The following is an excerpt from OpinionJournal.com’s “Best of the Web” written by the editor, James Taranto.

Just What We Need, More Shrinks
“US Manufacturing Shrinks for First Time in 3 Years”–headline, Associated Press, July 2

Qu’est Que C’est?
“Psychopaths have a remarkably poor sense of smell, according to a new study,” Agence France-Presse reports:

Researchers in Australia tested a theory that psychopaths–a severe personality disorder characterised by lack of empathy, antisocial behaviour and callousness – may be linked to impaired smell ability. . . .

Using “Sniffin’ Sticks”–16 pens that contain different scents, such as orange, coffee and leather – they found the participants had problems in correctly identifying the smell, and then discriminating it against a different odour.

Those who scored highest on a standard scorecard of psychopathic traits did worst on both counts, even though they knew that they were smelling something.

There is, however, this qualification: “The study makes clear that a poor sense of smell does not by itself mean that someone is a psychopath.” We thought something was fishy about this, but maybe we were mistaken.

NOTE: Mr. Taranto is traveling.  The excerpt above is from the July 2 and Sept. 21 BOTW archives.

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.”