With each passing day I see more and more people plugged into iPods and other mp3 audio devices. Old, young, walkers, joggers, bikers, shoppers, dog walkers – all wearing earplugs. I like music as much or even more than the next person, but I was trained to be completely aware of my surroundings at all times. A big part of that awareness is your ability to hear. Headphones and earbuds – even the “transparent” models – take away your second-most important sense. Plug in and hit the volume and you’ve unplugged from the world around you. It may be a pleasant escape but it makes you much more vulnerable.