subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite mapBuy a Classified
Sat, Jul 05 2008 

Published March 04, 2008 04:31 pm - Keep it handy when your daughter’s first date comes to the door. If he has a tricked-out Volkswagon van with shag carpet on the walls, don’t hesitate: Repel him.

New teen repellent has practical uses


By Kelly Kazek
kelly@athensnews-courier.com

Tired of those biting, stinging pests?

Getting a headache from those annoying buzzing and chirping noises?

Looking for a cure for that ever-present pain in your neck?

An English company hopes to solve your problems with its new invention that scatters society’s biggest pests: teens. (Hey, I’m not the one who said it. It’s in the brochure. OK, fine. I was thinking it.)

Apparently, the U.S. is not the only country where teens congregate on street corners and in business parking lots, making noise, harassing potential customers and generally acting as if they are on some sort of psychedelic hormone trip. So the British company Kids Be Gone developed the Mosquito Ultrasonic Teen Deterrent, and, no, this is not taken from the plot of a sci-fi movie featuring a planet on which only adults are allowed to live.

This is a real-for-sure, hi-tech gadget reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. You have to believe something written right next to an article headlined: “16 hot dividend stocks.”

The gadget takes advantage of the fact that we oldsters (anyone over the age of 20) have such damaged hearing that we can’t detect the sounds it emits. But apparently to those under 20, the high-decibel noise is painful and, according to one advertisement, can scatter an entire spray-paint-wielding gang in under four minutes.

Momentarily, this made me smile. Members of aforementioned spray-paint-wielding gang are likely the ones who caused our hearing loss in the first place by vibrating — without our permission — eardrums, cars, homes, streets and entire neighborhoods with enough bass to shatter glass.

Gangstas, meet karma.

Then I hesitated. Lots of those pesky kids hanging out at businesses spend more money than their parents, drive nicer cars and have better credit records.

Business owners might want to rethink scaring off one of the largest segments of the buying public, not to mention the havoc the high sounds might cause among neighborhood dogs and babies.

Still, the Mosquito could have practical uses.

Keep it handy when your daughter’s first date comes to the door. If he has a tricked-out Volkswagon van with shag carpet on the walls, don’t hesitate: Repel him.

Take it on road trips for easy use when your 10-year-old starts giving the 7-year-old Indian burns or holding a finger an inch from her face and chanting, “I’m not touching you, I’m not touching you.”

Keep inside the front door so it’s ready when you come home early from a weekend getaway to find 30 teens who don’t belong to you, a keg of beer iced down in your bathtub, a couple making out in the closet and a pizza upside down on your new white sofa.



print this story    email this story    comment on this story   

Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.




monster
wheels
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Premier Guide
Premium Jobs

Teachers Needed
Opening For Following Teaching Positions:

Math Teacher (High School); Special Ed. Teacher; English (High Scho
...>MORE

Circulation Manager
The News Courier is seeking a motivated professional with strong sales and marketing abilities to direct our circulation...>MORE

Is your company hiring?
Reach more people here. Call today to place your employment ad. The News Courier, 256-232-2720....>MORE

See all ads

Premium Autos

Need to sell your car?
Contact The News-Courier classified department Monday-Friday at (256) 232-2720 or email angie@athensnews-courier.com...>MORE

See all ads

Premium Homes/Rentals

Selling your house?
Contact The News Courier classified department Monday-Friday at (256) 232-2720 or Fax (256) 233-7753 or email Angie@athe...>MORE

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2008. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index

rc