More Which Way Is Up Problems

An Associated Press article in the NYT told readers about Japan's "sluggish" growth in the second quarter. The article told readers that Japan's economy grew at a 2.6 percent annual rate in the quarter.

The problem is that the media generally touted the 1.7 percent annual growth in the U.S. in the second quarter as a being positive news. It's difficult to see how a 2.6 percent growth rate in Japan can be seen as sluggish while a 1.7 percent growth rate in the United States is healthly, especi...