There are many things I do not understand in this world. I don't know why stars and distant lights flicker and twinkle, or what makes the sky blue. I don't understand how taxi drivers can have such a distinct lack of road awareness and can veer all over the road nearly causing an accident and then still give me the finger, and - speaking of screeching tyres - I'll never understand what makes Paris Hilton believe she can actually sing. I am fine with not understanding these things, but my brother is something else.

You might remember my brother Sam from other LOS posts, such as "Oh I fell down the stairs and its not my F$%&ing fault", and "Oh, I got caught out forging hours in my L's test log book... but it's not my F$%&ing fault", or "Oh, I steal your mirrors and hide them in my room, but its not my F$%&ing fault". Now that your memories are sufficiently refreshed, I shall continue.

Here is what I do not understand. I am assignmenting away in my room, and Sam is listening to music in his room - song after Enrique Iglesias' song - with the sound turned to a very respectable 3. He can hear it, I can hear the bass coming through the walls, but all in all its not entirely bad. But as soon as one of his friends arrives, they turn the sound up to 9. Loud enough that all forms of communication involve screaming at eachothers faces. That's not all, this screaming is constantly interrupted by a decreasing attention span, apparently it is illegal to listen to more than 34 seconds of a latin pop song... 35 seconds? No way... change it.

Can anyone fill me in?