neXt:The next generation, covered now

---

Say what? That iPod could damage your hearing if you're not careful

The benefits of cranking up the volume: pounding drums, a thrashing guitar and you can't hear what anyone is saying.

The cons: You might be pushing yourself into early hearing loss.

About 5.2 million people between 6 and 19 have hearing loss directly related to noise exposure, according to the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Music and other loud noises cause hearing loss by damaging the hair cells in the cochlea, a part of the inner ear that helps transmit sound information to the brain, according to the Mayo Clinic.

A few hours at a rock concert will usually leave you muffled for a little while, but hours and hours of an iPod or other MP3 player can slowly cause noise-induced hearing loss.

NIHL can be instantaneous with a sound ranging from 120 to 150 decibels, like being too close to a gunshot, or it can happen over a period of time from being exposed to a sound around 85 decibels.

One study calculated the sound produced by the iPod Nano and reported that 60 percent of max volume equates to about 87 decibels. That number changes with the type of listening device used -- earbuds or external headphones.

Normal conversation usually hovers around 60 decibels, so common sense can help with either earbuds or headphones: If you can't hear yourself or others talking, chances are the music's too loud.

Aside from being too loud, the extended memory and battery life of the iPod, the Zune and other MP3 devices can extend exposure to noise well past a safe listening time.

"What's more important is that 60-60 rule," said Joyce Hill Cooley of the Missouri Hearing Society.

She said a safe bet is 60 percent volume for no more than 60 minutes at a time.

How do you keep from running your thumb over that little circle to crank up the volume? Apple released software last year that allows you to set the max volume on the most recent iPod products, including the Nano and Shuffle.

Noise-canceling earphones can help block out the background noise that often requires a higher volume. Bose, Logitech and Apple have all put out noise-canceling earphones.

charris@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 246

---

The Voice Box

What's your favorite scary movie?

Use your voice

Text your opinion to 573-200-3394 or log on to semissourian.com/blogs/thevoicebox

---

Next Up

DATES

TODAY

"The Comebacks"

Rating: PG 13

Run time: 84 minutes

Town Plaza Cinema

"30 Days of Night"

Rating: R

Run time: 115 minutes

Cape West Cine

SATURDAY

Red House Harvest Moon Historical Arts and Crafts Festival: Red House Interpretive Center, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Haunted Train: Iron Mountain Railway, Jackson, 8 to 11 p.m.

SUNDAY

River Campus Dedication and Grand Opening: Bedell Performance Hall, River Campus, 3 p.m.

TUESDAY

Hurricane Chris, debut album "51/50 Rachet"

Genre: Hip-hop/Rap

Tracks: 14

Label: RCA

Xbox 360:

Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary

A remake of the 1996 first edition Tomb Raider with the original worlds.

Clive Barker's Jericho

PS3

Clive Barker's Jericho

---

Who's neXt

SCHOLARSHIPS

• Claire Segar of Cape Girardeau has been named a William Danforth Scholar at Washington University in St. Louis. Segar, a freshman, is one of 20 Danforth Scholars this year.

ACHIEVEMENTS

• Cape Central Orchestra students earning placement in the 2007 Southeast Missouri District Honor Orchestra are: first violin, Jenny Huo as concertmaster, Kyle Gilhaus, Alicia Dunn and Sylvia Christy; second violin, Michael Miller as assistant principal, Josh Wen, Kara Smollen, Tanner Hankins, Trenton Sanders, Janna Trautwein, Rachel Irvin and Trey Grovenor; viola, Charlotte Schaffner as assistant principal, Mary Dohogne, Amity Downing, Sam Gramling, Katlynn Downing and Sing Sing Starrett; cello, Sirena Watkins as principal, Cat Goeke as assistant principal, Michael Merritt, Owen Hill, Ben Hendricks, Katie Beaton, Danielle Blake, Blake Kidd and Di Di Starret; bass, Ray Woldtvedt as assistant principal and Zach Reeves.

AWARDS

• Bill Matthews and Ray Peters of Linn State Technical College received the Vocational Instructor/School Award from Emerson Climate Technologies. Matthews also received the V.V. Solomon Educator/Teacher of the Year Award.

SCHOOL NEWS

• The Guardian Angel Home & School Association will hold a Halloween carnival from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Knights of Columbus hall in Oran, Mo.
• The 2007 Southeast Missouri District Honor Orchestra will perform at 4 p.m. Nov. 3 in the Sikeston Field House in Sikeston, Mo.

-- From staff reports

---

Friday night lives

Members of the 2007 Cape Girardeau Central High School homecomeing court posed for pictures at the homecoming dance Oct. 12.