Whistle While You Work

I sit pondering the wisdom of the passage of the ban on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". Not because I disagree. I just don't think implementation has been thought through yet. Then there is the pork laden Omnibus Bill that is the Democrats' Christmas gift to us. I've never received a slap in the face from a contemptuous body of people before. And you wonder why our cards say "Baah Humbug"!

So I turn to a lighter note. Well, sort of. It is, on occasion nice to hear about a person so happy he breaks out in song. There is a Salvation Army bell ringer at Fred Meyer's who sings carols. He is a joy to behold. I hope he never tries to yodel.

What has that to do with anything? It seems a man in Austria did just that as he was mowing his lawn. By his own admission it was because he was in a great mood. It seems his next door neighbors are Muslim and were in the middle of prayers when he began. Being rash, they immediately thought he was mocking them by imitating the call to prayer!

I've heard yodeling and I've heard the call to prayer. I detect not even a hint of similarity. Maybe I have a tin ear.

All good sense completely disappeared when a judge fined him 800 Euros because he could have been mocking them. Could is the key here!

I'm sorry. This isn't really a fluff piece. It shows just how paranoid the world is becoming. The Muslims automatically thinking they're being mocked. And a judge fining the not so happy yodeler for something he could have intended. It's insanity!

On second thought, I'd like to hear the bell ringer yodel a carol. It would be a hoot. But it wouldn't sound like one.  Even if it did, would an Owl sue?