Roleset appear.01 Verbnet Class: NONE "come to be visible":

Roles:

Arg1:thing appearing

Examples:

ergative (-)
The latest results appear in today's New England Journal of Medicine.
Arg1:	The latest results
REL:	appear
Argm-LOC:	in today's New England Journal of Medicine

Roleset appear.02 Verbnet Class: NONE "seem":

Roles:

Arg1:thing seeming


Arg2:viewer

Examples:

split thing seeming (-)
The percentage of lung cancer deaths among the workers at the West Groton MA paper factory appears to be the highest for any asbestos workers studied in Western industrialized countries.
Arg1:	[The percentage of lung cancer deaths among the workers at the West Groton MA paper factory][to be the highest for any asbestos workers studied in Western industrialized countries]
REL:	appears




false it support (-)
It appears *trace* to be the sort of situation where anything can happen.
Arg1:	[It][*trace* to be the sort of situation where anything can happen]
REL:	appears




real it support (-)
It appears that British Airways was angry.
REL:	appears
Arg1:	that British Airways was angry




with viewer (-)
To Mary, John appears *trace* to be an idiot.
Arg2-to:	Mary
Arg1:	[John][*trace* to be an idiot]
REL:	appears

I can say this; perhaps the writers in WSJ cannot.