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shipperxLately, it seems like far too many people have lost their effing minds. What's next? Is someone going to poison Uga?! (Explanation: Uga is the name of the University of Georgia's bulldog mascot. Uga is an actual dog).
Auburn is a public state university. This is vandalizing state property. These were 130+ year old trees at the front of the university. (And you would have to be crazy-stupid to do it as it's not only the most trafficked corner of the university, but it's dead center front of Biggin Hall and so would absolutely have sercurity cameras for the protection of students).
From CNN.com:
For decades, the live oak trees at Auburn's Toomer's Corner have hosted myriad celebrations following wins by the Tigers football team. Police block off the nearby intersection as fans frolic in the street, hurling rolls of toilet paper into the trees until the entire corner looks as if it was hit by a snowstorm.
But the tradition may soon end, at least for these particular trees.
Last month, a professed University of Alabama fan – upset after the Tigers' 28-27 comeback victory over the Crimson Tide in November – called a nationally syndicated sports-talk radio show in Birmingham to boast that he had poisoned the trees. He said he used the herbicide Spike 80DF, or tebuthiuron.
Auburn University conducted tests after the January 27 phone call and confirmed Wednesday that lethal doses of Spike 80DF had indeed been applied to the soil around the trees. There is little chance the 130-year-old trees will survive, according to a university statement.
[Updated at 10:30 a.m. ET] Authorities have arrested a Dadeville, Alabama, man and charged him with criminal mischief for applying herbicide to the live oaks at Auburn's Toomer's Corner, according to CNN affiliate WTVM in Columbus, Georgia.
A source at the Lee County Justice Center told the station that Auburn city police arrested Harvey Almorn Updyke, 62, Thursday.
Officials will hold a news conference later this morning.
ETA: He's been charged with a class 'C' felony with mandatory jail time. And he's an ex-Texas Ranger! ::headdesk::
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/17/auburn-universitys-iconic-oaks-poisoned-will-likely-die/
Auburn is a public state university. This is vandalizing state property. These were 130+ year old trees at the front of the university. (And you would have to be crazy-stupid to do it as it's not only the most trafficked corner of the university, but it's dead center front of Biggin Hall and so would absolutely have sercurity cameras for the protection of students).
From CNN.com:
For decades, the live oak trees at Auburn's Toomer's Corner have hosted myriad celebrations following wins by the Tigers football team. Police block off the nearby intersection as fans frolic in the street, hurling rolls of toilet paper into the trees until the entire corner looks as if it was hit by a snowstorm.
But the tradition may soon end, at least for these particular trees.
Last month, a professed University of Alabama fan – upset after the Tigers' 28-27 comeback victory over the Crimson Tide in November – called a nationally syndicated sports-talk radio show in Birmingham to boast that he had poisoned the trees. He said he used the herbicide Spike 80DF, or tebuthiuron.
Auburn University conducted tests after the January 27 phone call and confirmed Wednesday that lethal doses of Spike 80DF had indeed been applied to the soil around the trees. There is little chance the 130-year-old trees will survive, according to a university statement.
[Updated at 10:30 a.m. ET] Authorities have arrested a Dadeville, Alabama, man and charged him with criminal mischief for applying herbicide to the live oaks at Auburn's Toomer's Corner, according to CNN affiliate WTVM in Columbus, Georgia.
A source at the Lee County Justice Center told the station that Auburn city police arrested Harvey Almorn Updyke, 62, Thursday.
Officials will hold a news conference later this morning.
ETA: He's been charged with a class 'C' felony with mandatory jail time. And he's an ex-Texas Ranger! ::headdesk::
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/17/auburn-universitys-iconic-oaks-poisoned-will-likely-die/
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no subject
Date: 2011-02-17 04:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-17 04:27 pm (UTC)I instantly remembered the call to Finebaum. At the time no one took the caller seriously (except apparently Auburn that tested the soil).
This is just insane. This is serious vandalism and more than that it's just cruel.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-17 04:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-17 04:28 pm (UTC)That's just awful.
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Date: 2011-02-17 04:23 pm (UTC)You're right --"lost their effing minds" indeed. I mean, who does that?
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Date: 2011-02-17 04:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-17 05:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-17 05:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-17 07:17 pm (UTC)How on earth did Auburn get permission to have a bald eagle?
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Date: 2011-02-18 01:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-17 05:41 pm (UTC)Proof that sports fans are crazier than other fans. ;-)
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Date: 2011-02-17 05:54 pm (UTC)And one would guess this is a slam dunk case as:
A) The herbicide used is a controlled substance (and expensive) so there is no doubt a paper trail.
B) There's a live webcam and multiple security cameras in that area.
C) He freaking called a nationally syndicated radio show and said he did it. I actually heard the call several weeks ago. Most people -- including the host -- thought it was a joke. And, had he not called, chances are slim that it would have been noticed until early summer (as apparently the process of the chemical is to allow the tree to leaf out and then have the leaves fall off). It's only because he called the radio show that the university even thought to check that such a thing was going on.
It's truly astounding that someone would do something like this (and he claimed it was in retaliation for the Auburn fans placing a Cam Newton jersey on the Bear Bryant statue in front of of the Alabama stadium. Dude. Placing a football jersey on a statue falls under the category of 'prank.' Sure, it's aggravating, but no actual damage done. This is killing 130+ year old trees... and everything living within a large radius of those trees. And it's in an extremely active thoroughfare of a state public university! That's insane.
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Date: 2011-02-17 05:44 pm (UTC)And, at 62, he's sure old enough to know better. When I first read this, I assumed idiot students had done it.
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Date: 2011-02-17 05:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-17 05:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-17 06:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-17 07:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-18 12:48 am (UTC)Geezus.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-18 05:47 am (UTC)