# "Decide whether we should show up?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 15, 2004, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decide-whether-we-should-show-up/274835 "2004-11-15T08:19:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bcullman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bcullman/32/8207_2.png) [@bcullman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bcullman)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decide-whether-we-should-show-up/274835/1 "2004-11-15T08:19:58Z")
Message from alien’s : [http://www.geocities.com/changetheworld\_now/Changetheworld1.htm](http://www.geocities.com/changetheworld_now/Changetheworld1.htm) Has anyone determined if this is a hoax? ---
**Author:** ![tryout1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6de8d8/32.png) [@tryout1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tryout1)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decide-whether-we-should-show-up/274835/2 "2004-11-15T08:45:34Z")
Gee, what do you think? More seriously, what information, knowledge or perspective has been provided here that couldn’t have come from any college kid who reads science fiction? What promise is being made–specifically, not just “we’ll show up and your life will get better?” And extraterrestrial beings are asking us to \*vote \* on whether they visit? Is this a game show? Will the aliens decide by simple majority? Or for such an important matter, will it require two-thirds? And is it a percentage of all people on the planet, or just of the ones who cast a vote? Suppose voter turnout is really low? And is there a deadline? Could we adopt this telepathic voting for our presidential elections? Penn & Teller and the Amazing Randi often suggest this helpful guide to assessing such silliness: “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof.” Instead of asking someone to prove that it’s a hoax, try to prove that it’s true. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decide-whether-we-should-show-up/274835/3 "2004-11-15T08:50:17Z")
> [@bcullman](#): > > Has anyone determined if this is a hoax? After travelling 100 gazillion miles across space, the best the alins can do is post a word document on a Geocities site? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decide-whether-we-should-show-up/274835/4 "2004-11-15T11:08:36Z")
> [@](#): > > After travelling 100 gazillion miles across space, the best the alins can do is post a word document on a Geocities site? At least they learned to spell properly :). **tryout1** you’ll fit right in here, hope you stick around, welcome to the boards. > [@](#): > > Has anyone determined if this is a hoax? No one needs to because there is absolutely _nothing_ to suggest that it is not a hoax. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decide-whether-we-should-show-up/274835/5 "2004-11-15T11:19:20Z")
> [@1920s Style "Death Ray"](#): > > At least they learned to spell properly :). Those aliens are from the planet alin. Or something. They left for Earth in the 1960’s. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decide-whether-we-should-show-up/274835/6 "2004-11-15T11:38:44Z")
> [@1920s Style "Death Ray"](#): > > At least they learned to spell properly :). Maybe so, but their syntax is contorted: “Physically, we are somewhat different from you but for most of us humanoid-shaped.” ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decide-whether-we-should-show-up/274835/7 "2004-11-15T11:51:27Z")
Gort! Klaatu Barada Nikto! I’d be simply thrilled if Earth were visited by benevolent extraterrestrials; I’d even invite them to stay in my home. However, I’d be just a trifle disappointed if they started spouting such trite Cosmic Brotherhood wibble as is contained in the linked article. I honestly would expect them to think just a little differently from a student who just watched, and was deeply impressed by _The Day The Earth Stood Still_. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decide-whether-we-should-show-up/274835/8 "2004-11-15T11:52:33Z")
There are some clues to what advanced civilisations can teach us: **Evolution** is in: “There is no fundamental difference between you and us, save for the experience of certain stages of evolution.” Is the Rapture safe?! :eek: A useful \*\*miltary technology \*\* here: “You fail to apprehend us because we remain invisible to your senses and measure instruments most of the time.” So if you measure your instruments, you become invisible! Issue every soldier with a two rulers. Use one to measure the other. 🆒 And the matrix was more than just a film… 😕 : “The first way was chosen by a group of races motivated by keeping mankind in slavery, thereby controlling Earth resources, the gene pool and human emotional energy.” Still it’s good to know that aliens have got Internet access. I wonder what the hourly rate to access [alphacentuari.com](http://alphacentuari.com) is? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decide-whether-we-should-show-up/274835/9 "2004-11-15T12:01:15Z")
> [@glee](#): > > Still it’s good to know that aliens have got Internet access. I wonder what the hourly rate to access [alphacentuari.com](http://alphacentuari.com) is? :rolleyes: Can you imagine how slow intergalactic dial-up must be? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decide-whether-we-should-show-up/274835/10 "2004-11-15T12:18:44Z")
And the ping times! Forget about setting up a VPN. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decide-whether-we-should-show-up/274835/11 "2004-11-15T14:49:18Z")
I, for one, welcome our new Microsoft Office equipped overlords. What, you don’t for one minute think that all the brotherly hippy speak isn’t a cover until they pull off their stretchy masks to reveal their inner lizards? ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decide-whether-we-should-show-up/274835/12 "2004-11-15T15:13:28Z")
> [@bcullman](#): > > Has anyone determined if this is a hoax? “Change the world by a first official e.t. encounter” from home page. That and the overblown text satisfies my senses it is a sophmoric attemt to recruit followers. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decide-whether-we-should-show-up/274835/13 "2004-11-15T17:14:13Z")
Originally Posted by bcullman: “Has anyone determined if this is a hoax?” > [@spingears](#): > > “Change the world by a first official e.t. encounter” from home page. > > That and the overblown text satisfies my senses it is a sophmoric attemt to recruit followers. [Sherlock Holmes mode ON] If not a hoax, how did the aliens pay for the web address? [Sherlock Holmes mode OFF] ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decide-whether-we-should-show-up/274835/14 "2004-11-15T17:45:59Z")
> [@bcullman](#): > > Message from alien’s : Message from alien’s what? And what’s this talk about paying for a web address? It’s at geocities. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decide-whether-we-should-show-up/274835/15 "2004-11-15T22:37:00Z")
Here’s the part that bugs me: > [@](#): > > Whoever transmitted this translated message to you is irrelevant, and should remain anonymous in your mind. This seems to be saying that **bcullman** is both irrelevant (for which I have little evidence) and anonymous (which seems not to be the case). I’m starting to wonder whether I should take this document seriously. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decide-whether-we-should-show-up/274835/16 "2004-11-15T22:51:12Z")
I vote **NO** to the aliens visiting Earth. They sound like a bunch of wankers. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decide-whether-we-should-show-up/274835/17 "2004-11-15T22:58:02Z")
> [@racinchikki](#): > > And what’s this talk about paying for a web address? It’s at geocities. Well don’t they have to pay for internet access? 😕 Or do they know something we don’t? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decide-whether-we-should-show-up/274835/18 "2004-11-15T23:16:44Z")
This page shows that the message was “received” and written by someone named Jean Ederman: [http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?noframes;read=57050](http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?noframes;read=57050) and this site says he’s unavailable for comment, as he has flown away in an alien spacecraft: [http://www.tracieaustin.com/viewarticle.asp?ID=26](http://www.tracieaustin.com/viewarticle.asp?ID=26) > [@](#): > > On March 12, 2004, Jean Ederman, alias Eric Julien, author of the message "Change the world! " disappeared under conditions as strange as they were mysterious. After having alerted the police and having affirmed that he was now on on board a space vessel in training to control it, his partner Eve created on the Internet a Yahoo group “meet-et-now” to answer the questions of the Net surfers. Well I think that about clears this question up… ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decide-whether-we-should-show-up/274835/19 "2004-11-15T23:20:29Z")
OK I thought I was done but you guys HAVE TO check this page out - it’s written by our friend Jean Edermnan aka Eric Julien. [Hoo Boy!](http://quanthomme.free.fr/energieencore/anglaisericjulien.htm)