I don’t think she generally was, though I may have just forgotten. But I also don’t remember whether she was consulted, or supposed to be particularly skilled, about first communications with previously unknown aliens. She might have been, though.
I wouldn’t take any redshirts, I don’t want any crew to die on my watch.
Not generally, no. Though, in Mirror, Mirror (the episode which first introduced the “evil” Mirror Universe), Uhura was in the party which had beamed down to the planet, along with Kirk, Bones, and Scotty.
Uhura was also in the landing party (they weren’t called “Away Teams” until TNG) in “The City on the Edge of Forever,” and there may have been others. I picked Kirk (leadership and luck), Spock (science skills, intellect and figuring stuff out) and McCoy (in case anyone gets hurt) for my landing party. I’d go, too, just for fun and to spend time with these heroes of my youth, even though I’d probably just be a dunsel. In actual Starfleet practice, I’d tailor the personnel of each landing or boarding party for the needs of the mission, but would always include at least one Security, Science and Medical officer.
As to some of the earlier questions:
Here’s one lifelong Ohioan who’s never heard the phrase “open winter.”
I briefly soak my toothbrush in my water glass before using it to brush my teeth.
Christopher Reeve and Michael Keaton are my favorite Superman and Batman, although I thought Christian Bale was pretty good as the Caped Crusader, too.
I generally dislike self-checkout, and too often have problems with the scanner. I’m also sorry to see checkout people lose their jobs because the supermarket or drug store is too damn cheap to pay them.
I use pen clips in my jackets every weekday when I’m at court.
Gatorade always reminds me of being sick and also tastes like ass, so no thanks,
We have our bedroom windows open pretty much whenever it’s warm enough to not need the heat on, but cool enough to not need the A/C. All things being equal, I prefer having the window open, weather permitting.
Best to have a spoon for eating rice of any texture, to get the most rice with ease.
I held my nose when I jumped into water as a kid, but these days I just exhale.
My parents’ marriage (my mom died a few years ago) was always loving and kind. Never any violence, screaming matches or the like, thank God. In the late Seventies they hit a rocky patch, however, and my sisters and I, all in our teens at the time, were very uncomfortable when our mom talked to us about it, and the marriage counseling they got.
I enjoy bowling but sometimes go years without playing. My scores are usually not great.
I believe we ought to sign a new treaty with Taiwan to make clear to the PRC that we will defend Taiwan if it’s invaded. The PRC’s claim is bogus, and far more about its domestic politics than any lawful territorial rights. Taiwan’s a longtime ally and a healthy democracy, and is entitled to choose its own destiny without the constant fear of attack by its bigger, oppressive Commie neighbor.
My bedtime is usually midnight, but sometimes earlier if I’m exhausted, or later if I’m just too busy with stuff which has to get done. I average about seven hours of sleep most nights, and like getting naps on the weekend when I can.
I love just about all kinds of pie. The list of those I don’t like is far shorter than the list of those I like.
I’ve had Covid just once, fortunately, and it was like a bad cold for about three days or so, although I stayed in isolation for a full week. My wife and our sons have always had the recommended vaccinations for it.
Not sure if aircraft are included in the altitude poll, so won’t vote until the pollmaker comes in and clarifies.
No aircraft. You stood on that altitude’s dirt.
(which I guess is the opposite of ISS and suborbital. Dammit, sorry. I was going for funny with those choices, I can’t imagine any poll voters choosing those.)
Taking aircraft out of the equation, I’ve probably never been above 5,000 feet above sea level in my life.
I presume driving over that altitude’s dirt in a car counts?
It counted well enough to give me altitude sickness, anyway. Driving over the mountains from the west into Boulder, Colorado; looking at the maps now, probably via Denver and on 70. I don’t remember tunnels but it was almost 50 years ago. If so, then according to googling now a bit over 11,000; which is what I picked.
And somebody here apparently has been on a suborbital; unless they’re also going for funny.
I was confused at first, because the highest altitude listed in the poll is pretty low if aircraft are involved (so I assumed they weren’t), but then including a suborbital flight and the ISS implies aircraft (or spacecraft) are involved.
If it has to have been on the ground, it would have either been the top of Haleakalā on Maui, or inside the Moffat Tunnel under the continental divide (which was on a train, but I assume that’s close enough to the ground). I’ll have to look up the altitudes of both of those…
…And the winner is Haleakalā. The peak is 10,023 ft above sea level, although the actual peak is where the observatory is located, and not open to the general public. But I’d estimate I was at close to 10,000 ft. The highest point in the Moffat Tunnel is 9,239 ft.
Most folks who have flow commercially have been higher than 30,000 feet.
Same here, Haleakala.
I should have titled the poll “Highest altitude you’ve experienced outside an aircraft”. Ugh, sorry.
I wasn’t sure if it’d be Haleakala, or Jungfraujoch, in the Swiss Alps, until I looked them up. Jungfraujoch (11,332 feet at the train station) won.
I voted for around 12k in altitude. That’s just about the summit for Monarch Skiing, which I did many years ago now. But that’s for a very short duration, even if it was on my feet (skis). The longest I’ve spend any significant time at is 10190 - Leadville Colorado, where I spent several summers working.
But I’ve lived almost all of my life around 4k or higher. New Mexico (Las Cruces, Taos, Albuquerque) and Colorado (Colorado Springs, Leadville, Salida).
Apparently I have a fondness for thin air. 
In that case, my highest elevation was atop Pike’s Peak at 14,115 feet. Well, the top of my head would have been at 14,121 feet.
12840 ft for me Skiing in Breckenridge, CO many years ago.
If flight was allowed it woould be about 60,000 ft, I flew concorde once.
Uhura also had a great line, but because it wasnt said loudly, it got by. She was called “Fair maiden” and she said “Sorry, neither.”
Mt Whitney for me, 14500 feet. It is not a technical climb. Just long. The trip is a long uphill hike, like 22 miles, and it is best done in two days. I could not do it today.
Same.
Outside of a plane I’ve poked around the mountains on the Western slope of Colorado, so probably around 12,000 ft or so. 13,000 tops.
I wasn’t counting flying in a pressurized cabin.
In a helicopter with the doors off I was about 10,000 feet.
On my feet probably the rim of the Grand Canyon which is about 7,000 feet.
During flight training they put us in a hyperbaric chamber and lowered the air pressure. I don’t remember the exact altitude we were at but it was enough for hypoxia to set in.
I’ve flown an unpowered hang glider to 11,500 feet. I launched from 5,600 feet, so i gained over a mile above launch. I could have gone much higher but i didn’t have supplemental oxygen, and it was getting very cold.
On terra firma, my highest altitude was hiking in the Sierras, over Muir Pass at 11,995 feet.
Man, outside of a plane, that’s real daredevil stuff… 