Gross mortgage lending hit a new record level in June, reaching £32.2bn, according to data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). This is higher than the May 2006 record of £29.1bn.



Remortgaging in May grew by 17% compared with the same month last year, according to data from the CML's regulated mortgage survey (RMS). Month on month, remortgaging increased by 25% in May to 99,000 loans from 80,000 in April. Remortgaging accounted for 38% of all loans - up by 2% on the previous month. The CML says that the leap in remortgaging reflects the re-financing of a high number of fixed-rate deals which have now come to an end.



Lending for house purchase was also robust in May, increasing by 13% on last year. The survey found that within lending for house purchase, the number of loans to first-time buyers increased by 7% to 33,700 from 31,400 in May 2005. But lending to home-movers in May far outstripped this figure, growing by 16% to 59,000 loans, from 50,800 in the same month last year.



Michael Coogan of the CML said: "The risk of an interest rate rise is more real than earlier in 2006, which may moderate demand towards the end of the year."



Source:

http://findarticles.com

Are you trapped with awful credit and face difficulty in receiving a remortgage loan? Well, help is easily available to you and is recognized as problem remortgage. This type of remortgage is particularly tailored to meet the requirements of bad credit holder, who are in search of an adequate resource of financial help.



All kind of bad credit holders can go for problem remortgage. Thus CCJ holders, defaulters, IVAs etc can go for this with no trouble. Before understanding difficulty remortgage, let us examine the term remortgage itself.



Actually remortgage loan is selected by an individual when he is displeased with his existing lender and with the tender of loan given by his lender. By obtaining remortgage loan, a loan taker enjoys the ability of lower rate of interest, nice amount of cash, adjustable refund period to name a few.



While we are dealing with remortgage, your new lender will have to pay your older mortgage and for that you need to put any security of your own.




Problem remortgage can be selected to get low rate of interest, , renovation of your residence, debt consolidation, buying your car and other lots of purposes etc. Now, how will you access problem remortgage? You can access it from your banks next door, any organization that lends loans and financial institutions etc.



At the same time, you can obtain these loans from Internet, which is infact the best of all current resources. Here, you can find out several lenders and their loan quotes which are obtainable free of cost.



Source:

www.ezinearticles.com

When you remortgage your home you still have a mortgage on the property. This means that you have a secured loan. There are a few reasons why remortgaging may work well for you, but first let's look at what a remortgage really is.



A remortgage is another secured loan that you use to pay off the existing loan that you have. If you have a mortgage with a balance of 100,000 pounds when you remortgage you are paying off the old mortgage. So if that 100,000 pound mortgage has an interest rate of 7.9 percent and your monthly payments are 1500 pounds, as well as having an adjustable rate loan term you may want to remortgage for a lower interest rate, lower repayment, and longer term. A longer term such as the fixed rate mortgage can give you what you need.



Some individuals find they have a great deal of debt that is difficult to payoff especially when their loan repayments and interest rates changed due to the terms of the mortgage. In this case they elect to remortgage for better terms as in our example. Remortgaging doesn't have to be about obtaining a better monthly payment. It could be used for consolidation, repairs to your home, or something frivolous. It is up to you how to use a remortgage, but understanding the option you have available to you is very important. Life does change and a loan that worked previously may be causing stress and strain. It could be best to remortgage.



Source:

www.ideamarketers.com

There are people in UK who might be paying very high rate of interest on mortgage loans. They want to shed or reduce the rate of interest and seek for a reliable loan scheme. If you are one of those, then consider the UK remortgage quote which is easy and suitable. Remortgage is the best option when you find that the market interest rates on borrowings have descended considerably and you shift your current mortgage to another mortgage lender. In such situations, UK remortgage loans aids you to get an attractive and affordable rate of interest.



UK remortgage quote holds the trait that it provides different cheap and reasonable interest rates of as many lenders as possible for the UK citizens. With the help of UK remortgage quote, the UK individual can access to meticulous and specific lenders who offer suitable packages. This, clearly states that UK people are on their way to deal with the rate which is according to repayment ability.



UK remortgage quote offer the same offers and discounts for the bad creditors of UK. For the bad creditors UK mortgages quote is important in order to reinstate the instability of money. Bad credit issues like defaults, arrears, late payments and bankruptcy can easily be dissolved by paying low rate of interest with the help of UK remortgage quote.



The online mechanism has made it uncomplicated to find a UK remortgage quote provider. The UK individual can collect and apply through the online application of the quote provider. What you have to do is to just click and fill the form with accurate details of your current mortgage. Once furnished the details, UK remortgage quote provider then matches the supplied data with selective and reliable lenders of UK. In the next step, the UK remortgage quote providers will handover the contact numbers of the remortgage lenders. And thus, you can directly deal with the lenders and negotiate and borrow the services to settle the issue suitably.



Source:

www.ezinearticles.com

Availing a remortgage loan is not so easy for the
borrowers having credit problem. Most of the time, they face numerous
hurdles while applying for remortgage loans. In such cases, a borrower
with a bad credit score can opt for problem remortgage. Yes, problem
remortgage is exclusively meant for those borrowers who are considered
as bad credit scorers. All types of bad credit cases such as, CCJs,
IVAs, bankruptcy, default, arrears, late payment etc are included in
problem remortgage program.

One can avail problem remortgage both
in fixed and variable rate forms. In case of the fixed rate option,
borrowers need to pay a fixed amount during the loan term, while the
rate would vary in accordance with the changes in loan market in the
variable rate option.

Problem remortgage can be advantageous for borrowers in various ways: LetÂ's discuss the positive parts of problem remortgage:

•
A borrower, suffering from credit problem, can save a bulk amount by
remortgaging. With problem remortgage, a borrower can replace his
present mortgage with a new one and can enjoy lower interest rate
facility.

• Problem remortgage also enhances the possibility of
lower monthly payment. Even more, with this option, borrowers can
expand their repayment period as well.

• Problem remortgage is
also considered as an alternative of debt consolidation. If you are
facing debt difficulties, you can put an end to this problem by
remortgaging. With problem remortgage, you can consolidate your various
debts into one and can get rid of debt trouble.

• Repairing
credit score is also possible with problem remortgage. After opting for
a problem remortgage program, try to make your payment on time and
within a few years you can improve your credit score. Besides, with
problem remortgage, you can also unlock the equity in home.

So, do not wait for long. Apply for problem remortgage and repair your credit score easily.

Source:

www.ezinearticles.com

A mortgage/remortgage is an important decision to make and will be one of the largest financial commitments you will make. That is why it is essential that you search the loan market to find a remortgage tailored to your needs and requirements. The loan market is becoming increasingly competitive with mortgage lenders offering some great deals to remortgage your home so be careful not to rush into agreeing to a remortgage product without ensuring it is the best deal for you. It is not a race so take your time and remember review your mortgage frequently as there are always remortgage deals out there that will save you money.



Remortgaging your home can be a necessity but can have a number of benefits, you may wish to reduce your monthly repayments, consolidate existing debts or release equity within your home to give you extra financial support if and when required so finding the right mortgage is key, sometimes it is necessary for an emergency remortgage.



With the increased presence of online mortgage lenders, comparison sites are a great way of finding a great deal, which is hassle free, relieving you from unnecessary stress. Here at Remortgageexplorer we search the financial market to find you a fantastic remortgage tailored to your individual needs and requirements. We search from 100Â's of UK mortgage lenders offering a personal and dedicated service to find you a remortgage at competitive rates at no obligation to you.



We understand that some obstacles can result in remortgage refusals which causes setbacks, so we have looked into these issues and found lenders who specialise in particular problems, therefore if you are self employed and have an irregular income, have existing debts, have a bad credit history, CCJÂ's or IVAÂ's do not worry, we can find a mortgage lender with suitable mortgage products. Whatever your financial or employment status Remortgageexplorer will find a remortgage for you at the best rates available reflecting your circumstances and application. If you are considering switching your current mortgage please view Switch Mortgage at Remortgageexplorer.



At Remortgageexplorer we are dedicated to finding you a remortgage that you will be satisfied with. Our catalogue of UK mortgage lenders offer a number of remortgage products whatever your circumstances from fixed rate remortgages, tracker remortgages and offset remortgages through to discounted remortgages, cash back remortgages and capped remortgages.



Source:

www.bestsyndication.com

Bad credit remortgages have been designed to aid
people troubled by credit problems and are available only through
specialist lenders. When you avail a bad credit remortgage you borrow
an amount against the value of your home and make monthly repayments at
an agreed rate. Many people are afraid to look around for a bad credit
remortgage because they fear refusals. So what exactly is bad credit?
People, who are facing CCJs, have defaulted on past loan payments,
missed payments or facing bankruptcy are categorized as people with a
bad credit history. A bad credit history means you will be turned down
by the usual high street lenders for remortgage.

How Does a Bad Credit Remortgage Help You?

A
remortgage is essentially a switch from your current mortgage to
another lender or the same lender who offers a better deal in terms of
better interest rates and better repayment terms and conditions. You
could also use a bad credit remortgage to release the dormant equity
built on your home during the recent times. This freed up cash can be
used to meet your financial requirements including home improvements,
educational loans, holiday or even to consolidate your existing high
interest debts into a single affordable and easy to manage monthly
payment.

What is the main difference between a bad credit remortgage and a regular remortgage?

Interest Rates:
Although remortgages aim to bring down interest rates in order to
reduce your mortgage payments, remortgages for people with bad credit
usually carry slightly higher interest rates. This is because bad
credits are a greater risk for the lender.

Repayment Terms and Conditions: Bad credit remortgages might come with added terms and conditions just to ensure that the remortgage is paid back on time.

Online Bad Credit Remortgages: It Could Not Get Simpler Than This

Online
lending services have introduced competitive bad credit remortgage
deals so borrowers can enjoy all the benefits of a regular remortgage.
You must collect the relevant details on the remortgage options and
collect loan quotes offered by online lenders. Compare the remortgage
deals and quotes and choose one which matches your stated needs and
does not eat into your income further. If you feel that you could do
with some help, feel free to avail the services of independent experts.
Take time out and speak to a professionals who will not only offer you
an overview of the options in front of you but they will also help you
complete the relevant paperwork and formalities.

Source:

www.globalhostings.net

If you are having trouble paying your current mortgage, or you think that you are not receiving the best deal you possibly can, then perhaps it is time to think about a remortgage. However, many people are unsure about the relative benefits and problems of a remortgage. Here are some useful tips to help you decide if remortgaging is right for you:



What is a remortgage?

A remortgage is when you replace your existing mortgage loan with a new one from either the same lender or a new lending company. This is usually done to reduce monthly payments or to release home equity. Remortgaging is usually carried out through a remortgage broker.



Remortgaging for lower payments



One of the most common reasons to remortgage is to get lower monthly payments than you do now. If you are struggling right now to pay off your monthly payments, then you need to look for a better deal. If you can find one, then ask your current mortgage lender if they can match this, as they would prefer to keep you as a customer at a lower rate than lose you altogether. If they cannot match the rate, then you should look at remortgaging at the better rate.



Remortgaging to release equity



Another reason why people remortgage is to get hold of some extra money by releasing the equity they have built up in their property. This means that you borrow more than your current mortgage debt to release the money you have already paid into the property. This is especially useful if your property has gone up in price or if you have paid off a large percentage of your mortgage. It is like getting out a loan, but the rates are low as they are part of the remortgage.



Benefits



Of course, the main advantage of getting a remortgage is that you can reduce your monthly payments. This might help you be more financially stable and secure, as you donÂ't have to struggle to meet the payments. Remortgaging can also free up money through releasing equity, which could help you to make home improvements or to clear other debts.



Pitfalls



One thing that you should look at before remortgaging is whether or not it is really right for you. There are a number of costs involved, such as legal fees and penalties for changing mortgages. These fees can add up and might be more than you can afford. Also, if you borrow more money or you get lower monthly payments, it most likely means you will be paying the money back for a longer period of time. Although it may seem helpful now, you will probably end up paying more long-term, and if you are still paying the money back when you retired you might be left unable to make the payments.



Remortgaging can help you if you are struggling with payments or you need to free up some money. However, you should think carefully about whether or not remortgaging will be beneficial to you in the long-term.



Source:

www.bestsyndication.com

 

Reverse Mortgages are fast becoming all the rage here in the USA. As
with everything else to do with your financial security, you should
always exercise caution and seek as much information as you can from
multiple sources.If a Reverse Mortgage appeals to you then you may find
the following questions and answers useful.

What exactly is a reverse mortgage?

A reverse mortgage is specialized home loan that allows the home
owner to exchange a bit of the equity in their house into hard cash.
However unlike a conventional home equity loan or even a second
mortgage for that matter, there are no repayments to make until the
borrower stops using the home as their primary place of residence.

 Do you qualify for a Reverse Mortgage?

In order to qualify for a reverse mortgage you must be at least 62
years old, living in the a home that you own, with no outstanding
mortgage, or in some cases with a small amount of mortgage remaining
that can be settled with the monies received from the reverse loan.

What type of properties are considered eligible?

Most types of property are eligible including. Units, detached houses, Town houses and various manufactured houses.

How does a reverse mortgage differ from second mortgages?

With conventional second mortgages, you must make monthly repayments
and therefore you will be expected to have adequate income to meet such
terms. However a reverse mortgage differs in so much as it pays you the
money and does not require you to have any income.

Will the lender repossess my house if I live longer than the loan?

Absolutely not, you will not be required to repay any of the loan
providing you continue to live in the home and that you continue to
keep any current insurance and taxes on the home up to date.

What about my estate, will I have any to leave to my family?

Should you sell your house or if you no longer continue to use it
for your main residence, then your estate will pay back to your lender
the money you acquired from the reverse mortgage, in addition to any
other fees and interest. All of the remaining equity in your house,
will become the property of your inheritors.

How much can I expect to have from my house?

This will depend upon your age, current interest rates, and an
appraised assessment of your property or the F.H.A. mortgage limits for
your region, whichever is the smaller amount. by and large, the more
expensive your house and the elder you are, the more you can lend.

What are methods of payment?

You have a choice of options on how you would like to receive your
money from a reverse mortgage, you might want to have it as a line of
credit, or from one of the following options;

1 All at once in a lump sum,

2 Fixed monthly payments for a set period or for the duration of you stay in the house.

Usually the most popular option chosen by more than 55 per cent of
borrowers is to take the line of credit, which will allow you to
withdraw money on the loan proceeds at any given time.

Source:

www.bestsyndication.com

So youÂ're planning to buy a house. You might even have a home in mind. Unless you are independently wealthy, odds are that you will have to get a mortgage. You will want to choose a mortgage that is best for you and that suits your needs. The first step in this process is finding a bank that is offering you the best rates, and a banker that you can trust. Once you have done this, you will want to consider the different types of mortgages. The two most common types of mortgages are fixed and variable rate.



A fixed mortgage means that you buy into a mortgage at one rate (often the current market mortgage rate, which can be about 1% below the prime rate) and you will pay that rate until you have either paid back your mortgage, or have decided to move. Any move with a mortgage means that you will have to renegotiate and refinance.



A variable rate mortgage is one that changes with the interest rates as they fluctuate. However, you generally agree to one monthly payment. Say, for instance, that you agree to a monthly payment of $1000. Perhaps $700 of that is going to pay the capital investment (the initial money that you owe) and $300 is going to pay the interest. If the interest rates rise, you will still pay $1000 each month, but only $600 will go to cover your capital, and $400 covers the interest. This means that it will take you a longer time to pay back your mortgage if the interest rates rise. Conversely, if you have a variable rate mortgage and the interest rates fall, you can shorten the time it will take you to pay back your rates. Of your monthly $1000, you could end up paying $800 to the capital and $200 to the interest.



The difficulty with variable mortgage rates is that nobody can predict how interest will move. In the early 2000s, mortgage rates hit an all-time low. This meant that if you had chosen a variable rate mortgage in the 1990s, you would have done very well and paid your house off quicker than if you had chosen a fixed rate mortgage. However, if you chose a variable rate mortgage in 2002, your interest rates have been steadily going up, and you are possibly looking at the long-term financial forecast with horror. You can refinance your loans to fix yourself into a lower rate. Ask your bank what the penalties for refinancing are, and discuss your options with a banker.



A fixed rate mortgage offers home buyers the comfort of knowing exactly when they will be able to pay off their mortgage. Some home buyers would prefer to avoid the stress of having to watch the interest rates to pay off their home.



One type of variable rate mortgage is an adjustable rate mortgage. This might mean that your mortgage rate is calculated every year, or every six months. Your payment plan might even hinge on the interest rates. In this case, this means that if you have an adjustable rate mortgage and the interest rates rise, your payments might rise as well. Talk to your banker to see if the interest rates will affect your monthly payments.



Interest rates have been slowly but steadily increasing over 2004, 2005, and 2006. There has been a slight increase in the number of houses that go into default recently as well. Financial analysts agree that this trend is only going to continue for the coming years, which means that more and more people might find it harder to pay off their mortgages. Consider your financial situation and your future prospects. Be sure to choose the mortgage that works best for you, both in the short term and the long term. With a little research and planning, you will be able to make informed financial decisions that will benefit you and possibly save you thousands of dollars.



Source:



www.bestsyndication.com

Yesterday, the NJ Appellate Division ruled on the case of Penn National Insurance Company v. Costa. This NJ personal injury case involved an injury on land which Frank Costa owned and lived. Next to Mr. Costa’s house was his business. An employee of his business walked over to Mr. Costa’s driveway (on his personal property) where Mr. Costa was working on a vehicle and was injured when he slipped on ice and fell on a “bumper jack” causing serious injuries.

The Appellate Division analyzed NJ law on the topic and stated that because the injuries were directly related to the maintenance of the vehicle, the NJ car insurance company must pay for the personal injuries.

N.J.S.A. 39:6B-1 requires owners of motor vehicles to have liability coverage “insuring against loss resulting from liability imposed by law for bodily injury, death and property damage sustained by any person arising out of the ownership, maintenance, operation or use of a motor vehicle.”

Homeowners’ Company Wins!

Throughout NJ, police enforcement will start the 2008 Click It or Ticket program on May 19^th. The campaign includes various seatbelt check points and other patrols to check for New Jersey seatbelt compliance.

NJ law enforcement was given about $4,000 in grants to conduct the operation.

Last year during New Jersey’s “Click It or Ticket” campaign, 58,170 citations were issued to individuals who were not properly restrained. The number of summonses was up from 2006, when 56,360 seatbelt citations were issued.

If you receive an NJ seatbelt ticket the fine should be about $46.00. Recently, Governor Corzine agreed to sign into law a new NJ seatbelt rule that would require seatbelts on rear seat passengers also.

Another question regarding the ubiquitous DUI breath machine, in Maryland the EC/IR; soon to be replaced by the newer and more advanced EC/IR II. Question: what about if I burped before I blew in the machine? What if I have GERD, acid reflux, or other digestive issues?

GERD and/or acid reflux are medical conditions that cause a person to suffer heart burn types of pain in their chest which often results in belching gaseous stomach contents up through the esophagus and into the mouth. These gas contents can include stomach acid which burns the chest, ie., heart burn, and can include alcohol that resides in the stomach or upper digestive tract.

Ok, so what? There can not be enough alcohol in the upper digestive track to actually influence the alcohol reading on the magic box, right? Consider this: as you know from earlier posts, the machine extrapolates blood alcohol content in the body by measuring the perceived breath alcohol content and then multiplying that number by 2100! Therefore, if the magic box perceives the slightest degree of breath alcohol, whether it be real or as a result of acid reflux, it then multiplies that number by 2100 and the box states that you are drunk. Once the box states that you are drunk, the cops say you are drunk and you have a steep uphill battle to disprove the results of the magic box. Well wait a second, how can a box state I'm drunk and what about being innocent until proven guilty in a court of law? That's a post for another day, but the short answer is- too bad! The government has determined that if a machine states that you are drunk, then that's good enough for them, you are presumptively drunk and the only way off the charge is for you to prove your innocence.

Getting back to the subject at hand, mouth alcohol is correctly perceived to be enough of an issue that the police are required to watch you for 20 minutes prior to providing a breath sample. Their "observation" of you is actually recorded on the magic tape that comes out of the magic box. Additionally, the Maryland toxicology regulations require that there be a 20 minute time period and that no foreign matter be placed in your mouth during this time period, not even water. Any mouth jewelry or removable dental items should also be taken out of your mouth 20 minutes prior to providing a breath sample as these items can and will trap small amounts of alcohol in your mouth which can be detected by the machine.

The point being that mouth alcohol or items that can trap alcohol in your mouth, even in small amounts, can multiply and turn into big problems- unfair problems. Acid reflux can be a serious contributor to these types of problems because if you burp shortly before blowing in the machine, you can unknowingly provide the alcohol either in the esophagus or the mouth that will shortly be delivered in to the machine and factored into the machine's results. This is how you can drink 1 beer and end up in big trouble. This is why Maryland, and every other state's "presumption" of guilt based on a number, typically .08, generated by the magic box is really a bad idea.

Just a word for the wise....

Ask any cop and they will tell you, "quotas, no way! We don't have 'em and we don't use em". However, certain cops seem to have an unusually high arrest record for alleged DUI offenders.

There are recent cases out of Florida and now Illinois with cops making up evidence in order to arrest innocent people and charge them with DUI. In fact, an officer in Illinois was recently sued by a citizen that was arrested and charged with DUI as he left an establishment and prior to driving his car. He was given field sobriety tests at the station and they were inconclusive. He sued and the cop was suspended for a day and subsequently placed on a desk. Many of the cops cases were dismissed.

I have defended persons charged with DUI after having blown a .04 and in one instance a .02! The .02 was quickly dropped in court and then changed to a drugged driving charge (with no evidence whatsoever) and then subsequently dropped all together in a subsequent court appearance.

Ask a Cop, there are no quotas for DUI arrests, but the overwhelmingly aggressive attitudes towards citizen drivers says otherwise, especially when it comes to BAC numbers less than .07. The law may say the legal limit is .08 but I can surely attest to the fact that the police utilize a zero tolerance policy and arrest on any number and let the court and the lawyers sort the details out later after the arrest, embarrassment and all the attendant circumstances. After all, while your number maybe low- but after attempting field sobriety tests on the side of the road, under close "objective" police scrutiny, there will plenty of evidence with which to attempt to convict you.

Bear that in mind next time you have a drink with dinner and think you are OK to drive. Remember, there is no legal obligation to perform roadside agility exercises and if you do, you perform at your own peril, under dubious circumstances, before a biased audience.

We recently finished a hard fought three day DUI jury trial. The results were mixed, that is, we won certain charges, like the 21-902(a) 1 - NOT GUILTY but lost other charges. It was a hard case because the defendant had a blood alcohol level of .243 secondary to a result of a hospital blood draw following a car accident.

As an aside, hospital blood draw cases without forensic testing by Maryland's Crime Lab are an entirely different kettle of fish. The rules are different and the state has to jump through many more hoops to prove its alcohol case. If you have a hospital blood draw case, you must be sure that your attorney is well versed in these issues. I will highlight these issues in a subsequent post.

This particular case was interesting because while there was a high BAC reading on the hospital toxicology report, the hospital records were otherwise void of any other signs of intoxication. This was a case therefore that we were optimistic could be won on all charges. We brought in our own toxicology expert to help explain the evidence in the case since the State was going to produce its own expert, Dr. Barry Levine, the State Toxicologist.

The recurring problem that we see as defenders of your Constitutional rights is when the charge is DUI/DWI or otherwise alcohol related, people start turning their thinking caps off.

Most judges are fair and impartial, even on DUI matters, but there are too many nightmare stories of judges, as well a jurors (where one might expect this behavior) that when they hear the letters DUI/DWI, the defendant is considered guilty before the case even begins. DUI stands alone as the red haired step child charge where everybody wants to convict, convict, convict without listening fairly, impartially and intelligently to all the evidence.

It is ironic that so many prominent people stand on their soap boxes espousing the evils of drinking alcohol and driving, yet the act of drinking and driving IS legal. Moreover, the same people that are so tough on drinking and driving turn around and get charged! Just do a Google search on drinking and driving arrests, you will find sports figures, politicians, law enforcement officers by the droves, congressmen, judges, jurors, presidents, and the list goes on and on.

This blog is not intended to condone drinking to excess and operating a vehicle. This blog is however intended to ask judges and jurors (in particular) to approach these cases with a fair and impartial mind. To hear evidence as it is presented and where reasonable doubt exists, to understand that the defendant must be found innocent of the charges.

A DUI charge should not be considered a scarlet letter by jurors. People need to understand this charge is the same as any other charge, if the evidence is not present, then there cannot be a conviction. The other point is everybody can get this charge, and a high number of people in ANY walk of life do get this charge. The reason is, the .08 legal BAC is a misnomer. The real story is there is a zero tolerance policy! As I have previously written, if you are pulled over and LEO (law enforcement officer) smells alcohol on your breath, you are going to be arrested. If you then blow a number of roughly .04 or more, give or take, (depending on LEO's mood) you are going to be charged with this crime.

Anybody can be, and will be charged, from the President, to law enforcement officers, judges, prosecutors, congressmen, MADD representatives, to you and I. If there is going to be a zero tolerance and we are all susceptible to being charged and left to fend for ourselves in a court of law, it is imperative that all fact finders (judges and jurors) begin treating these cases fairly and impartially as you can never be totally sure which table you might be sitting at in the courtroom.

While writing this entry I am reminded of Governor Eliot Spitzer's case in New York. This is a Governor and former Prosecutor who has stood on his ethical soap box and espoused venom for unethical behavior for years. He has made many enemies with his unfaltering rhetoric for higher family values, then low and behold, we find out he is actually one of the bad people, a complete hypocrite, and guilty of the very same behavior he has been so critical of. Like I said, we should all be fair in our evaluations of others because you never know which table you might be sitting at.