# You're in a desert, walking along in the sand, when all of a sudden you look down... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 3, 2011, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246 "2011-06-03T21:27:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246/21 "2011-06-03T22:51:42Z")
Is this a test? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246/22 "2011-06-03T22:54:17Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > I really gotta see that movie at some point. One of the best, and it holds up well. One of the most moving death scenes in movies, too. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTzA\_xesrL8](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTzA_xesrL8) ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246/23 "2011-06-03T23:27:45Z")
Tortoise-back is too rounded to keep my beer from tipping. ---
**Author:** ![malkavia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malkavia/32/5621_2.png) [@malkavia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malkavia)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246/24 "2011-06-03T23:32:36Z")
> [@Damfino](#): > > One flip per tortoise. That’s the rule. This made me laugh. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246/25 "2011-06-04T01:43:29Z")
I didn’t want it to get to the other side. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246/26 "2011-06-04T01:50:58Z")
I’ve lost my glasses and thought I was helping flip it right side up. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246/27 "2011-06-04T02:02:21Z")
> [@samjones](#): > > …and see a tortoise It’s crawling toward you. You reach down and you flip the tortoise over on its back. The tortoise lays on its back, its belly baking in the hot sun, beating its legs trying to turn itself over, but it can’t. Not without your help. But you’re not helping. > > Why is that? Eh? I wouldn’t have done the first part. That’s… _awful._ ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246/28 "2011-06-04T03:48:49Z")
Do you make up these questions, Mr. Jones, or do they write 'em down for you? ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246/29 "2011-06-04T04:36:12Z")
I’ve got $50 bucks on the hare. ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246/30 "2011-06-04T04:50:09Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > - Full credit to whatever Asimov short story this was from…something about robots working in an environment with some minor radiation “Little Lost Robot” Editing the First Law like that made the robots unstable, and one of them decided to hide. Susan Calvin had to figure out some way to out-think the rebel robot. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246/31 "2011-06-04T05:02:39Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > You’ve been reading _Small Gods_? Watching _Blade Runner_, more like. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246/32 "2011-06-04T05:06:05Z")
Oh you’re a smart one aren’t you? But you can’t fool me. It’s flipped tortoises all the way down. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246/33 "2011-06-04T05:08:04Z")
> [@samjones](#): > > …and see a tortoise It’s crawling toward you. You reach down and you flip the tortoise over on its back. The tortoise lays on its back, its belly baking in the hot sun, beating its legs trying to turn itself over, but it can’t. Not without your help. But you’re not helping. > > Why is that? Because it’s actually a tortoisoid assassination cyborg, and flipping it onto the back turns the shaped charge built into its shell away from me. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246/34 "2011-06-04T05:18:13Z")
There is no tortoise. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246/35 "2011-06-04T05:24:36Z")
Because it was the tortoise who turned off the town’s water in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246/36 "2011-06-04T07:44:08Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > There’s some good eatin’ on a turtle. [Especially the big ones.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k-l1HLj9Nk) ---
**Author:** ![Stowed\_Bob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stowed_bob/32/3312_2.png) [@Stowed\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stowed_Bob)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246/37 "2011-06-04T07:56:53Z")
I am out of shape, cannot start a fire, and have not eaten for hours. It was the only prey I could find and catch. The sun is my only means of cooking it, and I am praying it bakes thoroughly enough before my broiler is swallowed by the horizon. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246/38 "2011-06-04T08:35:35Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > The tortoise killed my daddy. Turning him on his back in the dry hot sun is the closest you can get to waterboarding him. When will the madness end? [QUOTE=Gandhi] A flip for a flip, and soon the whole world will be flopped. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246/39 "2011-06-04T11:05:41Z")
I was too busy daydreaming about unicorns to notice the tortoise. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246/40 "2011-06-04T11:39:10Z")
Because the second part of the puzzle is to turn the tortoise back into it’s original position in exactly _three_ flips, and I have to show my work in terms of quaternions. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-in-a-desert-walking-along-in-the-sand-when-all-of-a-sudden-you-look-down/584246.md?page=3)