"Quick, Robin, pass the loan shark repellant!"

You might remember my missive about payday lenders in July.


What it does:

1) Lower the APR for short term loans from about 450% to 391%.

2) Redefines a "check" in such a way that payday loans will be distributed via cute little payday loan ATM kiosks on every street corner, and so that payday lenders can take money right out of their customers' bank accounts.

3) Most insidiously, it is a voter protected initiative. So, regardless of what you think of their "reforms", they will be permanent. The only way to change anything they do will be with another initiative.

So, instead of helping Americans become wiser about credit and savings, we will help drive more of them to the welfare roles.

That's Klassy with a "K," baby!

So, we are a coalition of people from the left and the right who are very worried. They are a massive industry who have already pumped $9 million in to this effort. See their campaign finance report here and look up committee ID# 200810093.

Does anybody smell a profit motive in this one? (Hint, our side has no profit motive and nowhere near $9 million.)

Here is what we need, and right now!

1) Go to www.200IsNoReform.com and make a contribution. Our message is strong, but we just need to get it out.

2) Go to www.200IsNoReform.com and make a contribution. Oops. Did I say that already?

3) Pass this message on to 10 people.

There's a great article here about how Phoenix is the best area to buy investment properties. Its called the Gross Rent Multiplier.

So, given that information, I did a search just for you on Phoenix properties. And when I say it's just for you, I really mean it. There is a new inter-active MLS (Multi-listing Service).

The MLS system is that computer brain in the sky that keeps track of what houses are listed, where they are, who is listing them, etc. If you've ever seen the MLS information on a house, you know what I'm talking about: lots of data, from the number of rooms to what school district the house is in.

It is much more accurate and interactive than free services like Zillow, etc.

Well, the MLS system has been updated to include this all new, cool web feature. Basically, if I send you a link for houses that I look up for you, you will go to a web-page style interface, which allows you to do all kinds of cool things, from look at pictures to automatically calculate the payments on the home you are looking at.

Check it out here. I put together a search of about 50 homes downtown just for this Clark Report. Take a look. There are a lot more in the area I searched.

The Pink Spot
It gets better in downtown Phoenix with every new ice cream parlor, especially if it's locally owned. The folks who own Z-Pizza opened this little joint and connected it to the pizza place at 49 West Thomas.

You readers from out of town stop laughing.

We do what we can, alright?

On a hot Saturday afternoon recently, we took a ride through Willo neighborhood from downtown and tried the offerings.

It was hot. They brought out some water for my dog. Very cool.

Which makes it hard for me to say that I was not really inspired. The staff was really busy next door and seemed to forget that they had an ice cream shop. Maybe I was expecting shooting stars, but the ice cream just did not have much zing.

It was brought in from Richmond California-based Lappert's Ice Cream. So, "A" for effort. (Or, maybe "F" for huge carbon footprint.)

Still, the nice thing about ice cream is that you really have to try more than once. And, since it is going to be hot for a while to come, I might as well give it another try.

Couldn't hurt. Might help.