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Some Turtles Can Fly — Parallax Forums

Some Turtles Can Fly

ercoerco Posts: 20,259
edited 2012-08-25 08:57 in General Discussion
Usually you hear that people use duct tape to get out of trouble, but in this case it was the "artist's medium" that caused the trouble: http://news.yahoo.com/turtle-taped-balloons-floats-over-calif-city-052300135.html

I doubt if it was Turtle Kid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMNry4PE93Y

With some instrumentation, GPS and an onboard camera, this might have made an interesting Youtube video, until the poster was arrested by the SPCA. :)

My favorite childhood book that was never written remains "Some Kittens Can Fly". Now how many balloons would that take...? JK, Browser!
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Comments

  • rod1963rod1963 Posts: 752
    edited 2012-08-22 11:49
    It's sick, nothing amusing about it.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,259
    edited 2012-08-22 13:36
    Somebody needs a hug!
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2012-08-22 14:03
    Knowing the turtle is okay (physically at least) and the rig was apparently neutral to negatively buoyant it is kinda funny.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,259
    edited 2012-08-22 14:12
    @xanadu: Thank you! I'm certainly not advocating or condoning these actions, it's just a news item of general interest I pass along. It is good to hear that the turtle is alive & well after getting the ride of his life, which certainly could have turned out otherwise. Not unlike this amazing story of a handicapped guy who went on an even wilder freeway ride and afterwards, simply said, "'Yeah, I'm fine. I just went for a little ride.'"

    http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,278881,00.html
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2012-08-22 15:52
    Wow, good wheelchair manufacturing right? That is amazing at that speed for that long.
  • lardomlardom Posts: 1,659
    edited 2012-08-23 05:48
    quote from erco
    "'Yeah, I'm fine. I just went for a little ride.'"

    Perhaps, if the turtle could speak... Since the animal was unhurt it is hard to see it as abuse.

    What caught my eye was the 'eucalyptus tree'. I keep thinking this is a well-to-do neighborhood and maybe this was done by a bored well-to-do prankster.
  • ratronicratronic Posts: 1,451
    edited 2012-08-23 08:23
    I grew up in Oceanside, Ca. in my younger years, I don't remember seeing flying turtles back then but there were plenty of pranksters then and probably today.
  • skylightskylight Posts: 1,915
    edited 2012-08-23 08:39
    Turtles should be "Happy Together"
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,259
    edited 2012-08-23 08:40
    @Dave: From Oceanside to Bakersfield? You've traded up (in degrees Fahrenheit, anyway)! :)

    Just like it sounds, Oceanside is right on the coast. Prevailing winds likely would have pushed the balloon inland if it would have been aloft for any amount of time, so hopefully the little fellow didn't fly too high or too far.

    "Turbo" is an upcoming Disney movie about a snail who gets stuck on a Camaro hood and becomes hooked on speed, later to become a racing snail. Yeah, Indy 500 fast. Let's hope our turtle friend may have also enjoyed his high-flying experience.

    http://www.movieinsider.com/m8770/turbo/
  • RDL2004RDL2004 Posts: 2,554
    edited 2012-08-23 08:40
    Wow, that guy in the wheelchair was incredibly lucky. It's a miracle he wasn't killed.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,259
    edited 2012-08-23 08:45
    RDL2004 wrote: »
    Wow, that guy in the wheelchair was incredibly lucky. It's a miracle he wasn't killed.

    Agreed, especially since it was an electric wheelchair from the photo. Hardly designed for freeways and 50 MPH! Let's hear it for building in plenty of safety factor!
  • ratronicratronic Posts: 1,451
    edited 2012-08-23 08:49
    @erco I have heard that since I moved up here 30 some years ago. In Oceanside you really don't need A/C but you would die up here with out it. My mom had left my brother an I a rental house down there so who knows maybe 30 years later I can go back and get back into surfing! If I only could stand upright in the waves, Ooh what age does to you.
  • CircuitsoftCircuitsoft Posts: 1,166
    edited 2012-08-23 12:44
    erco wrote: »
    Somebody needs a hug!
    Maybe the turtle?
  • rod1963rod1963 Posts: 752
    edited 2012-08-23 14:02
    Erco

    Unlike some people who can only relate to childish robotic toys, I relate to living creatures. I used to do animal rescue, dogs, repitles. The turtle didn't ask for it and the degenerates who did certainly didn't come forward. Nothing amusing.
  • Dave HeinDave Hein Posts: 6,347
    edited 2012-08-23 14:52
    I can tolerate the intolerant, but I can't tolerate the intolerance of the tolerant.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2012-08-23 14:58
    I can intolerate that.
  • davejamesdavejames Posts: 4,047
    edited 2012-08-23 15:00
    ...ding ding ding!!! (towel thrown)

    All right everybody - back to your corners.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,259
    edited 2012-08-23 15:23
    Somebody REALLY needs a hug and an Abilify. :)
  • TtailspinTtailspin Posts: 1,326
    edited 2012-08-23 16:37
    snail chariot.jpg

    I'm not so sure Snails can drive Indy 500 fast... I'm just sayin..


    -Tommy
    snail chariot.jpg
    500 x 320 - 36K
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2012-08-23 17:40
    rod1963 wrote: »
    Erco

    Unlike some people who can only relate to childish robotic toys, I relate to living creatures. I used to do animal rescue, dogs, repitles. The turtle didn't ask for it and the degenerates who did certainly didn't come forward. Nothing amusing.

    I live 5 minutes from Oceanside and I am also a proud SD rescue reserve member. I have rescued many different animals is some really bad and some not so bad situation. We often only act upon the outcome of the animal not the person(s) involved. This situation was such a happy ending and no injuries sometimes it is easy to forget the fact that someone is responsible. The police and humane society are working on that. I apologize for downplaying it and agree with you about why it's wrong to joke around about it because it seems like condoning it. Nobody here would condone such a thing.

    I think we can all at least agree that the turtle is alive and be happy for it!
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,259
    edited 2012-08-23 19:05
    @xanadu: OMG, please don't apologize for anything you said. Not everyone has the gifts to understand (or the mad skilz to participate in) the light-hearted banter that keeps these forums so upbeat. The battle is lost when we must cater to every hater who is late to his anger management class because he was busy posting a never-ending chain of negative comments in the forum! :)
  • davejamesdavejames Posts: 4,047
    edited 2012-08-23 20:10
    ...(again)...

    DING DING DING!!!!!

    To your corners, gentlemen!!!
  • ctwardellctwardell Posts: 1,716
    edited 2012-08-24 02:38
    Erco,

    Some people may see humor in animals being abused, others don't.

    Chris Wardell
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2012-08-24 03:59
    Yes but, if we filter out every utterance that may possibly some way make someone somewhere sometime uncomfortable we are going to end up saying very little and life is going to be unbearably boring and miserable.
  • ctwardellctwardell Posts: 1,716
    edited 2012-08-24 04:42
    Heater. wrote: »
    Yes but, if we filter out every utterance that may possibly some way make someone somewhere sometime uncomfortable we are going to end up saying very little and life is going to be unbearably boring and miserable.

    So in other words say anything you want, unless it's speaking up for those that can't speak for themselves.

    Maybe it would be better if we stick to relays and plywood and cheap deals from china.

    Added later...

    I didn't see anyone asking for this thread to be deleted or moderated or any "haters", I just saw Rod say he didn't like what was done to the turtle and that it was "sick".
    Then I saw Rod attacked for his opinion, then xanadu spoke up saying he could see Rod's point of view, then erco jumps on zanadu and as far as I'm concerned personally attacks Rod again.
    So if anyone is trying to squash opinions or limit what is being discussed it would be the original poster.

    C.W.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2012-08-24 05:40
    No, I'm not suggesting we just say anything with total disregard.
    There is a spectrum from light playful teasing and larking around to being downright abusive and hateful.
    I hope we can all stay on the happy end of that spectrum. Which sometimes means putting up with being on the wrong end of a joke and sometimes realising when your jokes have gone to far.
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2012-08-24 06:03
    <POTENTIALLY OFFENSIVE REMARK>

    It's not like we're debating if the turtle should be bootable from SD cards or anything!!

    </POTENTIALLY OFFENSIVE REMARK>
  • lardomlardom Posts: 1,659
    edited 2012-08-24 06:32
    quote by ctwardell

    So if anyone is trying to squash opinions or limit what is being discussed it would be the original poster

    Please define what is off limits.
  • ctwardellctwardell Posts: 1,716
    edited 2012-08-24 06:37
    lardom wrote: »
    Please define what is off limits.

    I didn't say anything is off limits, but evidently anything not praising or going along with erco's original post is off limits.

    C.W.
  • Dave HeinDave Hein Posts: 6,347
    edited 2012-08-24 06:39
    Of all the things said in this thread, the most hurtful words were "childish robotic toys". Now that's hitting below the belt! :)

    Everyone has a different view on the treatment of animals, but I don't think anyone on this forum condones attaching a turtle to a bunch of balloons and watching it fly away. But then some people think it's a crime to kill an insect while others will squash a cockroach without a second thought. We just need to accept that some people will have different views on things.
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