COULD someone please explain the purpose of the bottom two contestants singing again for the judges on The X Factor's elimination night. In the elimination I saw, judges Natalie and Guy both voted for Carmelo Munzone to leave even though they each thought Carmelo's performance was superior to the other contestant on that night. By their reasoning, should home viewers also be looking for potential rather than substance in casting their votes? I just don't get it.

Helen Tsoutsouvas, Balwyn North

Sunset on Summer Bay?

IT IS disappointing to see that Home and Away has become depressing, stressful and a difficult show in which to find much continuity. Are the writers trying to make us dissatisfied so that they can discontinue what has been a serial that many have loved?

Merlyn Hubbard, Creswick

Home-spun quality

JACK Irish on ABC1 last Sunday was intelligent and high-quality drama that was absolutely riveting. Congratulations to all involved - actors, scriptwriter, producer, director. It was very pleasing to watch such a wonderful Australian production. More, please.

Jennifer Murray, Murrumbeena

Speaking of being dense

ON MILLIONAIRE Hot Seat (08/10), a contestant was asked to name the third-most densely populated state in the US. Having been given an incorrect answer, Eddie went on to explain that New York was the required response, coming in third after California and Texas. That is incorrect. It may be correct in terms of total population, but in terms of population density, not counting Washington DC, Massachusetts holds that position, coming in third after New Jersey and Rhode Island. None of these options was offered to the contestant. She should be given another chance.

Gerald Thomas, Ocean Grove

Yes on grudge match

LEIGH Sales interviewing Julie Bishop on 7.30 doing their rebellious schoolgirl versus the head prefect shtick was great TV. Can't wait for the next episode.

Brian Sanaghan, West Preston

Missing: Tony Jones' spine

Q&A on October 8 was the pompous ''old boys club'' giving yet another female guest a public mauling. This time, it was Christopher Pyne, Piers Akerman and Lindsay Tanner, human foghorns with their pompous overinflated sense of self-importance being so shockingly rude to senator Kate Ellis that I thought maybe Tony Jones gave them enough rope to hang themselves but, sadly, Jones doesn't think like that.

Mike Enders, Glen Iris

Intersexual tension

BRAVO, Kate Ellis, for keeping your cool and focus (Q&A, 9/10) against continual interruptions from Christopher Pyne. It seems that Pyne also has a problem with strong women.

Ron Hayton, Beaumaris

No, no; dig up, stupid

WELL, we've finally made it. It's taken some years, but the bottom of the barrel has finally been hit. Not just a program - but a series on Brynne Edelsten. As a very wise GG contributor recently said - ''If we don't watch, it will go away.'' It's now up to us …

Wayne Murray, Cannons Creek

Parks: serious business

I VERY much appreciated the characterisation of our national parks as humanity's lungs near the end of the The Great Southern Land series. But to call Royal National Park the second-oldest ''national park'' after Yellowstone suggests either sloppy research or cultural cringe (maybe both). The book Yellowstone produced for its centenary gave the honour of being first to Royal.

Geoff Mosley, Hurstbridge

Divine insight

RE: Last week's review of The Mentalist from Andrew Murfett: Andrew, all psychics are fakes.

Colin Coleman, Melbourne

Freedom to diffaah

LAST week J. Cammelleri of St Kilda praised Jennifer Keyte, among others, as being ''diction-perfect''. I must be listening to another newsreader, as the Jennifer Keyte I hear pronounces words ending in -er as -aah. Mothaah, fathaah, weathaah.

Sheryl Osborne, Seaford

It's how hot? When?

I DISAGREE with Ruth of Balwyn (GG 4/10). I find Kate Draper reading the news on ABC Radio to be very muffled. She drops her voice so low I often miss the end of sentences or the temperature and have to turn the volume up much higher. In her absence I have never had this issue with any other news readers. Some voice training for Kate?

C. Claire, Coburg

Luck, help a lady tonight

YOU'RE absolutely right, Noel North of Camberwell (GG 11/10). All we can do is wish Rhonda luck with Ketut!

Ross Barker, Lakes Entrance

Losing grip on the pages

LIKE Bob Bozanic (GG 11/10) says, it's the content that matters, but, sadly, the content has been missing for some time. Once that started to wane I was concerned. Then the staples were removed from M, but now that they have gone from the Green Guide, it's a worry. My preferred daily newspaper may now no longer be part of my daily information and news services if these trends continue. Bring back the staples, bring back the content.

Frank Stipic, Mentone

And a meal was 5¢

IN MY day, the Green Guide was fully green and stapled.

Lee Cheah, Glen Waverley

Staples have a new home

You can all relax - I've worked out where the staples have gone. Check out Saturday's Domain.

Dorothy Opat, Elsternwick

Paper-free, OK with me

JUST finished reading the tablet version of Green Guide. Not once did I miss the staples.

Anita Mackay, Melbourne

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