Now, I'm no coder. In fact I regularly struggle with the most basic lines of HTML, so CSS is so far beyond my wheelhouse it might as well be on another planet. I do appreciate clever humour though, especially when it's delivered with a knowing wink. As such, I was quite taken with this decidedly nerdy collection of puns delivered in the internet's most popular programming language. Of course, these jokes will be lost of those only familiar with HTML, PHP or even the relatively easy-going JavaScript, but I can assure you, having roped in a good friend to translate for me, it's worth the effort.
Saijo George has cut out the middle man and visually recreated some of the best CSS puns on a bespoke site
CSS puns have been doing the rounds for a while now on Reddit, but Melbourne-based SEO consultant Saijo George has cut out the middle man and visually recreated them all on a bespoke site, which is a wonderful way to kill a few minutes on your lunch break. Here I'll be examining a few of my favourites and attempting to explain exactly why they're funny. It could be argued, of course, that if you have to explain why something is funny, then it's not funny. But I prefer to take a more positive stance and see it as a chance to expand your knowledge of the world around you. Plus, the bragging rights when you finally get them are surely more than worth the effort?
This first one is quite self-explanatory, with the code essentially spelling out that the Titanic doesn't float. Of course we all know it did float until that pesky iceberg happened to go and spoil the party. The second is in a similar vein, and references the Bermuda Triangle; one of the great unexplained phenomenon of our time. The cheeky little pun essentially renders it invisible. Get it?
This one is a little more complicated, and adds another layer of nerd on to an already Sheldon Cooper sized mound of nerdiness. Fans of the Harry Potter series will be well aware of the invisibility cloak Mr Potter uses to sneak around Hogwarts undetected. They will also know that in the 4th book (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) the aptly named teacher Mad-Eye Moody is the only one who can see through the ruse. Surely you can do the rest here?
Now this is a tough one to take, especially if you grew up with Disney cartoons like I did. This line of code literally puts Bambi's mother in the crosshairs of a rifle, mimicking that fateful scene in the classic movie. The final line only adds insult to injury.
What existed before the big bang? If you said “God,” then wrong answer I'm afraid, at least in this context. Speaking of gods. The second example here features martial arts deity Chuck Norris being literally coloured as a Bad Ass. What does the Bad Ass colour look like you ask? If George is to believed then pea-soup green. Not what I was expecting at all!
We've come this far so we might as well end with another nerdy one. Here we have a certain Marvel super hero known for his rather excessive bursts of aggression. The pun above details Bruce Banner's transformation into the great green Hulk, and does so with no small amount of subtlety. Actually, one more (couldn't leave this one out). Underneath the Hulk pun you'll find a joke perhaps as old as time itself (or at least older than me). Did you get it? Answers on a postcard!
Did we miss any that you were particularly keen on? Is this actually funny or is it just a waste of the programmer's undeniable talents? Sound off below!
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and struggling musician from Kidderminster in the UK.
