June 25, 2007.

Today was a bad day.

A brave Corrections officer was killed in the line of duty, others were injured and a lot of folks were just plain scared.

But some good people also did some good things.

Eric Fullerton, a scrappy former paratrooper somehow managed to wrestle away a gun from an escaped convict.

Then, with genuine modesty, he told us he wasn't a hero.

But. of course, we beg to differ.

And then - on a smaller but still important scale - there are some other people who did some good things at ABC 4.

These are people you don't always see but ones who should be recognized.

For starters, there is Steve our morning editor.

When all heck started breaking loose, Steve grabbed one of our smaller production cameras and dashed to Arby's.

Because of his fast action and thinking, we were able to get a shot of the suspect being led out of the restaurant.

Steve also got dramatic video of a man wounded in the neck and the head.

Meanwhile, one of veteran photographers, Dennis Kurumada, hung around the crime scene for several hours after all the action ended.

And because of that, he was able to snag an interview with Eric Fullerton, the hero who wrestled the gun away from Curtis Allgier.

Thanks to people like Dennis, Steve and many others, we are able to better share a terrible tragedy with viewers, a story we wish we didn't have to tell.

First it was Giuliani's campaign.

Now, it's Brownback's.

Both campaigns recently leaked information about Mitt Romney and his LDS religion.

From Giuliani's staff came the interesting article by my good friend Thomas Burr about the LDS legend of a presidential rescuer arriving on a white horse.

Now, a Brownback aide has been reprimanded for sending an email raising questions about Romney's and the Church's beliefs.

One might have been a mistake.

But two?

When I read about this latest Brownback incident I asked myself, "Is this religious bigotry?"

After all, both episodes seem to be cases of candidates using the religion of another for their own political gain. 

I also couldn't help but wonder what the outcry would be if other candidates did this about different religions?

What would be the reaction then?

And would other candidates even be trying this if the religion in question wasn't Mormonism?

All of this reminded me of two things:

1) Romney's faith has been, is and will be an issue in this campaign.

2) He must be scaring the other campaigns because it seems we're seeing and hearing more of this.

While I am not LDS, nor a great biblical scholar, writing and thinking about this called to mind the words of John 8:7 - He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone.

In this instance, what these words say to me is all the candidates - R's and D's - could spend the rest of the campaign slinging mud.

However, I can't help but wonder; aren't there more important issues to talk about and deal with?

Until the next BLOG, I'll be in the political backroom.

Ok.

Don't laugh.

But the truth is...I haven't had a new home computer since 1998.

Yup, 1998.

Stop laughing.

And what's worse...it's a dial-up.

So, very reluctantly, I am now being dragged kicking and screaming into the 17th century.

Yes, I've made the decision to buy a new computer!

And that's where things get really tricky.

What kind to get?

I am sort of leaning towards an Apple since that is what we use here at ABC 4 - at least some of the time.

But even if I go Apple, do I get a laptop or a bigger desktop for my study at home?

It's what is sometimes called "the tyranny of choices."

Anyone have any suggestions?

THEN...when I have a new computer, my high tech friends tell me I will have to set-up my own website and then a MySpace page and Facebook and etc.

Oy!

My dad, who is nearly 80, disengeniously calls himself a Luddite which, broadly, is someone who is highly suspicous of new technology.

But the truth is dad has a new Apple desktop and has gotten pretty good at surfing the web.

How do you think I get a lot of my story ideas  :) He sends them to me.

So who knows?

Maybe I will end up with the same type of computer that dad has.

After all, I've heard it suggested that the Apple hasn't fallen far from the tree.

Until the next BLOG, I will be in the political backroom.

Some of you may remember David Northfield.

He worked at ABC 4 News for many years and is one of the nicest, most decent people I have ever had the pelasure of working with.

I bring this up because David was sometimes described as a "Foodie" - someone who is a combination of gourmet and food junkie.

David also hails from the Bay area where I recently spent a few days.

I mention all this because of a place called the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero at the Port of San Francisco.

 The Ferry Building is truly food heaven.

Recently renovated, this landmark building is now home to all sorts of restaurants and food stores.

There is a seemingly endless array of fresh fruit and vegetables and cheese and meat and seafood and, oh, did I mention chocolate!

My favorite is a little cafe called Boulettes Larder.

Their fresh bread and scrambled eggs and hard to find teas may have made for the perfect breakfast.

One morning, I even ran into Willie Brown, the former of San Fran.

Simply put. it's a great place to read the paper and slowly break in a new day by the Bay.

I am sure David Northfield would approve.

In other words, I left my heart and stomach in San Francisco :)

Until my next blog, I will be in the political Backroom.

 Wednesday, May 16th, 2007.

  Just two days to go until the big Rocky Roast.

  This Friday, the Salt Lake Acting Company is throwing a big Rocky Anderson funrd-raising roast at the Rose Wagner Theater (Tix still available).

 Along with my pal Tom Barberi, Babs Delay and some other local yucksters, I need to come up with some barbs to lightly poke fun at the Mayor.

  Too bad there isn't any material  :)

  Seriously, where to start?

   His wanting to impeach the President and the Vice-President, his speaking out agaisnt the Iraq War, global warming, the City Council...not to mention those orange pedestrian flags...I mean, really, there's nothing to talk about.

  Oh, did I forgot Sean Hannity?

   And, perhaps, even more importantly, what  does wear to a roast?

   I know what to wear to a barbecue, but a roast is an entirely different beast.

   The invitation says to wear "funky chic."

   HUH?

   I am lucky if, on a daily basis, I can get my socks to match. And they want me to be able  to pull of "chic?"

   Seriously, to be both funny and fashionable, that's a lot of pressure! 

   If anybody out in the blogosphere can help with Rocky Roasts or fashion tips, email me at chris@abc4.tv

   Until the next BLOG, I'll be in the Backroom.