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When stores, restaurants or bars pump up the volume on their sound systems it's believed to energize customers -- but it can also inflict hearing damage on employees. Joining us to explain the impact of loud music on shopping is Adrian North, a professor of applied psychology research at Heriot ...

Despite being a lifelong Yankee fan, I have not gone to a live game in several years. Yeah, it's too expensive, but it's also just too loud. You don't realize it when you're watching at home but the music blares from the speakers virtually anytime the ball isn't in play. That's traditionally when we'd get to discuss strategy and compare notes on who's doing well and who's not and how in our softball game last week we got a clutch hit in just this situation... I'm fine with "Enter Sandman" when Mariano Rivera comes in to save a ballgame, and "New York New York" when the game is over, but the music nowadays is relentless. This is all in an attempt to whip the crowd up, to convince us we're excited and having a good time - even if the game is a blowout. And most of the music is crap.

This week’s picks of the week bring us some patriotic tunes for your Memorial Day weekend, some genuinely cosmic music, and a survivor from Tibet ... and a song download!