The World's Greatest Blog

Here are some ideas for those of you planning a prank before midday tomorrow. Beware though -several April Fools’ Day pranksters have been jailed for causing public nuisances and devaluing major companies! The safest way to prank is to use a name or series of words that are anagrams or pnuemonics of APRIL FOOLS or FAKE or similar.

Most of the best April Fools jokes fall roughly into the following categories:

1. Mention the eruption of an extinct volcano, or light a smoky fire in it

Mount Edgecumbe in Alaska appeared tobe active again when a local lit a pile of tyres in the crater.

2. Mention the relocation, destruction or sale of a famous landmark

Taco Bell announced that they had bought the Liberty Bell and were re-naming it the Taco Liberty Bell. An adventurer towed an iceberg into Sydney Harbour until the shaving foam it was made of rained off. Genetically modified carrots with holes in that sing when they’re ready!!! Guinness claimed that they had sponsored Greenwich and were re-naming GMT Guinness Mean Time. The state capitol building had reportedly collapsed in 1933. Big Ben going digital! -as reported in 1980.

3. Mention the closure of a major city, motorway or large organisation

A fake parade was announced in New York City, though the press release was plainly a joke, several journalists turned up.

4. Mention the adoption of a foreign system , currency or language

It was reported that the Russian news agency, Tass, had bought several American newspapers despite the continuing Cold War. Capital Radio announced that Britain had to make up 48 hours because of British Summer Time and so April 5th and 12th would be cancelled that year. Apparently the (fictitious) village of Spiggot had boycotted the metric system and was still using shillings.

5. Mention the introduction of impossible technologies with some plausibility attached

Google “Mentalplex” claimed to obviate the need for a keyboard with Google searches being beamed straight form the users’ mind. Instant colour TV was announced in Sweden in 1962 -by putting nylon stockings over your TV! A ‘new design of bra’ that incorporated copper was allegedly interfering with electronic devices leading BT bosses to question employees about their undergarments. Man flies by own lung power (doctored photograph based). A new company was announced that sold ‘internet nodes’ which were a complete fabrication. The World’s Greatest Blog unveiled a new brain-chip for Facebook users – click here to read all about it.

6. Mention an infestation, swarm, or entirely new species

The Derbyshire Fairy was a specially made fake fairy corpse. A wasp swarm was announced in New Zealand with the public advised to wear sock over their trousers and leave honey traps outside their doors. In 1973 Spike Milligan posed as an old professor and told the world that Dutch Elm disease could affect red-heads.

7. Mention an archaelogical find or scientific discovery

Patrick Moore announced that a particular planetary alignment would decrease gravity on Earth at a precise time on the morning of April 1st. Hot-headed Naked Ice Borers were supposed to be a new Antarctic species. Richard Branson pretended to be a UFO -dressed in a silver suit. He stepped out of a specially designed hot air balloon to a bewildered police officer. The “Bigon” was a bogus invisible particle invented by pesky scientists in 1996.

The world’s favourite April Fool appears to be the 1957 Panorama report of the Swiss Spaghetti harvest. There are numerous lame April Fools that can easily be carried out at work or school such as wearing a sling until midday or pretending that someone has run over your foot.

Send in your April Fools favourites let us know what you’re going to do tomorrow. Keep a look-out for Google Fools.