We’ve reached the first Friday in March, and I wish I was feeling a bit more upbeat about it.

Not to focus too much on one news event, but it just so happens that I live in the same county where nearly all of the coronavirus deaths that have happened in the U.S. thus far have occurred. I worked from home the first couple of days of the week because I was having a few bad hay fever days, which means I was sniffling and sneezing and occasionally coughing. Since I have remained fever free all week, I do not believe that I am sick, however, right now nobody wants to be around anyone who is coughing or otherwise seems to be sick. Then, the county health department recommended that anyone who could work at home should, and my boss and her boss asked all of us to work from home for the rest of the week. Since then the state health department has made the same request, and the executives at my employer have asked us all to keep working from home for the foreseeable future. So I have not witnessed for myself much less crowded the buses and lots of public places downtown reportedly are. I do happen to be in an age bracket that is considered at higher risk for having severe symptoms if I do get sick, and I have one of the longterm health issues that is also on that list. And I come from a long line of Professional Worriers™, so while my usual optimism is still intact, there are moments.

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 the possible pandemic, five stories about the deplorable thug occupying the White House, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and some things I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

The Heartbreaking True Story Behind Pixar’s Onward – A lost father. A found tape. A voice a filmmaker thought he would never hear.

U.S. strikes Taliban a day after Trump hails their Afghan accord.

Coronavirus: Australian newspaper prints extra pages to help out in toilet paper shortage.

Doctors try 1st CRISPR editing in the body for blindness.

‘Bold’ thief uses fishing rod to hook Versace necklace off Melbourne mannequin.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Police Finally Re-Arrest Suspect Accused of Fatally Stabbing Chicago Man After Yelling Gay Slur.

Queer Mormons say they’ve been put in danger by ‘cruel’ university as it U-turns on homosexuality policy.

LGBTQ Candidates Win Big In Super Tuesday Contests Across U.S. – Advocates cited Pete Buttigieg’s presidential bid with inspiring other LGBTQ people to run for office.

Congresswoman AOC condemns using ‘religious liberty’ to justify anti-LGBTQ discrimination in fiery speech.

Why Republicans are suddenly in a rush to regulate every trans kid’s puberty – Proposals in eight states would ban puberty blockers and hormones for trans minors.

This Week in COVID-19:

UW Medicine now testing for coronavirus at Seattle laboratory – UW Medicine and the Washington State Public Health Laboratory in Shoreline are currently the only two locations in Washington state that can test for COVID-19.

Tech companies are getting more aggressive to fight COVID-19 hoaxes – And it’s about time.

Rick Santelli Wishes Everyone Could Get COVID-19 At Once To Stabilize Financial Markets – CNBC’s Rick Santelli just took “die and die quickly” to new heights.

Tito’s Vodka is warning consumers that it can’t be used as a hand sanitizer replacement as the coronavirus spreads across the US.

Senate approves $8.3 billion total coronavirus response package.

This Week in the Deplorable Thug Occupying the White House:

Markets plunge as critics say Trump’s desperate efforts to calm the panic have backfired.

Trump insists Taliban wants to ‘make a deal’ after surge in violence in Afghanistan.

Ben Carson Replaced Health Secretary Azar At Wednesday’s Coronavirus Briefing.

Bloomberg to form new group to help Democratic nominee defeat Trump.

Utah’s coronavirus response team accuses Trump of spreading misinformation. I think the word you’re looking for isn’t “accuses” but rather “points out” …

In Memoriam:

Freeman Dyson, Math Genius Turned Visionary Technologist, Dies at 96.

Rosalind P. Walter, the First ‘Rosie the Riveter,’ Is Dead at 95.

David Wise, writer of Emmy-winning Star Trek: The Animated Series episode, has died.

Comics artist Frank McLaughlin Dies at Age 84.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 02/29/2020: the Graveyard of Empires.

A Surfeit of Ex-Borgs: Jean-Luc Picard beams into the “Impossible Box”.

Tuesday Tidbits: Not the good kind of viral.

Drip, drip, drip— or, Showing up matters.

Videos!

Elizabeth Warren announces she is ending her presidential campaign:

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Trump Calls Criticism of His Coronavirus Response a “Hoax” as Concerns Grow: A Closer Look:

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Learn To Wash Your Hands The Right Way with Samantha Bee | Full Frontal on TBS:

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CONNECTED – Official Trailer (HD):

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ANY DEM WILL DO! – A Randy Rainbow Song Parody:

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