I've spent most of my life in and around the world of lake boating. I don't know everything (who does?), however I do know the basics, i.e. all passengers should be wearing life vests AT ALL TIMES, have an extra outboard motor in case of main engine failure, have a set of oars in case ALL the engines fail and you need to paddle your a** back to shore, extra gasoline, tools for emergency engine and stern drive repairs, etc etc.

Now, think about this. What percentage of passengers aboard a commercial cruise ship know how to swim? How many know how to properly man and operate a life raft? How many have emergency locating beacons so the Coast Guard could find and locate their sorry a** should they happen to figure out how to inflate and safely operate a life raft?

I submit the percentages are so low as even be worth discussing. And yet many cruise ships leave port with over 5,000 non-mariner trained land lubbers. Thank you but no thank you.

Moving the discussion to airliners. Just before takeoff, a flight attendant gives us the five minute safety-drill. Notice how many of your fellow passengers are sleeping, reading magazines, jerking themselves, whatever. They are obviously not listening to LIFE-SAVING information that just might save their sorry a** should an emergency arise.

In a real aircraft emergency, EVERYONE, captain, co-pilot, flight attendants AND passengerse need to be 100% cognizant and aware of their surroundings. They need to know the difference between a seat belt and an emergency exit door. They need to know which emergency exit door to exit in case of emergency. If sitting by the emergency exit door, they need to be strong enough to operate it.

If ANY passenger is falling down drunk during the flight they could easily become a real world contributor to death and mayhem to their fellow passengers. Being drunk aboard a commercial aircraft is about as self-serving as it gets.

Last flight I was on the passenger across the aisle from me was drunk at the START of the flight and yet DURING the flight the flight attendants kept serving him one alcoholic drink after another. With each alcoholic beverage, he became louder and more obnoxious. On the positive side, he seemed to think everyone enjoyed his crude obscene loud mouth jokes.

I think if someone had given the word, all the sober passengers would have given the guy a blanket party!!

Who cares about flight safety as long as the airlines make a few $$$$$$ from the sale of alcohol?