Off the News: Honolulu homes at a discount?

Florida Atlantic University should have rethought the methodology in its study concluding that Honolulu homes are selling at a “discount,” below expected levels.

The data comparing the housing market in 100 major U.S. cities came from the Zillow Home Value Index, which happens to combine estimated values of single-family homes and condominiums. And condo sales have been cooler, so mixing the two skewed the results.

Of course, any local resident might have tipped them off: no discounts here.

Muppets get more diverse

With great fanfare, “Sesame Street” is introducing a muppet of Korean heritage, which leaves some of us surprised — there’s never been an Asian American muppet? What took so long? We’ll allow that most of the beloved characters are green, red, yellow, orange or purple, so kids accept them as race-neutral, and that can be a good thing. Still, it’s nice to see Ji-Young in her particular shade of brown.

She debuts on Thanksgiving Day in “See Us Coming Together: A Sesame Street Special,” on PBS and HBO Max. We’ll be watching.