Is boss asking aide to do the impossible?

DEAR AMY: I have a very pushy boss. He often asks me to do things (with computers) that are simply not possible. For example, he wants me to transfer and save DVDs onto an iPad, and transfer DVDs of family videos I had made for him from old VHS tapes onto his computer. He thinks he is much smarter and more computer savvy than I, but I know these things can't be done. How do I tell him this and get him to listen?Not a Moron

DEAR NOT: I'm not especially tech savvy, but I do believe the tasks your boss has asked you to do can be done. In a simple search on YouTube, I uncovered several tutorials showing how these tasks can be performed. (I also learned to play the ukulele.)

No one likes to be thought a moron, and if your boss has given you a directive and you are stumped, you could ask him an open-ended question that both appeals to his intelligence and masks your ignorance: "Do you have a suggestion on the way you want this done? Do you prefer a particular software product?" If he has no suggestion, then avail yourself of tutorials on your own.

DEAR AMY: I work in a casino. I love my job and my customers, but sometimes they haven't a clue. Why do people order a glass of water and then not drink it? Do you have any idea how much water we have to throw away a day? People: If you don't drink it, don't order it! Someday we may need all the water we can get.Frustrated Waitress

DEAR WAITRESS: The unconsumed water and the water used to wash the unused glasses constitute a significant waste -- not to mention the unnecessary effort required on the part of wait staff to fill, carry and return unused water.

However, this does not obligate people who order water to drink it, any more than someone ordering the cheesecake is required to finish it.