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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Blogs Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Road Cams Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend February 7, 2007 Since You Asked: Happy as a Tasered deer? The recent story about the deer whose antlers were entangled in a rope swing said that after he was zapped with a stun gun and untangled, the deer ambled away "happy as a clam." Do you know the origin of this saying? -- Ruth R., Medford We, too, Ruth, have often wondered why a bivalve mollusk with no brain should be a model of serenity. Particularly to describe the general emotional state of an animal that had just been electrically prodded. Two possibilities suggest themselves: Either clams know something we don't, something that fills them with great pleasure (unlikely). Or they don't know something we do (global warming, pollution and nuclear waste come to mind), and are thus emblematic of the old dictum that ignorance is bliss. But our Colorful Old Expressions specialist reports that there's a much more straightforward explanation. It turns out that "happy as a clam" is only half of the original expression. When we tell you the other half, you'll see how much sense it makes. Ready? The original phrase was "happy as a clam at high tide." If you were a clam, and low tide exposed you to the ravages not only of gulls and other predators but to a certain featherless biped with bucket in hand and clam chowdah in mind, you would be happy every time the tide came back in. Send questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by e-mail to [email protected] . Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Online poker at AbsolutePoker.com Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Casinos Canada Cord Blood Banking Entertainment Guide Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Trunks, Footlocker Men's Clothing Debt Help