For my travel to PyCon 2010, I have three choices.
Fly. Total round-trip is ten hours and $480, nonstop. I’ll know what it’s like to be a cow in a slaughterhouse.
Bus. Total is five days and $245, with many stops. I’ll go insane.
Train. Total round-trip is eight days and $585, with many stops. But I’ll be treated like a human being.
I hate flying. Let me repeat that: I. hate. flying. The free-market does not work in the air travel industry. The airlines have no incentives to provide quality service, and the TSA is inept. This is what happens when a country is led by fear and willful ignorance.
But, 4.5 days of my time is worth a lot more than $240. And Amtrak’s combination of price and round-trip time is uncompetitive.
So I’ll fly. Moooooooooooooo.
Seek Nuance 
dude, i just got back from flying to and from somewhere that i was actually stuck flying to. it’s even *worse* now than it was last time you flew. stay home and watch the convention via whatever telepresence tech they have.
also note that you could probably drive and get there and back in tolerable shape.
Naw, the face time is important to me. The hallway discussions, etc. There’ll be some feeds, but with this conference it’s not the same as being there.
I like flying as much as I do pounding on my arm with a hammer.