We’ve already reached the first Friday in February! Wow!

It’s been very rainy, but the temps have been just a bit higher than average, and it is starting to look as if this might be the third winter in the last 100 years where the daytime high never fell below 40ºF… Meanwhile, both my husband and I have been having extra bad allergy symptom all week.

Meanwhile, we have the Friday Five. This week I bring you: one special story to bring a smile, the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about the pandemic, five stories about threats to the future of democracy, five stories about the seditious traitors, and five videos (plus things I wrote and some notable obituaries).

This Week In News to Lighten Your Day:

Trans lesbian destroys transphobic trope in viral video – She responded to “You know, wearing a dress doesn’t make you a woman” by showing off butch fashion.

Stories of the Week:

Can shortage leaves Chicago breweries scrambling, adding yet another COVID-19 hurdle — and spelling the demise of at least 1 brand. This article focuses on the Chicago area, but the aluminum can shortage is effecting beverage producers everywhere.

Seanan McGuire, award-winning fantasy author, talks new novel and her Marvel Comics dream.

‘Meme stock’ rally rescues AMC theaters from $600M debt.

Has science solved the Dyatlov Pass incident, one of history’s greatest adventure mysteries?

Media Literacy 101: 5 Steps to Help You Avoid Fake News.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

TJ Osborne, One Half of ‘Brothers Osborne’ Country Duo, Comes Out as Gay.

Markey, Lowenthal to reintroduce bill requiring US to promote LGBTQ rights abroad.

Biden issues presidential memo protecting rights of LGBTQ people internationally – The United States will welcome and protect LGBTQ asylum-seekers and refugees again.

Federal court nixes Alabama’s ban on trans people correcting driver licenses without surgery – The judge said the state couldn’t even say why it required both top and bottom surgery to correct the gender marker on a driver license.

For First Time Ever, Three National LGBTQ Orgs Have Black Leaders.

This Week in the Pandemic:

Pfizer and Moderna vaccines may be even more effective than previously thought, new data suggests – Data from large-scale Israeli trials indicates high levels of protection against COVID-19.

Biden administration weighs plan to directly send masks to all Americans – The Trump administration scrapped a plan last year to deliver cloth masks to every U.S. household.

COVID deaths are starting to drop in every part of the US – Covid-19 deaths have begun to decline in every section of the U.S., the latest sign of relief as cases continue to drop and the vaccination push accelerates.

The mystery of the missing vaccines.

Race and ethnicity data missing for nearly half of coronavirus vaccine recipients, federal study finds.

This Week in the Future of Democracy:

Senate approves power-sharing agreement, allowing Democrats to take control of committees. By dragging his feet, Moscow Mitch managed to steal a whole month from the Democrats…

From banging on doors to hiding on the floor, congresswoman describes moment pro-Trump rioters stormed Capitol .

Facebook Knew Calls for Violence Plagued ‘Groups,’ Now Plans Overhaul – The giant struggled to balance Mark Zuckerberg’s free-expression mantra against findings that rabid partisanship had overrun a feature central to its future.

Exclusive: Dozens of former Bush officials leave Republican Party, calling it ‘Trump cult’.

Republicans outraged by Dems’ willingness to govern without them – Republicans genuinely seem to believe Biden has a responsibility to give the GOP the power to veto his own COVID relief bill.

This Week in Seditious Traitors:

DOJ debating use of RICO law to charge insurrectionists involved in Capitol coup: report .

Men who are anxious about their masculinity are more likely to support aggressive politics and to have voted for Trump.

Arizona GOP lawmaker introduces bill to give Legislature power to toss out election results – One section grants the Legislature the ability to revoke the secretary of state’s certification at any time before the presidential inauguration.

Brian Williams Roasts Kevin McCarthy with ‘Exclusive Video’ of Mar-a-Lago Meeting with Trump.

Madison Cawthorn is a Republican creation and North Carolina embarrassment.

In Memoriam:

Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick lies in honor in Rotunda.

Remembering Officer Brian Sicknick, an American hero.

Former Tarzan Actor and NFL Player Mike Henry Died Aged 84.

Hal Holbrook, prolific actor who played “Deep Throat” in “All the President’s Men,” has died at 95.

Ex-Pirates pitcher, World Series champion Grant Jackson dies at 78.

Paul Crutzen, Nobel Laureate Who Fought Climate Change, Dies at 87 – He named our age the “Anthropocene” and warned the world of threats that certain chemicals posed to the ozone layer.

Andrew Brooks, who led development of the first FDA-approved Covid-19 saliva test, dies at 51.

John Chaney, Temple’s towering Hall of Fame basketball coach, dies aged 89.

Joseph Sonnabend, pioneering AIDS physician, dies at 88.

Things I wrote:

WandaVision Interrupts the Program to Give Some Answers, and Raise More Questions.

When the lightning burns, the wolfsbane blooms, and the autumn moon is bright – or, more of why I love sf/f/a>.

Videos!

House Votes to Remove Marjorie Taylor Greene from Committees: A Closer Look:

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My Pillow Guy Spouts The Same Election Fraud Lies The Ex-President Plans To Use At Impeachment Trial:

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‘These are her words, her lies’: Cooper calls out Rep. Greene:

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Boyfriend D vs Vacation D (NSFW):

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MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE – A Randy Rainbow Song Parody:

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