Sound Spa --------- Alrighty. I got one of those Sound Spa dealies featuring the "sounds of nature" that is supposed to help you relax at home or at the office. The thing has seven sounds, each of which I've tested for one evening: heartbeat- creepy, but good for Edgar Allan Poe stories babbling brook- keep waking up to take a leak birds chirping- freaks me out. I always think it is 6am. Makes me feel like a vampire being busted by the dawn. crickets- I wake up itching my arm, wondering if the tent has flooded white noise- sounds like Pat Boone or maybe c-span droning on rain- same as babbling brook, but I go back to sleep since I know that baseball practice will be canceled rolling surf- the most relaxing However, the surf does not sound like actual surf. With actual surf, half the time you are listening to the surf rolling in and half the time there is silence as the surf recedes. The electronic nature (oxymoron) spa is 100% waves rolling in, one upon the other, so it's not as relaxing as it could be. (Also, the sound quality on the chips is not stellar.) The only sound missing is the wind. It's so relaxing listen to the wind whistle and howl as it scurries through the trees. I haven't tried it at work yet, but maybe I'll crank it up whenever someone comes by desk to ask me a question. Then I'll drift into a zen state and only pretend to be listening. Of course, I do that now, so I should probably not exacerbate the problem. So, this thing is available for $20 at Arbor Drug and runs on batteries. Also available: Sound Spa for the inner city featuring: -drawn-out screaming -perpetual dumpster emptying -wailing ambulance siren -repetitious rap music (this could be redundant) -miscellaneous gunfire & ricochet -squealing tires -bodily threats in several ethnic tongues -Samuel L. Jackson bodily threats featuring the gimp And, Sound Spa Deliverance model: -pleadings for mercy featuring Ned Beatty -coursings of white-water rapids -perpetual shell ejection and reload -repetitious dueling banjo music -miscellaneous gunfire & ricochet -squealing -the sound of wind whistling through missing teeth -bodily threats featuring miscellaneous aborigines and the gimp OK, I'll stop now. --- Being from the Sound Spa Deliverance region, I am compelled to point out that you failed to mention my personal favorite, the "Haaaay Boieeeeey" mountain call, which is immediately answered with the obligatory hock and spit to let the initial caller know that all is as it should be. The sound of that big wad of tobacco-filled loogie hitting wet leaves and echoing across the hills always gives me a real sense of comfort ... like in the end, things will really be okay. ~~Hey it's good to be back home again ....~~ Laurie --- In the Inner City Realm, you forgot about the Ike and Tiny upgrade kit. It features domestic fighting including children screaming in the backround as well as breaking glasses. It's a favorite of mine and takes me back to days in Cleveland... -laura