# The Amazing Race 11/30/04 "Counting Bears Is Not Rocket Science" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 30, 2004, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346 "2004-11-30T16:38:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346/1 "2004-11-30T16:38:36Z")
I always love the titles of the shows. According to the previews, it looks like this week they’re heading to Ikea and Jonathan is an asshole, again. My bet is on Don and MJ going this week. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346/2 "2004-11-30T16:44:44Z")
This is our last ep before picking our pool entries – gotta watch carefully to decide who I’m willing to put my $5 on. One thing for damn sure, it ain’t gonna be Jonathan. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346/3 "2004-11-30T17:07:39Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > Jonathan is an asshole, again.( Man, you ain’t kiddin’! The wrestlers bicker with each other, but you can tell it’s all in good fun. Jonathan calls his wife an idiot and you can tell it’s because he thinks she’s an idiot. I have to wonder if their marriage is always like this. This is my first season of _The Amazing Race;_ I came to it after finally giving up on _Survivor._ I’m enjoying it so far, and I like how the team that gets eliminated each week is the team that’s _the last to cross the finish line._ No scheming, no politicking, no alliances involved. It’s a pure meritocracy! How refreshing! ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346/4 "2004-11-30T17:33:46Z")
This seems like a great season because you have an obvious villain, a bunch of people that seem competent and actually enjoy the race, some people you want to root for, and the continued skill of the best editors and cameramen to make the perfect cut or point out what the teams don’t see. An interesting thing to watch for this week: In week 1, we had a team make the classic mistake of screwing up the diesel/gasoline. Week 2, we had a team take the wrong car, a team not know how to drive a manual transmission, and a team get a penalty for extra clue pilfering. What the heck can teams screw up this week? They are finding an extraordinary amount of new ways to mess up while still using the things that they should have learned from previous seasons. The mistakes are just mind boggling. I hope Jonathon falls into a dark canyon, but I think some team like Freddy/Kendra will really screw up and go home. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346/5 "2004-11-30T17:40:52Z")
I missed the opening episode, and was folding laundry throughout the second, so I may have to take what I’m about to say back tomorrow. 🙂 But, I like Don and MJ. More to the point, I like MJ, really. Don I didn’t pay much attention to. I’m still at the point where I can’t tell most of them apart. Jonathan’s probably the only one I could pick out of a lineup, and that only because of that black cloud of anger following him. I never thought anybody would make Colin look like a supportive significant other. _shudder_ ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346/6 "2004-11-30T18:36:45Z")
> [@Draelin](#): > > I’m still at the point where I can’t tell most of them apart. Yes, me, too. I can sort of tell them apart, but am just not clear on their names yet. I can’t wait to see exactly what they have to do at IKEA. I have some stuff from IKEA, and had a ball putting it together. I love doing stuff like that, so it’ll be fun to watch them all have meltdowns losing screws and make things fit in slots. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346/7 "2004-11-30T18:43:21Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > I can’t wait to see exactly what they have to do at IKEA. I predict somebody’s going to take an allen-wrench to the eye … 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346/8 "2004-11-30T18:46:55Z")
The producers could be really evil and make them go through the check-out lanes on a weekend. I could just see Jonathan screaming at Victoria for picking the wrong lane. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346/9 "2004-11-30T22:33:19Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > I can’t wait to see exactly what they have to do at IKEA. Ya don’t think it’s got something to do with _counting bears_, do ya? ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346/10 "2004-11-30T22:43:49Z")
> [@GingerOfTheNorth](#): > > Ya don’t think it’s got something to do with _counting bears_, do ya? Yes, SmartyPants, but in the previews, it shows two teams (the older couple and I think the wrestlers) on the floor with furniture pieces strewn around. There’s another shot of the wrestlers with a bin full of the little stuffed bears, too. ---
**Author:** ![Nekosoft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c2a13f/32.png) [@Nekosoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nekosoft)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346/11 "2004-11-30T23:50:24Z")
Some of the bears are actually stuffed hedgehogs. (we’ve got one in the tupperware tub with our real hedgehog to keep him company) ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346/12 "2004-12-01T01:07:33Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > The producers could be really evil and make them go through the check-out lanes on a weekend. I could just see Jonathan screaming at Victoria for picking the wrong lane. They should follow the Hong Kong tradition and split the couple between two queues, and migrate to the one that gets to the front first. Team Mormon will likely go one better and chat up a Bjorn or two, so they have a stake in \*every \* queue. Do they have Senior Citizens queues in IKEA? ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346/13 "2004-12-01T02:32:12Z")
Man, I can’t believe anyone went ahead with the counting after seeing those bins. ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346/14 "2004-12-01T02:50:37Z")
My nephew worked at IKEA. We’re IMing right now and he’s laughing his face off because he **hated** inventory day because of the counting of the stuff like the stuffed animals. (Right before Thanksgiving, IHRC) I’m amazed at how badly some of these teams did. I’m also amazed that [spoiler]As contentious as things have been thus far, no one is using the Yield. Dudes, there are only three! I guess they don’t know that. Oh well. Also, poor Don and MJ. Sleeping outside all night clearly took it all out of them. On another note, I’m surprised by Gus and Hera. I figured them to be out this week, because Gus really doesn’t look up to the physical aspects of this challenge. But it’s the girl-girl teams who seem to be having the troubles, and it’s all hinging on luck. I only came in midway through season before last, but it seems to me that the eliminations based on luck seem to be happening awfully early this year.[/spoiler] Minor hijack: > [@Nekosoft](#): > > (we’ve got one in the tupperware tub with our real hedgehog to keep him company) You keep your hedgehog in Tupperware? While I’m sure he’s wonderfully fresh, doesn’t that make it hard for him to breathe? ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346/15 "2004-12-01T03:02:15Z")
☹ My poor Lena is gone, I’m proud of her though. Well done her. I’d have been demoralized after watching all of those teams come and pass me…but she kept going ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346/16 "2004-12-01T03:04:31Z")
> [@Nekosoft](#): > > Some of the bears are actually stuffed hedgehogs. > > (we’ve got one in the tupperware tub with our real hedgehog to keep him company) We have one, as well. Dave has named it “Ron Jeremy”, as the Ikea name (“Sot”) just isn’t descriptive enough. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346/17 "2004-12-01T03:05:01Z")
Another ☹ over here, as well. I don’t want my schoolboy crush on Kristy to end so soon!! I can’t believe Lena rolled out over 100 of those things for over eight hours … THAT is dedication. This was either a situation where she missed seeing the clue a million times or she just had crap luck. Bye Kristy …feel free to give me a call anytime! ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346/18 "2004-12-01T03:08:21Z")
_ **The show has aired on the East Coast! Spoilers ahead!** _ I couldn’t believe they’d count those things once – but what really astonished me was that they’d count twice. Then a third time. Then a fourth… sheesh! Eight hours! I can’t even imagine. How humiliating to have Phil come to you and say “give it up.” ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346/19 "2004-12-01T03:13:35Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Eight hours! I can’t even imagine. How humiliating to have Phil come to you and say “give it up.” Isn’t that what happened to the brothers last season, the ones with one who was heavier and spent most of his camera time bitching about his bum knee? They had to be fetched from the task near the pyramids where the sand had to combed for scarabs, didn’t they? ---
**Author:** ![Amazingrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8edcca/32.png) [@Amazingrace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazingrace)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2004, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346/20 "2004-12-01T03:18:19Z")
I couldn’t stop laughing watching roid rage and grandparents, neck and neck the whole time. What a great show. This is my first season of TAR, and I’m totally hooked. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-11-30-04-counting-bears-is-not-rocket-science/277346.md?page=2)