A squirrel scampered into the bicycle wheel of an unlucky Finnish opera singer, causing him to fall, knock himself out and break his nose just ahead of the world premiere of a new opera. —Squirrel in spokes floors cycling opera singer (Yahoo!)
Hm…. I don’t think the word “floors” is good for this headline, since “squirrel in spokes” makes so little sense that I had to wonder whether “spokes floors” was some kind of a thing, though I suppose the presence of both “spokes” and “cycling” should have suggested a bicycle.
This item refers to an event that took place “last month,” so its only news value is its oddity.
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This headline is like a combination brain twisting:
Squirrels that spoke floor the grammar police.
and tongue twisting:
Squirrel’s spokes square singing soprano (try that a couple times fast).
Although I do like the very ironic literalism of “floors.” This may be one case where the objective visual is less important than the impression. Perhaps: Squirrel on cycle tips opera singer to the ground?
I think this squirrel has taste. I am hard-pressed to think that an opera with bicycles in it is Tony quality. :)