Esteemed Members of the Bar (beque)

South Carolina has a history of doing itself proud when it comes to Blawg Review. Injury lawyer David Swanner did a bang-up job on Blawg Review no. 6 at the South Carolina Trial Law Blog. Sheryl Schelin flew high with Blawg Review no. 63 at The Airport Lawyer blog before landing and starting her own firm; Blawg Review no. 104 will undoubtedly work out just fine when she hosts at her new South Carolina Employment Law Blog.

It's no great surprise then that Bill Watkins' Presidents Day-themed Blawg Review no. 96, hosted at the South Carolina Appellate Law Blog, is another entertaining and informative edition of the carnival of legal blogging. Highlights include a band on the run, a slapfight between Joe Rogan and Carlos Mencia concerning joke thievery, and the myth of the ticking time bomb.

Speaking of myths, the South Carolina origin of no. 96 gives me an opportunity to dispel another myth, namely that Texas barbeque is the best in the country. It's definitely good, but Carolina-style barbeque is just as definitely better. For my money, Carolina Bar-B-Que in New Ellenton is the class of the field. It's deserving of that title based on its food alone, but it also exemplifies the three hallmarks of true Carolina barbecue:

1. It's cheap and all-you-can-eat because, when you get right down to it, so are we all.
2. Its building should probably be condemned but isn't yet because the inspector is eating.
3. It's not open more than three days per week. If you show up too early, the doors are closed because the pig ain't done yet; if you show up late, the doors are closed because the pig's all gone. You need to get your priorities straight and show up at the right time wearing loose-fitting pants.

In Bill's neck of the woods, the Greenville area, the Brushy Creek Bar-B-Q deserves a very favorable mention. Elsewhere, Maurice's Gourmet Piggie Park Barbecue is probably the best-known -- not the best, mind you, but the best-known and not at all bad if you just want a quick meal. What's more, Maurice has a hallowed place in legal history thanks to the 1968 Supreme Court civil rights decision in Newman v. Piggie Park Enterprises. Truly, we would not be the nation we are today without Carolina barbecue.