A recent story brought a piece of...

A recent story brought a piece of disquieting news: Bob Vila, host of public television’s outstanding series, “This Old House,” has been released by the powers-that-be at Boston’s PBS station WGBH because, as they put it, he has engaged in too many commercial endorsements. Now in view of the catastrophes that beset civilization daily, this event doesn’t rank very high on the world’s tragedy list. Still, to those of us who have come to identify Vila as the heart and soul of this enlightening and educational oasis in the wasteland of television, it’s a body blow.

D. L. Warren, Culver City