Background: Mary Winkler--who shot her husband in the back and then refused to aid him or call 911 as he slowly bled to death for 20 minutes--walked away a free woman last summer after serving a farcically brief "sentence" for her crimes.

Mary Winkler's claims of abuse were largely uncorroborated during the trial. According to the testimony from Matthew Winkler's oldest daughter, Patricia, the dead father--who as he lay dying looked at his wife and asked "why?"--was a good man and did not abuse her mother.

Mary Winkler is currently in a custody battle with Matthew Winkler's parents, who have been raising their three daughters for the last two years. The Winklers seek to terminate Mary Winkler's parental rights and adopt the girls. I support their position. In September Mary Winkler was granted supervised visits with her daughters--an important step towards getting custody of them. Shortly afterwards an appeals court blocked the visit after a last-minute application from the children's paternal grandparents, but this appeal was recently set aside.

To learn more about this horrendous injustice, see my co-authored column No child custody for husband-killer Mary Winkler (World Net Daily, 9/14/07), or click here.

The article below--Doctor: Winkler's Oldest Daughter Afraid Of Her--details the latest in Matthew Winkler's parents' struggle to keep their grandchildren away from the woman who murdered their son. In the story, Mary Winkler says:

"I long for the day when Dan and Diane [Winkler] will sit down and talk with me and let us please work this out."

Funny, but she didn't take the same approach when dealing with her husband Matthew. He didn't have a chance to try to "work things out" when Mary Winkler shot him in the back as he slept.

According to the article:

"The court filing indicates that the children exhibit fear and confusion toward their mother and her role in their father's death.

"A doctor testified that the 9-year-old girl said, 'She killed my father. I don't know if she will kill me. I want to ask her if she will do that to me. It scares me, kind of, if she did. Well, I guess I would see my father'...

"Dan Winkler testified that her phone calls to the girls triggered flashbacks and sparked sleeping problems that included graphic nightmares and sleepwalking."

I can believe it.

Jim Todd, a Nashville attorney, says that the Winklers must convince the court their former daughter-in-law is a threat to her children, and that Mary Winkler will probably regain custody. It makes me wonder--if shooting the children's father in the back doesn't indicate she "poses a threat," what on earth could?

The full story is at Doctor: Winkler's Oldest Daughter Afraid Of Her.  The three children--none of whom Mary has killed--are pictured above.

To discuss this issue on my blog, click here.

The American Coalition for Fathers and Children The American Coalition for Fathers and Children is dedicated to creating a family law system which promotes equal rights for all parties affected by divorce. Contact the ACFC at 1-800-978-3237 or visit them on the web at www.acfc.org. Parenting Plan Calendar Software Shared Ground (R) is an easy-to-use software program designed for divorced parents to track their parenting plan schedules over many years. Do-it-yourself or let us build your approved parenting plan into a multi-year calendar so that you can print, share, or modify the calendar later. Parents, attorneys, arbitrators and mediators can generate equitable parenting plans, which is especially useful for parents seeking fair division of their children's time. FREE ASSISTANCE TO OUR CLIENTS- $49.95 one-time charge, FREE TRIAL & MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE. Click here for more information.

We've often discussed the problems faced by divorced fathers who serve in the military--to learn more, see my co-authored column Protect Deployed Parents' Rights (Trenton Times & others, 11/9/06). Lloyd, a reader and military serviceman, writes:

"Glenn, I found this on the 'Army Knowledge Online' website, where my military e-mail account is.  It's the 'National Fatherhood Initiative/Lockheed-Martin Military Father of the Year' award, and they are taking nominations. The deadline is January 4, 2008.  Perhaps there's a chance to recognize a military father who has struggled but managed to maintain his relationship with his children post-divorce?"

The announcement, which can be found here, is below. While we're on the subject of military dads, make sure to take a moment to watch one of the greatest things I've ever seen at Soldier's Home: Tearful Reunion as Sailor Returns from Iraq, Surprises Little Son in Class.

The National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI) is seeking nominations of outstanding military fathers to be considered for the 2008 NFI Lockheed Martin Military Fatherhood Award. The Awardee and his family will be honored at the 2008 NFI Fatherhood Awards Gala, to be held in Washington D.C. on April 29, 2008.

SUBMIT TO: militaryfa@fatherhood.org
DEADLINE: January 4, 2008

Know a military father who deserves a Fatherhood Award? Please send a brief, 1-2 page explanation that shows how this father meets most or all of the following criteria:

Ongoing commitment and dedication to his children
Extraordinary efforts to father from a distance during military separation
Successfully balancing military life and fathering role
Efforts to mentor/strengthen other military fathers and/or military children who are separated from their fathers
Nominee must be nominated by someone other than himself

Nominations must also include...

To read more and to discuss this issue on my blog, click here.

A Legal Advocate for Fathers in Los Angeles & Ventura Counties The Law Offices of Adam Michael Sacks, Esq., handles cases of all sizes with compassion, understanding, and a commitment to helping fathers protect themselves in a divorce. Don't assume anything and don't sign anything--call Adam Sacks, Esq. at 1-800-340-7320, or write him at adam@adamlawyer.com. www.adamlawyer.com (No relation) FALSELY ACCUSED IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA? If you've been falsely accused of domestic violence, sexual abuse, child molestation, or other crimes of a sexual nature, contact The Law Offices of Douglas R. Slain. Slain is a specialist who has worked for over 30 years to defend falsely accused men and fathers. To learn more, click here, or call 800-438-6820.

My recent His Side with Glenn Sacks radio commentary for KLAA AM 830 in Los Angeles discusses the case of Aaron O'Connor, a father serving with the 3rd Infantry Division in Iraq who came back to the United States to visit his two daughters and ended up in jail over a small, questionable child support arrearage.

To listen to the commentary, click here.

To learn more, see Welcome Home, Soldier--Dad Comes Back from Army in Iraq to Visit His Daughters, Is Jailed for Child Support.

His Side with Glenn Sacks radio commentaries are broadcast daily on KLAA AM 830, a 50,000 watt talk station in Los Angeles and Orange County. KLAA AM 830 is owned by Arte Moreno, owner of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. KLAA hosts include Glenn Beck and Michael Savage.

From 2003-2005, His Side with Glenn Sacks ran in a syndicated talk show format in Los Angeles, New York City, Boston, Seattle, and other cities. To listen to show archives, click here.

To discuss this issue on my blog, click here.  

Fathers & Families: Advocacy for the Child-Father Bond Fathers & Families is a non-profit organization advocating for the right of every child to have two parents. Called by some a "fathers' rights organization," Fathers & Families is made up of men and women who believe that fathers are an essential part of a child's life and that divorce or separation should not change this. www.FathersandFamilies.org  FALSELY ACCUSED IN TEXAS? Domestic Violence. Child Sexual Assault. Child Protective Services Defense. Contact the Law Office of Stuckle & Ferguson www.PaulStuckle.com / falseaccusations@stuckle-ferguson.com

From a fascinating new blog post from Dr. Ned Holstein of Fathers & Families:

"...John Trumbull created the famous painting of the signing of the Declaration of Independence--from his imagination, as it was painted 42 years after the actual signing. It was then placed in the Rotunda of the United States Capitol in 1826, where you can still view it today.

"What does this have to do with paternity fraud? Trumbull confessed in a letter, 'I was a little too intimate with a girl who lived at my brother's, and who had at the same time some other particular friends; the natural consequence followed, and in due time a fine boy was born; the number of fellow labourers rendered it a little difficult to ascertain precisely who was the father; but, as I was best able to pay the bills, the mother using her legal right, judiciously chose me...

"...Having committed the folly, and acquired the name of father, I must now do the duty of one, by providing for the education of the child, to whoever he may belong.'"

Trumbull, by the way, was a decorated soldier in the American Revolution...

To read more and to discuss this issue, click here.

Falsely Accused? How to Get Beyond the 'He Said/She Said' Dilemma Restraining orders and supervised visitation orders are often issued after relying solely on statements made by the accuser and the accused. Borders, McLaughlin & Associates are former police detectives who employ a new and different approach to such cases. Their Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Risk Assessments are designed to prove or disprove abuse allegations, and to answer the questions judges face. Contact them at (888) 621-1900 or go to www.bmaa.com

Help for San Diego, Riverside Fathers The Law Offices of Robert M. Bennett provides caring and compassionate divorce and family law services to clients in San Diego and Riverside Counties. His areas of practice include every aspect of family law, such as divorce, paternity, child custody, child support, spousal support, property division, and post-divorce modification of existing orders. Call 760-631-2082 or go to www.robertmbennett.com

Sadly, this year one of the great joys of Christmas will be gone. My daughter (pictured on her first day of school several years ago) no longer believes in Santa, so she and I can no longer track Santa his journey all over the world via the North American Aerospace Defense Command (pictured).

My teenage son has always been very good about helping make Christmas special for his little sister, but this year some rat at her school told her the truth about Santa. It was inevitable, and I never made a great effort to make her believe, but she believed and was happy to do so, and I was happy to go along.

Normally every Christmas Eve she and I get some eggnog and she sits on my lap in front of the computer and we track Santa on his journey. I highly recommend it for all parents of small children. To see what NORAD does, click here and here. On Christmas Eve, go to http://www.noradsanta.org/en/home.htm. They currently have some children's activities and pretty pictures there, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to introduce it to your child now.

To discuss this issue on my blog, click here.

Goldberg & Associates--the Parental Alienation Specialists If you're the target of Parental Alienation, the Parental Alienation specialists at Goldberg & Associates can help. They operate throughout the U.S. and Canada and assist family law attorneys and targeted parents needing medical-legal consulting services related to Parental Alienation. Call them at 905.481.0367 or visit their website www.parentalalienation.ca.

HELP FOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FATHERS If you're a father in Northern California who's going through a divorce or its aftermath and need legal help, contact The Law Offices of Douglas R. Slain. Slain, a graduate of Stanford Law School, has over 30 years of experience in family law and criminal defense. He can help you protect your relationship with your kids and your finances. To learn more, click here, or call 800-438-6820.

Recently my mother and father celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary. They are pictured at their wedding. It's funny, I always kid my son that he thinks I was born old, but I was humbled looking at their wedding album--my parents looked so young. When I mentioned this to my mother she said matter-of-factly, "But we were young." And doesn't my mother look beautiful?

Growing up, of course, I had no idea how lucky I was to have a good, stable, two-parent family. My mother almost died twice when I was very young, once from cancer and once from a ruptured appendix. Though she was always plagued with health problems to one degree or another, she was always there for me, which of course I did not fully appreciate at the time.

Nor did I appreciate my father's sacrifices, working long hours in order to provide for us and to make sure that my mother always had the medical attention she needed. When I was a child, my father always had two pictures on his desk. One was a picture of my little sister standing in front of the refrigerator. The other one was of me, age five or six, standing in front of the refrigerator.

My mother and father were fortunate, in that they certainly were meant for each other.  However, like most couples, they sometimes fought, yelled, and clashed. I am eternally grateful that they always worked out their problems, as opposed to giving up. Next year they will both be 80 years old, but are both still very much in love. After the anniversary party, I had to be careful when I put their reclining chairs back, because they need to be placed in such a way that they can hold hands while they watch TV together.

At the party I explained how when I was a teenager I told my dad that I thought he lived a pathetic existence and I did not understand why he had any will to live at all. My father would smile and say "I have a great life--someday you'll understand." I explained that now my teenage son thinks that I live a pathetic existence and that I have no life. My son nodded in agreement.

There were many other couples at the party who raised children and had long, happy marriages. My uncle Dave and my aunt Helen celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary in January. My parents' friends Dave and Ute met when Dave was stationed in the Army in Germany in the 1950s and they have been together ever since. Another couple there, Dick and Shirley, had been married for 59 years. Perhaps it is men and women like these who are the true heroes in our society.

To discuss this issue on my blog, click here.

Those who suffer from child support enforcement's abuses and errors lead difficult and stressful lives. Sadly, child support enforcement abuses may have contributed to the recent heart attack and death of an English father. All in the best interests of his child, of course.

From the Equal Parenting Alliance:

EPA Soldier dies in war on fathers
Sunday 9th December 2007

Last Thursday, 9th December, 36 year-old veteran soldier Lee Wilkins died while out running. He survived action in Northern Ireland, but those who knew him well believe it was the battles he had with Family Courts and the Child Support Agency which killed him.

His son lived with him, and in these circumstances, one wonders why the CSA were hounding him to pay them 650 GBP, instead of paying money to him. Lee could not understand this either, and we saw the increasing stress which this alleged debt, and the threat of bailiffs caused him. Now that he has died, the CSA will be able to access the money from his estate, under draconian regulations proposed this year to pursue dead fathers beyond the grave.

Earlier this year, Lee asked the Equal Parenting Alliance to post this mini-biography of him and his fight with the CSA. Sadly, it was a fight which led was to lead to his death - a soldier who fought bravely for his country and survived, but could not survive this country's war on fathers. His son, whom he always wished should not be named in publicity, now has to face a future without him.

CSA Incompetence Harms Children
22nd March 2007

Sometimes it takes a single story to illustrate the flaws in a system.

Lee Wilkins is a veteran soldier who lives with his 9 year-old son in Coventry. He obtained a degree in photography after leaving the army, and many of his impressive pictures have been exhibited in the Imperial War Museum. He hopes one day to work as a photographer in war-zones and the like, but for now, he is happy to just be a dad to his boy.

Although separated, Lee and his ex-partner have supported their son financially without involving the Child Support Agency for many years now, and so it came as a bolt from the blue when Lee received a demand for £650 from the CSA, followed by the threat of bailiffs if he did not pay up.

" I couldn't understand it," said Lee. "My boy lives with me nearly all the time now, and the money they wanted from me wasn't for his mum, anyway. They were going to keep it themselves! I thought the CSA were supposed to give money to parents who are looking after children, not take it off them."

The CSA claimed the money had been owed to them for nearly 7 years. Lee obtained copies of CSA documents, under his data protection entitlement, and discovered that in 2000, the CSA had indeed gone through a process of assessing this amount as payable, but there was no record of them ever telling him about it, or asking him for payment! What is more, after 6 years, the CSA had lost any legal entitlement to pursue a claim against him...

To read more and to discuss this issue on my blog, click here.

Help for Midwest Fathers Cordell & Cordell is one of the largest domestic relations firms for men in the Midwest, representing fathers in Missouri, Illinois, Texas, Kansas, Indiana and Georgia. Men who come to Cordell & Cordell know that their interests and the interests of their children will be aggressively championed. www.cordellcordell.com Civil War - A Father's Guide to Winning Child Custody Joseph E. Cordell's Civil War - A Father's Guide to Winning Child Custody  gives fathers clear, easy-to-understand tips on how to achieve the best results possible in a divorce. Comprehensive chapters explain every step of the divorce process, the meaning of legal terms, how courts determine custody, and how to maximize chances of victory at every stage. Cordell is the founder of Cordell & Cordell.

From A Bundle of Joy Isn't Enough? (New York Times, 12/6/07):

"WHEN Jena Slosberg of Bedford, N.H., gave birth in March, she endured a labor that lasted 17 hours. But her discomfort was ultimately worth it, quite apart from the arrival of her daughter, Marin. In the recovery room, her husband, Paul, presented her with a pair of diamond earrings.

"'I was on cloud nine,' Ms. Slosberg said. 'It was the perfect present to make a frazzled, sleep-deprived, first-time mommy feel absolutely glamorous.'

"She added, 'I wonder what 17 hours of labor will get me next time?'

"In a more innocent age, new mothers generally considered their babies to be the greatest gift imaginable. Today, they are likely to want some sort of tangible bonus as well.

"This bonus goes by various names. Some call it the 'baby mama gift.' Others refer to it as the 'baby bauble.' But it's most popularly known as the 'push present.'

"That's 'push' as in, 'I the mother, having been through the wringer and pushed out this blessed event, hereby claim my reward.' Or 'push' as in, 'I've delivered something special and now I'm pushing you, my husband/boyfriend, to follow suit.'

"It's more and more an expectation of moms these days that they deserve something...Push presents seem to have taken off within the last decade, particularly in the last couple of years. In 2005 the Southeast-based jewelry chain Mayors marketed diamond earrings with the tag line, 'She delivered your first born; now give her twins.' Fortunoff, the jewelry and gift chain with a Fifth Avenue flagship, established a push present registry six months ago'...

"Michael Toback, a jewelry supplier in Manhattan's diamond district, traces the practice to a new posture of assertiveness by women. "You know, 'Honey, you wanted this child as much as I did. So I want this [push present],"' he said..."

A few thoughts:

1) If this gift is about love, if it is about a man wanting to give his wife something special to show his appreciation, then I'm 100% for it.

2) If instead the gift is yet one more obligation, another example of why she has it so hard and he has it so easy, why he could never understand how much he suffers, why she's good and he's bad, and dammit isn't it the least he could do for her, well, then count me out. Men already have to deal with way too much minimization of their contributions to their families, along with exaggeration of women's contributions. In this particular instance, of course, the woman's contribution is tremendous. In most cases, it is no more (and no less) than the man's contribution.

To learn more about men and women's relative contributions to their families, see my co-authored column Are American Husbands Slackers? (Tallahassee Democrat, 3/22/06).

To discuss this issue on my blog, click here.

Help for Florida Dads Neil Leavitt, PA helps Florida dads defend their relationships with their children during divorce or separation. Leavitt specializes in family law and has practiced law for nearly three decades. The Law Office of Neil Leavitt can be contacted by phone at (954) 989-5858.   Help for Colorado Dads As someone who has personally experienced the heartbreak of divorce and family breakup, Brett W. Martin, Esq. works to advance the interests and concerns of fathers in domestic and family law litigation. Personal attention is given to clients to help them through a very difficult time in their lives. www.brettwmartin.com

Background: I've long believed that a male birth control pill would be a great thing for men, and that women might not be as happy about it as they may claim. In my column Do Women Really Want a Male Birth Control Pill? (Newsday, 4/11/05), I wrote:

"Women have long lamented the unequal burden they shoulder in the area of contraception. Today researchers are reportedly moving closer to perfecting a male contraceptive that is free of side effects, easy to take, and reversible. But do women really want a male birth control pill?

"Power is the reward which comes with responsibility. For example, during the Cold War Americans complained about the money and manpower spent protecting a reputedly ungrateful world from communism. Yet these sacrifices also helped give the United States great geopolitical power, with its attendant perks and privileges. 

"Similarly, while women legitimately complain that biology has condemned them to bear the burden of contraception, this burden also gives women control over one of the most important parts of any human being's life--reproduction. The male birth control pill will shift much of that control from women to men. Is the following conversation far away?

"Woman #1: 'My [husband, boyfriend, significant other] is selfish. He's on the pill and won't get off. I've asked him to stop taking it but he always says he's not ready. He just won't grow up. I don't know what to do.'

"Woman #2: 'That's what the pill has given men--a right to be perpetual adolescents. It's given them veto power over women who want to have children'...

"While most women are responsible and want to have children with a willing, committed partner, studies show that lack of reproductive control can be a major problem for men today. For example, the National Scruples and Lies Survey 2004 polled 5,000 women in the United Kingdom for That's Life! magazine. According to that survey, 42% of women claim they would lie about contraception in order to get pregnant, regardless of the wishes of their partners...

"The advent of the female birth control pill greatly aided women's struggle for autonomy and fulfillment. The male birth control pill will also create great changes, but these changes will not be to some women's liking. Be careful what you ask for--you might get it."

From Sara Feldkamp's Male Birth Control Pill and Digestive Health Top List of New Medical Discoveries, AAPS Annual Meeting and Exposition Kicks-Off in San Diego:

"New research presented at the 2007 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists Annual Meeting and Exposition indicates that a new oral option for men to prevent pregnancy may be possible. The study shows the efficacy and side-effects of an oral contraceptive for males, which is similar to birth control pills currently available for women.

"To date, effective male contraception has been restricted to physical methods, namely condoms and vasectomy. However, the research conducted by scientists at GTx, Inc., the Ohio State University, and the University of Tennessee provides the first male oral contraceptive that has been found effective in preventing pregnancy.

"Additionally, the option is reversible: after the medication is stopped, fertility is fully restored...

To discuss this issue on my blog, click here.

Below are some recent articles and items of interest from Fathers & Families' latest News Digest.

High court to rule in kidnapping case (The Star-Ledger, 12-12-07)

Idaho judge rules in favor of biological father in American Fork adoption (ABC4.com, 12-12-07)

'Robin' of Fathers 4 Justice fails in Supreme Court appeals (The Vancouver Sun, 12-12-07)

Veteran lawmaker ordered to pay $16,000 in late child support (Associated Press, 12-12-07)

Mother loses custody battle for son (Legalbrief Today, 12-13-07)

Court cancels father's support for 'special needs' child (The Morning News, 12-13-07)

Former Bengal settles child support charges (WKRC-TV, 12-14-07)

Ex-girlfriend of falsely jailed man denied 18 years child support (Associated Press, 12-14-07)

Convicted smuggler on run in child support case (The Star, 12-16-07)

When parents divorce but behave like, well, adults (The Vancouver Sun, 12-17-07)

To discuss this issue on my blog, click here.

Help for Houston Fathers The Law Offices of Thomas A. Martin helps fathers with Family Law and Criminal Defense in Houston and surrounding areas. Martin handles divorce, child custody, alimony, domestic violence, restraining orders and a wide variety of issues fathers face. www.thomasamartin.com Help for Seattle Fathers The Law Offices of O. Yale Lewis III is a one-person law firm that focuses on customer care. Mr. Lewis can help you identify and focus on the outcome that you want and implement the steps necessary to get there. www.yalelewislaw.com.

The drawing above was taken from Kara Bishop's www.postcardsfromsplitsville.com. Bishop works with Children of Divorce, a class run by Tucson, Arizona-based Divorce Recovery. The class did an art project that included "sending away" the frustrations of divorce. The website is a place where Kara says "children can share their divorce-related feelings anonymously and parents can get a new perspective on how this life-changing experience impacts their children's lives."

To learn more, click here. Kara can be reached at Kara@PostcardsfromSplitsville.com.

To discuss this issue on my blog, click here.

Divorce and Family Consultant Jayne A. Major, Ph.D. Helps Parents all over the United States Dr. Major, founder of Breakthrough Parenting Services, Inc., helps dads all over the US with Parental Alienation Syndrome, child custody, preparing for psychological evaluations, dealing with personality disorders including BPD, parenting and family relationship issues, and much more. Contact her at  jaynemajor@gmail.com or (310) 823-7846. For more info., click here. Need Help with Divorce Debts? Divorce often brings debt. Prosperity Financial can help. Prosperity Financial offers Debt Consolidation (CCCS), Debt Settlement, a Student Loan Consolidation program, and much more. Negotiate lower interest rates, avoid nasty creditors and improve your credit. Call 1-888-611-2809 or visit www.prosperityfinancial.org.

Background: A couple months ago we discussed Garland M. Baker's A.M. Costa Rica piece Her word rules, and he goes to jail Some women swindle with domestic violence law. Baker wrote:

"Women are kicking their mates out of the house in record numbers in Costa Rica. Some of them are enjoying it and using the law designed to protect women against domestic violence to swindle expats [American expatriates]...

"Police in Heredia say women are abusing Law 8589 Article 7 [the protection / restraining order law]...

"Yes, an expat male -- or any male in Costa Rica for that matter -- can be tossed out of his own home by his wife or girlfriend by merely having a complaint filed against him by the woman if she says he was being abusive. Abusive, as it stands today, can mean anything, including just raising one's voice.

"Two weeks ago a woman put her expat boyfriend in jail all night when he raised his voice to her adult son -- he is over 18 years of age -- for popping bubble pack and painting satanic symbols on the wall. The son, who has tested positive for drugs in the past, became vocally abusive, so the expat called 911. When the police arrived, the girlfriend and her son asked the police to take the expat to jail. Officers did so without question...

"The man who was jailed is the legal owner of the home...In the morning, the police escorted the tired man from his jail cell to the court...The judge told the man that the police would take him to his own house where he could pack two suitcases of essentials but that he had to vacate his home immediately.

"A police officer escorted the expat and his attorney into the house. While the retired man gathered his belongings, the police officer told the attorney that throwing men -- mostly foreign men -- out of their homes in Heredia was their daily routine. He said they use to chase robbers and other bad people, but now they were bored because mostly they just deal with domestic violence cases. The police officer further said: 'Women in Costa Rica are taking advantage of this new law. They throw out their boyfriend and then steal their things and leave.'

"Other women do not leave. They start court cases against expats for damages or palimony to wear them down to get a payoff."

Baker now updates us on the saga of the falsely accused man in New chapter: 'I want my house back!' Judges are a girl's best friend when extortion's afoot. He writes:

"The second part of a true story of an expat's agony and defeat is supposed to end today. The Gringo has to pay his girlfriend to get his house back.

"This poor man was thrown out of his house one evening for raising his voice to his girlfriend's adult son, a punk rock type known to use hard drugs like crack cocaine. The expat spent the night in a very cold and uncomfortable jail cell...The morning after, the police took him in front of a judge who gave him a cold shoulder and would not listen to his side of the story. Ever since that awful day the poor man has had to rent another place and fight for his rights. In the hotel where he is now living, there are two other men in the same predicament.

"Rights? What rights? No one at the court ever listened to him"...

To read more and to discuss this issue on my blog, click here.

Using Virtual Visitation & Long Distant Parenting to Manage Family Separation! This unique series is designed to help those who want to maintain a central role in raising their children despite being separated. We will teach you how to use virtual visitation to strengthen your connection with children when you cannot be physically present. The program also provides a wealth of other technical information, as well as simple and effective "low-tech" methods to reach out to your family using the telephone, fax machine, and camcorder. To learn more, click here. SAMSONLAW--Divorce Lawyers for Michigan Men & Fathers If you're a Michigan man faced with divorce, you need SAMSONLAW on your side--SAMSONLAW defends men. Smart Advocacy Means Stopping Oppression Now. INeedSamson.com

Amy J.L. Baker's book Adult Children of Parental Alienation Syndrome: Breaking the Ties that Bind details the stories of adult children of divorce--voices we need to hear much more often.

Amy now has a website -- www.amyjlbaker.com -- which provides a lot of new information concerning her research and her book.

We've reprinted excerpts from Adult Children of Parental Alienation Syndrome on numerous occasions. To read them, see my blog posts below.

From 'Adult Children of Parental Alienation Syndrome': Reuniting with the targeted parent

From 'Adult Children of Parental Alienation Syndrome': Punishing the children for any positive interaction with the targeted parent

From 'Adult Children of Parental Alienation Syndrome': 'The primary alienation strategy was over-reacting to minor incidents that occurred at dad's house'

'Most adult children of PAS suffer depression rooted in early feelings of being unloved by the targeted parent and from separation from that parent'

To discuss this issue on my blog, click here.

The Men's Legal Center--Help for Men & Fathers The Men's Legal Center, Family Law Advocates specializes in representing men in Family Law Court in San Diego. They also provide guidance and assistance for fathers all over California. Contact them at 619.234.3838 or by email by clicking here.

Online Dating Rights Online Dating Rights opposes the new federal International Marriage Broker Regulation Act, which requires Americans who seek to meet foreigners via the internet to have a criminal background check and an intrusive report about intimate details of one's life BEFORE any communication--the first time in US history that such checks have been required. www.onlinedatingrights.com

Background: Recently hero father Manuel Jesus Cordova Soberanes gave up his attempt to come to the United States and instead turned himself over to the Border Patrol, all to save the life of a injured nine-year-old American boy.

Cordova found the boy wandering in the Arizona desert after the boy's mother was killed in a car crash on Thanksgiving Day. Cordova, who was promptly deported, was a noble good Samaritan--to learn more, see my recent blog post Illegal Immigrant Hero Father Deserves Medal and Visa, not Deportation.

As I'm sure readers can tell from reading the previously referenced blog post, I was particularly very moved by the story of Cordova. I suppose that's partly because I am a father of a nine-year-old, and Cordova saved a nine-year-old. Also because I think that Mexican immigrants get a bad rap in this country, and it was nice to see a positive story about them. And because I like the way Cordova and the boy interacted and managed to get rescued, even though both of them were stranded out in the middle of the desert with no common language.

Beyond this, there is another reason why I was so moved by the story of this good Samaritan. When I was younger, I traveled a lot. I pretty much traveled all over the world, generally by myself, on and off from the time I was 19 until my early 20s. As a result, I occasionally ended up in situations where I was dependent upon the kindness of a stranger. A couple examples come to mind.

In one case, in a complicated series of events I ended up stranded in the middle of nowhere in the Mexican state of Vera Cruz, basically out in the jungle. I had had too much to drink and had a ferocious and painful thirst. I knocked on the door of this farmhouse out in the middle of nowhere at three in the morning, and asked for help. A farmer answered the door, and invited me in.

He was sleeping right there on the dirt floor, beside a couple of his kids, and also a cow. I asked him if he had some drinkable water. Without a moment's hesitation, he went and got me some of his limited supply of drinkable water and allowed me to gulp it down. He also gave me shelter for the night, fed me in the morning, and gave me a little water for the road. When I offered him some money, he refused. I've never forgotten him.

Another time I was traveling late at night in a train through Czechoslovakia on my way to East Germany in the early 1980s. This was back in the communist era, and an American traveling alone in that part of the world was a rare sight, particularly a 19-year-old. One time the train stopped and some police or security guards got on. They demanded my ticket and, for some unimaginable reason, I had lost it and could not find it. I also did not have any more money on me. Two guards grabbed me and started dragging me down the hall of the train to throw me off. I would either spend the night alone outside in some little town out in the middle of nowhere, or be taken to the police station and held or even jailed.

As they dragged me down the hall I grabbed the door of one of the compartments...

To read more and to discuss this issue on my blog, click here.

"Child support became politicized by the early 1990s, when parents who allegedly fail to pay--'deadbeat dads'--became the subjects of a national demonology, and child support went from being a minor matter affecting a few people on the margins of society to a sacred political cow in the national vocabulary. 'On the left and on the right, the new phrase to conjure with is 'child support,'' writes Bryce Christensen, who notes that politicians see it as 'the best rhetoric in the world': 'a rhetoric unifying political figures' from both parties.

"Although Ronald Reagan seems to have coined the term deadbeat dads, it was Bill Clinton who took it on the campaign trail. 'We will find you!' he famously intoned at the 1992 Democratic National Convention. 'We will make you pay!' During the debate leading up to welfare reform, George Gilder warned of the bipartisan bandwagon being marshaled to punish private citizens who had been pronounced guilty by general acclaim:

"'The president wants to take away their driver's licenses and occupational accreditations. Texas Governor George W. Bush wants to lift their hunting licenses as well. Moving to create a generation of American boat people, Senator Bill Bradley is leading a group of senators seeking to seize their passports. Congressman Henry Hyde wants to expand the powers of the IRS to confiscate their assets. Running for president, Lamar Alexander wants to give them 'jail time,' presumably so they won't vote. Also running for president, Alan Keyes suggests caning, recommending 'a trip to Singapore to learn how to administer a civil beating.' Governor William Weld in Massachusetts wants to subpoena their DNA, put liens on their houses, and hound them through the bureaucracies of 50 states.'"--Stephen Baskerville, PhD

Stephen Baskerville's new article on the child support system is aptly titled--"From Welfare State to Police State" (The Independent Review, Volume 12 Number 3, Winter 2008.) Baskerville explains:

"Welfare reform in the United States has shifted the role of welfare agencies from distributing money to collecting it--not from taxpayers but from divorced fathers. Despite the stereotype of the "deadbeat dad" as a wealthy playboy squiring around his new trophy wife in a bright red Porsche, federal officials have acknowledged that most unpaid child support is uncollectible because it is owed by fathers who are as poor as or poorer than the mothers and children."

The full, 22 page article can be seen here. Baskerville also deals with this subject in his book Taken Into Custody.

The child support enforcement system has enormous powers, and is rife with abuses. To learn more, click here or see my recent co-authored columns below:

Passport Rules Unfair to Child Support Debtors (San Antonio Express-News, 9/8/07)

Child Support Enforcement System Victimizes Military Personnel, Innocent Citizens (World Net Daily, 6/27/07)

Most Illinois 'Deadbeats' Aren't 'Reprehensible' -- They're Broke (Chicago Daily Southtown, 6/20/07)

To discuss this issue on my blog, click here.

Help for Georgia Dads Georgia attorney Edwin M. Saginar has 36 years of experience in family law and criminal defense, including domestic violence. He has seen many spouses falsely accuse their significant others of family violence, and knows how to defend your rights. www.edwinsaginar.com

My Sara My Sara--How the Adoption Assistance Agency stole a baby girl away from her loving family and put her up for adoption, for a nice profit. To learn more about this incredible story, go to www.my-sara.com

Canadian Feminist Legislator Falsely Accuses, Humiliates Male Colleague Canadian New Democrat MP Irene Mathyssen (pictured), the shadow cabinet minister for the anti-male Status of Women Canada, chose to falsely accuse and humiliate a male colleague on the floor of the Canadian House of Commons last week. In a recent column, Canadian National Post columnist Barbara Kay wrote: "New Democrat MP Irene Mathyssen looked over the shoulder of Conservative MP, James Moore where he sat in the front row of the government benches Tuesday night, and saw what seemed to her to be a seductively dressed woman on the screen of his laptop computer. This is his personal computer, you understand, so her inspection of his screen was tantamount to viewing his private papers or mail, and she had not asked permission or been invited to look at it. Just so we're clear on the principle. "OK, so let's start again. Ms Mathyssen was eavesdropping on Mr Moore. She didn't know who the 'scantily clad' woman on the screen was, but having brooded on the possibilities overnight, then rose the next day on a point of privilege to allege he was viewing inappropriate material. The implication in such an allegation, let's be clear, is that the man is a pervert. As a result a mortified Moore was forced to issue a public denial that he was looking at pornography. Turns out it was his girlfriend. Oops, my bad, Ms Mathyssen realizes, so she calls Mr Moore and apologizes. Case closed for her. "But perhaps not for Mr Moore. He just got put through a bit of a wringer for nothing. "Let's unpack this incident a bit"... To read more and to discuss this issue on my blog, click here. Help for Los Angeles/Ventura County Dads Certified Family Law Specialist Peter M. Walzer was one of the key figures in our successful legislative struggle to preserve the LaMusga move-away decision. As Chair of the State Bar of California Family Law Section Executive Committee, Walzer lobbied the state legislature to improve California laws on child support and child custody. He's an American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Fellow who has authored numerous articles on custody issues, business valuation in marital dissolutions and spousal and child support.  www.California-Divorce.com LaMusga Divorce Financial Planning Divorce brings about a myriad of financial challenges and changes. Often divorcing couples make important decisions in a rash manner, with emotions impairing their judgment. These decisions may at times serve the parties well in the short-term, but can result in damaging and unnecessary long-term financial hardships.  Gary has successfully completed the training and testing required for designation as a Certified Divorce Financial AnalystTM and can assist you and your attorney in the process. To learn more, click here or call 925-287-1567.  Tracking Number  6790, DOFU 11/07 AOL/McAfee Software Security Ad Portrays Black Man as Obese Fool, Woman as Smart This AOL/McAfee software security ad portrays an obese black man as being too stupid to operate his computer properly, while the woman is, of course, super smart and competent. To watch the commercial, click here. Thanks to Jon, a reader, for sending it to me. To discuss this issue on my blog, click here. Faced with a Divorce? Need Help with Family Law? Child Custody? Child Support? Parental Alienation? False Accusations? Check Out Glenn's New Family Law Help Directory. The Directory Has Experts From All over the Country Who Can Help You Fatherneed in The Phantom of the Opera "You were once my one companion / you were all that mattered / You were once a friend and father / then my world was shattered..." Though it's not talked about much, the theme of fatherneed runs through much of The Phantom of the Opera, and is powerfully displayed in the video clip below. In the story, Christine Daae (pictured) was very close to her father, who died when she was seven, leaving her an orphan. Christine is still devastated by her father's death even a decade later. The Phantom is able to capture her heart because he is a father figure, and Christine believes that he may be the "Angel of Music" who her father, a famous violinist, promised he'd send Christine after his death. In the clip below, Christine, now age 16, is still agonizing over her father's death, and visits his grave and sings a powerful ode to him--"Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again." The Phantom begins to lure her in by pretending to be the spirit of her father, until her suitor Raul arrives and shakes her out of her delusions. To watch the video of the scene, click here. The lyrics to Christine's song to her father are also below... To read more and to discuss this issue on my blog, click here. Dr. Warren Farrell's Shared Parenting Evidence Kit--What You Need to Win Shared Physical Custody Dr. Warren Farrell, a top expert on children of divorce now offers a complete evidence kit to help you win shared custody.  The DVDs, audio CD and electronic files summarize the best scientific research available collected over decades.  Scientific research has proven that children do far better with near equal time with both parents with minimal conditions.  This video set was developed to educate parents, judges, lawyers, psychologists and other divorce professionals. Most judges are doing exactly what is worst for children with sole-custody.  Submitted as evidence this will maximize your chances. Divorce Reform groups call(508) 381-1450 to use as fundraiser. www.BestInterestofChildren.org