I believe there is life elsewhere in the universe, but I’m not so sure it’s visited us – and I’m definitely not sure it’s ever interacted with us. I want to believe – I really do. I’m looking for reasons to believe. I’ve watched the videos, I’ve listened to the enthusiasts, I’ve done my best to keep an open mind about the whole thing…

1. The newly-released CARET documents are quite compelling, and highly detailed. Moreover, he seems to be about the only source that doesn’t have something to sell. If Isaac’s images are photoshopped (or even models), then that’s the world’s most talented artist.
2. The 2002 (sealed) affidavit of Walter G. Haut could be the “smoking gun” documentation believers have been waiting for – but is it incontrovertible proof or even more hogwash?
3. While I’m sure character assassinations and general discredit have already made the rounds, I’ve been quite drawn to the stories from the Disclosure Project. Hell, people have gone out of their way to discredit me in the past – and the worst I’ve done was stand naked on my private balcony on a cruise ship! I guess that means I don’t know what I’m talking about… ever?
4. I don’t think all the people at O’Hare were nuts. Statistically, that must be close to improbable – unless the phenomenon was recorded on the perimeter of some local sanitarium. Maybe I give 99% of Americans too much credit for knowing the difference between weather oddities and hovering craft (especially THAT close to the terminal).
5. At least some people are trying – with perfect theories or otherwise. Creationism is a theory, as is evolution. Theories propel knowledge.
6. Only part of the Phoenix Lights experience has been properly explained (the flares which dropped behind the mountain range). However, even the Governor of Arizona has recently stepped forward and ADMITTED to seeing the large craft that hundreds (if not thousands) of citizens had reported hours before the flares were dropped.
7. The objects seen at the 27-minute mark of this video seem to be rallying around one another in a less-than-random fashion (NOTE: the recording was originally broadcast by NASA).
8. Paul Hellyer – why did he do what he did? Is “fame and fortune” truly a valid motivator with him?
9. There are a few historical points (as well a cavalcade of impressive professional titles) featured in this particular expose: “UFO: The Greatest Story Never Told.” My eyebrows raised more than once, though I’m not sure how much of this compilation is a conspiracy theory – and how much of it is a conspiracy fact.

Science doesn’t know everything. Religion doesn’t know everything. Governments definitely don’t know everything (and gee, do they prove THAT on a regular basis). These are merely institutions and studies designed to help us make more sense of the world around us. We all learn something new every day. Max Planck, the Godfather of Quantum Physics, has been quoted as saying:

A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.

The truth is out there – or maybe it’s already here?

• Normally Paranormal
• Apollo UFO
• Looking for a Reason to Believe

I became a Coast to Coast Streamlink member this weekend – I just love following the lunatic fringe. Dr. Phil was on to talk about the planet Pluto last night, and when he referenced “Giant Ice Balls” – I sent him an instant message, claiming that I had “giant ice balls.” To which he immediately responded, “mine are brass.” Talk about paranormal!

Anyway, I generally enjoy listening to C2C – especially when JC comes on (great comic relief). Tonight’s guest is Glenn Kimball – and he’s going to be discussing the history of terrorism. I’m sure skeptics will be debunking Glenn left-and-right, but that doesn’t make his research any less interesting. History does not come from books, you know? Sometimes the only way to truly understand history is by challenging its “truths.” The Earth used to be flat.

While we’re on the subject of UFOs (even though I hadn’t had a chance to work them into the conversation until now), I’m convinced that the C2C Web crew are aliens. When I asked ‘em for the direct podcast URL, they said: “The recent release of iTunes is non-compatible with our Podcasting system.” No, their “system” is incompatible with the rest of the galaxy – get it straight. No matter, I can always download the archives on-demand.

• Richard Hoagland’s Smoking Gun
• Travel Back in Time
• Geek Meets Paranormal Meets Musician
• Welcome, President Obama
• Web Browser History Settings
• I Want to Believe
• Planet Pluto
• Move Over, Michael Moore!
• Apollo UFO
• Looking for a Reason to Believe

The Science Channel aired “First on the Moon- The Untold Story” this afternoon, and it’s full of holes – according to the Bad Ass astronomer, Phil Plait, and his NASA nerd friend, David Morrison. I really wanted to believe that Apollo 11 astronauts saw a UFO, but according to David at NASA:

I just talked to Buzz Aldrin on the phone, and he notes that the quotations were taken out of context and did not convey the intended meaning. After the Apollo 11 crew verified that the object they were seeing was not the SIVB upper stage, which was about 6000 miles away at that time, they concluded that they were probably seeing one of the panels from the separation of the spacecraft from the upper stage. These panels were not tracked from Earth and were likely much closer to the Apollo spacecraft.

Dr. Phil… er, the good Bad Astronomy guy says there’s more unexplainable to explain:

As another quick example, they also talked about flashes of light that the astronauts saw in their eyes – these turned out to be subatomic particles (really, atomic nuclei) from space interacting with the fluid in their eyes. This is fairly well understood now. The show implies – it even comes right out and says – we don’t understand this phenomenon, which isn’t true.

TV shows need to be more like blogs, ya know? In the sense that real scientists could have swept in and commented on where that program went wrong. Instead, we’ll have people out there believing that many of the “facts” presented in the show were researched and documented appropriately. Where is there a (single) Web site on which viewers could easily fact-check programming like this?!

• A Planet Nowhere Near Mars
• Death from the Skies: the End of the World?
• Where Do You Go for a Bit of Web Fun?
• Do You Want Some 3D Astronomy Software?
• What is the Best iPhone Astronomy App?
• Microsoft’s Free Astronomy Software
• Register or Name Your Own Star for Free
• Lunar Eclipse August 28, 2007
• Astronomers eat Kittens, Scientists are Assholes
• I Want to Believe

I remember watching this press conference a couple of years ago, but if you haven’t seen The Disclosure Project – I’d like to get your take. “This 2 hour video is a distillation of over 120 hours of video interviews made by Dr Greer. Dozens of highly credible military and government witnesses discuss UFO events and projects they have worked on, with introductory and overview commentary by Dr. Greer. The video is divided into sections and is an excellent item to have and show to others, to get a full understanding of what the Project is about. It is more informative to see this video prior to seeing the May 9th Press Conference video.”

Google Video has both witness DVDs: Disc 1 and Disc 2. I know that my friend, Phil Plaitt, doesn’t believe it’s happened – but I’m looking for every reason to believe. Are every single one of these guys (recorded for this project) crazy? Are they all insane? Are they all in cahoots? I think we’re on the cusp of learning the truth…

• Secrecy Risks: what are the global risks if we do nothing
• Human Witness Testimony: dozens of witness testimonies that are real and shouldn’t be ignored.
• Witness testimony to nuclear weapons that were sent into space and destroyed by UFOs.
• Astronaut and Satellite Related Testimonials
• Craft and Body Retrieval of Extraterrestrial Origin
• Secrecy Examined: how it works through the unacknowledged special access projects and compartmentalization. i.e. How some members of our Governments are kept in the dark.
• The Secrecy behind Space Based Weapons: its lethal implications.
• Threats and Ridicule: suffered by those wishing to disclose the truth.
• Why the Secrecy: and why it is no longer necessary.

Is Paul Hellyer a complete nutcase? If only one of the world’s UFO sightings were real, that makes me 100% sure that I want to know more. I’m looking for a reason to believe.

• I Want to Believe
• Normally Paranormal
• SETI Hears a Who?
• Apollo UFO