(this is) durkin.org

All is not well… and I’ve got proof. This is my first attempt at a Snap Gallery (but love it), so bear with me. It didn’t occur to me to size the pics, and I just didn’t so much feel like rotating them, so you’ll have to turn your head for some of them.

Anyway - the kitchen project is going slowly. But it is going. All of the drywall is up, the first layer of old flooring is out, and all the debris is gone from the curb. Now, we just have to cross our fingers that the electrician will finish on time, and then we can mud and tape the drywall, stain the cabinets, do the floor, pour the countertop, and all that crap. I’m not even talking about molding yet.

Happy Thanksgiving, all.

Listen, I know there is a large Greek population in Birmingham, and even a couple Italians, but this guy is crazy. I mean, “Lawsuit calls Vulcan religious endorsement ” is the silliest thing I’ve ever heard. At first I thought he was trying to get rich via lawsuit, but he’s only sueing for $1 per government organization! Double crazy!!

A short background (for those of you not familiar with Birmingham): Birmingham, Alabama (site) made a name for itself back in the day the steel industry - was even dubbed the “Steel City.” A statue of Vulcan, god of the forge, was cast for the 1904 World Fair, and was later brought to Birmingham and placed atop Red Mountain, where he could be seen from almost anywhere in the city (even those who lived behind him…you see, Vulcan only wore an apron, so he constantly mooned certain communities!). Anyway, he got old and needed to be refirbished, so the city took him down a few years ago, and has been trying to get him fixed up and back in place. More details here , here and here.

So anyway, citizen groups and government folks are trying to put him back up on his perch above the city in his original form (sometime during his stay, his torch was replaced with an actual light - it burned blue, unless there had been an auto-related fatality in town that day, in which case it burned red for 24 hours). I think its great that he’s coming back. He was quirky and fun, and one of the largest outdoor sculptures in the States, something unique and interesting about Birmingham. Pretty cool.

Religious? Hardly. Try civic pride and history.

On a bumper in Calera, Alabama, about 30 minutes south of Birmingham -

Coon Hunters do it all night long.

I don’t even know what to say about that.

Sheez - I didn’t even know someone (I mean, a public official, and in public)called him a moron until I saw this today. Apparently, the now former aide to Canada’s Prime Minister called Bush a moron last week. Huh.

The really crazy thing about the article is the undercurrent of discontentment between Canada and the US. What is that about? Tension between Ottawa and Washington? Is this for real? I’m kinda stunned about that, actaully… I tend to think of Canada and the US as best buddies, you know, like girlfriends in high school. The US is the pretty, popular, stuck-up and widely hated one, and Canada is the plain, smart and very nice girl whom everyone likes, but tends to think of in hindsight. And everyone wants to know why she hangs out with that bitch to the south.

Tough, I know, but I call em like I see em. Proud but honest, that’s what patriotism should be.

But I digress. Did I mention that a public official called Bush a moron?

Although I would’ve moved the Stone Roses a bit higher in the list (ok, a lot higher), I do love the treatment the receive from Pitchfork’s staff:

039. The Stone Roses arrived so fully formed upon the release of their debut that it destroyed them altogether.

All in all, a fine listing of the top 100 albums of the 80’s.

I had no idea they had it in them. A riot in Canada… now I think I’ve heard it all.

And over Axl Rose, no less…

Dirty.

Broken and dirty. I’ve been coughing up plaster all day at work, and am very much looking forward to getting back to the bang and crash opera that will be my night.

Honestly, though - this is very cool stuff I’m getting to see. My house was built in 1927, and the innards of some of these walls haven’t been touched since. I had no idea about how difficult putting up a plaster wall must have been. Or, if not difficult, certainly time consuming. Oye with the lathes already!

Cross your fingers, and I’ll be ready to hang drywall this weekend.

This should be good.