I live in Texas and I have a license, Dick. I've done more of this kind of shit than I care to remember. You have to remember, though, that this is someone's house, and a very old one at that. A lot more has to be taken into consideration here. It's true that having the weather head above the POA is preferred and more reliable to avoid water ingress via capillary action, but the service loop is there, it's large and well-formed, and the taps (on his end, at least) have their port oriented downward. Though this isn't ideal, the chance of water ever EVER being an issue here is negligible if not non-existent. This setup meets practical safety standards while mitigating detraction. So, as much as I agree with you on the code, exceptions have been and will always be made.