Infinite Jest in Retrospect

[Victor]

So, now that we've all finished the book, should we discuss it? Here's a few topics/questions to kick things off:

1) Why do you think DFW chose to end the book with Facklemann's death? Why did he choose to introduce such an (apparently) important character so late in the book? Why not the fate of The Entertainment and its invested parties?
2) Speaking of, what do you think happened to The Entertainment and said invested parties? How did things end up getting from the last chapter to the first (if that makes sense)?
3) And what of the Gentle Administration/Subsidized Time?
4) Is Gately even alive? Joelle? John N.R. Wayne?
5) A frequent theme can be summarized in the line of "the woman who kills you becomes your mother in the next life." This is touched on a lot during Gately's hallucinations, not to mention Avril Incandenza. And it's also alluded to by the E.T.A. psychiatrist as Hal's "Coaticlue complex." Any thoughts?
6) What do you think of the hinted/ambiguous fates of the (relatively) minor characters (Michael Pemulis, John N.R. Wayne, Randy Lenz, Poor Tony, Bruce Green, Kate Gompert, etc.)? Do you think we could have seen more of any of these people? Why do you think DFW included whole chapters for even more minor characters like Ken Erderly or Matty Pemulis, who don't seem to fit in the big picture as much?
7) What are your thoughts on the Wraith (J.O. Incandenza's ghost) and his role/influence in the book?

[Sammi]

Oh man, I'm not even going to try and answer all of those questions. Here are the things that stuck out the most to me:

2) The Entertainment. I assumed that Orin was in possession of the Entertainment, and was slowly mailing out copies to everyone he had a grudge against (or maybe everyone he believed played a part in his father's suicide? or people he believed his mom had slept with?) I believe it's hinted at in the first couple of chapters, when Orin is on the phone with Hal and he remarks that he is at the Post Office and notices a surprising amount of wheelchair bound people around him. Hal mentions the Post Office and says that Orin hates it there, wonders why he is there, but Orin brushes him off.
I always thought that the "ending" chapters were in the beginning of the book to ruin the suspense of the novel--giving away the ending before it even began. A comment on the state of our current entertainment, perhaps, or (maybe this is too cliche) a way to let the reader know that this book is going to be about the journey, not the destination.

4) Pretty sure Gately and John Wayne are alive. I believe that the two of them and Hal go dig up James Inc. in the first chapters of the book, hoping to find the Entertainment inside his skull. I assumed that Joelle was alive as well.

Anyone else have any thoughts?