What IS it with the English?

Some background:

The British army recently told its pipers to limit their practice sessions to 24 minutes a day, or 15 minutes indoors. According to a health study conducted by the Army Medical Directorate the volume of the pipes is beyond safe levels. Apparently the pipes have the same decibel level as a chainsaw.

Here is what one reader of the newspaper where this story was reported wrote to the editor:

SIR – I am not surprised to read that bagpipes and chainsaws have the same decibel rating. If we have a choice, may I opt for the latter?

More on this later….