Web Reads: Wealth distribution in families, states, and countries

Money map. According to this map, James Goodnight, worth $8.1 billion, is the richest person in North Carolina. In Texas, the richest person is Alice Walton, who has $35.3 billion. If I earn $25,000, will I be one-fourth as happy in Texas as I would in North Carolina because of the greater gap between what I have and what Ms. Walton has? The map and accompanying text provide names and information about the richest person in each state.

Shunning the trust fund. Wealthy parents struggle with how much they should pass on to their children. The Washington Post looks beyond Bill Gates and Warren Buffettto report how the richest families think through the effect of unearned wealth on children.

Brazilian bucks. Wondering why Brazil’s economy isn’t growing as fast as China’s? Expanding on an article in The Economist, Scott Sumner looks for clues to the mystery of Brazil’s slow-growth:

“Brazil has averaged 1.5 percent RGDP [real gross national product] growth over the past 3 years. In contrast, RGDP in China has been rising at about 7.5 percent per year. In per-capita terms that’s a roughly 7-1 advantage to China. Ouch. (Sorry to my Brazilian readers for mentioning 7-1, but I just couldn’t resist.) What could explain such a vast difference?”

He discusses factors that don’t explain it and suggests that Brazil spends a lot of money on pensions, while China spends on infrastructure.

Public religion. Many politicians grapple with how to talk about their religious beliefs in public. The Columbus Dispatch examines how GOP Gov. John Kasich and his Democratic opponent talk religion on the campaign trail.

Work in progress. A 50-second video shows Charles Schultz drawing Charlie Brown. In the voiceover, the cartoonist says, “When I feel low, this is when I come home and really pour it on poor old Charlie Brown. This is when he really suffers the most—when I suffer the most.”