Howcast

How to Pull the Spilled Coffee Prank

Howcast — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 11:55:59 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Cover mug Place the cardstock on top of the coffee mug so that it covers it completely.
Step 2: Flip it over Place your hand flat on top of the card stock to keep it in place. Quickly flip the mug over. When you release your hand, the card will stick to the mug by itself.
TIP: Practice this a few times before pulling the prank to perfect the flip.
Step 3: Set it down Set the mug down on the victim’s desk.
Step 4: Remove card Hold down the mug with one hand and grasp one end of the card with the other hand. Quickly slide it out from beneath the cup, so no liquid escapes.
Step 5: Watch Watch or listen from behind your cubicle in amusement when your victim returns to find their mug upside down on their desk. When they pick it up, their desk will get its own caffeine fix.
FACT: A National Coffee Association survey reported that 17 percent of adult Americans drink gourmet coffee daily.

You Will Need

A cup of coffee
A piece of card stock
An unwitting victim

How to Play a Fake Desktop Prank on a Co-Worker

Howcast — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:47:02 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Create a phony desktop Create a few on your desktop and give the folders funny or embarrassing names.
Step 2: Capture the screen On a Windows PC, hold down the Control and Print Screen keys at the same time to capture the phony desktop display. Open a graphics program, like PhotoShop or Illustrator, and hit Control and the V key to paste the image.
Step 3: Save the phony desktop Save the phony screen display, using either a BMP or JPEG file format.
TIP: On a Mac, capture the display by holding down Command, Shift and the number 3. The image will save to your desktop automatically.
Step 4: Transfer to a USB key Transfer the phony desktop to a USB flash drive, so that you can open it up on your coworker’s computer.
Step 5: Find a good mark Select an unsuspecting coworker to be your mark, preferably someone with a good sense of humor. Wait for an opportunity to sit down at their computer for a few minutes, and plug in your USB drive.
Step 6: Access their control panel On a Windows PC, find the Control Panel in the Start menu. Click the Desktop icon, and browse to select the stored phony desktop file from your USB drive. Activate the phony desktop, and return to your seat.
TIP: On a Mac, change the desktop in System Preferences, Desktop. Find the file, and choose either the “Center” or “Fit to Screen” option.
Step 7: Enjoy the results Wait until your befuddled coworker achieves maximum frustration from trying to interact with their phony desktop. Then, casually drop by to offer assistance – just try not to laugh!
FACT: Bill Gates is credited with releasing the first computer virus when he worked at a power company during high school.

You Will Need

Access to a coworker’s computer
A phony desktop graphic
A flash drive

How to Play a Keyboard Prank on a Co-Worker

Howcast — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:17:57 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Wait for coworker to leave This prank needs about an hour of uninterrupted time to accomplish, so be prepared to stay late one night after your coworker leaves.
Step 2: Dismantle the keyboard With a small screwdriver, gently pop all the keys off the keyboard.
TIP: Leave larger keys, such as Shift and Space, in place, as they sometimes have extra parts and can be delicate.
Step 3: Rearrange the keys Replace the keys in amusing new patterns, or just replace them completely at random. Either approach will cause plenty of confusion.
TIP: Spell out a personalized message if you’d like.
Step 4: Watch your coworker get completely frustrated The next morning, make sure you’re at the office in time to see your coworker try to type their first email. Hilarity garanteed.
FACT: The standard keyboard layout for most U.S. computer keyboards and typewriters is called QWERTY, and is named after the first six letters in the top row.

You Will Need

Time
Your coworker’s computer keyboard
A small screwdriver

How to Play a Desk Chair Prank on a Co-Worker

Howcast — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:03:42 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Choose your mark Choose a coworker with a good sense of humor, and get in before them one morning, or wait until they step out to lunch.
Step 2: Check the chair Make sure the office chair that your coworker uses has a pneumatic pressure release underneath to regulate its height.
Step 3: Tape the lever Tape the lever to the bottom of the chair. This leaves the valve completely open.
TIP: For extra fun, put tape loops on the bottom of the chair’s wheels, which will make it difficult to roll the chair around.
Step 4: Wait Wait for the fun to start. When your coworker arrives for work or returns from lunch, the chair will sink all the way down when they sit on it.
Step 5: The chair returns to normal When your coworker stands up to see what’s wrong, the chair will return to its highest setting. Hopefully your coworker will sit down again and repeat the hilarious process.
FACT: Charles Darwin created one of the first modern office chairs by adding wheels to a regular chair, which allowed him to get to his specimens more quickly.

You Will Need

A chair with a pneumatic pressure release
Electrical or packing tape
An unsuspecting coworker

How To Change the Hold Music on the Company Phone System

Howcast — Tue, 26 May 2009 13:04:14 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Access the radio Access the radio that feeds the company telephones. It is located next to the PBX box that controls the radio.
Step 2: Change the station Change the station to something controversial, like a shock jock, an evangelical preacher, rap music, or a heavy-metal station.
TIP: If you want to keep your job, don’t pick anything too offensive.
Step 3: Enjoy the fallout Enjoy the brouhaha that ensues after one of the company executives hears from a disgruntled client.
FACT: A group called Pipedown International persuaded London’s Gatwick Airport to stop playing piped ‘elevator music’ after their survey revealed that more people dislike it than like it.

You Will Need

A set of cojones
Access to the radio that feeds the company telephones

How to Play the Google Language Computer Prank on a Co-Worker

Howcast — Wed, 20 May 2009 07:47:10 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Click “Preferences”] On your coworker’s computer, go to “google.com”:http://google.com and click on “Preferences,” located to the right of the search box.
Step 2: Select search language In the “Search Language” section to view language options, including French, Japanese, and Arabic. Select Estonian.
TIP: For extra fun, set the “Interface Language” to Klingon.
Step 3: Click “Save Preferences” Click “Save Preferences.” Google search results will now be displayed in the Estonian language.
Step 4: Have fun at your coworker’s expense Return to your desk, and laugh maniacally as your coworker struggles to understand their search results. Joke’s on them!
FACT: In 1984, Caltech students hacked into the the Rose Bowl’s scoreboard, posting a fake “Caltech 31, MIT 9” football score.

You Will Need

Your coworkeru2019s unattended and unlocked computer
An internet connection

How to Play the Aluminum Foil Prank on a Co-worker

Howcast — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 07:21:05 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Pick a time Pick a time when you’ll have uninterrupted access to your colleague’s workspace.
Step 2: Take picture Take ‘before’ pictures of the workspace.
Step 3: Cover the walls Cover the walls and any windows with aluminum foil. Paper the ceiling, too, if you can.
TIP: Don’t buy the cheap dollar-store foil — this is a job for the heavy-duty stuff.
Step 4: Wrap everything Wrap everything in sight — from the desk, chair, and computer right down to the last pen.
Step 5: Refer to photos When everything is wrapped, refer to your photos so you can put all the stuff back exactly where it was.
TIP: Don’t want to spend money on foil? Swipe a stack of sticky notes from the supply closet and cover every last surface with them.
Step 6: Laugh Laugh your ass off as your coworker spends his morning unwrapping your special gift.
FACT: In 2003, an airline employee sued Southwest Airlines for having her ‘arrested’ as an office prank.

You Will Need

Lots of aluminum foil
A camera
Sticky notes

How to Play the Buried Cubicle Prank on a Co-worker

Howcast — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 06:59:51 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Enlist some help Ask a few coworkers to get in on the joke with you; you’re going to need a lot of hot air to pull this one off.
Step 2: Buy balloons Buy several dozen balloons. Exactly how many you need will depend on the size of the victim’s workspace.
Step 3: Pick a night Pick a night when all the volunteers can stay after work to blow up the balloons.
TIP: Make a party out of it by providing some snacks and drinks.
Step 4: Tape up the entranceway Use packing tape to seal up the entranceway of the cubicle so the balloons will stay inside.
Step 5: Fill the workspace Fill the workspace with balloons. Ideally, you’d like the balloons to come to the very top of the person’s cubicle, or at least desk height in an office.
TIP: If you don’t have the time or breath for balloons, use packing peanuts, plastic cups or cardboard boxes.
Step 6: Be a Good Sport After you get the pleasure of seeing your prank pay off, be a good sport and offer your target a little help in dealing with his buried work space.
FACT: A dental assistant sued her boss after he implanted fake boar’s tusks in her mouth while she was under anesthesia as a practical joke.

You Will Need

A lot of balloons
Some packing tape
A little help
Packing peanuts
Plastic cups
Cardboard boxes

How to Booby Trap a Co-Worker’s Chair

Howcast — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 07:32:53 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Buy fishing line Pick up a roll of fishing line at a local sporting goods store.
Step 2: Tie things up Tie the line securely around the stuff on your coworker’s desk and cubicle.
TIP: Don’t tie the line to anything that could be damaged in a fall, or that might hurt your target or someone else.
Step 3: Position the chair Push the chair against the desk as far as it will go.
Step 4: Tie line to chair Tie one end of the fishing line to any of the chair’s legs.
Step 5: Stick around Make sure you stick around to see all your hard work pay off…
FACT: Twenty-two percent of all workers’ compensation claims are for lower back pain attributed to sitting all day in uncomfortable office chairs.

You Will Need

Fishing line
Time to set your trap

How to Pull Off the Office Bathroom Prank

Howcast — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 07:44:05 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Get some slacks Get one pair of slacks and one pair of shoes for every stall in your office bathroom.
TIP: You can raid your own closet, or stock up on inexpensive slacks and shoes at a local second-hand clothing store.
Step 2: Stuff them Stuff each pair of slacks, from the knee down, with old newspaper. Don’t overstuff the pants, or they won’t look like ‘believable’ legs.
Step 3: Position them Position a pair of shoes in each stall.
Step 4: Set up Position a pair of stuffed pants atop each pair of shoes. Arrange the top of the pants to fall just right – so it looks like someone is sitting on the toilet with his pants down.
Step 5: Lock Lock each stall door from the inside.
Step 6: Start a rumor Start a rumor that there’s a stomach bug going around the office that is keeping people on the john.
Step 7: Enjoy Enjoy the chaos that ensues as increasingly desperate people try to figure out who is hogging the bathroom.
FACT: If you tie a wet piece of paper towel over an automatic faucet sensor, the water will run freely for you.

You Will Need

Several pairs of shoes
Several pairs of slacks
Some newspapers

How to Grow Grass in Someone’s Keyboard

Howcast — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 07:15:55 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Wait for a good time Find a time when a coworker is going to be out of the office for at least two weeks –maybe when he’s on that romantic honeymoon.
Step 2: Spray their keyboard Spray his keyboard–or an old one you don’t mind ruining — with water.
Step 3: Sprinkle in seeds Sprinkle cat-grass seeds in the cracks between the keys.
TIP: Cat-grass seeds are available at pet stores and in some grocery stores.
Step 4: Cover Cover the keyboard with plastic wrap. You want things to get nice and moist.
Step 5: Light it Place the keyboard by a window, where it will get plenty of sunlight.
Step 6: Enjoy! Enjoy the look on your coworker’s face when he comes back from his holiday to find several inches of grass growing out of his keyboard!
FACT: Chia Pets sprout their ‘fur’ when soaked chia seeds are planted in the grooves of a clay figure.

You Will Need

Two weeks
A spray bottle filled with water
Cat-grass seeds