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"We trust it isn't a chat room for, say, vampires" I am offended. Some of my favorite people in all of the world I met via a chat room for vampires. They are kind, gentle, and loving. They are erudite and funny. They are excellent writers and great conversationalists. Some are university professors. Others are librarians, college administrators, members of the military, and government officials. Many are parents. Your implication that people who are interested in vampires are somehow dangerous is unwarranted and a vile sterotype. I trust that the girl who wrote to you isn't in a chat room for egotistical advice columnists. Richard Kitchen Citrus Heights, California

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I would like to make two suggestions for an article in your column. 1. That polititians remove themselves from the Do Not Call exemption, or be forced make their calls live by a person in their campaign headquarters. That way a person would have a way to say they do not vote for that party or individual. 2. That the rules of "existing business relationship" are changed. If I go into a business or respond to a mailing once, and then decide I am not interested or they don't have the product I need, I am then often contacted indefinitely. The worst case I have had is a professional organization that would not stop mailing things to me three years after I left the profession. This was with repeated attempts to get them to stop. I have stopped donating to charities I am actually interested in because if you donate once, they never let up. Plus, they let similiar organizations know you are a potential donor. If charities see their resources are down, this may be the reason why. Once a consumer lets a company know that they are no longer interested in a business, that should be enough to stop contact. It is irresponsible in this age of identity theft to continue to send out publications, business offers, etc if the consumer no longer wants them.

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I received a mailer from a candidate in my party which gave information about his opponent I found aimed to stir up fears about a Pakistani Anti-Defamation league donating campaign funds. I had the campaign's email address (not included online or in their mailer) and emailed my feelings. They sent an apology and said that they would let the powers that be know my feelings. Although the statement was true and came from our local newspaper, that wasn't why it was included. It was to bring up fears of terrorists. We have to follow up on things that disturb us in a calm, considerate way. We are on the no call list. I hang up on recorded calls if it is a message I don't want to hear. As for donating to a charity, they send those mailings because it has been proven they will receive more donations if they ask, ask, ask, ask. I deal with charities that don't pass your name on because they need the money desperately for themselves and where there a few administration fees because most of those involved are volunteers.

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As a teenager, over ten years ago now, I was lucky enough to get hold of Web access long before it was commonplace to do so. I had, and still have, a strong interest in Gothic horror, penny-dreadfuls and so forth. A fascination with the mythical is hardly rare, at that. I imagine you know where I'm going on this one: yes, I was on a chat room "for vampires", as well as a chat room for software development. In all honesty, those individuals (mainly professional scholars) with whom I shared a serious academic interest in mythology turned out to be by far saner, stabler and more interesting than the software developers, and I count myself very lucky to have had that experience. If I were giving advice to kids based on my real-life experience in this area it'd be: kids, it's not always easy to explain your interests to your parents, but it's worth having a try. While "we trust it isn't a chat room for, say, vampires" probably does mirror the average parent's gut reaction, it's precisely that sort of attitude that causes kids to get secretive about what they are doing, which has obvious potential for danger.