(though my intention was not to derail the conversation. This is a niggling difference between ruby and python that irks me :-D)

Right I would be arguing as the latter.

My problem is that these small niggling differences between all the different types of callable items (including what I think is simply disgusting use of a special form "yield") confuses the whole mess.

I'm glad that all these different ways to use callables exists. That's "A good thing" in my opinion. But I can't help but feel that their quirks and differences couldn't be consolidated into a single experience.