August 12, 2026

Bain v. Bane: Will the real villain please stand up? [KSL.com]

It’s hard to tell who the “bad guy” is these days. Is it Bane? Or is it Bain?

The contrast between the real Bain and the comic book Bane couldn’t be more different. But to listen to President Barack Obama’s campaign, you would think that the two are the same, both villains bent on “pillaging society.” [cont…]

Book Review: “Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960 – 2010” by Charles Murray

There is a divide growing in America, argues Charles Murray in his book “Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960 – 2010” but it isn’t necessarily over money. In fact, the divide may be greater because it is cultural, not just economic.

Displaying a dizzying array of statistics, studies, and research, Murray shows an America that is watching the rise of what seems, to me, to be a new ruling class, a group of elites that are well educated (“overeducated elitist snobs”), well connected, and with a set of values and interests different from much of modern America. [cont…]

Skipping the Convention: A Lesson in Leadership

Jon Huntsman, an “also ran” in the race for the GOP nomination for President, announced that he will not be attending the Republican convention this year, or any other Republican convention for that matter, until the party focuses on a bigger, bolder, more confident future for the United States.”

In other words, until everyone agrees to play by his rules, Huntsman is taking his ball and going home. [cont…]

WRR: Beerhive Pub

I ate lunch at Beerhive Pub today, and I can’t say much about the beer there, so don’t ask.

I had a sandwich called “the Beerhive” and was piled high with so many cold cut meats[…]

What is the role of the Supreme Court, anyway?

“The Constitution, though it dates from the founding of the Republic, has powerful meaning and vital relevance to our own times. The constitutional protections that this case involves are protections of structure. Structural protections—notably, the restraints imposed by federalism and separation of powers—are less romantic and have less obvious a connection to personal freedom than the provisions of the Bill of Rights or the Civil War Amendments. Hence they tend to be undervalued or even forgotten by our citizens….”

5 Minute Book Review: “Redshirts” by John Scalzi

While I would never call myself a Trekkie–I much prefer Star Wars, and I have never been able to buy into Roddenberry’s vision of a utopian future where mankind has solved it’s scarcity problems and given up money, but I digress–I’ve watched enough to know that the guys who die are almost always–always–the guys in the red shirts. They’re unnamed extras, low level members of Star Fleet that die to provide some level of tension to the episode. And this book is through their eyes, through the eyes of the red shirted members of “away teams” that die at the first sign of danger. [cont…]

WRR: Blue Nile Ethiopian Cuisine

I don’t always eat Ethiopian, but when I do, I eat at Blue Nile.

Ok, so let’s get down to business. Sitting just across the street from a fantastic taco stand next to the old Sears on State Street, the Blue Nile Ethiopian is a quiet little restaurant that I might otherwise have never found, but for the suggestion of a friend, criminal defense attorney and food blogger Marco Brown.

The Blue Nile is not your typical restaurant. [cont…]