7 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 fourth of july, mark zuckerberg and viewership. 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!

8 comments

  1. [3]
    mycketforvirrad
    Link
    ‘If we pray like a gringo, then we play like a gringo’ The Times – Stephen Gibbs – 8th July 2026

    ‘If we pray like a gringo, then we play like a gringo’

    Disappointed Brazilians see the hand of God in their World Cup exit, blaming Protestant players and the import of born-again Christianity from the US

    Some Egyptians blamed their exit from the World Cup on a conspiracy, Americans on President Trump’s intervention over a suspended player. Now Brazilians have come up with a theory as to why they were knocked out — the growth of evangelicalism over Catholicism.

    This unusual debate has inflamed social media since the five-time champions crashed out of the tournament on Sunday, after a 2-1 defeat to Norway.

    “Brazil was better when their players were womanisers, drunkards and slightly out of shape. In other words, when they were behaving like Catholics,” argued one account on X, describing itself as the “Institute for Hispano Studies” a “think tank”. It claimed that “evangelical Protestant sterilisation has flattened their ball, ruined their samba and obliterated their swag.”

    The Times – Stephen Gibbs – 8th July 2026

    7 votes
    1. jredd23
      Link Parent
      This world cup has some weird things. German blaming Bayer Munchen playing style for their failure, American cheating (that I didn't see coming), Paraguay actually going as far as they did (not...

      This world cup has some weird things. German blaming Bayer Munchen playing style for their failure, American cheating (that I didn't see coming), Paraguay actually going as far as they did (not even they believed in it), Mexican's acting Mexican, <edit> almost forgot, Canada actually understanding what grass is and that you can play football on it </edit>, Egyptians imitating Mexican drama, people being bored by defensive style playing - I wonder what the Italians think of that!, and now this, Brazilian blaming Protestants. What will be next? Imagine England finally understanding what proper food seasoning actually means and blaming that for their failure - just saying! Happy Taco Friday, don't forget to pet our adorable President on your way out.

      2 votes
    2. paris
      Link Parent
      Word on the street and all my catholic friends and family think this is both hysterical and possibly true. In that order!

      Word on the street and all my catholic friends and family think this is both hysterical and possibly true. In that order!

      2 votes
  2. [3]
    patience_limited
    Link
    Teens Arrested for Breaking Into High School With a Homemade Plasma Cannon Yes, it's vandalism, breaking and entering, and ridiculously dangerous. But the extravagant, enthusiastic stupidity...

    Teens Arrested for Breaking Into High School With a Homemade Plasma Cannon

    Yes, it's vandalism, breaking and entering, and ridiculously dangerous. But the extravagant, enthusiastic stupidity wrapped in weaponized cleverness appeals to my inner juvenile delinquent. All I played with in my day was non-removable tractor enamel paint and Styrofoam-based napalm.

    5 votes
    1. [2]
      jredd23
      Link Parent
      Now a days things that in the past would pass as dumb pranks get promoted to a major capital issue, I get it but sometimes 'adults' go too far with it. As to all that things needed for this, while...

      Now a days things that in the past would pass as dumb pranks get promoted to a major capital issue, I get it but sometimes 'adults' go too far with it. As to all that things needed for this, while cool, not that interesting. Back in the dinosaur days we had M80 firecrackers, many a mail boxes were blown to bits with them.

      5 votes
      1. patience_limited
        Link Parent
        I recall an incident or two involving M80s and high school plumbing (not me!), but no one got arrested for it.

        I recall an incident or two involving M80s and high school plumbing (not me!), but no one got arrested for it.

        2 votes
  3. cfabbro
    Link
    Nigel Farage's only by-election challenger is self-proclaimed space alien Count Binface Funny Radio 4 interview with Count Binface: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGOmzQbRT_E

    Nigel Farage's only by-election challenger is self-proclaimed space alien Count Binface

    Nigel Farage, leader of Britain's populist Reform party, says he stepped down from his parliamentary seat so he could trigger a by-election and take on "the establishment."

    But, so far, his only challenger is a man who wears a trash bin on his head and describes himself as a 5,000-year-old intergalactic space alien from the planet Sigma IX.

    "Logically, there are only two conclusions. One, I am the establishment, I'm the embodiment of the British establishment, which is curious," the self-styled Count Binface told As It Happens host Nil Köksal. "The only other possible conclusion is that Nigel is talking out of his posterior."

    Count Binface is the persona comedian Jon Harvey embodies to run in British elections for the dual purpose of skewering politicians and celebrating democracy.

    Harvey used to run as Lord Buckethead, a character from the 1984 Star Wars parody Gremloids, but was forced to pivot when filmmaker Todd Durham took notice of his growing popularity and decided to seize control of his intellectual property.

    As either Buckethead or Binface, Harvey has unsuccessfully challenged five U.K. prime ministers at the polls. Most recently, he lost a parliamentary byelection to Andy Burnham, who is now on track to become the U.K.'s newest Labour leader and prime minister.

    "I was actually looking forward to a bit of putting my space boots up," he said, speaking to CBC in character as Binface.

    But when he heard about Farage's by-election gamble, he says he "couldn't resist" throwing his helmet in the ring.

    Funny Radio 4 interview with Count Binface:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGOmzQbRT_E

    4 votes
  4. jredd23
    Link
    News from the 2026 World Cup State, dateline, Barcelona Spain. Missing World Cup fan found safe in Barcelona I know am dating myself but I think it would be my best holiday I've would have had in...

    News from the 2026 World Cup State, dateline, Barcelona Spain. Missing World Cup fan found safe in Barcelona

    His brother Gary said: "Little Mick is safe and well in Barcelona, blissfully unaware that the whole world was searching for him."

    I know am dating myself but I think it would be my best holiday I've would have had in years!

    3 votes