There have been many hoaxes and some famous mistakes by media corporations in reporting stories in error. There are also several April Fool’s Day spoofs on internet. Sometimes these seemingly innocent pranks can cause financial damage or panic when things are taken too far.

In Birmingham on April 1st 1986, a group of students became convinced that Black plague had returned to city. Such was level of confusion and clever manipulation of a drama class and its students, that hospitals in city were put on full alert and 900 students were sent home by governor. The full scale of hoax was not revealed until following day when embarrassed school committee members faced media and issued an apology to parents.

In 2001 Birmingham Council became embroiled in an April Fool’s Day conspiracy involving Pebble Mill on Bristol Road. They received what they thought was official notification from BBC of severe structural damage to BBC building, caused they were informed by a severe earth tremor. The council acted swiftly and informed BBC that it had secured space in Mailbox for all of BBC staff and studio teams. This particular hoax was only discovered on day of move when Birmingham County Council received a fax message which simply read ‘ April Fools’ and was accompanied by a fax message of original notification. Michael Johnson, Assistant Director was questioned by Channel 4 in an embarrassing fiasco where Johnson looked bewildered and confused and clearly had no knowledge of events leading to change of location of BBC headquarters in Birmingham.

April Fool’s Day is illegal in Peoples Republic of China, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Alaska, Cuba and Bolivia.

http://www.birminghamuk.com

On a hot day in August, there was nothing cooler than a root beer snow cone from SCM. Moreover, best part of it was, it only cost a nickel. Of course, a nickel was sometimes hard to come by.

I well remember one day when I didn't have a nickel. I don't remember reason, but I was being punished for some naughtiness on my part, and my mother would not give me coveted nickel.

Time came for Snow Cone Man to come down our street and he stopped right in front of our house. Like a snowstorm in Vermont, kids descended upon him from all over place to get their daily snow cone.

I looked on, through teary eyes, regretting whatever I did to deprive myself of one of greatest pleasures in life.

One by one, kids melted away as they got their snow cones and soon he was all alone. I just hated to see him go. He was ready to start his motorcycle when he looked up and saw me sitting on porch.

"Hey, Jimmy, don't you want a snow cone today?"

"Hain't got no nickel," I sobbed.

"Come on down," he called back. "You can use one of my nickels today."

Leaping off porch and smearing tears from my face, I went to him for my snow cone. When I got there he pressed a nickel into my trembling hand and asked, "Now, which flavor do you want? Don't tell me. Root beer, right?"

Root beer was more than all right for me.

As I exchanged his nickel for my root beer snow cone, I could not speak for fear effort would distract from smile, which had taken my face by storm. It was best root beer snow cone I ever had.

Watching him drive away, I thought to myself, that's greatest job in world.

More than 40 years separate me from that childhood memory. Looking back, I smile when I realize I have, today, greatest job in world.

What could be greater than helping people receive from God what they can't afford. God's marvelous grace is for all who, for one reason or another, do not have needed "nickel."

Upon further reflection, a verse from Old Testament came to mind. "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." Isaiah 55:1 KJV.)

No matter how much money a person thinks he or she has, they are always one nickel short of God's grace.