Take the train.

...the New York to Paris train doesn't run often enough for me.

Fees to pick (tell you it showed up) and leave (do nothing) FedEx packages.

Fees for 800 phone #'s.

Fees to get you a newspaper.

And so on.

I have to go to Baltimore next month. Much nicer to plug in the MP3 and blast it, while cradled by my own toiletries as I rocket up the highway in a new rented car, than it is to fly. Be about the same time and money.

Actually. I wouldn't put it beyond the airlines to institute a surcharge for passengers who weigh more than a certain amount. I might chide Mr. Breathed for giving them ideas, but I have a sneaking suspicion that they're already considering it.

A pound costs a dollar to fly across the country at $5/gallon fuel. (And that nose does look about the size of a newborn.)

I'm surprised it hasn't started already.

My partner and I wanted to marry in San Francisco on September 16, our 24th Anniversary, but we can't take so much time off work (especially if we want to visit his family for Thanksgiving in South Texas, as we usually do). So, instead of spending all that time in the cramped confines of an extraordinarily expensive Amtrak "bedroom," we have opted to DRIVE to San DIEGO during that time period, taking nine days for the round trip, including visits to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Santa Fe, and many other sights we would miss from 30,000 feet... Oh, and the driving trip is cheaper than flying --including the gas for a Pontiac G6 (highest MPG rental car we could find)!

Vacationers are so very screwed currently.

I happen to believe that large clothes should cost more than smaller ones. Why? More materials needed to make it. Sure, super-large XXX things usually are a mite higher in cost. Size 6 shouldn't cost as much as size 16. Logical. Those of us who maintain a nutritionally-healthy BMI (body mass index) are, basically, subsidizing the larger people. SO, making the heftier pay more for the greater fuel used to haul their "bigness" in a plane only makes sense. I'd like my rebate now, please. I'll be happy to step on the scale.

This already happens with bras. For some reason, you can easily buy a 36C bra for less than $10, but not a 34D. Makes no damn sense.

Problem with the "healthy BMI" logic behind that kind of pricing is that not everyone who wears a size 16 is at an unhealthy BMI, nor is everyone who wears a size 6 a skinny little thing. Go to Wal-Mart and notice the very overweight 8 and 10 year old girls shopping in the women's section.

I have cost the "system" far less than my skinny buddies who are all in their late 40's, early 50's who are avid exercisers and outdoors men.

They have had back surgeries, hip surgeries, shoulder surgeries, foot and hand repairs. They have all missed a fair amount of time off work in recovery.

They have cost in workman's comp, insurance, lost productivity, and will possibly need more long term medical intervention as their damaged bodies age...

By the way - how do you charge the 6'5" 220# man differently than the 5'8" 220# man? They both use the same amount of fuel to fly their carcasses across the country. A form of genetic discrimination is definitely an issue - for either the tall guy or the chubby one.

Pax

And use zoo cages.

You reminded me.

Years ago, when I was arranging all the silly preparation things, things like seating. I carried tons of metal chairs from the basement chapel to the outdoor lawn. The minister was a non-help.

The fold-out chairs, napkins, a broken air-conditioner etc., 'gig' was at a South Hampton, Long Island, New York, small chapel. It was during a week of preparation for the most foggy, humid, and silly get-hitched, wedding day.

O my O day!

On the days leading up to the wedding day.... O No help at all!

Except, I met a jolly, chubby, and barrel of monkey, true Lady.

I didn't marry her. She wore a beautiful flowered dress each day..

I swear. I loved her in `gowns.

I still do. I do. I do kiss anyone?

No. I sure do enjoy 'um soft kisses.

Well. The marriage vows were said. wow.

I say now a`days: Do merry a good heart.

Now, I do admit strife is in any person's Life.

The great news is that a 4-year old calls me O`PaPa.

Then: My daughter-in-law is 4-months swelling up.

~O pregnant~ Now. No read too much into anything.

*Maybe read 'the way it is now' by Charles Bukowski?

`

`Opus. In the last frame my question was answered?

`Opus has green teeth. Opus is Not ashamed to laugh out loud.

`Opus can come to my Daughter-in Law's birthday party today.

`Opus can smile, scream, and cuss like a lawyer in green jeans.

~Be honest, jolly, and Happy is the reward in my `bah-opinion.

~O!

~O no regrets.

The idea for this came from a website, created by the Philadelphia Inquirer. http;//www.flyderrie-air.com It was a hoax, but was done to gauge public reaction. Obviously many people believed it, since the the opening screen now states very clearly it is a hoax. The fact is Southwest Airlines already does something like this. They require people of a certain size to buy two seats.

The dark side of that rugged American individualism is that as a society we are reluctant to provide for people who have different needs. Fortuantely disabled people have a law to protect their rights, fat people do not. No one questions disabled people weather they were responsible for acquiring their disability, or weather they are taking proper steps to overcome it, yet fat people are denied consideration with the argument that they are responsible for their situation.

When I ship my dog, a heavy but short basset/lab cross, I pay more to ship him than someone who's shipping a chihuahua, because his body weighs more and his cage takes up more space. I can't see why these rules shouldn't apply to humans. I'm 5'9, 165 lbs, and I don't want to subsidize another who weighs 275 lbs, regardless of his height. Pay by the pound, just like any other cargo...