patrick.net

Blue says

Now a days there is no way to determining diamond vs some rock made in the lab.

Unless they fixed this "problem", a lab grown diamond would fluoresce in ultra-violet light. It's just a bunch of carbon, and diamonds aren't a "precious" stone, they are semi-precious. The only reason they have such a high value is because of DeBeers which is the cartel that controls them.

richwicks says

Blue says

Now a days there is no way to determining diamond vs some rock made in the lab.

Unless they fixed this "problem", a lab grown diamond would fluoresce in ultra-violet light. It's just a bunch of carbon, and diamonds aren't a "precious" stone, they are semi-precious. The only reason they have such a high value is because of DeBeers which is the cartel that controls them.

Yes sapphires and emeralds are actually precious

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

Yes sapphires and emeralds are actually precious

I suspect you're being sarcastic, but these are lab grown as well. Their value plummeted when they could be lab grown.

There's precious stones still, and some would be very hard to duplicate in the lab, but something that looks just like it can often be.

BayArea says

I would say both myself and my closely group of 10 or so friends (people I’ve known for decades)… 8 of us spent something like $20-25k on our weddings hosting about 100-200 people

The last two friends spent $200k each, both at the Ritz but they could afford it.

All 10 presented their soon to be wives with diamond. So far all 10 are still together in what is approaching a decade of marriage for everyone I mention above.

We did about 300 people. Held it at a Knights of Columbus school gym in the country. Had connections, but had a band, photographer, food (obviously) and the $200 fee to rent the space. We did a lot of the work ourselves with some volunteer help, but I think we managed somehow to do $15k for that amount of people. My parents paid for the band. So I guess $17k. Church was a historical site and not active so it was basically a $100 fee for that and no church BS with meeting the pastor. I don't have a religious bone in my body.

We had two bartender friends serve mixed drinks from the booze we bought and a beer keg trailer. To this day almost everyone I'm still friends with says it was the best wedding. It was a party. Most our friends then went to my families campground and we got wasted until 4am. Wife slept in her wedding dress as she was exhausted. Left the next day to Saugatuck, MI and stayed in my bosses house for a long weekend as a "honeymoon". Did the official one about six months later which ended up resulting in our love for USVI and BVI and the Caribbean. Was really a good reflecting on it.

Food is the biggest issue/cost. Booze, if allowed to bring in, you can handle pretty cheaply and have an open bar that you set up. Make sure to buy from a liquor/grocery store that allows booze returns. Most don't, but you can hunt them down. You can do weddings pretty cheap if you're crafty. Most people don't have the event planning skills though. My wife could plan any event and make it a great time. As an introvert she's really, really changed my social behavior in a good way. I have more friends than I want, but that's a good things. I just suck at staying connected with all of them.

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

richwicks says

Blue says

Now a days there is no way to determining diamond vs some rock made in the lab.

Unless they fixed this "problem", a lab grown diamond would fluoresce in ultra-violet light. It's just a bunch of carbon, and diamonds aren't a "precious" stone, they are semi-precious. The only reason they have such a high value is because of DeBeers which is the cartel that controls them.

Yes sapphires and emeralds are actually precious

🤣. This comment made me spit my cereal all over the computer screen. Bravo

Patrick says

Some of the best Spiritual Leaders

Billy Graham had a policy to never be alone with a woman whom he was counseling.

I'd say that no woman should be alone with any man she does not intend to have sex with.

This is an old traditional rule most places on earth, and for good reason.

The converse would be that no man has ever has the right to insist that a woman be alone with him.

I went to annual gem show few times over the years at San Mateo, ca. The choices are unimaginable under each known category and it’s (new!) variants. If it looks good, very likely it is treated with chemicals. At least some sellers agreed openly. After massive technological improvements in the lab made stones, it make no sense to still looking for “natural” stones. In supply chain no one knows what is lab made or treated vs natural. Bought good looking “emerald” for about $350 that I thought few grands. Prices plummeted like a falling rock. It’s a good news. But sellers still can get top $$ with their jargon targeting particularly women to sell their junk.

Still way cheaper to just not get married.

As a young single man, the philosophy of never being in a room alone with a woman seems absolutely insane.

As middle aged man with a wife/kids who has gotten to experience life a bit, it seems completely reasonable.

It has always been my experience, that if you find yourself alone in a room, with a smiling playful cheerful chipper woman, and you don't take advantage of her chipper nature.
They are a cold resentful B the next time you see them. That will go out of their way to not ever be in the same room alone with you ever again.

I can recall countless times that happened. One such time, the landlord's wife showed up at my door, twirling her hair, and giggling when I answered the door.
She was all about business after that.

https://notthebee.com/article/good-news-for-young-couples-looking-to-save-money-you-can-now-get-married-at-mcdonalds-restaurants-for-the-low-price-of-200/

You can now get married at McDonald's for $200 and chicken nuggets are included

Booger says

https://notthebee.com/article/good-news-for-young-couples-looking-to-save-money-you-can-now-get-married-at-mcdonalds-restaurants-for-the-low-price-of-200/

You can now get married at McDonald's for $200 and chicken nuggets are included

... but everyone in the wedding party will be asked if they want fries with that.

Booger says

You can now get married at McDonald's for $200 and chicken nuggets are included

Wouldn't Filet-o-Fish be more appropriate?

I Grimace

My friend's kid got married in the atrium of Cleveland Museum of Art. I don't think I will attend any other wedding like his. That must have cost a penny or two. He makes 350k.

Tenpoundbass says

It has always been my experience, that if you find yourself alone in a room, with a smiling playful cheerful chipper woman, and you don't take advantage of her chipper nature.
They are a cold resentful B the next time you see them. That will go out of their way to not ever be in the same room alone with you ever again.

I can recall countless times that happened. One such time, the landlord's wife showed up at my door, twirling her hair, and giggling when I answered the door.
She was all about business after that.

I went to see a home for sale. The real estate agent turned up with tons of make up and a dress that showed plenty of cleavage. Apparently, the tactic was that I as a buyer would loose my mind over her boobs and put in a buy offer.

gabbar says

I went to see a home for sale. The real estate agent turned up with tons of make up and a dress that showed plenty of cleavage. Apparently, the tactic was that I as a buyer would loose my mind over her boobs and put in a buy offer.

Did the tactic work?

Marriage is like a tornado. In the beginning there's a lot of sucking and blowing but in the end you lose your home and everything you own.

The average conversation I have with a man, if I tried to have it with a typical woman, would violate so many of 'her' precious boundary conditions and behavioral requirements, I would be permanently deemed a nervy monster.

Relationships between the sexes are conditional, censored, and highly compartmentalized, mostly by the women towards the men. It's why men, even the macho types, have total split personality syndrome around women. Watching them wheedle, crawl, ingratiate, and pump out soap opera lines every few minutes on an egg timer to women is pretty cringy, but many women require it.

My whole career I have had many women around in the work places and acting neutered dosed with fear of them has kept me out of trouble. They are tar babies and briar patches you don't really want to engage, especially in the work setting. That pisses a lot of them off because they are sex manipulators and extortionists, but they will leave you alone. One of the strange and peaceful advantages of being male is that if you aren't perceived as having money, status or power, society really does ignore you, whereas women always have their egg baskets attracting attention and aggression.

Misc says

Booger says

https://notthebee.com/article/good-news-for-young-couples-looking-to-save-money-you-can-now-get-married-at-mcdonalds-restaurants-for-the-low-price-of-200/

You can now get married at McDonald's for $200 and chicken nuggets are included

... but everyone in the wedding party will be asked if they want fries with that.

but you also get points if you use their app.

I used to work in youth ministry, and kids from the neighborhood would hang out at the church house I lived in with other roommates. One time one of the girls showed up before everyone else, no roommates at home. We hung out on the front porch until more kids came by. Unless you trust the female, and everyone who saw her go somewhere alone with you, don't be alone with her.

https://notthebee.com/article/study-the-biggest-happiness-predictor-in-america-getting-married-married-adults-30-happier-than-unmarried

"The happiness landslide comes entirely from the married": Study of Americans finds tying the knot makes you happier and nothing else comes close