There's a second alternative: A growing number of New Yorkers are going for duct-free AC systems that involve a small, wall-mounted indoor fan powered by a separate outdoor unit the size of suitcase.

WSJ: Ugliness for All

That sea, now two separate lakes, is today a fraction of its size in 1960.

ECONOMIST: Cotton

The unemployment rate is derived from a separate survey of households, which has an even smaller sample size and thus a wider confidence range.

FORBES: The Jobs Report: How It's Made, What It Means

There is some debate as to how exact defensive statistics are, but there is little question that they separate the good from the bad, especially with a large sample size.

WSJ: N.Y. Yankees: There's No Defense for Derek Jeter's Glove

Yet despite some talk about the need for a new Glass-Steagall act to separate retail and investment banking, and for higher capital charges based on size, the idea of breaking up institutions does not have great momentum.

ECONOMIST: The contract between society and banks will get stricter