work-from-home positions, people who are allowed to work from home may not always have the best environment for doing so. Exactly how easy it is to work remotely may depend on where you live. In order to find out the states that provide the best conditions for working from home, WalletHub compared the fifty states and the District of Columbia across twelve key metrics.” (https://wallethub.com/edu/best-states-for-working-from-home/72801)

The five top work from home states are: Delaware, Utah, Maryland, District of Columbia, and New Jersey. The bottom finishers are: Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, Arkansas, and West Virginia. Michigan was in the middle with a ranking of twenty-six. 

While working at home, a person might be tempted to gaze out a window. It turns out there's even some information related to that, particularly if you live in our neck of the woods. “The deer population in the U.S. is out of control. In 1930, there were an estimated 300,000 deer in the U.S. Now, there are more than thirty million. Deer wreak havoc nationwide, causing billions in agricultural losses, triggering potentially fatal traffic accidents, and devastating residential landscapes.” 

According to a study, there are ten states that have the most deer problems. From ten to one, they are: Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Maine, Montana, and (number one) West Virginia. (https://www.yahoo.com/news/10-states-worst-deer-problems-100000558.html)

Michigan is on another informational list that deals with life or death: “The Ten States Most Likely to Survive an Alien Invasion.” On a ten-point scale, Michigan scored a 7.26, good for twentieth place. The top ten are: Virginia, Alabama, Massachusetts, New York, Minnesota, Florida, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Alaska, and Georgia. 

There is science behind the calculations. “Researchers from the online calculator website GIGAcalculator determined the states most likely to survive the hypothetical event. They considered factors like terrain (e.g., percentage of area covered by forests and water and number of caves), population density, and essential personnel. The website then calculated a score for each state based on these data points and ranked them to see which U.S. state has the highest chance of enduring an alien invasion.” More at: https://www.mentalfloss.com/states-most-likely-to-survive-alien-invasion. 

While you're awaiting a visit from outer space, it's a good time to use some information that will help you keep your environs spiffy. According to TomsGuide.com, fifty-eight percent of Americans are making the same lawn mowing mistake.

So, what's the faux pas and is there a remedy? “There is a correct technique to ensure healthier, greener grass. For the first week cut your lawn horizontally, from left to right, while on the second week, you should mow diagonally from bottom left to right. The third week mow vertically from left to right and the fourth, diagonally from right to left. This will prevent the bending over of the grass blades to create that lush and healthier lawn.” More green gab at: https://www.tomsguide.com/home/58-percent-of-americans-make-this-common-lawn-mowing-mistake-experts-share-how-to-do-it-right. 

Finally, sometimes information can be just plain fun. The Major League Baseball season is underway and a Chicago Cubs fan had the best opening day seat at Wrigley Field. “A goose is going viral for nesting near the bleachers. Fans first spotted the bird when officials blocked off a section of the bleachers. A spokesperson for the team said they're giving her the space she needs while working closely with a wildlife organization to manage the situation." (https://people.com/goose-makes-nest-on-chicago-s-wrigley-field-bleachers-11710393)

According to the MLB, the bird has been named Suzuki by fans, in honor of outfielder Seiya Suzuki. See a video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfOo6Eksz2k. “An operations staff member keeping guard of the area told Block Club Chicago that fans have since been calling them geesekeepers."

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