The Sleigh on a Treadmill question

http://cellar.org/showthread.php?t=12670

not just a clone thread.

th original riddle:

A plane is standing on a runway that can move, like a giant treadmill. When the plane's engines throttle up, it begins to move forward, but the treadmill is made to match the forward speed of the plane, only in the opposite direction. So, as the plane moves forward, it moves backwards beneath the aircraft.

As the engines throttle up, does the plane take off?

translated into reindeer and sleigh dynamics, the question takes on other aspects:


A sleigh and 8 tiny reindeer are standing on a runway that can move, like a giant treadmill. When the tiny old elf sprinkles the magic dust, it begins to move forward, but the treadmill is made to match the forward speed of the sleigh, only in the opposite direction. So, as the sleigh moves forward, it moves backwards beneath the reindeer's feet.
As they dash away, dash away, dash away all, does the sleigh ,as dry leaves that before the hurricane fly, when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky?

It absolutely can.

I mean it can't.

Aw, Hell. I don't know.

WTF is this magic dust?

Reindeer fly. Period. There's no magic dust.

It must mount to the sky, I heard it. In fact, I heard such a crash...I opened the window and threw up the hash!

SteveDallas;514789 wrote:

WTF is this magic dust?

Reindeer fly. Period. There's no magic dust.

You mean that's reindeer dandruff I've been snorting? :eek:

Shawnee123;514790 wrote:

I opened the window . . .

Yeah?

Shawnee123;514790 wrote:

and threw up the hash!

I hope it really was Santa, and not the local narcotics squad.

My grandpa used to read us The Night Before Christmas every Christmas eve. It was his running joke to say he threw up the hash, but I think he was talking the corned beef variety. :)

Ewww. :vomit:

If I saw reindeer fly, I'd be throwing out the hash.

If the sleigh is pulled by sharks on a treadmill, and they are spooked by a whale penis, the sleigh will fly.

The reindeer, having eaten the magic corn, take on the corn's anti-gravity characteristics. The treadmill is irrelevant.

Elspode;514924 wrote:

If the sleigh is pulled by sharks on a treadmill, and they are spooked by a whale penis, the sleigh will fly.

but what if they're landsharks?

I think this is just lumberjim's way of hinting that he wants a home treadmill for Christmas; but, to dispel the myth that reindeer can land on rooftops without damaging the structures, reindeer actually enter into low level synchronous earth orbit scant few millimeters above the roofs while Santa does his thing. When reindeer deviate from synchronous orbit or effect a change in altitude, they are "flying" irregardless of whatever is moving beneath them.

god you guys are nerds.


*hugs* :)

monster;514984 wrote:

but what if they're landsharks?

Could never happen. They are all dolphins.

NoBoxes;515037 wrote:

I think this is just lumberjim's way of hinting that he wants a home treadmill for Christmas; but, to dispel the myth that reindeer can land on rooftops without damaging the structures, reindeer actually enter into low level synchronous earth orbit scant few millimeters above the roofs while Santa does his thing. When reindeer deviate from synchronous orbit or effect a change in altitude, they are "flying" irregardless of whatever is moving beneath them.

I'm afraid your argument is invalidated by the use of the term, 'irregardless'

My favorite definition of the word "irregardless" comes from an old hard-bound Webster's New World Dictionary I have which defines the word as: "a substandard or humorous redundancy for REGARDLESS." [bold type mine] I enjoy using it when writing humorous pieces.

For the entertainment of those who would belittle its use, I submit this article: Off topic: In defense of 'irregardless' ;)