WEEKLY WHINE

Can you see this?

Yes, it’s the first invisible Weekly Whine ever!

What’s that? You can see it?

Apparently you’re not using microwaves, then. If you were, you would simply see whatever is behind this Weekly Whine [the previous one, perhaps], because for this one we have enclosed it in a copper-fibreglass metamaterial like the one they just demonstrated in North Carolina [which some of you also might not be able to see].

Unsurprisingly, this shocked, awed, and puzzled a lot of people. Unbelieveably, a significant fraction of these shocked, awed, and puzzled people believed that they could reduce their levels of shock, awe, and puzzlement by writing to GoobNet. Unamusingly, the many shocked, awed, and puzzled responses caused the GoobNet Mailbox to rupture at the third seam, which means that by the time we’re done, you’ll wish you couldn’t see this Weekly Whine.

Did you hear about the people at Duke who are working on a cloaking device? I think that’s why Kim Jong Il can’t see that everyone else thinks he’s insane. – Joi Yagashina, Niigata, Japan

That’s very insightful of you.

Today in the news I saw something about scientists making a cloaking device. Do you think that’s why Howie Mandel can’t see how annoying he is? – Marie Angstrom, Valvesville, OR, USA

So which game show floats your boat? Chain Reaction? The Price is Right? How about Starface?

I heard about that experiment to make a cloaking device. That must be why Adam Sandler can’t see that he isn’t funny. – Les Hall, Fort Worth, TX, USA

Well played.

I heard scientists are working on a method to cloak matter. Is that why George W Bush can’t see how to win the peace in Iraq? – Jason K Edgefield, Lowell, MA, USA

Hey, that’s our line.

Scientists are working on something that will make things invisible. You know what that means: That’s why Ferenc Gyurcsány can’t see what he’s doing to our country. – Rich Erdős, Debrecen, Hungary

Okay, I think we get it now.

Did you hear about that cloaking device? That must be why William Shatner can’t see that it’s time to retire. – Fred Augustus, Manhattan Beach, CA, USA

Maybe, but we could see that one coming a kilometre away.

The cloaking device has just become reality. I think that’s why Victoria Beckham can’t see that nobody cares about her. – Jenny MacAlsworth, Bristol, England, UK

This sort of thing used to be funny. Like, at the beginning of the page.

Look, they tested a cloaking device! No wonder the Democrats can’t see the way to victory in Iraq. – Don Rumsfeld, Arlington, VA, USA

Shut up.