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Sean Dietrich Articles

Sean of the South | See Rock City Barns

OPINION — Interstate 59 shot past our windows like a streak of pigeon excrement on a commercial airline windshield. We crossed into Tennessee, heading northward to New Jersey. The radio played Jerry Reed. And I was busy counting barns.A barn in the distance. Overgrown...
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Sean of the South | This was not written by AI

OPINION — I don’t know what to do about AI.Humanoid robots. Automated cars. Augmented reality smart-glasses. Smart dishwashers. Robotic surgeons. And what about the weird AI images all over my newsfeed? Where are these freaky AI pictures coming from?A masterfully...
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Sean of the South | Eulogy for the American newspaper

OPINION — I miss the newspaper. Before the internet. I’m talking physical newspapers. The kind you unfold.I miss the morning routine of it all. Walk to the end of the driveway, barefoot, pre-sunrise. Messy hair. Morning breath. Unsheath the newsprint from its plastic....
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Sean of the South | A little bit of sole

BY SEAN DIETRICH OPINION — It was a big park. A big city. The man was sitting on the sidewalk. Directly on the ground. And he was barefoot.His feet were scraped and bloody. He was picking at the sole of his foot. Maybe he was trying to remove a splinter? A shard of...
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Sean of the South

Sean of the South

May 31, 2024

What I did this summer OPINION — Lake Martin is busy, the rich scent of smoked meat fills the air, and my LDL cholesterol count is already...

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Sean of the South

Sean of the South

May 23, 2024

A Memorial Day in the park OPINION — Sunset. There must be a million people gathered in Railroad Park tonight. Downtown Birmingham is crazy. There...

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Sean of the South

Sean of the South

May 16, 2024

Dumplings OPINION — I’m 5 years old. On Mama’s stove is a steaming stock pot, filling the world with the essence of chicken and dumplings.I’m...

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Sean of the South

Sean of the South | May 9, 2024

May 10, 2024

A mother's love OPINION — “I am a little old woman who lives in an assisted living facility…” her email began.Her following message was about the...

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Sean of the South

A walk in the dog park

May 2, 2024

OPINION — My truck cab was filled with three barking dogs and one idiot. The dogs were in the backseat. The idiot was behind the wheel.“Sit down!”...

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Sean of the South

Columnists’ Day

Apr 26, 2024

BY SEAN DIETRICH I didn’t believe him. I thought he was pulling my leg or similar appendage. I was at the airport bar. He told me April 18 was...

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Sean of the South

About today

Apr 19, 2024

Hi. You don’t know me. I don’t know you. We’re strangers. But we’re the same, sort of. Only chances are, you drive a nicer car than I do. In fact I...

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Sean of the South

Easter

Mar 27, 2024

BY SEAN DIETRICH A few years ago I attended my first Catholic mass in a busy church outside Birmingham. It was Easter Sunday. I sat in the nosebleed...

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Sean of the South

Dollar General

Mar 20, 2024

BY SEAN DIETRICH OPINION — The following actually happened. In a major American city. A guy emailed me about it.A young woman is in Dollar General....

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