It’s the third Friday in April.

I believe I have shaken off the virus, but this week has been stressful and sad. There are a couple of serious illnesses in my family. A very dear friend’s mother (who I was more than fond of) passed away. Other friends have similar things happening among their loved ones. It leaves one feeling helpless and dismayed. It took longer than usual to assemble this post, as I had a rather larger number of snarky or depressing links. But I think this is a better mix.

So, itt’s Friday, time to present my Friday Five: This week you get the top five (IMHO) stories of the week, plus the top five stories of interest to queer people, and top five videos (plus notable obituaries and a recap of my blog posts).

Stories of the Week:

This Proselytizer Gives Me The Validation My Parents Never Did.

The Canadian Cheese Cartel.

Donald Trump Takes Out Paul Ryan, and ‘It’s Going to Be a Civil War’.
“Ryan owns his share of the blame; too often, he behaved as if he was some deferential junior VP at a Trump resort and not the leader of the House of Representatives in a co-equal branch of government. The idea, popular among the House leadership, that a diet of ass-kissing and deference would make Trump into a normal president who didn’t need the political equivalent of Depends was always a strategic mistake.”

I spend a fair amount of time teaching women to kick men in the balls, and I’ve learned that this activity tends to generate controversy.

The Democrats Are the Party of Fiscal Responsibility.

For Queers and Allies:

How Britain Turned a Fourth of the World Anti-Gay, and What the Ultimate Colonizer Is Doing About It.

The Transgender Pseudo-Skeptics: The ravening hordes of anti-trans bigots screaming on YouTube are not the real problem.

Assembly Votes To Ban Ex-Gay Torture For Adults Too, List It As “Deceptive Business Practice”.

Teacher Says School Reprimanded Him After His Husband Sent Flowers, but that’s not the whole story, because then Parents took over a school board meeting to support a gay teacher & his husband.

‘Queer rights activist’ hosts ‘BGLTQ-accepting’ Bible reading at Harvard.

In Memoriam:

NPR Newscaster Carl Kasell Dies At 84, After A Lifelong Career On-Air.

Iconic NPR newscaster and voice Carl Kasell dead at 84.

TIMELINE: The Life And Legacy Of Newscaster Carl Kasell.

Harry Anderson, magic-loving star of sitcom ‘Night Court,’ dies at 65.

Remembering Harry the Hat: A Magician Hiding in Plain Sight.

Vel Phillips (1923 – 2018), civil rights pioneer: First black person elected to a Wisconsin statewide office.

R. Lee Ermey, Harsh Drill Instructor in ‘Full Metal Jacket,’ Dies at 74.

Obituary: Barbara Bush – former US First Lady and literacy campaigner.

Things I wrote:

Sunday Funnies, part 28.

One year later, way more than a few April showers.

Videos!

Ada Vox & Lea Michele Sing “Defying Gravity” from Wicked – Top 24 Duets – American Idol 2018 on ABC:

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Deadpool 2: The Final Trailer:

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Diner Lobster – SNL:

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Alan Cumming Performs ‘Instinct: The Musical’:

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Seth’s Favorite Jokes of the Week: Trump’s Nickname for Obama, a Four-Eyed Lizard:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)