I'm Sorry, Can You Repeat That?

We've all had that experience of coming home from a party or show with that faint ringing in our ears, but we all ignore it and pretend that it isn't *really* another marker on the road to hearing loss, right? Well, after a recent installment of Gentleman's Techno I woke up on Sunday morning and realized that I couldn't hear too well in my right ear, and lately I've come to notice that it's more difficult to follow conversations in loud bars. And then there's that lovely ringing sound that comes up every now and then. So yes, kids, I can tell you that eventually your little cilia will die horrible deaths too, unless you get some good ear protection. For the rest of us, though, there's a whole new "chic" hearing aid industry cropping up, according to this article in the New York Times. However, now they're referred to as "personal communications assistants" and come in colors like Pure Passion and Creme Brulee. Some will even interface with your cellphone or MP3 player, making them hearing-enhancing headsets. Me, I'm figuring in another ten years they'll just implant the damn things, and I can socket in whatever device I want to use.