Scientists recently reported progress in developing an invisibility cloak, a la Harry Potter.
It got me thinking: Who could most benefit from a cloaking device?
No doubt disgraced predator Rep. Mark Foley wishes he had an invisibility cloak about now.
In terms of overexposure, I think Fred Phelps needs a cloak. Give one to Paris Hilton, too.
Any other ideas about who should get an invisibility cloak? Other practical applications?
Posted by Randy Scholfield
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27 Comments
The US Army in surveillance during war?
Rush Limbaugh and please hurry!
The Eagle editorial board has used the invisibility cloak to hide many of the failings of this administraion and the real record of incumbent Todd Tiahrt. They hide his voting record against an increase in the minimum wage and in favor of Congressional pay raises. They hide his record of voting 4 times against a Congressional investigation into the waste fraud and abuse of Halliburton / KBR and others but his two faced legislation trying to create a Congressional oversight of Government departments.
They hide his real record as a participant in this administrations continuing lies and rape of American and Kansas working people and they encourage the continuation of our dependence on foreign oil and the $9 Trillion dollar deficit.
Todd is a part of the Republican Congress and this administrations unparalleled corruption and crony capitalism and scandal; it is simply the way they do business. Tiahrt came to office to create a revolution with the Contract With America in 1994 stayed to run a racket, and voters must conclude that it’s time for them to go. The incumbent in the Kansas 4th Congressional District, has been a part of that racket for 12 years. He has violated the “Contract With America” he first ran on. He has changed his to a contract favoring special interests and corporate America. They tout his alliance with indicted Texan Tom Delay as if it were a Badge of Courage.
The Eagle has devised theri own cloak of telling only half (if that) the story of Tiahrts reign — hiding us from Tiahrts true record.
Hey now…Paris Hilton has proven something to the whole country. She has proven that you don’t have to be poor to be white trash!
Well said Ken.
Randy? I’d say you and the Eagle could use such a cloak just now. Better to be invisible than an embarrassment to journalism and a seeming shill for the Republican party.
Maybe we should make OUR very successful blog “disappear”…….by relocating our forum elsewhere.
I do wonder. . . this not even the same Editorial Board that endorsed W. last time out. . .I wonder how the vote broke down. . .
I do, however, have a good idea of who was in the majority. You knew better, folks. . or should have.
JR, that’s a very intriguing proposal. I post ideas that some people disagree with, then I post other ideas that those exact same people agree with. And the converse.
We may want to develop an WEBlog-independent forum. Put some controls on it, like requiring password logins to prevent trolls from spoofing the discussion by using other people’s nics.
This being said, WEBlog is still very useful. I have a suggestion for it. There should be allowed new titled threads, created by the site’s bloggers in addition to WE editorial staff’s threads. Some people will create “trash” threads. But you can read their posts, and decide whether or not to extend the threads. If the initial posts seem to represent pure propaganda, just ignore them. Contribute to threads you feel to be substantive, not just if you agree with the posts, but if you disagree and can mount intelligent counter-arguments.
I think I was the first to propose, on WEBlog, televised debate between Todd Tiarht (that’s actually pronounced TEE-art, our representative mispronounces his own name to create a “Heart” image, but he’s really an ARTful guy) and Garth McGuinn, and not just one debate but three. I remorsed the fact that the Eagle and other local media outlets did not press Mr. Tiahrt to do this. Mr. McGuinn is a Kansas native. He wants to represent Kansans. He’s a self-starter. Mr. Tiahrt is a non-native, perhaps a “carpetbagger” who was arguably chosen by outsiders to be an RNP water carrier for their non-Kansas, global corporate and wealthy-investor interests.
The outsider-owned pseudo-”local” media doesn’t want to support a true local candidate to represent our part of Kansas. Wichita is really lame. The Eagle has been owned by California-headquartered news corporations for quite some time. I think McClatchy is better than Knight Ridder, but it still shows that Kansas is treated as a colonial satellite. Can this change?
Hmm,
WE Blog elsewhere.
That’s odd, I thought WE stood for Wichita Eagle.
I did a google search on blogs and there must be tens of thousands of blogs I have no desire to even click on to visit.
Yeah, that’s about it.
I’ll tell you what is going to disappear. The Eagle is gonna disappear from my front porch!
I’ve only posted here once or twice. I’ve been reading here a long time though. If the regular bloggers left for a new forum I’d follow them. The Eagle doesn’t have much of anything else worth reading.
I voted for Tiahrt the last 6 times. But if the man can’t even come home to debate his opponent he shouldn’t get reelected. The Eagle owes its readers better.
The Eagle’s lukewarm endorsement of Tiahrt was still an endorsement. Too bad, but if they had came out against him, they might have gotten a Republican boyocott of their paper. I do hope Tiahrt loses. It’s time for this country to go in a new direction, back up!
I can’t start the day without my morning paper, and I love the blog. I have no desire to post elsewhere, just wish the topics could be a little more diverse sometimes. The constant debate between the right and left gets a little boring just because it’s so predictable.
Can the “invisibility cloak” be used to cover an idea? If so throw it over the idea of building a $249,999,999.37 WHITE ELEPHANT DOWNTOWN ARENA. Then after dispensing with that ridiculous idea, get to work doing something really great with downtown Wichita and solving the 50 or so Wichita “quandries” such as River Walk, Exploration Place, Cow Town, Boat House, Indian Center, Kansas Coliseum, Old Town Parking Lots, etc., etc.
Invisibility? I want it!! I want it!!
And what’s the matter, JR? Only want to converse with those you agree with? Run off and do your own blog; you can procaim yourself to be as important as you like.
GMC
I converse with you and many others here wiht whom I agree very little or not at all. You have not read my earlier post carefully.
The issue is with the Eagle, its editors, and management. They have ignored repeated calls to ask Mr Tiahrt to debate his democratic challenger Garth McGinn. They have also ignored repeated calls to give WEbloggers a thread to discuss that matter. All of that and today they give Todd Tiahrt an unqualified endorsement.
Certainly I am not alone in my concern. Look at posts here, on the “open” and other threads. This is a matter that begs discussion and answers, yet the Eagle ignores us.
My suggestion is that there may be other blog providersmore accountable to their posters. The WEblog is valuable to the Eagle…..or so they tell us. It is the second most posted newspaper blog in the country. WE did that, not the Eagle. They neglect their posters at their own peril.I am not self important GMC. I just apparently hold this forum in higher regard than the Eagle.
The business community will never abandon the Beagle — it is almost their life’s blood — they along with the Beagle don’t want news about the war, the deficit anywhere in the paper where it just might be read and expose this pro business , anti labor and war mongering administration. I wish it were possible to organize a boycott of Beagle advertisers — but where would we then eat, buy groceries etc ….
Perhaps organizing the boomers to protest and participate in civil disobedience as in the VN era might make people sit up and take notice — ???
The entire Bush regime has been using the cloak for years.Every now and then we get a peek under it, and then Rove and bunch start screaming:PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE GUYS UNDER THE CLOAK.IF YOU LOOK AT THEM THEN YOU SUPPORT TERRORISM!!
Garth McGinn is best suited to serve the interests of the constituents of Kansas 4th Congressional District. He will not be beholding to special interests that have dominated our current representative for the last 12 years. Garth’s positions are moderate. He would help lead the effort in sincere campaign funding and ethics reform. Garth believes energy independence can benefit Kansas farmers immensely and reduce our reliance on foreign oil by doubling fuel efficiencies in 5 years and have half of vehicles on alternative fuel by 10 years. He knows it is a key growth area for Kansans and the nation, requiring both public investment and tax incentives. He will work to simplify the tax code and end loopholes enjoyed by just the wealthiest Americans. The incumbent has little to nothing to show for his 12 years as your representative in Washington, and has no plan for the needed changes. It is time for a change in Washington and the Republican parties unparalleled corruption, crony capitalism and scandal. .
Garth McGinn will be an advocate for the change and improvement sorely needed. Garth McGinn will best represent you.
JR:
chuckle, chuckle.
1. While the editors certainly throw out the meat, where a thread goes is entirely the up to the posters, who regularly stray into other areas. The WE does not prevent you from discussing as you like. See open thread, for example, or Ken’s post above.
2. The WE is not “accountable” to us as bloggers at all. We pay no bills, provide no income to the Eagle. This is done as public service and publicity for the paper. Frankly, if independent journalism is what you want (as I think we all want), the WE isn’t accountable to anyone but their own consciences.
In other words, what you really seek is veto power over the WE’s editorial decisions. I’d like that too, but I have no illusions that it is likely to happen, nor (once I step back and think for just a moment) do I really think it’s a good thing.
And this “shill” meme again. Does anyone who disagrees with you become a “shill for the Republican party”? Do you really see the world as that black and white?
You’re welcome to go elsewhere, JR. Good luck. WE (pun intended) know you’re not really going anywhere else, of course.
GMC
Of course, you are biased here because Todd Tiahrt is your boy.
The Eagle is SUPPOSED to or pretends to be a newspaper reporting news.
Todd Tiahrt is showing contempt for his constituents by thumbing his nose at political tradition. Tiarht is effectively saying. “It is my job. I do not have to win your support or demonstrate that I am the better candidate.”
See? That’s news. The Eagle is NOT ignoring it. Why?
MANY bloggers here also ask, Why?
We are entitled to an answer to that question. If it is not forthcoming? Well you can already see that the hits to this blog are down the last few weeks. Several regular posters appear to have bailed….
Hey Eagle? I’m just sayin’……
Ah, the latest from JR:
“New readers should familiarize themselves with GMC. He is our resident whiner about the civility of the forum.”
By all means, please do. And read the level of “discourse” that happens here, in many (not all) threads. Then tell me I’m wrong.
In fact, check out the prior postings of all our regular posters. Read where JR encourages the “civil war” that he sees coming with “bring it on.” Read how he has posited that he is the resident judge of each poster’s credibility – with himself as the gold standard, of course. I assume he writes indoors; I just wonder how he fits his head through the door to get there.
Arrogance, thy nic is JR.
I’ll not walk away from any previous post. Not one.
JR, JR, JR:
(chuckle turns to full-blown laugh)
And it is up to you, of course, to decide what news is. And all this time I thought the Eagle decided for itself what to print. Silly me. Or maybe it is that eeeeeeevil corporation; ya know, the owners. Perhaps they should take a poll about what its bloggers think is news? Certainly, we’re qualified; we’re representative of it’s readership, aren’t we? [sarcasm off]
Let’s be honest here. We’re BOTH biased. You wear yours on your sleeve, like a badge of honor. Mine is less “in your face,” but is there nonetheless. I don’t deny it, or attempt to hide it.
I have disagreed with the Eagle as well; I think we can both name a recent issue where that has been the case, and where I think the Eagle has been disingenuous, at best. I, however, have no illusions about my own self-importance.
Children stomp away when they don’t get their way. You as well are of course free to move on . . . should I add a good riddance at this point?
Readers, note the times. They’re wrong. Somehow (I’m not at all computer savvy to know how) the times are messed up, thus the last few posts are out of order; at least they are on my screen.
I just thought: This one may be out of order too. Oh well.
Third (or now perhaps 4th) up, timed 11:40, is actually AFTER JR’s timed 12:20.
I was confused too.
Or perhaps I’m clairvoyant . . . . ?
GMC?
“Children stomp away when they don’t get their way”
Hypocrisy thy nic is GMC!
I don’t have to do a bonedig. Regular readers here KNOW how many times you took your ball and went home vowing never to return!
New readers should familiarize themselves with GMC. He is our resident whiner about the civility of the forum. With little of his OWN convictions to share, he spends MOST of his post crying foul about other posters! You know, like he just did?
I’ll post this again, now that the time problem seems to be cleared up.
Ah, the latest from JR:
“New readers should familiarize themselves with GMC. He is our resident whiner about the civility of the forum.”
By all means, please do. And read the level of “discourse” that happens here, in many (not all) threads. Then tell me I’m wrong.
In fact, check out the prior postings of all our regular posters. Read where JR encourages the “civil war” that he sees coming with “bring it on.” Read how he has posited that he is the resident judge of each poster’s credibility – with himself as the gold standard, of course. I assume he writes indoors; I just wonder how he fits his head through the door to get there.
Arrogance, thy nic is JR.
I’ll not walk away from any previous post. Not one.
I give ya credit counselor GMC. You are TRYING to develop a sense of humor.
(That’s sort of like a cow trying to develop an ability to fly but the attempt is noted.)
I”M judgemental?
YOU dismiss posters! You are not able to do so creatively so you you just wave your briefs and say “That’s it, you’re done.”
You know as well as I do GMC that your earlier days here were punctuated by you getting all pissy and offended and stomping off. “Left wing cirlce jerk” was I think your oft used phrase. (I may be confused. After awhile all you righties start to post alike.)
And what do we have again? Why just as usual GMC is whining about civility.
My original complaint was against the Eagle, not the blog.
You don’t even win a copy of our home game GMC.
The court orders this day that GMC be sentenced to wax the legs of the nearest poultry.
Ah, JR, I don’t have your approval?
I’m all a-tremble. Suffice it to say I don’t recognize you court’s jurisdiction!
I’ll give you credit where due. Despite your arrogance as self-appointed blog credibility monitor, and your occasional bouts of ‘the end is near’ hysteria, you generally don’t engage in the mud-fest that is so often prevalent here.
Beyond that, I think that is about all I have to say. Good day; until we meet again.
We democrats get the cloak because we are in the middle of an election and we the democrats have no plan other than hatred for George Bush. When did we liberals become so in love with hating our political opponents. If only Bill had resigned and Al Gore were president today maybe we wouldn’t be viewed as the haters we are today.