I know the mayor of NYC is reviled for his smoking ban in restaurants and bars -- a measure I support (sorry, puffers, but I just think the right to breathe non-toxic air is more important than the right to smoke indoors; it's a respect-for-your-fellow-human thing) -- but you have to admit it's nice to see a Republican with the gonads to do something unpopular. And it looks like he's at it again with the noise code, though it seems more people are in agreement on this one. It's about time someone cracked down on early-morning jackhammers, as well as cars with intentionally flatulent mufflers and pounding subwoofers that serve as nothing more than a metaphor for the driver's imagined penis size. Of course, there's always a risk with noise codes that enforcement becomes overzealous, fining outdoor cafes and the like, so it's important to draw a distinction between ambient sound and this:

At West Coast, tattooed and pierced grease monkeys turn junk into funk. The mechanics smoke cigarettes and horse around as if they're still in high-school auto shop. But they are modern-day artisans and automotive engineers who can rewire the electrical system of a $50,000 Hummer H2 to support a 11,800-watt sound system with 8 subwoofers, thundering bass and enough speakers to blow away the Hollywood Bowl.

(From the Washington Post, a few days ago.)