Cruise ship used high-tech noise gun on attacking pirates

The Seattle Times ^ | November 8, 2005 | John Pain

[wideminded]

Wouldn't getting "hit" with the sound waves cause physical discomfort or even tissue damage?

Did you notice that the article is written by "John Pain"?

[wideminded]

46.4 dB @ 8.0 kHz

For some reason most hearing tests cut off at 8 KHz. I know someone who passed a hearing test and yet when I tested her hearing with higher frequencies, she couldn't hear anything above 9 KHz. It seems to me that the standard hearing test is probably not finding a lot of people who already have some hearing damage.

[md2576]

MY dad's a captain and has no worries of pirates but mutany is ALWAYS A WORRY. I DON'T KNOW ANY CAPTAIN THAT DOESN'T CARRY A GUN FOR SUCH MATTERS.

[Loud Mime]

I'll have to photoshop Goofy or Snow White with a 50 cal. I was just at Disneyland tonight...I like the idea.

[Loud Mime]

Captain: OK, all you passengers. We need volunteers to man the '50's should we encounter pirates. Any volunteers?

....I'm 56 years old, but guarantee my hand would be first up and waving..... "Pick me!!!"

[DB]

Generally speaking, voice communications has very little to do with frequencies above 8 kHz. The same is true below around 300 Hz. The critical range to understand speech well is around 300 Hz to 3400 Hz. So that's what they test...

[George W. Bush]

The look on the pirates faces when a cruise ship full of drunken Disney characters begin chasing them....priceless

I think it's a great idea. You could make serious money with this.

[wideminded]

I was assuming that if you have already lost all hearing above 8 kHz, this is not a good sign for your future ability to hear in the voice range. Perhaps this is not justified, although the person I mentioned earlier has deafness in her family.

[DB]

Actually I don't think that is true, but I could be wrong.

If you abuse your ears, the highs go first. Also with age the high end goes first.

Most people can't hear 18 kHz when they're in the 30's. 9 kHz to 18 kHz is one octave. While that isn't good loosing the upper octave of your hearing, it isn't very serious either. The biggest impact with be enjoying music which shouldn't be severe.

[drlevy88]

Highest key on a conventional piano = 8261 Hz.

[TheForceOfOne]

I think they should create a way to hurl the contents of the ships septic tanks at these people, and bust their ear drums too.

[DB]

Didn't know that, thanks.

[359Henrie]

Agreed, I might trip you up just to be first,lol.