Selected entrries the diary of the infamous Gunslinger Garth, Dodge City 1875.

October 2, 1875

I arrived in Dodge on the train today. Seems like a nice place. Dodge central gathering point ofseveral adjoining counties. It's a nice litte rolepay community. Across from the train station is a fine drinking and dancing establishment where I was greeted by friendly folks.

The town itself is not the most beautiful of places, but there are plenty of hopping venues where you can find appropriate attire. When visiting any roleplay area it's only polite to look and act the part. You know the saying, When in Dodge, do as the Dodgians... Dodgites... Dodgeys... do as the locals do.

October 4, 1875

Flying isn't allowed, but if you walk long enough you'll find yourself in Indian territory. That's another role you can play. I have no idea if they're friendly Indians. I didn't stick around long enough to find out.

October 5, 1875

My captors were wily. I tried repeatedly to count how many of them there were in order to plan my escape, but I kept falling asleep for some reason.

October 6, 1875

Tensions rose as I faced down my nemesis. You could smell the fear in the air. I think it was fear. It was very powerful, whatever it was.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Barber%20County/13/190/21

Update: Okay, who will be the first one to figure out where I got the title for this post?

Actor Ed Harris's sophomore directorial effort Appaloosa continues the deconstructionist tradition of Western films that began in earnest with Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven.  But even though it lacks the self-indulgence of other, inferior films of the genre, Appaloosa nonetheless remains a disappointing film thanks to a flawed script and poor directing choices.

The styory is certainly steeped in vintage Western tradition, at least on the surface: the marshal of the titular town is murdered by Randall Bragg (Jeremy Irons), an amoral rancher with connections reaching to the highest levels of authority. The townspeople hire professional gunmen Virgil Cole (Harris) and his partner/protégé Everett Hitch (Mortensen) to step in and restore law and order. Hot on their heels, a beguiling young widow named Ally French (Renee Zellweger) arrives in town and steals Virgil's heart. But Ally very quickly proves less than faithful to Virgil and all too willing to trade herself to the alpha male du jour. Despite his repeated humiliations, Virgil cannot bring himself to leave her, prompting Everett to take drastic measures to protect his friend, measures which ultimately tear the partners asunder.  

Harris's fingerprints are all over this film. Besides starring and directing, he adapted the screenplay with Robert Knott from a book by Spenser and Jesse Stone novelist Robert Parker. In translating Parker's novel for the screen, Harris and Knott were apparently forced to condense a fair amount of characterization, leaving an economized script that teases plotlines and details without ever really exploring them. An early scene hints at Virgil's suppressed rage and insecurity, but the matter is never explained or allowed to develop. Similarly, Harris fequently focuses on the fear and anxiety of a gentle-hearted ranch hand (Gabriel Marantz) who testifies against Bragg, then drops the character entirely once he cannot advance the storyline further. These and other tangents produce a schizophrenic effect that is only amplified by bizarre intrusions of inappropriate musical selections.  And in getting only the major story beats, the audience is left with a skeleton that doesn't quite explain the lure of the story in the first place.

Most troubling, however, is the film's barely contained misogyny. Except for a couple of nondescript servant women, Appaloosa contains only two female characters: Ally and a prostitute (Ariadna Gil) who seems to enjoy pitting Everett against his friend's lover.  Both of these women are inherently untrustworthy, if not outright scheming - a sharp contrast to the friendship between Virgil and Everett that is built on mutual admiration and trust. The two men even show unconditional respect to their enemies, including a fellow mercenary (played by a thoroughly unrecognizable Lance Henriksen) who ultimately betrays Virgil for profit. The subtext seems to be that both men and women plot against each other, but men at least can rely on their friends. Harris even punctuates this theme and the film as a whole by singing "You'll Never Leave My Heart", a shockingly vitriolic little ditty that plays over the film's closing credits.

On the other hand, Appaloosa mercifully eschews the cynical brutality characteristic of so many other films of the modern Western genre. The Wild West must have been a period of unimaginable hardship, and many contemporary filmmakers apparently feel that the best way to convey such adversity is by viciously subjecting good people to wanton violence and suffering. (James Mangold's ghoulish remake of 3:10 to Yuma or, on a somewhat related note, Anthony Minghella's Cold Mountain).  But Harris smartly avoids such laziness, and instead relies on setting and mood to depict the isolation of the frontier. Andrew Dominik took a similarly classy approach in last year's The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford; while it's hard to imagine any film achieving the intensity of that picture's atmospheric bleakness, Appaloosa's windswept locales and grizzled players prove that desperation is more effectively conveyed through subtlety than bombast.  

Not surprisingly, veteran actor Harris coaxes equally subtle and compelling performances from his A-list cast, transferring at least a portion of the characters' unspoken motivations through nuance. Harris himself portrays Virgil Cole as capable of ruthlessness, but more often amiable, awkward and utterly and embarrassingly powerless before the object of his undeserved affection. In that respect, Virgil shares much more in common with Philip Carey, the protagonist of W. Somerset Maugham's Of Human Bondage, than with any archetypal Western hero. Such a truly three-dimensional character shows the completion of the evolution of the Western away from the genre's one-dimensional roots. The script isn't as generous to Mortensen though, and while it's a solid performance the King of All Men really doesn't do very much except stand around and look cool and noble. Zellweger once again plays the sharp point of a romantic triangle, but unlike her character in this spring's Leatherheads Ally relies on coquetry and flattery to get by rather than wit and moxie. Jeremy Irons is in his element as an oily bastard you can't help but like, but Marantz's brief moments of resolve and barely contained terror provide the film's most memorable performance.

A fair and by no means poorly acted film, Appaloosa perhaps suffers from improbably high expectations over the re-teaming of stars Harris and Mortensen (last seen together in 2005's A History of Violence).  If the film had starred less distinguished actors, audiences probably wouldn't think twice, writing it off as a decent yet disposable yarn.  But with two such charismatic actors in the forefront, one expects something more than just "pretty good."  Given that it's only Harris's second time out as a director (after 2000's Pollock), we'll hope that he and Mortensen reteam again with a script that challenges them and the audience alike.

- Stephen Kabel
:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Thanks to Another for suggesting our Name of the Day: Wesley.

Comb through the US Social Security data and, in every decade, you'll find popular, two-syllable boys' names that end in -y.  From the early 20th century, there's Henry, Harry, Stanley and Harvey; the Baby Boomers were Gary, Larry, Jerry and Terry; more recently, we've heard Cody, Corey and Casey, as well as Brady, Riley and Bailey.

Wesley has been around in every one of those eras, ranking in the US Top 200 every year since 1880.  In 1977, he rose as high as #66; he fell, then climbed again to #92 in the 80s.  Today, Wesley stands at #195, but don't count him out just yet.

Originally an English surname meaning west meadow, it's a conventional place name.

The name picks up its cowboy flair thanks to the outlaw John Wesley Hardin.  By all historical accounts, Hardin was a thoroughly unsavory character.  But in pop culture, he's a romanticized hero, thanks to Johnny Cash's Hardin Wouldn't Run and Bob Dylan's John Wesley Harding.  (We're not certain where Dylan picked up the g, but it's clear he's referring to the same figure.)  Movie and television depictions further glamorize Hardin's tale.

Johnny Cash's lyrics called him Wes, and plenty of Wesleys also favor that distinctive diminutive.

Interestingly, Wesley seems to be one of the few masculine names that ends in -ee or -lee that hasn't been discovered by parents raiding boys' names for their daughters.  It's always possible you'll meet a little girl Wesley (or Weslie or Westleigh), but it's not likely. 

Maybe that's because even with his impeccably English roots and softer sound, the most famous Wesleys are tough guys.  Consider:

• Actor and action hero Wesley Snipes, known for his prowess in the martial arts and his portrayal of a half-vampire hero in the Blade series;
• Retired US Army General - and Rhodes scholar - Wesley Clark, best known as a candidate for the Democratic party's presidential nomination in 2004;
• Wesley A. Brown, the first African American graduate of the US Naval Academy;
• Fictional Englishman Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, who went from zero to hero in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel television series;
• Master of horror Wes Craven, who introduced Freddy Krueger to the nightmares of millions of movie-goers.

The name entered common use in the 1800s as a means to honor John Wesley, found of the Methodist movement.  Bad guy John Wesley Hardin's minister father named him in honor of the theologian.

Not every Wesley has been a bruiser.  Two others come to mind:  indie filmmaker Wes Anderson, of The Royal Tennenbaums fame, and brainy character Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation.  The fictional Wesley may've been named in honor of Star Trek creator Gene Rodenberry - Wesley was his middle name.

We like Wesley, and we think he stands up well, fitting in with trendy choices like Brady, but standing a little taller and straighter for all of his history.  He's also one to consider in the middle spot, subbing for classic filler choices William or James.  While his sound is undeniably soft, his story is rough'n'tumble - it's a nice compromise between hyper-masculine choices like Jett or Blade and more romantic options like Sebastian or Tristan.

It seems like everyone in america is scared. running around like chickens with their heads cut off. so what if the government goes down the shitter? will they take everyone with them or will america will return to its wild west roots and become great once again? america used to be the land of opportunity, but it seems like now the only opportunities are for the mega rich, not just the rich and middle class. yes, the middle class and even the "rich" aren't safe anymore. I really don't think that the governement cares that the line between middle class and poor is almost non existant if not totally gone. I know that I have a good job, but still struggle with issues that i used to think were only poor people have to deal with. in fact it seems like all of the people that saved and did what they were suppose to do (ie 401k, retirement plans, diversify their stock portfolios, etc....) are getting the shaft. it sucks, but i think that the current REPUBLICAN government is the cause of the problems that we're having. we are a victim of our own creation, and now we have to pay for our leaders horrible choices. we are paying their bills for their houses/cars/drugs/affairs/vacations, and can't even live the life that they are trying to sell us and that they are living. so save your political bullshit talk for one of those sheep that just vote for their party regardless of if they believe in what they really are selling or not. because we are just sheep that do what we're told. we pay taxes and are good citizens, but in fact are treated like serfs. we do what we're told, we send our brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, moms and dads to fight a war for their own political gains and still get taxed and charged for fighting for someone elses freedom. when america was started, we had limited help fighting the biggest empire in the world at the time (England) and we did that by ourselves. so why do we now need to police the rest of the world and fight for them? they need to figure it out for themselves and fight their own battles. do you think that we would be the great country that we were if we had another country fight our fight of independence for us? no we wouldn't.  i know that we had allies in our war of independence, but WE were doing the fighting. WE were the ones with the most casualties.  Watch this and it will make you even more angry then you already are..( here</A). that will show you how pointless this war in iraq is. a war that we started in an attempt to thrust democracy on a country and people that should have fought for it on their own. and we need to remember that Saddam Hussein was an ally of ours. we are just as bad as the terrorists. but thankfully like Constantine, we have God on our side.  so we can kill whoever we want because since we do it in the name of God or Democracy that gives us a free pass. according to the way that sara palin thinks, this is a holy war. yeah, right.....as far as i can see it, plain and simple, this is a war to control the oil fields of the world.

Koreans take time off from their busy lives in Seoul or wherever and travel to exotic Jeju to get a taste of the extraordinary. Riding elephants as if they were in Thailand, for example.

Or perhaps experiencing something really out there.

Like pretending they're... American cowboys?!?

That's right, if Thailand wasn't wild enough, on wonderful Jeju Island you can get close to the Wild West.

It was hilarious.

They decked us out in riding boots, vests, and cowboy hats (thought I kept my own trusty Tilley). We all climbed on our horsies and were led around the track.

Ironic, really. I lived for ten years in Arizona. I even visited Tombstone, site of the famous shootout at O.K. Corral. Um... it wasn't really like this.

After that, we stopped for lunch. I have no idea where we were, but we kicked off our shoes (as per custom), sat on the floor, and stirred the pork and onions sizzling at our table.

Man, it was good. Pork wraps? I don't know what to call it, but I know I'm going to try to make it in my own kitchen and invite everybody over.

(P.S. Since returning to America, we've tried a homemade bulgogi beef pizza, which was astounding.)

Here's how you eat it: you palm a lettuce leaf, chopstick on some pork and rice, then a slice of garlic, then some deadly-hot curry paste (careful, there). Close your fist. Stuff the whole thing in your mouth. Repeat (and you will repeat, until you are stuffed). Fantastic!

I took this photo of one, just so I would remember exactly what was in it and what it was like:

Up next: Statues like Easter Island... and a deep, dark cave video.

Med sheriffstjärnor å grejs. Känner att det inte är riiiiiktigt min nisch kanske, hehe!

Söt du är älskling! Jag älskar dig mest av allt i hela världen!! Puss!!

"Det är sant som Kristina säger. Vi har aldrig varit på Chappen. Men en dag Kristina! Då, då ska vi dit..."             (HAHAHAHAHAHHA)

The Saddle West Casino in Pahrump hosts the Wild West Extravaganza which also includes the Pony Express Trail Ride. The NWHA ran a booth this weekend at the event. We were showcasing (8) 4-6 month old weanlings available for adoption. If Amber and I didn't have our hands full already, it would have been really tempting to take one home ourselves! Check out the NWHA website if your interested.

So Amber and I went out on Saturday to volunteer. It was a blast meeting new people in the community and helping sign up new members and interested adopters as well. We have high hopes that most of this mini "herd" has found new homes, and it's rather gratifying to think maybe we had something to do with it.  So here's a couple pictures of the event and if your interested in seeing more photos than that, just click the link!   More photos HERE!

Entertainment blog to talk about UT culture and beliefs. It talks about all the weird and interesting experience in UT.. It’s open to post for all liberal Asians, Indians and Whites who are not from UT and have lived in UT or living in Asian (also to people who know me and are interested adding comment or spin to posts..lol). The blog is open to creativity. If you are interested in posting on the blog just email me and I will get you all the permission.

Who I am?

I’m liberal brown guy from Far East of the world, came to USA 5 years to go school, spent most of my time in east coast. I believe that I’m from to DC, btw I love DC. Some times I might sound raciest, but I’m not. I just like making fun and having good time. You know.

What do I Like?

I love partying, having fun, great food from all cuisines and meeting interesting people.

How the Hell I’m here in UT?

Well that a whole big story will post a blog on this; in short my job brought me here.

Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.

For those of you not familiar with Dr. Loveless you undoubtedly have never watched The Wild Wild West.  Dr. Loveless was a brilliantly insane dwarf, a mad scientist and the arch-enemy of Secret Service agents James West and Artemus Gordon.

Each episode has Dr. Loveless hatching an insane plot that involves a nefarious invention with intents on taking over some government or extracting revenge on James West for foiling past plots.  And of course, being brilliantly insane, he was always prepared with an escape plan.  He was the Professor Moriarty of 60's Television and way more entertaining to me than that other Doctor (Dr. Whats-his-name).

Dr. Loveless appeared in 10 episodes over 3 seasons but I think my favorites are the episodes from season 1 (My favorite season because it was filmed in Black and White and I love the darker tones and contrast).  I have several of the seasons of The Wild Wild West on DVD and must admit to watching the Loveless episodes on a regular basis.

I think the thing that has endured for me is that the show wasn't stuck in classic Western elements. Yes, it was a western (I see horses for heck sakes!), it was an spy thriller (beautiful women, clever gadgets, arch-villains, insane world domination plots), a science fiction/alternate history vehicle (in a similar vein to steampunk) and there was always an element of comedy (always brings a smile to see Loveless in the same scene with his giant henchman Voltaire).  Of course, the Loveless episodes are the best of the best (with honros sir!).

And just so we are straight on the subject, I don't endorse either of The Wild Wild West made for TV movies or that crappy Tinsel Town version (that seems to be a perennial fixture of cable TV).  To me they are something I pretend never happened.

If you have never seen The Wild Wild West I recommend looking for the following episodes:

Season 1:
   "The Night the Wizard Shook the Earth"
   "The Night the Terror Stalked the Town"
   "The Night of the Whirring Death" - My favorite
   "The Night of the Murderous Spring"

Season 2:
   "The Night of the Raven"
   "The Night of the Green Terror"
   "The Night of the Surreal McCoy"
   "The Night of the Bogus Bandits"

Season 3:
   "The Night Dr. Loveless Died"

Season 4:
   "The Night of Miguelito's Revenge"

And for the trivia minded, in the '67/'68 season The Wild Wild West was on Friday nights at 7:30 followed by Star Trek at 8:30 (different networks of course).  Now thats what I call a night of TV!!!

"Brokeback Mountain is not a movie about gay people, and there are no gay people in it. There. I said it. Despite what you may have read in the many reviews that have come out about this new cowboy feature film, Brokeback Mountain is a bisexual picture. Why can't film reviewers say the word “bisexual” when they see lead characters with sexual and romantic relationships with both men and women?  I am unaware of a single review of Brokeback calling the leads what they are–a sad statement on the invisibility of bisexual experience and the level of biphobia in both the mainstream and gay media.

Now for the best thing about Brokeback Mountain : Jake Gyllenhaal plays a bottom." - Amy Andre, American Sexuality Magazine

No this post isn't about bi-politics, but readers, don't you worry it'll happen.  For now we here at SBL are easing y'all in with the fun parts of bisexuality (and believe us, it's like Doublemint up in here!). This post is about one of the many places that bisexuals like, The Wild West. Yeehaw!!

Where else, but the Wild West,  can two "straight" men be left alone to explore their more curved feelings?  It's not that the dusty plains or cold nights turned Ennis and Jack toward each other, it's that they didn't have the rest of society whispering behind their backs about "fairies" and "Texas".  Brokeback Mountain came along and the mainstream media rode that horse hard; two hot men love each other? No, no, it must have been lust - gay lust. Meanwhile the gay community went wild with smug, limelight catwalking, and countless hours of reminiscing about the good old bare-backing days. (Dear gay readers, nothing but love, pure, catty love.)

The Wild West is home to countless bi-satisfying stories and hobbies.  There are craft hobbies, to keep our fidgety hands busy, like tying lassos, making tin-can stoves, and (a bi-fave) hog-tying games.

The Wild West was also the place where women in America were first given the opportunity to show their stuff and prove that they're as needed, strong, and bright as men.  The men were out driving doggies across ravines or wrestling in the dust all day and the women had to stay home and shoot jaguars away from the soft flesh of their children or dig fence post holes.  From my extensive research these women of western wiles did all this while looking might fine!

The Wild West was not only a place of equality, for the settlers, and freedom from stifling sexual mores, it was also the place where the existence of bisexuality as a known reality or option was already present.  The American Indians had long acknowledged a third sex, or Two-Spirited persona; a person attracted to both sexes:

"The Two-Spirited persona comes to us from the American Indians. Within American Indian tribes, a third gender was considered natural.  That spirit was chanelled to shamanistic practices, warrior activities, weaving, folk medicine and herbalism.  An American male nurse who visited an Apache reservation reported being surprised at a proud mother who came in to visit the priest and told him, 'My 16-year-old son is attracted to other men.  We need to arrange for him to be initiated with the Medicine men.'

Of the 250 or so Native languages still spoken in the United States, at least 168 of them have been identified as having terms for people who are not considered male or female." - Angie Bowie, Bisexuality

Wow, not only were they acknowledged, but that quote provides further proof into the relentless activity of bisexuals over time: shaman, warrior, weaving, folk medicine, herbalism...whew! How will he have time for dance parties and poetry readings?

There are two other things about the Wild West that appeal to bisexuals: the mythology of it and the fashion.  I'll get into the former point some other time, but the fashion simply must be addressed now.  If there's one thing bisexuals like (haha, As If!!) it's playing dress up.  Any excuse to bend our wardrobe to our moods and we're on it like flies on horse apples.  The Wild West is home to countless fun fashion play from lacey fringe:

to the beloved Western Shirt:

There's also the chaps, boots, hat and then the riding accessories.  Ropin' broncos isn't just for macho bragging rights folks, no! You think those "straight" men aren't thinking about how those old jeans make their butts look or how that hat accentuates their strong jaw lines?  You bet they are! Any cowboy worth his pork n' beans isn't going to be caught dead without the appropriate wear at the local rodeo, to wit:

Let us examine this picture here: It's sunny and probably in a South/South Western state, where the normal clime is hot and dry.  This guy is sporting layers and he may tell you it's to prevent horrendous ring rash from getting bucked off the angry bull he's riding, but I don't buy it.  To him I might say, "And what of the fringed chaps Mr. Cowboy? Is that going to throw the bull's eye off course and keep him from goring you?"  I'm calling it, this guy...well let's just say he wouldn't say "no" to Jack's pleas of "keeping warm" either.

And finally the reverse cowgirl.  A consistent bi-favorite named after one of our favorite spots to visit and dream of

Yipee-ki-yea mother fuckers.

Thanks to Another for suggesting today's Name of the Day: Garrett.

Back in the Wild West, Pat Garrett was squarely on the side of law and order.  Appointed by the New Mexico governor to restore the peace, Garrett tracked down - and shot - the infamous Billy the Kid.  While his life didn't end happily, he's been immortalized in countless Hollywood movies about the Old West.  Doubtless this is why Garrett conjures up images of tumbleweeds, Stetsons and six-shooters.

Garrett's deeper history is tangled up with familiar monikers Gerald and Gerard, and his use as given name traces back to at least the 15th century.  He's appeared in the US Top 1000 every year since the rankings were established in 1880.  So while Garrett is sometimes dismissed as nouveau, he is every bit as legitimate a choice as many monikers currently in use.

The first Garrett of note was the 15th century Gerald Gearóid Mór FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare and Lord Deputy of Ireland.  Gearóid could be Anglicized as Gerard or Gerald, but in his day, he became known as Garret.  (Today the single "t" version is appropriate only for attics, especially those housing Sara Crewe.)

Because the name emerged as a variation on Gerard and Gerald, he shares his meaning with them: the Germanic element ger, or spear and either hart, for hardy, strong or waltan, for ruler.  This leads to hyper-masculine attributed meanings like "strength of the spear."  It's etymologically correct, but feels less than relevant in 2008.   

Garrett was originally heard most often as a surname for descendants of a Gerald or a Gerard, but has been used as a given name steadily from at least the 19th century onwards.  

The next time you spot a traffic light, you can thank Garrett Augustus Morgan, Sr. - the early 20th century inventor of the Morgan Traffic Signal.  Not only was he a talented tinkerer and extremely successful entrepreneur, he was an engaged leader in the African American community. 

There's also Garrett Weber-Gale, an Olympic gold medalist in swimming at the Beijing Games; Garrett Morris, comedian and original cast member of Saturday Night Live and Friday Night Lights actor Garrett Hedlund, as well as plenty of notable people wearing Garrett as a surname.

But should you greenlight Garrett as a name for your son?  

While Garrett has been in steady use in the US, he may be falling from favor.  The name peaked at #74 in 2000 and as of last year had fallen to #162.  (Today, the fast-rising name with all the cowboy cachet appears to be Wyatt.)  Still, Garrett never reached the chart-topping positions of Jason or Joshua, and doesn't feel worn out, even if he's on the decline.

Garrett offers parents hoping to honor an ancestral Gerard or Gerald an easy, current option; he retains a certain amount of Old West flair and serves as a legitimate African American hero name.  We quite like his spirit, and think he would suit parents seeking something less often heard, but not at all unusual.

To listen to the tone of regulators and lawmakers, you would think that bankers would be on their best behavior, especially with all the arrests early this summer for mortgage and banking fraud. "Crackdown efforts" are apparently failing as desperate bankers continue to commit banking fraud to keep surviving.

Mortgage Asset Research Institute (MARI), the mortgage information gathering arm of information monger Choicepoint is reporting that mortgage fraud is on the rise despite record lows in the number of loans issued. This makes the situation all the more alarming.

The study found that the number of fraudulent loans issued during the first three months of 2008 skyrocketed 42% compared with the same period in 2007. This is true, even considering a much lower loan rate to consumers.

The credit histories of many applicants are no longer good enough to get approved for mortgages in the declining economy, except through the creativity of brokers and loan officers. An identity theft level of as much as 6 percent is also playing a role in the banking chicanery, as the criminal element gets involved in shady and predatory banking.

[caption id="attachment_1123" align="alignleft" width="250" caption="witless lawmakers"][/caption]

Apparently many bankers haven't learned a thing. Why bother, especially with idea of massive bailout protection by the Federal Government. The number of arrests for banking fraud hasn't been huge in the banking community itself and many bankers appear to be escaping the net of the Feds. With that in mind, many bankers are willing to keep up the faith in bad banking.

Despite the press, the reality is that the structure of the banking industry has changed not one whit. Commission and loan volume are still the hallmarks of the mortgage banking industry. Overwhelmed regulatory agencies and legal eagles aren't making a dent in the huge problem. Apparently, the government isn't up to the task.

If a private institution like Choicepoint can query and discern the truth behind a continued banking and mortgage debacle, surely a public institution like the Federal Government can move in and close down immoral banking with all the subpoena and legal power at its control. Instead, government regulators show that they don't have the will to deal with the national blight effectively. Bankers are going to continue to practice what they have learned to depend on. The poison must be rooted out of the system in order for the system to continue. In the meantime, "Wild West Mortgage Banking" is on the rise, with a stupified witless government on hand, unwilling or unable to quickly take corrective action.

Don't worry about bitin' off more 'n you can chew; your mouth is
probably a whole lot bigger'n you think.

If it don't seem like it's worth the effort, it probably ain't.

A cowboy was taken prisoner by a bunch of Indians. The Indians were all prepared to kill him when the chief announced that due to the celebration of the Great Spirit, they would grant the cowboy three wishes before he would die. "What do you want for your first wish?" asks the chief.

"I wanna talk to mah horse!" says the cowboy. He goes over to his horse and whispers in its ear. The horse neighs, rears back, and takes off at full speed. About an hour later, the horse comes back with a naked lady on its back. Well, the Indians are very impressed, so they let the cowboy use one of their teepees. A little while later, the cowboy stumbles out of the teepee, tucking in his shirt. "What do you want for your second wish?" says the chief.

"I wanna talk to mah horse!" says the cowboy. Again, the cowboy whispers in the horses ear. The horse neighs, rears back, and takes off at full speed. About an hour later, the horse comes back with another naked lady on its back. Well, the Indians are very impressed indeed. So, once again, they let the cowboy use one of their teepees. The cowboy stumbles out a little while later, and the chief asks the cowboy "What do you want for your last wish?"

"I wanna talk to mah horse!" says the cowboy. He grabs the horse by the ears and yells,

"You stupid animal, I said POSSE, POSSE!!!!"

If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.

Mosey into the Wild West Quest,circa 1888 after finding Grandpa Willy's old cowboy gear in an attic. Transported in time, you'll scour gold mines,stagecoaches and saloons in search of hidden objects.