Is that my Phone Ringing?

You are driving along, and all of a sudden you hear your cell phone ring. Wait, is that your cell phone? Hopefully you have your hands-free device all plugged in and you aren't scrambling to find your phone when you realize the ringing is just on the radio.

You may have also pulled over looking to get out of the way of an ambulance, then realized the sirens were coming from a song or a radio ad. I've even heard car crash noises on the radio that have made me step on the brakes.

Distracting noises on the radio is the latest "What's Bugging You."

Janet Stuelpner is a viewer from New Canaan. She wrote in to tell me sirens and car noise bug her. She says "I think that advertisers should be more careful in their choice of sound when making an ad for the radio. Some things just don't lend themselves to the car radio when in motion. This is the kind of thing that will drive listeners to Sirius or XM radio where there are no commercials."

My photographer and I did a little experiment. We drove around in our news car over several days with the camera rolling on the radio. The first day we did it non stop for an hour, the second day, only half a hour. I have to admint both days we flipped around a bit, but only during songs we knew had no sirens or bells in them. In that time, we didn't hear any commercials or songs with sirens. However, we did hear one commercial with cell phone rings and another with a car horn.

Advertisers are probably aware of the scare tactic of the siren. Advice I found online from the Washington State Association of Broadcasters warns advertisers that though there isn't a law against such sound effects, it doesn't necessarily make it okay in every circumstance to use them.

The FCC has a rule (former Section 73.4240; deleted effective 11-28-83) which prohibits the use of "sirens and like emergency sound effects in broadcast announcements."

Local radio stations typically play the ads that come to them unless they are offensive or indecent. Eric McDonald is the Program Director at Fairfield County's 96.7 the Coast. He says the only thing the FCC enforces in relation to content is indecency.

The Radio Advertising Clearance Centre of London warns advertisers against certain sound effects. RACC advises that sound effects of ambulances, police sirens, screeching tyres, car horns, vehicle collisions etc. are used ‘in context,’ ie. where relevant to the advertised product or advertisement scenario and in cases where listeners can reasonably expect them to be, or recognise them as, part of an advertisement.

Where draft scripts indicate such sound effects, we advise agencies and stations that extreme care in production is needed to help ensure that the sound effect is not likely to create a safety hazard to those listening whilst driving. In practical terms, this care could take the form of ensuring that the sound effects are brief, muted and under accompany voiceover(s).

The Radio Authority and a few stations themselves have received some listener reaction about a police siren sound effect which appeared on its own at the beginning of a national advertisement broadcast in July.

You can find people complaining about sirens in ads all over the internet. Here people would like a law. Here people would like a law against certain sound effects.

Here is a New York Times article on thinking your cell phone is ringing when it isn't. Another chatroom of ad-noise haters. And just for fun, a forum for commericals people hate for whatever reason.

However, if you are driving and hear a siren, don't assume its the radio.

In Connecticut the law demands that regardless of the the way you are traveling, you must pull parallel to the right as far as possible and come to a complete stop until the emergency vehicle has passed.

Bless You and Bee Well!

If you've been sneezing or sniffling or have had a sore throat over the past week, you might be suffering from allergies. Yes, welcome to ragweed season. It typically starts mid August and runs until the first frost. Hey - at least one reason to look forward to the colder temperatures.

Your symptoms could be more severe this season, according to local allergists, because of all the rain we had earlier in the year. Another reason rain bugs us! However, cold-like symptoms aren't the only ones associated with allergies. Absentmindedness, constipation or diarrhea, depression, irritability, dizziness even a difficulty with concentration  have been linked to allergies.

Along with an appointment with your doctor, there is a natural product that is said to help with symptoms, and that is local honey. Recently I spent some time with several local bee keepers, and I'm hooked! However it is important to point out that to benefit from honey, you need to consume local or regional unpasteurized honey. Andrew Cote of Silvermine Apiary explained to me most of the honey you buy in the grocery store comes from several different countries, mixed together then pasteurized. He says heating like that destroys all the healthy enzymes in honey. He quips, "It's sugar water. You might as well drink corn syrup."

BENEFITS OF LOCAL HONEY

Sweetening your tea or coffee with local honey could help you build up an immunity to what you are allergic to, since its in the honey. Its almost like a flu or allergy shot.

Honey has been used for its healing properties for more than four thousand years.  Honey was found in the tombs of egypt. The mummies were embalmed with honey and propolis, another product from the hive. Honey is also used to treat skin disorders and to heal cuts and burns. How to use honey to heal a cut and more, from a private health care provider in the UK.

Plus, honey is an excellent home remedy for obesity. It mobilizes the extra deposited fat in the body allowing it to be utilized as energy for normal functions.

LOCAL BEE KEEPERS

Cote, his brother and his dad all have bees around southwestern Connecticut that travel miles collecting local nectar and pollen. Marina Marchese is another bee keeper in southwestern Connecticut. Actually, there are several. Here is a list from the state of Connecticut.

Marchese is the bee keeper responsible for Red Bee Honey. She also uses her honey to make soap, insect repellant and other items. She does so right in her Weston kitchen. You can order online.

Marchese also taught me how to eat honeycomb. You just spread it right on a cracker, bread, slice of fruit or just about anthing. It tastes great with a piece of cheese and olive or nut. You never have to eat Oreos again!

While you don't want to eat half a jar every time you have a pot of tea, if there is even a slight chance a  64-calorie tablespoon a day will promote weight loss and help with absentmindedness, depression, irritability, dizziness and concentration - associated with allergies - I can't think of a better way to start the day.