And we’ve reached the first Friday in February.

I know I’ve mentioned the record-breaking rain three weeks in a row, now, but we have flooding and a state of emergency declared although the medical examiner has yet to release the official ruling, it appears to two teen-agers may have died due to the flooding earlier this week.

Meanwhile, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five of interest to queer people, five stories about science and technology, five stories about deplorable people, five stories about people who had it coming, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and things I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

California Governor Posthumously Pardons Gay Civil Rights Icon and MLK Confidant Bayard Rustin for 1953 Sex Conviction.

Brooklyn park to be renamed after trans activist Marsha P. Johnson.

Donald Trump Is Acquitted, But Not Exonerated – For the first time in history, the vote to remove Trump was bipartisan, while the vote to acquit was the usual GOP bloc.

Federal judge says Boston can reject raising of Christian flag at City Hall.

Violent domestic white supremacist extremists elevated to “national threat priority,” FBI director says.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

In case of 8-year-old transgender student, Pennsylvania school district to pay $100K and change bathroom policy.

Virginia advances LGBTQ rights as Republicans call for secession.

How about those LGBTQ Super Bowl commercials .

German Bishops Declare Homosexuality Is “Normal”.

Touching new Starbucks ad is about a trans teen changing his name.

This Week in Science and Technology:

Identity-Switching Neutrinos Could Reveal Why We Exist At All. But Can We Find Them?

An ‘Off-the-Shelf, Skeleton Project’: Experts Analyze the App That Broke Iowa.

In a rare sighting, astronomers observe burst of activity as a massive star forms.

An ancient skeleton from an underwater Mexican cave sheds light on early Americans.

Beaked Whales Use Coordinated Stealth Mode to Evade Killer Orcas.

This Week in Deplorables:

Hiding in Plain Sight: The White Nationalist Who Toiled Inside a Right-Wing Media Powerhouse.

Boris Johnson is about to find out just how weak the UK is after Brexit.

Franklin Graham Cries ‘Discrimination’ as UK Venues Ban Him Over His ‘Divisive’ Anti-LGBTQ Extremism.

‘Shocking Disrespect’ As Trump Acts Up During The National Anthem – While Melania stood at attention, her hand over her heart, Trump was seen ‘conducting’, waving his hands around in the air, and twirling.

Evangelical Leaders Busted In Human Trafficking Ring, Lavish Lifestyles, Forced Victims To Solicit Donations .

This Week in He Had It Coming:

Christopher Hasson Sentenced To More Than 13 Years In Domestic Terrorism Plot – The white nationalist Coast Guard lieutenant pleaded guilty to federal charges last year amid a plot to “murder innocent civilians” on a wide scale, the feds said.

Pastor sentenced to more than 13 years in prison for sexual abuse of child.

Air Force Colonel Set To Take Command Of Air Force One Base Jailed For Five Years On Child Pornography Charges.

Ex-Gay Torture Minister Charged With Child Molestation.

Rush Limbaugh Has Advanced Lung Cancer Now – Limbaugh has a history of praising the practice of smoking.

In Memoriam:

Kirk Douglas, Indomitable Icon of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Dies at 103 – The actor starred in such films as ‘Champion,’ ‘The Bad and the Beautiful,’ ‘Lust for Life,’ ‘Gunfight at the O.K. Corral’ and ‘Spartacus,’ to name just a few.

Remembering Kirk Douglas, One of the Last Surviving Links to Old Hollywood.

Remembering Terry DeCarlo, LGBT Leader In Orlando.

The first openly gay federal judge passed away at 72 – Deborah Batts was a prosecutor and a law professor before Bill Clinton appointed her to the federal judiciary.

Things I wrote:

“Maps and Legends” takes Picard into the world of espionage, or, an original Trekkie is still loving the new series.

That has always been here, part two: or politics aren’t a new thing in sf/f — including Star Trek.

Late Tuesday Tidbit: For some, freedom’s just a code word for lawlessness.

Still haven’t posted my goals for the year and other trivial revelations.

Videos!

The Booksellers | Official Trailer:

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Colbert’s LIVE Monologue Following Trump’s 2020 State Of The Union Address:

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Jeep® | “Groundhog Day” | Bill Murray | 02.02.2020:

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The State of Our Union is BAD | Full Frontal on TBS:

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“Cell Block Tango” – Broadway Backwards 2015:

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