The president made several troubling statements, which is hardly surprising, given that the new administration's entire approach to Iran is troubling.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Misguided on Iran

Most of the sales are skewed towards the smaller, low-cost vehicles in developing countries which is hardly surprising since a majority of them are purchased by first-time owners or customers with limited earnings relative to the car prices.

FORBES: GM Races To Sell Cheap Cars To China's Rising Middle Class

Last year, the big Asian consumer electronics companies conducted a coordinated, all-out push for 3D televisions, and consumers largely ignored them, which is hardly surprising given the need for wearing ridiculous special glasses and a paucity of 3D content.

FORBES: Here Comes CES, The Consumer Everything Show

In which case, it is hardly surprising that the junior Democratic senator from Connecticut felt compelled to speak.

ECONOMIST: Joe Lieberman, Brutus or Moses?

Given that there are more than 13, 000 school districts in America, all of which make their own rules, it is hardly surprising that some make silly ones.

ECONOMIST: The politics of Christmas

It is hardly surprising, that in a country which is so centralised, voters ignore their councillors and look instead to their representative in Westminster for redress.

ECONOMIST: Local democracy

It is not surprising that the summit did little about biofuels, export bans or social-safety nets (which it hardly discussed).

ECONOMIST: The world food summit

Multiply such examples by their constant media coverage and it is hardly surprising that crime is the number-one issue in France's presidential and parliamentary elections, which begin in April.

ECONOMIST: Crime in France