My sentiments also. There have been a few here over the years who tried to start a weeding out process with the hope that in the end there would be a "best theory standing", that the field could focus on.
But that required the theorists study each others theory, accept criticism of their own work, be flexible and willing to accept and incorporate a better idea...in other words the expected, and normal peer review give and take. Not much interest though.
When I first came up with irrefutable math for a non-thermonuclear path to fusion, I applied for a patent and become part of this forum. I had a problem. I could prove with mass balance and stoichiometry an equation for a transmutation reaction, but the energy balance based on the mass loss indicated very little enthalpy and enormous entropy. In a show of bureaucracy, the US patent office classified my application as cold fusion and would not examine any argument. So, I had the potential for all the energy the world will need but nothing that would be more productive than Santilli's ICFP. I had no funding but frankly, I didn't know how to convert entropy to enthapy, so unless I could imagine the how of things and find new physics possibilities, funding wouldn't help.
What I needed was LENR forum because it is filled with scientists on the fringe. I hoped someone would show me where the math was wrong. No one here has. Over time as I explained things to some people, I found some mistakes but nothing which changes my assertion that the conclusion of the math is irrefutable. But what about something practical?
I have carefully studied and done due diligence on various ideas presented in this forum, in patent applications, and reports. Not everything because I either don't understand it or I judge the effort to provide too little return to the part of the puzzle I understand. I love the help with ideas on the edge of the known. Over my time on the forum, I have greatly improved my understanding. I don't think it fair to say what I learned from whom, but I am grateful. I keep getting closer to something practical.
My plan is to publish videos when the mountain of evidence is large enough or just wait until I have something practical. I am very close to both.
My interaction with this forum leads me to believe that criticism is often not objective and instead is self-serving. If everyone is like me, having some certainty but still putting pieces in order to be practical, then a "best standing theory" is already in our collective minds. If so, then a practical demo is near at hand.