April Fool's Day

As you cautiously surf your way around the Internet today, there’s a good chance that you’re going to get Rick Rolled. He’s never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down. Some news stories, like Research in Motion’s acquisition of Palm, Inc., will leave you scratching your head.

Last year, many of you believed that I had been hired by the New York Times to replace David Pogue. Well, I’m still here and I’m nowhere near the Big Apple. Go figure. This year, I’m going to play things straight and get through today with no fooling around. It’ll be a Wednesday like any other, so let’s see what’s up.

Putting the Fuel Back in Fool

Are you tired of stupid radio contests? Are you tired of being ripped off at the pump? Buzz Bishop and Virgin Radio have just the thing to overcome both of these problems, because they have declared that today is Vancouver’s April Fuel’s Day. Did you notice the clever wordplay there? Virgin Radio Vancouver went out and handed out $20 gas station gift cards this morning near Playland. Did you get your free gas?

Barack Obama’s Magical Powers

Yes, we can. Who knew that mantra related to magic tricks too? Tiff Chow shares a couple of great videos from Japan with us, starting with a kuroko performance of Super Mario that includes a special cameo appearance by the President of the United States. That’s a good start, but you’ve really got to watch the second video with Barack Obama doing magic tricks. If he can change a lemon into an orange, can he change a recession into an economic boom?

Simultaneous Stills and Videos

My Canon digital camera is capable of taking stills while recording video, but this results in a “hiccup” in the video. (It happens in the first few seconds of my Brent Butt video.) So, what should you do if you want to take quality still photos while still recording video? John Biehler has come to the rescue with the invention of the BiehlerCam. This can be great for goofing around and having your experience fully documented for insurance purposes.

One is the Loneliest Number

Doing the tourist thing is one of the best ways to spend your money. While most people prefer to travel with friends or family, Ed Lau has proclaimed that he would much rather travel alone. He says that it’s easier to make decisions, because you don’t have to come to any sort of consensus. It’s also easier to meet new friends and to pick up on the local language. I guess traveling alone makes it easier for Ed to entice beautiful girls directly to his capsule hotel room too. How’s that for funny business?

Do You Really Want Chicken Tonight?

Much like greasy Chinese food, fast food outlets are probably not the ideal place to find health-conscious cuisine. That much is understood, but Israel Lagares takes this several steps further by showing us that KFC chicken is gross. Period. The chicken itself isn’t so bad, but you don’t really want to know about all the other stuff that they throw on top. Clogged arteries are no joke.