[Resolved] why validation doesn't work?

[esbsolutions]

Can anyone please tell me why my validation code doesn't work? For some reason, when I enter the correct amount of characters in the text boxes my validation script is incorrectly triggered. The very first condition will bounce back to my browser as false when it should be true ("Please provide an abbridged headline with less than 60 characters.")

<form action="<?php echo $PHP_SELF ?>" method="post">
<?php


if (!$ItemType)
	{
	?>
	<table align="center" border="0" class="backend">
	<tr><td align="center"><b>Insert News</b></td></tr>
	<tr><td align="center">Would you like to enter a lead or a secondary news item?</td></tr>
	<tr><td align="center"><input type="radio" name="item" value="lead">Lead&nbsp;&nbsp;
	<input type="radio" name="item" value="secondary">Secondary</td></tr>
	<tr><td align="center"><input type="submit" name="ItemType" value="Submit"></td></tr>
	</table>
	<?php
	}


if ($ItemType)
	{
	$item=$HTTP_POST_VARS['item'];
	if ($item=='lead')
		{
		if (!$LeadStorySubmit)
			{
			?>
			<table align="center" border="0" class="backend">
			<tr><td align="center"><b>Insert Lead News Item</b></td></tr>
			<tr><td align="center">Please enter the following information below:</td></tr>
			</table><br /><br />

			<table border="0" align="center" class="backend">
			<tr><td colspan="2" align="center"><b>Lead Story Blurb</b></td></tr>
			<tr><td>Abbridged Headline:</td>
			<td><textarea name="LeadHomeHead" rows="1" cols="50" maxlength="60"></textarea>
			</td></tr>
			<tr><td>Abbridged Body:</td>
			<td><textarea name="LeadHomeBody" rows="3" cols="50" maxlength="200"></textarea>
			</td></tr>
			<tr><td>Full Headline:</td>
			<td><textarea name="LeadHeadline" rows="2" cols="50"></textarea></td></tr>
			<tr><td>Full Body:</td>
			<td><textarea name="LeadBody" rows="5" cols="50"></textarea></td></tr>
			<tr><td colspan="2" align="center">
			<input type="hidden" name="ItemType" value="Submit">
			<input type="hidden" name="item" value="lead">
			<input type="submit" name="LeadStorySubmit" value="Submit">
			</td></tr></table>
			<?php
			}

		if ($LeadStorySubmit)
			{
			if (stripslashes($HTTP_POST_VARS['LeadHomeHead']) > 60)
				{
				echo 'Please provide an abbridged headline with less than 60 characters.<br />
				<a href="insertnews.php">Go back</a>';
				exit;
				}

			elseif (stripslashes($HTTP_POST_VARS['LeadHomeBody']) < 140)
				{
				echo 'Please provide an abbridged body with more than 140 characters.<br />
				<a href="insertnews.php">Go back</a>';
				exit;
				}

			elseif (stripslashes($HTTP_POST_VARS['LeadHomeBody']) > 200)
				{
				echo 'Please provide an abbridged body with less than 200 characters.<br />
				<a href="insertnews.php">Go back</a>';
				exit;
				}

			elseif (stripslashes($HTTP_POST_VARS['LeadHomeHome'] <= 60) && stripslashes($HTTP_POST_VARS['LeadHomeBody']) >= 140 && stripslashes($HTTP_POST_VARS['LeadHomeBody']) <= 200)
				{
				@ $db = mysql_pconnect('localhost', 'user', 'pass');

				if (!$db)
					{
					echo 'Could not connect to the database.  Try again later.';
					exit;
					}

				$select=mysql_select_db("db");

				if (!$select)
					{
					print "ERROR: " . mysql_error() . "\n";
					}

				mysql_query ("INSERT INTO news (HomeHead, HomeBody, Headline, Body, DatePosted)VALUES ('$HTTP_POST_VARS[LeadHomeHead]', '$HTTP_POST_VARS[LeadHomeBody]', '$HTTP_POST_VARS[LeadHeadline]','$HTTP_POST_VARS[LeadBody]', now())");

				include("leadprocess.php");
				}
			}
		}

}
}
?>
</form>