This topic has come up here over and over, and I have made previous suggestions, but this just passed through my mailbox regarding the 127th audio engineering society conference meeting in NYC this weekend: http://www.martinporter.com/aes/articles/article_335.shtml

I'll try to check it out but I'm going to be super-busy - so this blurb might be all you get.

I did get a chance to visit with these guys in NYC. They have a complete range of hearing protection gear, from plugs for marksmen, to frequency neutral musician ear protection, to really cheap (2/$5) gel plugs.

I can attest that they are nice people and their systems seem very professional.

As I have recommended before, the HEAR people in San Francisco were also there, and I was told that they do indeed work with autistic children and parents.

I tried on three occasions to ask the same question of these other folks, and was allowed only to speak with the guy's wife and junior associate, who knew nothing about autism, and never the audiologist himself. I will be sending him follow-up questions by e-mail.

Basically, they were so busy selling custom-fit musician earplugs that they weren't in the mood to talk.

Thus, until or unless I hear back from them, I must recommend HEAR in SF.

Just found the HEAR info: hearnet.com

1405 Lyon Street, SF, CA 94115

email: hear@hearnet.com
WEBSITE: www.hearnet.com
Kathy Peck, Executive director
415-409-3277

This is a non-profit corporation with a great emphasis on hearing education, and they have a network of audiologists who work with them, so there may be one in your area.

Super nice lady.

The people I mentioned above also have a network of audiologists, but they're not, apparently, a non-profit, and they don't have the experience of working with ASD children like HEAR does, at least from what I was able to learn.

Ouch. The visual impact of that website is nauseating. Take care, aspies, to look at it on an empty stomach.

At least I went to NY, took the time to talk with both organizations about their work and how they might be able to help Aspies, and brought the info back.

Sorry if they have ugly websites.

Not your fault, v-dog. You certainly have done your best to help out.

These ugly websites will not be tolerated, v-dog.

You've been warned.




Do I really need to add that damn smiley to prove I'm joking? Nah...

They seemed to have a bit of a heart attack when they saw my press pass.

If I had had the extra $100 or so, I would have been fitted for and ordered the frequency-neutral musician's earplugs, with about 15 dB of attenuation. They would be lovely to have for shows mixed by oberenthusiastic FOH engineers, or all those Iggy Pop shows I go to where Iggy keeps threatening the engineers if they don't crank things up.

I love loud music, and you can google "Fletcher-Munson Curve" if you want to know why (audio perception is more linear at higher SPL's) but I need to protect myself, and especially when I need to work the next day.

It's like a condom for the ear, really. You can still have fun without getting hurt.

I just found a cool hostel in an OK neighbourhood in SF, so I expect to be attending a lot more shows soon. It's only a 90 minute drive from here, but if you want to really party, you need a local place to crash - and I can use public transport for the whole trip - transferring from AMTRAK to BART in Richmond - and thus be eco-friendly as well.

So I might indeed be getting a pair of those HEAR earplugs when I am in SF. If only I could buy season passes to The Fillmore and the Warfield!

For all its faults, I still love my hometown.

And now NY too.

I have lived in so many places - Portland, Olympia, Seattle, Redmond, Bellevue, Alamo, Lafayette - and I have a list of good things about each of them. But only SF and NY qualify for "I love this town" status - and to those who have lived there, no explanation is necessary. The other lists are justifications for being stuck there.

In real cities, you don't create the scene - the scene creates you.

I visited Portland and Seattle many times, and they both pass my "real city personality" test (though I like Vancouver best of the 3).

"Fails" - apologies to their residents reading this:
Dallas
Houston
Sacramento
Indianapolis
Charlotte
Atlanta
Orlando

Can't speak for the rest of them - but Portland and Seattle are "real cities" - but they're not world-class cities.

Let's not kid ourselves about Sacramento - about 20 minutes from where I am - They'd like to be a city, but FAIL!

In Portland and Seattle, I helped to make the scene. In a real city, I would have to stand out much more to be a force in the scene.

Maybe I'm just aspiring to much more now.

There are three cities left for me to make a mark in - Los Angeles (which I hate) New York, and London.

Which leaves NY, because of visa issues in London.

Seattle and Portland are by no means "fake cities." They are just not world-class cities. I have great affection for them, having lived there. I know where all the cool places are, so I would have no problem being dropped there. And I have friends there.