Friday night popcorn kernels

There may or may not be
actual popcurn lurking in this cupboard

         Popcorn kernel No. 1

If President #StableGenius wants to keep slapping his name e\EVERYWHERE, after the ravages of deregulation, are there no toxic waste dumps, garbage gyres, uranium slag piles, junkyards, Superfund sites... desperately in need of new names?

Popcorn Kernel No. 2

Recently on one of RantWoman's encounters with theologically very different voices, one person talked about "being covered in the blood of Jesus." All RantWoman could think was "Holy murder scene Batman." Who needs to get sent off for remedial metaphor appreciation?

Popcorn Kernel No. 3

RantWoman has been inappropriately wishing for voodoo dolls of certain public figures. RantWoman has been wondering in Quaker terms what could be wished for as far as the purifying power of prayer or sudden spiritual transformation. 

WILL there be two women at the top of the SC Senate ticket???

 #SCsen #SCpol

For anyone watching the SC #GOP runoff between Darline Graham (Nordone) and Roger Norman, there are too many cringe-worthy moments to list. RantWoman does not apologize for neglecting all the reasons Roger Norman is terrible. He is. Read up. Perhaps President #StableGenius would not be thrilled that he endorsed Nikki Haley in 2024

During the only runoff debate, Darline mistakenly said there are 50 million people instead of 5 million in SC. RantWoman is tempted to quip, well President "StableGenius is going to wrack up votes one way or another." Was the mistake a teleprompter error or someone else's fault? Either way, cringeworthy.

When asked about why Taiwan matters for US foreign policy, Darline quite candidly said foreign policy is not her thing. Candor for a not a politician politician is ALWAYS to be praised  even though one might also desperately wish for better debate prep. Also "I don't know but I can learn" would be exactly on point.

The other part of Darline's non-answer answer: "I support our military," with comments about service by both her brother and her dad. Perhaps it is a good thing that RantWoman was not on scene. RantWoman would have blurted out some version of "Support our military. Keep them out of STUPID wars, Get them adequate provisions. DO NOT FIRE all the competent senior officers. And worst of all, get rid of the lying clueless #SecDef.

To RantWoman, after watching a whole lot of candidates endorsed by President #StableGenius lose in their primaries, after watching the President sink and sink and sink in the polls, it must be hard to stay someone's friend and still try to chart a course that is good for the country and for one's state. It is also amusing to read comments on Twitter / X fighting over who is the better Republican and who is more loyal to the President.

Based on Darline's professional background, RantWoman has the strong sense that if Darline would just reality test what she knows of voters' real experiences against #GOP policies, she could nail LOTS of points that would speak to current realities.

Other than that, RantWoman will also continue to try to rehabilitate the term DEI.

Dedication Empathy Imagination

Diligence Energy Initiative....

Darline followed up her Taiwan oopsie at the debate during an interview with Sean Hannity: they both agreed that lots of people in the US, (probably including President #StableGenius?) also don't know where Taiwan is. And of course, with rhetoric firmly on voters' biggest problems, Darline is 100% against transgender women in women's sports.

Even if a Democratic candidate looks good, RantWoman also HATES a sense of being extorted: "Vote for the Democrats or else." RantWoman is still angling for a sense of a Congress willing to work on serious problems, not just get mad and go out of town whenever things get too hard. Plus, RantWoman does not care whether it sounds sexist to say that it would just be cool for once to have strong women candidates from both parties. 

OK, RantWoman has a vivid imagination, and does not vote in SC and ...

As a bonus, welcome to the easily misspelled name club. RantWoman has seen SO many sloppy posts that refer to DarlENE rather than DarlINE.

Grieving sucks...and then there are bagpipes

 Pssst: RantWoman likes bagpipes more than many people do.

RantWoman has no idea what makes a bagpipe band the champions. Comments at the end explain a little. 

RantWoman is simply posting this video in fond memory of the bagpipers who practiced in the park across the alley from the RantFamily home in MT.

Grieving gets month anniversaries right now.

Grieving as in working out love and rage, grief and gratitude, gratitude for others sharing the thoughts, encrusted with different details.

A great Wind blows the Saturday Blue Angels air show out of the sky.

 What? No Blue Angels on Saturday?

Blue Angels air show canceled Saturday at Seafair due to wind | The Seattle Times

Wind gusts of up to 15 mph?

Neither RantWoman nor Little Sister has EVER heard of the Blue Angels being cancelled because of wind.

Was it REALLY wind?

Not grumpy citizen chatter about noise or surface to air missiles?

Not hacking by the IRGC?

Not a sudden urge to cut back on things like fancy air shows so that the #DoD really truly can afford all the latest war?

Not reticence about whether we even need fighter planes if everyone is busy hitting each other with better and fancier drones?

Shush RantWoman. Settle down and enjoy the peace and quite.

But Wait, videos for people who really LIKE air shows.

This must have been the Friday show.

Blue Angels July 2026 Seattle SeaFair

For anyone who might actually think a ride-along is FUN

KOMO's Molly Shen takes flight with the Blue Angels over Seattle

A few seconds here and there that might evoke motion sickness.

Listening to some of the details of the different maneuvers, RantWoman will NOT comment about the 15mph wind cancellation 

Seattle Seafair Blue Angels Airshow 2026

But wait! Couldn't we put some of that flying talent to work fighting wildfires? Just wondering.

Lindsay Graham, known among other things for bringing home the bacon.

#LindsayGraham

Lindsey Graham Gets Eulogized, the DNC Gets Scammed & the War in Iran Gets Reheated | The Daily Show

Spoiler alert: get started wth Jordan Klepper.

"Lindsay never met a war he didn't like."

Chair of the Finance Committee with a big hand in the Big Bad Bonkers Budget Busting Billionaire Bailout Boondoggle

RantWoman is trying to locate a Lindsay Graham memorial clip talking about all the money the late Senator Graham was able to bring home to SC: Lord help us. The words come from PResident #StableGenius or at least one of his speechwriters.

Being in sync with local SC needs--and federal tax dollars--is probably one of Darline Graham's greatest strengths. Unfortunately, is this orientation going to get her tarred in a primary campaign that now features a total of SIXTEEN candidates all probably vying to prove how anti-tax and eager to cut spending they are?

WATCH LIVE: Lindsey Graham funeral service held in South Carolina

Please at least appreciate this for the cultural phenomenon of a Southern Megachurch.

Pretty rocked up rendition of Amazing Grace

FULL: Lindsey Graham funeral service at Washington National Cathedral

"Lindsay Graham never met a war he didn't like." ???

One-minute video parade of all TWELVE people in the SC #GOP primary. 3 appear to be women.

Sen. Lindsey Graham's funeral continues in home state, nine candidates remain in race to fill seat

South Carolina Honors Lindsey Graham With State Funeral, F-16 Flyover and Final Procession | AQ1G

Unity? Sense of the Meeting? Consensus?

1. The SENSE OF THE MEETING at NPYM's annual session is clearly to go forward in steps to affiliate with Friends General Conference. This was not by a long shot only RantWoman's doing, but RantWoman is clear in her Light two years ago to listen to a Friend from Missoula and Friends were well-led in two years of discernment over a topic that first arose 20 years ago.

2. It does NOT seem to RantWoman that the room was at unity since one Friend spoke unambiguously about not being in unity with the movement but also not wanted to be recorded as a separate voice. RantWoman is going to risk mishearing this Friend's concern based on what RantWoman knows of this Friend's Light: the specific concern expressed was about Friends getting drawn too much into themselves. 

One Friend noted that FGC does have space for dialogue among the many strands of Quakers. RantWoman is not clear how that point might speak to the Friend who spoke and who has strong ministry beyond the bounds of Quakers but RantWoman did not jump up and down about nuances not expressed in the room when minutes were edited.

RantWoman somewhat shares this Friend's concerns since RantWoman is also called to be a Quaker presence in many spaces where that is challenging. It is not always clear to RantWoman whether another Quaker project is where she is most called to spend energy. RantWoman is also VERY grateful to Friends in a writing workshop through FGC who just held the space one time when RantWoman just needed to sob about very visual metaphors.

3. Friend have spoken with great respect about FGC anti-racism work and youth resources

4. To RantWoman's ear one thing which helped the room find unity was clear statements from two Friends about how FLGBTQC and in particular Friends' space for transgender concerns supported them in important conversations with loved ones about life experience and transgender realities.

5. RantWoman very much appreciates voices from FGC present in person and on Zoom to up hold the Clerk.  RantWoman also appreciates many FGC resources. 

6. One of these days, RantWoman is going to summon "Dial-a-Tirade" about Quaker books with no audio book options. Quakers have to get in line, though. The blind author of a book about non-drivers also had to do extra steps and the audio version of a book aimed at lots of people with disabilities appeared months after the print edition of the book appeared. And if Quakers have to wait in line about this particular sample of RantWoman "good trouble," OH WELL. RantWoman will though start with steps to figure out whether any of Mateo Hansen's books are available in alternate formats.

7. Friends should all celebrate: Quaker capacity for public word-smithing is alive and well and the questions of unity, unity with spirit, sense of the meeting, and consensus thrive as a zone where Quakers are very good at the local version of angels dancing on the head of a pin. RantWoman as a former Recording Clerk also always holds in the Light the person brave enough for public editing.

Happy Birthday Ann Stever with Annie's song

"Baby born. Doing fine." Oh Wait, the anniversary of the first test of a nuclear bomb.

No. Not the dawn of the nuclear age. A birthday RantWoman remembers because it is close to her own and a celebration of the wonderful opportunity to read memorial minutes online with the tools RantWoman needs instead of in tiny and sometimes faint print on a wall or in a notebook at annual session. Put a pin in that point when RantWoman gets to other points below. Put a pin also in points where people are actually DOING THINGS RIGHT so that when RantWoman points out a PROBLEM the world does not melt down. RantWoman is speaking to her own experience. Other people do not get a vote about RantWoman's experience, but if asked nicely, SOMETIMES RantWoman will titrate how much experience she generously shares with others.

(RantWoman followed the last few weeks of Ann's life on CaringBridge. At a certain point, although the medical details were different from RantMom's departure to other realms, RantWoman noticed that things were not headed in a good direction and just held in the Light.)

With that, the actual minute.

Ann Stever memorial minute draft.docx - Google Docs

No. RantWoman. No. Remember what happened last time you went to a giant memorial for a very weighty Friend?

RantWoman and the RSOF: Agnes Schmoe

Okay for comparison:

People noticed RantWoman arrived with white cane and offered her seating close to the entrance because the room was already packed.

Check and check, with the added detail of someone handy to put out more chairs.

Sound quality and audio issues.

For Friend Ann's memorial, RantWoman made it through the whole event without standing up and yelling a request for everyone to use the mic. 

Is RantWoman reformed about need to correct people about this? Not exactly. People offering ministry had a microphone. People offering ministry in the room still did not manage to be as audible as the voices from Zoom fed into the PA system. But now there are Zoom captions. One can log into the Zoom meeting, disconnect audio in order not to generate feedback, and let captions fill one's whole phone screen, which if RantWoman holds the phone close enough to her face can be read. The captions are still Zoom captions, but Zoom actually picks things up even if voices do not come through well. Mostly also, there was just so much love in the room that RantWoman decided getting every single word did not matter.

RantWoman mostly has words of things that stuck in her mind from the time of Ann's passing and Ann's memorial

Two musical offerings stick in RantWoman's mind. Early in the memorial.

John Denver - Annie's Song (from The Wildlife Concert)

Annie's Song - Lifein3D (John Denver cover)

The song spoke so elegantly to how RantWoman has felt in early stages of grieving.

Most of the ministry fluttered through RantWoman's mind without sticking.

One moment made RantWoman smile: one of Ann's step son, RantWoman is not sure which, spoke of the time when pairings were getting rearranged, something like "I already have two moms. I am not sure about a third one." RantWoman also remembers Dorsey in the past sharing how much Ann enriched her stepsons' lives.

Many Friends spoke about Ann's attention to detail, focus in organizing, and a feeling that each person in a conversation is important.

There were also MANY messages about Ann's gift for nonverbal communications. Here is where RantWoman had a fabulous after the party emotional eruption. Oh COURSE. RantWoman is acutely aware both of the importance of nonverbal communications and the fact that, while probably never very good at nonverbal communications, after certain medical events, RantWoman was definitely a LOT worse about them. 

Does anyone besides RantWoman see two problems:

One: the missed communications channel

Two: everyone's inability to see this might be a problem, a tendency to declare the problem off topic and ...

There. Eruption over, at least in Ann's direction.

It's fun to think of Ann's enthusiasm for sports.

Mention of Smith college has made RantWoman think more than fits into this meditation about women of different generations, what was / is expected of them, and what they expect(ed) of themselves.

And the other musical note that rings so true about Ann.

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

PS Deviled Eggs are a perfect item for a memorial reception and RantWoman blesses everyone who had a hand in the abundance.

God is smiting President #StableGenius. The stone presidents are weeping and heavy fireworks haze clouds the nation's capital.

As the US stumbles into the 251st year since the signing of the declaration of independence, RantWoman offers the following half-formed reflections:

1. Whatever one thinks of the whole text and circumstances of the Declaration of Independence--and there is a lot to think--it matters to take at least one day a year to reflect on where the country has been, where it is, where it is going. We are not required to LIKE the reflections but it matters to do them.

2. RantWoman is a grownup and is perfectly capable of using a search engine to round up some videos of celebrations in the small communities of this country, the kind of celebration where the volunteer of the year rides in a convertible ahead of the portable toilet company and the elementary schoolkids pedaling their kid bikes along the route, where there is a high school marching band and assorted kind of homely floats. RantWoman definitely thinks this would be a valuable addition to notes of a fireworks setting the Brooklyn bridge on fire, a plane flying into Chicago complaining about fireworks interference, and arrests of 400 people in LA.

3. Sleep is resistance. RantWoman woke up too late to make it to the worship outside the federal building. RantWoman does not, unfortunately, foresee a shortage of reasons to need to stand in silent witness and is glad to hear glowing reports of Saturday's event.

 4. Friends generally are not down with the concept of divine smiting, but Mother Nature definitely does not approve of this year's celebration. It's summer. Thunderstorms happen and so do heat waves. But ping pong sized hail just in time for the President to visit Mt. Rushmore: that is just ...timing. L

ikewise the horrific heat dome and last-minute thunderstorm blessing the President's Fourth of July speech and fireworks. The nation is, perhaps, supposed to be grateful that the thunderstorm probably cooled things off enough to save #DementiaDon from cooking himself with his determination to give his speech no matter what.

After all is said and done, RantWoman is permitting herself a measure of snark: RantWoman's favorite social media swamp prominently features voices talking about how God spared the President and the whole weather thing is the result of "geoengineering" by antifa all suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome, TDS. That idea, to RantWoman, is giving the nonexistent antifa organization WAY too much credit. If anyone is "geoengineering" the perpetuation and increasing severity of summer weather patterns, could it POSSIBLY be the President's petroleum-guzzling cronies and bizarro efforts to undo all the measures people are taking to address #ClimateChange?

Just wondering.

Anyway, please "enjoy" the following videos and any videos YouTube may lead readers to besides the ones featured here.

The 1963 March on Washington where MLK gave his "I have a dream" speech did not have people falling out and fainting from the heat--despite the fact that people came in their good clothes. The sartorial standards in 1983 for the 20th anniversary were, um, looser. The planning was also a lot more realistic.

Trump Forces Fans to Wait 4 Hours in Storm for His Ego Trip

Adventures of RantWoman: Sordid State of the supposed State Fair

Ana Kasparian interviews Douglas MacGregor

#Iran #Israel 

RantWoman has a complicated reaction to Douglas Macgregor. RantWoman often wishes that military figures would feel freer to share their insights in ways that might make more difference, help shift consensus, for example about what the US does or does not need to fund.

SO RantWoman posts this without further comment.

Standing against "If we bomb long enough we win."

Macgregor Reveals Iran's KEY Capability That America Missed

The Obamas and ...!

#ObamaAppreciationDay 

First a few of the MANY videos about the upcoming opening of the Obama Presidential CENTER, not just library.

The Obamas get a 1st look at their official portrait at the new Obama Presidential Center

Surprise event held ahead of Obama Presidential Center's grand opening

Next 

Adventures of RantWoman: Excellent High Quality--and DANGED TIRESOME--UFC trash talk.

But is there something to laugh about?

RantWoman goes here gingerly between sweaty bruiser MMA fighters and the lives of people always fighting erasure. 

To hear haters tell it, there must be millions of transgender people about.

President #StableGenius thinks a kid can turn transgender in one day at school. To go one step further, he loves the poorly educated so skip school AND ...

#GrandpaSleepyhead even thinks the National Science Foundation is studying transgender instead of TRANSGENIC mice. 

The internet has been proclaiming Michelle Obama a man for YEARS and yet she persists in remaining female. 

If only all this magical thinking about transgender people ensured that people who actually are transgender found instant ease and comfort as fast as social media waves its magic wand. If only....

Happy Birthday Mr. President

#Iran

 RantWoman was just going to leave it at that and offer the President a SLIGHT reprive from all the divisive and objectively true content others are spewing on the occasion of the Presidents' birthday, but then the following landed in RantWoman's media streams.

PS. Mr. President, you're all grown up now. Please try to hold it together if the weather , the gnats, the mosquitos, the pigeons... get in the way of the UFC fight you have scheduled on the White House south lawn.

Sincerely RantWoman and .... other people.

The #SecDef, er Secretary of #WarCrimes is having a terrible week.

RantWoman means to find a different vid. This one is full of "leopards eating faces" comments about Senator Mike Lee and disappointment that Sen. Tom Tillis still wants to keep his party winning. But afte minutes of commentary, this video does a decent job of explaining the military's proposed new coding of religions.

Spoiler alert: Bless the Mormons' hearts. the Department of DEFENSE job is to defend FREEDOM OF RELIGION for EVERYONE. More expansive commentary after we consider other great moments of the week

Oh Dear,.

1.The Secretary of #WarCrimes has been having just a banger of a week. A virulently xenophobic and disgusting white supremacist speech at a #DDay anniversary commemoration. A speech so vile that, apparently, he is persona non grata in Normandy and was disinvited to a different commemoration. 

🚨Hegseth BANNED and KICKED OUT OF COUNTRY after STUNT!!

Retired Army Commander slams Hegseth’s D-Day speech

Speak General Hertling

Iran first and then the #SecDef

'I was embarrassed': John Kirby calls Hegseth's D-Day speech a 'slap in the face'

2. The #Secdef is trying to block promotions of some more highly decorated women and Black officers. Tiresome. Idiotic. Well spoken about by people who have way more military cred than RantWoman.

3. Best of all, he done gone and picked a fight with the Church of Jesus CHRIST of Latter day Saints over who is or is not a Christian. The task: reduce the number of 2-letter codes from 200 or so to about 30 with one catchall category called "other." The revised list explicitly added the word Christian to a bunch of different recognizable Christian denominations, INCLUDING QUAKERS, but not Mormons. 

Aside from typing out the full name "Church of Jesus CHRIST of Latter Day Saints, RantWoman devoted a lot of social media time to witnessing about the fact that not all Quakers are Christians.  RantWoman would just drop the word Christian entirely even though she can imagine yhowls of concern that Christians are being silenced. And the Mormons are still separated in the list from other Christians.

RantWoman is also jumping up and down about the point that the Secretary of DEFENSE job is to protect people of all faiths, not just virtue signalling and certainly not trying to resolve theological disputes by fiat.

As for social media, lots of people pointed out Sen. Lee's history of promoting certain kinds of discrimination. A few people mentioned that "next they'll be coming for the Catholics (because some evangelical Christians regard Catholics as idol worshippers.)" A few other commenters also get the point about religious liberty in general. A few. Still not the Secretary of #WarCrimes , crusades, and deer in the headlights twitches when certain questions get asked.

MAGA Senators Are Furious After Hegseth's Pentagon Said Their Religion Doesn't Count

The Christian Nationalist Loyalty Test Is Already Here | Unholy Ground

MORMONS ARE MAD #petehegseth #mormon #mormons #exmo #christian #christianity #mikelee #evangelicals 

And otherwise

Military Expert Has Had ENOUGH Of Pete Hegseth

But from the past...

The Video Pete Hegseth Doesn’t Want You to See (w/ Andrew Kaczynski) - YouTube

President #StableGenius goes to the Knicks game.

RantWoman has picked up videos from several of the young liberal male creators. If RantWoman gets crazy for balance, there will also be videos from Fox News or Newsmax. 

RantWoman's comment

Anytime now, Donald Trump could just RESIGN and make billions of people around the world happier. Everything that Mr. #StableGenius stands for makes me sick to the stomach. I think it is deeply unfortunate that the US has a president who is so deeply loathed. He probably gets off on causing a stir, making people wait for hours in the heat and for that alone he absolutely deserves to be LOUDLY booed. Digging ourselves out of the wreckage of his presidency is going to take hard work across the political spectrum.

Lovely clip from Rachel Madow

Trump Flees New York As Fans Revolt

Brian Tyler Cohen: When the game is over no one can argue about the result.

OMG: MUST-SEE update as Trump goes to Knicks-Spurs Game 3 | Another Day

BRUTAL: Trump BOOED MERCILESSLY at Knicks-Spurs Game 3

Astronomical prices for tickets inside MSG. Was the game televised?

I hope some of the impacted business people and commuters in the restricted zone find some way to sue about something.

Everyone BOOS TRUMP in Huge EMBARRASSMENT

And Tim Miller from The Bulwark,

Trump’s Worst Nightmare Happened On Live TV

And after all that

Trump Dozes Off During NBA Finals 😴

Trump FALLS ASLEEP at NBA FINALS after GETTING BOOED!!!

Poor Knicks owner who was sitting next to him, trying to be his friend. RantWoman wonders whether someone like that could convince the President that he does not have to do it all and could go retire. Some people would still characterize a resignation as rage quitting but the whole country needs to focus on things that have NOTHING to do with a senile President's mental health.

And in front of Trump Tower

Knicks Fans Just Turned Trump Tower Into Protest Central 😳 #Trump #Knicks #Politics

And a reaction?

Trump reacts to being booed at Madison Square Garden

Fascinating to RantWoman that the President either does not realize people are booing and thinks the loud reaction is in his favor or on some level does realize people are booing and just continues to invert reality.

On ticket prices

Trump's Past Comes Back To HAUNT Him As Knicks Game Attendance Sparks Backlash

Gunfire? Ballroom? Jesus? Mental Health????

What is President #StableGenius ballroom ballpark up to now? Something like $1 billion? How many delusional people could $1 billion cover mental health treatment for over a year? 5 years?

RantWoman asks because 1. there is too much gunfire around the President and 2. there is a wicked nexus between civilians waving guns somewhere in the President's vicinity and mental health issues. 3. Every time gunfire happens around the President, the chorus of people talking up a White House ballroom takes off. Guess where RantWoman would prefer to spend money.

Gunfire is serious.

And RantWoman is having a Bad Friend moment, a moment of both snark and gratitude.

President #Stablegenius talks about how he hires the best people. This is news to everyone observing the staggering ineptness of many cabinet members. The President is lucky though: all of his would-be assassins appear to enjoy the same level of incompetence. Note, RantWoman does NOT want more competent assassins. More mental health options might help ward off the gunfire. Maybe.

As for prayers: RantWoman is still trying to come up with a line a la Fiddler on the Roof about the tsar, er King, er...

May the Lord Bless and Keep...

Speaking of prayer: the shooter was known to the Secret Service for, among other things, claiming he was Jesus. Apparently he did not realize that at the White House the Jesus mem is already taken.

Note:

Virtually all the video reporting about the Saturday night shooting at the #WhiteHouse contain sounds of gunfire. 

Readers who need to hear more gunfire, click to your hearts' content below

.

A couple of the videos mention signs of someone, the shooter, in a mental health crisis. Curiously the speakers do not seem to be able to apply the same standards to...

Former prosecutor discusses White House gunman

White House shooting: CNN reporter describes moment shots rang out

Gunman killed by Secret Service after opening fire outside of White House, officials say

White House shooting: Gunman dead after opening fire near the White House

What we know about the gunman killed by Secret Service near White House on Memorial Day weekend

Suspect shot by Secret Service was known to law enforcement, officials say | NBC4 Washington

‘CLEAR MESSAGE’: Former FBI special agent urges vigilance after WH shooting

shooting attempts on Saturday or Sunday

New video shows chaotic White House shooting, latest details emerge

🚨MAJOR Red Flags SURFACE over WHITE HOUSE SHOOTING!!!

Thou shalt not protest in groups of more than 4 people outside Rep. Adam Smith's house in Bellevue

 RantWoman notes, according to local public radio, a new ordinance in Bellevue prohibiting more than 4 people at once from protesting outside individual homes.

Rep. Adam Smith lives in Bellevue. His house has been targeted by protestors, possibly protestors collaborating with Kshama Sawant, his opponent in this election cycle.

In RantWoman's view, Rep. Smith does a decent job about reflecting his constituents' diversity in programs he supports, in staffing his offices, and bringing money back to the district.

Rep. Smith is the ranking member on the House Armed Services Committee and is getting a LOT of face time in various news outlets. RantWoman definitely wishes he would take stronger positions on some topics and completely different positions on other topics.

Rep. Smith receives millions of dollars in campaign contributions from AIPAC. 

Twitter / X is the social media platform besides YouTube that RantWoman is most familiar with so RantWoman has dabbled in Saturday Night sleuthing.

A review of Rep. Smith's Twitter / X posts over the last 10 days shows:

1 post thanking interns in his office

A number of posts about the costs of the Iran war and defense issues

posts about how "complex" it is to investigate the bombing of the Iranian girls school at the beginning of the US attack.

Posts about the housing crisis including critique of private equity.

posts in support of transgender people

posts about economic development in the 9th district.

A post recognizing a Jewish holiday RantWoman is unfamiliar with

Posts about the #TrumpCrimeFamily, though he is too polite to refer to President #StableGenius that way.

Absent, among other topics: ANY mention of the DISGUSTING video made by Israeli Minister Itamar Ben Gvir gloating over treatment of participants in the humanitarian effort to deliver aid to Gaza.

Just sayin'

For comparison, RantWoman looked at the Twitter / X feed of Jewish Voice for Peace. Not surprisingly, there are posts about multiple disgraceful Israeli actions. To be fair, RantWoman also did not find anything yet about Mr. Ben Gvir's disgusting video. Maybe the video will be a topic for the Sunday morning talkies.

RantWoman is having trouble getting past Ms. Sawant's reputation for stridency and irritating protests to evaluate what she is actually basing her campaign on but RantWoman did notice:

A site called the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights has endorsed a number of candidates who have pledged to oppose aid to Israel. Ms. Sawant is not listed--yet?

Ms Sawant's Twitter / X feed mostly includes campaign events and links to other progressive thinkers. ALice Walker has endorsed her campaign. The King County labor council has not. And so far, no mention of  Mr. Ben Gvir's video or a lot of other relatable policy points.

Here are links to two videos RantWoman has not yet taken time to pick through.

Kshama Sawant: Private Equity is Making a Killing & How We Can Fight Back

Kshama Sawant Joins. DNC Autopsy Report Omits Gaza! Americans Revolting Against Data Centers!

Back to the new ordinance.  RantWoman is not a lawyer. The ordinance sounds dubious on first amendment grounds but public radio reports that similar ordinances have survived in other jurisdictions.

RantWoman appreciates CREATIVE protests. For example, people placed bottles of fake urine strategically around the Met Gala to remind celebrants that workers at Amazon warehouse pee into soda bottles because they are penalized for taking breaks. Say what you will about worker rights--and there is a LOT to say. But robots do not need bathroom breaks.

RantWoman thinks different things on different days about protests directly at someone's home. That said, RantWoman is having NO trouble thinking of protests that would comply with the letter of the law, share protest with the entire neighborhood and regularly leave other evidence of all the things to protest about Israeli behavior. 

Round the clock silent vigil up and down the entire street?

Random dumping of rubble reminiscent of Gaza bombing rubble?

RantWoman HAS OPINIONS about many issues in the 9th district campaign. RantWoman also considers it very important to uphold freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. Enough said?

Canada offers the US legal guardianship

#Canada  

Canada takes legal guardianship of the United States

"When you find a competent adult to finally take over, we will gladly step aside."

250 years since the signing of the Declaration of independence

#Rededicate250 #ChristianNationalism  #SemiQuincentennial

Update.

The President is a robot with a crowd size problem. Oh, and God needs a ballroom?

The Terrifying Reality of Christian Nationalism and the MAGA Church [WHO RAISED Y'ALL?]

Presenting Republican Jesus

What did not make it to posted yesterday, along with wondering, foreshadowing, what all historical excursions the US will be treated to between now and the Fourth of July: 

RantWoman could be home scrubbing her floor.

RantWoman could be responsibly adulting and looking at her schedule for tomorrow.

RantWoman could be holding forth about AI in academia and the world of computing for seniors losing vision.

Instead, RantWoman is going to let morbid curiosity loose on todays #Rededicate250 experience in Washington DC. This is supposed to be the opening of a months long series of events, history lessons, boasts about the hand of God, the greatest nation on earth and HOPEFULLY some actual reflection on the occasion of the "semiquincentennial" of where the country has gone and where it will yet go. HOPEFULLY there will be room for people of many faiths or no faith. Hopefully.

May 17, 1776: the day of fasting and prayer

Rededicate 250: Washington, DC

Lucky Secretary Rubio gets to be the first face seen here, with on video to frame the event before we link to speeches.

FULL SPEECH: Pastors Lou Engle & Dutch Sheets on Foundational Covenant of Old Testament - 05/17/26

"On this day of jubilee, release your slaves."

FULL SPEECH: Pete Hegseth Speaks at Massive Prayer Gathering on National Mall for Freedom 250 | AC1E

Sen. Tim Scott delivers impassioned speech at Rededicate 250 National Prayer Jubilee

Irony: quote Martin Luther King and Frederick Douglas, and refer to the Civil rights movement

Could we have equal time for, say, Sen. Raphael Warnock?

House Speaker Mike Johnson prays with attendees at Rededicate 250 National Prayer Jubilee

Bless us oh lord and spare us the reflex to barf on someone's shoes about the gap between inspirational verbiage and actual reality.

Framing by multiple voices

"One Nation under God": US President Trump joins national prayer rally • FRANCE 24 English

And an alternate intro

America’s 250th birthday just got hijacked by the Christian right

No, young men are actually not more religious—here’s what’s happening instead. #culturewars

5+ hours from C-SPAN

America 250: "Rededicate 250" Celebrating USA's Religious Heritage

5+ hours from USA today

Live: The National Jubilee of Prayer takes place in Washington, DC ahead of Freedom 250 celebration

7+ hours from Fox

LIVE: Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving

Entire 8 hour stream which is likely to get clipped and snipped

LIVE Rededicate 250 on May 17: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving

How to funble a gift presentation?

 The pope only wears white socks.

Trump Lights the Fire, Rubio Takes the Heat — The Pope Meeting Gets Weird (LEGO Song Rock Story)

Time for an exorcism: Send in the Seashells? 86 47?

 Harry Litman rebels against President #StableGenius plastering himself everywhere.

So time for an exorcism? Or should we just call in some seashells. 86 47 everywherr. T shirts. Mugs. Bumper stickers .... I feel sorry for anyone who needs to double down on reasons for people to hate him.

The whole topic conjures up images of the post-communist world swarming around to tear down the Lenin statues.

RantWoman! An exorcism? Really? How will that heal what ails the country?

RantWoman you keep talking about this T-Shirt Idea. If it would be such a great free speech protest why don't you just do it? Make a design. Hook up with one of those online platforms. Set a price and do it. Um, the design has to be something like

86 47

Resign?

Retire?

25th Amendment??

Glenn Kirschner’s MAGA HOT MIC MOMENT Has Stephanie Miller STORMING OFF Set!

And what do you know, among many examples. No sea shells though

Amazon.com: 8647 Subtle Anti Trump 86 47 Sunflower Cat Lovers Feminist T-Shirt : Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry

The importance of numbers--and an address by King Charles III

#USA250 #SemiQuincentennial 

(RantWoman is a VERY bad friend. Just as a pro free-speech protest, RantWoman would consider making a series of T-shirts that have the offensive numbers and words like RETIRE or "VOTE THEM OUT" or "which nap is the President on so far?" or maybe Impeach, though the third time is not the charm.)

Sorry Your Highness. RantWoman needed the intro and consternation about numbers from Lawrence O'Donnell as an intro ahead of your speech.. We thank you, though, for reminding the #StableGenius in the White House and the Congress about the importance of #ChecksAnd Balances.

FULL SPEECH: King Charles III's addresses to Congress about American, European Unity

“DISBARRED!” Prosecutor drops BAD NEWS for DOJ after vindictive prosecution

And meanwhile the #StableGenius interacts with history.

Trump HUMILIATED As King Charles Speech BACKFIRES