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Late British physicist Stephen Hawking and his daughter, Lucy Hawking, give a lecture on “Why We Should Go Into Space”, in Washington in 2008. Stephen Hawking famously said humans should be wary of advanced extraterrestrial races. Photo: AFP

Letters to the Editor, March 16, 2018

Life beyond Earth: the truth is out there

American navy fighters in 2015 encountered an alien UFO near the US East Coast. After three years, information relating to this finally surfaces in the media (“Newly released footage shot by US Navy pilots shows UFO speeding over ocean”, March 13).
Given the number of stars and galaxies in the universe, civilisation must accept the fact that life exists beyond Earth. In fact, extraterrestrial life has been visiting this planet for thousands of years.

Evidence of this can be seen in prehistoric cave drawings in the Middle East and South America, of air vehicles emitting propulsion-like fire, and hovering saucer-like objects with astronaut-like helmeted figures.

Moreover, the ancients described with precision their interactions with these “Star People” in the course of their literary writings. Today’s religious belief systems are based upon those ancient alien visitations.

The US government admits it studies UFOs

During the time in which pyramids were built, technology had not advanced to a point whereby such structures could be constructed with such precision in science and engineering.

The quantum leap in human IQ as a species within these past 30,000 years is a developmental manifestation which would have taken 200,000 years had it evolved naturally and on an evolutionary basis. Humanity has received help, this time – genetically.

Further, Apollo and Space Shuttle astronauts over the years have encountered non-Earth-like objects under propulsion and guided by a foreign intelligence.

Credibly sane commercial airline pilots report countless numbers of UFO encounters a year.

Extraterrestrial life exists, and these entities have been visiting this planet for years.

The issue involved here is not if, but when, the next “Great Visitation” by the “Star People” will ultimately occur. This assuredly will impact every religious and social belief system throughout this planet’s human population. The question is: will mankind be able to cope with this event?

Earl Beal, Indiana

Pro-democracy camp has its work cut out

The defeat of the pro-democracy candidate in last Sunday’s Legislative Council by-election for the Kowloon West constituency came as a shock to many.

Disqualified legislator Edward Yiu Chung-yim lost by about 2,400 votes – 1 per cent of the total votes in the area – to Vincent Cheng Wing-shun, who is of the pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong.

Yiu failed to win even 50 per cent of the votes, when pan-democrats had always been assured of 60 per cent support in geographical constituencies in previous elections.

Analysts have blamed the ­humiliating loss on the lack of traditional-style campaigning and voter apathy.

The worry is that this skews the balance of power in Legco.

Voting on ­important bills and motions, such as the controversial joint checkpoint arrangement for the high-speed rail link to Guangzhou and the Article 23 national security law – which could ­impinge upon Hong Kong freedoms – will see opposition lawmakers in a minority.

Hong Kong democrats fail to win back Legco veto foothold in by-election

Interestingly, this happened on the same day that Beijing changed the constitution to allow President Xi Jinping to remain president forever.

The pro-democracy camp must ensure that they win the two remaining Legco seats lost to disqualification, so that they have a voice in lawmaking in the city.

Kingsley Kwong, Tseung Kwan O

India wins over visitors with warm welcome

I refer to Ms Mary Chan’s letter (“Get real when travelling in beautiful India”, March 7).

India is an ancient civilisation with a rich cultural, religious and scientific history. India, as did China, contributed about a fourth of the world’s GDP until the 18th century, when it began to be systematically drained of its wealth over nearly 200 years of British ­colonial rule. The British left in 1947, leaving behind a desperately poor country.

Given the state of its economy and its multi-ethnic, multicultural and plural society, any other nation would have long fragmented. It is the resilience and tolerance of its people, rich and poor, that helped India pick itself up and begin a process of rebuilding.

Hong Kong, like India, needs to remember the truth about British colonialism

Yes, India is not perfect, far from it. Yes there is a great divide ­between the rich and the ­poor. But then every nation has its good, bad and ugly. Unlike many others, we do not bury that fact, but are trying to correct it. India is a ­democracy with a free press and that makes decision-making a little more tricky and sensitive.

India’s GDP is now the sixth highest in the world in real terms but, with a population of over 1.2 billion, the task of poverty alleviation is appreciably harder.

Visitors to India do appreciate its rich history and natural beauty, its ancient cultural and spiritual heritage. The disparities between the haves and have-nots, the modern and traditional, are stark and clearly evident. But its people, whether rich or poor, are welcoming and warm. Visitors need to view the country in the right perspective and context.

Anuraag Bhatnagar, director, Forum of Indian Professionals, Hong Kong

Will Korea see Trump beat ­the ‘braggies’?

Donald Trump is a loud vulgarian with the “braggies” and an ill-advised penchant for tweeting.

Barack Obama is a sophisticated aesthete with an understated ­urbanity and the power to move some with his verbal virtuosity.

It was the latter who ­bequeathed us a nuclear North Korea, along with help from a few Oval Office predecessors. With his latest North Korean gambit, will Mr Trump prove as easily ­deceived as past presidents?

Bad things happen when ego ­beclouds judgment.

Paul Bloustein, Ohio

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