His site has some interesting reads but I don't feel he's truly qualified to make many of the claims he does. Studying physics for 20 years isn't quite the same as being a Physicist. And I normally question the motives of those who offer information of this nature for a price.

Well actually holding the title of 'Physicist' does not automatically make you an authority on everything scientific. There are many freelancers out there that have much better ideas on where science and technologie should progress, than people with more 'formal' educations.

[edit on 24-7-2004 by Sigma]

Sinobyte, have you seen the NASA video that Sereda shows?

If you haven't, I suggest you check it out.

Originally posted by Sigma
Well actually holding the title of 'Physicist' does not automatically make you an authority on everything scientific. There are many freelancers out there that have much better ideas on where science and technologie should progress, than people with more 'formal' educations.

So you wouldn't be adverse to receiving brain surgery from an unlicensed Surgeon with less than a "formal education"? You'd be okay to take medical advice from a man who continually flunks his medical exams?

It's not JUST the title that makes one knowledgeable in their particular field...it's the experience, the professional training. Simply because one doesn't hold the title "Physicist" doesn't mean they aren't knowledgeable in Physics but it does say a lot about their committment to their field.

Sereda's own biography really shows where his field of expertise lies and it's not Physics but environmental issues. Thanks for "schooling me" on "formal educations", I'll take that into consideration if I ever need advice from you on the right brain surgeon.



[edit on 7/25/2004 by Sinobyte]

Originally posted by DClark
Sinobyte, have you seen the NASA video that Sereda shows?

If you haven't, I suggest you check it out.

If I get the chance I will definitely do that. Thanks man.

Sinobyte, would you ask a brain surgeon to perform anything other than brain surgery? I doubt it. Holding the title of Physicist may give you some credibility, but it does not make you an authority on all science. I think you took my statement out of context, I was trying to say that there are many people out there who have a lot of knowledge about different things, but might not have a Formal degree in the field, a title which says very little about the person. You would agree that there are varying degrees of professionalism among people who hold the same degree would you not? You would want the BEST brain surgeon correct? Thats the point I was trying to make, he may not have a formal degree but 20 years of research would make him an authority in my book over a person with a 4 year degree. He could probably get a degree very easily if he wanted to. I think many people who have degrees have stopped thinking outside of the box and only believe what they read in a textbook.


P.S. I never said that all people with Degrees are wrong, as many are very intelligent. I just think that there are many people out there who are learning outside the box and have much to offer us. If we had listened to all these so called 'professionals' we wouldn't have telephones and heavier than air flying machines. Titles are just that, titles! They not descriptions of the persons accomplishments and intelligence! Unless it is an nobel prize ofcourse hehe...

[edit on 25-7-2004 by Sigma]

I'd be alot more comfortable asking a brain surgeon about medical advice then somebody unlicensed and more qualified in the environment. Would't you?

I don't believe that a formal education and the title Physicist qualify the holder as knowledgeable in EVERYTHING scientific but I'd be more apt to look for the advice of a formally trained Physicist than a self-taught practioner...which is why most people interested in a particular field seek out formal training. Does it make them more qualified than most informally trained practioners? In most cases, yes. In some cases, no.

I don't mean to sound rude or appear to be personally attacking you when I say this but your thoughts on formal training sound like those of a person who has possibly dropped out of High School or failed to move ahead in college. I'm sure you'll say you haven't or you're doing great and there's really no telling if you have or haven't but a formal education does count for something. To me, those who seek out formal educations are interested in furthering their ideas by seeking out official standing within their selected community. Surely, "learning outside the box" can be beneficial but a formal education is just as beneficial.

And as I stated above...anybody can plainly see Sereda is far more qualified in the field of environmental issues. Not Physics.

[edit on 7/25/2004 by Sinobyte]

No need to be condescending. I have my ideas about the issues, you have yours. I respect many people who have their formal educations, and of this writing I am currently seeking mine. However I am always keeping an open mind about things in this world, sometimes definitive sources, aren't always definitive, and I don't like to discredit people just because they don't have a formal education. There are many things that I can learn from people who don't have formal educations.

Would I be comfortable with a brain surgeon with no applicable credentials? No, I don't think I would trust my life with someone without a degree. But would I have blind faith in him? No I think I would do a little digging and make sure his background is substantial and in compliance with his degree. For all I know he got his degree in two weeks online... lol.
I am not sure why you decided to used brain surgery as an analogy, as I am surely not asking these people to operate on my brain!

However I am always keeping an open mind about things in this world, sometimes definitive sources, aren't always definitive, and I don't like to discredit people just because they don't have a formal education. There are many things that I can learn from people who don't have formal educations.

Well stated, and as Mark Twain is credited as saying, "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." Indeed, they are two seperate things.

Originally posted by Sinobyte
His site has some interesting reads but I don't feel he's truly qualified to make many of the claims he does. Studying physics for 20 years isn't quite the same as being a Physicist. And I normally question the motives of those who offer information of this nature for a price.

Heh...I thought Physicists had to publish also? Or were all those books by my professors in college that I had to buy/read just a coincidence? Everyone has to make a living somehow, but I also agree that any UFO buff that writes a book year after year with little content inside his book is someone to be careful of. I don't think this guy is doing that (he only has 2 videos so far).

I don't really know much about this guy but from what I heard of him on the radio during the Mexico sighting, he was much better than Richard "make a short story long" Hoagland. I'm willing to give him a shot for a while and see how he does.

DClark...did you watch those videos yet??? What's your opinion?

Some of the dumbest people I know have Ph.D.'s and some of the smartest have no degrees at all, but admittedly, it's usually the other way around.

I'm with Sigma on this. Academic titles do have significance and are worthy of consideration, but they are not the ultimate measurements of a person's competence, talents or wisdom (especially true in the computer biz).

As for David Sereda, anyone who personally manages to plant over a million trees while doing all those other things can't be half bad. He claims to have accomplished quite a few different things and clearly has native talent in spades -- including marketing talent.

Nice to see Dan Akroyd keeping his hand in, as well. My favorite quote from the whole website is an Akroyd quote:

"At about 2:00 a.m. I arose and stepped outside our bedroom onto the terrace wall to relieve my bladder."

A real man's man. Watering the weeds. Gotta love that.

The trailer is tantalizing, and no fooling, but the bottom line is still the bottom line:

For $24.95 you can see his movie (3 hours, pop extra popcorn), and for $14.95 you can read his book (264 pages of skull-wrenching revelation).

I don't plan to buy either, but if you get the movie, can I borrow it after you're done? I promise to rewind it.

Originally posted by Majic
He claims to have accomplished quite a few different things

So has several dozen other frauds in the UFO Community.


As for the people above who for some reason believe I was stating that a degree and title mean a person possesses all forms of knowledge in their fields is incorrect. I was simply stating that if I might desire some physics information, do I ask a man who claims to have studied physics for 20 years or a degreed physicist with several years of documented, active physics research?

Dozens of people in the UFO community have claimed they were highly researched experts in this or that and most turn out to be frauds. Though I won't go so far as to say Sereda is a fraud, I still don't believe he's qualified in physics. Would many of you believe I've studied physics for 21 years if I simply stated it on my website?


As I said to the guy that started this thread though, I'll give Sereda's video a try when I get time. Thanks

[edit on 7/28/2004 by Sinobyte]

Sinobyte: I hear you loud and clear. Indeed, to date I have yet to read of anyone in the UFO or other "paranormal" information industries that didn't have an extraordinary autobiography. It's not to difficult to figure out why:

"Hello, I'm Joe Kowalski, and I've been a garbage man all my life. I've never been considered a particularly interesting person, and don't know much about anything except how to collect garbage. Now, what I'm about to tell you about UFOs will change your life..."

Ironically, that's probably more accurate than most bios floating around out there. UFOlogists have backgrounds in cutting-edge "alternative science the establishment is trying to suppress" and conspiracy theorists, invariably have prior experience working for (or being targeted by, or both) "secret agencies the government doesn't want you to know about".

Whatever it takes to profitably sell videos, books and cassette-audio-taped seminars about forbidden knowledge is fair game, I suppose. Just different names for the same old games, except a few thousand years ago hawkers of "mysteries" didn't have all the marvelous media options modern merchants of enlightenment take for granted. Ah, progress!

Lest I be misunderstood, although I know some very talented people who do not sport formal academic titles, I'm with you on the doctor analogy.

If I become seriously ill, I intend to take my health concerns to an M.D., not a guy who is "good at fixing things". Likewise, if I want to know about astronomy, I'll wager that my friendly neighborhood astronomer will have more to offer than the cashier at the Kwik-E-Mart.

Then again, you never know...

Originally posted by Boogie

DClark...did you watch those videos yet??? What's your opinion?

Yes, I have watched the tapes and I'm still amazed at the NASA footage. What really backs up Sereda's claims is when the astronauts and Houston talk about what they're seeing.

I think it's probably better if you know a lot about physics if you really want to understand his theory on how the ufos travel.

I plan on talking with some other people that watched his presentation and maybe know a little more about him. Maybe they can shed some more light on this. All in all, I strongly recommend trying to see his video. It definitely will make you think.