Land O Links
"Knowledge is the small part of ignorance that we arrange and classify" -- Ambrose Bierce, 19th century American writer.
* Owners of charter boats and ferries all around the Great Lakes are either having to curtail their passenger loads or upgrade their fleets to comply with a new federal standard on weight. "The rule went into effect last December. It requires boat owners to consider that the average person weighs 185 pounds, updating the 160-pound estimate set in 1960.":
* In 2011, Michigan's economy grew faster than Utah's and Massachusetts'. In fact, Michigan's growth rate of 2.3 percent placed it No. 6 among the states:
http://money.msn.com/investing/states-with-fastest-growing-economies#scptid
* "Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas estimates that within the city of Chicago, there’s a stunning $63,525 in total local government liabilities per household." Chicago may be the promised land for lots of recent Michigan college graduates, but this review of the city's health should give them pause:
http://www.city-journal.org/2012/22_2_chicago.html
* "The job of police officer also isn't anywhere near the most dangerous job in America. If we include traffic fatalities, the job of police officer will in some years rank among the 10 most dangerous in America. But take away car accidents, and it doesn't come close," writes Radley Balko.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/radley-balko/police-fatality-statistics-2012_b_1619725.html
* "WALLY is a planned 26-mile north-south stretch of commuter railway spanning from downtown Howell to Ann Arbor. The rail line would run on existing track largely owned by the Great Lakes Central Railroad. The end point in Ann Arbor, however, is yet to be determined. Track ownership changes on the city's north side to the Ann Arbor Railroad, which has objected to providing passenger service." Just another tricky detail when it comes to passenger rail. Imagine an interstate highway with exit ramps controlled by private citizens.
http://www.concentratemedia.com/devnews/WALLY0200.aspx
* The Associated Press rounds up the effects of the Affordable Care Act in Michigan. One you may not have heard much about: "Around 7,000 small businesses get federal tax credits for offering health insurance to their employees."
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-06-28/health-care-law-already-has-had-effect-in-michigan
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