Every year the Motley Fool puts up an April Fool’s gag, and every year it gets ever more elaborate. This year’s is not quite their best- I thought their mockery of technical analysis a few years ago was much better- but it’s still pretty damn funny:

Our source has asked to remain anonymous, but his track record is
beyond reproach. By day, he provides guidance to traders, policymakers,
and thought leaders in Davos. As an analyst specializing in bubbles,
some of his past market calls have been nothing short of astounding.

For example, he called the tech bubble and the real-estate
bubble back in 1995 — well before anyone else was even aware of the
potential for bubbles in those markets. More recently, he’s been warning
about the China bubble, the bond bubble, and the euro-shelter island
bubble. Our insider likes to make predictions decades in advance so he
and his clients have plenty of time to prepare.

This time, however, things are moving more rapidly than ever before.
That’s why we felt it necessary to share this information with our
readers so quickly. Sometimes, Mr. Market requires us to think fast, not slow.

“The only thing worse than doing nothing before April 17
would be acting too soon”

One thing our anonymous analyst repeatedly advised, however, was not
to trade on his tip just yet, as a late-stage “bubble crash reversal” is
not uncommon in a situation like this. Timing is everything when
dealing with bubbles, so it’s important to think about the best way to
play it.

Fortunately, we still have time to make money by plotting the right
course while nimbly avoiding the snares of the occasional reversal or
pullback.

Our solemn promise to you

When facing a financial and human disaster of such epic magnitude,
our sole aim is to figure out how to profit from the carnage. And we
intend to share our strategy with you.

During the next 24 to 48 hours we will be digging into the numbers in
order to devise the most effective trading strategy possible for
playing the gathering financial storm. Just hours ago, Motley Fool CEO
Tom Gardner hand-picked a rapid-response team of our top analysts, and
town cars are racing them back to the office at this moment so they can
put together a bubble-trading plan for our community members.

These guys are hilarious, but they are also out there to educate as well as amuse. If you want to learn the basics of investing from like-minded folk, or you just want to hang out on the message boards, please do so- it’s free to sign up. And of course, Happy April Fool’s Day!

UPDATE: Another great April Fool’s Day gag for you powerlifters.