And now it is the third Friday in October.

It’s been non-stop rain for several days and is expected to continue through the weekend, so I’m happy. Also, it was nice to be reminded this week of the word cockwomble, meaning: “A person, usually male, prone to making outrageously stupid statements and/or inappropriate behaviour while generally having a very high opinion of their own wisdom and importance.”

Anyway, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories og interest to queers and our allies, five stores about science, five stories about deplorable people, five stories about the Impeachable One, and five videos (plus things I wrote and notable obituaries).

Stories of the Week:

Religion Continues to Decline in America.

Cuomo signs law aimed at weakening Trump’s pardon power, closes ‘double jeopardy’ loophole.

Twitter says it will restrict users from retweeting world leaders who break its rules. Um, well, I guess it’s a start… or maybe just an empty gesture.

Former NASA scientist says they found life on Mars in the 1970s.

Trump tweeted a photo attacking Nancy Pelosi. She made it her Twitter cover photo.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Justin Tranter Was Punished in H.S. for Enduring Anti-LGBTQ Bullyingv- The out songwriter shared a disturbing story of harassment at a Spirit Day concert and fundraiser.

Parents of Matthew Shepard use DOJ speech to criticize Attorney General Barr’s stance on gender identity protections.

The way this trans man’s family expresses solidarity with his dream of having top surgery will make your heart burst.

Porno Pete Blames “Radical Lying Homosexual Activist” JMG For Beto O’Rourke’s Stance On Ex-Gay “Torture” . Right, it’s one gay blogger, and not the many juries, doctors, and medical associations that have all call it unconscionable, traumatic, and harmful.

Black lesbian Ernestine Eckstein was protesting when most gays thought protests were crazy – Closeted gays and even many early gay organizations criticized her for being visible and active.

This Week in Science:

Planetary ‘autopsies’ indicate worlds like Earth common in the cosmos.

480-million-year-old trilobite ‘traffic jams’ may reveal ancient migratory behavior.

Hubble telescope captures the best photo yet of the interstellar comet Borisov as it hurtles through the Milky Way at 110,000 miles per hour.

Space Mysteries: If the universe is 13.8 billion years old, how can a star be more than 14 billion years old?

Paris zoo unveils the blob, an organism with no brain but 720 sexes.

This Week in Deplorable People:

Trump’s Fox News Meltdown Proves He’s “the Snowiest, Flakiest Snowflake,” Says Kimmel.

Jury awards Sandy Hook father $450,000 for defamation by local conspiracy theorist.

Inside The Christian Legal Army Weakening the Church-State Divide.

The Heritage Foundation co-hosted a half day anti-LGBTQ event. Here are the worst comments from panelists.

2 Trump officials said the US should be run as a Christian theocracy.

This Week in Impeach the Mo-Fo Already:

Mulvaney acknowledges Ukraine aid was withheld to boost political probe.

THE ACTUAL LAWS TRUMP HAS BROKEN, JUST WITH THE UKRAINE AND CHINA AFFAIRS, COULD LAND HIM 10 YEARS IN PRISON.

Fox News’ Andrew Napolitano: Trump holding G7 at Doral resort is a ‘profound’ emoluments clause violation.

Karma For Republicans: Clinton Rules Apply To Trump Impeachment – Andrew Napolitano reminds Fox and Friends that all the rules Adam Schiff is following were written by Republicans during the Clinton years. Womp, womp.

Sen. Mitt Romney raises a troubling theory about Trump and Turkey.

In Memoriam:

Stephen Moore – known as the voice of Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy’s Marvin the Paranoid Android – has died aged 81.

Rep. Elijah Cummings, LGBTQ Rights Champion, Dead at 68.

Elijah Cummings ‘signed subpoenas from his hospital bed’ for Trump impeachment before his death.

Rep. Elijah Cummings, dignified Democratic nemesis of Trump, dies at 68.

U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, key figure in Trump impeachment inquiry and longtime Baltimore advocate, dies at 68 .

Things I wrote:

Join us in the light! #NationalComingOutDay.

Celebrate Indigenous People’s Day — and recognize that Columbus was a violent unscrupulous invader.

Tuesday Tidbits 10/15/2019.

Where do they come from? (or, some things remain ineffable).

Videos!

GIULIANI! (Here He Goes Again) – Randy Rainbow Song Parody:

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Rudy Giuliani Associates Arrested as Support for Impeachment Rises: A Closer Look:

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Harry Styles – Lights Up (Official Video):

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Katy Perry – Harleys In Hawaii (Official):

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MIKA – Sanremo:

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