Mission Statement :
The purpose of this research is to try to get at the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
How do we know that something shown on every television set across the nation is really depicting a true event and not some special effects created in a studio, as they do in Hollywood movies being broadcast on the public airwaves to our computers and television screen?. We are using the red Bull Stratos “jump from the edge of space” event as simply one example of the major main stream media broadcasting of a “live” event. Our intention is to continue afterwards by exploring other media “events.
Many among us automatically accept the fact that this, and other major events really happened because after all, we all saw it live on our televisions and computers, did we not?
Our objective here is to arrive at the irrefutable truth. Some people believe the jump was faked because they believe that the act of raising a 3000 lb. pod with a helium balloon to 24 miles of altitude is simply NOT possible. If it can be proven to be IMPOSSIBLE then by definition the event was “faked”. Yes it may have have had a touch of reality, perhaps the jump was from 10 miles altitude, and the video was “doctored “ to make it look like it was much higher than that, but by definition something that is physically impossible can NOT be true even if it looks authentic on the TV screen.
Many people will believe the jump was real because they don`t see any motive for a large international company like Red Bull to attempt such a hoax. Surely their reputation would be severely damaged of discovered that the jump was simply a publicity stunt, and a phony one at that. That may be true, but one e can also say , (assuming the jump was `real` that they took a significant chance of a huge hit to their reputation if something went wrong. Can you imagine the fallout had Felix not survived the jump? Most assuredly there would be a whole lot of people accusing Red Bull of being a greedy despicable corporation that put their desire for publicity ahead of the safety of a human being.
In reality the motives or lack of one, is irrelevant, An event cannot be proven true or disproved because of, or due to lack of, a motive or any other circumstance. Even if it made perfectly good sense for red Bull to attempt this stunt, that alone does not prove it was genuine. The corollary also holds true; even if it made no sense at all, even if no company , or human being would be stupid enough to attempt this stunt that doesn`t prove that it did not occur. What we are looking for here is proof. Circumstantial evidence can be looked at and can help to shape opinions but cannot be accepted as absolute proof. We are looking for an absolute and irrefutable proof that this event was either a genuine event, or conversely that it was a hoax.
We welcome everyone who would like to contribute to this mission. Anyone who has any evidence whether scientific, or visual that might be helpful is not only welcome but encouraged to contribute to this research undertaking. Everyone is welcome to help in the research and corroboration of submitted evidence. Please note however that nothing will be “assumed” to be true without scrutiny and corroboration. Every photo and every video will be checked for authenticity, and images that have been modified and /or been altered will be exposed. Every eye-witness testimony will require corroboration; every scientific “fact” will be put to test. This is not to offend anyone, but it is our belief that this is the only way to ascertain that this was a real event and not a Hollywood like special effect production.
In the interest of transparency, we, the moderators, will hereby admit that we believe that the event was faked. That will not stop us however from admitting that we were wrong if it can be proven. At the end of this project we will either have definitive proof of a hoax, absolute confirmation of reality, or possible no definitive proof either pro, or con. We can only promise that we will make every effort to hunt for the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, and we pledge to follow the path wherever it takes us.
Let the fun begin.
Rick Potvin
&
Steven O.Neil
[Discuss]
