Staff column

In December I wrote a column about the El Borracho bar and a picture I took of three smiling folks standing outside of it.

There is a major misconception that laws exist governing what the press is allowed to publish.

All court rulings over the years have interpreted the First Amendment to mean no laws can be implemented that involve prior restraint of the press.

Even in areas of national security, courts have often sided with the press.

That’s why the continued efforts to restrict the publication of jail booking mugs is futile. The latest effort comes in legislation proposed by State Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clinton.

The Utah Jazz play the woeful Cavaliers tonight in Cleveland and they’d better get the job done.

Talk about your amazing races.

My better half loves the CBS TV reality game show “The Amazing Race.” She watches it religiously, and has long pined to be a contestant on the popular series, in which two-person teams race to spots around the globe with the ultimate goal of winning the $1 million prize.

Most weeks, after watching yet another thrilling episode, she’ll turn off the TV, come find me wherever I am in the house, and announce, “We are soooo doing that one of these days.”

Fortunately, my wife has never followed through and submitted an application for the show, and for one simple truth: As the love of my life puts it, “I don’t want the whole world watching us fight.” Excellent point, dear.

These are loaded questions, I know.

Two journalists recently joined the Standard-Examiner staff.

Ben Zack, a photojournalist, started last week. He is a child of the west, growing up in Spokane, Wash., where his father worked for the U.S. Forest Service.

After high school, Ben attended Northern Arizona University for a year, then spent six years in a variety of other pursuits, including working for AmeriCorps in St. Louis and spending a season as a wildland firefighter in Oregon.