I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet • Hacker News Board

Re: I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet

#201

Post by komali2 » Sat, Mar 31, 2018, 7:39 PM UTC

jclos wrote: post #96

fragsworth wrote: post #67

My hearing was ACTUALLY permanently damaged when a sticky iron weight fell on a leg press machine at a 24-hour fitness about 5 years ago. The weights looked like these: http://www.presentationzen.com/.a/6a00d83451b64669e201156eb4... One extra weight slab was "stuck" to the group that was supposed to get lifted. It was stuck because the weights at the gym were grimy from many years of use without being cleaned. The ex…

I already thought the leg press machine was a death trap, but you managed to give me another reason to dislike it. I think I'll stick to squatting.

Ever since that video where the girl's legs go chicken style so very slowly while she screams, I've been scared as shit to get on that thing.

Re: I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet

#202

Post by Klathmon » Sat, Mar 31, 2018, 7:41 PM UTC

DenisM wrote: post #185

cschneid wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My biggest fear right now as a developer is losing the ability to work due to an injury. I recently bought long-term disability insurance, which is expensive for sure, but makes me feel so much safer. (what I got - after 6 months of self-covered disability, it'd pay a significant amount every month until age 65) My main worry is falling while biking or skiing, and knocking my head. But now I'm worried about eyesight,…

That much worry speaks to anxiety, in the medical sense, and may cause an injury just by itself. See a doctor, and more than one if you get a run-around.

I don't think that is being overly worried.

They are just talking about long-term disability!? I have it as well, for mostly the same reasons. I worry that if something were to happen to my hands, eyes, or brain that I wouldn't be able to provide for myself or my family.

I don't think having disability insurance is "that much worry".

Re: I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet

#203

Post by polack » Sat, Mar 31, 2018, 7:42 PM UTC

lttlrck wrote: post #149

fragsworth wrote: post #67

My hearing was ACTUALLY permanently damaged when a sticky iron weight fell on a leg press machine at a 24-hour fitness about 5 years ago. The weights looked like these: http://www.presentationzen.com/.a/6a00d83451b64669e201156eb4... One extra weight slab was "stuck" to the group that was supposed to get lifted. It was stuck because the weights at the gym were grimy from many years of use without being cleaned. The ex…

It may recover with time. When I was a teen I dismantled a shotgun cartridge and removed the shot and paper charge (lots of tiny paper discs). I stuffed them down the thick end of a car telescopic antenna cut to about 4” with the end folded over. I threw in a couple of pieces of lead shot, tamped it down with a piece of paper, stuck the tube under a rock and set up a paper target 6” away. I was optimistic. Then, with…

When I was doing my military service another conscript fired his rifle down into the ground as we where standing close together without any hearing protection on. Seconds later our captain orders us to put the hearing protection on and leads us down to a completely dark cellar with beds in it. We then had to lay there for 48 hours in complete silence with noice canceling ear protection on with only breaks for toilet visits and quick supervised snacks. Two weeks later we all took hearing tests that got compared with the tests we took when we joined the military and none of us had any permanent damage.

Not sure the complete silence helped with healing, but the science behind the decision to have us do that was that the little hairs in the ear heals faster if it’s not stimulated.

To this day I still think about not exposing myself to too much sound after I have heard some high noice, like someone dropping a metal weight in the gym.

Re: I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet

#204

Post by aylons » Sat, Mar 31, 2018, 7:42 PM UTC

More than a decade ago, when I started listening to podcasts during commuting, I was worried I was cranking the volume too high to compensate fot external noise - trains, buses, traffic, etc.

So, I decided to buy a Shure sound-isolating phone. These are monitors for musicians in stage to hear to what they are doing while avoiding the extreme PA towers next to them. They're expensive, but high-quality and isolate noise VERY well.

Before, I listened to the podcasts at literally eleven or more (sounds like a joke, but that crappy MP3 player went from 1 to 12 or 15). After that, I listened at level 2, and even when the podcasts were over I left the earphones for ear comfort and protection.

Sadly, the model I had did not had replaceable cables and eventually, the cable worn out. Now I'm back to JBL earphone, which does help a little bit, but nowhere as near a Shure monitor. After reading OP and the comments, I'm considering spending the extra money on a monitor again.

Re: I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet

#205

Post by jjw1414 » Sat, Mar 31, 2018, 7:45 PM UTC

ehsankia wrote: post #180

jjw1414 wrote: post #172

I wouldn't make this up even I could. I am LITERALLY fixing the toilet mechanism with the tank lid off and checked HN while waiting for a hot glue gun to heat up. I'm thinking Pulp Fiction divine intervention.

I guess we take it as a given since no one here is talking about it, but why does the toilet lid need to be so overly heavy? Is there any specific functionality that requires it to be out of that material and so big?

Just a guess, but because the base of the toilet needs to support users of all body weights, a sturdy material like porcelain (or clay) is used. The tank lid is likely poured and fired at the same time as the base so that they match. Agreed that it makes for a darn heavy obstacle to get at the mechanism. And to all who have posted about having tinnitus, I feel your pain. My left ear has been affected for two years now and I've had to learn to live with it. I hope you all fare better.

Re: I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet

#206

Post by rubenbe » Sat, Mar 31, 2018, 7:49 PM UTC

0xfaded wrote: post #45

I have mild tinnitus in one ear, from what I suspect was a friend screaming into my ear that she was going to the bathroom at a noisy club. I'm relatively lucky, my hearing is still better than most, but it does suck. I've decided I will never go to another club, and in bars I wear ear plugs. I have more to lose, since any additional damage will likely make my tinnitus more severe. Seriously though, hearing is one of…

Since a concert, I also have slight hearing loss on one hear. Now I'm constantly being reminded to take care of my hearing due to the difference in "sound color" between left and right.

Fortunately I don't have a significant tinnitus, but was it certainly was a wake-up-call and I protect my ears much better now.

Re: I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet

#207

Post by jcl » Sat, Mar 31, 2018, 7:49 PM UTC

ehsankia wrote: post #180

jjw1414 wrote: post #172

I wouldn't make this up even I could. I am LITERALLY fixing the toilet mechanism with the tank lid off and checked HN while waiting for a hot glue gun to heat up. I'm thinking Pulp Fiction divine intervention.

I guess we take it as a given since no one here is talking about it, but why does the toilet lid need to be so overly heavy? Is there any specific functionality that requires it to be out of that material and so big?

I assume that toilet lids are ceramic to have the same durability and antiseptic properties as the rest of the toilet, and that they are made thick enough to not break if dropped.

There are probably other materials that would also work, though... I'd expect any material used for toilet seat lids (plastic, or coated wood composite) satisfies similar constraints.

Incidentally, ceramic can become razor-sharp when broken, so the article's suggestion of making lids easier to break carries its own set of risks.

Re: I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet

#208

Post by zaat » Sat, Mar 31, 2018, 7:52 PM UTC

ehsankia wrote: post #180

jjw1414 wrote: post #172

I wouldn't make this up even I could. I am LITERALLY fixing the toilet mechanism with the tank lid off and checked HN while waiting for a hot glue gun to heat up. I'm thinking Pulp Fiction divine intervention.

I guess we take it as a given since no one here is talking about it, but why does the toilet lid need to be so overly heavy? Is there any specific functionality that requires it to be out of that material and so big?

It's actually commonly made of thin plastic where I live, except on more fancy/modern toilets, so no, it doesn't have to be that way. But it does look fancier.

Re: I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet

#209

Post by lsc » Sat, Mar 31, 2018, 7:54 PM UTC

ehsankia wrote: post #180

jjw1414 wrote: post #172

I wouldn't make this up even I could. I am LITERALLY fixing the toilet mechanism with the tank lid off and checked HN while waiting for a hot glue gun to heat up. I'm thinking Pulp Fiction divine intervention.

I guess we take it as a given since no one here is talking about it, but why does the toilet lid need to be so overly heavy? Is there any specific functionality that requires it to be out of that material and so big?

you can buy light plastic toilet lids if you like, in fact, they are rather cheaper than the more solid kinds.

I don't think there's really anything wrong with plastic toilet seats, but they feel less good, I think, than the heavier, more solid toilet seats.

The worst, in my mind, are the foam/shag carpet covers. those just seem wrong and gross - I mean I imagine my reaction is completely irrational, but I remember once I moved into a very cheap aparment; the toilet seat was sealed plastic covering foam in a way that the toilet seat was actually cushioned. something about it really squicked me out; the first night I went to the hardware store and bought a regular solid toilet seat and installed it.

Personally, I like keeping a heavy seat and just installing a dampener hinge, though I suppose that wouldn't help if you drop it during installation.

Re: I almost lost my hearing from the lid on the tank of a toilet

#210

Post by cschneid » Sat, Mar 31, 2018, 8:01 PM UTC

kirse wrote: post #111

cschneid wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My biggest fear right now as a developer is losing the ability to work due to an injury. I recently bought long-term disability insurance, which is expensive for sure, but makes me feel so much safer. (what I got - after 6 months of self-covered disability, it'd pay a significant amount every month until age 65) My main worry is falling while biking or skiing, and knocking my head. But now I'm worried about eyesight,…

Max out the LTD insurance and enjoy life. I ride a motorcycle, there's only so much you can control in life. If you're that concerned about the chance of freak-odds events happening in your life, you might as well be buying lottery tickets too. I know a dev who is paralyzed and types/codes (quite well, too) with a pen attached to his forehead, you'd find a way to adapt.

For sure, I took up skiing this year (I'm so bad at it, but it's so fun).

In no way is what I said meant to be "Crippling worry that affects my life". More of a rational: "this is the most likely way I get really screwed, so I bought insurance"