It’s the fourth Friday of February!

Seattle is in the middle of a record breaking cold snap, even while other parts of the country are experiencing record breaking heat. We seldom get snow in Seattle at all, and this winter we’ve had it several times. They’re saying it’s going to be this cold for several more days, at least. And the same large atmospheric phenomenon giving us all this icy weather it also what’s making it so warm elsewhere.

Once again I bring you the Friday Five: The top five (IMHO) stories of the week and videos (plus notable obituaries and a recap of my blog posts).

Stories of the Week:

More Than Twice As Many Women Are Running For Congress In 2018 Compared With 2016.

The Pro-Trump Media Has Its Match In The Parkland Students.

Democrats Should Run on Gun Control All Over the Country.

Gov. Greitens indicted for felony invasion of privacy stemming from affair. He is also accused of attempted blackmail. So much for family values…

What Ever Happened To Brendan Fraser? This article is not about what you probably think it’s about.

Death:

Billy Graham: Neither prophet nor theologian. I so seldom agree with George Will, but maybe only a curmudgeonly old ultra conservative can get away from saying (among other thing) in an obituary: “Graham frequently vowed to abstain from partisan politics, and almost as frequently slipped this self-imposed leash, almost always on behalf of Republicans… On Feb. 1, 1972, unaware of Nixon’s Oval Office taping system, when Nixon ranted about how Jews “totally dominated” the media, Graham said “this stranglehold has got to be broken or this country is going down the drain.” He also told Nixon that Jews are “the ones putting out the pornographic stuff.” One can reasonably acquit Graham of anti-Semitism only by convicting him of toadying.”

Even a Graham can’t save Trump. (This is more about Franklin Graham and his ilk and Trump, but the opening paragraphs nicely sum up the way Billy fit into the lives of many, many evangelicals in the 50s through at least the 80s)

Anti-gay evangelical Billy Graham has died, aged 99.

What the Obits Aren’t Saying: Evangelist Billy Graham Was a Homophobe.

Far from being ‘an exemplar to generation upon generation’, Graham is an example of how religion is so often successfully leveraged as a means of making bigotry appear somehow acceptable, even something to aspire to.

Things I wrote:

It can’t be too late for common sense about guns, right?

No, today’s official holiday name isn’t what you think.

When the roll is called up yonder, or queer confessions of an ex-evangelical.

Videos!

Trump vs. The World: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO):

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The Kids From Florida Aren’t Acting:

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Fox News retracts story mocking Olympic diversity:

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Legion Season 2 “No Secrets” International Promo (HD):

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Matt Gresham – Home (Official Video):

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