LOLDaleks

The children, they who are our future (or so some profess, at least in song), are so hooked on the computers and the video games and the TV that they “are more likely to recognise fictitious Dr Who monsters like the Daleks than real life animals such as a barn owl.” Needless to say it’s from a British survey, because the only ones here in the States that could make that distinction are BBC watchin’ adults and a fair subset of the juvenile populace designated as giant nerds. (Um, I was one. Hello, weekend afternoon PBS airings of the Doctor during my formative years!). Anyway!

The online questionnaire for the National Trust found just 53 per cent of youngsters could correctly identify an oak leaf, while half could not tell the difference between a bee and a wasp. One in three children failed to identify a magpie and only 47 per cent correctly named a barn owl.

In contrast nine out of 10 were able to correctly name Doctor Who’s enemies the Daleks and a similar number recognised Star Wars’ Jedi grand master, Yoda.

The survey is part of a National Trust campaign launched in London aimed at encouraging families to spend more time together outdoors.

This may distress some, but I feel it’s good that children will be able to recognize something that will most likely resemble our alien overlords when they arrive, which should be circa anytime now.

There’s a Starman Waiting In the Sky

If there’s one good thing to come out of this never-ending election cycle we’re trapped in, it’s the discussion of important issues facing the future of our great nation, from immigration to global warming to…aliens. After Democratic nominee Dennis Kucinich bravely outed himself as a true believer, everyone is eager to get a toehold in the new space (alien) race.

Just recently, always even-keeled commentator Bill O’Reilly interviewed everyone’s kooky crystal-clutching –and Kucinich’s daughter’s actual–godmother, Shirley MacLaine, on her own frequently espoused extraterrestrial beliefs.

O’REILLY: Some astronauts do believe, and airline pilots, that they have seen unexplained things.

MACLAINE: Yeah. I think the question is not, are they seeing something real that’s unidentified, but, what are they? Let’s get into that discussion.

O’REILLY: Do you know what they are?

MACLAINE: There are so many visitations that I would have to do some kind of analysis on them and answer your question.

O’REILLY: So are they like we are? Are they people?

MACLAINE: They are living “star beings.”

O’REILLY: Star beings.

MACLAINE: That is what they prefer to be called rather than aliens.

O’REILLY: Do they get haircuts and stuff? Do they look like we do?

MACLAINE: Stop that.

O’REILLY: Come on now, lighten up a little, Ms. MacLaine. Do they look like us?

MACLAINE: God, I hope not.

[The O'Reilly Factor via Newsvine]