Invading UFOs

I’m not saying it is, because it almost certainly isn’t, but the steady stream of identified flying objects over the past week or so is probably how we as a species would first find out that we were being visited by an alien species.

As I write this, there have been three in the past three days — all shot down by U.S. fighter pilots but none of them identified to what kind of aircraft they were or where they originated from.

No doubt we will be given an explanation soon. Perhaps a fleet of weather balloons went astray or an inventive prankster is at play. Maybe a startup in aeronautics is experimenting with tiny new devices.

Or maybe an unfriendly adversary (China, North Korea?) is testing our air defense capabilities.

But anyone who’s ever ready any science fiction or seen popular movies like Independence Day can imagine that this also could herald the arrival of an alien life form. 

Whatever is going on, it’s certainly giving our Air Force pilots some valuable target practice. I just hope they’re not destroying evidence that might prove valuable in the process.

After all, maybe we should be sending welcome messages instead.

LINKS:

• U.S. Shoots Down Another Flying Object Over Lake Huron (WSJ)

• Here is what we know about the unidentified objects shot down over North America (CNN)

• Sen. Schumer says 2 downed objects believed to be balloons (AP)

• Google search chief warns AI chatbots can give 'convincing but completely fictitious' answers, report says (Business Insider)

• Amazon is the latest threat to Facebook as ad targeting suffers (CNBC)

• Meta delays setting team budgets as Facebook parent plans fresh round of layoffs. (Financial Times)

• Natural Gas: Fasten Your Seat Belts (WSJ)

• Former Pence aide says DOJ subpoena provides him a ‘security blanket’ ahead of 2024 (The Hill)

• Unequal Justice: The U.S. Supreme Court is Reactionary, But Is it Also Corrupt? (Progressive)

• Here are the spending cuts Republicans have pitched in debt limit talks (The Hill)

• World’s largest drone maker is unfazed — even if it’s blacklisted by the U.S. (CNBC)

• After helping prince’s rise, Trump and Kushner benefit from Saudi funds (WP)

• Earthquake death toll tops 33,000, Turkey starts legal action (Reuters)

• As Anger Swells Over Quake, Turkey Detains Building Contractors (NYT)

• Neutral Austria under pressure to get tougher on Russia (AP)

• Ukraine Says Russia Is Delaying New Mobilization Amid Stepped-Up Offensive (WSJ)

• A Cactus Species Is Spreading Fast in an Unexpected Region of The World (ScienceAlert)

• The mysterious doodles hidden in a 1,300-year-old book (BBC)

• Middle Couch Cushion Has Clearly Had Harder Life (The Onion)