On today’s storewalk I suddenly noticed a big missing element in the aural baseline.
I’ve always walked and biked, so I’ve always been aware of sounds coming from cars and houses.** Until recently (???) most houses and cars were emitting TV or radio talk. Closed windows in cold or hot weather damped the sound, but around here the summer is mild enough for open windows.
The exception proves the rule in catching a nonbark. One house on the next block still emanates TV or radio talk with closed windows, probably because the elderly occupant has poor hearing. After passing this one house the DELTA suddenly impressed me.
When did people stop routinely listening to talk? Maybe two or three years ago? Always hard to date a nonbark.
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** A long time ago, when TVs had antennas and my HF hearing was better, I could tell a TV was on by the 15750 Hz sound from the antenna, even with all windows closed. A television’s screen scan is driven by a 15750 oscillator, and the frequency caused an electrostrictive effect in the antenna.
