NOW I don’t want to alienate anyone (especially not with that terrible pun).
But this week I went to see the new Ridley Scott flick – prequel to Alien – Prometheus. And from the moment I put down my popcorn, I’ve been thinking about its premise, is there actually anybody out there?
Ok, confession time. I was a bit of a geek when I was wee. I loved sci-fi. And the X-Files…. well, wow! The Mulder-Scully format was perfect because I think in each of us there’s a little bit of each of them.
It’s a wee bit like ghosts and astrology – you don’t want to reject the idea entirely, because, what if, what if it was true?
There is, and I use this word tentatively, evidence from ancient religious texts and art, like cave drawings, that depict giant beings that appear to be from space (much like in the opening scenes of Prometheus).
This supposed proof has formed the basis of Ancient Alien theory and high rating History Channel programme of the same name Ancient Aliens.
If you look into the details though, the evidence is often manipulated to support the theorizing and much like a trip to the stars, it all seems a bit far-fetched.
So are the parameters of outer space simply made in a Hollywood basement?
There’s a lot of conversation about this out there. And by out there, I do mean on Earth.
Crop circles have largely been shown to be hoaxes – ingenious art creations by giggling artists.
Supposed ‘sightings’ are pretty hard to pin down as they’re generally subjective… or possibly down to a Mars Bar too far (sugar can do crazy things to us mere mortals).
Perhaps part of the problem with buying into all this stuff is that there’s a feeling that galactically minded folk are all a bit loony; wearing tin-foil hats and bidding each other farewell with ‘Live long and prosper’.
I actually did have a boyfriend once who was totally convinced by alien theory, but otherwise completely normal. It didn’t last though; we were definitely on different planets.
The odds that we’re the only life forms in the universe are pretty low.
However, who’s to say that they are more intelligent than us, have snazzy spaceships and that they’re sitting in the cosmos in their lycra spacesuits (just like the ones my friend and I are sporting in the pic) having a good larff at us humans?
At least for now, The Truth is Not Out There – but the year is 2012 and I’m pretty sure I saw on Blue Peter that we would all be having holidays in space by 2015. The Mulder in me cannot wait!
Swear to behave on pitch
THIS week an amateur football club was threatened with closure if they didn’t stop swearing so much on the pitch.
Families complained they could no longer take their kiddiewinks to the games as the players were such potty mouths.
The problem of expletives is endemic in the beautiful game (with fans too), which is a shame really.
Come on lads, right foot forward and all that…!
QB’s Corner – 5 things I’m loving this week
1. GRACE JONES: Hula-hooping. In leather. For the Queen. Need I say more?
2. ART-I-FAN: I'm no connoisseur but I do like pretty pictures. I went to the Glasgow School of Art show this week and it was ace to see our art stars of the future.
3. FLOWERS FOR NO REASON: I’m not fussed about Valentines, anniversaries or other generally soppy (and mainly commercial) dates but a bunch of flowers, just because, now that’s romance!
4. IDRIS ELBA – He was wicked in The Wire, devilishly good in Luther and now totally out of this world in Prometheus. Cracking film – do ‘believe’ the hype!
5. FAIRY GODMOTHER My best friend had her first baby on my birthday two years ago and made me godmother. This week, in toddler parlance (luckily I’m fluent) she said ‘I duv my dat’ (I love my Cat). So cute, I could just eat her!