George,   When you "feel sorry for them" you indirectly defend
them.   The problem is not the industry, BUT rather that the
companies having trouble had a flawed buiness plan or were
/are under-capitalized (which they should have realized from
the time they entered the business).  I loved the saying I
saw earlier on one of the posts that said " I'm not a bank",
but guys like Paul's company must feel we are.
The cost is incurred by them at the time they place the
order with me, and I shouldn't have to worry how they
plan to get the money to pay me.
The old saying "If you can't run with the BIG DOGS,
don't get off the porch" applies to these companies who
are stiffing their abstractors, they took a crap shoot and
the dice came up wrong for them.  Admit it, file bankruptcy,
get out and don't sneak back in and stiff anyone else.
George