I love this shot of Ellie barking at the television screen because one of her fellow canines can be seen there.  I did some of my own barking at the tv screen last night, thanks to the obnoxious work of Chris Matthews on his MSNBC program.  We chose MSNBC because we thought it would be a good place to hear more about the strange video manifesto left behind by the shooter in the Virginia Tech massacre.  (the tape and accompanied photos were of course mailed to NBC.) Compared to the thoughtful work of Brian Williams or Matt Lauer, two of my favorite television journalists, Chris Matthews is nothing but an obnoxious blowhard who seems not the least bit interested in learning anything- only in trumpeting his own opinions and observations. I found his style – and what a misnomer that is – to be lead-footed, heavy-handed, and just plain loud and pointless.  And he is of course far from alone in this particular sweepstakes.  Nancy Grace, Bill O’Reilly and Geraldo Rivera are even worse along with most of their colleagues.  Welcome exceptions include Anderson Cooper, who is so much more thoughtful- on an altogether higher plane.  Anyway, I could hardly believe that I was yelling at the screen NOT in a rage over the murderous madman in the video, but over Chris Matthews.  No wonder the students of Virginia Tech are starting to chase the “journalists” out of town. When they are subjected to the attention of a joker like Chris Matthews, anyone’s patience would be worn thin.  If I came across Aladdin’s lamp and after rubbing it I was granted three wishes,  I’m pretty sure the first one would be to wipe 95% of cable television hosts off the screen and replace them with intelligent and thoughtful people doing quality journalism or holding helpful, insightful discussions. (My second and third wishes would be: 2) Opera would elbow itself into center stage of our nation’s cultural landscape, driving rap and hip hop off the planet. . . and 3) Fast Food would no longer be fattening.)  I am not holding my breath for any of the three to come to pass, of course. But a guy can dream.