It's not a bird. It's not a plane. It's a Vuvuzela!

It's FIFA World Cup 2010 Time.

And what the devil is that noise?

The VUVUZELA!

I was doing something boring in an adjoining room when I started hearing a swarm of wasps or gigantic black-jacks flying around in the house.  I instantly stopped and squealed, "What is that noise?"  The reply was said in a slow, low, undisturbed voice, "Nothing," quickly followed with the all to suspect, "I didn't do anything." At which point, I flew into the other room.

"What on Earth is that sound?  It sounds like a wasps flying in mass," I animated.  "Oh," he returns, "That's the World Cup."  

I don't normally watch the World Cup.  I slightly got interested  in it when we traveled to Germany the summer they hosted it.  The fans were electric with World Cup fever.  If you know native Germans, they show little emotion - publicly.  That's why it was fascinating to see them go FAN-atic.  It was wild.  After that summer, I occasional drop in to watch of a game or two.

This year I got tuned in because I was so turned off by that dreaded sound - the vuvuzela.  I listen for silent breaks, which never comes unless the station breaks the audio feed.  

The Patriotic Sockzela or as I call them the Capitalistic Vuvuzela.

Yesterday, I heard two of the sports commentators talk about their rude awakening of those dratted horns and I literally ROFLOL.  One of the poor sports announcers thought he would come to the sports box early to prep for the event.  He could not focus on a single thing. "I couldn't write a word," he said. The vuvuzela assault was non-stop. "It's everywhere," he said in complete amazement.  

Today, more news came out about the vuvuzela that compelled me to write a commentary.  

Did you know the World Cup vuvuzela sound level is equivalent to hearing a jet engine?  Can you imagine going to a basketball, football, or baseball game and hearing the non-stop roar of a jet engine?  That horn would instantly be banished in America.  

The vuvuzela sound level was tested and came in at a whopping 125-135 dB (decibel).  That is potential permanent hearing loss levels. The Threshold of Pain is 120 db.    See what tracks in at what decibel level in the below sound level scale.

Considering that the vuvuzela sound blares the entire game... Wow.

While this noise it thoroughly amazing, at least, we can dial it down at home. For those at the World Cup, I hope you invested in superior ear plugs.