BBC Focus Magazine

[M Paul Lloyd]

Normally I wouldn't entertain such things but Louise Ridley did a rather good interview piece in the October issue on UFO type people, but I draw the line at treating it as anything but fiction, hence its inclusion here..... strangely, and really you couldn't make this up, the UN has actually appointed an ambassador for aliens, and thats not migrant workers with no green ticket.

Mazlan Othman, a Malaysian astrophysicist, is set to be tasked with co-ordinating humanity’s response if and when extraterrestrials make contact.
Aliens who landed on earth and asked: “Take me to your leader” would be directed to Mrs Othman. She will set out the details of her proposed new role at a Royal Society conference in Buckinghamshire next week.
The 58-year-old is expected to tell delegates that the proposal has been prompted by the recent discovery of hundreds of planets orbiting other starts, which is thought to make the discovery of extraterrestrial life more probable than ever before.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/spac ... itors.html

I do wonder how much all this................ (dare I say nonsense?) will cost of course?

[Shadowwolf]

I suppose it's better than wondering what to do if suddenly faced with a visitation scenario that did not begin with fire and flame. After all even though we have almost no evidence for any other intelligent species existing, we're here.

[M Paul Lloyd]

I suppose, but surely a suitable ambassador could be appointed on first contact, what worries me is this post will cost a lot of money and who knows how many years we will have to wait for it to be used for purpose.... unless of course the powers that be know something we don't??

[Shadowwolf]

...but surely a suitable ambassador could be appointed on first contact,

That's probably a bit late I'd reckon.

...what worries me is this post will cost a lot of money and who knows how many years we will have to wait for it to be used for purpose....

I cannot see it costing that much and it will come from the existing budget not be extra, how long is an unknown but one could lay that at the door of a good many scientific and other endeavours.

...unless of course the powers that be know something we don't??

Ahhh, well now, that would be interesting

[Dark One]

Couldn't we let Boris (the Mayor of London) do it? I'm pretty sure he's an alien infiltrator anyway.
Just imagine it...

"Ahh...er...so...er..hello! well, my...you've got nine heads. Marvelous!"

[M Paul Lloyd]

That would work............................ possibly..

[Shadowwolf]

I'm pretty sure he's an alien infiltrator anyway.

No you're getting mixed up with those reptilian royals

But if he is chosen let me know so I can find somewhere relatively protected to go hide.

[Dark One]

We could hide in Crossrail...maybe that's what it's really for...

[Healerman]

Ah! But that's what they want you to think...er...I think.

[Bigsmak]

here is a little something that should help our first contact!



Click here for full sized one!

http://blastr.com/pics/AlienContractInfographic.jpg

[Isee]

it also reminded me abotu a book I read when I was a kid by Harry Harrison (I think)
where a guy went for a handshake with an alien and gave him burns, because our sweat was corrosive to them.
And where he held the cane of their leader, leaves sprouted.

Chances are, no matter how difficult we imagine communicating with them meaningfully will be, we should multiply that by ten.

No amount of pointing, shrugging, nodding, smiling will help (as it would when communicating with a foreigner)