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

Look Out Below! 
“San Diego Drops Red-Light Cameras”–headline, U-T San Diego, Feb. 1

Everything Seemingly Is Spinning Out of Control 
“Women in Paris Finally Allowed to Wear Trousers”–headline, Daily Telegraph website (London), Feb. 3

News You Can Use 
“Don’t Fire an Employee And Leave Them [sic] in Charge of the Corporate Twitter Account”–headline, Forbes.com, Feb. 1

Bottom Stories of the Day

  • “Scottish Independence: SNP Welfare Plan Not Outlined”–headline, Scotsman, Feb. 1
  • “Google Data: Americans Care Less About Sarah Palin Than Ever Before”–headline, U.S. News & World Report website, Feb. 1

Recycling Is Garbage 
So what did last week’s confirmation hearings tell us about Defense Secretary-designate Chuck Hagel? Let’s ask the editorialists at the New York Times. In a Jan. 8 editorial in praise of Hagel’s nomination, they wrote:

On national security policy, there is much to like about Mr. Hagel, one of a fading breed of sensible moderate Republicans.

In a Feb. 1 editorial, after the hearings, they had a slightly different take:

There is much to like about the approach to national security policy taken by this decorated Vietnam veteran and former senator who is among a fading breed of sensible, moderate Republicans.

The Jan. 8 editorial also included this trenchant observation:

The opponents are worried that Mr. Hagel will not be sufficiently in lock step with the current Israeli government and cannot be counted on to go to war against Iran over its nuclear program if it comes to that.

And here’s what they said after the hearing:

Mr. Hagel’s opponents fret that he will not be sufficiently in lock step with the current Israeli government and cannot be counted on to go to war over Iran’s nuclear program if it comes to that.

Not only do the Times’s editorialists turn out boilerplate, but they don’t even bother updating it to account for new facts. Anyone who marches “in lock step with the current Israeli government” will find himself in oblivion within the next few weeks. Israel held an election Jan. 22 and is in the process of forming a new government.

Somebody should let the Times know of its mistake by sending a form letter to the editor.

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.”