Do these earbuds work?

I noticed that someone purchased these noise-canceling earbuds through the site (thanks, btw!), and am just wondering: do they work?

I have a neighbor who is enamored of his leaf-blower. His leaf blower is his morning and evening prayer; his lauds and vespers. His leaf blower means morning and after-supper coffee cannot be enjoyed outside.

Given his attachment to the thing, I don’t know how he has any hearing left, but these earbuds may save my already-damaged hearing, and give me a blessed reprieve from this guy, in the bargain. Recently he seems to have either purchased a new blower or enhanced his old one; now the thing not only whirrs at a million decibels but it emits a high-pitched scream that penetrates through everything, even our old, loud window-fitting AC, and there is no escape.

In the morning it’s like being awakened by a buzz-saw, announced with a tin-whistle and a piccolo, combined. One is jolted from sleep with a sense that the skull is being ripped open.

Lately this neighbor has been working half-days. He comes home from work, has his lunch and the leaf-blower comes out again (I once saw him on his roof, using it to clean out gutters). This means I can’t work with my windows open, until he has dried his sidewalks or dusted his curb to his satisfaction. Then we get a reprieve until about 5-6 PM.

I know what you’re thinking: you’re saying, “why don’t you just politely ask the neighbor to limit his leaf-blowing?” Sensible question. Another neighbor–the friendliest lady on the block–did just that. Apparently this offended him, and he’s been blowing double-time, ever since.

I’m afraid to so much as look at the guy while he’s blowing, for fear that if he misinterprets my gaze, he will never stop.

Leaf blowers: American genius gone haywire. Gone are the days of slightly imperfect yards, and piled leaves for kids to jump in, and neighbors happy to put down the rakes to have a chat or some iced tea. Now every other house has a leaf-blower (or a hired gun who comes in once a week) and everyone is blowing their dust into the street, so the cars can push it back. The noise prohibits chat, and the kids are all indoors anyway, playing video games.

But simpler days are coming, I think. Ready or not.

Meanwhile, if anyone has used these buds, I’d love to hear what you think of them!