16 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 usps, obituaries and pagers. Tags culled from the highest voted topics from the last seven days, if anyone was nosey.

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!

11 comments

  1. [4]
    mycketforvirrad
    Link
    Gatwick train cancelled after squirrels board and 'refuse to leave' Sky News – 18th September 2024

    Gatwick train cancelled after squirrels board and 'refuse to leave'

    The squirrels jumped on the Great Western Railway (GWR) 8.54am train from Reading to Gatwick on Monday, forcing passengers to flee to other carriages.

    The passengers alerted staff, who tried to lure the squirrels off the train at Redhill with snacks, before trying to force them off with brooms - but to no avail.

    Sky News – 18th September 2024

    12 votes
    1. jredd23
      Link Parent
      In NYC we got rats with pizza issues, in London we got squirrels who have an early nut to meet.

      In NYC we got rats with pizza issues, in London we got squirrels who have an early nut to meet.

      2 votes
    2. [2]
      chocobean
      Link Parent
      I love the official statements. It's a silly situation, so highlighting how silly it is just makes sense. When the headline said squirrels, I wondered how many would warrant cancellation of a...

      I love the official statements. It's a silly situation, so highlighting how silly it is just makes sense.

      When the headline said squirrels, I wondered how many would warrant cancellation of a train....what's wrong with two squirrels on a train. 50 squirrels I could see.

      2 votes
      1. CannibalisticApple
        Link Parent
        I saw your comment before opening the article and interpreted it as fifty squirrels somehow boarded the train. I am now mildly disappointed to see it was just two.

        I saw your comment before opening the article and interpreted it as fifty squirrels somehow boarded the train. I am now mildly disappointed to see it was just two.

        2 votes
  2. [3]
    patience_limited
    Link
    Don't make mud for a sports event from a contaminated water source, on two successive years, then hide the problems from the participants, their doctors, and health officials. Spouse did the Tough...

    Don't make mud for a sports event from a contaminated water source, on two successive years, then hide the problems from the participants, their doctors, and health officials.

    Spouse did the Tough Mudder once, and he said he was never going back because it was poorly run and too dangerous... Sounds like it's just gotten worse with time, and the lawsuits may finish it.

    9 votes
    1. [2]
      jredd23
      Link Parent
      I admire people that do this but at the same time in the back of my mind I am just like, why? It's like watching kids or people walking or playing around in flooded streets like it's a day at the...

      I admire people that do this but at the same time in the back of my mind I am just like, why? It's like watching kids or people walking or playing around in flooded streets like it's a day at the beach.

      4 votes
      1. Sodliddesu
        Link Parent
        I mean, fun doesn't need to be serious. If you can have fun playing in a flooded street, lucky you! That said, Tough Mudder has always felt like an event to show you're tough and, I'll state...

        I mean, fun doesn't need to be serious. If you can have fun playing in a flooded street, lucky you!

        That said, Tough Mudder has always felt like an event to show you're tough and, I'll state without evidence, that you more often find accountants running the gauntlet so they can mentally justify their otherwise soft life.

        But, like, c'mon - chlorine tablets are cheap! Treat the damn water guys!

        3 votes
  3. [3]
    jredd23
    Link
    Last night I was minding my own business looking at the stars wondering what the stars smell like? Apparently I am not unique in my wonderings. Others have asked the same question and have...

    Last night I was minding my own business looking at the stars wondering what the stars smell like?
    Apparently I am not unique in my wonderings. Others have asked the same question and have actually done something about it, and yeap, it smells like ...!
    Uranus Smells Exactly How You Think It Does

    4 votes
    1. [2]
      chocobean
      Link Parent
      Didn't Professor Fawnsworth from Futurama invent the Smell-o-vision or some kind of smelling telescope?

      Didn't Professor Fawnsworth from Futurama invent the Smell-o-vision or some kind of smelling telescope?

      5 votes
      1. jredd23
        Link Parent
        I forgot about that one! Yeap, smell-o-vision!

        I forgot about that one! Yeap, smell-o-vision!

        3 votes