I am a private pilot (training for instrument rating) so I believe I can help answer the first question.
Lightning is typically not the biggest problem with flying through thunderstorms. To my knowledge, it is the wind shear[1] that is most dangerous. There's also icing and hail that you may have to worry about.
I have been single all my life (I'm in my early 20s). I don't know if I have any desire to be in a relationship with anyone at this time.
It may be selfish, but there are so many things I want to do with my limited time and I feel like a relationship will just hold me back from doing what I want to do.
I guess it is a fear of being tied down to something and impose on my current, practically unlimited, freedom.
It's all about tradeoffs. Sometime soon you should plan really far then take those requirements back to hit whatever soft deadlines (although there are few or no hard deadlines, so don't sweat it).
The article mentions runway 4L was being used for takeoffs. In the ATC communications, you can hear them say "American 185, runway 31L at KE, line up and wait" before telling Delta 1943 to cancel their takeoff clearance. And after the near collision, ATC tells American 106 Heavy "we're departing runway 4L."
Wouldn't the line up and wait call for American 185 mean that they were departing from both 4L and 31L?
They were landing 4R and 4L, departing 4L and 31L at KE. American 106 ended up departing 31L full length since that's where they had decided to taxi to and it was probably easier to just get rid of them that way rather than have them cross 4L again to depart where everyone else was departing from.
Departing 4L mean that there are no 31L full length take-off (except very very heavy aircraft). 31L at KE does not conflict with 4L, nor does it require crossing 4L.
Lightning is typically not the biggest problem with flying through thunderstorms. To my knowledge, it is the wind shear[1] that is most dangerous. There's also icing and hail that you may have to worry about.
[1] https://www.weather.gov/media/zhu/ZHU_Training_Page/llws/thu...