Watch out, the fools are about

Practical jokes and hoaxes will be the order of the day for Westerners on April 1

No one knows the specific origin behind April Fools' Day or why Western countries for hundreds of years have celebrated each April 1 with practical jokes and hoaxes. One thing is for sure: it's a day to keep your wits about you.

Newspapers run fake headlines and websites post ridiculous stories linking people who hate each other in matrimony or "exposing" celebrities as aliens from outer space. Co-workers send each other startling e-mails, have toy cats sent special delivery to friends who hate cats or pretend to have just been promoted to chief executive in charge of diddly squat (slang for "nothing").