Charlie Simmons sits at a round table, which is covered by a white tablecloth and an assortment of candy. It is Friday at the East Tuscaloosa Community Soup Bowl, and a dozen volunteers are getting ready...

Americans like drama. We vicariously enjoy gossip, tension and conflict, and we’re prepared to pay for the access to these things. Look on the shelves of any convenience store, and you’ll see entire...

Tomorrow, a friend of mine who attends Georgetown University will arrive in the Deep South for his first time. He is flying to the Birmingham airport so he can be in Tuscaloosa for this weekend’s “Game...

Once upon a time, long ago, people knew how to rest. They returned from school or their job and relaxed. Their schedules weren’t filled to the brim, and they were okay with that. Now, it seems as though...