I am working on bringing my best to the marriage for him. I am now in a size 12 jeans, down from a size 16 a year ago. More >>

...I sent out 40 invitations to women whom I had cared about at our former church. These women were invited to my home for Valentine's Day 2013, for a LOVE FEST. Each woman was invited to come ready to share something about love for two to three minutes. More >>

So, there I was, innocently watching the news on Fox News Channel, when the screen split in two, and on the left side was some guy talking about his group's letters to all military, basically telling them to go AWOL.' On the right side, was a military representative who was denying the other guy's assertion that one out of four Marines and other military believe that 9/11 was President Bush's doing.' He extolled the virtues of a volunteer military who see the truth, because their boots are on that ground, and who have first-hand experience with the realities in the Middle East conflicts.'I then went to my computer to check my emails, and received the following: Dear Dr. Laura: I'm the proud 2-year resident of Lebanon, Missouri.' Today, our city buried a hero, Army Specialist James Finley, who was killed in Afghanistan. You probably recall the protests and fits that the wacked-out liberals threw in Berkeley, California when the Marines opened a recruiting station.' I'd like to contrast their behavior toward the military with the behavior I saw from my fellow citizens in Lebanon today. In Sunday's local paper, the Mayor asked everyone to line the route the funeral procession would take to Specialist Finley's final resting place.' Local businessmen purchased flags for people to hold, and gave them away by the hundreds.' Even though it was lightly raining, several THOUSAND people lined Jefferson Street to express their condolences and respect for the service of one of America's true heroes.' Hundreds of Patriot Guard riders, fire trucks from several departments and hundreds of mourners made up the several mile-long funeral procession.' All business in town (including Wal-Mart) closed for an hour to allow their employees to pay their respects.' Bankers in suits stood next to men in work clothes, all silently holding their hands over their hearts and displaying flags as the procession passed.' I did my best to capture the procession and the number of people with my small camera, but the images don't do the scene justice.' I hope the Finley family took some small comfort from seeing thousands of their fellow citizens paying respect for their son's sacrifice. I'm proud and honored to be living in a community where duty, honor and patriotism still mean something.' On July 4th, a 3-story tall flag is hung from the County Courthouse.' On July 12, we have our annual "God and Country" fireworks celebration, and on September 11, we will have a formal ceremony with a military fly-over to recognize everyone who has given the ultimate in keeping us free from terrorism. Those in Berkeley may feel like they are accomplishing something with their protests.' Here in Lebanon, we truly know how to recognize a hero and what it truly means to be an American. Respectfully submitted, Benjamin More >>

Last Thursday, I posted a blog about "passing the trash," a practice known within the educational system in which teachers who've allegedly engaged in sexual misconduct with a student resign and leave their school districts in exchange for confidentiality about their behavior.' I received many comments about that story, but this is one I want to share with you.' I've kept the writer's name confidential: Dr. Laura, as a former administrator of a small school district, let me tell you who the real villains are in these cases.' No school administration will admit it, but it's the teacher's union.' It's like going up against the mob, to come against one of their members.' And they don't care if their member is guilty or not.' They will use every tactic in the book to intimidate you into dropping your complaint.' Any time an administration tries to discipline teachers or even look into a complaint, the union is there fighting the administration.' They file lawsuits and nit pick at your procedures.' The teachers have free counsel and unlimited representation, covered by their dues.' Just to inquire into a complaint, the school [incurs] a great deal of cost, precious money that has to be taken from some other program or someone else's pocket. These types of complaints are the duty of the school board, and school boards are made up of volunteers - they don't get paid, but they can get sued, and must defend themselves with their own money.' It is a fight to correct an untenured teacher, and in fact, there is no way to fire or discipline a tenured one. We had a horrid teacher (and many complaints), and we tried everything under the sun to get him away from kids.' He had his ego stroked by being mean to kids.' We tried to pay him off and offer him early retirement, but he wouldn't go.' We were a small district with limited funds.' Eventually, the school had to close, and the man finally lost his job.' And no one around would hire him.' Our teacher was not a molester, but he was a "demeaner" - he enjoyed insulting kids. Although I do not agree with what these schools have done, I am not surprised.' If you have no proof that would hold up in court and kids who don't want to officially testify, but you know in your heart that this person has done these things, the teacher's union will spread [the word] that your school district is being very unfair to the teachers, and...will turn the hearing into a circus.' As parents and board members, you will do whatever it takes to get them out of your school - and hopefully, away from kids. More >>