Very cool post. The Internet may have created more avenues for people to report what they have seen, but nothing to explain reporting anywhere near these levels (in other words, I think you're right). At other times in history, it's been witches, dragons, devils, and ghosts... whatever seems to be out there in the collective consciousness of society. I'm not discounting aliens, but most sightings are junk. Meanwhile, people who visited Disney parks in years past have related that they have fond memories of having seen Bugs Bunny there, even though that is not a Disney character. :)