Chinese Whispers
Be very careful what you wish for....
Doctor Robert J. Smith and Doctor Mukund Unavane played a master joke on then-gratuate Doctor Simon Folkes, whilst they were writing up their dissertations at the Institute of Astronomy in Cambridge University. When I heard about the prank, I submitted it anonymously to the Feedback section in the New Scientist magazine, and it was published as the first story in the 1998 May 16 issue. If it eventually disappears, here is a local copy of the page.
Rob emailed me a bit more info (2000/09/21):
I cannot remember the exact words they had on the packet, but then that was probably not even a perfect transliteration anyway. It was just the standard `Store in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight' or some such. Still, the fact are not to important anyway, are they? Facts always ruin a good story. As one little bit of trivia however, you may like to know that it was not a packet of noodles as New Scientist claims ... but was actually a packet of candied lotus berries. Very tasty they were too. RJS
Mike Hoenig contacted me (2001/09/25) to say that:
Did you know though, that it was MY packet of candied lotus? Just in case you wanted to give me credit, y'know. ;)
Fair enough - nice one, Mike!
... and from Doctor Unavane, (2001/09/25) we learn:
more of the "simon's thesis" story - if you're interested. I filled my thesis with astronomical quotes in foreign languages, having sourced them from all over the place (including some surprisingly relevant egyptian hieroglyphic quotes!). Knowing that I had managed to find all these quotes, Simon asked me to help him find the chinese equivalent of the quote he was after. Robert and I conspired, using the packet of lotus candy which Mike had just brought back from Hong Kong. (I think I ate most of them - they weren't very popular with other people. I must have strange tastes). We photocopied the back of the packet, and I think Robert left it anonymously on Simon's desk. Simon, when he found it, was convinced that I must have found the quote for him, and left it there for him. I was cagey when he asked me, but the mistaken belief on Simon's part that I was a downright honest sort of guy, who would never play such a trick on anyone, helped significantly in the jape. Yes, he only found out when he read new scientist. The next time I saw him, he had a bone to pick with me....
As far as I am aware, Simon did not find out about the joke until he read it in the magazine article. He has (probably) forgiven Rob and Mukund by now, but I don't know whether he will forgive me for putting it into New Scientist...