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April Fools' Day: did you fall for any of these internet pranks? April Fools' Day: did you fall for any of these internet pranks?
(about 3 hours later)
For decades April Fools' Day has given the media a great excuse to let down its hair a little. Actually, make that centuries: one of the first allusions to springtime tomfoolery can be found in the Canterbury Tales, in which a vain cock is tricked by a fox in the Nun's Tale.For decades April Fools' Day has given the media a great excuse to let down its hair a little. Actually, make that centuries: one of the first allusions to springtime tomfoolery can be found in the Canterbury Tales, in which a vain cock is tricked by a fox in the Nun's Tale.
In the modern era, our favorite media hoax is still the BBC's classic 1957 Swiss Spaghetti Harvest story. The three-minute report had all the hallmarks of a perfect prank: an implausible absurdity, presented with deadpan earnestness. The BBC received hundreds of calls from viewers wanting to buy spaghetti bushes.In the modern era, our favorite media hoax is still the BBC's classic 1957 Swiss Spaghetti Harvest story. The three-minute report had all the hallmarks of a perfect prank: an implausible absurdity, presented with deadpan earnestness. The BBC received hundreds of calls from viewers wanting to buy spaghetti bushes.
Media outlets still attempt the odd prank on the first of April, of course. But if 2012 is any indication, it's the more-nimble tech companies that feel less obligated to, well, adhere to the truth. It turns out they also have better senses of humor.Media outlets still attempt the odd prank on the first of April, of course. But if 2012 is any indication, it's the more-nimble tech companies that feel less obligated to, well, adhere to the truth. It turns out they also have better senses of humor.
Yesterday's most notable dud goes to Forbes blogger Len Burman, who wrote a story with the headline "Romney Drops Out of Race, Endorses Santorum." Not exactly a gut-buster of a punchline. However, search engines are irony-blind and the headline made its way to the top of Google News. Forbes retracted it almost immediately.Yesterday's most notable dud goes to Forbes blogger Len Burman, who wrote a story with the headline "Romney Drops Out of Race, Endorses Santorum." Not exactly a gut-buster of a punchline. However, search engines are irony-blind and the headline made its way to the top of Google News. Forbes retracted it almost immediately.
Here's a roundup of the best of yesterday's pranks. Let us know if we missed any:Here's a roundup of the best of yesterday's pranks. Let us know if we missed any:
• Conan O'Brien buys Mashable for $3,500. The comedian posted a video to the tech news site in which he announced: "I'm sick and tired of scanning the internet looking for any news about technology: devices, gadgets, what's coming up, maybe even a rating system for gadgets that are out there. It doesn't exist on the web and it's high time it did."• Conan O'Brien buys Mashable for $3,500. The comedian posted a video to the tech news site in which he announced: "I'm sick and tired of scanning the internet looking for any news about technology: devices, gadgets, what's coming up, maybe even a rating system for gadgets that are out there. It doesn't exist on the web and it's high time it did."
• NPR reported that the character limit for tweets will be shrinking from 140 to 133. It's the specificity of that number that lent the report a twinge of plausibility.• NPR reported that the character limit for tweets will be shrinking from 140 to 133. It's the specificity of that number that lent the report a twinge of plausibility.
• Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel emailed reporters announcing he would use the Freedom of Information Act (Foia) on himself. "The only four-letter F-word I use now is 'Foia'," the notoriously foul-mouthed Emanuel wrote in his press release. He said he hoped his office would turn over "... emails, phone records, pictures, text messages, holiday cards, lunch receipts, discarded chewing gum ..." Cute, but nobody fell for it.• Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel emailed reporters announcing he would use the Freedom of Information Act (Foia) on himself. "The only four-letter F-word I use now is 'Foia'," the notoriously foul-mouthed Emanuel wrote in his press release. He said he hoped his office would turn over "... emails, phone records, pictures, text messages, holiday cards, lunch receipts, discarded chewing gum ..." Cute, but nobody fell for it.
• As it often does, Google launched a suite of prank sites, including Google Really Advanced search which takes Boolean to a whole new level. Try your hand at a search that includes: "the words ___, but not ___, unless they contain either the intersection of phrases ___, ___, and ___ or a gerund in which case the disjunction of ___ and ___ will also be taken into account (on Tuesdays)."• As it often does, Google launched a suite of prank sites, including Google Really Advanced search which takes Boolean to a whole new level. Try your hand at a search that includes: "the words ___, but not ___, unless they contain either the intersection of phrases ___, ___, and ___ or a gerund in which case the disjunction of ___ and ___ will also be taken into account (on Tuesdays)."
• Google and Nascar jointly announced the Google-branded self-racing car.• Google and Nascar jointly announced the Google-branded self-racing car.
• Google also announced that it would be releasing retro-looking 8-bit maps for Nintendo NES.• Google also announced that it would be releasing retro-looking 8-bit maps for Nintendo NES.
• Kindergarten Cop gets the Criterion Collection treatment. Genius. Not to be outdone, YouTube announced it would be releasing the YouTube Collection on DVD: every YouTube video uploaded to the site, ever, delivered to your home by a fleet of 175 YouTube trucks. It's "the complete YouTube experience, completely offline".• Kindergarten Cop gets the Criterion Collection treatment. Genius. Not to be outdone, YouTube announced it would be releasing the YouTube Collection on DVD: every YouTube video uploaded to the site, ever, delivered to your home by a fleet of 175 YouTube trucks. It's "the complete YouTube experience, completely offline".
• As if private space travel wasn't good enough, Sir Richard Branson officially unveiled his latest exploration venture, Virgin Volcanic, which will charter trips inside volcanoes. "Alongside our adventures with Virgin Galactic and Virgin Oceanic, volcanoes are the next great unexplored terrain," Branson wrote in a press release. "What can I say, I lava challenge!"• As if private space travel wasn't good enough, Sir Richard Branson officially unveiled his latest exploration venture, Virgin Volcanic, which will charter trips inside volcanoes. "Alongside our adventures with Virgin Galactic and Virgin Oceanic, volcanoes are the next great unexplored terrain," Branson wrote in a press release. "What can I say, I lava challenge!"
• Power Rangers announce a line of new frangrances, with the tag line "Smell Strong"• Power Rangers announce a line of new frangrances, with the tag line "Smell Strong"
• Further proof that maybe politicians are the funniest kids in class, campaign workers took Mitt Romney to a what was supposed to be his first campaign stop in Wisconsin ahead of Tuesday's primary. They prepped him for the event and waltzed him into a room he thought would be packed with supporters gathered for a pancake brunch. The hall was completely empty. "This is a morning I'm not going to forget anytime soon," Romney told supporters a little later in the day. "They turned me into the April fool this morning."• Further proof that maybe politicians are the funniest kids in class, campaign workers took Mitt Romney to a what was supposed to be his first campaign stop in Wisconsin ahead of Tuesday's primary. They prepped him for the event and waltzed him into a room he thought would be packed with supporters gathered for a pancake brunch. The hall was completely empty. "This is a morning I'm not going to forget anytime soon," Romney told supporters a little later in the day. "They turned me into the April fool this morning."
• The Guardian's Sunday sister paper, the Observer, announced that the British prime minister, David Cameron, had appointed reformed hellraiser and Happy Monday's singer, Shaun Ryder, to head a taksforce to reinvigorate his administration after a series of miss-steps: "Spin doctors believe that his credibility and authenticity could rub off on a government that has increasingly lost the common touch." • The Guardian's Sunday sister paper, the Observer, announced that the British prime minister, David Cameron, had appointed reformed hellraiser and Happy Mondays singer, Shaun Ryder, to head a taksforce to reinvigorate his administration after a series of miss-steps: "Spin doctors believe that his credibility and authenticity could rub off on a government that has increasingly lost the common touch."