And here we are at the third Friday in July!

Much of this week I’ve been playing a much more annoying version of the “COVID or hay fever?” game. Not exactly a fun game in any variation. The weather got hot enough that I got to test my new air cooling devices this week. And then a new weather front moved in and we are back to rain and cool again. Usually summer arrives around July 11th here in the Pacific Northwest, but this year maybe not?

Which brings us to the Friday Five. This week I bring you:the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our alles, five stories about the pandemic, five stories about the alleged president of the republic, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and some things I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

Carl Reiner’s Final Performance Is in ‘The Princess Bride’ Fan Film.

Zuckerberg Never Fails to Disappoint. “This week, I finally settled on a simpler comparison: Think about Facebook as a seller of meat products.

“Most of the meat is produced by others, and some of the cuts are delicious and uncontaminated. But tainted meat — say, Trump steaks — also gets out the door in ever increasing amounts and without regulatory oversight.

“The argument from the head butcher is this: People should be free to eat rotten hamburger, even if it wreaks havoc on their gastrointestinal tract, and the seller of the meat should not be the one to tell them which meat is good and which is bad (even though the butcher can tell in most cases).

“Basically, the message is that you should find the truth through vomiting and — so sorry — maybe even death.”

Additional Asian giant hornet traps set in Bellingham – Five Asian giant hornets have been found in Whatcom County since last winter.

What Our First Close Look at Mars Actually Revealed. A really interesting take on the shock scientists got with the first pictures from Mariner 4 back in 1965

Why Marshes Capture Our Imaginations—And Inspire Some of Our Most Unsettling Folklore.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Record number of LGBTQ candidates running for office in US.

Transgender women win elections for the first time in West Virginia & Louisiana – “I’m proud to stand for transgender and gender non-conforming people in the state,” said Peyton Rose Michelle, who won in Louisiana.

Governor Jared Polis Signs Bill Banning Gay and Trans Panic Defense, Making Colorado 11th State to Do So.

Data Collection And State Surveillance Put LGBTQ People At Risk Online And Off – Apps that harvest data, dark web marketplaces, and state surveillance are just some of the dangers LGBTQ people have to think about online.

Religious same-sex marriages have finally been made law in Northern Ireland in a stunning victory for queer activists.

This Week in the Pandemic:

Scientists focus on how immune system T cells fight coronavirus in absence of antibodies.

Pastor Sorry For Ignoring Masks After COVID Cases Among Flock Becomes “Too Great To Keep Track Of”.

Georgia’s Dumbass Governor Abolishes Local Mask Requirements as Covid-19 Cases Soar.

A Second Coronavirus Death Surge Is Coming.

U.S. shatters coronavirus record with over 77,000 cases in a day.

This Week in the Deplorable Thug Occupying the White House:

The White House Called a News Conference. Trump Turned It Into a Meandering Monologue – The president spoke in the Rose Garden for 63 minutes. He spent only six of those minutes answering questions from reporters.

White House officials sent document to Pentagon criticizing Vindman after impeachment testimony.

Rudy Giuliani Blows Up Trump’s ‘Audit’ Excuse on Tax Returns.

President Trump has made more than 20,000 false or misleading claims.

Team Trump Frantically Plots New Ways to Make Him Feel Good About Himself.

In Memoriam:

‘Magic School Bus’ author Joanna Cole dies at age 75.

Grant Imahara, Host of ‘MythBusters’ and ‘White Rabbit Project,’ Dies at 49 – An electrical engineer and roboticist by training, he worked for a long time at Lucasfilm’s THX and Industrial Light and Magic divisions.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 7/11/2020: Ignorant selfish pricks.

Videos!

Trump’s New Coronavirus Plan: Threaten America’s Schools, Trash Dr. Fauci In The Press:

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So Much News, So Little Time: Ghislaine’s Hearing & Tucker’s Trip | The Daily Social Distancing Show:

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Trump and His Allies Want You to “Adapt” to the Coronavirus Crisis: A Closer Look:

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Joshua Bassett – Anyone Else [Official Video]:

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[OFFICIAL VIDEO] when the party’s over – Pentatonix:

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