Sorry for the confusion about the math. I can see how you misunderstood what I meant. I was not referring to the 115 thing as dumb as it is.
I was in fact saying math is not an opinion in reference to the existence of aliens. The math is clearly spelled out in earlier pages of this thread. I fondly refer to it as sitcom math at this point.
I share many people's interest in outer space and have mixed feelings on the value of modern space travel. Ultimately is will be necessary for the survival of the species, I'm just not sure if the stuff we are doing today provides true value. We will need several quantum leaps in our knowledge to be able to travel the immense distances we face. Does piddling around with rovers on Mars that cost billions advance that cause more than funneling those billion into advancing simulations and observations made from Earth? I honestly don't know.
What I do know, and what anyone being honest with themselves also knows, is that finding another advanced civilization amongst the stars is not going to happen. It has been mathematically eliminated more emphatically than a baseball team that is 23 games out of a playoff berth on September 30.