Would have never thought that SC would rank so low…
The 2026 edition of “Freedom in the 50 States” ranks US states on their support for and protection of both economic freedom and personal freedom across a wide range of issues. For the first time in the report’s history, this edition also grades governors on how well or poorly they have advanced both economic and personal liberty in their states.
Watched: The Diplomat Season 4 🍿 Some interesting twists in the season but I kind of got tired of the constant relationship bickering between couples. Guess it’s something a single guy just can’t appreciate.
Inspired by the recent revolving door of the presidential press secretary, Bluesky’s Shortest Jobs feed celebrates careers that ended before the ink dried on the paperwork. From disastrous first days to bosses who make the White House look like a model of workplace stability, these stories prove that sometimes the shortest jobs leave the longest memories. It’s a hilarious collection of professional exits, awkward introductions, and employment records measured in minutes rather than months. Even Washington might be impressed.
Finished reading: Beartown by Fredrik Backman 📚
In Beartown, Fredrik Backman takes a small, hockey-obsessed community and turns it into a fascinating study of human nature. Hockey may be the heartbeat of the town, but the real story lies in the complicated relationships among its people.
What makes this book so compelling is Backman’s remarkable collection of characters—devoted parents, ambitious teenagers, loyal friends, outsiders, bullies, and dreamers. Some fit familiar small-town stereotypes, while others challenge our assumptions. Backman reminds us that people are rarely as simple as the labels we give them.
The relationships are equally fascinating: between parents and children, husbands and wives, teammates and rivals, lifelong friends and unexpected allies. Each connection adds another layer to a community where everyone seems to know everyone, yet few truly understand one another. Loyalty, ambition, fear, and the desire to belong shape decisions in ways that are both admirable and troubling.
Beartown is emotional, sometimes (extremely) uncomfortable, and consistently thought-provoking. It’s ultimately less about winning hockey games than about identity, belonging, community expectations, and the choices that define us.
And now I’m hooked. I’ve become so invested in these flawed, fascinating characters that I can’t wait to return to Beartown. Fortunately, there are two more books in the trilogy, and Us Against You is next on my reading list. I’m not quite ready to leave this little town, or its people, behind.
Watched: The Whisper Man 🍿
Netflix’s Death of the Pastor’s Wife examines the tragic death of Mica Miller, a 30-year-old South Carolina woman whose marriage to a charismatic pastor concealed allegations of manipulation, emotional abuse, and controlling behavior. In April 2024, shortly after filing for divorce, Mica was found dead in a North Carolina state park. Although authorities ruled her death a suicide, the circumstances sparked widespread controversy and public scrutiny. Through interviews, personal accounts, and investigative evidence, the three-part documentary explores spiritual abuse, religious authority, and institutional accountability. It offers a troubling look at how appearances can conceal suffering and the devastating consequences of coercive relationships.
Finished reading: Catch the Devil by Pamela Colloff 📚
The book is a gripping true-crime account of murder, corruption, and a justice system that doesn’t always deliver justice. Set along the Gulf Coast, the book digs beneath the surface of a disturbing murder case to reveal a complicated web of questionable evidence, conflicting stories, investigative failures, and people determined to uncover what really happened.
More than a simple retelling of a crime, the book examines how personal agendas, institutional failures, and deeply rooted assumptions can influence an investigation and its outcome. As new details emerge, the line between guilt and innocence becomes increasingly difficult to navigate.
What makes Catch the Devil particularly compelling is its focus on the human consequences of a flawed system. It’s a troubling reminder that solving a crime and achieving justice are not always the same thing…and that finding the truth can sometimes take years.
U.S. Supreme Court Begins Term With Historically Low Ratings
When I was growing up, we learned in school that the three branches of goverment were established to create a system of checks and balances. Maybe it has always been this way and I just didn’t notice it as a younger person, but it seems like that is an imbalance today and there is more of a political slant to the supreme court than what we learned in school. I’m not sure what the solution is but it seems like now is the time for revisiting all of the traditional elemnts of the court (term limits, justice selection, etc.)
Watched: The Ron Clark Story 🍿
For some reason I love this campaign. Maybe because it champions the little guy. Maybe because it highlights some truths on tech. I don’t really know but I like it.