It’s hard to believe that it’s already the third Friday in March!

Still trying to get into the groove of things. One of the lavender plants on the deck is starting to show so buds. I need to get some spot colors for some of the other pots and planters.

Meanwhile, we have the <em>Friday Five</em>. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about haters and deplorables, five stories about the pandemic, and five videas (plus things I wrote and some notable obituaries).

<h4>Stories of the Week:</h4>

<a href=”https://www.king5.com/article/news/verify/verify-covid-19-or-allergies-how-to-tell-the-difference-between-symptoms-do-i-have-covid-or-allergies-flu-cold/65-77c8912f-576a-43ef-9088-eccaa26a54ab”>VERIFY: COVID-19 or allergies? How to tell the difference between symptoms – With springtime around the corner, people are starting to question whether coughs and sniffles are mere allergies, or something more scary</a>.

<a href=”https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/editorial-template-for-every-time-a-white-person-commits-an-atrocious-crime”>Editorial Template for Every Time a White Person Commits an Atrocious Crime</a>.

<a href=”https://crooksandliars.com/2021/03/why-can-t-irs-just-send-americans-refund”>Why Can’t The IRS Just Send Americans A Refund – Or A Bill? – Taxes should be a simple matter of paying through the year and reconciling at the end. There’s a reason they aren’t</a>.

<a href=”https://www.dailykos.com/story/2021/3/22/2022254/-Washington-Post-s-flawed-immigration-coverage-slammed-as-pure-hot-garbage-beginning-to-end”>Washington Post’s flawed immigration coverage slammed as ‘pure hot garbage, beginning to end'</a>.

<a href=”https://lawandcrime.com/second-amendment/ninth-circuit-goes-back-to-english-law-in-the-middle-ages-says-pre-u-s-law-in-hawaii-allows-states-open-carry-restrictions/?utm_source=mostpopular”>Ninth Circuit Goes Back to English Law in the Middle Ages, Says Pre-U.S. Law in Hawaii Allows State’s Open Carry Restrictions</a>.

<h4>This Week in News for Queers and Allies:</h4>

<a href=”https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/pantene-support-transgender-youth-after-backlash-171024373.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9yLnNlYXJjaC55YWhvby5jb20vX3lsdD1Bd3JYbkNiUHgxdGdMQjRBX2huUXRETUQ7X3lsdT1ZMjlzYndObmNURUVjRzl6QXpJRWRuUnBaQU1FYzJWakEzTnkvUlY9Mi9SRT0xNjE2NjU2NDYzL1JPPTEwL1JVPWh0dHBzJTNhJTJmJTJmd3d3LnlhaG9vLmNvbSUyZmxpZmVzdHlsZSUyZnBhbnRlbmUtc3VwcG9ydC10cmFuc2dlbmRlci15b3V0aC1hZnRlci1iYWNrbGFzaC0xNzEwMjQzNzMuaHRtbC9SSz0yL1JTPXJtZnZZeldmVDhaSndmbkNSRlJOVk1nQXFHVS0&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAKHVXM_NCkcobg-X7UlP0ss_dPn7FdX5_6sMMdZriEUhC_KIAs7TCPVPqTsfniLdCZ7yrnDBMUl2DfLt4tlLrke75OlKgL0KazLZ1I0BWZj_w2FgLRfYdgtTayfCJUlh_k_ARaZd5QhVW4CZZmj16hmIuvsSFStYskeoi0aG6pKj”>Pantene doubles down on support for transgender youth after backlash to ad featuring LGBTQ family</a>.

<a href=”https://thehill.com/homenews/news/544500-poll-majority-of-republicans-support-same-sex-marriage-for-the-first-time”>Poll: Majority of Republicans support same-sex marriage for the first time</a>.

<a href=”https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2021/03/arkansas-legislature-passes-bill-allow-emts-doctors-refuse-treat-lgbtq-people/”>Arkansas legislature passes bill to allow EMTs & doctors refuse to treat LGBTQ people – The bill to allow health care providers to turn away patients due to their religious beliefs is headed to the Republican governor’s desk</a>.

<a href=”https://www.wweek.com/news/2021/03/21/small-town-sandy-hosts-a-public-standoff-over-lgbtq-rights-and-the-proud-boys-resurface/”>Small-Town Sandy, Oregon Hosts a Public Standoff Over LGBTQ Rights—and the Proud Boys Resurface</a>.

<a href=”https://holybulliesandheadlessmonsters.blogspot.com/2021/03/dr-rachel-levine-makes-history-becomes.html”>Dr. Rachel Levine makes history, becomes first openly transgender person confirmed by Senate</a>.

<h4>This Week in Haters and Deplorables:</h4>

<a href=”https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/capitol-riot-investigation-plea-deals/2021/03/19/161221bc-88ca-11eb-8a8b-5cf82c3dffe4_story.html”>Justice Dept. prepares to engage in plea talks with many Capitol riot defendants</a>.

<a href=”https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/21/politics/roy-blunt-january-6-capitol-insurrection/index.html”>Top Senate Republican says Americans don’t need ‘alternative versions’ of January 6 Capitol attack</a>.

<a href=”https://www.cbsnews.com/news/boulder-shooting-witnesses-describe-king-sooper/”>Colorado mass shooting witnesses describe terrifying moment gunman opened fire: “At that point, it was just run”</a>.

<a href=”https://crooksandliars.com/2021/03/biden-calls-weapons-ban-wake-shootings”>Biden Calls For Assault Weapons Ban In Wake Of Shootings – “It was a law for the longest time, and it brought down these mass killings.” said the President</a>.

<a href=”https://sam.crooksandliars.com/2021/03/boulder-police-believed-king-sooper”>Boulder Police Acted On Belief King Sooper Shooter Was White – Don’t be gaslit into thinking all of a sudden color doesn’t matter to police</a>.

<h4>This Week in the Pandemic:</h4>

<a href=”https://thehill.com/homenews/news/544387-global-covid-19-deaths-up-for-first-time-in-6-weeks-who-says”>Global COVID-19 deaths up for first time in six weeks, WHO says</a>.

<a href=”https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/29/vaccine-mystery-why-j-js-shots-arent-reaching-more-arms-477292″>Vaccine mystery: Why J&J’s shots aren’t reaching more arms – The single-shot vaccine was supposed to be the catalyst for the country’s return to normalcy. Instead, it’s sparking confusion and finger-pointing</a>.

<a href=”https://www.foxnews.com/health/a-rapid-covid-19-vaccine-rollout-backfired-in-some-us-states”>A rapid COVID-19 vaccine rollout backfired in some US states – Conspiracy theories, poor communication and undependable shipments slowed vaccination efforts</a>.

<a href=”https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-22/n-j-will-pause-further-reopenings-as-covid-case-counts-rise”>De Blasio Urges N.Y. to Follow N.J. in Pausing Reopenings</a>.

<a href=”https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/20/covid-cases-are-rising-in-21-states-as-health-officials-warn-against-reopening-too-quickly.html”>Covid cases are rising in 21 states as health officials warn against reopening too quickly</a>.

<h4>In Memoriam:</h4>

<a href=”https:/<a href=”untitled%20text%205.html”>untitled text 5.html</a>/variety.com/2021/film/news/jessica-walter-dead-arrested-development-archer-1234938246/”>Jessica Walter, ‘Arrested Development’ and ‘Archer’ Star, Dies at 80</a>.

<h4>Things I wrote:</h4>

<a href=”https://fontfolly.net/2021/03/22/bucky-and-sam-try-to-find-their-place-in-the-new-world-order/”>Bucky and Sam try to find their place in the “New World Order”</a>.

<a href=”https://fontfolly.net/2021/03/23/tuesday-tidbits-3-23-2021-some-useful-info-and-a-lot-of-wtf/”>Tuesday Tidbits 3/23/2021: Some useful info and a lot of WTF</a>.

<a href=”https://fontfolly.net/2021/03/25/there-is-only-coffee-time-and-cocktail-time/”>There is only coffee time and cocktail time</a>.

<h4>Videos!</h4>

Biden Holds First Press Conference, Ted Cruz Refuses to Wear a Mask: A Closer Look:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click <a href=”https://youtu.be/3aIa9BBdm4c”>here</a&gt;.)

Kamala Harris’s Salute Scandal & Utah’s Porn Block | The Daily Social Distancing Show:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click <a href=”https://youtu.be/XxzCokceBMI”>here</a&gt;.)

Now’s Not The Time To Fix America’s Gun Problem, Says GOP In Familiar Refrain:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click <a href=”https://youtu.be/CAlMS4fG37w”>here</a&gt;.)

Dr. Anthony Fauci Loves Kate McKinnon’s SNL Impression of Him:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click <a href=”https://youtu.be/IXvqdITeXa4″>here</a&gt;.)

Good Omens: Lockdown (Yes, I this is a bit over 13 months old and I posted it back then, but it came around in my stream and made me laugh again):

(If embedding doesn’t work, click <a href=”https://youtu.be/quSXoj8Kob0″>here</a&gt;.)