I've had some interesting conversations about life, god, origins of man, and so on, on long trips. I've also had some intelligent, thought-provoking discussions about politics, and I'm alway happy to see family pictures when folks want to share them.

It's the conspiracy and extremist fruitcakes that really need to stay silent, or those with an agenda, or those who can't talk about more than oen thing. I really don't want to spend fourteen hours listening to how much someone hates the company, hates their country, hates the "other side," or be sold on their brand of belief.

Sometimes I find it's helpful to interview the other person. Ask a few questions, and people love to talk aobut themselves for hours. On occasion, it's interesting, and on others tolerable.

I once had a F/O who began telling me how much he thought US troops deserved to die, in Iraq. It ****ed me off, and concerned me at the same time. While I'm a big proponent of one's right to speak and believe, he crossed a line for me, and upon landing, I preferred a different F/O. I later had a talk with the director of training, and mentioned the comments made by the F/O. It wasn't long after 09/11. The Director of Training said, "I'd have fired him." I didn't think I could do that. "Put him off the flight and make it known," he said. "He would have been gone the same day."

That approach didn't sit well with me, either, but it also made some sense. The F/O might have been a security concern. Time, and place. I never saw him again, and never cared to.