Profile: Fehklar

Personal background
I am 37 and live just North of Boulder, Colorado. I have a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Biology, a minor equivalent in Biochemistry, and an MBA with an emphasis in Finance and Organizational Management. I have always wished I could have studied Astronomy/Astrophysics, but I guess I was intimidated by the math and the thought of late nights peering through a telescope well past my bedtime! I enjoy camping, hiking, gardening, and spending time with my wife and children.
Thoughts about SETI and SETI@home
I am certain that extraterrestrial life exists, though its form and frame of mind may surprise or even disappoint us. Like all great discoveries, we are liable to stumble across the "proof" accidentally... if, indeed, we have not already in the form of fossilized bacteria contained deep within Martian meteorites found on Earth in the last few years. Intelligent extraterrestrial life is another matter entirely. I feel certain they are out there. If they know of us, I imagine that we must seem barbaric... perhaps even disgusting. On our good days, they may appreciate our potential. They may even envy some of our intellectual or physical attributes. I am thankful that their contacts, if any, have been fairly covert. I do believe that an immediate, public revelation of themselves would damage or even destroy our civilization. Try to imagine the Dow Jones Industrial Average the day after they have landed on the White House lawn. It is better if the process is gradual. I am adamant that we not transmit a message. There is no way of knowing who/what such a message might attract and we are certainly ill-equipped to respond to the malevolence or naked hostility of a civilization that has mastered interstellar travel. Besides, we may learn more by listening. No one ever learned anything by talking! Believe me... I have known many that tried! I think SETI@home is a truly unique way to participate in some small way in this exciting potential breakthrough. I wonder if it is possible to add an optional audio component to the screensaver. I know that it would probably just sound like static, but it would be fun on some occasions to hear the portion of data currently being analyzed. It would also be interesting if -in addition to the coordinates- major stars/constellations under observation could be identifed for the data. Other than that, the project is great! I am wondering why other efforts have not made use of the public's combined computing power.
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