The Off Topic Topic

[MadBurgerMaker]

Farewell Kraken?

Shalom, Kraken.

"Hey that thing is finally fuckin off.  You gotta light?"

[CountDeMoney]

MADRID — An elderly Spanish woman has destroyed a 19th century church fresco after she attempted to restore it without permission.

The Ecce Homo, a depiction of Christ crowned with thorns painted by local artist Elias Garcia Martinez, has graced the wall of the Santuario de la Misericordia Church in Borja, near Zaragoza, for more than 120 years.

But over the last 18 months its surface has deteriorated because of moisture in the church, causing parts of the painting to flake off.

An elderly woman amateur artist in her 80s, upset at the worsening state of an image she loved to gaze on, took it upon herself to restore the artwork to its former glory, but with devastating results.

The result was a botched repair in which the original face has been almost completely painted over with amateur brushstrokes. The image now resembles an ape, rather than the son of God.

"Unfortunately a local resident with very good intentions decided without consulting anyone that she would restore the fresco," said Javier Silvestre, the councillor reponsible for culture at Borja town hall.

"The result is disastrous." A panel of art historians will meet at the church next week to consider the problem.

The amateur painter carried out her work without anyone noticing.

Descendants of the artist used to spend their vacations in the town and donated the picture to the local municipality.

The "restoration" was only discovered when the relatives made a donation toward its upkeep and an expert was sent out to examine the fresco.

At first church authorities thought the picture had been deliberately vandalized until the octogenarian came forward and admitted her role.

The Centro de Estudios Borjanos, a local cultural organization responsible for preserving the town's artistic heritage, has called for a full investigation into how it was allowed to happen.

"The value of the original work was not very high but it was more of a sentimental value," said a spokesman.

"It was painted by Elias Garcia Martinez who is the father of two well-known local artists and the family had made a donation toward its preservation.

"The church is always open because many people visit ... no one realized what the old woman was doing until she had finished," the spokesman said.

Officials hope to find out what materials the woman used in her work on the fresco to help experts in undoing the damage.

[MadBurgerMaker]

What's fucked up is that "before" picture is after she scrubbed it or something and pulled off those big white chunks on the face, etc.

[The Brain]

They made a monkey out of Him.

[Jacob]

There are about 50 young women in my office space learning how to code.

[Grey Fox]

There are about 50 young women in my office space learning how to code.

That's a lot, is your office a school too?

[Jacob]

There are about 50 young women in my office space learning how to code.

That's a lot, is your office a school too?

Nope. But about 40% of our floor space is rented out to a growth accelerator for tech start ups, but since they're all away doing pitches somewhere the space is being used by these people today: http://ladieslearningcode.com/

[Admiral Yi]

Anyone want to guess what the #1 imported beer in the US is? 

[Jacob]

Anyone want to guess what the #1 imported beer in the US is? 

Stella?

[garbon]

I just read that SF/Oakland is the fittest metro area in the US.

[garbon]

Anyone want to guess what the #1 imported beer in the US is? 

I looked it up. Would have thought that before I moved to NYC where people constantly order Stella.

[derspiess]

Anyone want to guess what the #1 imported beer in the US is? 

I think it's been Corona for a while, sadly.

[Admiral Yi]

Stella?

Nope.

Speesh is right.

[MadImmortalMan]

I was going to guess Heineken, but Corona is probably right.

[garbon]

I was going to guess Heineken, but Corona is probably right.

H is #2.