I agree with you that...

Lazar comes off as quite sane and rational. Not sure what to make of it myself.

I do happen to believe there is life elsewhere in the universe, but I base that simply on 'odds'. I do not think they've visited here, physically, but I wouldn't be a bit surprised if tomorrow we detect a signal of some kind and indisputably of intelligent origin. That would be very interesting, no?

Of course, the most recent signal we could possibly receive would be 3.2 years old. That being the distance to nearest star at light speed. So, and again 'odds', any signal we might receive would most likely be several thousand, perhaps a million, even a billion years old.

I have been an avid sky watcher my entire life. Put away my telescope some years ago BUT I used to observe the heavens weekly. The most amazing thing I ever saw, however, I did not see thru a telescope. It was a naked eye observation and was pure luck. I saw a meteor hit the ground. This was night, of course, and what I saw was the light hit the horizon and then explode in a burst a light that was 'blue' but unlike any blue I'd ever seen before or since. It made contact with the ground in a small town south of Fresno called Malaga. The Fresno Astronomy Society was quick onto the scene and found the spot where it hit but no remnants of the meteor itself, having completely burned up or evaporated on contact.