Alabama is the only place I know where local TV weathermen get death threats for interrupting college football games with tornado warnings.

A University of Alabama football fan has been convicted of poisoning the famous oak trees at Toomer's Corner in Auburn, Alabama (home of AU's primary rival). The trees were noted for being toilet-papered after an Auburn University win. The man has been ordered to pay some $800,000 in restitution. I found that a little odd; the school made plenty of money selling seedlings from the trees. Presumably the judge was an Auburn fan, too.

Lest I be accused of stereotyping, or even making it up, this is observed behavior. I spent my early childhood in Alabama and the last 36 years in Georgia. I accept a certain extremism with many sports, but the degree of madness associated with the fanaticism in Alabama in particular is mind boggling.


"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."