Random Rants

[Athos_131]

Like any social media, it's what you make of it.

#Resist

[psiberzerker]

When has humanity ever produced perfection, for free?

The Sistine Chapel ceiling paintings by Michelangelo?

So, half a century ago.  That's pretty old fashioned of you.  That's right before this Continent was rediscovered by Europeans.

Also, that wasn't free.  It wasn't even close.

[ChirpingGirl]

When has humanity ever produced perfection, for free?

The Sistine Chapel ceiling paintings by Michelangelo?

So, half a century ago.  That's pretty old fashioned of you.  That's right before this Continent was rediscovered by Europeans.

Also, that wasn't free.  It wasn't even close.

It's been there for 506 years.

[psiberzerker]

It's been there for 506 years.

Rounded down to the nearest Century.  That 6 years is just over 1%.

[_priapism]

Half a millennia, not half a century.  Since he was a famous and respected artist, Michelangelo earned a lot of money. For painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, he was paid 3000 ducats, which would amount to approximately $420,000 dollars worth of gold in today's terms, which at the time was a stellar amount of money.

[psiberzerker]

Half a millennia, not half a century.

Oh, right.  Yeah, that's way off.  Der.

[Jed_]

Half a millennia, not half a century.  Since he was a famous and respected artist, Michelangelo earned a lot of money. For painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, he was paid 3000 ducats, which would amount to approximately $420,000 dollars worth of gold in today's terms, which at the time was a stellar amount of money.

Really?  All that money for laying around on his back all day?

OK, maybe he was on scaffolding and that wasn’t comfortable.  OK, and maybe that he painted it on his back was more a legend that fact, and he really did it standing in usually awkward neck bent positions.

OK, losing my train of thought other than I need to see that ceiling one day.

[ChirpingGirl]

I meant by free, they don't charge to see it now... Do they? Yes they do. Of course they do. 

I assumed they didn't. So CJ was wrong. 

Can't see a masterpiece of human imagination without charging a few bucks. Damn we suck. 

I guess when you think about it nothing was ever free. Except cave paintings maybe. And we probably monetized that too.

[psiberzerker]

I guess when you think about it nothing was ever free.

Well, just to play the devil's advocate here, but the sex stories on Kristen's Board?  Yeah, I have to admit they're not the best, but I'm not holding my breath, waiting for the Royalty checks to start rolling in. 

Money isn't a bad thing, it's just supposed to be a measure of Quality.  That's how I feel about Youtube, because I don't have money for subscription services like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO go, I miss out, but some of the content on Youtube is pretty interesting, to me. 

There's other payoffs for Artists, though.  Sure, it's nice to make revinues from Youtube ads, and Patreon, but at the end of they day, anyone that gets into art expecting fame and fortune is most likely going to be disappointed.  However, the fact that there are people out here, who do it for free (Even if it's largely incomprehensible) means that there are some things you can appreciate for free.  If your standards aren't too high, perfection is a lot of work, and I'd argue that the effort does deserve some money, so they can keep making Art without having to hold another job.

IDFK, but here's another example of free entertainment, which I'd say is far too good, considering the fact that the audience doesn't have to pay anything, not even attention to the ads.

[MissBarbara]

I meant by free, they don't charge to see it now... Do they? Yes they do. Of course they do.  

I assumed they didn't. So CJ was wrong.  

Can't see a masterpiece of human imagination without charging a few bucks. Damn we suck.  

I guess when you think about it nothing was ever free. Except cave paintings maybe. And we probably monetized that too.

Yes, they do. However, it's relatively cheap (around $17), and the ticket gets you entry to the entire Vatican Museum, including the Sistine Chapel. It's very much worth the price. And St. Peter's, which is adjacent, is free.

Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City -- easily one of the finest art museums in the world -- is essentially free. They have a "suggested donation" (I usually pay $1), but if you wanted to, you could get in for one cent.

And the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC is, like almost everything else in there, 100% free.


EDIT: I was wrong. A few months ago the Met changed its admission policy. It's still "pay as you wish" for residents of New York State and college students attending schools in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. But there is now a mandatory admission fee for visitors from elsewhere of $25 for adults, $17 for seniors, and $12 for students.

[_priapism]

My ex took a selfie in the Sistine Chapel.  A week later she was texting me “my life sucks, and it’s your fault.”  So I put the two together.  The photo and the quote.  Best meme ever.

[ChirpingGirl]

So wifey's all pissed off at me. 

Before bed last night she wanted to have a "very important talk" with me. I already knew what she was going to say. I don't want to hear about it. She's been having private talks with my mom, stepmom and my sisters wifey.

I'm well aware she shares something with them and it's not something I care to talk about and they all know it. My mom told me. Sisters wifey told me. My stepmom told me. Then they all got mad at me when I didn't react the way they thought I should. 

So she's all "this is really important" no it's not now please shut up about it. You know I don't like talking about this. I didn't like talking to my mother about it, and she got all fucking pissy with me when I didn't act shocked. "I really have to just get out" God damn it, Suki, you're really pissing me off and you haven't said it yet.

"I think you need to know I'm gay."

 

No fuckin' shit! You've banged one guy your whole life, that's how you got knocked up and you said you were drunk when it happened. You think I didn't notice you show no interest in men? I took your virginity for fucks sake! When we first met you touched me and said "mine" according to my mom. Yeah, big fucking revelation. Just like my mom, I'm so shocked to hear this. You, my mom, my stepmom and sisters wifey are all gorgeous women inside and out, and I love you all, I don't know why you think I needed to be told this. 

Be gay, or lesbians or what the fuck ever. I don't care! I'm not. So you're gay, that's great, what does it change? Nothing. It didn't change my relationship with my mom and stepmom. My sister doesn't give a shit her mother and wifey are. What the fuck is the motivation here?

Now before you think I'm being cruel, I'm not. I don't like to talk about things like this. I just don't. I get it's important to them for some reason, but it doesn't change how I feel about them. I still have a goddess of a mommy. My wifey is still a gorgeous Asian woman. My stepmom is still that goddess Italian woman who made me the best spaghetti ever when I was a kid. My sisters wifey is still that beautiful British girl. I mean, what do they think is going to happen? Like I'm going to get a divorce, or say I have no mother? It doesn't matter. It never mattered to me.

So now she's all mopey about it. I explained that it doesn't matter, nothing is any different than it was five minutes before she said anything. 

Go ahead, tell CJ how awful she is. 

[_priapism]

So now she's all mopey about it. I explained that it doesn't matter, nothing is any different than it was five minutes before she said anything. 

Go ahead, tell CJ how awful she is. 

Everybody is something. Still none of my god damned business.  So be what you want to be today.  Label won’t change a thing.  I didn’t fall in love with a label.

[ChirpingGirl]

I didn’t fall in love with a label.

Neither did I. 

But a label seems what they want.

[ChirpingGirl]

CJ's giving the baby Latina a bath when the phone rings. I answered it, didn't recognize the number. Some jackass starts screaming at me how he wants me "off his motherfucking property, I have 30 days to get out" and goes on a rant about how I'm a deadbeat and I owe him thousands of dollars in rent and so on and so on. I played along up until he asked me if I had any questions. Yeah, I have a question.

Do you even know what number you called and who you're even talking to? To which he replied "I know what number I called you stupid fuck!" Yes, I'm stupid, but you got the way wrong number. I explained to him I will not be leaving, since I own half this house and property, and I don't owe him a single penny. He then threatens to call the cops on me and have me dragged out kicking and screaming.   I then corrected him on the number he called, and informed him if he wanted to send the police he's welcome to do so since he'd be sending them to wherever he's trying to kick someone out.

He calmed his ass down and apologized and promised to check the number next time.  

CJ needs a new fucking number.  

[Remington555]

Go ahead, tell CJ how awful she is. 

Nope. Sorry, can't do that because CJ is not awful. CJ is human, like the rest of us.

We've all done awful things, but that doesn't make us awful people. Some say Jesus was a perfect human being, but the rest of us? Absolutely not.

I'm not entirely sure that I understand why they're upset with you, but if it has to do with putting a label on people, I urge you to be true to your own beliefs. Having a different opinion doesn't necessarily mean either of you are wrong and if they don't understand that, then they have a problem, not you.

Remmy

[ChirpingGirl]

Well, we worked it out. Then humped for 3 hours. 

She said she doesn't like us having secrets.  so she felt compelled to tell me knowing that I don't like talking about it.

So we had a long talk and worked it out. My wife is gay. So? My sister and I aren't, but we married gorgeous gay girls. "As long as they're hot, we can let it go."  My sister said that not me. 

My mom, stepmom, sisters wifey and my wifey don't like the word "lesbian". And that's fine with CJ. 

[Jed_]

Well, we worked it out. Then humped for 3 hours.  

She said she doesn't like us having secrets.   so she felt compelled to tell me knowing that I don't like talking about it.

So we had a long talk and worked it out. My wife is gay. So? My sister and I aren't, but we married gorgeous gay girls. "As long as they're hot, we can let it go."   My sister said that not me.  

My mom, stepmom, sisters wifey and my wifey don't like the word "lesbian". And that's fine with CJ.  

I admit I’m having trouble following all this Chirp.  My translation in my head keeps coming back that you need a cock in your mouth, which just might be an oversimplification and a rather singleminded response on my part.

Anyways, sorry if you or your loved ones are upset.

[ChirpingGirl]

I could read the script to Independence day and all you'd think was "she needs cock in her mouth".

  

[Jed_]

I could read the script to Independence day and all you'd think was "she needs cock in her mouth".

  

Well, yeah.  But how could my thoughts not go there if your lips move while you read?  Maybe if you were a ventriloquist?