MuniLand

The U.S. Department of Energy produces some great data visualizations. The image above relates to installations of “smart meters” for electrical use.

Good Links

City Journal: Urban-development legends

Bluegrass Pundit: Are welfare recipients really required to work?

Bloomberg: Don’t expect +10% returns in muniland again in 2012

Reuters: U.S. Census: Stock losses hit public pensions

Bloomberg: State, local pension-fund assets drop 8.5% as stocks slide

Bloomberg: Michigan sells $3B of bonds to pay off federal unemployment insurance loans

Denver Post: Colorado asks DEA to reclassify marijuana

@Twitter Talk

@breakingweather Accu Weather   Wild weather rocked the U.S. in 2011 with monster snowstorms, swarms of tornadoes, killer heat & drought.  ow.ly/8d3dP

@ClevelandFed ClevelandFed   the fourth quarter started with broad-based declines in home prices. cot.ag/syPljW

@Govistics Govistics by CGR  Public workers’ time-buying perk costs states – USATODAY.com usat.ly/uPjGYx

@mhbergen mark bergen   The Dumbest Local Politics Scandals of 2011 theatlanticcities.com/politics/2011/… (Team Janice Daniels)

@johngramlich John Gramlich  California state prisons are shedding inmates fast: 900 a week, to be exact. bit.ly/tzWx5A

@iowahawkblog David Burge   Resolved: no elected office in this country should come with a pension. It’s a temporary civic duty, not a career.

@TheBurgNews TheBurg  GMR to mayor: “stay the course” but be humble and tolerant. Accept other’s advice. (mayor not in attendance)