WE Blog

If you’ve done much blogging or e-mailing, you’ve likely been misunderstood — such as when the reader didn’t realize you were being sarcastic. Several researchers have been studying electronic communications, and they’ve noted three major problems with medium, The Christian Science Monitor reported: Electronic messages lack cues such as facial expression and tone of voice; instantaneous communication creates a sense of urgency for recipients to respond quickly, which can lead them to say things they shouldn’t; messaging can be impersonal, which can make relationships fragile.
In the printed newspaper, we are careful with satire and irony, because many readers will read it literally. This danger is even greater with electronic postings and messages, the researchers say.
And as several of you have noted related to the WE Blog face-to-face gatherings: People tend to be much more respectful in disagreeing about issues when they’ve met the other person.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee

It has been great to have a Wichitan as the governor’s second — so great that Gov. Kathleen Sebelius should consider finding another south-central Kansan to be on her re-election ticket. You can’t begrudge Lt. Gov. John Moore his desire to retire rather than run again, so he can spend more time with his family as of January. A former Cessna Aircraft executive, Moore was deeply involved in economic development and important to the state’s successful effort to avoid any major military base closures, also spearheading Sebelius’ health care initiatives since 2004. One question: Will getting state support for Sedgwick County’s planned world-class technical training complex at Jabara Airport be harder without Moore’s help in Topeka? Let’s hope not. Of course, those who want a Wichitan in the lieutenant spot have another option this year: the GOP Barnett-Wagle ticket.
Posted by Rhonda Holman