J. André Faust

Sunday, May 23, 2021

Cannot Rule Out Extraterrestrial Intelligence Life Forms

J. André Faust May 23, 2021

Until we have direct contact with ET, we cannot conclude one way or another if there is intelligent life who are technologically superior to us. However, theoretically speaking, the probabilities favour the existence of such ET hanging out having a brewsky somewhere in this Universe or multiple multiverses.

Hypothetically speaking, if we accept that the evolution of life and intelligence develops at the constant of X billion years, then the likelihood of advanced evolution could exist in older galaxies.

Our best calculation to the age of the known Universe is 13.77, or 14 billion years RDN (however, as technology develops, that age is subject to change.) It has been calculated that our solar system is 4.6 billion years. Having said that, the earliest galaxies, according to the Hubble telescope, developed about 12 million years ago.

Currently, we do not know the average life span of a star relative to the Universe. What we do know is that stars are born and die once they have used up their hydrogen. The best guess that we have is that there appears to be a correlation between the magnitude of a star and its life span.

So, theoretically then, again, assuming that technological evolution occurs at a constant rate 4 billion years after the first galaxy, we have a solar system with a planet whose technological intelligent level we are at.

Eight billion years later, we have earth and its current technology. That means that the early planet has an additional 4 billion years to evolve. Comparatively, that would make us pretty primitive to the planet whose intelligent life had 4 billion years to evolve.

Suppose we accept Einstein's general theory of relativity, which states that one cannot go faster than light's speed. It would take ET 4 billion years to reach us; our star would have become a supernova and has become a white dwarf or black hole. Either way, all the inner planets of our solar system would have been consumed by the sun during its red giant phase by the time ET reached us.

If UFOs are indeed visitors, it will take them 4 billion light-years (a light-year is the time that it would take a photo takes to travel at a speed of 180,000 miles per second or 300 km per second per year.) Having that capability would suggest a branch of physics that we currently have not yet conceptualized and has yet to be discovered.

Friday, February 5, 2021

Choosing The Right Mayor For the Job

J. André Faust (Feb 05, 2021)

We are fast approaching the 2021 Fredericton municipal elections, and as a result of the coronavirus and an additional year added to their three-year term.

So if multiple candidates are vying for the Mayor's position, how do you choose the right personality to represent the city as its figurehead?

To answer that question, you have to know what the role of the Mayor is.

The Mayor's role is to chair the councillors' main council meetings and ensure that proper parliamentary procedures are followed; in the event of a tie, the Mayor can vote; otherwise, the Mayor has no vote on any motions brought by the council to the chamber.

Unless the Mayor delegates his role of liaison officer for the city, he or she is the official spokesperson and representative on behalf of the city. Lastly, the Mayor's role is to sign any legal documents or legal instruments related to the city's affairs. Beyond that, the Mayor has little power. The power lies in the hands of the duly elected ward representatives; it is the council as a whole that either approves or rejects any motions during regular council meetings.

If the motion is a popular motion with the citizens of Fredericton, then the Mayor gets the credit; however, the inverse occurs. If it is an unpopular motion, then the Mayor is heavily criticized.

What characteristics should a person have to attain the level of the ideal Mayor?

This individual should have above average communications skills with his/her counsellors, the public and the media. (being fluently bilingual in both official languages would be a bonus). Strong negotiation skills are a must for any Mayor to succeed in their role.

Candidates for Mayor can not make misleading promises such as "should I become Mayor, I will do this or accomplish that." It is the council, not the Mayor, who decides the end game. The best that a Mayorallity Candidate can promise is to qualify the promise with "working with my council members. I would like to see this happen or that happen." Finally, the last thing that Mayor doesn't want to become is a toxic agent who ends alienating themselves from their councillors, which is not suitable for the councillors nor the citizens of Fredericton.