Saturday, July 26, 2003

The States Aren't So Broke After All? Well...If You Say So...
U.S. States Are Morbidly Obese, Right or Wrong?: Joe Mysak
July 24 (from Bloomberg.com) --

The belief that U.S. states and municipalities are staggering under mountains of debt is a popular one. It's wrong.

And if you think California is among the top 10 states showing the most debt, wrong again.

That's what a new report by Moody's Investors Service shows. For all 50 states, the median net tax-supported debt as a percentage of personal income is 2.2 percent, the same as it was a decade ago, according to Moody's.

What this level of debt means is that most states have the capacity to sell a lot more bonds in hard times, which is good news.

As to which state is debtor No. 1, it's Hawaii, not California. California has an expenditure problem, not a debt problem.

Read the whole thing...

Tuesday, July 22, 2003

Take Down That Flag, Says HOA...
From Channel 10, NBC, in New Jersey...

Homeowners Group Denies Permit For Flag
POSTED: 4:28 p.m. EDT July 21, 2003
UPDATED: 7:12 p.m. EDT July 21, 2003


HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- A homeowners group is threatening to fine an Army veteran $25 a day for flying a POW MIA flag in the housing development.

The whole story...
Everybody into the pool....NOT!
From Channel Three in Memphis...
Filthy Pool Declared Public Health Hazard

Updated 4:55 PM, Monday, July 21

By Andy Wise

HICKORY HILL, MEMPHIS -- Something's in the pool at the Kirby Oaks Condominiums.

Like a scene out of "Swamp Thing," a film of green scum blankets water black as coffee. A fire extinguisher, bottles, a life-preserver and children's Legos float on the surface.

The Memphis-Shelby County Health Department cited the complex's homeowners association for code violations on the pool -- more than a year ago.

"They didn't clean up the pool," says Dee Jamison, inspector for the health department. "Now we're back in the same conditions, so we're going to attempt to serve them again."

Coin Management manages the property from a Memphis post office box. Manager Barbara Milam blames delinquent homeowners and renters at Kirby Oaks who haven't paid their maintenance fees. She says 70 percent of the residents have not paid their dues. They owe more than $100,000 to the Kirby Oaks homeowners association.

Read the entire unpleasant story, but not while eating.