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Drug abuse happens all too often in our society. So does alcoholism. We've seen that with the many celebrities who just cannot seem to stay sober. And as a teacher, I can tell you that addiction happens among my students and in every single classroom in America. Sadly, it is very likely that I have had at least one student in active need of rehab every year, even if I have not always recognized the signs.

How bad can it be, even at a young age? Not long ago, in fact, one of my students had to enter rehab because her drinking had gotten so out of control that she was smuggling alcohol into class in a bottle of apple juice -- she could not make it through the day without drinking! After this, we at school became aware that she had a much wider-ranging substance abuse problem.

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Within the GOP, there is a wide-range of positions on abortion. And while the official platform position is one supportive of a Human Life Amendment to the Constitution, there is a sizable group that simply believes that Roe v. Wade needs to be overturned and the matter left to "the several states". This latter group includes folks who are vocally pro-choice and vocally pro-life, but who agree that the major flaw of Roe is its nationalizing the so-called "right to an abortion" in a manner that cut off political debate and imposed a "one size fits all" policy on a sharply divided nation. Such folks prefer that the issue of abortion be dealt with as a question of federalism not federal preemption.

Mitt Romney seems to have placed himself in this camp with his latest statements about abortion.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said Tuesday in a Nevada television interview that he supports letting states "make their own decision" about whether to keep abortion legal.

"My view is that the Supreme Court has made an error in saying at the national level one size fits all for the whole nation," Romney told Nevada political columnist Jon Ralston in a televised interview. "Instead, I would let states make their choices."

Asked by Ralston if it was "OK" with him that Nevada is a "pro-choice state," Romney said, "I'd let states make their own decision in this regard. My view, of course, is I'm a pro-life individual. That's the position I support. But, I'd let states have this choice rather than let the federal government have it."

Some are going to accuse Romney of waffling on the abortion issue. I don't think that is fair, and believe that such criticism is coming from those who were opponents from the get-go -- both from the hard-core pro-life advocates who cannot be reconciled to his previous pro-choice rhetoric and the liberals who would never have supported a clean-living conservative Mormon under any condition.

Frankly, I fall into the same camp as Romney. There is no way that a Human Life Amendment is going to pass in the short term. And the legislative solution of a congressional resolution stating that the 14th Amendment applies to the unborn would be legally weak and politically unsustainable as partisan control of Congress shifts back and forth. The best we who are pro-life can hope for is a situation in which we can fight and win the battle on the state level, with the ultimate goal of creating a political reality in which stronger defenses of the unborn can be enacted. That doesn't indicate tepid support for a pro-life position -- it reflects a reasoned strategy towards the goal of protecting innocent human life. And I say that as someone who has been involved in pro-life activities for over 30 years, including service as the founding vice president of the pro-life group at my college.

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As a teacher, my only reaction is scorn for those who made this absurd decision.

Chandler school officials have suspended a 13-year-old boy for sketching a picture that resembled a gun, saying it posed a threat to classmates.

But parents of the Payne Junior High School student said the drawing was a harmless doodle of a fake laser, and school officials overreacted.

"I just can't believe that there wasn't another way to resolve this," said Paula Mosteller, the boy's mother. "He's so upset. The school made him feel like he committed a crime. They are doing more damage than good."

The Mostellers said the drawing did not show blood, bullets, injuries, or target any human. They said it was just a drawing that resembled a gun.

But Payne Junior High administrators thought the sketch was enough of a threat and gave the boy a five-day suspension, later reduced to three days.

Chandler district spokesman Terry Locke said the sketch was "absolutely considered a threat," and threatening words or pictures are punishable.

The school did not contact police and did not provide counseling or an evaluate the boy to determine if he intended the drawing as a threat.

The clincher is that last sentence above. If this were considered a real threat, the school would be morally and legally obligated to call in the police. If this student were believed to be somehow dangerous, a psychological evaluation would be mandated before he could return to campus. The fact that neither of these took place settles the matter for me.

Does my school have a similar sort of weapons policy? Yes, especially insofar as the dress code is concerned. And yes, I have been obligated to send a kid to the office for wearing a Marvin the Martian t-shirt if the cartoon character has his ray gun out (the same for Scarface shirts with a weapon shown)-- but the punishment is a stern warning (detention for repeat offenses) and being required to wear a day-glo yellow shirt with "Dress Code Violation" printed on it until the end of the day. But a suspension? Good Lord -- not in a million years!

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While many of us have been concerned about the unilateral imposition of homosexual marriage upon the nation by judges, there is a much more insidious threat to the traditional family wending its way through the federal courts. If the ruling in question is upheld, it would eliminate any notion of traditional family as a special institution.

Let's give a little background. Two men were arrested on drug charges and accepted plea deals. This subjected them to certain federal rules while on probation and parole.

When they were released, both were subject to Standard Condition No. 9 of federal probation, which says that a convicted felon on probation "shall not associate with any person convicted of a felony, unless granted permission to do so by the probation officer." Mangini's and Roberts' probation officers did not give them permission to associate with each other.

This is when the conviction of two drug dealers was converted into an opportunity to change the legal status of the traditional family.

Assisted by attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union, Roberts and Mangini brought a case in federal court.

The rules for enforcing Standard Condition No. 9, it turns out, include a blanket exception that allows a convicted felon on probation to associate with another convicted felon if they are spouses or blood relatives. Mangini and Roberts claimed this unfairly discriminated against them, violating their rights to "due process" and equal protection of the law under the Fifth Amendment.

"They considered, and still consider, themselves to be spouses," Judge Katz explained in his July 31 opinion. "Defendants were in every way a family."

The judge pointed out that the two men took in Roberts' niece as a foster child; and at one point in his opinion, he called them the niece's "two fathers."

After some legal wrangling, a federal judge has ruled that, under Lawrence v. Texas, any people who claim an "intimate association" must be given the same rights as a married couple or a family. Forget homosexual marriage -- this opens the door for any many of relationship being magically transformed into a legally recognized "family".

Dude -- who stole my country?

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Since we mentioned the reading survey, let's take a look at it.

One in four adults read no books at all in the past year, according to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll released Tuesday. Of those who did read, women and older people were most avid, and religious works and popular fiction were the top choices.

The survey reveals a nation whose book readers, on the whole, can hardly be called ravenous. The typical person claimed to have read four books in the last year — half read more and half read fewer. Excluding those who hadn't read any, the usual number read was seven.

"I just get sleepy when I read," said Richard Bustos of Dallas, a habit with which millions of Americans can doubtless identify. Bustos, a 34-year-old project manager for a telecommunications company, said he had not read any books in the last year and would rather spend time in his backyard pool.

That choice by Bustos and others is reflected in book sales, which have been flat in recent years and are expected to stay that way indefinitely. Analysts attribute the listlessness to competition from the Internet and other media, the unsteady economy and a well-established industry with limited opportunities for expansion.

This reflects what I saw when I taught English -- the comment that stood out to me came from a student seven or eight years ago.

"Mr. RWR, books today are called movies."

Younger folks today have a variety of media sources for getting information and entertainment. At 44, I was raised with books and television. Those who are two decades younger have many more outlets vying for their attention, and the book is simply an archaic communication form for them.

The study notes that men don't read books -- something I have long found to be true, though I am very much an exception. Other than "purposeful reading" (work and education), I never saw my father read a book growing up. Mind you, he was a career military officer, and earned a masters and a doctorate during the latter part of his military career and in retirement, but I just never saw him reading for pleasure. Indeed, neither the book about a colleague's experiences as a POW nor Tom Clancy's jack Ryan novels interested him when I got them for him. In fact, the Clancy books went home with me in my suitcase three years later -- without the cellophane having ever been stripped from the boxed set. I think this is true of many men -- reading is a work skill, not a leisure activity.

But again, I will caution folks that not reading books does not necessarily translate to not reading at all.

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One of the key things you need to do to sell your product or service is to get your bran out in front of the consumer. One way of doing this is through imprinted promotional products, such as mugs, pens, keychains, and clothing. After all, people subliminally internalize the brand names they see, and sometimes use a company just because of the promotional item. I know, for example, that my choice of where to buy tires was influenced by a pen that one of my students left in class -- when I got a flat, I just had to reach into my pocket and find the number to dial.

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This headline looks just awful.

Book chief: Conservatives want slogans

Certainly more so than this one which would disclose more information

Longtime liberal pol: Conservatives want slogans

Unfortunately, the first headline is the one placed on the article, while the more honest one was left on the scrapheap along. I suppose that is because it would make the criticism much easier to dismiss.

Liberals read more books than conservatives. The head of the book publishing industry's trade group says she knows why — and there's little flattering about conservative readers in her explanation.

"The Karl Roves of the world have built a generation that just wants a couple slogans: 'No, don't raise my taxes, no new taxes,'" Pat Schroeder, president of the American Association of Publishers, said in a recent interview. "It's pretty hard to write a book saying, 'No new taxes, no new taxes, no new taxes' on every page."

Schroeder, who as a Colorado Democrat was once one of Congress' most liberal House members, was responding to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll that found people who consider themselves liberals are more prodigious book readers than conservatives.

She said liberals tend to be policy wonks who "can't say anything in less than paragraphs. We really want the whole picture, want to peel the onion."

The book publishing industry is predominantly liberal, though conservative books by authors like former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., and pundit Ann Coulter have been best sellers in recent years. Overall, book sales have been flat as publishers seek to woo readers lured away by the Internet, movies and television.

I suspect that a lot of that has to do with what is being published today. How many conservatives have given up on the publishing world because of the amount of crap coming out? And I'm also curious how many of those conservatives have, in fact read a book in the last year -- the Bible, cover to cover -- but do not count it as "reading a book" due to its sacred nature?

Oh, and speaking of my personal habits, I certainly meet the conservative average of eight books.

Oh -- that was eight books a year. I'm sorry -- I've read that many from cover to cover just in the month of August.

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Remember -- at the time 9/11 happened, George Bush had been President of the United States for less than 8 months -- George Tenet had been CIA director for over 4 years, having been appointed by Bill Clinton.

The former head of the Central Intelligence Agency, George J. Tenet, recognized the danger posed by Al Qaeda well before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, but failed to adequately prepare the C.I.A. to meet the threat, according to an internal agency report that was released in summary form today.

Mr. Tenet was sometimes too occupied with tactics instead of strategy, and he was lax in promoting an information-sharing environment within the C.I.A., the inspector generalÂ’s office of the agency says in a report released today.

An inspector general’s team that reviewed the agency’s performance found that C.I.A. officers “from the top down” worked hard against Al Qaeda and its leader, Osama bin Laden, before the Sept. 11 attacks.

“They did not always work effectively and cooperatively, however,” the team concluded, in what amounted in part to sharp criticism of Mr. Tenet’s management skills and style.

The smoking in in this report regarding how far back the failure goes?

The head of the C.I.A. was once in charge of all federal intelligence agencies. That was the case during Mr. Tenet’s tenure, and the report noted that he said as far back as 1998 that “we are at war” with Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden.

However, the document went on, Mr. Tenet and his top aides failed to create “a documented, comprehensive plan to guide the counterterrorism effort at the intelligence community level.” One meeting “soon devolved into one of tactical and operation, rather than strategic, discussions,” the report said.

It concluded that Mr. Tenet “did not use all of his authorities” in leading a strategic effort against Osama bin Laden, and that “the management approach” within the C.I.A.’s counterterrorism center “had the effect of actively reinforcing the separation of responsibilities” among key units.

When did Tenet finally get a strategic planning system together to deal with counter-terrorism? Less than two months before 9/11, at the specific orders of George W. Bush and Condolezza Rice. Prior to that, Tenet had taken no significant steps in that direction.

So it seems pretty clear where the failure occurred -- not under President Bush, but under President Clinton. Given the failure of leadership and vision that dated back at least three years before Bush became president, there can be only one conclusion.

There is an interesting debate on the blogosphere right now about how much we should be pointing fingers at the Clinton Administration for these clear failures to protect the US. Captain Ed says that it is "not healthy" to do so, but Lifelike Pundits points out that this report demonstrates the Bill Clinton and Madeline Albright lied to the American people when they claim that they left a detailed plan for the Bush Administration. I tend to agree with the latter's approach, since the front-runner status of Senator Hillary Clinton to be the Democrat presidential candidate means we could be facing the return of the same Clintonoids who failed to protect America and then lied about it following 9/11.

Over at the Sundries Shack, we get this very important quote from the report.

The CIA’s analysis of al-Qaida before Sept. 2001 was lacking. No comprehensive report focusing on bin Laden was written after 1993, and no comprehensive report laying out the threats of 2001 was assembled. “A number of important issues were covered insufficiently or not at all,” the report found.

Can we really afford to return to the failed policies that left us unprotected from terrorism even as it mouthed platitudes about seriousness of purpose in combating it?

UPDATE -- 8/23/2007: More today from Captain Ed.

I've written before that pursuing partisan blame for 9/11 is a waste of time. It gets in the way of determining where failures occurred and developing the proper approaches to avoid them in the future. The truth is that the issues that created these failures stretched back for years, probably decades in terms of interpretation of intelligence law.

However, it gets difficult to remember that when former presidents essentially lie about their roles on national television. Given Clinton's unique history, this prevarication and self-aggrandizement comes as no surprise, but it is still pretty disappointing. It leaves the historical record muddied, right up to the point when independent investigations reveal the truth. Worse, his shouted fabrications contribute to the partisan atmosphere.

One has to sympathize with CIA officials who had read the classified report in 2005, but were unable to respond to his exaggeration in 2006. He once gave the same kind of finger-waggling tirade to the nation, which turned out as false as his Wallace interview. It's a sad reflection on a man who somehow cannot bring himself to tell the truth, even when his nation needs it.

And again, I disagree to the extent that Clinton's wife is now seeking to the presidency. To the degree that Clinton's failures and lies led to 9/11, we must make the record clear -- because Hillary Clinton is running, in part, on Bill Clinton's record and with him as a top adviser.

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Talk Radio helped defeat the shamnesty immigration bill.

Opposition from key talk radio and cable TV hosts helped kill the immigration bill in Congress, a study out today concludes.

“What listeners of the conservative talk radio media were hearing, in large part, was that the legislation itself was little more than an ‘amnesty bill’ for illegal immigrants, a phrase loaded with political baggage,” it says.

The study by the nonpartisan Project for Excellence in Journalism quantifies what White House and Capitol Hill phone lines and e-mail inboxes already indicated: Talk radio focused on the immigration debate more intensely than the mainstream media did from April to June.

Conservative hosts touched off a brushfire in the Republican base that President Bush and other party leaders were helpless to contain.

"If media attention translates into political pressure, the argument that talk radio helped kill the immigration bill in Congress has some support in the data," the study says. "Thanks to energetic opposition from Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Michael Savage, immigration was the biggest topic, at 16%, on conservative talk radio in the second quarter."

But I have to question something about this report. Was talk radio leading the way in opposing the legislation, or was it actually reflecting the sentiment that existed. Most folks I know opposed the legislation on principle before ti became a talk radio topic due to the amnesty provisions -- and were already inclined to do so without any prompting for talk radio. It strikes me, therefore, that the real impact of talk radio was not in creating opposition, but was rather in mobilizing that which already existed by providing more information and encouraging action.

H/T Captain Ed

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After all, isn't a cut-off of 250% of the poverty line sufficient?

The Bush administration, engaged in a battle with Congress over whether a popular children's health insurance program should be expanded, has announced new policies that will make it harder for states to insure all but the lowest-income children.

New administrative hurdles, which state health officials were told about late last week, are aimed at preventing parents with private insurance for their children from availing of the government-subsidized State Children's Health Insurance Program. But Democrats and children's advocates said that the announcement will jeopardize coverage for children whose parents work at jobs that do not provide employer-paid insurance.

Under the new policy, a state seeking to enroll a child whose family earns more than 250 percent of the poverty level -- or $51,625 for a family of four -- must first ensure that the child is uninsured for at least one year. The state must also demonstrate that at least 95 percent of children from families making less than 200 percent of the poverty level have been enrolled in the children's health insurance program or Medicaid -- a sign-up rate that no state has yet managed.

These and other steps must be implemented within a year, Dennis G. Smith, director of the federal Center for Medicaid and State Operations, advised state health officials in a letter on Friday.

As written, the current legislation could allow families making over $82,000 -- 400% of the poverty level for a family of 4 -- to enroll their kids in the program. And without the changes being implemented here, the law would also allow/encourage parents to dump the health insurance they are paying for through an employer plan and shift the burden to the taxpayers. After all, the reauthorization legislation will declare 75% of American families to be "poor" for purposes of the program.

Now, if we can just find a way to keep illegal immigrant kids from getting the benefits, eliminating one more incentive for folks to jump the border.

What I find particularly interesting, though, is that the Democrats are complaining that folks they call "wealthy" when they got tax cuts pushed by the Bush Administration in 2001 are now considered "poor" when the Democrats want to expand government-funded insurance. Setting aside the hypocrisy of the Democrats (which is never in short supply), could it be that they simply don't like folks to be able to choose how they spend their ow money, and prefer for the government to decide how to spend it for them?

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1 Hey Greg I've been to that site... nice. I know of a secret HAUNTED HOUSE backdoor that gives your a discount coupon. HA! It's right there in your face and nobody knows about it. Should I tell you? OK twist my arm.

Backdoor: Go to their homepage halfway down and click on the comma in the line that reads “Our Store now has over 14,000 masquerade items for you to choose from!”

...but shhhh it's a secret.
Susan

Posted by: Susan West at Tue Aug 21 17:06:22 2007 (wh2Cz)

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It really seems too soon to be planning for Halloween this year, but since it is the end of August, I suppose it makes sense to start looking ahead. After all, failure to do so will leave you without a decent costume for the big night, and that simply won't do.

As a kid, there was always some adult in the neighborhood who would give out candy wearing a costume. I haven't done that yet, but I think I might just start that tradition. After all, even if I don't have kids, I don't want to miss the fun. So what can I wear that would make the night interesting -- and maybe scare the pants off of some of the kids from the neighborhood.

That leads me to one of two Halloween Costumes that I think might serve my purpose just right. more...

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I've been waiting for this.

A liberal blogger has filed a federal complaint against former Sen. Fred Thompson, the actor and unannounced Republican candidate for president, accusing him of violating election laws as he ponders his entry into the race.

The blogger, Lane Hudson, submitted his complaint to the Federal Election Commission on Monday saying Thompson has raised far more money than he needs to explore whether to run for president.

Federal law allows potential candidates to raise money to travel, conduct polls and pay for other expenses related to "testing the waters" for a political campaign. During that exploratory period, a potential candidate does not have to file financial reports with the FEC.

The law prohibits anyone who is "testing the waters" from hoarding the money for use during his actual campaign. Potential candidates also cannot refer to themselves as candidates, can't run ads that publicize their intention to campaign or take steps to qualify for the ballot in a primary or caucus state.

According to a financial report filed late last month, Thompson had raised nearly $3.5 million and had had spent $625,000. Thompson must raise money within federal contribution limits and must report it to the FEC once he becomes an official candidate.

"We're following the law," Thompson spokesman Jim Mills said in response to the complaint.

Under federal guidelines, the FEC will now give Thompson 15 days to respond to the complaint. Following Thompson's response, election commissioners will decide whether to dismiss the case or investigate further.

I pointed this out when Fred's contribution numbers came our last month.

2) Exploratory committees are only supposed to raise "what could reasonably be expected to be used for exploratory activities”. As Captain Ed has pointed out, Politico (which now is questioning the "low" numbers) raised that issue weeks ago -- and there have already been accusations by the KOS-sacks are, in fact, accusing Thompson of raising TOO MUCH money under that provision.

I'm just surprised that it has taken so long for someone to file a complaint. I suppose this will help clarify the incredibly vague rules on such activities -- as well as making it clear that efforts to regulate political contributions are fatally flawed no matter what you try to impose beyond full disclosure.

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One of the blogs I've particularly admired is Shadowscope, where Richard maintains a beautiful blog with a somewhat conservative tilt that mirrors my own. Indeed, I'd visited and linked to his blog from time to time before, but this new association led me to look at his very successful blog and try to take some lessons from it.

And as a fellow Postie, he has posted about how to make money blogging with PPP and analyzed how it has impacted his blogging and his bank account. I'm impressed -- even as I head to my first megadollar month, he has done even better than I. He also talks about a number of other blog-for-pay companies that he has worked with, and with which I have had similar experiences.

By the way, Richard, I just want to tell you that I love that dragon banner. That is primo stuff!

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In what may be the height of political correctness run amok, the BBC has ordered that terrorists in an upcoming episode of a popular drama be changed to animal rights activists instead of Muslims.

The BBC has dropped plans to show a fictional terror attack in an episode of Casualty to avoid offending Muslims.

The first show of the hospital drama's new series was to have featured a storyline about an explosion caused by Islamic extremists.

I suppose such a change might be warranted if, for example, there were no Muslims engaged in terrorism and the religion actually espoused peace. however, given the propensity of a certain strain of Islam to lead its followers to self-detonation and self-immolation in the name of the faith, I don't see where this change makes any sense.

In the last two years, there have been multiple terrorist attacks by jihadis, and others have been thwarted by good intelligence and good luck. Why not portray the reality that exists? Why sugar-coat it in order to avoid giving offense?

Unless, of course, the terrorists have achieved one of their goals -- the domination of Western institutions so that they defer to Islamic sensibilities.

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Vick is accepting a plea deal that will net him prison time. I can't wait to see him behind bars. His actions are sub-human.

Michael Vick agreed Monday to plead guilty to federal dogfighting conspiracy charges, a deal that leaves the Atlanta Falcons quarterback facing up to 18 months in prison and puts his NFL career in jeopardy.

Under the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend Vick be sentenced to between a year and 18 months in prison, according to a government official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the terms have not yet been made final.

That would be a higher penalty than is usually recommended for first-time convicts, and reflects an attempt by the government to show that animal abusers will receive more than a slap on the wrist for their crimes, the official said.

Speaking as a fan with season tickets, I can tell you that I will be most unhappy if the NFL does not ban this cretin for life.

And I'd like to note that Lucianne.com has the best comment on the subject of any I've seen.

Now, let's see how Michael Vick likes it

Indeed -- and let's hope he spends every day in prison experiencing the same sort of fear that the poor animals he and his fellow conspirators tortured and killed did in their sad,a bused lives.

H/T Tammy Bruce, Captain Ed,

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I can always handle a little good news -- and getting this immigration scofflaw out of the country definitely qualifies.

An illegal immigrant who took refuge in a Chicago church for a year to avoid being separated from her U.S.-born son has been deported to Mexico, the church's pastor said.

Elvira Arellano became an activist and a national symbol for illegal immigrant parents as she defied her deportation order and spoke out from her religious sanctuary. She held a news conference last week to announce that she would finally leave the church to try to lobby U.S. lawmakers for change.

She had just spoken at a Los Angeles rally when she was arrested Sunday outside Our Lady Queen of Angels church and deported, said the Rev. Walter Coleman, pastor of Adalberto United Methodist Church in Chicago, where Arellano had been living.

"She is free and in Tijuana," said Coleman, who said he spoke to her on the phone. "She is in good spirits. She is ready to continue the struggle against the separation of families from the other side of the border."

Personally, I believe that the doors of Adalberto United Methodist Church should have been kicked off their hinges a year ago so that she could be removed pursuant to a long-standing deportation order -- and that Coleman and his co-conspirators should have been taken into custody and charged for their part in this sham as well.

And if anything, this story points out to the need to do away with automatic birthright citizenship for the children of border jumping immigration criminals like Arellano -- for without it, she would have had no basis for even making a claim to stay.

More At Malkin, Surber, Stop the ACLU, Stix, Jammie Wearing Fool, Captain Ed

Posted by: Greg at 09:24 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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You are the head of an agency that
1) put out incorrect information;
2) tried to hide the error;
3) tried to deny those who question your conclusions access to government data; and
4) refused to publicize the fact that your conclusions were wrong after revising your conclusion.

What do you have to say about those who were right when they irrefutably proved you to have made a serious scientific error?

The real deal is this: the 'royalty' controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil [sic], automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children. The court jesters are their jesters, occasionally paid for services, and more substantively supported by the captains' disinformation campaigns.

No mea culpa.

No thanks to those who advanced scientific accuracy.

Instead we see condemnation of those who advanced us closer to the truth on the basis of their alleged nefarious agenda and connections -- and a refusal to admit that the basis for your conclusions has been seriously undercut.

I have to ask -- given such clear intellectual dishonesty, why is James Hansen, head of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, still on the government payroll. After all, he is clearly manipulating the data to reach a preconceived conclusion that supports his policy preferences based upon his adherence to the cult of man-made global warming.

H/T Fumento

Posted by: Greg at 09:18 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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The government sees it as a way to ensure that minors are not being sexually exploited. Porn producers worry that it is a way to regulate and harass their industry.

Ron Jeremy, Jenna Jameson - get ready to stand and be counted.

The Department of Justice wants to come up with an official list of every porn star in America - and slap stiff penalties on producers who don't cooperate.

The new rules, proposed under the Adam Walsh Child Safety and Protection Act, would require blue-movie makers to keep photos, stage names, professional names, maiden names, aliases, nicknames and ages on file for the inspection of the department's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.

"The identity of every performer is critical to determining and ensuring that no performer is a minor," according to the new proposal.

The adult film industry plans to challenge the new rule as a violation of the First Amendment, said Paul Cambria, a lawyer for Hustler and other adult film companies.

He sees it as a way to harass legitimate stag-film producers.

"If they can't get you for obscenity, they'll get you for violating record-keeping," he said. Such a violation would carry a five-year penalty.

It does raise some interesting questions, especially when one deals with the internet. After all, who will be responsible for keeping the records -- the original producer, a website owner, or the person who posts the picture? Will this record keeping law become the equivalent of the tax evasion statute used to put away Al Capone? And ultimately, how far will the US government be able to go in imposing requirements on foreign producers of porn? These are interesting questions from a First Amendment standpoint.

However, the question that impacts me more directly is this -- will it help stop the flood of comment spam from porn sites that I have to deal with daily on this blog?

Posted by: Greg at 10:47 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Posted by: Greg at 10:41 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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You know, the scientific issues may be much less complicated than the moral, ethical, and legal issues that go along with this scientific advance.

Around the world, a handful of scientists are trying to create life from scratch and they're getting closer.

Experts expect an announcement within three to 10 years from someone in the now little-known field of "wet artificial life."

"It's going to be a big deal and everybody's going to know about it," said Mark Bedau, chief operating officer of ProtoLife of Venice, Italy, one of those in the race. "We're talking about a technology that could change our world in pretty fundamental ways — in fact, in ways that are impossible to predict."

That first cell of synthetic life — made from the basic chemicals in DNA — may not seem like much to non-scientists. For one thing, you'll have to look in a microscope to see it.

"Creating protocells has the potential to shed new light on our place in the universe," Bedau said. "This will remove one of the few fundamental mysteries about creation in the universe and our role."

And several scientists believe man-made life forms will one day offer the potential for solving a variety of problems, from fighting diseases to locking up greenhouse gases to eating toxic waste.

Now scientists expect that artificial lifeforms will have short lifespans and will be unable to escape controlled settings and take over like in a sci-fi flick. However, this begs the question of how far such research should be taken -- after all, might more durable life forms eventually be created? What is their status? And should the secrets of life itself be proprietary information?

Ultimately, the question becomes very basic -- is there a place where our science should not go?

Posted by: Greg at 10:38 PM | Comments (23) | Add Comment
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I've mentioned that I spent several years in the seminary, studying to be a priest. That nearly didn't happen because of a problem I had not long before I was set to enter the seminary. No, not the sort of problem you read about in the papers. It was a credit card debt problem.

You see, when I finished graduate school I ran into a big problem. The teaching market was glutted, and I had priced myself out of many jobs by getting that masters degree. I spent the next two years working at a homeless shelter, making very little money. During that time, I slowly ran up my credit cards and was in need of debt help. However, a current bankruptcy filing s not looked upon as a plus for a prospective priest, and filing for bankruptcy while in the seminary would have been even worse.

What to do? Well, I was fortunate to be able to find debt help in the form of a debt consolidation loan. Having set up a debt management plan, I found a second job and payed off that bill consolidation in just a few months by applying every penny I could towards it. I was also able to draw my bank balances down to a minimum to repay every penny I owed and received an unexpected gift from a family member who had no knowledge of my situation. That let me go into the seminary debt-free a year earlier than I had anticipated. It was one of the greatest blessings -- and lessons -- of my life.

Now not everyone is in a position to do what I did. But through the use of a home equity loan and debt consolidation credit counseling, people can get out of the debt dilemma. And there are other options that can work for you, if you really interested and try.

Posted by: Greg at 06:50 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I have a difficult time imagining the city of San Francisco allowing a Christian school to operate on city land -- especially not one that hews to orthodox Christian teachings. And I certainly cannot imagine the city doing so if the group operating it were one with a long and well-documented history of racist and anti-Semitic teachings coming out of its top leadership.

But that is happening in San Francisco right now. Except the religious school in question is operated by the racist, anti-Semitic Nation of Islam -- and it has been allowed to operate on city land RENT FREE for five years.

The Nation of Islam school in San Francisco's Hunters Point, now at the center of a controversy over whether asbestos-laden dust from a neighboring development is sickening residents, has quite a history - not to mention a curious lease arrangement with the city.

It sits on city land, and the school was supposed to pay rent - but in the five years since it opened, it hasn't been billed a dime.

It's a classic example of how the patronage politics that defined the Willie Brown era at San Francisco City Hall still rattle around to this day.

Read the rest of the story -- it is sickening.

Oh, and by the way -- it appears that the organization's mosque may also have been paid for with city and federal state tax dollars. I wonder if San Francisco would cut such a deal for a Baptist Church in the city's Castro District?

Seems to me that the Nation of Islam has become the officially established religion of San Francisco -- without a word of outcry from the ACLU or others that these mosque-itos have been sucking the taxpayers dry for years.

Posted by: Greg at 07:15 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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After all, we've been told that the President's low approval rating is indicative that he is a failure. But if Bush has numbers more than twice as high as Congress, how can we argue that they are a success?

President George W. Bush's overall job approval rating has taken a small dip, dropping to 32% positive, down from 34% who gave him positive job marks in mid-July, a new Reuters/Zogby International telephone poll shows.

The survey also shows that the overall job approval rating for the work of Congress remains far below the President's, as just 15% give the national legislature a collective positive rating, up one point since last month. Changes in both the ratings for the President and Congress are statistically insignificant.

This latest Reuters/Zogby poll included interviews with 1,020 likely voters between August 9-11, 2007. It carries a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points.

What i find really interesting, though, are these numbers.

Just 35% said they are pleased with current U.S. economic policy, but 60% said their own personal economic situation is good or excellent. Overall, 65% said they feel secure in their current jobs, and most are optimistic about the long-term future of the nation: 64% said they expect their children to have a better life than them.

More than three-quarters - 77% - said they feel America is facing threats from abroad, while 21% said they are not concerned about such things.

It is fair to say that the doom and gloom pronouncements of the Democrats have managed to convince people that our nation's economic policy is bad, despite the fact that they are finding their own economic status to be pretty good. Indeed, a closer look by these folks would probably force them to admit they don't know anybody facing serious economic issues (unless they bought too much house on too much credit using a gimmicky loan, like this WaPo reporter). And contrary to the notions promulgated by John Edwards, most Americans recognize that the Crusade Against Jihadism is not merely a bumper sticker.

H/T Don Surber

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Posted by: Greg at 05:20 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I don't know how else you can characterize these firefighters.

Two firefighters were killed yesterday battling a blaze in the Deutsche Bank skyscraper, a vacant relic of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack that was in the process of being dismantled.

The firefighters were among hundreds who poured into ground zero all afternoon to fight the high-rise fire, which was finally brought under control after seven hours. At least five others were hospitalized, but were expected to recover.

The building, at 130 Liberty Street, had stood as a ghost since parts of the twin towers crashed into it, leaving it severely damaged and filled with toxic debris, including asbestos, dioxin, lead and chromium. For residents nearby, the acrid smoke brought back memories of the grim dust clouds that lingered after the attacks.

The demolition work created difficulties for firefighters trying to reach and put out the blaze, which started on the 17th floor, allowing the fire to mushroom out of control, fire officials said. The building did not have a working standpipe, which runs through high-rise buildings to provide a source of water for firefighters.

Let's see who the liberals blame -- Osama bin Laden or Bush and Giuliani.

Posted by: Greg at 05:06 AM | Comments (19) | Add Comment
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It's a cute stunt -- bringing in a waitress to give the Democrat's message this week. The only problem is that she betrays her ignorance as she parrots the Donk talking points.

A North Carolina waitress on Saturday lauded the Democratic-initiated increase in the minimum wage, saying in the party's weekly radio address that the extra money will have a ripple effect on millions of lives.

Fawn Townsend, a nightshift server in Raleigh, N.C., criticized Republicans for blocking efforts to raise the minimum wage over the last 10 years. The Democratic-led Congress approved the increase earlier this year and President Bush signed it into law in May.

"Millions of Americans now have a little more in their paychecks to help pay for basic necessities like food and clothing. And now more Americans can save to build a better future for themselves and their families," Townsend said.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says about 1.7 million people made $5.15 or less in 2006. The federal minimum wage increased from $5.15 to $5.85 an hour last month. Increases of 70 cents are scheduled each of the next two summers.

And I wonder what Ms. Townsend will have to say over the next couple of years as prices rise following these increases. Will she thank the Democrats for the inflation? Or will she blame greedy business owners (Dem code-word for Republicans) for daring to raise their prices to cover the higher labor costs? Or when she (or a co-worker) gets fired because the restaurant can't afford as many employees? How about when her employer closes because teh new, higher costs make him less competitive?

But there is more.

Townsend criticized Bush for threatening to veto a bill that would provide more money for the Children's Health Insurance Program. The Senate has voted to add 3 million lower-income children to the plan at a cost of $35 billion, and the House has approved a more ambitious and expensive version. Bush has proposed spending just $5 billion more on the program.

Yep -- now parents who make $82,000 a year and currently have private insurance for their children will be able to shift the burden on to the American taxpayer. Are these the "lower-income" families and children that Townsend thinks ought to be getting a share of the tax dollars taken out of her check?

In the future, Townsend said she hoped to attend nursing school — and she applauded Democrats for passing legislation to make higher education more affordable.

I encourage her to enroll in an Economics class, where she might discover hatt every time the government has acted "to make higher education more affordable" we have seen massive increases in college costs -- both because of the increased federal mandates on colleges and universities, and the economic reality that the cost of an item will increase to match the number of disposable dollars available to purchase it. That is why education costs have spiraled well-ahead of the rate of inflation for decades.

"I'm grateful that our Democratic leaders in Congress are taking our country in a new direction," she said. "They have accomplished more this year than Republicans accomplished in the past six years combined — including giving people like me a long-overdue raise."

Now that Townsend thinks that it is the place of the government to give her a raise, I also suggest that the take an American Government class along with that Economics class. That way she will read the US Constitution and will be shocked to find that nowhere is the government granted the power to raise anyone's pay, unless they are a government employee.

But she is right about one thing -- the Democrats have and will lead us in a new dircetion.

Towards higher taxes for all Americans.

Towards a substantial weakening of an economy that has grown strong under a GOP Congress and a GOP President.

And towards a surrender in Iraq and the Crusade Against Jihdism.

Yep -- they had to find someone pretty ignorant to deliver this weekly address. No one with a lick of sense would have believed a word of it.

Others commenting include Carolina Politics Online, The IDIOT, and The Media Blog. The last of these also notes that Fawn Townsend isn't some random waitress -- she is an activist with ACORN, a radical left-wing group that is noted for its efforts to subvert American elections through registering face voters and other sorts of election fraud.

OPEN TRACKBACKING AT , The Florida Masochist, Wake Up America, Right Truth, and The World According to Carl, Outside the Beltway, Rosemary's Thoughts, Big Dog's Weblog, Right Truth, Webloggin, The Amboy Times, Conservative Cat, Public Domain Clip Art, Pursuing Holiness, Faultline USA, Stageleft, , Walls of the City, The World According to Carl, Pirate's Cove, The Pink Flamingo, OTB Sports, and Gone Hollywood, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Posted by: Greg at 01:54 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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After all, every administration has engaged in the sort of political calculus and activities that angered Democrats over the last several years.

Many administrations have sought to maximize their control of the machinery of government for political gain, dispatching Cabinet secretaries bearing government largess to battleground states in the days before elections. The Clinton White House routinely rewarded big donors with stays in the Lincoln Bedroom and private coffees with senior federal officials, and held some political briefings for top Cabinet officials during the 1996 election.

But Rove, who announced last week that he is resigning from the White House at the end of August, pursued the goal far more systematically than his predecessors, according to interviews and documents reviewed by The Washington Post, enlisting political appointees at every level of government in a permanent campaign that was an integral part of his strategy to establish Republican electoral dominance.

Under Rove's direction, this highly coordinated effort to leverage the government for political marketing started as soon as Bush took office in 2001 and continued through last year's congressional elections, when it played out in its most quintessential form in the coastal Connecticut district of Rep. Christopher Shays, an endangered Republican incumbent. Seven times, senior administration officials visited Shays's district in the six months before the election -- once for an announcement as minor as a single $23 government weather alert radio presented to an elementary school. On Election Day, Shays was the only Republican House member in New England to survive the Democratic victory.

"He didn't do these things half-baked. It was total commitment," said Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (Va.), who in 2002 ran the House Republicans' successful reelection campaign in close coordination with Rove. "We knew history was against us, and he helped coordinate all of the accoutrements of the executive branch to help with the campaign, within the legal limits."

And while the Democrats are demanding investigations and shouting about possible Hatch Act violations, it thus far appears that Rove's work violated no law -- simply was more coordinated and more effective. Indeed, there is only one meeting which may have strayed over the line -- and the individual who did so was not even a part of Rove's staff.

Indeed, despite the tone of the article, the reality that comes through is that Rove's offense is not the breaking of the law, but rather his effectiveness.

Posted by: Greg at 01:26 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Posted by: Greg at 01:22 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I've got a better idea -- let's step up immigration raids now and continue them at a high pace all the way through the census.

The Census Bureau wants immigration agents to suspend enforcement raids during the 2010 census so the government can better count illegal immigrants.

Raids during the population count would make an already distrustful group even less likely to cooperate with government workers who are supposed to include them, the Census Bureau's second-ranking official said in an Associated Press interview.

Deputy Director Preston Jay Waite said immigration enforcement officials did not conduct raids for several months before and after the 2000 census. But today's political climate is even more volatile on the issue of illegal immigration.

Enforcement agents "have a job to do," Waite said. "They may not be able to give us as much of a break" in 2010.

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman declined to say whether immigration officials would halt raids. "If we were, we wouldn't talk about it," Pat Reilly said.

"For us to suspend that enforcement would probably take a lot more than one meeting," Reilly said. "We would have to discuss this at the highest levels of both agencies."

Why do i suggest stepping up the raids instead of slowing them down? Two reasons.

1) Enforcing our nation's laws and securing our borders should be a priority. If we do enough to enforce the law and rid ourselves of some of the immigration criminals, we might just luck out and have more leave voluntarily before they are caught and deported.

2) Given that the Census is used to fund federal programs and congressional representation, the more immigration criminals we can rid ourselves of the better. Border jumpers should not be getting government services or political representation. After all, they are not even legitimately here. Not only do I not care if they are under-counted, I don't believe they should count at all in any government formula.

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Posted by: Greg at 01:13 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I love my wife's current perfume. It drives me wild. It is called Crush, and I have to tell you -- in the couple of years she has used it I have come to understand how a cat responds to catnip. And I'm one big cat -- Grrrrrrrrr!

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Posted by: Greg at 06:38 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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UPDATE -- 8/19/2007: Current projections show Hurricane Dean heading well to the south -- but I'm not canceling those reservations yet.

BUMPED DAILY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE -- SCROLL DOWN FOR NEW POSTS

8/18/2007 -- Tropical Storm Erin was just a bunch of heavy rain around here -- but Hurricane Dean may not be.

My darling bride and I are making preparations -- we have two different hotel reservations in two different cities, depending on what the forecasts tell us.

Please offer up some prayers that we don't need to evacuate -- after all, who can forget the fiasco two years ago!

Posted by: Greg at 05:59 PM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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Three 1000lb bombs are dropped from a B1 jet onto Mazdurak, a villiage in Kajaki, Afghanistan after a fierce firefight with the Taliban.

"I f*cking told you nothing but bacteria would live!"

H/T Jawa Report

Posted by: Greg at 12:07 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Granted, it isn't a ringing endorsement, but the editors of the Washington Post have concluded that there is no legitimate reason to keep Leslie Southwick off the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, despite opposition from liberal groups who want a minority judge and object to a couple of opinions he joined but did not write.

For that reason, and because of his relatively pinched approach to judging, Judge Southwick wouldn't have been our first choice for this vacancy. Nor do we like the results in the custody and racial slur cases. But we cannot find fault with Judge Southwick's narrow but ultimately legitimate interpretation of the law in those cases, and we do not find in his record the anti-gay, anti-worker caricature his opponents have drawn. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), the lone Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee to vote in favor of his confirmation, got it right when she concluded that if senators were to examine Judge Southwick's entire career, including his stint as a judge advocate in Iraq, they would find a "qualified, circumspect person."

So one of America's most liberal senators and the capital's most liberal newspaper have come out behind Judge Southwick. It is time for the Democrat leadership in Congress to allow a vote -- and, if they are honest, support his nomination.

Posted by: Greg at 01:53 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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The New York Times has a piece today by Adam Liptak that makes for interesting reading. it outlines how conspiracy charges may be the way to put away terrorists and would-be terrorists early -- and for a very long time.

But the real innovation in Mr. PadillaÂ’s case, some legal experts said yesterday, was more subtle than those dueling talking points suggested. The Justice DepartmentÂ’s strategy in the trial itself, using a seldom-tested conspiracy law and relatively thin evidence, cemented a new prosecutorial model in terrorism cases.

The central charge against Mr. Padilla was that he conspired to murder, maim and kidnap people in a foreign country. The charge is a serious one, and it can carry a life sentence. But prosecutors needed to prove very little by way of concrete conduct to obtain a conviction under the law.

“There is no need to show any particular violent crime,” said Robert M. Chesney, a law professor at Wake Forest University and the author of a recent law review article on conspiracy charges in terrorism prosecutions. “You don’t have to specify the particular means used to carry out the crime.”

I still believe these cases don't belong in the criminal justice system -- but if that is where we are ultimately forced to deal with terrorists, this looks good to me.

Posted by: Greg at 01:43 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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So the dog-fighting barbarian had better get used to the notion of having the same experience of some of his dogs -- locked in a cage as somebody else's bitch.

Two of Michael VickÂ’s co-defendants pleaded guilty Friday to charges stemming from a dog fighting ring, leaving the Atlanta Falcons quarterback to face federal charges alone unless he to can strike a deal with prosecutors.

At the same federal courthouse where they pleaded not guilty last month, Purnell A. Peace, 35, of Virginia Beach, and Quanis L. Phillips, 28, of Atlanta, accepted one felony count each related to a dog fighting ring the government says was run from VickÂ’s property in Surry, Va.

Both defendants pledged to help the governmentÂ’s case, signing statements that would be included at a possible trial of Vick, who faces three felony charges related to dog fighting. The charges could carry up to five years in prison and as much as a $250,000 fine if he is found guilty.

* * *

According to an individual with direct knowledge of the case, Vick had until 9 a.m. today to verbally accept the governmentÂ’s plea agreement. If he does not take the offer, the government will likely bring superseding charges against him which will subject him to more jail time.

My guess is that there won't be enough of Vick left following his prison stay to resume his NFL career.

Posted by: Greg at 01:35 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Posted by: Greg at 01:32 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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The original plan for the troop surge in Iraq involved a time-limited increase in troop-strength followed by a phased drawdown of forces to a level that was congruent with American and Iraqi security needs.

Guess what -- they are sticking to the plan.

The White House plans to use a report next month assessing progress in Iraq to outline a plan for gradual troop reductions beginning next year that would fall far short of the drawdown demanded by Congressional opponents of the war, according to administration and military officials.

One administration official made it clear that the goal of the planned announcement was to counter public pressure for a more rapid reduction and to try to win support for a plan that could keep American involvement in Iraq on “a sustainable footing” at least through the end of the Bush presidency.

The officials said the White House would portray its approach as a new strategy for Iraq, a message aimed primarily at the growing numbers of Congressional Republicans who have criticized President Bush’s handling of the war. Many Republicans have urged Mr. Bush to unveil a new strategy, and even to propose a gradual reduction of American troops to the levels before this year’s troop increase — about 130,000 — or even lower to head off Democratic-led efforts to force the withdrawal of all combat forces by early next year.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of their reluctance to discuss internal White House deliberations publicly.

Administration officials involved in drafting the new strategy said the White House intended to argue that the troop increase ordered by Mr. Bush had succeeded on several levels in providing more security, with fewer sectarian killings and suicide attacks, and had established the conditions for a new approach that would begin troop cuts in the first half of next year.

At the same time, the administration will use the occasion to argue that vital American interests in Iraq and across the Middle East require a sustained commitment of American forces and that any rapid withdrawal would be catastrophic for the United States and its regional allies.

I don't see why there is any need to present this as something new. This was the announced plan from the beginning. If anything, it is new to the American public because the MSM wasn't particularly interested in reporting anything beyond "MORE TROOPS TO IRAQ" when the Surge began. The only thing that will be "new" is the assessment of how the strategy is working and the exact timetable for victory -- as opposed to the deadline for defeat that the war's opponents are putting forward.

Similar thoughts from Captain Ed.

Posted by: Greg at 01:30 AM | Comments (212) | Add Comment
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Do you shop online? What do you shop for? Would you like to save money on it? Yeah, I thought so -- you would have to be nuts not to want to save money on your purchases.

And if you do any amount of shopping online, you want to know where you can find great prices on almost anything. But are there ways to get prices that are even better? Yes, there are -- if you know where to look. And the place to look is DealLocker.com!

DealLocker.com is a site that links to thousands of advertisers with great online coupon codes. And some of these coupons can be quite beneficial to you.

Lets say you are in the market for a Dell Inspiron E1505 notebook computer. You can shop around town and surf the web, but are you sure you are going to get the best possible deal? Well, here’s a thought -- look at theseDell store coupons and find a code for $594 off the price of an Inspiron E1505 notebook computer! Plus, you'll find a host of other great Dell coupon offers.

Or let’s consider something as mundane as office supplies – something that those of us who teach find ourselves buying for our classrooms. DealLocker.com has office supply coupons from a whole host of office supply stores. They have codes for cash savings, free shipping, and free gifts that are available to you just for the effort of entering the coupon code when you check out at the end of your order. You can save a big chunk of cash is you shop wisely using these codes.

Why use online coupons at all? Are they really that great a deal? Yes, they are – and since you can often find better prices at online stores, it is very possible that you can save twice by using these free online coupons.

So check out DealLocker.com and SAVE!

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The winning entries in the Watcher's Council vote for this week are The "Don't Make Waves!" Theory of Iraqi Politics by Big Lizards, and General James Mattis -- Attacking the al Qaeda "Narrative" by Small Wars Journal.  Here are the full results of the vote

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The mortgage market is in turmoil right now, bringing uncertainty to other financial markets. One possibility is therefore a spike in Foreclosure proceedings against homeowners with weak credit and sub-prime loans.

But what can you do if you are facing Foreclosure? That is a question that most folks don't think about, and regarding which they have no plan. After all, the possibility of losing your home is unthinkable for most people -- and the circumstances under which such events happen are often quite dire. As a result, people often make critical mistakes that hurt themselves in both the short and long run at various steps along the Foreclosure path.

GotTrouble.com is a website that provides you with answers to a lot of sticky legal and consumer questions, including Foreclosure. issues. For example, they offer a complete explanation of the foreclosure process, so that you know what is going on and have some notion of what is happening to you. Even better, they offer you strategies for dealing with the possibility of foreclosures. For example, it is sometimes possible to get stop the process in its tracks through some sort of arrangement with your lender. GotTrouble.com offers you tips for how and when to act and with whom you need to deal. If you want to stay in your house and protect your credit, there are ways to do it. You just have to know how.

Of course, every situation is different. Just as important, you may need a competent professional to help you out. GotTrouble.com offers a referral service, too, so you have some idea who to turn to for help.

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