Friday Social: Powerball hoaxes, hommus and a little bit of sole

The $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot was just the ticket for viral fame; plus other stuff we loved on the internet this week.

The image of the kangaroos that went around the world. Credit: Evan Switzer

A roundup of some of the stories that have popped up in our Facebook and Twitter feeds this week that were too good not to share, including Powerball hoaxes, the church of shoe and that kangaroo picture.

JUST THE TICKET?

The odds of winning the astounding $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot this week were one in 292.2 million. The odds of finding someone on social media pretending to scoop the prize are far, far less.

The unprecedented pot will be split three ways, by mystery winners in Florida, Tennessee and California.

Soon after, the Instagram account of Californian skateboarding filmmaker Erik Bragg appeared to show the winning ticket with the lucky numbers 4, 8, 19, 27, 34 and 10. However, a few dubious details appear to give the game away: along the left hand side, the letters A, B, C, D and E are clearly visible but those letters would indicate there should be five lines of numbers to match each letter and Bragg’s ticket has only one line of numbers next to the letter A. Also, Bragg is something of an Instagram star which would suggest he knows a thing or two about a post going viral.

What of this video, though? The clip shows the moment 42 restaurant workers at Grissini Restaurant in New York thought they had won the Powerball jackpot, only to discover the winning numbers were actually bought for a ticket on the wrong date.

Some sites have questioned the authenticity of the clip, suggesting it may be a publicity stunt. We only hope for their sake it is - The Friday Social still remembers with a grimace the time we thought we had won $10 on Oz Lotteries only to be dashed by a smudged number - losing out on more than a billion dollars would just be too much to bear.

MC HOMMUS

Woolworths don’t always get it right on social media - exhibit A: the disastrous ‘Fresh in Our Memories campaign.

But the store found a lot of love on Facebook this week when a response to a customer complaint went viral.

Sydneysider Ben took to social media to complain about his mouldy hommus, quoting rapper Ice Cube.

Dear Woolworths Mosman, In the words of the modern day poet Ice Cube, "Today was a good day", until a familiar craving...

Posted by Ben Hunter on Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Woolworths’ response was gold, attracting thousands of likes, comments and shares.

“Hi Ben, hello from the other side.

Firstly, we love the great poet Ice Cube. But lets talk about Hommus, we totally understand that this is not okay and we will follow up with the store to make sure any other products like this get Straight Outta Mosman. The Boyz in the Hood will look into this for you. Check Yo Self and get over to the service desk for a refund and replacement - You Know How We Do It.

Peace out Hommus.”

OLD LOVE’S NEW FLAME

This video just goes to show that our high school crushes never truly leave us.

When US writer Marian discovered the boy she had been in love with is now dating a model, with skin “made of silk and it has little sunrays woven into it”, she broke out into a fit of hysterics.

Luckily for us, her housemate caught the whole thing on camera. Trust us, it’s worth a watch.

CHURCH FOR LADIES

A Taiwanese religious group has built glass church in the shape of a high heel with the aim of enticing female worshippers.

The giant shoe is made from 320 pieces of blue-tinted glass, and stands about 17 metres high.

It also apparently features “100 female-orientated” photo-taking spots, and is supposed to represent the girls’ unfulfilled dream to walk down the aisle at their weddings in beautiful heels.

WOULD ROO BELIEVE IT?

And we can’t let the week slip by without a mention of Roo-gate.

It was the picture that touched thousands around the world - a grieving kangaroo cradling the head of its dying buddy. Until we realised, thanks to The Australian Museum, these pictures show that, far from an anthropomorphised expression of true love, the male Eastern Grey actually appears to be sexually aroused by the dying female. Mating, not mourning. Or, as the New York Magazine put it: “Thanks for nothing, kangaroos, you adorable little necrophiliacs.”

The image of the kangaroos that went around the world. Credit: Evan Switzer