It is the final Friday in August!

Because I wrote a number of posts over the last couple of years about the son of an anti-gay, racist televangelist with whom I had a bit of a connection, when the scandal many of those posts had been about exploded this week, I suddenly had many hundreds of clicks on all those old posts. One of them has now crossed into the thousands, and it left me feeling weird (even though I made two more posts about it this week because, he’s been trying to take away my rights for years) because I’d really rather some other topics I’ve written about where getting all those click. One friend pointed out that even though it isn’t my favorite subject, it’s still my writing people are clicking on, and another pointed out that this is just the weirdness of blogging. Anyway…

It’s time for me to roll out this week’s Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories about tropical storms/hurricanes, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about the pandemic, five stories about awful people, and five videos (plus a notable obituary and some things that I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

College Trombonist Brings His Instrument to Battle Against MAGA Cultist, Becomes Hero.

Do Some Damage: What Could Have Been and What Still Can Be – a former cop talks about what is needed for police reform.

Evangelical leaders denounce QAnon as ‘political cult,’ ‘satanic movement’ – Evangelical leaders denounce QAnon as ‘political cult,’ ‘satanic movement’.

‘God, this sucks’: Internet aghast at what Melania Trump has done to the Rose Garden.

Chris Wallace Shuts Down Fox News’ Support Of Vigilante Violence – Chris Wallace got into a heated argument with other Fox News pundits because they endorsed the idea that murderous vigilantes attacking protesters were justified because they were “filling a void” for the police.

This Week in Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm Laura Moving Through the Mid-South With Gusty Winds, Flooding After Category 4 Landfall.

Hurricane Laura causes destruction across Louisiana.

Hurricane Laura damaged a Lake Charles Confederate monument, after parish officials voted to keep it. Heh

Hurricane Laura leaves at least six dead and a trail of destruction – “We have thousands and thousands of our fellow citizens whose lives are upside down,” Louisiana’s governor said.

Marco makes landfall, but it’s Tropical Storm Laura that has Gulf residents really nervous.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Federal appeals court rules that anti-trans school bathroom policies are unconstitutional – Gavin Grimm just won another court victory against the Gloucester County School Board of Virginia and its transphobic student bathroom policy.

State park renamed to honor legendary trans activist Marsha P. Johnson – The first state park in New York to honor an LGBTQ person will reflect “Marsha’s style and colors.”.

AOC endorses gay primary challenger Alex Morse over powerful incumbent Congressman – Out progressive candidate Alex Morse is within striking distance of knocking out the powerful chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Richard Neal.

Coronavirus lockdown has led to depression in LGBTQ people – “One gay man described how his social isolation had become ‘unbearable’ and was ‘destroying my mental health.'”.

Study: Pride Games Decrease Antigay Slurs Among Players by 40 Percent.

This Week in the Pandemic:

New coronavirus cases are down nationwide. But the US is still averaging more than 900 deaths a day – The number of deaths related to the coronavirus in the US topped 180,000 on Thursday.

Fauci Says He Was Under Anesthesia When CDC Changed COVID-19 Testing Guidelines.

Almost 50 North Texans Drank Bleach This Month, Poison Center Warns ‘Stop, It Won’t Cure COVID’.

Big 12, Conference USA join SEC in conducting three COVID-19 tests per week during 2020 season.

Hate Group’s Office Listed As “COVID Outbreak Site”.

This Week in Deplorables:

Prosecutors announce homicide charges against Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old accused of shooting and killing 2 people at a Kenosha protest and Illinois teen arrested in connection to deadly shooting in Kenosha.

Jacob Wohl Accused of Starting a Voter Suppression Scheme – Michigan Attorney General Says Culprits In Robocall Voter Suppression Stunt Face Up To Five Years In Prison.

New Zealand mosque shooter sentenced to life without parole – Brenton Tarrant, who killed 51 Muslims as they prayed, is first in New Zealand to be sentenced to life without parole.

Trump Has Now Moved $2.3 Million Of Campaign-Donor Money Into His Private Business.

Daniel Dale On Convention Lies: ‘It’s Hard For Me To Know Where To Start’.

In Memoriam:

Darryl Macdonald, co-founder of Seattle International Film Festival, dies of cancer.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 8/22/2020: At least justice for some….

Oh you cuckolded devil—or, the Evangelical Power Couple and the Pool Boy.

Tuesday Tidbits 8/25/2020: Acceptable deaths continue while stock market soars.

Pharisee says being held to his own standards is unfai.

Every starship needs a navigator, or, how librarians enabled my love for sf/f.

Videos!

The RNC’s Appeal to Black Voters & Don Jr.’s “Imagine” Speech | The Daily Social Distancing Show:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Why Did the Police Shoot Jacob Blake? | The Daily Social Distancing Show:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Stephen Colbert: I Didn’t Watch The RNC Tonight, And I Feel Great About It:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Chris Webber Holds Back Tears Speaking On NBA Players’ Strike after Police Shooting of Jacob Blake:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Kylie Minogue – Say Something (Official Video):

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)