Engineering Practical Jokes
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zeeglen
Being engineers we should be able to design new improved whoopee cushions by ...
David Ashton
A joking matter
Brian Fuller
3/17/2011 6:16 AM EDT
You’ve sent us some fantastic practical joke stories during the first quarter of 2011, and it’s now time to pick the Merriest Prankster among you.
Here are the most popular practical joke stories (or videos) as voted on by you and your mice clicks. We’ve randomized the order to avoid biasing voters.
Please review and then vote for the cleverest among them by casting your ballot on our handy-dandy Google docs form. We’ll tally up the votes in the coming weeks and announce the winner on—what else?—April Fool’s Day.
Practical jokes, video edition (Lee Ritchey)
How to shut the sales guy up (Bob Stevens)
Say Cheese! (Change pants later) (Erik Margan)
What a relief (Chris de Courcy-Bower)
Irish eyes weren’t smiling (David Ashton)
Practical jokes, video edition (Tiffany Frankovich)
Stupid printer tricks (Thomas Hildebrandt)
The unresponsive monitor (Dave Bassett)
Not just blowing smoke (Ken Neltnor)
What happens when the lights go out (Harold Rabbie)
Vote today!
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Sheetal.Pandey
3/21/2011 9:49 PM EDT
I voted!
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David Ashton
3/22/2011 6:50 AM EDT
Can't see myself winning this Brian, there are far better stories than mine above, but what will the winner get...15 mins of fame, or have you something more substantial up your sleeve??
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Sheetal.Pandey
3/23/2011 12:12 AM EDT
Yes, its exciting to know whats the prize??
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Brian Fuller2
3/23/2011 5:33 PM EDT
Well, clearly PART of the prize MUST BE a whoopee cushion.
The rest of it has to be something better than a baseball cap but not as a cool as a scope.
I'll take recommendations, everyone!
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David Ashton
3/24/2011 4:42 AM EDT
@ Well, clearly PART of the prize MUST BE a
@ whoopee cushion.
I can make those sound effects WITHOUT a whoopee cushion...(ask my long suffering wife... :-)
@ The rest of it has to be something better than
@ a baseball cap but not as a cool as a scope.
Oh, so we're not worth a scope, huh?? Mutter..mutter.....
Well can't you worm some nice dev kits out of our kind advertisers?
(Mind you..with this subject and your sense of humour you'd probably ask for their faulty ones.... ;-))
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zeeglen
3/24/2011 6:52 AM EDT
Being engineers we should be able to design new improved whoopee cushions by April 1. Here is a mechanical emulation, maybe others could suggest ideas for miniature electronic equivalents with microprocessor controlled synthesizers, miniature sound transducers, tiny batteries, microswitch or photoelectric actuators etc.
Mechanical version:
Bend steel wire (salvaged from a coat hanger) into a 3-sided U-shape with square corners about 3 inches on the bottom to fit the rubber bands in the next step.
On the top opening loop 2 rubber bands through a half inch dia steel washer. Fasten the rubber bands to the open ends of the steel wire formed into tight eyelets with the washer supported in the center by the rubber bands.
To use wind the steel washer several turns until the steel wire starts to pull inwards to impart more energy to the washer.
Casually slip the prepared unit under a cheek while seating yourself in a public place.
Shift position and raise a cheek, thus allowing the washer to spin rapidly against the chair under the tension of the elastic bands and wire frame. The sound effect is sure to get you noticed!
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