An Associated Press article this evening told the story of Utah’s $227 million renovation of the capital building. Apparently $227 million buys flat-screen televisions, wireless internet, and the finest, state of the art, dead mormon insulation. (That’s not insulation from dead mormons, but insulation made from dead mormons.)

Around 167,000 people in Utah are living below the poverty line.1 It’s estimated that 8,000 people are homeless.2 I appreciate history, really. I have a degree in it! But keeping poverty and homelessness in mind, couldn’t Utah have thought of something better to do with $227 million than put flat screen televisions, wireless internet, and dead mormons in their capital building?