September is over, alas. Which means we are now at the first Friday in October. But October is the month of the Spooky Holiday, and I have begun to put up the pumpkins and other fun decorations!

Let’s jump to this week’s Friday Five. This week I bring you: a late breaking story on its own, the top five stories of the week, five stories originating near me, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about deplorable people, five stories about the fight to save my homeland, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and some things I wrote).

Breaking News That Needs Its Own Category:

Trump, first lady test positive for Covid-19 – The announcement comes shortly after the president said he and the first lady were in the “quarantine process” following senior aide Hope Hicks’ positive test.

Stories of the Week:

Unredacted FBI Document Sheds New Light on White Supremacist Infiltration of Law Enforcement.

‘They’re all hustlers’. The person being quoted in the headline is Trump from some private conversations. The big takeaway is that when Trump accuses other people of doing what we all suspect he’s doing, it’s not so much project as an apparent sincere belief that everyone (except suckers) are lying and scamming and cheating just like he is.

The Hoxne Hoard: How a Mislaid Hammer Led to the Largest Roman Treasure in Britain. Okay, so this was published a few years ago, but I only found it this week.

76% of LGBTQ people are voting for Joe Biden while only 17% support Donald Trump – LGBTQ people also like Kamala Harris a lot more than Mike Pence, the poll found. Just in case any of you believed that online poll Trump was quoting about how many LGBTQ people support him…

Bette Midler Shares Excitement For ‘Hocus Pocus’ Sequel & Dishes On If She’ll Be Part of It.

This Week in News (Mostly) Local to Me:

Doctors: Seattle COVID patient only third in the world to be reinfected after recovering.

3 new sightings of Asian giant hornets confirmed in Whatcom County – Asian giant hornets are invasive to the Pacific Northwest and they have been dubbed “murder hornets” for their impact on bee populations.

Smoky September finishes up 2nd warmest on record by average temperature.

Sen. Patty Murray says Democrats will apply pressure in fight to replace SCOTUS ‘North Star’.

Scarecrow Video the World’s Largest Archive of DVDs, VHS, and Blu-rays is Open Again.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

LGBTQ themes found in half of the past decade’s 20 most-banned books – “Two Boys Kissing,” “I Am Jazz” and “Kite Runner” are among the titles on the American Library Association’s most-banned books of the past decade list.

Gay 13-year-old kicked out of an “inclusive” church finds true community in love from strangers – Drag queens, a local printer, and LGBTQ people he never met sent him support after hearing his story.

Migraines Affect Staggering Number of Gay, Bi People, Study Finds.

Charlie Carver says gay colleague slapped him for being “too effeminate”. And so, a few months later, Charlie came out…

In Gay We Trust: What Do I Do With This Hate? – If hope is the antidote to despair, what is hate’s?

This Week in Haters and Other Deplorable People:

Louisiana Trooper Who Choked Black Man Caught on Mic: ‘I Beat the Ever-Living F*ck Out Of Him’ – A 27-second audio clip implicates Chris Hollingsworth in the death of Ronald Greene, which officers initially blamed on injuries from a car crash.

‘Proud Boys’ leader used dildo on himself to ‘own liberals’ and prove he wasn’t homophobic. What???

Michigan AG Files Felony Charges Again Jack Burkman, Jacob Wohl for Alleged Voter Suppression Scheme.

Proud Boys Celebrate As Trump Endorses Their Proto-Fascist Violence – The neo-Nazi group couldn’t wait to rejoice and announce they were ready and waiting for marching orders from their white supremacist leader, Donald Trump.

White Judges Keep Black Man In Prison For Life For Petty Theft.

This Week in the Fight to Save America:

Debate Fact-Checks Show Trump Lied And Lied, But One Group Of Lies Is By Far The Most Damaging – Both of Trump’s attempts to rattle Biden by attacking his son Hunter, and his lies about voting, had more sustained intention behind them. But the lies about the integrity of November’s elections were far more serious.

Senate approves stopgap bill to prevent shutdown ahead of midnight deadline.

Endangered Republicans back Senate Democrats’ bill opposing Obamacare lawsuit – Five Republicans facing tough reelections crossed party lines in a vote highlighting Trump’s challenge to the health care law.

How Democrats Should Address the ACBarrett nomination. I don’t agree with all parts of this post, but there are some good ideas in there.

‘Biden Won’: Fox Business Host Breaks The Bad News To Kayleigh McEnany About Trump’s Debate – White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany insisted on Wednesday that President Donald Trump came out on top against Democratic nominee Joe Biden in Tuesday night’s debate.

In Memoriam:

Singer and activist Helen Reddy dies aged 78.

Helen Reddy, the roaring sound of feminism – HELEN REDDY: 1941 – 2020.

First person ever cured from HIV infection, Timothy Ray Brown, known as ‘the Berlin Patient’ dies of cancer.

Things I wrote:

Monday Update 9/29/2020: I’m not sure ‘bombshell’ is the word you mean.

Classic Rich F— Tactic, and also why I’m not watching the debate.

Why I hate hay fever reason #6542.

Videos!

Trump’s Debate Performance Was an Embarrassing Debacle: A Closer Look – Seth Meyers Goes to Town After Watching Trump Debate: ‘It Was Like Hotboxing a Porta Potty with Crystal Meth in Phoenix in July’:

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Wildfires – If You Don’t Know, Now You Know | The Daily Social Distancing Show:

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GOP Worries They Backed The Wrong Horse As Biden’s Lead Grows Following “Embarrassing” Debate:

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Even Trump Supporters Are Getting Tired of Him | The Tonight Show:

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Sigala, James Arthur – Lasting Lover (Official Video):

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