Witnesses at the trial of the former council members depicted Rizzo as a micro-manager who convinced the city's elected officials that they too deserved huge salaries.

NPR: Ex-Officials Convicted In Calif. Corruption Case

These ripples are part of Singapore's transformation from a micro-managed melting pot into a cosmopolitan city-state.

ECONOMIST: Singapore and immigration

Aside from spending summer days reclining on its beaches or sampling its micro-brews, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy this city better known in 2010 for its wintery Olympic pursuits (albeit with a certain dearth of snow) than its sunshine.

BBC: Vancouver: Land of the lotus-eaters

And the patch may need to dry overnight before a layer of micro-asphalt can be laid on top, says a spokeswoman for Hull City Council.

BBC: Jetpatchers at work

New York City's housing codes currently do not allow an entire building of micro-units, a housing department spokesman said.

CNN: Tiny homes hit the big city

While Carlsberg may be Copenhagen's best-known contribution to the noble art of brewing, the city is also home to a handful of micro breweries.

CNN: Copenhagen: Where to be seen