I have discovered something superb that I want to give ‘props’ too. It’s the new Plastic Logic eReader. What’s that you ask? It’s a moving newspaper. Am I getting this mixed up with Harry Potter’s The Daily Prophet: the magical daily newspaper where words and pictures come to life in the reader’s hands you ask? Not quite. Designed by Scientists at the University of Cambridge, they are only months away from launching the world’s first flexible electronic screen. It is a large display that for the first time is made from a sheet of plastic. Reminiscent of Amazon’s Kindle, the eReader will be launched in the US at the beginning of next year with a starting price of around $299. 

John Ridding, the chief executive of the Financial Times, which is also working with Plastic Logic, a current partner of the eReader said: “We’re already beginning to see robust demand for newspapers on the Kindle, and before long we’ll see newspapers on a whole spectrum of devices as well as print. The advantage of this new device is that it won’t break when I drop it, but getting advertisers involved will be key, and they want to see a colour version.”

Who else is excited?

I was sort of amused today to realize how much The Drudge Report often resembles the The Daily Prophet, the marvelously Orwellian Ministry of Magic-controlled newspaper depicted in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

For example, this passage…

Daily Prophet: Order of the Phoenix

Wizengamot elders Griselda Marchbanks and Tiberius Ogden have resigned in protest at the introduction of the post of Inquisitor to Hogwarts. “Hogwarts is a school, not an outpost of Cornelius Fudge’s office,” said Madame Marchbanks. “This is a further disgusting attempt to discredit Albus Dumbledore.”

…for a full account of Madame Marchbanks’ alleged links to subversive goblin groups, turn to page 17

…has the same wickedly undercutting style as these two recent Drudge items:

Drudge Report 4/16/09 3pm

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Congresswoman calls tea parties ‘despicable’ and ’shameful’… 

FLASHBACK: Husband of Rep. Schakowsky Convicted of Bank Fraud, Tax Evasion…  

Accused of swindling nine financial institutions of at least $2.3 million…

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VIDEO: CNN Correspondent Blasts FOXNEWS, Claims Tea Parties ‘Anti-government,’ ‘Anti-CNN’… 

FLASHBACK: CNN reporter Roesgen criticized Obama/Hitler — okay with Bush/Hitler…
 

I actually don’t have anything against Drudge doing this: it’s actually sort of fiery and fun, and Drudge is perfectly normal private partisan firebrand, not a government stoolie. It’s worth noting, of course, that liberal critics get bloodied up with such “take YOU down a peg, I will!” Flashbacks far more often, and even with far less hypocritical relevancy, than conservatives. But now that even wikipedia is happy to admit that Drudge’s headlines spin out conservative narratives, we can all simply enjoy it for what it is.

And in fact, I actually wish internet journalists in general would include a little more of this sort of muckraking background, not less: better to have all the context out in the open, now that space is no longer really an issue.

Well I just wanted to post another amazing piece of imagery that is further proof towards our argument! This is the colour photograph featured as a black and white copy in an interview with the Twins in Hannah Montague’s latest article in “The Daily Prophet” … For those of you who don’t know; Miss Montague is the writer of the business section, so I’m assuming the interview has something to do with the store.

My thanks go out to Slytherin student Guiseley Monroe for the head’s up! (And yes… I am working on getting a transcript from the article itself!)

So yes… Here it is! Enjoy!

Daily Prophet Interview Photo

http://www.fainelloth.de/

http://edge.atspace.org/

These are both wonderful… If you go to the “Dolls” tag, you’ll find the Harry Potter sections…

http://www.stvgr.net/dhf/

DHF's Fred and George

For Gred and Forge!