  We study bulk and edge correlations in the compressible half-filled state,
using a modified version of the plasma analogy. The corresponding plasma has
anomalously weak screening properties, and as a consequence we find that the
correlations along the edge do not decay algebraically as in the Laughlin
(incompressible) case, while the bulk correlations decay in the same way. The
results suggest that due to the strong coupling between charged modes on the
edge and the neutral Fermions in the bulk, reflected by the weak screening in
the plasma analogue, the (attractive) correlation hole is not well defined on
the edge. Hence, the system there can be modeled as a free Fermi gas of {\em
electrons} (with an appropriate boundary condition). We finally comment on a
possible scenario, in which the Laughlin-like dynamical edge correlations may
nevertheless be realized.
