The following is an excerpt from OpinionJournal’s “Best of the Web” at WSJ written by the editor, James Taranto.
Other Than That, the Story Was Accurate
“Correction: A previous version of this article cited entomology experts as having traced the origin of the word ‘thug.’ It was etymology experts who did so.”–Newsweek, April 29
What Would We Do Without Experts?
“Riots Arise From Passion, but Looting Is a Crime of Opportunity, Experts Say”–headline, Washington Post, April 30
The White House Weathervane
Real economic growth came in at a dismal 0.2% for the first quarter of 2015, and Jason Furman, chairman of the president’s Council of Economic Advisers, writes on the White House website that it’s on account of the weather:
Growth in the first quarter of 2015 was restrained by a historically harsh winter. This quarter was only the fourth in 60 years on record with three or more snowstorms sufficiently severe to be rated by the National Climatic Data Center’s Northeast Snowfall Impact Scale (NESIS). In addition, as measured by heating degree days, this quarter was the third coldest in twenty years. Indeed, winter weather likely reduced both consumption and investment, contributing to this quarter’s below-trend output growth. The historical relationship between weather and first-quarter growth suggests that weather may have reduced annualized growth by about a full percentage point this quarter. . . . Also, first-quarter growth has been especially weak in recent years even after seasonal adjustment. . . . This observation at least partially reflects generally worsening weather over the past decade, which may not yet be accounted for in seasonal-adjustment algorithms.
The White House site also informs us of the “FACT” that “2014 was the hottest year on record.”
Meanwhile, WSJ .com reports that “a new regulation from the Chinese Meteorological Administration bans amateurs and enthusiasts from publicizing their own weather reports, saying that only official authorities are allowed to offer such forecasts.” …
For more “Best of the Web” click here and look for the “Best of the Web Today” link in the middle column below “Today’s Columnists.”
