It is the first Friday in August! And this week our state’s regular primary election (as opposed to the Presidential which was many moons ago).

This has been a weird week. Unpleasantly high temperatures for several days, then a small rain storm and the temperatures drop to something more like a day in February or March. And then various problems in other parts of my life that I don’t really want to go into with strangers, but are definitely making things difficult. Which in a general sense is happening to everyone, so, what else is new?

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 awful people, five stories about the pandemic, five stories about the alleged president of the republic, and five videos (plus some things I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

The Truth Is Paywalled But The Lies Are Free.

Immunology Is Where Intuition Goes to Die – Which is too bad because we really need to understand how the immune system reacts to the coronavirus.

New York attorney general seeks to dissolve NRA in suit accusing gun rights group of wide-ranging fraud and self-dealing.

Was young Mars warm and wet or cold and frozen?

Doctors diagnose advanced cancer—in a dinosaur.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Democratic Platform Promises Bold Action for Racial, LGBTQ+ Equality.

Activists Got A Chicago Children’s Hospital To End Intersex Surgeries. For Them, It’s Just The Beginning.

Out Candidates Advance in Washington, Kansas, and Michigan Primaries.

Mike Pompeo’s Plan for a Hierarchy of Human Rights Could Serve to Undermine Them All – Including LGBTQ and Religious Freedom.

Trans People Are Terrified About the Trump Administration’s New Housing Rule.

This Week in Haters and Other Deplorable People:

Another Day, Another Devin Nunes Defamation Suit Gets Ground Into Hamburger.

The FBI and SWAT teams raided the mansion of California YouTuber Jake Paul – reportedly in connection with “looting and rioting activity” at a Scottsdale.

Gay Trump supporter arrested defacing Black Lives Matter mural for second time – Footage from the scene shows Mark Hutt slithering around the pavement, spreading white paint over the words painted on the street.

Three people have been charged for Twitter’s huge hack, and a Florida teen is in jail.

Jerry Falwell Jr gives a slurred apology & a bizarre excuse for naughty pic – Claims that a bizarre picture of him with a woman who is not his wife – with both their pants undone – was “just in good fun.”.

This Week in the Pandemic:

Coronavirus testing dropping in US even as deaths rise by more than 1,000 a day.

A Vaccine Reality Check – So much hope is riding on a breakthrough, but a vaccine is only the beginning of the end.

CDC Reports Four Deaths From Swallowing Sanitizer.

Covid talks going nowhere as deadline nears – Negotiators met for more than three hours but remain far apart on an agreement.

Some Volunteers Want To Be Infected With Coronavirus To Help Find A Vaccine – But It Isn’t That Simple.

This Week in the Deplorable Thug Occupying the White House:

‘Trump is scared’ and ‘literally does not appear to understand’ what is going on around him: White House reporter.

This May Be The Most Absurd, Trumpian Drama Ever – Fired Anti-LGBT Trump Appointee Now Claims Jacob Wohl Took Her Phone To Post Inflammatory Tweets.

Trump says Microsoft should pay ‘key money’ to Treasury for facilitating TikTok deal. In case you don’t know: “key money” is real estate slang for an illegal under the table bribe to secure a lease or other property agreement. He publicly demanded a bribe.

CNN Anchor Drags Trump Campaign Adviser: ‘You’re Just Saying a Bunch of Crap!’.

Neil Young Sues Trump for Unauthorized Use of His Music During ‘Un-American Campaign of Ignorance and Hate’.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 8/1/2020: Like a puff of smoke — and not the good kind.

And the rockets have been awarded — let’s celebrate the Hugo winners.

Recognizing Who Should Have Been Seen All Along, or, Why the Retro Hugos Are Worth Saving.

Dinosaur Bellows to Stave Off the Future, or, that’s not how you should run a Hugo Awards ceremony.

Shadows are gathering, or, a queer ex-evangelical talks about the guns & god crowd.

Videos!

Trump Mispronounces Thailand, Backs NRA | The Tonight Show:

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Kiana Lede “Dear Mr. President” – Late Show:

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Tom Goss Sneaks into the Secret Lair of a Nerdy Bear (Not entirely Work Safe):

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Troye Sivan – Rager teenager! (Official Video):

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Orville Peck – Smalltown Boy (Official Audio):

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