I am having a difficult time understanding short sale consequences. Can someone refer me to a web site or #?

I am being told that I have to pay the difference of the short sale back to countrywide pay taxes on a 1099 form, that California is not a deficiency judgement state so even though I have a recourse loan I don't have to pay the difference but I do have to pay the taxes. I am being thrown words such as insolvency, judicial foreclosure, non-judicial foreclosure, trust deed foreclosure...what does all this mean?