"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." --HST
20-something going on 80-something. If you're really as old as you feel, I should've turned to dust years ago.
Thoughts about SETI and SETI@home
1. I think it is a statistical certainty that life exists elsewhere in the universe. I think it is unlikely that humans will discover it in the near future.
2. Sure. Set up a permanent loop that constantly broadcasts "Stairway to Heaven".
3. To contribute, and to utilize old computer equipment that would otherwise not get used.
SETI@home and Astropulse are funded by grants from the National Science Foundation, NASA, and donations from SETI@home volunteers. AstroPulse is funded in part by the NSF through grant AST-0307956.