13 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 steam frame, tildes and pleasures. Tags culled from the highest voted topics from the last seven days, if anyone was mystified.

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!

9 comments

  1. [4]
    patience_limited
    Link
    Meet chatbot Jesus: Churches tap AI to save souls - and time The Text With Jesus app allows users to "embark on a spiritual journey and engage in enlightening conversations with Jesus Christ,"...

    Meet chatbot Jesus: Churches tap AI to save souls - and time

    • The Text With Jesus app allows users to "embark on a spiritual journey and engage in enlightening conversations with Jesus Christ," according to the app's website.
      The app also gives users the option to "talk" with other Biblical characters, including Mary, Joseph, Judas Iscariot, and even Satan.
    • Catholic apps One Day Confess and Confession - Catholic help users with confession and spiritual reflection, providing AI-guided responses based on biblical texts.

    Large Liturgical Models, anyone?

    8 votes
    1. jredd23
      Link Parent
      Am a bad none practicing catholic and am getting some ideas with this approach.

      Am a bad none practicing catholic and am getting some ideas with this approach.

      3 votes
    2. [2]
      boxer_dogs_dance
      Link Parent
      Ugh

      Ugh

      3 votes
      1. patience_limited
        Link Parent
        I have had Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" stuck in my head all day.

        I have had Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" stuck in my head all day.

        3 votes
  2. [3]
    CannibalisticApple
    Link
    Pig caught after Albuquerque police foot chase Saw this on the national news tonight and knew I had to share it here. There's some great videos out there of the chase.

    Pig caught after Albuquerque police foot chase

    A unique suspect was taken into custody after showing off impressive speed on Interstate 40.

    On Tuesday, Nov. 11, officers were called to the area of I-40 and the Louisiana offramp for a pig on the loose.

    "It was odd, but most of the time, we get stuff like that, and we get there and there's nothing there," said Lt. Ramon Candelaria with the Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department. "I didn't think much of it until I was getting there and I seen the traffic start backing up."

    Saw this on the national news tonight and knew I had to share it here. There's some great videos out there of the chase.

    7 votes
    1. [2]
      Raspcoffee
      Link Parent
      ...Funny. A few days ago, in the Netherlands, we've had police dogs retrieving a fellow dog from the A10 highway. Google Translate:

      ...Funny. A few days ago, in the Netherlands, we've had police dogs retrieving a fellow dog from the A10 highway.

      Google Translate:

      A young dog was rescued from the A10 West highway by Amsterdam police on Sunday. The playful labradoodle proved difficult to capture, so two police dogs were deployed. This allowed the police to safely remove the animal from the road.

      "This big little friend decided to enjoy the nice weather. Unfortunately, the chosen location, the A10 highway, was somewhat unsuitable for that," the police reported on social media.

      The police deployed two dogs to first "befriend" the escaped animal. Then, together with an inspector from Rijkswaterstaat (the Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management), the police were able to capture the labradoodle and bring it to safety.

      The adolescent dog has since been reunited with its owners, the police announced.

      6 votes
      1. CannibalisticApple
        Link Parent
        I like how "befriend" is in quotes as if those dogs didn't actually become friends for the 5 minutes or however long they were all in the same vicinity. Now I'm just picturing three dogs...

        I like how "befriend" is in quotes as if those dogs didn't actually become friends for the 5 minutes or however long they were all in the same vicinity. Now I'm just picturing three dogs frolicking and playing on the highway!

        5 votes
  3. mycketforvirrad
    Link
    Artist sneaks AI-generated print into museum gallery BBC News – Anaba Khan – 11th November 2025

    Artist sneaks AI-generated print into museum gallery

    An artist sneaked an AI-generated print on to a gallery wall before bemused visitors alerted museum staff.

    The print was hung up at National Museum Cardiff by secretive artist Elias Marrow, who said his Empty Plate piece - depicting a young boy in school uniform holding a plate - was viewed by a "few hundred people" before it was removed.

    BBC News – Anaba Khan – 11th November 2025

    5 votes
  4. CannibalisticApple
    Link
    Escaped chimp back in enclosure; no injuries reported, Indianapolis Zoo confirms Okay, got a fun one: a chimp escaped the zoo today. As bonus fun, there was a school having a field trip there...

    Escaped chimp back in enclosure; no injuries reported, Indianapolis Zoo confirms

    A chimpanzee that escaped its enclosure has been recaptured, the Indianapolis Zoo has confirmed.

    A visitor at the zoo told IndyStar that they believe the loose chimpanzee is named Mara and that zoo handlers were attempting to tranquilize the animal. Some people were asked to shelter in enclosed exhibits, like the dolphin area, while others were escorted from the property, the visitor said.

    Okay, got a fun one: a chimp escaped the zoo today. As bonus fun, there was a school having a field trip there today! Worth noting that while there was a call reporting an animal bite, the zoo itself claims there were no injuries.

    3 votes