Trust "The Experts?" Don't.

The Wall Street Journal . . .
or The Onion?

Sometimes -- OK, a lot of the time -- I think The Wall Street Journal needs a meta-editor.

Their job?

To spot risible inconsistencies and contradictions between articles literally on the same page.

Or, if you're reading online, between articles barely centimeters apart.

Are They at Least Different Experts?

So, The Journal's Web home page today features a video with this title: 'News Hub Extra: Homes Sales Drop Surprises Analysts.'

Meanwhile, scarcely an inch away, is this quote:

Many economists expect housing declines to continue into at least next Spring, erasing most of the gains made since prices bottomed out in early 2009.

--"Housing Recovery Stalls"; The Wall Street Journal (12/29/2010)

See what I mean?

Next Spring, look for yet another installment of "surprised analysts" coupled with "housing experts' latest predictions."

P.S.: Today's Journal contains no fewer than three articles on the housing market, including the lead (print) article, excerpted above, and a piece in the "Money & Investing" section titled, "Housing Market is Still Facing a Blizzard."