I hate your car-stereo

By at 8:02 am Saturday, Feb 15

Boom-cars suck:
Boom cars are also called ground pounders, street pounders, or (rarely) trunk thumpers, and no wonder considering the brain-liquefying power of some of these car stereo systems. A decent home stereo might pump out 200 watts, but boom car units often boast 1,000 watts of power, and systems with 2,000 or even 3,000 watts have been recorded. As a point of reference, the human pain threshold for noise is 120 decibels (dB), but these rolling sonic factories can hit 140 or even 150 dB. Because decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale, the sound level doubles every 10 dB, so (it turns out) 150 dB would be the equivalent of standing next to a 747 with its jet engines at full roar.
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Cory Doctorow

Upcoming appearances

* Feb 9, 2012, DeKalb, IL: Day of Doctorow, NIU
* Feb 10-12, 2012, Chicago, IL: Capricon 32
* Feb 13, 2012, Arlington, TX: UT Arlington College of Engineering Distinguished Speaker Series
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* Context (essays)
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* For the Win (YA novel)
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