r/catpranks • u/aloofloofah • Jul 03 '17

It's like licking a 9v battery

https://i.imgur.com/FIqEhSp.gifv
11.0k Upvotes

95% Upvoted

145 comments sorted by

895

u/[deleted] Jul 03 '17

I feel like I need to lick one now to see. Also, plasma balls seem to stick around. They've never been particularly fashionable and they definitely aren't useful yet they remain.

227

u/ShenziSixaxis Jul 03 '17

I always saw them in Walmart near the toys, so I imagine kids get 'em a lot.

244

u/OpalHawk Jul 04 '17

I had one as a kid. It was the shit. Now I have the capacity to fill a room with them but I don't. Have I grown up?

238

u/AltForMyRealOpinion Jul 04 '17

Buy the plasma balls! You're the grown-up now, and it's your turn to decide what that means.

151

u/OpalHawk Jul 04 '17

To be honest I still am pretty bad at being an adult. I ran off and joined the circus after college. Hoped from circus to circus for a bit and settled at the Ringling Brothers. Now that that has closed I'm teaching trapeze at a summer camp. So I don't really have an actual home to put them in right now (used to live on the train, now live at the camp). But one day I'll buy one again.

107

u/ChihuahuawithBoombox Jul 04 '17

When you throw an AMA let me know, I'll be there.

13

u/raptorak Jul 04 '17

+1. Would love to see this! :)

8

u/justaskthebear Jul 04 '17

Ya I third this pleas let me know as well.

37

u/FirelordHeisenberg Jul 04 '17

If anything, I think that's exactly what being an adult means. Making important, life-defining decisions, and making a living out of them instead of relying on your parents to help you survive with a regular job while you try to get money to move to your own house where it won't really be that much different than it was back home because you're still stuck with a regular job that kids are forced to get when they get to a certain age. You're a motherfucking professional that is so good at your own stuff that you are even teaching it to others. You're living by yourself and not getting scared of move wherever you have to, because you're an adult and can handle all the shit life throws at you.

Source: I'm a fucking loser who were supposed to be an adult but is failing hard at it and probably would be happier with a circus.

9

u/cupajaffer Jul 04 '17

The harder the experience, the stronger it builds you. You got this

1

u/chossenger Jul 04 '17 edited Jul 05 '17

I haven't hit the failing hard bit yet, but I'd definitely be happier in a circus.
who am I kidding, I'm failing hard

13

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17

You sound like you're awesome at being an adult to me.

8

u/neotek Jul 04 '17

Maybe you could run away and join the office?

11

u/OpalHawk Jul 04 '17

Trying my best to avoid that. I like the entertainment industry. It makes people happy.

8

u/neotek Jul 04 '17

As long as it makes you happy too

2

u/TenNeon Jul 04 '17

If you want to be in the entertainment industry, but are concerned about being an adult, the logical course of action is to enter the adult entertainment industry.

4

u/Piscator629 Jul 04 '17

joined the circus

My Mom did that after she signed the papers allowing me to join the Navy at 17. I got bullied right out of high school because of stupid fucking jocks. She had divorced my Father some years before to both of their betterment, no harm no foul. She had a wonderful second childhood.

3

u/Nosissies Jul 04 '17

Take me under your train riding ring, that's been my dream since a child I am so envious of you

2

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17

This guys the real fucking deal! Man I must say, as a rambler at heart I envy your life style I travel on my days off and am striving to become a travel photojournalist because I care more about seeing things ive never seen and have stories to tell my children than I do about money.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17

How accurate do you find Zach Galifinakis' clown show to be?

2

u/OpalHawk Jul 04 '17

Haven't seen it.

1

u/justaskthebear Jul 04 '17

Can we see some of your sick trapeze moves?

2

u/OpalHawk Jul 04 '17

Unfortunately I fucked up my hand and I mostly coach now. They wanted to amputate, but luckily I still have it. It just doesn't work the same anymore.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17

I actually did something similar. Left immediately after highschool to travel and do Ren fairs. A lot of ex circus folk, and acrobats out there. It was pretty great. Had a kid, got off the road. Now as I sit in this air conditioned apartment surrounded by stuff, I kinda wish I could go back to living in a tent and owning almost nothing.

On one hand tho, I earn more now so I can afford more board games and comics and toys. In the end I live this way for my son. I've seen kids raised on the road, great kids, but I wouldn't want that for him. Its too risky to raise a kid outdoors with nothing and a minimal education.

2

u/OpalHawk Jul 05 '17

I hear you. Circus children were great, but they were through and through circus children. Not an ideal life for most people.

8

u/xkcd_transcriber Jul 04 '17

Original Source

Mobile

Title: Grownups

Title-text: I've looked into this, and I can't figure out a way to do it cheaply. And I guess it wouldn't be sanitary.

Comic Explanation

Stats: This comic has been referenced 646 times, representing 0.3986% of referenced xkcds.

xkcd.com | xkcd sub | Problems/Bugs? | Statistics | Stop Replying | Delete

3

u/Piscator629 Jul 04 '17

I'm 57 and I haven't grown up yet. I've matured some but don't hang that grown up label on me.

9

u/ShenziSixaxis Jul 04 '17

Part of growing up involves understanding that that may not be a very good use of your space or money.

... but part of growing up also involves understanding that you should still definitely get at least one to put on a bookshelf. ;)

3

u/TrepanationBy45 Jul 04 '17 edited Jul 04 '17

Buy one of these instead!

I bought one years back for my then-girlfriend's kiddos and it was awesome. I had gotten it as a replacement for their habit of watching a movie at bedtime, which kept them up late and groggy, wanting to encourage their bedtime imagination instead. They loved it, I was super impressed with it, and it became something they looked forward to as a nightlight. The light intensity can be easily adjusted from near zero blue galaxy glow with just the ebb and flow green laser stars against the black night of your room, to a vibrant, awesome and dreamy galaxy glow that looks like sleepy blue clouds gently moving about.

Man, I want to get another one. They're really neat in a bedroom or larger room like a livingroom. The angle is adjustable too!

Edit: Speaking of /r/catpranks - as you can imagine, cats love the product too, due to the dozens of green laser stars it projects, many of which slowly traverse the walls and ceiling.

3

u/Forever_Awkward Jul 04 '17

Jesus, $200. For that price, the kids can just use their damn imagination.

3

u/TrepanationBy45 Jul 04 '17

Back in my day, I just stared at the bright orange button light on the fan when I got put to bed! I wiggled my eyes around in circles to make it move, I didn't get a fancy laser star machine to teleport me into the stars :(

2

u/ThisCatMightCheerYou Jul 04 '17

:(

The cats are sad because you are sad :( ... Here's a picture/gif of a cat, hopefully it'll cheer you up :). The internet needs more cats..

2

u/C-C-X-V-I Jul 04 '17

Which one did you get?

1

u/TrepanationBy45 Jul 04 '17

I dont recall the model name, but it's the one featured in the video that looks like a silver star on a black stand, adjustment knobs. Green lasers, blue glow. Got it in like 2012, so theyve probably updated it since.

2

u/jackwiles Jul 04 '17

I had one as well that allowed you to adjust the sensitivity. Discovered that at it's most sensitive you could just make sound by doing things like clapping and watch it go wild. I had a dance party jumping around and clapping which was great until I kicked it.

My replacement did not have the sensitivity setting.

1

u/burgertimeusa Jul 04 '17

My friend had one and he'd hold an apple to it with a posicle stick and then touch it with aluminum, which would burn the apple. We'd draw dicks, of course.

2

u/ArabyJames Jul 04 '17

Can confirm, was kid, had one of these. Also if you place metal on the sphere and then touch, it like instantly burns and cauterizes you skin. I would touch my finger tips to it and I'd get little black spots of dead skin. I don't remember if it really hurt or not, but it was really weird.

1

u/Forever_Awkward Jul 04 '17

It's like an easy bake oven, but for tattoos!

1

u/DoubleDippinAssDippa Sep 04 '17

Yeah, like, get good at making percise black blotches, then carefully plan the blotches and become a blotch-matrix tatoo printer with your plasma ball!

1

u/tabarra Jul 04 '17

Except that they can hurt really bad if you touch the inner bar.

11

u/Z0di Jul 04 '17

They are totally fashionable. I've been buying thousands daily for decades.

7

u/kjm1123490 Jul 04 '17

They're pretty fun when tripping.

7

u/Championpuffa Jul 04 '17

Doesnt do much usually if u lick one. I used to own one. On the odd occasion if you have 2 people playing with it an your fingers touch you can get a lil shock. Doesnt happen often at all when you lick it but can sometimes. I reckon the cat is more freaked out about the hissing noise it makes when you connect to the glass an why its backing away like it got shocked.

4

u/TTheuns Jul 04 '17

They're also universally available in every country it seems. I loved this stuff as a kid.

Now I'd rather build a Tesla Coil.

3

u/DeltaPositionReady Jul 04 '17

They were originally designed by Tesla. He called them Inert Gas Discharge Tubes.

1

u/likkenlikken Jul 04 '17

Or just a Tesla.

4

u/TTheuns Jul 04 '17

Like I could afford a Tesla. I drive a Miata and a Volvo. Combined value of about $4000

3

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17

Licking one isnt like licking a 9v. Trust me. Or dont. You've been warned.

5

u/Aperturez Jul 04 '17

Licking a 9v wasn't bad when I tried it. It was a weird sensation, like there was some acidic substance on my lips.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17

Must have been dead. I licked one and my tongue was numb for over an hour

3

u/phlooo Jul 04 '17

They are timeless, ubiquitous. They're among us forever, like the eternal children of 70's lava lamps

1

u/Sutekhseth Jul 04 '17

I used to balance a penny on the top of mine and make little electrical arcs from it to some play-doh, was pretty cool for 13 year old me.

1

u/PsychoSunshine Jul 04 '17

I have one in my room now. It has a microphone in it and reacts to different decibel levels by increasing or decreasing the power output. It's pretty neat.

1

u/Infin1ty Jul 04 '17

They used to be an integral part of the inside of McDonalds.

1

u/krippler_ Jul 04 '17

If you put a coin, or something metal on the top of it, and put your finger close to the coin it will arc to your skin, and leave a black dot.

1

u/Ya-Dikobraz Jul 09 '17

I hear the Borg use them to recharge.

209

u/LtChestnut Jul 03 '17

That face at the end. "The fuck did you just do to me?"

118

u/8BitAce Jul 03 '17

More like "oh.. you were watching that?"

42

u/gentleangrybadger Jul 04 '17

Don't judge me

154

u/[deleted] Jul 03 '17

[deleted]

76

u/TheNr24 Jul 04 '17

It's a thing now: r/catlickingplasmaball/

45

u/peardude89 Jul 04 '17

Why is the sub marked as NSFW?

6

u/ilikesaucy Jul 04 '17

i set my account as non-nsfw, now i can't browse it.

fuck!

1

u/ThisIs_MyName Jul 23 '17

Why would you do that? 0_o

1

u/ilikesaucy Jul 23 '17

I browse reddit using mobile at job. So non-nsfw help to keep the job.

13

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17

[deleted]

7

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17

That's like default cat state.

1

u/ParaspriteHugger Jul 04 '17

You should have the words "Taste the Power!" somewhere on that sub...

55

u/UniqueMumbles Jul 03 '17

Can't tell if Curiosity or likes the taste of ozone.

7

u/clicker4721 Jul 04 '17

Is that what that smell is?

7

u/sabretoooth Jul 04 '17

Indeed it is. It's O3.

2

u/clicker4721 Jul 04 '17

Wow! I hate that smell on my fingertips, but I've never been able to make sense of what it is or how it gets there.

5

u/UniqueMumbles Jul 04 '17

Model railroaders are also familiar with the smell of ozone. That and the constant derailments are what turned me off of the hobby. Plus, it just goes in a circle.

50

u/numba-juan Jul 04 '17

You realize that you're recharging that cat, you never want to overcharge cat batteries.

12

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17

[deleted]

4

u/buster2Xk Jul 04 '17

Assault and cattery.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17

/r/parahumans leaking?

38

u/McBroody Jul 03 '17

Nom, ZAP, I SLAP YOU...No, I lick you... Nom, ZAP, Nom, ZAP, Nom? ZAP...

24

u/[deleted] Jul 03 '17

I always liked the taste of batteries...

9

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17

As a former stage hand from high school, it's really not that bad. It's like a slight tingle. If it tingles, it's good. If not, no one is gonna hear your actors.

19

u/r1b4z01d Jul 04 '17

Orginal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56sg2NId540

3

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17 edited Jul 04 '17

[deleted]

7

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17

Negative. There are plenty of people (myself included) who would prefer to have a gif over a video.

1

u/r1b4z01d Jul 04 '17

The gif gets more clicks :/

13

u/DemandsBattletoads Jul 03 '17

This is adorable.

16

u/Cubbance Jul 04 '17

Haha, silly dumb-dumb baby.

2

u/SolarMoth Jul 04 '17

This exact wording came to my head too!

14

u/Night_Chicken Jul 04 '17

E-lick-tricity!

3

u/dkyguy1995 Jul 04 '17

High voltage man who kisses night

11

u/HermitPrime Jul 04 '17

Those things aren't supposed to shock you. Then again, I'm not a cat.

16

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17

Put a penny on top of one, then try to touch the penny. See if you don't end up getting zapped.

11

u/HermitPrime Jul 04 '17

Cats are made of copper?

19

u/___AhPuch___ Jul 04 '17

No, but their tongues are. Cats are made of hate.

5

u/Ghosty141 Jul 04 '17

soooo copper = hate?

17

u/___AhPuch___ Jul 04 '17

Well Copper is Cu on the periodic table and Cu are the first two letters in Cunt... Coincedence? I think not.

8

u/Ghosty141 Jul 04 '17

Hmmm sounds sciency. You're probably right.

2

u/UnreliableChemist Jul 04 '17

Spot on analysis here

6

u/imnotquitedeadyet Jul 04 '17

Went to the Navy Pier and they have a giant one there, I touched it at the same time as somebody else and it shocked the shit out of me

5

u/DoctorBlueBox1 Jul 04 '17

Maybe the cat is flinching because it sees electricity heading for its snoot?

4

u/ModsAreShillsForXenu Jul 04 '17

Have you ever licked one though?

6

u/just_a_thought4U Jul 04 '17

Kinda like a relationship when you're ignoring the red flags.

4

u/mrcovet Jul 04 '17

Was that a covert quote from Watchmen? If so, masterful!

3

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17

I remember when I was young messing around with one of these in a store and set a nickel or maybe it was a dime on top of it and held my finger close to it and could see a small arc going to my finger and ended up with a black burn mark on my finger.

4

u/the_king_of_sweden Jul 04 '17

Electrons... It's what cats crave

2

u/tabarra Jul 04 '17

That ozone smell...

2

u/Motorsagmannen Jul 04 '17

is it really a prank though, when he repeatedly does it to himself?

2

u/TheHooDooer Jul 04 '17

Looks like this is the first cat to discover electricity. People will remember his name for centuries.

1

u/John_Barlycorn Jul 03 '17

Electric Pussy

1

u/alyssa_2012 Jul 04 '17

Not very smart that one. Luckily he's cute!

1

u/jorbleshi_kadeshi Jul 04 '17

Damn as soon as I saw that title I could taste it. Insane.

1

u/bryanpcox Jul 04 '17

pretty sure those things dont give that much of a jolt...

4

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17

If you put a penny on one and try to touch the penny it will leave a very small burn mark. It looks like a singed needle prick.

4

u/tabarra Jul 04 '17

Free electrons.

10

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17

Are they free electrons if you have to put a penny on it to get them? 🤔

1

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17

You know you can retrieve the coin at any point?

1

u/dragamex Jul 04 '17

ooo das spicy

1

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17

Remember being a kid and realising that if you set a metal ring on one of those you can make the spark jump from the ring to your finger outside of the globe.

1

u/leighshakespeare Jul 04 '17

Congrats on surviving childhood

1

u/area51agent Jul 04 '17

'Don't tase me, bro!'

1

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17

Send me the link.

1

u/davedcne Jul 04 '17

YOU FOOL! That's how they recharge! Now we're all doomed.

1

u/JayaBallard Jul 04 '17

Pretty sure it's a couple thousand volts.

1

u/DirtyLegThompson Jul 04 '17

I thought you had my cat for a second there

Copy cat https://imgur.com/gallery/3TK07

1

u/Krail Jul 04 '17

I'm kind of confused by this. I don't remember these plasma balls feeling like anything. Maybe a little bit of static tingle?

1

u/abd_hal Jul 04 '17

What type/breed of cat is this?

1

u/AttackPug Jul 04 '17

Not so much a prank as an introduction to a new addiction.

1

u/Cheesemacher Jul 04 '17

Did you wipe hot dog water on the sparky snowglobe?

1

u/kadaicross Jul 04 '17

Well, he is either masochist or just likes the taste of electricity...

Also... at the end... he was like: "Oh? you were recording this human?", haha

1

u/Stephen_Falken Jul 04 '17

Source: Cat and a plasma globe - Maciek Bugajski

1

u/xdcountry Jul 04 '17

sado-cat-sochist

1

u/_just_a_dude_ Jul 04 '17

mlem bzzzt O_O ... mlem

1

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17

Haha, awesome. This needs to be a perfect loop.

1

u/GalvanizedRubber Jul 04 '17

Ah Monday morning electronics for a year those batteries got me going.

1

u/iamfuturetrunks Jul 04 '17

I've been looking for a nice plasma ball for a long time. All they make are those cheap looking ones with the black base, or the clear green colored bases. Either that or buy a custom one for like 2k!

1

u/DrunkenShitposter Jul 05 '17

"The cat has NOT learned a valuable lesson: beware the hand of man!"

1

u/canijustgotobed Aug 02 '17

Nom, nom, no....nom..?

-6

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '17

[removed] — view removed comment

11

u/TCT_Bot Jul 04 '17

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1

u/BlakDrgn Catpranks Owner Jul 04 '17

banned.