It drives us crazy
What's the buzz at the World Cup? Join our campaign to ban the vuvuzela
I'm jazzed about the World Cup but, it's only the second day of competition, and I'm losing my mind.
Blame it on the vuvuzela.
That incessant buzzing noise that goes on constantly during all games isn't a problem with your TV set. And your home hasn't been attacked by a swarm of killer bees, although it sounds so authentic I was at first constantly swatting the air around me in an attempt to evade the imaginary invaders.
The sound threatening to drive the world crazy comes comes from a plastic trumpet constantly blown by soccer fans. Claimed as a descedant of the kudu horn, the vuvuzela is actually less than a decade old. An enterprising South African entrepreneur adapted it from a toy imported from the USA. It retails for $41, although there are knockoffs prices considerably cheaper.
The website NowPublic reports that after the 2009 FIFA Federations Cup, organizers wanted to ban the instrument from stadiums — not for the annoying sounds it made but because they feared it could be used as a weapon. It wasn't banned, although the length was limited to three feet. Tests show the noise it emits is louder than a chain saw.
Now some World Cup fans are taking matters in their own hands. A Facebook page has already cropped up seeking to ban the vuvuzela. "We want to watch the World Cup without wanting to stab out our eardrums with a rusty screw," the site states.
It encourages fans to protest to FIFA directly to stop the madness.
I'm sending my comment to FIFA now, but I fear that our only means of escape is the mute button.
It's going to be a long month.
The vuvuzela explained here:
