The 2002 April Fool
John Walton
john at walton.vu
Mon Apr 1 21:00:24 UTC 2002
Hello from your friendly local April Fool! *evil grin* Hope you got a laugh
(or at the very least a heart attack followed by an immense sigh of relief)
out of it.
Anyway, I spent some time a few days ago going back over last year's
excitement...so here, for your reading and giggling pleasure, is the April
Fool of 2001.
--John, off to do those elaborately calligraphed thingiewhats now...
At midnight on April 1st, 2001, I posted this message:
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15691
From: John Walton <john at ...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 12:00 am
Subject: ADMIN: HPforGrownups to shut down
Dear Listmembers,
I've got some unfortunate news to impart, but please bear with me. As Penny,
the list Founder, is currently unable to get to her computer (pre-natal
breathing classes, I think), she has asked me to convey this information to
the group.
Yahoo, host of the YahooGroups service, has been served with a
cease-and-desist order from AOL-TimeWarner (parent company of Warner Bros.,
who own the movie rights to SS/PS and CoS) for HPforGrownups and several
other Harry Potter groups, including HP_Fanfiction, ParadigmOfUncertainty,
HP_Paradise, SnapeFans and HPslash, on the basis that they infringe Warner's
copyright for the HP mark. Yahoo have agreed to go along with this and have
served the Moderators with a 24-hour closedown period. As of 12 midnight
Eastern Time tomorrow, the HPforGrownups community, as well as all its
HPFGU-based lists, will cease functioning. I enclose an email from Yahoo
services informing us of the action, with the sender obscured.
The Moderators deeply regret this, but we are left with few options. If you
have any suggestions at all, we'd be very grateful if you'd send them to our
address at HPforGrownups-Owner at yahoogroups.com (which will only be working
for a day). After tomorrow, please use my email (john at walton.to) as a
contact.
Please be patient during this very trying time for us all. Again,
HPforGrownups will be discontinued as of midnight on April 1st, 2001.
Sincerely,
--John, for the HPforGrownups Moderator Team
> From: Sheena G. ([deleted]@yahoo-inc.com)
> To: HPforGrownups-owner at yahoogroups.com
> Cc: [deleted]
> Subject: Deletion of your group
>
> Dear HPforGrownups Moderator,
>
> we at Yahoo! have been notified by AOL-TimeWarner that your HPforGrownups
> group contains several violations of their copyright on "Harry Potter", and
> has been served a Cease-And-Desist letter by AOL-TimeWarner. Yahoo! is bound
> by law in the State of California, which requires us to remove all such
> content within 48 hours. we therefore inform you that your group will be
> deleted at 9PM tomorrow.
>
> thank you for using YahooGroups!
>
> Sheena G.
> Technical Executive
> Yahoo!, Inc.
___________________________________________________________________________
The reactions started pouring in...
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15694
From: "Denise R" <gypsycaine at ...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 12:22 am
Subject: Re: [HPforGrownups] ADMIN: HPforGrownups to shut down
John,
Why haven't the other lists received notification? (Aka Chatscripts, Food,
etc...) As owner of those I would have gotten the notice immediately.
They're slacking, eh.
What a stinging blow!
~Dee~
___________________________________________________________________________
Curses...foiled by the second reply...
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15695
From: MMMfanfic at ...
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 12:30 am
Subject: Re: ADMIN: HPforGrownups to shut down
Umm, is this a joke? I know it's April's fool but still YOU CAN
CAUSE HEART ATTACK by sending messages like this.
Anyway, HAHAHAHAHA. It did look pretty authentic at first glance.
___________________________________________________________________________
...or not.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15696
rom: "Denise R" <gypsycaine at ...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 12:35 am
Subject: Re: [HPforGrownups] Re: ADMIN: HPforGrownups to shut down
My G~wd, I certainly hope this is a Fool's joke.
I hadn't even thought of it yet, since I haven't gone to bed, and it's not
Apr 1st in all the sections that we as a club service (it's still only 9:35,
iirc, in California).
Crosses fingers. Thanks MM for giving me hope!
~Dee~
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15697
From: tobeybickle at ...
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 12:37 am
Subject: Re: [HPforGrownups] Re: ADMIN: HPforGrownups to shut down
This IS a joke, right?
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15698
From: "Saitaina" <saitaina at ...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 12:36 am
Subject: Re: [HPforGrownups] Re: ADMIN: HPforGrownups to shut down
OMG, please let this be a joke....or not considering I feel like a complete
and
utter ass if it were so.
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15699
From: "- Joy -" <joy0823 at ...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 12:43 am
Subject: Re: [HPforGrownups] ADMIN: HPforGrownups to shut down
Here's hoping that this is an April Fool's Day prank...
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15700
From: Jamieson <crowswolf at ...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 12:37 am
Subject: Re: [HPforGrownups] Re: ADMIN: HPforGrownups to shut down
It's a joke. A good one. But a joke...
Jamieson
...who looks up to the sky, says "right?" very quietly, and walks off stage
left....
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15701
From: "Rachel" <jekkal at ...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 12:45 am
Subject: If it is a joke, great...
If it is not a joke, then crap....
I am an online columnist who works on copyright issues, and I was
informed by a source wishing to remain anonymous of your groups'
deletion. I do not approve of AOL-Time Warner's actions (they don't
have a legal leg to stand on), and would like to help you.
Topica (http://www.topica.com) has a nice mailing list that can be
used to salvage your group.
Also, please visit PotterWar, at www.potterwar.co.uk, and Defense of
the Dark Arts, at http://dprophet.com/dada. They are currently
working on domain issues for HP fans, but I do not think anyone will
mind championing this cause as well if it is true.
I am currently working with PotterWar, and the group thought that AOL-
TimeWarner was finally backing down... guess not, eh?
Rachel
Who hopes her membership will last longer than 24 hours
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15702
From: "Rina Stewart" <rina at ...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 12:46 am
Subject: Re: [HPforGrownups] Re: ADMIN: HPforGrownups to shut down
Dee wrote:
<<I hadn't even thought of it yet, since I haven't gone to bed, and it's not
Apr 1st in all the sections that we as a club service (it's still only 9:35,
iirc, in California).>>
That does make sense. <g> Of course, I've been up since <thinks really
hard>,
uh, 9 am? Friday, so nothing *really* makes sense, even me. But still. <g>
I think it's time for bed now. ::glares at Bible paper::
Rina
Happily living the life of a college student/procrastinator
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15703
From: "Denise R" <gypsycaine at ...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 12:56 am
Subject: Re: [HPforGrownups] Re: ADMIN: HPforGrownups to shut down
John,
If this is a joke, let us know soon, ok? Don't cause Penny to go into labor
early!
~Dee~
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15704
From: "Kelley" <SKTHOMPSON_1 at ...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 1:02 am
Subject: Re: ADMIN: HPforGrownups to shut down
HA! Well, he certainly got me. I had already gone into 'fight' mode
and was working on some subversive plans. This is the first April
Fool's that anyone's gotten me with in years. Well done, John!
Kelley--deleting emails-- ;oP
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15705
From: Schlobin at ...
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 1:09 am
Subject: Re: ADMIN: HPforGrownups to shut down
Well, I hope it is a joke...
In two minutes I had already made plans for a lawsuit (where are the
lawyers on this list?)
a media campaign....can you imagine what 1100 irate HP grownups could
do?
a switch to another server...
I panicked...what about my Ron Weasley character sketch?
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15706
From: summers.65 at ...
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 1:10 am
Subject: List deletion
It's a joke. PoU list is included in their bad-lists and I've received no
such notification from Yahoo!Groups.
Lori
PoU listowner
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15707
From: "Saitaina" <saitaina at ...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 1:08 am
Subject: Re: [HPforGrownups] Re: ADMIN: HPforGrownups to shut down
I created a whole new list that's now just sitting there empty so I feel
completely like an idiot.
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15708
From: "Rachel" <jekkal at ...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 1:19 am
Subject: Well... now don't I feel like an idiot...
John, I want my hour of sleep back.
Anyway, if anyone is still interested, I'll toss out those links to
Potterwar and Defense Against the Dark Arts yet again, who are
tracking the REAL war against AOL-TimeWarner:
http://www.potterwar.com
http://www.dprophet.com/dada
Now, good night. And no more April Fool's jokes‹ I got my websites
deleted on April 1 two years ago by Geo, so I am quite sensitive to
this sort of thing...
Rachel
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15712
From: yael_pou at ...
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 2:36 am
Subject: Re: ADMIN: HPforGrownups to shut down
John,
Next time you're planning such an April's fools' joke, share it with
other lists' moderators. It would've had much more effect if we'd
have sent similar messages to *all* the lists mentioned in the post.
Signing it 'Sincerely,' was a nice touch :)
yael *wondering if she's too evil*
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15714
From: Snuffles MacGoo <msmacgoo at ...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 3:43 am
Subject: RE: [HPforGrownups] ADMIN: HPforGrownups to shut down
John
You are an evil bastard!!! No leather pants for you. I 'got' all the media
pranks today but this one caught me right off guard! Straight to panic mode
with no stops anywhere.
Rachael, nice that you have joined us, hope you stay.
And, to Mecki who said 'Forgive my spelling'
Mecki, I'm a native English speaker and, as the *entire* list can attest I
do
not spell as well as you do. <g>
storm
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15715
From: "Sinead Clements" <sinead at ...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 4:04 am
Subject: Re: ADMIN: HPforGrownups to shut down
--- In HPforGrownups at y..., John Walton <john at w...> wrote:
> Dear Listmembers,
>
> I've got some unfortunate news to impart, but please bear with
me. As Penny,
> the list Founder, is currently unable to get to her computer
(pre-natal
> breathing classes, I think), she has asked me to convey this
information to
> the group.
Um... poorly timed... as Penny posted 5 seconds after you....
I *know* this is a joke!
Sinead
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15720
From: meckelburg at ...
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 7:21 am
Subject: Re: ADMIN: HPforGrownups to shut down
--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Snuffles MacGoo <msmacgoo at o...> wrote:
> John
>
> You are an evil bastard!!! No leather pants for you. I 'got' all the
media
> pranks today but this one caught me right off guard! Straight to
panic mode
> with no stops anywhere.
I just looked through the mails and nearly got a heart- attack, thank
you very much. My husband tried to fool me this morning, but failed,
so I guess I got my attention a bit too low. As Moody would say
"constant vigilance"!! I should have known!!
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15724
From: "Doreen" <nera at ...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 9:20 am
Subject: Re: [HPforGrownups] Re: ADMIN: HPforGrownups to shut down
John,
I wonder what it is like to have to watch your back when you have 1,000+
people layin' for ya?
My mother will crack up when she hears that her April Fool's Master daughter
has been duped ... hook, line, & sinker! My father had to have fallen off of
his cloud laughing!! He was my yearly target. (and he loved it)
Doreen, deleting all of her WB hate mail and placing her Hagrid and bookends
back on her shelf, and glaring in the direction of UK
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15737
From: rainy_lilac at ...
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 12:49 pm
Subject: Re: ADMIN: HPforGrownups to shut down-- An Idea
I have not read any of the otehr replies to this, but I know how to set up a
private listserve using majordomo.
There is no reason why we should have to lose our precious community. All we
need to do is continue our conversations in private. The listserve can be
advertised so that people will know how to join.
Let's talk about this.... Let's not give up!!
Suzanne
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15738
From: rainy_lilac at ...
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 12:52 pm
Subject: Re: ADMIN: HPforGrownups to shut down
If this is an April Fool's joke, Jon, I am quite the fool.
*dopeslap*
Suzanne
___________________________________________________________________________
Okay, so it was afternoon now, April Fool over. For this year...
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15743
From: "John Walton" <john at ...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 1:50 pm
Subject: Happy April Fool's Day!
::walks onto stage in leather trousers, maimed and with imprint
of modem on his forehead::
As it's now past 12 noon on April Fool's Day, the shutdown joke
is now officially over. I'm terribly impressed with how quickly you
caught on ::evil look at Cassie:: but I do hope nobody sent
emails to AOL or Yahoo! telling them how naughty they are.
But a few of you fell for it, hook, line and sinker, going so far as to
send us naughty Moderators email. Let's have a look...but for
your dignity, you'll remain anonymous (but feel free to blush):
==
If you need it, I currently have a list space (meaning I have a lit
but no one's there) for HJPforGrownups. Same list just one
letter changed which means they cannot close it down to my
knowledge. If this is un-suitable for you it is understandable and
it will go back to being an un-used rpg list so it's no sweat off my
back if you don't want it.
==
Hey, guys. I am just furious at AOL/WB for pulling a stunt like this.
I'll spare you my rant (Even Ron would blush at how much I can
swear when I get angry like this <g>), and just give you some
suggestions. Well, a suggestion, anyway. Only thing I can think
of is to move the group elsewhere, which is what I'm doing for
granger-weasley. Topica (www.topica.com
<http://www.topica.com> ) is a really great free service that, I
believe, allows you to move members from another group. It's a
smaller service than Yahoo, and probably will sail right under
AOL's radar. I assume that their part in all of this is that they want
to be exlusive content holder for HP, but they're such idiots they
probably don't know what they're doing half the time. Moving
would be an incredible hassle with so many members, but I
don't think I could bear losing this group....
==
John, I'm stunned. What about the Chatter group? Can we
rename our
group in such a way that HP isn't part of the title? Or just start a
new group with a less conspicuous name? Call it the Mod
Squad group
or something, and let the members know? I'd be happy to start
private emailing the list right now, if we can do something like
this. It was just our title that got us in trouble, wasn't it?
==
Thanks to all of you for taking part. See you again next time on
April Fool's Day, 2002! ::evil laugh::
--John, April Fool 2001
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15748
From: Amanda Lewanski <editor at ...t>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 3:18 pm
Subject: Re: [HPforGrownups] Happy April Fool's Day!
John Walton wrote:
> ::walks onto stage in leather trousers, maimed and with imprint of
> modem on his forehead::
You can still *walk*? Somebody's not doing his job.
> As it's now past 12 noon on April Fool's Day, the shutdown joke is now
> officially over. I'm terribly impressed with how quickly you caught on
> ::evil look at Cassie:: but I do hope nobody sent emails to AOL or
> Yahoo! telling them how naughty they are.
You're lucky I read my emails first. I had a suspicion that you might be
pulling our collective leg, so I checked the mail before I took any
action. After the Great Tripod Shutdown Debacle, who could tell? I read
on the Alan Rickman Guestbook last week or so, that several people's
Rickman sites, product of devoted years of collecting, and quite
conscious of copyright issues, were unceremoniously yanked with no
warning at all. They lost their content.
I am, however, mightily upset with you for not attempting to avoid blame
by casting all the responsibility on to your Draco. It's just the sort
of thing he'd do, to all of us Potter-lovers. Serves you right for
naming him that.
--Amanda
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15750
From: MMMfanfic at ...
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 3:21 pm
Subject: Re: Happy April Fool's Day!
Feeling especially bright today for recongising the joke.
Let's get some advance planning done for next year and have the news
sent out through all lists -- How about this for a breaking news?
JKR falls ill to some mysterious illness (or car crash etc.) and
unable to finish the series -- that will be funny.
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15759
From: LJL <ljl236 at ...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 6:48 pm
Subject: poor john
Dears, I have been viewing the Orb, and I'm afraid...yes, I fear that's a
Grim stalking about John's home....the Inner Eye can be such a
burden...April is an unlucky month for some, and for John in
particular...it's never wise to tempt the Fates...
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15767
From: "Rena" <fmu30c at ...>
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2001 10:37 pm
Subject: Re: [HPforGrownups] poor john
One can only hope he wasn't the first to get up from a table of 13
...., but then .... *eg*
___________________________________________________________________________
The ever-suspicious Joywitch even wrote:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15821
From: joym999 at ...
Date: Mon Apr 2, 2001 2:36 pm
Subject: John is a bad, bad boy
Was I the only one struck by the irony of this statement in John's
last post:
>Let's all take a bit of a chill pill and remember that if we're
going to be sending an email, we should check it...[snip]...for
possible misconstruances, mistaken meanings etc.
^
/ \
/ \ Joywitch M. Curmudgeon
/ \
__/ \__
___________________________________________________________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/15834
From: "Amy Z" <aiz24 at ...>
Date: Mon Apr 2, 2001 6:47 pm
Subject: Re: John is a bad, bad boy - Goblins, Polyjuice
Joywitch wrote:
> Was I the only one struck by the irony of this statement in John's
> last post:
>
> >Let's all take a bit of a chill pill and remember that if we're
> going to be sending an email, we should check it...[snip]...for
> possible misconstruances, mistaken meanings etc.
>
Right. We should check it carefully and make sure that it is
chock-full of possible misconstruances, mistaken meanings, outright
lies, dangerous rumors, etc.
___________________________________________________________________________
At which point, the evil Amandar, Witch-Queen of Eternia, posted this
survey:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPFGU-OTChatter/surveys?id=623002
What should we do to John?
Club him with a modem
Put him in leather pants, pour water on him, and watch them shrink as they
dry
Tie him to a fire-ant hill and pour honey on him
Put him in a vat of Malmsey
Make him eat five British pizzas
Demand an elaborately calligraphed, individual apology, with chocolate
included, for each of us
Make him take care of Amanda's kids, unaided, for a month
Sneak into his house and program Draco to have Moaning Myrtle's personality
Force him to eat all our spare earwax, booger,horseradish, and sardine
flavored Any-Flavour Beans
Make him send an adoring, sindere fan letter to Jo Rowling asking, "How did
you get the idea for Harry Potter?"
Legally change his name to Mundungus Fletcher
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
More information about the HPFGU-OTChatter
archive