Little Worries

Mr. Banana is taking a flight tomorrow. There is snow forecast at his destination, at about his arrival time. Forecasts are not definitive. The route is heavily traveled and full of powerhouse travelers. This, of all available air routes, should be protected by the current "big wig politico-financial protection grid".

I should not worry.

And yet I worry. Air traffic controllers contracts are in negotiation again. Airlines are in or emerging from bankruptcy and who knows what kind of corners are being cut for the preservation of the bottom line, what kind of maintenance has been deferred (until next winter)?... The pressure to stuff as many people into as few planes as possible is huge. And the pressure to stuff as many planes into as little airspace as possible is huge.

How close are they cutting it? I used to feel I could rely on our Government and our Laws to protect my husband in the sky. "We" would never allow the safety parameters to be pushed too far, would we?

But now there seems to be no "we" in the government anymore.

There are a lot more "little worries" in a day, now. Is the food safe? Have your medicines been tested properly? What other regulations are being winked at, now that a signing statement can neuter an anti-torture law? If it's so easy to get around the law on big issues, how much easier is it to get a "pass" on all the little ones?