It's that special time of year, so if you're a serious news junkie, be sure to approach everything you read with an extra measure of caution. Today is the day when many bloggers go out of their way to publish completely unfounded news items -- as opposed to the rest of the time, when they do it mostly inadvertently.

Many technology companies like to get in on the act, too, and Google has practically turned it into an art form over the years. Its April Fools' joke this year is hard to miss: Google has changed the name on its home page to "Topeka" in honor of the Kansas city's decision to temporarily change its name to Google as part of its bid for inclusion in the Google Fiber for Communities project.

"We didn’t reach this decision lightly; after all, we had a fair amount of brand equity tied up in our old name," writes Google in an explanatory blog post. "But the more we surfed around (the former) Topeka’s municipal website, the more kinship we felt with this fine city at the edge of the Great Plains."

Michael Arrington of TechCrunch, who kicked off the April Foolery early yesterday with a story on Google's nuclear ambitions, says he isn't impressed with the caliber of Google's own joke.

However, it's a whole lot funnier than this news release from Microsoft's anti-piracy group -- which, in the context of all the other corporate April Fools' efforts today, feels a bit like hearing your dad trying to joke around with your high-school buddies.

"There is a sense of relief when a cruel joke is quickly followed by a wisecracking "April Fools!'," the Microsoft news release says. "But when consumers fall victim to software piracy, you can be sure a pirate won’t relieve their misery with humor."

Um, yeah, thanks for the laughs, guys.

Another Seattle-area corporate giant, Starbucks, shows how it's really done with this post on its corporate blog, announcing the introduction of two new drink sizes -- "Plenta" (128 fl oz) and "Micra" (2 fl oz). Be sure to check out the photos of the new sizes, they're inspired.

Of course, the day is just beginning, so feel free to let us know about any good April Fools' jokes you see by posting links in the comments below or sending an email to techflashtips@bizjournals.com.

We'll also update this post with any good ones we see, as we look forward to tomorrow, when we can start believing everything we read again -- in theory, at least.

Update, 6:30 a.m.: This just in from PopCap Games:

SEATTLE, Washington and DUBLIN, Ireland – April 1, 2010 — PopCap Games, maker of some of the world’s most popular video games, today announced a new celebrity edition of its flagship franchise Bejeweled^®. Available only in a limited edition retail box crafted from cubic zirconia and sold only at PopCap.com, Celebrity Bejeweled replaces the traditional gem pieces with holographic likenesses of gem-named superstars from popular film, television, music and sports. Further, the special collector's edition package includes actual genetic samples of featured celebrities, for use in home chemistry experiments, various forms of extortion and/or sale on eBay. Celebrity Bejeweled carries a suggested retail price of US$2000. (Due to live DNA samples, this product requires hand-delivery to addresses in Kentucky, Michigan and the less lenient counties of Arkansas. Further, some copies may contain trace amounts of Alec Baldwin spliced with Lady Gaga.)

Dozens of celebrities were considered for inclusion in the new game, with the following receiving the ultimate honor of their respective careers: musicians Neil Diamond, Jewel and Crystal Gayle; renowned artist Jasper Johns; and action movie star and former big-time wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Singer Pearl Bailey and NBA Hall of Famer Earl "The Pearl" Monroe will share the honor of replacing the white gem in the game (mostly because Oprah Winfrey refused to legally change her first name to "Opal"). Lastly Amber Smith, former Sports Illustrated swimsuit model and first model of the original Wonderbra ad campaign, will thumb-wrestle TV and film actress Amber Tamblyn (of General Hospital and Joan of Arcadia fame) for the seventh and final gem spot.

Update, 7 a.m.: Jeff Reifman, the former Microsoft employee who has been leading the campaign against the company's licensing practices, uses the occasion of April Fools' Day to imagine what it would be like if the company reached a tax settlement with the state: Microsoft, in a bold stroke, solves 520 and Seattle Center problems (Crosscut); and Washington state to become hotbed for nuclear energy with help from Microsoft. Also see Gregoire signs controversial don't tax, don't tell legislation.

Update 9:45 a.m.: Fresh off its $10 million venture round, Seattle online lawyer directory Avvo writes in a blog post that it plans to use some of the money to start an online dating service for single lawyers. The company -- which went so far as to create a mock-up of the service -- writes:

There are plenty of dating sites out there, but what distinguishes Avvo Singles is how naturally it fits into a lawyer’s life. As you well know, the single biggest dating challenge attorneys face is lack of time. Looking for love online can help, but setting up countless profiles on Match.com, Eharmony, Yahoo Singles, etc. is still time consuming.

With Avvo Singles, your lawyer profile already exists, and countless potential mates already see it every day. For consumers, Avvo Singles offers only pre-screened attorneys to choose from, which is a safe alternative to other dating sites where predators can operate with impunity. And while some may accuse us of blurring the line between business and pleasure, we trust that lawyers will exercise good judgment and follow professional conduct rules in their jurisdictions.

The blog post is convincing, and it is actually not such a bad idea. But we saw right through it. Nice try Avvo.