Partial State Shutdown Soon?!

If state lawmakers fail to pass a new budget by midnight, employees working in 'non-essential' services will be furloughed. This could get very interesting.

Madoff Gets 150 Years!

Multi-billon dollar investment schemer, Bernard Madoff, was sentenced to 150 years this morning. For his victims, however, that is probably still not enough time in prison.

Attention Chase Card Customers

Those of you with Chase credit cards should be sure to open any and all mail received from the company and read it carefully – don’t dismiss it because it has fine print, looks like junk mail, or whatever the case may be.

Changes in terms are now being mailed to Chase customers, which may have a dramatic effect in how much per month will be required. Borrowers are being told that their minimum monthly payments are going from 2% of the total balance to 5% as of their August 2009 billing cycle. Some, who have had a balance for two years or more on a Chase card, reportedly are going to be assessed a new $10 per month servicing fee too.

No doubt, this will cause considerable cash flow problems for many Americans, who have Chase cards in their wallet. It could be that other large card issuers will follow suit with similar minimum requirements, too, so be sure to open & read mail from all card issuers that you may be doing business with.

Unemployment Will Hurt Local Grant Apps?

Greene County's current unemployment rate is high, yet as compared with other Indiana counties, it ranks as the 75th worst unemployment rate. That's according to the data posted the other day on this blog.

And that'll hurt.

Many grant applications ask for unemployment data and stats, and ranking in top 'most employed' counties -- wow, that's hard to believe! -- that'll subtract points for submissions.

Indiana Unemployment Rate Up Again

WISH-TV is showing the Indiana unemployment has risen to 10.6%:
http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/indiana/Ind_jobless_rate_percent_in_May_20090619

Greene County ranked 75th with 8.8%.