This unabashed fundraiser post is halfway in memory of RantMom. RantMom ran licensed home day cares both in CO and for a shorter time in MT. RantWoman is just posting the fundraiser link rather than try anything fancy with visuals because RantWoman does not want technical imperfections to get in the way of the story.
The San Luis valley is east of where RantMom grew up and east of where the Rant Family lived, there are a couple family road trips to Alamosa to hang out with a music professor colleague of RantDad's. There used to be a zoo that had at least one resident camel. RantWoman remembers visiting during snowy weather and thinking about all the harsh climates where camels work.
There. Just check out the fundraiser and do it before May 1 if possible.
Content warning: clips of President #StableGenius talking. Enough said?
RantWoman does not have time to wade through / curate all the internet content out there. The Dangerous ones apparently do. They present new collections every few days.
Here is their take on the Monday presser by President #StableGenius.
They also have a vid about best signs of #NoKingsDay, complete with decent description of what the signs say, as well as a weekly compilation of videos that have gone viral. RantWoman finds some of the compiled videos more digestible than others. Oh Well
#OnThisDay in 1960, four Black freshmen students from North Carolina A&T — Franklin McCain, Joseph A. McNeil, David L. Richmond and Ezell A. Blair Jr. — began to ask themselves what they were going to do about discrimination.
Full disclosure 1: RantWoman has become quite a fan of Talking With Docs. These two canadian doctors clearly believe in science, have a great presentation style and leave RantWoman feeling both better informed and relaxed about many medical questions. Who could ask for more?
Full disclosure 2: Between the dangers of previously well controlled diseases roaring back because of vaccine hesitancy and other wacky recommendations from US supposed "health" authorities, RantWoman is predisposed to treat the new food guidelines with maybe instead ofa grain of salt, a whole tablespoon of salt. So RantWoman was interested to hear the Docs not pan the guidelines as severely as their source might indicate.
RantWoman means to research and fact check a couple points but enough of the story rings true to RantWoman based on educational background and experience that this is a powerful story.
The bias / discrimination angle also rings true.
"I SPEAK 9 LANGUAGES" — Said the Young Black Woman... The Judge Laughed,...
The way the story is told definitely lacks that US English dialect usually called legalese. I assume what actually happened in court as reflected in a transcript would be closer to standard courtroom argot with presentation of credentials by all the professionals serving as witnesses Since specific companies are mentioned, it should be easy to fact check. It would also be interesting to see how the court record reflects the demonstrations of different languages, says someone who has done some legal interpreting.
The story mentions specific companies and legal cases that can probably be easily researched. It also uses language I as someone familiar with dialect issues in different widely spoken languages recognize in professional terms. The way this story is told does not reflect legalese probably used in court proceedings so anyone who doubts the general thrust is free to research further.
RantWoman is intrigued both by this recipe and by linguistic aspects of the presentation.
RantWoman LOVES marzipan and it passes nutritional muster as holiday treat full of protein and other nutrients far better than other holiday treats YouTube serves up.
What intrigues RantWoman most about this video: there is a note about autodubbing. The audio is very idiomatic english. RantWoman is guessing the captioning is in Turkish. And it's a German YouTube channel. There is some linguistic mastery somewhere in the production. RantWoman will express good intentions about looking up more detail.
In the meantime, RantWoman will either look for some rosewater or make do with vanilla if she decides actually to make the recipe.
Homemade marzipan in 10 minutes 🌟 Natural, aromatic & without additives ...
Full Disclosure: RantWoman has visited, has family connection to, and might consider living in Durango, Crested Butte / Gunnison, Telluride, and Vail. Further reactions on the other side of the video.
Top 10 Colorado Mountain Towns in Total FREEFALL (The Real Estate Disaster)
RantWoman has clearly not been keeping up with the latest in real estate issues in CO.
It has been more than 50 years since RantWoman and the Rant Fam lived in CO though RantMom still has a couple dozen living cousins, a lot of whom live in CO.
Irrepressible Nephew, now residing securely in auto company influencer life and off-roading culture, including many destinations in CO, is not likely to land permanently there.
RantWoman actually still finds the mountains stunningly beautiful. RantWoman even indulges in magical visions involving transportation for non-drivers and solar-powered eco friendly, water minimizing lifestyles. None of that seems remotely feasible in a market banking on short-term visitations by the uber wealthy, but RantWoman is entertaining the idea, if only because snow and sunshine might be more psychically appealing than grey skies and drizzle
Even more visionary, RantWoman is entertained by the thought of all the people living unhoused on the streets of Seattle finding permanent supportive housing in all the underused mansions in CO.
Sorry, city planners. RantWoman knows that idea is probably terrifying. It's also unlikely to come to pass, but please indulge RantWoman in reflections about gigantic wealth gaps and the well-housed of Seattle also being annoyed by the considerably less well-housed.
Admittedly, no matter the destination, it would be a tough sell to persuade people living homeless in many cities to pack up and move to places known for harsh winters, some risk of altitude sickness for people moving from sea level. But could some kind of 21st century neo homesteading movement save at least some of these communities??? Could it work? Are there people on the streets who might, just MIGHT be game to try it...?
Jon Stewart "Can't F**king Believe" Democrats Caved on the Shutdown | Th...
I am simply going to believe the opera is NOT over.
If the people lead, maybe the leaders will follow. This whole fiasco is a blatant embodiment of a #GOP #WarOnChristmas. Sorry sweetie, #Donnie2Dolls has sent all the health care subsidy money off to Argentina to do something he should have made the IMF do. And then #SpeakerJohnson sent the House on FOUR WEEKS of vacation to further screw hardworking people who NEED HEALTH INSURANCE NOW.
People need to make health insurance decisions NOW. The #GrandOldPedophiles have been promising something better than the #ACA for almost two decades. Where's the beef??? The ACA subsidies are the best thing we have. As long as Congress is in session...
Judging by #Donnie2Dolls offer to put $2000 in everyone's pockets, MAYBE things are getting under his skin.
Congress in their exquisite wisdom and insight put some of their members on the Obama health care exchanges instead of the Congressional plan. So #MTG and Adam Smith of WA are both feeling the pain. Is it too outrageous to imagine someone moving to #VacateTheChair if the Speaker won't allow normal debates and votes...???
Second, Heather is a big RantWoman fan, as demonstrated by both reprinting some RantWoman entries AND listing RantWoman in the Fall 2025 Resources.
Third and most unexpectedly RantWoman has been Recognized at the WA Council of the Blind Awards Banquet. RantWoman will have to check her certificate for the exact title of the award. True to RantWoman form, RantWoman has other things to say, but for now a short meditation on #Halloween, the 279th anniversary of Princeton University, and the fun and hope intended in some tactile graphic renderings.
Next, awkward commentary about a #Halloween present, shown below.
For someone reading fingers only, this is just a big blob
What could possibly be wrong with this picture???
Urk. It looks like fun even to many people with low vision, but someone reading fingers only will experience just a blob they struggle to identify.
When RantWoman has played around with TactileView tactile graphics software, she has concentrated on images with clear lines. The picture has some clear lines but the task would be rendering the clear lines and then doing whatever with the color print.
RantWoman does think that the tactile image might be more comprehensible if there were different tactile patterns for the different colors of the image. Definitely an idea that would be fun to experiment with, for example by assigning different colors to different tactile patterns.
Now, with thanks to the Princeton 279th anniversary homecoming page, some examples from the kids' sections.
Believable tiger cub line drawing with foliage in the background.
A fierce tiger face that might be too busy for a clear tactile experience.
Just for fun:
A lecture RantWoman hopes will appear as a link or a podcast
RantWoman definitely does not look at entire videos in full detail. RantWoman tends to listen and only occasionally invest enough eye focus to see detail.
So the channel is fascinating because it spells out a LOT of things that are happening visually. Sometimes it feels like reason 320 zillion why blind people and sighted people miscommunicate, although RantWoman could be vaguely interested in seeing how much of the same info could be picked up by voice.
First, this video points out lots of visual specifics in Erika's speech at Charlie Kirk's funeral.
What Changed With Erika Kirk? Body Language Analyst Reacts to funeral
YouTube is full of opinions about whether Erika Kirk is grieving appropriately. RantWoman would just leave the poor woman alone. RantWoman's experience with grief is that it comes and goes unpredictably for a long time.
As far as the state of national dialog about Charlie's death:
--RantWoman was part of a conversation where one participant made the fascinating point that it doesn't matter that lots of Charlie's detractors are disgusted by #MAGA comparisons between Charlie Kirk and MLK. What matters is that is how Kirk's followers see him.
--In that conversation, RantWoman pointed out that MLK never helped raise millions of dollars to help elect a corrupt pedophile as President. It will take some maneuvering to keep the gravy train running but the other question is what messaging will remind people that their presence in the national conversation is valuable as they HOPEFULLY come to grips with some disagreeable realities.
--Apparently #SecDef Pete Hegseth is terribly shaken by Kirk's assassination.
Somewhere in this line of thinking MIGHT be some threads Erika Kirk is thinking about.
RantWoman does not share Erika's theological certainty about what happens after death. RantWoman has enough faith not to worry about that until she gets there. RantWoman remembers one family hiccup after RantDad passed away about cremation. RantDad's younger sister was worried that if RantDad were cremated, he would somehow miss out on the Rapture. RantWoman's view: any deity that can pull off the Rapture can give people whatever corporeal presence they need for the situation.
RantWoman is interested in one moment in particular, the clip in the post here right at the beginning of her speech when the President summons her to the stage.
The way the President summoned Erika creeped RantWoman out a little bit because of something about the President's voice. Erika strode out like someone used to the kind of summons that bothered RantWoman Erika won Miss Arizona in a beauty pageant run by the not-yet-President and perhaps is used to the kind of kiss on two cheeks that Spidey called out.
Something in the second video, from a different angle made RantWoman wonder about a really gross possibility. RantWoman just naturally assumes the President is a pervy lech who will grab every chance he gets to paw at beautiful women. Watching the President Embrace, RantWoman wondered whether there was some over-the-line pawing going on. Even worse, RantWoman found herself wondering whether the President tried to kiss Erika on the lips rather than on the cheeks. RantWoman can't really tell, but the question adds a possible interpretation. Did Erika pull away a little and bury her face in the President's shoulder far away from his lips.
All of this gets RantWoman to another #TPUSA irony: TPUSA preaches "tradwife" values about women's relationships with their husbands. But Erika has now become the head of the entire #TPUSA empire.
This also harkens back to CO Congresswoman Lauren Boebert's appearances at TPUSA events. Lauren in her spiky heels and scary red lipstick pranced around talking about Biblical values in marriage while she was busy divorcing her husband. So THANGS are not always what they seem, and there is probably room for LOTS of people to think carefully about what matters to Gen Z.
Shameless repost: Mark your calendars for future Taskar Centerevents even if it's too short notice for the Seattle Design Festival
August 16-17 | Lake Union Park (Stall A1)
We’re thrilled to return to the Seattle Design Festival this year with our interactive installation, Mapping Belonging. Come explore how sidewalks data, lived experiences, and community design intersect and come together to improve accessibility in our communities. We will have games, real-time feedback displays, and prizes for participants for all ages.
Don’t miss these HIGHLIGHTS:
August 16th and 17th at Lake Union Park. AND August 18th at Carnation HopeLink covered area
Pedestrian Access Walkabout with the AVIV ScoutRoute app (Pop-Up Experience Zone, Stall A1) August 16 (Sign up here)
Join Realtime Feedback installation: See your feedback light up in real-time on our feedback ticker!
Mainstage Talk: "Mapping Belonging: Placemaking & Data Futures," on the Mainstage on August 17th, from 2:00–2:30 PM PDT.
Carnation HopeLink Walkabout: Continue the conversation in Carnation WA on August 18th! Join us under the covered area located at 4620 Tolt Ave, Carnation, WA 98014
Mark your calendars and sign up for the walkabout through this form!
Heads up for travelers! I-5 northbound will be closed from August 15–18 between the I-90 interchange and NE 45th St. Express lanes will be open 24/7 northbound — or better yet, take public transit!
We’re so glad you’re here! Please help us bring even more voices to the table. Forward this email to a friend who cares about accessible, inclusive communities. Invite them to sign up for the TCAT newsletter here and stay connected all year long.
Start an OpenSidewalks Club at Your School!
Do you know a high school student who wants to make a difference?
We’re launching OpenSidewalks Clubs through DemocracyLab this fall to empower youth to collect sidewalk data, share community stories, and explore urban design with real-world impact. Clubs receive access to tools, mentorship, and a growing network of peers working toward mobility equity. Sign up here to learn more and be the first to know when registration opens!
In Case you Missed it: OpenThePaths 2025
In March, TCAT proudly hosted our annual OpenThePaths mini-conference. We were honored to bring together an outstanding lineup of transportation and disability justice professionals, community leaders and transportation data experts who presented on the future of pedestrian accessibility. A huge thank you to all our community members and guest speakers for contributing to this important conversation! Catch up on conversations that lit up the room in this YouTube playlist.
Thanks to your advocacy, and a strong push from our legislative champions, we’re proud to report that as of July 1 2025, we completed mapping all Washington sidewalks that were in scope for the first biennium. This is a major international milestone and you can view and comment on the data in the OS-CONNECT viewer.
We deeply appreciate your continued support in building a more accessible world. Please don’t hesitate to reach out or use AccessMapto support your non-motorized travel! We can’t wait to see you at the Design Festival, in Carnation, in classrooms this fall, or in SCLIOs throughout this new biennium!
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, August 5th, 2025
Dr. Anat Caspi will be giving a presentation at the APTA Technology Conference, from 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM EDT
RantWoman definitely approves of this tsunami advisory report for one very important reason:
The report lists out loud estimated arrival times at different cities tonight. No squinting at impossible to interpret maps, just a nice clear explanation of how big the wave is expected to be, clear advice to avoid low lying areas for several hours, and assessment of the low likelihood of impact far into Puget Sound.
And here is a nice explanation of tsunami dynamics
Interests: Digital Inclusion, Languages and language access, walkability, accessibility, disaster preparedness.
When in doubt, laugh about something!
http://rantwoman.blogspot.com
PLEASE NOTE: I use both screen reading and screen enlargement. I would love to say Blogger is screen-reader friendly, but I am in no position to comment!
