Chasing UFOs - National Geographic

[Goggs Mackay]

For some thinkers, the knowing of possible solutions to world and local problems makes them feel isolated as if no-one is listening, otherwise we would not be in this mess - sort of thing.
There is truth to that but things are always far more complicated and grey rather than black or white. For some there is only the black or white and if they happen to think they are living in the wrong colour they will be angry and vocally so. I think that is David's thing, it defines him and hopefully does not limit him. I'd like to think I could have countless good conversations with David Biedny, I would never know if he would be my type of friend or not but that does not matter when it comes to just enjoying speaking with someone with plenty to say.

Here's a test I just invented to determine if you value of David: Would you have David as a dinner guest?

My answer is absolutely yes. There is no way I would pass up a chance to spend time chatting to David and for someone I've never met that is pretty decent praise I reckon.

 

[Muadib]

Personally, I like Biedny a lot, he wasn't afraid to call bullshit on liars and scam artists and he never held back his opinion, which I respect. Honestly, I think there's something wrong with people who aren't pissed off about the state of things going on in the world today. It's not healthy to be raging angry all the time but if you aren't at least a little bit angry, you're either lying to yourself or there's something wrong with you. Just my opinion though.

 

[Christopher O'Brien]

It wasn't my intention to go completely off-topic in this thread, but as Carl Sagan said: extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence (and/or corroboration) . I have found no evidence of any major UFO sighting events in Venezuela in 'the mid '70s and I've looked and have taken the time to make inquiries. As for David. He was always respectful and supportive of my work and for that I am still grateful and very appreciative. I still enjoy listening to the old episodes and marveling at his steel-trap intellect and spot-on insight. Sure, occasionally he would go off and rant a bit, but that was part of his ummm charm on the Paracast and what made the show rise head-and-shoulders above the rest. I wish him the best and hope he's gotten over me filling his big boots w/ Dr. Scholl's odor-eater inserts and my brand of questionable humor and informed insight...

 

[Randall]

It wasn't my intention to go completely off-topic in this thread, but as Carl Sagan said: extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence (and/or corroboration) . I have found no evidence of any major UFO sighting events in Venezuela in 'the mid '70s and I've looked and have taken the time to make inquiries. As for David. He was always respectful and supportive of my work and for that I am still grateful and very appreciative. I still enjoy listening to the old episodes and marveling at his steel-trap intellect and spot-on insight. Sure, occasionally he would go off and rant a bit, but that was part of his ummm charm on the Paracast and what made the show rise head-and-shoulders above the rest. I wish him the best and hope he's gotten over me filling his big boots w/ Dr. Scholl's odor-eater inserts and my brand of questionable humor and informed insight...

In the context of science, the Sagan principle is flawed. Why? Because what is extraordinary to one person may not be so extraordinary to another. It is a subjective call. An objective dispassionate scientific view would ( or at least should ) be that any claim, regardless of how extraordinary it may seem, only requires sufficient evidence. Requiring any more than that is an admission of scientific bias. The only place the Sagan principle has any reasonable application is in our everyday lives where we don't require scientific proof to draw reasonable conclusions e.g. when someone gives us an excuse for showing up late: "There was a traffic accident" ( reasonable ) or "I was beamed aboard the Enterprise by Captain Kirk" ( preferable ... but not so reasonable ).

 

[Frank Stalter]

as Carl Sagan said: extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence

Haha, I was thinking about this quote the other day. Honestly, I think it's become a cliche and a bit of a crutch. My own feeling is evidence of something extraordinary merits a closer look.