12 votes

Offbeat Fridays – The thread where offbeat headlines become front page news

Posted by mycketforvirrad
Tags: ask.discussion, recurring.weekly, offbeat fridays, offbeat

Tildes is a very serious site, where we discuss very serious matters like judiciary, henry kissinger and popcorn. Tags culled from the highest voted topics from the last seven days, if anyone was taking notes.

But one of my favourite tags happens to be offbeat! Taking its original inspiration from Sir Nils Olav III, this thread is looking for any far-fetched offbeat stories lurking in the newspapers. It may not deserve its own post, but it deserves a wider audience!

6 comments

  1. [3]
    mycketforvirrad
    Link
    Kensington council rejects solution for Jewish sect’s tube travel ban Ian Visits – Ian Mansfield – 27th November 2023

    Kensington council rejects solution for Jewish sect’s tube travel ban

    A Jewish religious sect that cannot travel on the London Underground because of something inside the Science Museum has had its application for a religious fudge that would solve the problem rejected by Kensington and Chelsea council.

    The problem for the roughly 1,500 families of the Jewish priestly lineage known as Kohanim, is the subway that links the London Underground and the Science Museum, which, in their religion, means anything in the Science Museum is also part of the London Underground.

    As the Science Museum contains human remains — a skeleton is in the Medicine gallery — and the Kohanim are prohibited from being in buildings that contain human corpses, from their perspective at least, the “impurity” from the Science Museum has infected South Kensington tube station and all the lines that pass through it.

    Ian Visits – Ian Mansfield – 27th November 2023

    8 votes
    1. [2]
      DeaconBlue
      Link Parent
      I absolutely love hearing about weird-to-me religious rules and the contrivances that are made to try to avoid those rules being a problem. Without meaning to dismiss the religious, I find the...

      I absolutely love hearing about weird-to-me religious rules and the contrivances that are made to try to avoid those rules being a problem.

      Without meaning to dismiss the religious, I find the idea utterly fascinating that you have an omnipotent being making sure you are following the rules, and you are acting like adding a small fake roof will make the omnipotent being go "drats, you got me on a technicality!" However, it doesn't hurt me at all for you to follow strict rules with your life, and petitioning for a small metal roof over a door is not a big deal, so keep on keeping on.

      9 votes
      1. DefinitelyNotAFae
        Link Parent
        My understanding of Judaism is that the work arounds aren't "tricking" a deity but that said deity laid out the rules and if you loophole the rules, bravo. The deity would have given different...

        My understanding of Judaism is that the work arounds aren't "tricking" a deity but that said deity laid out the rules and if you loophole the rules, bravo. The deity would have given different rules if that bothered them.

        It's somewhat antithetical for a "spirit of the rules" culture to watch a "letter of the law" culture and vice-versa.

        6 votes
  2. [3]
    skybrian
    Link
    Paraguay official resigns after signing agreement with fictional country (The Guardian)

    Paraguay official resigns after signing agreement with fictional country (The Guardian)

    Representatives of the fictional country met with Chamorro and the agriculture minister, Carlos Giménez, Chamorro said in a radio interview.

    During the interview, Chamorro recognized he didn’t know where Kailasa was located and said he signed what he characterized as a “memorandum of understanding” because they offered to help Paraguay with a variety of issues, including irrigation.

    The revelation sparked a scandal – and lots of social media mockery – in Paraguay but it’s hardly the first time self-described representatives of the United States of Kailasa duped international leaders. Earlier this year, they managed to participate in a UN committee meeting in Geneva and also signed agreements with local leaders in the United States and Canada.

    7 votes
    1. [2]
      Sodliddesu
      Link Parent
      I thought, 'why? Is it a play to get governments to prove they don't actually plan anything or research it?' but the article says So, um, yikes on that one. It's less a 'fake country' and more a...

      I thought, 'why? Is it a play to get governments to prove they don't actually plan anything or research it?' but the article says

      On Kailasa’s website, the fictional country is described as the “revival of the ancient enlightened Hindu civilizational nation which is being revived by displaced Hindus from around the world”. It is led by a self-styled guru, Nithyananda, who is wanted in India on several charges, including sexual assault. His whereabouts are unknown.

      So, um, yikes on that one. It's less a 'fake country' and more a 'group of cultists led by an alleged sex pest.'

      8 votes
      1. rish
        Link Parent
        Lmao. His cult even managed to get to Geneva too for voicing his persecution by India. That dude is big time fraud. He fled the country after rape charges on him. Local coverage on this Paraguay...

        Lmao. His cult even managed to get to Geneva too for voicing his persecution by India. That dude is big time fraud. He fled the country after rape charges on him.

        Local coverage on this Paraguay incident>>

        https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/how-kailasa-the-fictional-nation-of-self-styled-godman-nithyananda-keeps-causing-trouble-13454602.html

        4 votes