Welcome Thread - New Members Post Here

Hello! Though I've been aware of Mick West and subsequently Metabunk for some time, I figured I'd finally join up. My background is aerospace engineering and aviation. I've always been fascinated by how differently people can interpret sightings and data, and exploring how they come to those conclusions is one of my primary drives behind involving myself here. Engaging the now rapidly-growing UAP community is something that I'd like to do while opinions are still being formed.
 
Hello everyone.
I am a new user from Europe who wants to contribute in some discussions of a mainly aeronautical and meteorological nature.
I have been a Flight Dispatcher for over twenty years.
I thank you for the welcome. Good job everyone.
 
This thread is for any first time poster to (optionally) post an introductory "hi everyone" post, which will also get you "verified" (meaning you can post without anti-spam restrictions) once that post, and a few posts in another sub-forum, have been approved.

A few words on who you are and how you ended up here would be appreciated. Or just say hi!
upload_2013-11-7_15-17-0.png

It's highly recommended that you first read the Posting Guidelines:
https://www.metabunk.org/threads/posting-guidelines.2064/
Hello fellow critical thinkers, I am a 35 year old Mexican American from Arizona who loves science. I climbed out of the rabbit hole back in 08 using the science candle to guide my way through the darkness of ignorance.
 
Hi all, I'm a new member and I wanted to introduce myself. I began lurking here a month or two ago when the mainstream press coverage of the current UFO flap caught my eye. I stumbled upon Mick's work while trying to make sense of it all, and have been following along with (and been deeply impressed by the quality of) the discussion here since then. I'm an academic philosopher, so while I am not trained in the kinds of scientific or technical fields often referenced here, I do enjoy logical thinking and hope I may have something of value to contribute. It's wonderful to meet you all!
 
Hi everyone. I'm a sometimes credulous, open-minded skeptic. I post on Twitter and Reddit. I was interested in UFOs as a kid [thanks primarily to the Usborne UFO book!]. Re-engaged a little now with the upcoming UAP report [which I think will be a disappointment for pretty much everyone] and with the on-going mystery of the Nimitz sightings. Found this site off the back of Mick's YouTube channel after watching his FLIR, Go Fast and Gimbal vids.
 
Hi all. I'm a fire protection engineer in the Philadelphia area with 14 years of experience. Most of my experience is concentrated in building sprinkler and standpipe design, but I also work closely with architects on a variety of fire protection topics (mostly related to building code MAQs, control area concepts, life safety code review [egress, notification, etc.], etc.).

I stumbled upon this site when an acquaintance told me about the UAF Hulsey report on WTC7. I honestly didn't realize that the 9/11 "Truth" community was still so active (outside of around 9/11 each year, when I have multiple aneurysms arguing with people on Facebook... sorry I can't help myself), but was glad to see rational thought still has a place on sites like this and a few others.

Glad to be here, and hope I can help contribute.
 
Howdy!

Born & raised in Alaska with a 40+ year interest in conspiracies and supernatural claims.
Especially pyramid construction, UFOs & 'ancient tech'.

Other interests include Roman Empire-era military, amateur astronomy and 50's-60's guitars.

You have the patience of a saint, Mick! :cool:
 
Hi all!

I worked very closely with Mick at Neversoft on the first five Tony Hawk video games. Mick is amazing, and I have greatly enjoyed following his second career as a debunker, video maker, author, and media guest. I learned A LOT from Mick's attention to detail, investigative/science-based observational techniques, and his creativity and problem solving - all of which served us supremely well when we were making video games and trying to figure out how to achieve certain effects and game elements. Many of the lessons I learned from Mick I still apply today in making games, apps, and toys.

Recently, I've gotten sucked into the UAP frenzy, and have enjoyed watching Mick's interviews with the key "players" - or at least those that will engage! I've been cheering from the sidelines, but wanted to drop in and give a big thumb's up to Mick and the Metabunk community - the effort to analyze and question (dis)information is noble and never-ending!
 
Greetings all! I'm most known for door or street canvassing for many years. Also community radio hosting & imaging & voice-over production. I can drum really well. I went the evergreen state college (we don't capitalize). I started to toy with 9/11 or 9/11 truth back in 2005 or so. But really started researching around 2008 or so. I am definitely on the 9/11 truth side of things. Regardless, I very much value good effective communication. Ad-hominems or character-based arguments have nothing to do with the actual academic, scientific & investigative standards of procedure. Negativity, while fine to feel & harbor (lol), should be "taken outside" places of serious discussion/debate. I look forward to using this space. I'm very happy it exists. Thanks for the WELCOME mat, Mick.
 
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Recently, I've gotten sucked into the UAP frenzy, and have enjoyed watching Mick's interviews with the key "players" - or at least those that will engage! I've been cheering from the sidelines, but wanted to drop in and give a big thumb's up to Mick and the Metabunk community - the effort to analyze and question (dis)information is noble and never-ending!
Hi Scott! and thanks.
 
Hi Mick & all. I'm looking forward to meeting everyone in the forums. Mick has built a remarkable community here. Refining our ideas by confronting the most challenging cases keeps us all moving forward together. Cheers!
 
Hello, glad to have found metabunk. I'm an old amateur astronomer and skeptic who appreciates your work very much, Mick. You have Sagan's level of focus, patience, empathy, and grace when communicating with others who are perhaps less skeptical about a given subject. This approach is all too rare today and it's inspiring that you're able to maintain it even in intellectually hostile situations. Keep up the tremendous work.
 
Hi all! I'm Stephen. I've been lurking on here for a bit, but the recent burst of UFO-related articles in major newspapers made me think it was time to register. I've enjoyed both Mick's book and his general approach to things.
 
Hi everyone! I do not have any particular background in science however I'm very interested in exploring conspiracies and pseudoscience as of late since the pandemic began. I've found Metabunk to be an excellent forum, and finally decided to make an account in case I need help or can help others with refuting pseudoscience etc
 
Hi all. Time I introduced myself.
I'm normally called "Kris" and I live in SE Wisconsin.
I stumbled onto the site during a search a while back, and the UFO in Chicago thread dragged me into the membership.
I'm in my late '40s, have two wonderful daughters.
My science background is from being an avid amateur astronomer for over 35 years, I hold the Astronomical League certificate for observing the 110 Messier objects. I'm well versed in quite a few subjects from optics to mythology and everything in-between.
I'm blessed or cursed to have seen things that I can't explain, but still a skeptic.

I treat everything I see with logic and curiosity, and find the journey to finding an answer no matter how bizarre, as an adventure to experience and grow my vast area of knowledge. I hope to contribute more as time goes by.
 
Hi! I'm David Hebditch. I'm an author and documentary film-maker. (I also write books about sea-faring under the name "Jack Lagan".)

In the dim-and-distant past (pre-Internet) I was quite interested in reports of UFO phenomena but soon got irritated by the lack of credible evidence that there was anything "out there". In the early 1990s I became involved in investigating the Satanic Ritual Abuse myth and that resulted in my making two documentaries and writing a couple of articles debunking the lurid claims. I recently became curious about the huge number of documentaries about UFOs being aired on channels such as NatGeo and Discovery, I watched a few and soon realised that the quality of the evidence in favour of them being extra-terrestrial spacecraft had not advanced in 40 years! That in spite of the fact that a huge proportion of the population now has a high-resolution camera in their pocket. But still no decent photograph. Remarkable.

So, I'm asked -- by some -- to believe that these visiting extra-terrestrials have the technology to facilitate intra- and inter-galactic travel but don't have the technology to enable them to say, "Hello!".

I love Metabunk.org's refreshing approach to claims of sightings and will follow it avidly. DavidH.
 
New member here.
My name is Jay Jacobs I live in North Georgia. I'm a professional pilot by trade. I also enjoy ham radio, history, science, nature and many types of documentaries. I've used metabunk numerous times over the years during ...."discussions" with various conspiracy theorists online.

I'm utterly appalled at the plethora of misinformation, exaggerations, half truths, lies, doctored "evidence", confirmation bias and the gullible people willing to accept as fact anything they see on a meme being passed around online. I'll do far more lurking than posting as a rule.
 
Also thanks for making this forum. My name it's Scott and I live in Louisiana. I love aviation and history. I also like the truth and the scientific process with which we reach it.
 
Hello Metabunk. I am a tentative extraterrestrial visitation believer; a skeptical optimist. I'm also a Randian Objectivist, and I'm working my way up to being an amateur scientist. Thus on all three counts I look for signal and I try to look past noise, whether it comes from neo-mystical believers or comfort-seeking denialists. Neither of those polarized sides can as yet prove the conclusions they nonetheless cling to, and yet each believes they are more intellectually honest than the other. I have nothing conclusive, and I won't conclude until I do. So I'm here to learn, just as I'm also a member of the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies to learn. My task is to eventually be able to prove one side or the other, or exhaust myself trying. Yeah, it's a little ambitious. Why do anything without that?
 
Hi. I just joined. I saw another Kristen Meghan video today and she mentioned this site...not in a good way. I checked the site and saw some of her entries in the chemtrails thread. Her claim to fame seems to be a "whistleblower" about contaminants on military bases. I never see anybody explain to her that both of her bases have been on the EPA superfund cleanup list since '90(Tinker AFB, OK) and '91(Robins AFB, GA). Those are the dates on the reports that I found. These reports are common knowledge and I found them both online today. This is long before her career started. They're not hiding it. These have been depot repair level bases for decades. Lots of chemicals were dumped in the ground long before anybody considered that it might be hazardous. This contamination doesn't support chemtrails.
 
Hello everyone,

I am a policy analyst who was fascinated by the seemingly radical policy shift towards UAP by the US Government, and have written an academic-style paper on the policy and discursive shift.

I would love to post it here and receive feedback and any additional information that may have been missed.

EDIT: Hello, after posting this and a few others, which seemed to have been approved, I am still not considered a full member, and after editing a post it was removed. Is there anywhere I can go to rectify this?
 
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Hello!

I am a high school science teacher, big believer in the scientific method and there are few things I enjoy more than rational discourse. I've primarily taught biology (BS degree in that field, another in education) but also some physics and chemistry too. I tend to get really interested in interesting things, and have picked up some isolated pockets of sort of "weird" topics such as pandemics, nuclear weapons, psychedelics, etc.

I've been following the pandemic very closely from the early reports from Wuhan, and have been incredibly frustrated at the prominence of misinformation and this has led to a lot of debunking conversations with friends, family and even a stranger or two. While doing this, I found that the communication skills I've picked up in teaching various technical concepts to adolescents left me well-equipped for reasonably productive outcomes when doled out with respect and humility for the other party. We often say in education that we've got to "meet the kids where they are" and I have found this to translate well to adults too.

More recently, I've also taken a deep dive into the subject of UFO's after a student asked me about the navy videos during this past school year. I had never thought about this subject much outside of its entertainment value, but being a bit of a sci-fi nerd both the videos and the story surrounding them captivated me. I'd consider myself fairly open-minded and after exploring this strange subject from Roswell and the flying saucer craze to more recent developments with the UAPTF report, I tried to entertain all possibilities. But I have found no convincing evidence that the extraterrestrial hypothesis or any of the other extraordinary claims are valid and (rather disappointingly) find them highly unlikely. But while researching, I found Mick's material to be very well done. That's what led me here - I'm looking forward to future conversations with everyone!

P.S. - a rather large chunk of my youth was spent playing the Tony Hawk series, so thanks for that one Mick. Loved those games!
 
Hello!

Just a regular joe who has an interest in the topic of 9/11. No particular expertise in any fields related to the event, but I've found this site to be a great source of information and would like to contribute and/or ask specific questions from time to time.
 
This thread is for any first time poster to (optionally) post an introductory "hi everyone" post, which will also get you "verified" (meaning you can post without anti-spam restrictions) once that post, and a few posts in another sub-forum, have been approved.

A few words on who you are and how you ended up here would be appreciated. Or just say hi!
upload_2013-11-7_15-17-0.png

It's highly recommended that you first read the Posting Guidelines:
https://www.metabunk.org/threads/posting-guidelines.2064/
Hello, fellow realists!

I have been following Metabunk for several years and have enjoyed reading Mick's responses to all manner of bunkum here as well as on YouTube. I am a civil engineer and have an interested in the conspiracy theories relating to the building failures in NYC on 9/11. Hopefully, by adding my two-cents-worth to the discussion, I can help skeptics to understand the actual truth about what happened on 9/11 and the tricks that charlatans use to fool the public into believing otherwise.
 
I've been lurking for a few years and finally decided to go ahead and make an account seeing the influx of new people.

[...]

Like many I grew up in the 70's when paranormal hysteria was at a peak. Close Encounters was just important to my childhood at Star Wars. Unfortunately as I got older I realized more and more just how bad the 'evidence' was.
 
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This thread is for any first time poster to (optionally) post an introductory "hi everyone" post, which will also get you "verified" (meaning you can post without anti-spam restrictions) once that post, and a few posts in another sub-forum, have been approved.

A few words on who you are and how you ended up here would be appreciated. Or just say hi!
upload_2013-11-7_15-17-0.png

It's highly recommended that you first read the Posting Guidelines:
https://www.metabunk.org/threads/posting-guidelines.2064/
Greetings from... um, earth! When I think of "UFO" I suppose I understand the meaning as literal. That is... just an unidentified thingamajig. Why are images of such things (and UAPs) seemingly grainy? The aliens did it! <sarcasm> I am a big skeptic, so it was interesting to come across this site (credit: via C|NET article).
 
This thread is for any first time poster to (optionally) post an introductory "hi everyone" post, which will also get you "verified" (meaning you can post without anti-spam restrictions) once that post, and a few posts in another sub-forum, have been approved.

A few words on who you are and how you ended up here would be appreciated. Or just say hi!
upload_2013-11-7_15-17-0.png

It's highly recommended that you first read the Posting Guidelines:
https://www.metabunk.org/threads/posting-guidelines.2064/
Hi all,
Thank you for allowing me in. I do not troll and am serious about my posts.
 
Hi all. A university-affiliated sociologist in Ireland interested in the mass and group psychology of conspiracy theories and fringe communities. Came here not so much as to profile the metabunk community but to read and learn from your debunking of the US Navy UAP videos. Like Mick West, was obsessed/terrified by the topic of abduction as a kid watching the X-Files, and was still a topic hanging about on my radar (pun intended) as the Navy videos dropped.

Having read all the relevant discussions, the topic is probably a dead-end until more official information is leaked/released, but I consider the phenomenon to be a nugget of unexplained sightings (of probable terrestrial origin!) amplified by the equivalents of Alex Jones in the UFO community in the US having attached themselves to the DoD, much to the latter's embarrassment. Perhaps this coincidence is merely amplified by Navy staff making more recent viral videos in their very limited free time?

The fact that there is the tiniest chance that the US Government is softdropping something remarkable on the public keeps the interest alive, however the "we have more but it's classified" from the ufologists (inside / outside AATIP, all the same) means people with a general curiorisity may then be recruited into their "disclosure" conspiracy club and buy all the associated merchandise and pay to attend "conferences" etc etc.

The fact that this is primarily a USA thing probably links it to cultural and religious practices in that particular place, but it also has the most advanced military technologies in the world. Ultimately, what pulled me down this particular US Navy rabbithole was the testimonies of the Nimitz crew who strike me as normal credible people - the same flaws and vulnerabilities as anyone else, but they seem genuinely puzzled about the nugget of events witnessed (even if, as I say, they may be ultimately explained or understood by whoever actually has the full data).
 
Hi folks, I'm an Aussie living in South West England - Principal Environmetal Health Officer, biker, banjo player, bagpiper, lapsed surfer and sporadic radio ham. Came to be a sceptic though Betrand Russell in high school, Carl Sagan's Demon Haunted World, the Australian Sceptics and Sceptics in the Pub. Atheist, Humanist, BAppSci Env Health from HAC - Hoopray Hoopray Wollongabba Wollongabba Ho Ho Ho Wazzee Wazzee YAAH. Dream career would have been palaeontologist, and I hav collected a few ammonites, belemnite rostrums, and back in Oz, tons of ferns from the Triassic. Found Metabunk through Squaring The Strange, and your own podcast. 73.
 
Hello everyone,

as a hater of all things high school math, I really enjoy seeing math being put to good use for a change. What sets Metabunk apart is the acknowledgment that people believe in bunk for a wide variety of reasons, none of which deserve swift dismissal, let alone ridicule; Mr West's humble and polite approach to bunk really agrees with me and so that's why I'm here.

Not to get too off-topic here, but it does strike me as odd how highly respected newspapers do a less than stellar job reporting on the current UFO flap. If it's history repeating itself it seems to be more interesting to look into the beneficiaries of the current climate in the press and elsewhere than the, um, de-unidentification of actual objects.

As for my favorite sci-fi/fantasy author, it's a tie between Strugatzki, Lem and Terry Pratchett, obviously..
 
Not to get too off-topic here, but it does strike me as odd how highly respected newspapers do a less than stellar job reporting on the current UFO flap. If it's history repeating itself it seems to be more interesting to look into the beneficiaries of the current climate in the press and elsewhere than the, um, de-unidentification of actual objects.
My general opinon is that press reporting of anything to do with science and or math is gong to be abysmally bad more often than not. More science reporters with science degress, as opposed to journalism degrees, would be a Darn Good Thing.

As for my favorite sci-fi/fantasy author, it's a tie between Strugatzki, Lem and Terry Pratchett, obviously..
If you need a tie breaker, I'd vote for Sir Pterry.

And as I meant to say above but am too lazy to scroll back up, welcome!
 
I'm not sure how this works - I can't see an option to create a new post so I'll stick this in as a reply to Mick's OP.

Hello from the English East Midlands. I'm a member of a couple of UK 'UFO' Facebook Groups and 99.9% the stuff I see there is risible. It was someone rubbishing Mick over there that first made me aware of him. I've since followed his YouTube channel and now joined up here.
I have a mind that is open to most things and am frustrated by the low quality of 'evidence' that is accepted as proof of the existence of extraterrestrial visitors. Ditto every conspiracy theory I've come across.
I'm here to learn.
Cheers
 
Hello from the midwest in the us. I like this forum and would like to help support it. I understand that Mr. West pays for it out of his own pocket. Is there a way to make a one time donation?
 
July 17, 2021

Hello from Nashville, and congratulations on your book and a fantastic website! I'm a sole-proprietor in the business of researching land title records and issuing title opinions to lenders, title companies and attorneys. I'm interested in whether or not UFO's are real. I found you on Youtube when I saw Chris Letto was de-debunking GOFAST, but I've followed you on several Youtube livestreams, Joe Rogan, and CNN, etc. Keep up the good work!

Thanks for having me as a member and I look forward to reading your book!

Thanks,
Bill Ferguson
 
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Hello,
I have just joined because someone I love very much is incredibly convinced by a large number of conspiracy theories. They went right down the rabbit hole when covid started, looking for answers. It is now affecting our life decisions and putting a huge strain on our relationship. They are most concerned with The New World Order, Agenda 21 and, unfortunately, it has now gone all the way to Holocaust Denial. I am incredibly heartbroken, but I am reading Mick's book and am learning to have respectful and rational discussions. So I am here to join a community that might be able to help us. In return, I am an immunologist, so I am hopefully able to debunk anti-vaxx and covid related stuff.
 
HEY!

I just joined. I was laughing at a photo that too many people on YouTube we saying is evidence of aliens. A link posted by a member here brought me to this site. Ive never felt sooooooo relieved after reading a bunch of posts here. Being skeptical and questioning things especially on the topic of alien proof is why Im called a troll so much ...and I love it! It drives me nuts the tremendous amount of JUNK on youtube that people blindly accept.

I cant wait to read up on what you guys have said about COVID. I work for a biotech and specialize in Adeno viruses and its many cool variants but as Covid erupted last year, I was asked to move to that division and have been working it 8-12 hours a day nonstop since the beginning. I have a unique and knowledgeable perspective backed by FACTS that Ive lived through. Its what I do for a living and is not just a casual hobby for me. It will be fun to contribute what I know when the time comes. Covid is one bad little thumb drive and theres alot of misinformation running around right now about the variants ...in particular the Delta... Gamma/Lambda which we know well and know "why" the two have been confused when sequenced. It has to due with where the mutation took place. Anyway, I digress, thank you for the welcome!

Just a note of confidence...I am Pfizer vaccinated and so is my wife and adult kids who I love with all my life. And yes, I told them to get it.
 
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Hi Mick and fellow skeptics,
Got here via the Skeptics Guide to the Universe and recent discussions of UAP. Thanks for your work, Mick!

~Tony
 
I'm terrible at intoductions and I couldn't even begin to explain how I wound up here or why I think like I do.

I'm a kiter (but badly out of practice) and I really, really like dogs...I have two Lurchers and a Rottweiller cross.
 
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