S11.E9: UFOs

[Lantern7]

Was anyone else bored watching this? I think the show phoned this one in, and that the topic had been on the shelf for years. John did try to make things less dry, but I reckon the episode peaked before the main topic was discussed. Of course, talking about UFOs becoming monotonous might have been the point.

[ebk57]

Yeah.  They don't have to take on really depressing topics every week, but this was kinda... weird.  Like they wanted to take the week off, but had to do a show because...contract. 

I do love when they skewer CNBC.

[Annber03]

I did think it was interesting, the bit about how people were so hesitant to come forward with their claims about seeing UFOs. On the one hand, I get why they would be, because people have been mocked for this in the past and it's been long seen as a fringel thing, but on the other hand, it does seem like more and more people over the years have come to accept that UFOs are a thing. I think a lot of people still seem to tie them to alien-related stuff, but all that term means is that you saw an unidentified flying object in the sky, and that doesn't HAVE to mean alien spacecraft. It's not out of the realm of possibility that people will see perfectly normal things in the sky that they can't identify for one reason or another - obscured vision, some kind of military technology they don't know the name for, something from outer space flying through that they don't immediately recognize for some reason or another. That's totally plausible. 

And regarding the government being more open about this stuff, on the one hand, I agree with thei importance of transparency, on the other hand, I also understand where they might be reluctant to give answers regarding some of the unusual things flying around in the air, especialy if they are military-related, 'cause, well...national security and all. 

But yeah, I've always been of the belief that I do think there are other life forms out there in space, but I don't think they're zooming around our planet. I do believe people when they say they've seen UFOs, but I also think there's probably a logical explanation for what those UFOs are. So I guess I'm that middle ground between those two groups that John was talking about. 

The opening segment about the nominees was fascinating and infuriating, especially the continued insinuations that Muslims "celebrated 9/11". I shouldn't be surprised that we're still doing that BS all these years later, but at the same time, come on, we're still doing that BS all these years later? 

Also, if the GOP really cared about anti-Semitism, they would be calling out people in their own party who are courting and getting support from anti-Semites, or spouting anti-Semetic rhetoric. 

Edited April 22 by Annber03

[peeayebee]

I agree that the main story was pretty thin. Most of the meat I already knew about, like the explanation about the wrongly observed speed of a UAP, but I did like seeing old clips of people talking about aliens and such, as well as the news report bits -- Mike Wallace introducing his cigarette, John Chancellor laughing about "UFO" being painted on the side of a UFO.

Oh, and I liked hearing the suggestion that UAP sitings could be attributed to seeing a flock of pelicans because I had a "What is that?" moment when I saw some once. I didn't think they were a UAP, but I couldn't figure it out until I drove closer and saw the pelicans.

The previous stories, like Mangi's confirmation hearing, were infuriating.  

[lasu]

15 hours ago, Annber03 said:

But yeah, I've always been of the belief that I do think there are other life forms out there in space, but I don't think they're zooming around our planet. I do believe people when they say they've seen UFOs, but I also think there's probably a logical explanation for what those UFOs are. So I guess I'm that middle ground between those two groups that John was talking about. 

I think actually most reasonable people fall here.  I personally agree on all counts with what you said.

[purist]

I dunno, for me it was a relief for the main topic to not be something that made me want to curl up into a ball and lose all my faith in humanity. The repeated bit with the snake made me laugh.

[iMonrey]

6 hours ago, purist said:

I dunno, for me it was a relief for the main topic to not be something that made me want to curl up into a ball and lose all my faith in humanity. The repeated bit with the snake made me laugh.

Agreed. Too often the topics seem somewhat irrelevant when one considers the more pressing issues facing us at the moment - the war in Gaza, the upcoming election, etc., and the main topic is student loans or Medicaid or food apps. None of which affect me, frankly.

If the show is going to do less pressing topics anyway at least this one was of general interest for anyone.

[kittykat]

I generally agree that this was not one of the better weeks and yet I was kind of relieved that it wasn't another blood boiler.

But I do agree that the government could do with a little more transparency with regards to what they're doing and what people are seeing.  It was an interesting subject and anything to drag out yet another cut for time mascot.

[andromeda331]

I don't think I'm ever going to tire of Boeing jokes. That one was really good. 

I do believe in aliens. I would love nothing more than to see UFOs turn out to be aliens. But I never really believed that. I've always assumed it was either new aircraft from the military or spy balloons/drones etc. Ours or someone else's.  But like John said the answer is boring. 

I agree with John about the UFO McDonalds, how could it have so few stars? That sounds awesome. 

[DoctorAtomic]

I think they missed the target here on government transparency versus what actually needs to be secret. 

[andromeda331]

On 4/27/2024 at 4:29 PM, DoctorAtomic said:

I think they missed the target here on government transparency versus what actually needs to be secret. 

Good point. Some things actually do need to be a secret.

[Anela]

On 4/23/2024 at 11:50 AM, iMonrey said:

Agreed. Too often the topics seem somewhat irrelevant when one considers the more pressing issues facing us at the moment - the war in Gaza, the upcoming election, etc., and the main topic is student loans or Medicaid or food apps. None of which affect me, frankly.

If the show is going to do less pressing topics anyway at least this one was of general interest for anyone.

I haven’t watched this yet, but I agree, too. I keep forgetting that we’re in a big election year, because so much is going on, on top of personal worries.  I feel like I’m under water, not even treading water, anymore.  My State also had a big year, last year.
 

I’m of the belief that there has to be more life out there, but I don’t think they’re little green men.  On the other hand, I’m not going to tell someone that they didn’t personally experience something.  
 

I do find it funny that stuff has been  released, since Covid started, and with all of this shit happening in this country, and the world, the response has been “so?” we had our suspicions for years, and you’re finally acknowledging it.  Great. Now do something about this.  

Edited May 12 by Anela