Strange but true

Is noise cancelling harmful?
Audiologists report that a growing number of young people are seeking help for hearing issues – but when tested, their hearing turns out to be normal. What is impaired is their ability to process sound. Now, it has been suggested that an apparent rise in the number of people being diagnosed with auditory processing disorder – a neurological condition – could be partly due to the overuse of noise-cancelling headphones and earplugs. These muffle background noise – cars beeping, other people talking – and they have become extremely popular in the past few years. The theory is that if the headphones are doing all the work of filtering out unwanted noise, the wearer’s brain may not learn to do it, so their ability to listen either does not develop fully or is impaired. “Our brain is remarkably adaptable – the more we engage it, the better it functions, especially when it comes to processing sounds and noise,” said Claire Benton, of the British Academy of Audiology. “Think of it as ‘use it or lose it’ – keeping your ears and brain active is essential for sharp listening skills.”
Sporting sabotage
Runners taking part in a 10km race in Glasgow were sent the wrong way by a member of the public, who impersonated a marshal and buried signs marking the correct route. The saboteur, who has not been identified but is reported to be female, diverted the course at about the 9km mark, causing about 30 of the 115 participants to go on a 2.5km detour. Acorn Trails, the organiser of the race, apologised for the mischievous interference.
Over-reacting
A Kyoto restaurant owner placed a bounty on the heads of two customers who left a one star review. The owner of Toyojiro, a ramen shop, posted a photo of the two men on Instagram, offering a reward of 100,000 yen (£530) to anyone who could track them down, saying the hunt would continue until they had visited the establishment again and written a positive review. Addressing the customers directly, he warned: “You should probably avoid eating out. Someday, someone like you will get screwed.” He has now apologised for his behaviour, and admitted that he “took things too far”.
Less than sterling service
A new analysis has shown that, after years of declining standards, Deutsche Bahn, the German state railway once admired for its efficient services, now has some services that are less punctual than those of the worst operator in the UK.
Bons mots
“It’s not a principle until it costs you money.” - Bill Bernbach, 1911-1982, advertising creative director, USA

 

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