It is a little shameful really. You all could be gathering dreams, praying, singing, working in s soup kitchen, or actually caring about mentally ill prisoners who could use the help of a jail diversion program.

You know, AKAsmith, instead of taking the time to write your oh-so bitter rant, you could be gathering dreams. praying, singing, working in soup kitchen or actually caring about mentally ill prisoners who could use the help of a jail diversion program. (Besides, who's to say that people who pay attention to the article AREN'T doing those things. This may surprise you but us pitible peons ARE capable of walking and chewing gum at the same time.)

If hate is what you put out, what do you think you get back?

Pointless rants like this, perhaps? Of course, if you actually had read the article and the letters instead of "skiming" them (and what a "I only read it for the articles" thing to say, by the way) you'd see that the hatred is more about the idea of rich privilaged people getting a slap on the wrist then Paris Hilton herself.

If trivia is what interests you, how will you enrich your minds?

This nonsense is equivalent to The National Enquirer at the supermarket checkout line. You all don't purchase that rag, do you? But put the Salon label on it and you think you can have a debate?

But what if we DO in fact purchase it? How does THAT mean we can't also "enrich our minds?" Also are you aware that Cintra Wilson is an entertainment writer? I just thought you should know that before you write a rambling letter to Entertainment Weekly complaining that they aren't covering Iraq enough. Sheesh!

Oh but then let me out after 3-5 days and arrest me again!

It's a good thing I wasn't using a (hopefully) exaggerated scenerio to make a point, or boy would my face be red! (What was that point again? Something about people making sanctimonious ASSumptions about another group of people as if they weren't participating in the act itself. You know, sort of like how Bill O'Reilly did during the Anna Nicole Smith saga.) Oops there I go with that gosh darn "mischaracterization" again (Next thing you know I'll be blatantly stating that anyone who responds to this article must not possibly care about praying and soup kitchens. Even though of course I'm not "responding". Because it's me and I'm so above it all. That makes it different.)

Ok now that we're done with the self-righteous hand-wringing...oh wait not yet? Oh ok.

I understand, blynchehaun. After all, as the last 6 years have showcased, the press totally has the pulse of public interest. That's why the 28% approval rating for Bush is completely reflected in media coverage of him and...oh wait. Someone hasn't been reading their Salon like they should have.

Actually we don't even have to reach up to politicojournalism levels. The star-making machine that is the tabloid empire is based as much (if not more) on publicist manipulation and string-pulling as it is on "public demand." You know because the masses was just dying for more Heidi Montag coverage (who? Exactly!)

And the contacts and the extensions. Didn't you see her mugshot/casting photo? Otherwise, good post Joan.

In any case, I'd take note of the Paris sympathizers because we're going to get the same line of BS when Scooter Libby gets thrown in the slammer.

Actually we already ARE getting it, if this laugh-a-minute opinion piece by Joe Klien is any indication.

http://time-blog.com/swampland/2007/06/thoughts_on_sentencing_1.html#comments

See, Joke Line is complaining that Libby is being made a "scapegoat" do to his (get this) "celebrity" and everyone that wants his to do time is just vindictive spiteful meanie. When Libby is finally hauled away, I'm sure he'll wail "It's not right! Mommy!" and garner even more sympathy. (Oh if only Paris got her own bunch of "Won't somebody PLEASE think of the children" letters on her behalf to a judge like Scooty-pie did.)

And as an aside, can people stop pretending as if celebutards were only home-grown phenominon? The UK for example has so many of these that they started exporting them ("Jordan," Posh Spice, the Royals.) Parises come in six-packs now, and I'm sure there is one in every country.

I don't know if "bucky" is still aroud, but I do have to give a minor defense here to the otherwise loathsome WALNUTS and remind people that in the Republican debate, John Mccain was vehemently against torture and Gitmo too.

You're so right. After all, it worked out so well with Harding, didn't it?

Actually who Romney reminds me of most is Guy Smiley. Maybe ol' Mitt could drop out of the presidential race now that The Price is Right has an opening.

This phenomenon isn't just limited to carnage in Iraq. Maybe it's just me, but now it seems like ANY terrorist attack ANYWHERE is automatically linked to "Al Queda." The most recent attack on a Glasgow airport being one example. Despite now having any infomation about the suspects, the media (and especially Fux News) were going on and on tyring to strain themselves to find SOME link with "Al Queda." There were similar mutterings about the foiled attemp on JFK airport too. And of course, let's not forget the "that loony from Virginia Tech MUST be one of those Al Quedas" right-wing blather that Glenn pointed out a few months ago. As if no one else was capable of commiting terrorist attacks.