Land O Links
*Michigan is in the national mainstream when it comes to the identity of its highest-paid public state employee. In about 40 states, that person is the coach of a collegiate football or men’s basketball team.
TOP OF THE HEAP: Michigan State University men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo places Michigan among the vast majority of states where the highest-paid public employee is a college coach. (photo courtesy of mlive.com)Michigan State’s Tom Izzo would be Michigan’s leader, with more than $3 million in “school pay” and a total possible payout of more than $4 million.
*A fascinating map that shows the reality of human population trends across the globe. Those who argue that the future of the planet is found in Asia will find fodder in Matt Yglesias’ comments:
"So now that all the countries inside the circle are politically independent and only a handful of them are still governed by totally insane ideologies, we should expect most of the action to happen where most of the people are."
*Another map shows the flow of petroleum across the world.
Two interesting points drawn from the report behind the map:
-One-fifth of the world’s petroleum supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
-The United States may have spent as much as $8 trillion in last 40 years to protect the flow of oil out of the Middle East.
*Unemployment claims continue a downward track in Michigan, as shown by this chart from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
UPDATE: April jobless numbers are just in -- view them here.
*The unemployment rate in Flint may surprise you.
*A cyclist’s regular commute in Michigan’s capital was disrupted one day by a police officer. Read this all the way to the end.
And then consider, the city of Lansing has struggled for years with persistent budget deficits.
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