The volume is too damn high

Earplugs! I bought a box of foam earplugs that has supplied me for years now. I cut them in half; half an earplug is the perfect length for unobtrusive everyday wear.

I have quantities of half-earplugs stashed in all my pants pockets, in my car, my work bag, and in a little container on my keychain. I wear them in the car, on planes, at the shooting range, when grinding coffee, and escpecially when putting away dishes. Fucking clanging-together dishes are the loudest things I encounter in my regular routine.

For my kids I bought silicone putty plugs. They work perfectly for little ears, and I keep them with the foam plugs. My kids know where the big orange jar of earplugs is, and they've acquired some of my discipline.

The author could have at least read the OSHA regulations before imploring airline employees to complain.

On the (fairly safe) assumption that cabin announcements total no more than two hours per day, the noise levels he reported are well within the permissible exposure limit. The author might find them unpleasantly loud, but OSHA deems them to be perfectly safe.

https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_tab...

> opened the decibel meter on my iPhone.

Really? What's the effective dynamic range of the iPhone mic?

While I am sort of understanding for high volume for emergency announcements, the routine safety messages are routine, and even worse, the PA announcements are often advertising for the airline or other uselessness.