Friday Five (lying billionaires edition)

Here we are at the third Friday in February!

This week has been mostly dry and sunny here, which means it has also been very, very cold!

Meanwhile, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about why we don’t need another arrogant billionaire running for president, five stories about the deplorable thug occupying the White House, five stories about other politics, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and some things I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

The Woman Shaking Up the Diamond Industry Finds Yet Another Huge Gem.

Did dinosaur blood run hot or cold? Their eggshells may hold a clue.

Everything I’ve Learnt From Sleeping With Married Men as a Gay Man. “You gotta wonder though: How does he plan to hold on to a full-grown woman who is fully married to him, while also hoping to have a full-blown boyfriend by the side? How does it make sense?”

Bloomberg slammed as ‘arrogant,’ sexist, clueless in contentious Democratic debate debut.

Stop calling far-right terrorists ‘crazy’ – Growing exposure to racist rhetoric and radical ideology, not mental illness, is driving force behind extreme violence.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Justin Fashanu, Britain’s First and Only Out Gay Footballer, to Be Posthumously Inducted in Hall of Fame.

Virginia moves towards banning LGBTQ ‘conversion therapy’ in minors.

U.S. medical schools boost LGBTQ students, doctor training.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear Makes History by Attending LGBT Rally at Capitol.

The Flash’s Rick Cosnett Comes Out as Gay in Sweet Video.

This Week in We Don’t Need to Replace One Arrogant Billionaire with Another:

Bloomberg’s plan to buy the presidency endangers democracy – Even if Bloomberg would be a good president, he’d be a terrible precedent.

Michael Bloomberg’s campaign implodes onstage in Nevada Democratic debate.

Women bound by Bloomberg NDAs want to tell their stories but fear coming forward: report.

Warren Goes After The ‘Billionaire Who Calls Women Fat Broads And Horse-faced Lesbians’ – Senator Warren defined Michael Bloomberg right out of the gate.

Bloomberg Company Data Disputes His Pay Equity Claim At Debate.

This Week in the Deplorable Thug Occupying the White House:

Trump’s Pardons Are Meant To Normalize White-Collar Crime.

Intel officials warned House lawmakers Russia is interfering to get Trump reelected.

Adam Schiff sends signal that a Roger Stone pardon would be another impeachable offense.

Jessica Tarlov Shut Down For Saying Trump Cheated on Wives.

White House Admits That Trump Trade Stance Did Depress Economy.

This Week in Other Politics:

‘Are You Mocking Me?’ Amy Klobuchar Isn’t Just Fighting For The Nomination—She’s Fighting For Her Career.

“There are not any Russian bots operating on here at the moment,” Josh Russell, a disinformation researcher, told The Daily Beast. “It’s basically impossible at this point for them to operate on here. Twitter’s site integrity team has made it real boring for me. I have checked and checked and checked hashtags related to the primaries, and it’s just been really boring so far.”. Bernie and his supporters need to stop hiding behind the Russian Bot lie.

Mulvaney says U.S. is ‘desperate’ for more legal immigrants.

Christian right leader: Straight people who have oral sex have adopted ‘homosexual sex practices’ .

Roger Stone sentenced to 3 years for lying, witness tampering as case roils DOJ.

In Memoriam:

Ja’Net DuBois remembered by Janet Jackson, Norman Lear and Viola Davis.

Novelist Charles Portis dies at 86.

R.I.P. Kellye Nakahara, M*A*S*H Actress Dies at 72 – The Hawaiian actress portrayed Nurse Kellye on 167 episodes of the hit TV series.

Larry Tesler, the Apple employee who invented cut, copy and paste, dies at 74.

Things I wrote:

“Absolute Candor” delivers sword fights and a space battle for Star Trek: Picard.

But how will the reader know that they are really evil? Or, maybe shortcuts have no place in your writing.

Time, time, time, see what’s become of us… or, Long Term Relationships from a Queer perspective.

Oppression Olympics, part 2: What’s so radical about being yourself?

Videos!

Elizabeth Warren attacks ‘arrogant billionaire’ Michael Bloomberg over treatment of women | NBC News:

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Medicare for All: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO):

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Ellen Weighs In on Reclined Airplane Seat Debate:

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A Vengeful Trump Strikes Out At His Enemies, Fires Vindman & Sondland During “Friday Night Massacre:

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Lizzo – Adore You (Harry Styles Cover) in the Live Lounge:

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