Watercooler Stories

Gas sold for $1.91 a gallon in Toronto

TORONTO, April 3 (UPI) -- A Toronto travel company said it just wanted to help out cash-strapped motorists Monday morning when it offered gas for $1.91 per gallon for a few hours.

Cars began lining up at the Eastern Gas station on Eastern Avenue at 6 a.m. for the promotion, which the company said would last until 11 a.m. or when 2,641 gallons of gas were sold for the discount price, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported Monday.

The price was a steep discount from the $5.14 price of gas at most Toronto-area stations, the CBC said.

April Fools: Sidewalk lane for texters

PHILADELPHIA, April 3 (UPI) -- The Philadelphia mayor's office got in the spirit of April Fools' Day by announcing the creation of a cellphone user lane on a city sidewalk.

Andrew Stober, a spokesman for the Mayor's Office of Transportation, said the April Fools' joke was meant as a tongue-in-cheek way to raise awareness about the dangers of walking while distracted by text messages, the Philadelphia Daily News reported Monday.

"This approach let us really engage people and have a conversation and get people talking about it," he said.

The prank announcement Sunday said a stretch of JFK Boulevard near City Hall would have a special lane for people using their phones while walking.

"More Philadelphians than ever before rely on mobile technology to do business and stay in touch with family and friends. We need to accommodate them," Mayor Michael Nutter said in the fake press release.

Emanuel 'FOIA'd' himself for April Fool's

CHICAGO, April 3 (UPI) -- Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's office marked April Fool's Day by claiming the official was using the Freedom of Information Act to "learn more about himself."

The fake announcement Sunday by Emanuel's office said the mayor filed an FOIA request to "learn more about himself" and mocked his infamous tendency to use the F-word as well as his constant statements about job creation and his office's resistance to many FOIA requests, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Monday.

"Emanuel's administration said this is the first time a mayor has ever FOIA'd himself, and this is the largest self-FOIA in city history. Given the scope of the documents, the FOIA response will create up to 500 jobs. According to Emanuel, 'It's a new me. The only four-letter f-word I use now is FOIA,'" the tongue-in-cheek announcement reads.

"Thought we'd have a little fun on April Fool's Day," Sarah Hamilton, Emanuel's communications chief, said of the release.

Romney pranked by staff

MILWAUKEE, April 3 (UPI) -- Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney said his staff made an "April Fool" out of him by directing him to speak to an empty room in Wisconsin.

Romney told the Milwaukee crowd at the Bluemound Gardens event space Sunday his staff had directed him earlier in the morning to an identical room that was devoid of people, ABC News reported Monday.

U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan and U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, both Wisconsin Republicans on hand to introduce Romney, were in on the joke.

"You know it's April Fools' Day. I forgot. They turned me into the April Fool this morning, those guys. Your senator, your congressman," Romney said. "Downstairs is a room just like this one, and it was all set up."

The New York Times reported Romney's staff filmed the prank and it would later be posted online.

"So not only did they do that, but they caught it on camera," Romney said. "You guys -- this is known as forgive but remember. I'll tell you. We're gonna remember this. Look, I appreciate you being here. Thank heavens we've got some people in the room this morning. I appreciate it!"