text: Have you ever heard of the simple physics problem: "What would happen if I dropped a penny from the Empire State Building?". It's scary to think that something as minute and insignificant as a light copper or nickel penny could cause serious damage to someone; penetrate their skull and leave a permanent dent in their brain, perhaps? In reality, it's a lot less deadly. The terminal velocity of this harmless copper or nickel penny is very low (around 30-50mph) - it can only gain a small amount of speed. Therefore, a penny dropped from any height would only cause a mild bruise at most; thousands of pennies could be dropped on a mans head at once and cause no serious harm. A brick however...? That, is a completely different story. It was 6:59pm. Up, high in the sky, on the tallest building in New York - a blood-red brick was found plunging through the air, 1 minute away from a damaging impact with the hard city floor (or soft city pedestrian). It is unknown how this brick got into this predicament, maybe wind, rain and weathering caused it to slowly crack off the building over time? Maybe, a psychotic killer lobbed it over the edge, grinning in joy at the idea of someone far bellow going "KA-SPLAT"? But one thing was for certain: New York would not be the city of opportunity this evening. 6:59pm and 20 seconds. The torpedo of a brick was hurtling down through the sky, slicing through the air like a freefalling skydiver or a deadly nuclear explosive. With every second. No! Fraction of a second, it was gaining life-ending quantities of velocity. Any hopes, dreams, inspirations of the unlucky individual that would cross this murderous being that we call a brick would be crushed - literally. 6:59pm and 40 seconds. After 40 seconds of falling (with style) the brick was looming close to it's final destination. It's target was in-sight and the brick menacingly grinned with delight. This brick was not going to infinity and beyond today. In fact, in 20, 19, 18, 17 seconds it's brief journey through the space that is the New York Skyline would end; the brick could not wait. 6:59pm and 50 seconds. Directly underneath this homicidal brick, was a man. He had a fancy new suit and a dazzling new tie. He was travelling home from work in a particularly gleefull mood as today had been the best day of his life for his career - an exciting new promotion and a luxury, all expenses payed buisness trip. Christmas had come early for the bricks beloved victim but boxing days hangover was coming faster (147mph, to be precise). All he had to do to avoid this catastrophe was take one step forward. 5 seconds left. The man did not move. 4. Not a muscle twitched. 3. Time was running out. Still, no movement 2. Oh no. 1... He stepped forward. The man had narrowly escaped his end, his demise, his death. He was safe! The brick had missed by an fraction of an inch! But the second brick didn't.