I've alrady explained why I write here: to improve the quality of TV reporting on Salon. I won't repeat my previous explanations; go click on the "read my other letters" link. Among them you'll also read that I don't want Havrilesky's job. I just don't want her to have it.

I'll be curious to see the things you other caballeros have written for Salon and elsewhere. Must be an Algonquin Round Table of delight.

About the reality shows being "all in fun, get over it," isn't that what they said at the Coliseum in Rome as they saw lions ripping apart some Jews? (Which will probably be Mel Gibson's next movie - it'll be his musical comedy.)

A long time ago, TV critics were appalled at "Queen for a Day," a show where housewives had to tell their tragic true stories (only not too tragic, no cancer or death, okay?) and the one the audience applauded the most got a pile of prizes and a fur stole. (Which wouldn't help their situation anyway.) But at least that show didn't cruelly mock the losers.

There's only one way to make reality shows honest. On "Survivor," for instance, this week's loser must be immediately clubbed to death in front of everyone else, with the multi-camera setup showing all the gore and blood. It could be done by someone who looks like the Scary Bald Black Guy from "Heroes" to do it. The contestants are only risking humiliation and shame right now; let them risk their pointless and useless lives for their prizes.

Ugly thought, huh? But is it so different from the way the contestants are treated now?

And Rob Anderson, thanks again for the defense. I must point out that his blog (click on his link in his posts) covers many other things besides TV, but recently covered a related subject - the abuse of DVD's by renters, making them unwatchable. That's important, because if DVD's of older TV shows survive, Havrilesky might someday learn something about the medium.

Why bother, guys?

First of all, readers of Salon are fairly liberal and agree with a lot of what you say. You're not "reaching the enemy" here - you're preaching to the choir. Your sniping would work better on Free Republic, the homeland of your enemies (and America's enemies, come to think of it). If you get banned there, get new user names and continue.

Second, all the posts I've read here show nothing more than me-too attitudes against the war and Bush. There's a place for such "progressive dittohead" posts, and that's democraticunderground.com. At least there you can vote-up and support the work of other writers who have something original to say, maybe insipring you to do the same on some fine day.

Put posts where they don't matter and will be ignored, and you're not helping end the war or the Bush Family Evil Empire; you're graffiti artists puffing up your own egos while you smear paint on the walls. However close that might be to Havrilesky's writing, even she doesn't deserve to have her columns tagged.

...when they don't have to deal with them directly.

For the record, I've had friends living below the poverty line; they were friendly folk who just didn't have the looks or the social skills to do much more than menial jobs. They were of Seminole Indian stock, and outside of her sewing and him playing security guard, they had no real job skills. They lived next to a crack house, a station which they accepted with some aplomb; they'd lived in trailers before.

Although they were constantly in trouble - the husband wound up in prison, partially because he was a letch whose sexual appetites were almost animalistic - they were good enough to offer shelter to two other people. The girl they helped wound up graduating high school (something neither of them had done) and the guy, who almost became as much a sex addict as the husband, straightened up and began getting an education.

I helped them when I could, but there came a point when we had to drift apart. I couldn't remain a reference for the husband when an employer called me; I hadn't seen him in years, and couldn't honestly recommend him. But if I knew where the young girl and the wife was, I'd still be willing to give them a small loan.

Those people who want to throw the poor in prisons and workhouses, and the ones who want to give them fabulous prizes and cash, should really get to know the poor personally. Not as a class, but as individuals.

Once, on the online service Dementia Radio, I heard a song - I believe entitled "The Real Slim Santa." Yes, it was an Eminem parody...and I just found the Flash movie link...

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/136163