"I expected that to come from Truffy".

You know how us gun-crazed Americans are.  If nothing else, we're quick on the draw. ;-)

"Feral ferrets.  Not because it alliterates, but because ferrets are a domestic animal so you don't get wild ones"

 

If you want to be pedantic about it, wild ferrets are properly known as "polecats", although they're in the canine family.

Go sit at the top of some stairs and watch people as they arrive at the top.

For added fun, record the rough position of each foot for their last three steps, then plot this for each foot and the combination of feet and see what you get.

Then, go to somewhere with old worn stone steps and repeat.

Except when you've got a sticky doughnut in your hands. :P

"Except when you've got a sticky doughnut in your hands".

 

Hey, that's not a donut!  It's a bit too tubular, and not yet sticky! :P

You go do that, you're the one without a 9-5 job!

:-O

 

And I thought you just came with plastic underpants and a trademark.

 

</red dwarf>

I don't have any graph paper. :(

But you have a netbook with a suitable spreadsheet/chart making piece of software.

I was being facetious, not pedantic. This is pedantry:

While it's true that ferrets were domesticated from polecats, polecats are not wild ferrets. That's like saying wolves are wild spaniels.

And they're not in the canine family, they're mustelids like weasels and stoats and otters. Fairly close relatives are things like raccoon and bears.

I also have a stand of books blocking my view. Plus it's an elevator not normal stairs which probably skews the results somewhat, and there ain't no old buildings around here I could use for the second part of the experiment.

And besides, you're the one that doesn't know which feet people use.

Growl!

Well if you want accuracy, xen's example is also an approximation. Over a very long period of time the approximation improves. Just like for rivers.

 

I thought it was fecking interesting anyway :-(

I did too!

Ken: :'D

"I was being facetious..."

Is that what the :Y ("pipe" emoticon) is supposed to indicate?  As an aside, before enlarging it enough to see the smoking, I thought "pipe" referred to being bashed upside the head with one. :P

"And they're not in the canine family..."

Fair enough.  I had always thought they belonged because of the canine incisors.  But a quick check indicates otherwise.

Hah.

For me :Y indicates arrogance or smugness. Whether real or feigned. Usually feigned/ironic. Sometimes not.

And yeah, there's actually a lot of debate, I believe, about whether mustelids and bears and stuff are more closely related to cats or to dogs. Like it matters. Stupid bloody biologists.

Thanks xen, knew I could count on you

I could not imagine meeting up with that in the woods. I'd die of a heart attack.

I use it for experience/wisdom. No further comment necessary.