Top 100 April Fool's day hoaxes

Paul, I recommend      http://aprilfoolsdayontheweb.com/

Latest stuff here!

I've a distinct but ancient memory of a story about Manchester United replacing their pitch with red astroturf. Think it may have been a Piccadilly Radio hoax. And didn't The Guardian once do a spoof Sunday edition? Or did I dream that....

And of course Virgle!

How could you miss the flying penguins!? Absolute Genius.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/page/item/epeng001.shtml?src=ip_mp

The flying penguins were indeed a master-stroke - more so since it involved a co-ordinated effort between rival media organisation. UK dailies The Telegraph and Daily Mirror also ran stories on the 'discovery', and both papers' Websites featured a trailer fronted by former Monty Python Terry Jones, seemingly on location in the Antarctic.

I think it was in 1985 that the London Stock Exchange's TOPIC price  display service showed an interesting gradual price ramp in a stock called Newton & Ridley. By lunchtime, the price had ticked up way above the sector average and the stock was listed as a "feature" - ie a big relative mover. Sensing an opportunity for a quick turn, a number of greedy market professionals were moved to ask their blue-buttons to go and "check price and size" (market-speak at the time for "how much can I buy at the indicated price, and what's the spread?). The blue-buttons had to go back and report that they couldn't find a dealer prepared to quote - nor even one that had ever heard of the stock. I remember this only too well - "I can't find the market, sir" is the worst possible response a blue-button could give to a broker with an order.

Newton & Ridley is the fictional manufacturer of beer sold in the Rovers - the pub in Coronation Street. It existed on screens on the morning of April 1, 1985, and at no other time.