# Fourth shoe-clad foot washed ashore... let the wild speculation begin! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 23, 2008, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352 "2008-05-23T13:34:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352/1 "2008-05-23T13:34:00Z")
So a pair of feet (both righties) washed ashore in BC. Then a few months later, another right foot washed up onto a BC beach. [Yesterday… Foot #4.](http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/05/22/bc-severed-foot-richmond.html) Police haven’t said anything about whether the new one is a left foot or a right foot. So… I’m thinking it’s Bigfoot exacting some kind of deep seeded revenge on humanity. Because, something must’ve happened to him. They don’t call him “Big_feet_” after all. Anyone else got a theory? No matter what, there seems to be some really weird shit going on somewhere out there. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352/2 "2008-05-23T13:35:41Z")
[QUOTE=Swallowed My Cellphone] So a pair of feet (both righties) [/QUOTE] That’s not a pair. Bungee jumpers with razor wire. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352/3 "2008-05-23T13:37:52Z")
I watched a program about litter in the ocean and some beaches are ‘right’ and some are ‘left’. Due to the shape a shoe has a right shoe and a left shoe will end up on different beaches. So you are probably only going to get right feet at that beach. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352/4 "2008-05-23T13:44:11Z")
> [@](#): > > So… I’m thinking it’s Bigfoot exacting some kind of **deep seeded** revenge on humanity. I’m sorry. I just had to stop and take notice of this. It’s like “Pre-Madonna” (Is there a name for these mistaken-word gaffes? There ought to be), but I’d never heard (or read) “deep seeded” for “deep seated” before. End of hijack. We now return you to your regularly-scheduled thread. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352/5 "2008-05-23T13:49:28Z")
Interesting that this thread turned into one about pre-morning coffee malaprops. ::sigh:: Never mind then. Enjoy. [QUOTE=CalMeacham] but I’d never heard (or read) “deep seeded” for “deep seated” before. [/QUOTE] What’s the origin of “deep seated”? I always thought it was “deep seeded” in the similar context of “rooted”. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352/6 "2008-05-23T13:52:22Z")
Deep-Seated: > **[deep-seated](https://www.thefreedictionary.com/deep-seated)** > > Definition, Synonyms, Translations of deep-seated by The Free Dictionary > **[Homework Help and Textbook Solutions | bartleby](https://www.bartleby.com/)** > > Reach your academic happy place with access to thousands of textbook solutions written by subject matter experts. > **[Homework Help and Textbook Solutions | bartleby](https://www.bartleby.com/)** > > Reach your academic happy place with access to thousands of textbook solutions written by subject matter experts. Deep Seeded: [http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/001815.html](http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/001815.html) It’s not exactly a malapropism, which is an incorrect word that sounds kinda like the real one, but, upon examination, is clearly incorrect. It’s a spur-of-the-moment use of a similar-sounding word. Things like “Pre-Madonna” are cases where the mistaken word is an almost perfect homonym and is believed by the user to be correct, and is repeatedly used. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352/7 "2008-05-23T13:54:31Z")
oh that’s just Richard the Great White. he hates stinky feet, so he usually leaves those for the suckers. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352/8 "2008-05-23T13:59:24Z")
Clearly this case is on solid footing. I expect resolving it will be no mean feat, however. The investigators will really need to toe the line on this one and take it one step at a time. ---
**Author:** ![Vorpal\_Blade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/9de0a6/32.png) [@Vorpal\_Blade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vorpal_Blade)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352/9 "2008-05-23T14:12:55Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] Is there a name for these mistaken-word gaffes?.. [/QUOTE] Eggcorn. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352/10 "2008-05-23T14:22:12Z")
[QUOTE=Zebra] I watched a program about litter in the ocean and some beaches are ‘right’ and some are ‘left’. Due to the shape a shoe has a right shoe and a left shoe will end up on different beaches. So you are probably only going to get right feet at that beach. [/QUOTE] I remember reading something about that, but I think it was based on quite a small sample size, so it could just be coincidence. I realise that order can arise spontaneously out of chaos in systems like this, but it seems a bit implausible that it would distinguish between left and right severed feet, but not different sizes of foot, or different types of shoe. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352/11 "2008-05-23T14:23:26Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] Clearly this case is on solid footing. I expect resolving it will be no mean feat, however. The investigators will really need to toe the line on this one and take it one step at a time. [/QUOTE] I agree - they’ll need to tread carefully, or they won’t have a leg to stand on. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352/12 "2008-05-23T14:37:26Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] I agree - they’ll need to tread carefully, or they won’t have a leg to stand on. [/QUOTE] It’s obviously the work of an arch-villain! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352/13 "2008-05-23T14:41:11Z")
[QUOTE=Spoons] It’s obviously the work of an arch-villain! [/QUOTE] who works at McDonald’s. That killer must really have some big balls on their feet. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352/14 "2008-05-23T15:10:14Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] I remember reading something about that, but I think it was based on quite a small sample size, so it could just be coincidence. I realise that order can arise spontaneously out of chaos in systems like this, but it seems a bit implausible that it would distinguish between left and right severed feet, but not different sizes of foot, or different types of shoe. [/QUOTE] But the feet are wearing shoes. Which means that they probably are not swimmers that were attacked by sharks or giant squids. A shoe will turn upside down in the ocean and the currents then push it around but the base of the shoe acts as a rudder. This sounds like a serial killer who chops up the bodies and dumps them in the ocean. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352/15 "2008-05-23T15:14:15Z")
[QUOTE=Zebra] A shoe will turn upside down in the ocean and the currents then push it around but the base of the shoe acts as a rudder. [/QUOTE] Rudders are pretty ineffective unless the object being steered is under power and moving with respect to the surrounding fluid. I understand exactly what is being said - I just think it’s pretty implausible - that left and right shoes (with feet in) would be sorted onto separate beaches with any sort of statistical significance, when there are so many other noisy factors in the system. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352/16 "2008-05-23T15:15:16Z")
[QUOTE=Spoons] It’s obviously the work of an arch-villain! [/QUOTE] Mods! Mods! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352/17 "2008-05-23T15:19:30Z")
Yes, hop it, all you punsters ! ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352/18 "2008-05-23T15:20:02Z")
Beware of the undertoe. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352/19 "2008-05-23T15:32:26Z")
[QUOTE=Larry Mudd] Beware of the undertoe. [/QUOTE] I believe you mean _undertoad_! ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352/20 "2008-05-23T15:38:21Z")
[QUOTE=Spoons] It’s obviously the work of an arch-villain! [/QUOTE] That’s likely the sole reason. An utter heel, I’d say. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-shoe-clad-foot-washed-ashore-let-the-wild-speculation-begin/450352.md?page=2)