Short takes on the news

No small beer • The popular demand for real craft beer in Utah is so great that, despite the state's arcane and constantly shifting liquor laws, written and enforced by people who don't know a pilsner from a pole in the ground, 18 breweries have sprung up since 1986. The latest absurd obstacle placed in the path of these examples of home-grown economic development is the out-of-the-blue decision by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control that beer sampler trays, long a staple of brew pubs across the country, aren't legal here. These assortments of a pub's beers, served in 3-ounce glasses, are usually shared by at least two people, add up to less alcohol than is found in a common liter-sized serving, and allow diners to have an idea of what they would get from a full glass without having to order several full-sized beers. Banning the samplers, as with the short-lived rule that prohibited diners from being served a drink while still considering the menu, serves no purpose other than to make the agency and its masters in the Legislature look foolish. This rule needs to be sent back to the kitchen.

The City Library at 10 • It may not seem like a whole decade has gone by since the Salt Lake City Main Library opened its doors. Or it may seem as if the striking, sunlit building in the heart of the city has always been here. But since February of 2003, when the anchor of the new Library Square opened, it has been the center of so much. Not only does it circulate more than 3 million books, DVDs and CDs a year, it offers computers, hosts speakers, movies, musical performances and community festivals and serves as an intellectual and artistic hub for the entire region. Locals bring their out-of-town guests to see it. Designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie and brought to reality under the leadership of former library director Nancy Tessman, the library remains the jewel in Salt Lake's crown.

Taking aim at bullying • Nearly everybody hates bullying. Not everybody knows what to do about it. But Maya Miyairi, a graduate student at the University of Utah's College of Health, has developed and tested an anti-bullying program that helps students deal with body-image and race issues. Implementation of the program at the school level has shown a drop in reported bullying incidents. Miyairi's approach is to help often awkward middle-schoolers accept themselves and others as they are, rather than buy into unrealistic ideas as portrayed in the mass media. More schools should adopt this program.