Has it been 17 years already?

 I think someone is doing the math wrong.. It can not be 17 years already and if it is then it wasn't 17 years before. 25 years ago I had a house in town.. I lived there for 5 years some time during that period the cicadas came!! And it was a 17 year cycle.. these babies were LOUD!!

I remember leaving my message on my machine.. something about beware the cicadas or if you can't hear me it's because the cicadas are so loud.. My mom teased me.. well that is until she said what is that buzzing in the background.. Geez mom, it was the cicadas.. Oh my gosh did she laugh.

But my point is.. if the 17 year cycle was then and it was between 20 and 25 years ago this year can not be the 17 year cycle. I may not be a rocket scientist but I can do basic math! *grins* No matter this summer promises to be a noisy one..

The More Things Change...

When I was in High School.. way back when.. there was a policy.. It focused on the entire separation of church and state concept. You know the one that was NEVER mentioned in the constitution? Anyway, they refused to allow us to have a Bible Study on campus. While all other clubs and groups were allowed this one wasn't. We fought, we petitioned and eventually the battle was won. I was not amongst the winners of that battle because I had transferred to a Private Christian High School, obviously having a Bible Study on campus was no longer an issue. But this battle stuck with me..

The reasoning was that because it was a "religious" group it was violating the constitutional rights of those who didn't believe. Not sure how that could be as it was a voluntary group of students who just wanted to share like minded beliefs. No on was forcing anyone to attend and certainly the school was not mandating it. It was on these arguments that the group won.

Skip ahead a generation, my daughter had a Bible Study at her HS.. and yes since it was a school club, they needed a sponsor and even though the sponsor was a Christian she was not allowed to participate in any way. She was there to unlock the doors, turn on the lights and make sure no school rules were broken, that was it. I had no problem with this.. it would have been nice had she been allowed to participate but I understand the basic rules. The thing is all the kids knew she shared their beliefs and would stand for them. They understood that while she was limited in that room, she was on their side in so many ways. Can you imagine the discomfort and dismay, even discouragement these kids would have had, if the sponsor didn't believe as they did. Say, the sponsor was an agnostic, an atheist.. shoot even a person of another faith.. It would underline them in some very insidious ways.. they would know.. they would fear sharing things.. and yes many might stop coming..

Now Vanderbilt University has instated a policy that requires religious student groups to accept leaders regardless of their faith, even requiring Christian groups to allow atheist leadership. The school has outrageously compared these Christian groups to segregationists. There is a petition being sent to Vanderbilt that says..

"To: Vanderbilt University
You have compared Christian student groups to segregationists because they want the same rights as other Christian organizations in America — the same rights the Supreme Court unanimously affirmed this year — the right to use faith-based criteria when selecting leaders. We demand that you immediately reverse your new policy that discriminates against these students."

If you want to support the rights of these individuals, if you want to ensure that everyone's Constitutional rights are secure.. that yes even Christians are allowed their faith.. you can go HERE to sign the petition.

Shauni

It's Just None of Our Business

I am a huge fan of Freedom of the Press.. I understand that the papers need to have the right to say what they want to. I understand that if they do not have this right then so much can be controlled.. but tell me.. why do we, the people have the right to know the private lives of public people?

Throughout my life I have watched the press gradually turn into an embarrassing caricature of itself. Instead of being the fourth estate it has become the neighborhood gossip. Gladys from Bewitched, you know that nosy neighbor that no one really liked.

What has sparked my rant today? Well the pictures of Will and Kate.. Let's see, a couple goes on a PRIVATE vacation in a gated compound. They go to get some sun on their enclosed balcony.. She takes off her top and pictures are snapped.. She was NOT on a beach (even a private one) on some boat in the open sea..nope she was on a PRIVATE estate.. I guess to me that means she should be allowed some privacy.. Oh and the second shots, the one where *gasp* she asks her HUSBAND to put some sunscreen on her lower back (this includes pulling her bikini bottom down a little)

Oh my, the nerve.. off gallivanting with her husband.. and behaving perfectly appropriately for a PRIVATE location.. I think the Royal Family should be shouting with joy.. Yep, here is a couple that is committed to each other. Sure they deserve their privacy.. and these photographers are just awful. BUT the fact remains, what they got was Will and Kate showing that they care about each other in a private moment.. I think Buckingham Palace should come out with their lip snarled and their superior attitude that only the Brits can do. Pointing out that the voyeurs that needed to take this picture must be jealous of the fact that these two just like each other.. Mock them.. yep Mock the photographers.. They are so desperate for scandal that the best they could get was Will in Kate in a private moment doing private things.. Mock them.. point out that if that is what they consider news then they should be ashamed of themselves.. and maybe they need to get a life.

Why do I feel so strongly about this? Well, for starters it's just not any of our business what a private couple does and someone needs to point this out.

Shauni

The Pregnant Man

Is it just me or does this bother anyone else? Now not the fact that a couple was able to create life and love a child. I understand that so many people want to have children and will persevere any way they can. And their odds of becoming good parents are pretty much the same as everyone else's.. You do your best and pray that you get something right.. or at the very worst they don't end up totally hating you.

No what bothers me is the entire pregnant man.. thing that the media is going ga ga over.. this is a woman who became transgendered and did not have all of her parts removed.. good thing as it turns out.. but she has female parts.. in all actuality it is a woman having a child. Oh I know she chooses to live life as a man.. well maybe to her in her inner self there was no choice.. I understand this, I accept this. But I wish the news would shut up about it, that Barbara Walters gave it more than a minutes notices totally surprises me. There are so many interesting and world changing events going on today..

Why are you cramming this drivel down our throats. This is no medical miracle, women have been transgendered before.. and women have had babies before. shoot I had four.. I get it, they are getting paid and paid well so why not sell their story but come on is this what we as a nation have sunk to? Is this really what we find fascinating?

I am a big believer in live and let live.. but please quit cramming all this crap down my throat.. I don't force feed mine down yours.. of course if Barbara wants an interview I am open and available. Hey I too could use my 15 minutes of fame.