OK, I had bad info. Vuvuzela horns are ONLY 127 decibels.
Whisper Quiet Library 30dB
Normal conversation (3-5′) 60-70dB
Telephone dial tone 80dB
City Traffic (inside car) 85dB
Train whistle at 500′, Truck Traffic 90dB
Subway train at 200′ 95dB
Level at which sustained exposure may result in hearing loss 90 – 95dB
Power mower at 3′ 107dB
Snowmobile, Motorcycle 100dB
Power saw at 3′ 110dB
Sandblasting, Loud Rock Concert 115dB
Pain begins 125dB
Pneumatic riveter at 4′ 125dB
Vuvuzela 127 dB
Even short term exposure can cause permanent damage – Loudest recommended exposure WITH hearing protection 140dB
Jet engine at 100′, Gun Blast 140dB
For North Korean Soccer Players, Defection Would Be ‘Logistically Impossible’ [Jesse Naiman]
Last week, John J. Miller wrote that Michael Elliott of Time should cheer for the North Korean soccer players to defect while in South Africa for the World Cup. Prof. Jae Ku, director of the U.S.-Korea Institute at the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, spoke with National Review Online regarding the ramifications of a soccer player’s defection.
Ku said that whenever an elite North Korean citizen defects, Kim Jong Il’s National Security Bureau (NSB) will round up the defector’s immediate family and subject them to interrogation, followed by months if not years spent in labor reeducation camps. He described what happened when a former high-ranking official named Hwang Jang-yop defected. Hwang was the chairman of the Supreme People’s Assembly (North Korea’s rubber stamp parliament) and a prominent philosopher of the Juche Idea, the socialist ideology of North Korea.
When Hwang defected, over 3,000 of his family members, friends, and associates were arrested. Many of his distant relatives who faced arrest had no idea they were even related to Hwang.
Ku also brought up an incident where 100 North Korean cheerleaders traveled to South Korea for a sporting event in 2003. They were forced to sign a contract forbidding them from discussing anything they saw or heard in South Korea. Upon returning, they were sent to reeducation camp, and ultimately 20 of them were sent to the gulag.
Nobody leaves North Korea alone, according to Ku. He once attended a conference in Sweden and observed North Korean diplomats who traveled alongside NSB agents. He suspects that the NSB will closely monitor the soccer team in South Africa. An individual player can not go out alone, and must eat, sleep, practice, and do everything with his team.
“Defection will be logistically impossible,†Ku said. “The NSB has probably thought this through very carefully and has made assurances to prevent this from happening.†Ku also speculated that the NSB told the players that the cost of defection, meaning severe punishment inflicted on their family members, would be so great that the players would not deem escape worth the cost.
“such act would hurt their family in N Korea big time.”
Good point, M4L. I wouldn’t be surprised if all their families were rounded up and locked in an undisclosed location until the tourney is over. A defection would reflect very poorly on the “Dear Leader”.
denton, that might end up with doors not locked plus no lunch. Albeit he’s MIT grad, this is Rob we’re talking about here
worst abuse post a disappointing performance on intl stage is Iraq soccer team when Saddam’s 2 sons abused, tortured, etc the returning team.
rob, after you make your lunch, put your house keys in the bag.
OK, I had bad info. Vuvuzela horns are ONLY 127 decibels.
Whisper Quiet Library 30dB
Normal conversation (3-5′) 60-70dB
Telephone dial tone 80dB
City Traffic (inside car) 85dB
Train whistle at 500′, Truck Traffic 90dB
Subway train at 200′ 95dB
Level at which sustained exposure may result in hearing loss 90 – 95dB
Power mower at 3′ 107dB
Snowmobile, Motorcycle 100dB
Power saw at 3′ 110dB
Sandblasting, Loud Rock Concert 115dB
Pain begins 125dB
Pneumatic riveter at 4′ 125dB
Vuvuzela 127 dB
Even short term exposure can cause permanent damage – Loudest recommended exposure WITH hearing protection 140dB
Jet engine at 100′, Gun Blast 140dB
To M4L’s point, I just read this:
For North Korean Soccer Players, Defection Would Be ‘Logistically Impossible’ [Jesse Naiman]
Last week, John J. Miller wrote that Michael Elliott of Time should cheer for the North Korean soccer players to defect while in South Africa for the World Cup. Prof. Jae Ku, director of the U.S.-Korea Institute at the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, spoke with National Review Online regarding the ramifications of a soccer player’s defection.
Ku said that whenever an elite North Korean citizen defects, Kim Jong Il’s National Security Bureau (NSB) will round up the defector’s immediate family and subject them to interrogation, followed by months if not years spent in labor reeducation camps. He described what happened when a former high-ranking official named Hwang Jang-yop defected. Hwang was the chairman of the Supreme People’s Assembly (North Korea’s rubber stamp parliament) and a prominent philosopher of the Juche Idea, the socialist ideology of North Korea.
When Hwang defected, over 3,000 of his family members, friends, and associates were arrested. Many of his distant relatives who faced arrest had no idea they were even related to Hwang.
Ku also brought up an incident where 100 North Korean cheerleaders traveled to South Korea for a sporting event in 2003. They were forced to sign a contract forbidding them from discussing anything they saw or heard in South Korea. Upon returning, they were sent to reeducation camp, and ultimately 20 of them were sent to the gulag.
Nobody leaves North Korea alone, according to Ku. He once attended a conference in Sweden and observed North Korean diplomats who traveled alongside NSB agents. He suspects that the NSB will closely monitor the soccer team in South Africa. An individual player can not go out alone, and must eat, sleep, practice, and do everything with his team.
“Defection will be logistically impossible,†Ku said. “The NSB has probably thought this through very carefully and has made assurances to prevent this from happening.†Ku also speculated that the NSB told the players that the cost of defection, meaning severe punishment inflicted on their family members, would be so great that the players would not deem escape worth the cost.
“such act would hurt their family in N Korea big time.”
Good point, M4L. I wouldn’t be surprised if all their families were rounded up and locked in an undisclosed location until the tourney is over. A defection would reflect very poorly on the “Dear Leader”.
That’s true, m4l. they would be deprived of their weekly ration of tree bark sandwiches.
I’ve heard they register at 140 decibels, Biff.
Average rock concert is, what, 110-120?
You see the problem.
NOTHING can be made to be heard over a vuvuzela.
It doesn’t matter if its 2,000 or 20,000, its still the only thing you hear. Imagine if every post were a *rob* rant.
DIBS / BIFF, those N Korean players cant be that selfish. such act would hurt their family in N Korea big time.