Absinthe & Cookies (a bit bitter, a bit sweet)

Flood, Plague, & Sports Losses

In Carlisle, they're thinking of destroying a sculpture called "The Cursing Stone" due to a string of misfortunes that have befallen the city since it was installed:

.... The stone, a 14-tonne granite slab intricately engraved with a 16th-century diatribe against violent raiders, was commissioned by city councillors for the Millennium celebrations.

Created by Carlisle-born artist Gordon Young, is now stands at the centre of the city, near its castle.

The 1,069-word curse was originally levelled at "reiver families", who raided Carlise and other parts of the far north of England from just over the border in Scotland in the 16th century.

However, since the work of art was installed, Carlisle has suffered the worst local flooding for more than a century, an outbreak of livestock disease foot and mouth and a rash of local job losses as factories closed.

Even the city's beloved football team, Carlisle United, has endured their own famine of goals, leading them to be relegated from the Football League, The Times newspaper said.

The artist is understandably upset that they want to destroy his sculpture, but this comment cracked me up:

"If I thought my sculpture would have affected one Carlisle United result, I would have smashed it myself years ago."

You just gotta remember what's important!

Posted by Ithildin at March 2, 2005 4:09 PM | PROCURE FINE OLD WORLD ABSINTHE