Gizmodo Australia » jokes

Metaphysics, Parseltongue Easier To Understand Than Google Wave

Dan Nosowitz — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:45:00 +0000

Don’t understand Google Wave, even after Google’s helpful video and Lifehacker’s review? You’re not alone: Some jokester created a site where users vote on how confusing Wave really is. Interestingly, while death is easier to understand, women are far harder.

Some of the items are pretty clever, from super esoteric scientific theories (the Meyer-Overton Hypothesis) to political jabs (Obama’s Nobel Prize). But was it really necessary to embed a ringtone version of an Avril Lavigne song? [Easier to Understand]

Moronic Newspapers Reprint Onion’s Conspiracy Article As Fact

Jesus Diaz — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:44:00 +0000

I thought some “readers” were joking when they claimed they believed the Onion’s story on a conspiracy theorist finally convincing Neil Armstrong about how the Moon landings were faked. They weren’t. Like these two newspapers, who reprinted it as fact.

Not one—The New Nation, a newspaper from Bangladesh—but two—the Daily Manab Zamin, who ran the story in Bengali—published the whole story quoting the “Onion News Network, Lebanon, Ohio.” They reprinted the whole thing, starting with the headline: Conspiracy Theorist Convinces Armstrong Moon Landing Was Faked.

Their excuse: “We thought it was true so we printed it without checking.”

Frankly, I understand them. After all, if it is in in the internet, it must be real.

What is even more worrying is that there are a couple of Gizmodo readers—now banned—who actually believed the whole thing when we published it as a joke, and then used it as an argument in the story of Chandrayaan-1’s image on the Apollo 15 landing site. [Wired UK]

Geeze Giz, Enough Is Enough!

Mark Wilson — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 23:30:00 +0000

Hey guys. Mark here—not some weird Russian spam advertisement. I just wanted to acknowledge that sometimes jokes aren’t funny to everyone, even on holidays. And if you want to filter our coverage, here’s how:

Please provide us with the following information…

Full Name
Address
Social Security #
Bank Routing Number
Country of Residence
Telephone Number
Mother’s Maiden Name
Date You Lost Your Virginity
Rough Sketch of Your Fingerprint
High Resolution Iris Scan Image

Thanks guys.

- Mark

April fools Internet’ fiasco ROUNDUP: All Pranks in One Place

Erica Ho — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:00:00 +0000

Good APR1L FOOLS DAY. Everyone is participating! Want to know who else is real fake? Today only!. But can I seriously buy this Tauntaun sleeping bag?

• “I know it smells bad kid, but it’ll keep you warm…..until I get the shelter built.” A plush Tauntaun sleeping bag, with intestinal lining. Hey Think Geek, t’s not the time to joke about these products, it’s the time to bring them to market!

• Addicted to Y*o*u*T*u*b*e but sick of the same old? Change your view now!!

• Krumlr: Haxxor Pirat3 Bay earns CASH, sold to Warner Bros .

• Don’t know who your friends are? Google Mobile has new psychic cure available! solution for all your problems!

• If you are tired of replying to Gmails, try Autopilot! This pr0ven system is now launching W0RLDWIDE. reply here.

• Pick your ideology then get results! Search Yahoo! 100% tuned to your beliefs.

• You DIGG? colour me red.

• BUY Now Exp3dia tixxx to Mars=$99 + FREE Pills.

• TXT’N'WALK app >> See ahead as you type your passwords. Save Big! $4.99.>

• Face precision, it really works! like the stars in HOLLYWOOD. John-Mayer CERTIFIED.

• KANYE RETIRES RICH, becomes blog mogul and makes $$$ working from home.

Dear Lovely love, enter ss and credit card in comment to stay updated

Apple Now Rejects iPhone Apps Because They ‘Ridicule Public Figures’

Jason Chen — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 23:00:00 +0000

Reader spectralogue tells us that this Chuck Norris joke generator app was just rejected by Apple because it “ridicules public figures.” Wait, what?

The Apple submission feedback person says that it violates Section 3.3.12 of the iPhone SDK Agreement, specifically where it says:

Applications must not contain any obscene, pornographic, offensive or defamatory content or materials of any kind (text, graphics, images, photographs, etc.), or other content or materials that in Apple’s reasonable judgement may be found objectionable by iPhone or iPod touch users.

We wouldn’t say randomly displaying statements about Chuck Norris, which have been all over the net for half a decade now, qualifies as “defamatory content.” But then again, we’re not on the approval committee for Apple. Nor, are we fans of Chuck Norris jokes. Our parents might still be though, so who is Apple to deprive our parents of corny joke enjoyment?

Really Bored Dude Camouflages Self as Paper, Bags and Boxes at an Ikea Store

Adrian Covert — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 01:00:00 +0000

Some people would file this exercise in camouflage under performance art. Others would suggest this guy has too much time on his hands. I say, why can’t it be both?

This belongs to a series called Urban Camouflage, and the stunt aims to solve the mystery of disguising oneself in an urban space. I can certainly respect the high-mindedness behind the idea, but I refuse to believe the artist didn’t do it part just to screw around and be a jackass (0:45 into the video is especially great). Be sure to check out more photos and video over at [Urban Camouflage via Boing Boing via Prefix]

Church of Google’s Deity Knows All About Your Shameful Search History

Adam Frucci — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:50:00 +0000

Don’t worry you two guys who got your panties in a twist yesterday, this is most definitely a joke. But hey, they make some good arguments.

Google is the closest thing to an Omniscient (all-knowing) entity in existence, which can be scientifically verified. She indexes over 9.5 billion WebPages, which is more than any other search engine on the web today. Not only is Google the closest known entity to being Omniscient, but She also sorts through this vast amount of knowledge using Her patented PageRank technology, organising said data and making it easily accessible to us mere mortals.

I always try to follow Google’s laws. She holds all my emails, after all. [The Church of Google via The Daily What]

Sonic Nausea Makes Your Prank Victims Sick, Literally

Adam Frucci — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:40:00 +0000

Nothing says hilarity like making somebody else physically ill. That’s the idea behind Sonic Nausea, a tiny device that makes people sick to their stomach when they’re within it’s range.

You simply plug the little thing into a 9-volt battery and then it pumps out “ultra-high frequency soundwaves which soon leads most in its vicinity to queasiness.” While I’m not quite sure about whether or not soundwaves can make you sick to your stomach, this is the perfect way to get back at your boss, annoying neighbour or pregnant girlfriend/unborn child. The possibilities are endless, really. [Product Page via BB Gadgets]

Toilet Paper Puzzle Makes Pooping Even More Frustrating

Adam Frucci — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:45:00 +0000

Nothing says hilarity like forcing the more dim-witted of your friends to endure skidmarks and dingleberries by putting a puzzle on your toilet paper roll. Boy, you sure are a jokester! You really have an eye for when puzzles and trickery are appropriate and for when they clearly aren’t! A toast, to you! [Product Page via NerdApproved]

Bloody Serial Killer Shower Curtain Brings Murderous Fun Into the Bathroom

Jack Loftus — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 20:00:00 +0000

There’s actually a lot more to this bloody shower curtain Halloween decoration than meets the eye. There’s the obvious stuff, of course, like the homage to Alfred Hitchcock classic Psycho. And the blood splatters and hand prints themselves say a lot about the owner. But beyond that, there’s a little something extra in store for guests who need to drop off the candy corn in between Trick or Treats.

The subtle surprise is a woman’s blood-curdling scream, which is accompanied by the music from Psycho. The ruckus starts up when someone enters the bathroom courtesy of a AA battery-powered motion sensor and a speaker. It’s US$20, which isn’t too bad considering your guests will probably take a knife to it themselves after the gag gets old. [Things You Never Knew Existed via OhGizmo]