Imade my first pair of jackhammer headphones Ahab despite the noise, so I shoved headphone about 15 years ago while doing volunteer speakers into my ear protectors, making the work for the blind. Many organizations are first pair of the headphones that are the subject devoted to helping the blind, including the Library of of this article.
Congress (LOC) and the Minnesota Braille Press, where I was a volunteer. FUNCTION IN A NOISY WORLD
The LOC mailed blind people audio books on half- This project is the easiest and probably most use-speed cassettes that played on special orange tape ful thing I’ve ever designed. I’d have trouble func-recorders. I used to repair these machines along tioning in this noisy world without them. These with a group of retired telephone company workers. homemade hi-fi headphones work as well or better Other volunteers, mostly actors, read books onto than Bose or Sony noise-canceling headphones, tape in many sound booths. We volunteers were according to friends who have tried both. Unlike allowed to check out audio books ourselves from the commercial models, these block outside noise the huge collection. The first one I got was Moby instead of canceling it. They save your hearing by Dick. Rather than using one of the clunky LOC blocking outside noise and allowing you to play machines, I used my (no-name brand) walkman. I your music at a lower volume. reduced my walkman’s motor speed until it seemed I’ve been making these for many years now and about right and the narrator sounded like a using them daily. People sometimes ask, “Isn’t it chipmunk. Even so, it took a long time for Mister dangerous not being able to hear?” Maybe. Ask a Chipmunk to recite the book on about 30 cassettes. deaf person. I’ve never had a problem. Lots of my (In my memory, the book is like this: “Oh boy! Here’s a friends use them and no harm has come to anyone. bunch more facts about whales! Blah blah blah blah!”) When driving cross-country, I check out 5 gallons
At that time, I was driving a V W bus with no muf- of audio books from the local library to listen fler and hardly any body left. The body had rusted to on the road. It’s the only thing that works to keep away from Minnesota road salt. On the highway, it me awake and (somewhat) sane on a long drive. was so loud in the cab that I wore jackhammer ear- When I get to my destination, I mail the tapes back muffs. I wanted to hear what happened to Captain to my home library.
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