Live Q&As

I like to say that I am unconcerned about flying, and that's basically true.   I don't fly scared.   However, it is also true that at takeoff, I don't truly relax until the plane has achieved what I estimate to be the altitude of a 50-story building.   That's because indelibly etched in my brain are the contents of the black box recording from Air Florida Flight 90, the one that crashed into the 14th street bridge in D.C. in 1982.    In the final moments, the pilot or copilot says "We only need 500," suggesting that there is some magic elevation of 500 feet, at which acceptable lift is obtained.   Not sure if it's true but can't get that out of my mind.   

Now I REALLY can't, because I have just found this video, a made-for-TV re-enactment of Flight 90.  It is terrifying. 

I also found a passenger list of the dead.  There was a "C.Weingarten" on board.

So.  I'M JUST FINE.   

Can you write back with your brother's name and occupation, and city of residence?   We kind of all need to know this.  Thanks.     

I don't know.  Hoses have washers.   Hey, you know how old I am?  When the TV was on the fritz, I remember taking TV "tubes" down to the drugstore, to use their "tube tester."  It was a free service, the way some drugstores today have BP machines.    I'm so old I remember when people said "on the fritz."

Almost!

-

Nominee, Nominee

Governor Rom-i-ney

Lives to smell anthracite

Smoke in the air.

Cosmetologically

Scared more by wind farms, whose 

Air gusts might tragically  

Muss up his hair. 

You probably don't even want to THINK abot how bad the sex must have been that night.  

I understand the distinction, and it is an interesting one.  Is it possible to believe in Providence, but not God?   I guess that would be a secular belief in karma?  Or superstition?  

I don't see any of these dangers.    I don't judge people who commit suicide; actually, I don't even like using the verb "commit," as though it were a crime.   I think everyone has the right to end his or her own life. 

I also, though, think it must be a last resort, and must be done with a very real understanding of how it hurts those around you.   And to that end, I like to direct people to this story, now 16 years old, by Roxanne Roberts.   It is completely unblinking.  Quite magnificent, and disturbing, and deeply courageous.   It is filled with anger and understanding. 

This is by my friend Linton Weeks.  It's good.  He consulted me on this one; my advice, which he took, was to avoid all politics in the jokes he used.   I said that if they are political, the reactions to them would also be political, which would dilute the experiment.     I think there is only one truly good joke --- number one.   

Well, it sounds like you've already dealt with it.  Haven't you?  

My general answer is that Weddings Suck and Only Cause Stress, so Your Goal is to Get By, Period.    In other words, choke it down and do whatever is asked of you, remembering it's not Your Special Day, it's someone else's Special Day, and she is going to be super stressed anyway without guff from you.   However, you just made it clear that that's not an option here.  So.  You know what you're gonna do.  Do it.  

From the perspective of your sister, here's what she's looking at.  She wants this to conform to some magical image she has of what her wedding would always be, and that storybook wedding includes all her favorite friends wearing identical pastel bridesmaid dresses in deference to her and her magical romantic day.   That does not include her sister, insisting on wearing a pantsuit to make some sort of personal statement about Who She Is, and ruining the magical pastel moment your sister has been thinking about ever since she was 9, and with the same amount of critical judgment.

Okay, now  I'm trying to see it your way, too.   You've been through a lot of crap not of your own making, because of the prejudices of others who have made you feel bad.    No one has the right to make you feel bad.   And wearing a dress is going to make you feel bad.   I'm trying to think of an analogy in my life, and I can!   What if at my daughter's wedding she told me I had to dance with her?    I have spent my entire adult life not dancing because the very idea of it fills me with horrible horrible dread, and knowing that everyone knows this, I'd feel even worse trying to dance and having everyone watch and think, aww, he's trying to dance isn't that cute, but boy is he awkward, etc.?    

I wouldn't do it.   And I would hope my daughter understands and wouldn't want to make her dad feel awful.  

So, yes, I get your side too.      Go to the wedding in pants, and be incredibly gracious about not being in the wedding party, if that's what it comes to. 

And yeah, you and I both know what it should come to:  You're in the wedding party, looking cute if adorably out of place, in your pants.  

I should point out this was posted before the First Debate. 

I still think Obama wins handily, but boy did he not show up.  I really meant it about the neutrinos. 

Okay, we're out of here.   Please post questions to the next full chat.   And see you next week.