Even as a physics major I have to scratch my head looking at the varied descriptions of why there is a tidal bulge of water on the side opposite the moon.  Some argue it's centrifugal force, some argue it's gravitational gradient. So here's a serious question -- if the Earth and the Moon were simply held apart by a big stick, and not rotating, would there still be a bulge of water on the side away from the moon?

If you attach a straight pole to an axle so that it revolves at a right angle to the axle (like spokes on a bicycle wheel) and spin it, the outside of the pole will move faster than the inside. The longer the pole, the faster the movement around the circumference.

If I built a pole that was long enough, it would get to a point where the end -if spun - should reach the speed of light, or even exceed the speed of light. However, I know that nothing can travel as fast as the speed of light. What would happen to the pole?