What did you say?

[Lepus]

By MARTHA IRVINE, AP National Writer Tue Sep 13, 8:54 AM ET

CHICAGO - Researchers fear the growing popularity of portable music players and other items that attach directly to the ears — including cell phones — is contributing to hearing loss in younger people.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050913/ap_on_he_me/early_hearin (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050913/ap_on_he_me/early_hearing_loss;_ylt=AvC.S0giMiXnRpd5qCt2rNkDW7 oF;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl) g_loss;_ylt=AvC.S0giMiXnRpd5qCt2rNkDW7oF;_ylu=X3oD MTBiMW04NW 9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

[draco dormiens]

Wow. My mp3 player is to me what Linus's blanket is to him. I'm almost never without it and I feel uneasy if I do forget it. I don't know how many hours I listen to it, but considering I go to sleep with my headphones on, I'd say it's probably about 3 or 4 times what they say the safe limits are. I guess I'd better be more careful.

[Lepus]

I need to quit mowing the lawn with the volume on 40.

I have heard that exercising while wearing headphones does a lot of damage to your ears. Something about the increased blood flow increasing your risk of sustaining damage I think.

[draco dormiens]

Oh, wow.

I admit to listening to my headphones in noisy environments. The volume level then is usually 20 or 21 out of a scale of 1-22.

[bluej]

So my hearing must be perfect because I don't exercise. images/smiley_icons/icon_rolleyes.gif

<font size="1">right?!</font>

[Lepus]

Huh?

I can't hear you.

[Caffeinated]

I cannot cut the grass without my earbuds and some music. So I guess I'll be losing my hearing too.

Eh, no biggie, I think I've heard enough. images/smiley_icons/icon_rolleyes.gif