UFOs and the Law of Probability

OK, I've always been a skeptic about many things that others find it so easy to believe in, hence my agnostic tendencies when it comes to belief in a grand creator for the earth and human race.  I usually need to see some empirical evidence before I just buy into something.  But I'm also more likely to put faith in the law of probability, even in the absence of hard evidence, which is why I've always believed that we could not possibly be the only life forms living in the universe.  Considering the sheer numbers of stars and orbiting planets, the probability of there being a large number of star/planet combinations similar to our own in terms of size, mass, distance between them, and thus, ability to harbor life, is rather large.  So what does probability say about the type of life forms that might reside on distant planets?  I'd say that the odds are good that while some may be home only to primitive microscopic lifeforms, others surely harbor races at least as developed as we are, and likely there are at least a few that have been around much longer and are more advanced.  So, while our scientists at NASA and in the private sector theorize and experiment with ways to move humans through space, and remind us that the technology currently does not exist that would allow beings to move through space fast enough to travel between distant planets, I wonder if there are races that, being so advanced, have solved that problem and have perhaps found their way to our little planet.  While the President hasn't held a news conference to introduce the world to the aliens that have come to bring us good will and their advanced technology in order to save us from ourselves, there are an endless number of "UFO" sightings and events throughout our known history such that, under that same law of probability, suggest that there might just be something to it. 

So why am I going on about this today?  Because last night, while sitting in my back yard watching the night sky simply for pleasure of it, I witnessed what I can only describe as a UFO.  A set of dim lights, moving very rapidly across the night sky in a wedge or triangle formation, making absolutely no sound.  The small size and dimness of the lights gave the appearance that they were a group of stars or satellites moving through space as opposed to being within our atmosphere.  Then again, it could have been one very large wedge-shaped object with a set of small dim lights that was flying low, and just appeared to be objects in space because of the small size and dimness of its lights and the silent movement.  And no, I wasn't the only one to see it, because I called my wife's attention to it, and she saw it briefly as well before it disappeared in the distance.  A few minutes later, while I was inside the house briefly, she witnessed something else moving silently through the sky in the same direction that she had a hard time describing.  This one didn't have lights, and didn't necessarily appear to be a solid object, but was clearly there. 

I know that some who might read this will say "Oh boy, another UFO crazy".  And that's OK.  I'm not claiming I saw an alien spacecraft flying above my backyard.  I'm only saying that I saw an aircraft, or a group of aircraft, flying in formation at a speed faster than anything currently piloted by human pilots, while making no sound at all.  But the possibility that it could have been a craft piloted by beings from a distant planet is, well, supported by the law of probability.

First Post

Welcome.  This is the first post to my new blog.  It should be noted that I've never had a blog before, and have only a vague idea of what this blog will contain as I move forward.  Hence the title, "Been There; Done That; Think This".  I've been  alot of places, done many things, and have an opinion on just about everything, so I've left it open to whatever the hell I feel like sharing on any given day.  I may tell a story from my life, or relate a recent experience, and will usually always express my thoughts either on a current issue or an historical event.  I will try to always be honest and truthful in relating events and my thoughts and feelings, but I may also poke a little fun at others, to include those that I am close to, people in the public eye, or complete strangers that I saw in Wal-Mart.  So if you or your likeness shows up in my blog as the target of good natured fun-poking, please don't be offended.  If you show up as the target of my ridicule or rant, well.... sorry, you probably deserved it.

First, a little basic history about me.  I'm a fifty-something male living in the deep south.  I am married and have one grown daughter, who has an appendage known also as a son-in-law, and two beautiful twin grandchildren that I adore.  I was born the fifth of five children to my parents, and was a "late-in-life surprise" to both, my dad being close to 50 and my mom being 43 when I was born.  I lost my dad to the consequences of smoking when I was still in high school, and because of her poor health my mom was moved to my brother's home in Florida.  At the time this occurred, the brother in Florida had no additional room, my other brother was stationed on a submarine with the Navy, my oldest sister had a full house with three kids already, and the other sister and her husband were stationed in Greece with the Air Force.  I was living in the rent-controlled apartment where I had moved with my mom and dad when his failing health and the financial impact forced him to sell our house, and I had the family car and all the furniture.  My elder siblings noted that I was in pretty good shape with these things, along with a Social Security survivor's check and income from a part-time job, and told me to "sink or swim".  So I started my adult life as a Junior in high school, managed to graduate eventually after having to give up my dream of playing football, served in the military during the height of the Cold War, lived in Europe and many other places, married twice, held a number of jobs, earned two Masters Degrees along the way, and had one helluva ride through life up to this point.  As with most people, some of it was really good, some of it was really bad, most of it fell somewhere in-between.  Some of it I wouldn't change for anything, while for some of it I wish I could have a "do-over" to fix a few regrets.

I know that I am now on the "downhill side" of my life, probably looking at just another 25-30 years if I'm lucky, and in realizing my own mortality I feel the need to leave something behind that tells my story.  I've been told by more than one person that I should write a book about my life, but that's too much damn work at this point, and besides, books have to be constructed with order and have a pre-determined ending.  Luckily, I've lived to see and make use of this technology, where I can freely write whatever I want, with no specific order, and which can come to an unscripted end whenever I lose interest or lose my ability to write. Or, perhaps, just plain drop dead.