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Just When You Think You're Safe...
One friend's clock with an alarm: $0. Ketchup packets: $0 at McDonald's. The pained look on your friend's face when they realize itis April Fool's Day: Priceless.
By Elizabeth Marvel, Jayplay writer
You've been trying to get the recommended eight glasses of water a day and the pristine white porcelain toilet bowl is calling to you as you walk into the bathroom. You sit down, only to hear the popping noise two seconds too late as you're covered in a red, slimy substance. Examining the crime scene, you find folded ketchup packets under the seat. Cursing, you try to clean yourself and hear giggling from outside the bathroom door.
"April Fool's!" your roommate shouts as she scampers away. Too bad you didn't realize what day it was.
We know that April Fool's Day is a day to play pranks on friends and relatives, but where did it come from? In France, around 1580, the New Year was celebrated in accordance with the vernal equinox, says Jerry Wilson who runs www.wilstar.com, a Web site that contains historical information about holidays. It ran from March 25 to April 1, and on April 1, people would celebrate the New Year much like we do today, with parties and revelry. This changed when King Charles IX adopted the Gregorian calendar system that we use today.
The new calendar made New Year's Day Jan. 1, and though this change took effect immediately, word traveled slowly, and it took years for the new calendar to take effect throughout all of Europe. Some people refused to celebrate on Jan. 1, and were called fools for their insolence. Many were sent on "fools' errands," and were the butt of jokes and pranks. This tradition continued and spread to England and Scotland in the 18th century. From there, it spread to the American colonies and today it's considered an international holiday.
In the spirit of April Fool's Day, I set out to play pranks on my friends. Here are the pranks, how to set them up and the reactions of my victims.
Warning: I wanted to keep my pranks fun and not malicious. These pranks won't physically harm your victims or cause much mental or emotional pain, but there may be possible embarrassment.
Prank 1: Crazy Icons
What you need:
*The victim's computer
*An easily downloaded program from many computer prank sites on the Internet. Try www.computerpranks.com for some heart stoppers.
*About five to 10 minutes with the computer, depending on the connection speed.
What you do/What it does:
The program that I used is called Crazy icons. You install it on the victim's computer, and it causes the desktop icons to randomly move around the screen. This is a great way to convince your victim that her or she has a virus on his or her computer. The program puts an icon in the system tray that will shut off the program, and tell the victim they've been pranked, so it's fairly easy to end this one.
The Reaction: I put this program on a friend's computer, and I thought it was funny as I watched the icons randomly move about the screen. When I saw him the next day, he didn't mention it. Finally, I asked him about it, and he said he thought it was a virus, until he found the icon in the system tray and turned it off. He didn't seem too flustered by this prank.
photo illustrations: Amanda Kim Stairrett
Prank 2: Condiment Calamity
What you need:
*A toilet seat that will eventually see some action.
*Two to four ketchup packets (easily obtained from Wescoe Terrace or any fast-food joint)
A quick visit to the john.
What you do/What it does:
This prank has the potential to be very messy and irritating. First, fold each ketchup packet in half for maximum pressure, and place one under each bumper on the bottom of the toilet seat. Leave the bathroom and wait for your victim to discover the unhappy combination of ketchup on skin.
The Reaction: This prank is probably the meanest of the three. I didn't think I should do this to my friends, and I certainly couldn't do it to people! don't know because you could damage your victim's clothing. But, if you're up for a mean prank, this is the one. Keep in mind that this will only work well on girls. It's a dead giveaway when a guy lifts the toilet seat and ketchup packets fall into the toilet bowl.
Prank 3: The Alarm Clock Prank
What you need:
*A victim who uses an alarm clock.
*The alarm clock.
*10 seconds alone with the clock.
What you do/What it does:
This one is easy and a classic. Just set your victim's alarm for an hour after they usually get up. If your victim's alarm usually goes off at eight a.m., set the alarm for nine. Or, if you're not willing to make someone late, set the alarm for an hour before they wake up. This is sure to cause confusion, and it's relatively harmless.
The Reaction: I set an ex-roommate's alarm for an hour after it usually goes off. He told me that he woke up, got ready, and was about to leave the house, when he looked at his cell phone and realized he was late for class. So, he says, he went back to bed. He wasn't too angry when he realized it was for a good cause.
— Elizabeth Marvel can be reached at emarvel@kansan.com.
4.01.04 Joyplay
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