TAR: Well, I'm often dubious of the exact nature of the relationships given the timing of the whole process. For example, the applications for this season were due mid-January. If the BQs were Miss NY and CA 2005, then I assume they had been "best friends" for all of 4 months when they applied. Don't get me wrong, I tried to apply with someone I hadn't known for that long because she was the only one who was willing to do it (and then she lied and never sent in the application but that's a whole 'nother story), but I think it is funny what gets played up and what doesn't.

Color me confused: I just looked up when the Miss America pageant with the two beauty queens on TAR actually was. It was in January 2006 (Re: my above comment--I thought the pageant was in September, but I guess not). So they met around the time the initial application was due. Interesting. Methinks I smell a CBS rat.

Hivemind question: If you're walking along with a tennis ball and you throw it -- to the extent possible -- straight up, where will it land?

Analysis: I hate the science textbook.

If you're walking at a steady velocity, then (negating air resistance and stuff) it ought to land back in your hand.

Yes. Unless you happen to be walking on a very tiny asteroid.

TAR made me very very happy tonight. Woo hooo he's gone! Gone, gone, gone. And the Chos did not sacrifice themselves for Kentucky!!!

it ought to land back in your hand.

Like, if you keep walking, or if you stop immediately after throwing it up?

ETA: Let me just add, I feel like a total moron for not knowing this right off, but... well, but I think it's a really bad experiment and demonstrates exactly nothing, since there's no way to orient your throwing muscles in exactly and only one direction and turn off your compensating brain.

The ball has the momentum of your forward movement as well as the thrown momentum. So it'd land right back in your hand...as long as you keep walking. Otherwise it'll land in front of you.

Had sushi. Every now and again I crave the Philadelphia roll. I have to remember not to do that. I can't eat six of those and anything else.

Right, that's what I thought (as long as you don't, say, compensate for your forward movement because you think you're supposed to).

I don't think most people do. It'd be something I'd have to think about doing--tossing a ball up in the air and expecting it to come right back down to the same relative point, moving or stationary, is second nature for me. Anything else would be forced, and probably ill-calculated.