It’s the year 2070, and NASA finally manages to get a manned mission to Jupiter. While surveying the moons, they find evidence of life on the moon Europa and land to make First Contact.
Sure enough, there’s a race of advanced beings there, and the two groups exchange huge amounts of information. Inevitably, the questions turn to sex.
“How do you reproduce?” one of the NASA astronauts asks.
The Europans are pleased to demonstrate. Two of them get together and touch tentacles in a special way. A moment later a sac appears on one of them, grows to the size of a basketball, and breaks open. A tiny tentacled baby pops out and falls to the ground, jumps up, and starts running around looking for its first meal.
“Amazing!” exclaim the Earthlings.
“So will you give us a demonstration of how you do it?” ask the aliens.
The Earthlings can hardly refuse, so the commander asks for volunteers and a couple steps forward and demonstrates Earthly delights. The Europans are rapt with interested attention.
When the couple finishes, however, the aliens are confused. “Where is the child?” they ask. “Or was the mating a failure?”
“Well,” says the commander, “we don’t find out right away. If it was successful, it takes a month or two to find out, and the baby doesn’t show up for nine months after conception.”
“Nine months?” asks the incredulous alien leader. “Then why were they in such a hurry at the end?” Continue reading “5 June 2011 – Amusements”
You’ll be pleased to hear that our swallows are doing well. The first batch has just fledged and are flying in and out of the garage like kids playing tag in the park, quickly and noisily. I think there are four chicks, all of whom look very fit and healthy. The next batch won’t be too far behind.