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From: John W. Ratcliff <jratcliff@worldnet.att.net>
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 00:33:05 -0600
Fwd Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 12:34:52 -0500
Subject: What's The Point? - A Rant


I am ashamed to admit that I kind of, sort of, maybe, in a way,
sometimes believe there might really be such a thing as UFOs.
Of course, then all of the sudden, awash in existentialism, I
begin to question my definitions of what reality is.  Is 'it'
something objective, 'out there', fixed and stable ruled by
immutable laws of physics, only marred by my pathetic interface
system, my random and half incoherent excuse for self-aware
consciousness, and generally half psychotic bad attitude?

Or maybe it's all a dream, yeah, that's the ticket.

Regardless, whatever bits of intellect a rational person, or
self-deluded person who arrogantly believes himself to be such,
might invest in so called 'paranormal' research suddenly is laid
waste about the time they encounter the likes of Richard
Hoagland.

Don't get me wrong.  I love a good yarn.  The better the story,
vampires, ghosts, UFOs, bigfoot, you name it, I love it.
Transpersonal experiences without the aid of psychoactive
compounds, or better yet, those with the aid of a good
home-brew, basement garden, or any kind of do it yourself mind
altering psycho-love-juices, are my favorite topic of
conversation; whether at a party of just in the line at a
grocery store.

However, that rambling said, I found the contents of this link
<http://www.enterprisemission.com/alaskan.htm>, the latest
public regurgitation of Richard Hoagland, to push the outer
limits of my own rather well rounded ability to explore
alternate belief systems.  If it's all a joke, a put on, then I
guess I can kind of appreciate this bit of performance art.
Where I get a real nervous feeling is when I suspect poor
Richard actually literally believes this stuff.

I guess I gotta admit, Richie is one guerilla ontologist who's
writings actually make me want to rush out and mail a healthy
cash contribution to CSICOP.  Naahhhh, that's ridiculous, my
original proposal for a formal intervention would be better...

Wait...I'm still rambling and entire paragraphs have passed!
What's the point?  Ohhh..I remember, what was the thrust of this
message.  The question is, what's the point if you actually
allow yourself to entertain the idea that not everyone who has
ever shared their UFO experience with you is a damnable liar,
and when you actually question people who have been involved in
the military regarding the subject and have been forthcoming in
their personal testimony, and you have read research material by
seemingly rational and sane human beings, and you have allowed
yourself to occasionally entertain the bizarre notion that maybe
UFOs might actually be kind of real in a way, even if you have
to stretch your definition of what reality might really mean,
and you suddenly gain a sense of complete and utter hopelessness
at ever discovering any semblance of 'the truth', or even to
create a more open climate for discussion of the subject in
public forums, when the likes of Richard Hoagland are promoting
the kind of insanity which was hyperlinked above?

While I love UFOs, and my run on sentences which are probably
designed to cause my high school English teacher the same kind
of maddening feeling I get when I browse the Enterprise Mission
web site, I must conclude that nothing anybody can publish,
produce, or promote, can ever rise above the noise and madness
of the likes of Art Bell, Richard Hoagland, god knows how many
other internet yahoos, radio talk show hosts, mega
bagzillionaire ex-CEO's, and their self-addled friends.

I give up.  Love and kisses.

John W. Ratcliff
Self Mutilating UFO Groupie