-=> Quoting Fred Austin to Jack Sargeant <=-
 FA> Jack, there is no harm, if you wish to suggest now that
 FA> "disc-shaped objects" were built by Bell Telephone, I have no
 FA> problem with that. Or that you flew to Paris in one for lunch.
 FA> But let us clarify one thing here, Ufology does deal with the
 FA> prospect of alien incidents.
 Yes, and that's why it hasn't made any meaningful progress in the
last fifty years.
 FA> Otherwise this subject would have passed away into oblivion years
 FA> ago,
 Not true.
 FA> It is the implied possibility of other life that intrigues
 FA> scientists, Ufologists, and conspiracists.
   Scientists are also intrigued by why people mistake mundane objects
for something special, why people who've never seen any evidence of
aliens believe that they come and abduct people, why people stay firm
in their beliefs regardless...
   There's a lot of scientific mileage to be made out of UFOs, even if
they aren't alien craft.
 FA> That is what the object of this exercise is, to determine once
 FA> and for all within whatever time frame it takes, are we the
 FA> subject of alien intrusion
   That's a perfect example of why Ufology is bogged down. People say
"The question is: Is it an alien invasion or not?", and argue over
that single question, look only for evidence applicable to that single
question, and at times deliberately stuff up because they're afraid
there'll be nothing left if that single question is answered.
   If we could all forget about aliens long enough to change the
question to something more open, like "What are UFOs *really*?", we
might actually get somewhere.
Paul
... Fred Austin votes for the Antidisestablishmentarianism Party.  
--- Blue Wave/Max v2.30 [NR]
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