Welcome to the second Friday in April!

I had a lot of fun at the virtual convention last weekend. I’ve spent the rest of the week scrambling at work, laughing at certain news stories, and taking delight in how many flowers are blooming on my veranda.

Which brings us to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: one story to wonderful it needs its own category five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about seditious traitors, five stories about other deplorables, and five videos (plus something I wrote and notable obituaries).

This Week in Wonderful:

‘We found a baby on the subway – now he’s our son’ Every time I read about this I cry.

Stories of the week:

Europe’s oldest known humans mated with Neandertals surprisingly often – The two species regularly interbred by about 45,000 years ago

The French army is testing Boston Dynamics’ robot dog Spot in combat scenarios

Jordan Peterson Is Angry That He Inspired Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Take on Red Skull and We Have To Laugh – Have you tried…not being a nazi?

Pete Buttigieg had to go on TV to tell ignorant Republicans “you need water to live” – The anti-LGBTQ Gov. Kristi Noem was at the top of his list.

Macalope: Tim Cook isn’t always right, but his Facebook fight is right on – Apple’s privacy stance is more than marketing fluff

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

LGBTQ Conversion Practices Cause More Severe Trauma and PTSD Than We Thought …Study Also Find Faith Helps With Recovery

North Carolina Bill Would Force School Staffers to Out Trans Kids For many queer kids, the most dangerous bully in their lives is a homophobic parent. This law will get kids killed!

Repost – Sterilization, irreversible surgeries and chemical castrations – How religious right lies corrupts the conversation about trans children

Falcon and the Winter Solider fans think Bucky Barnes just came out as bisexual

And this, folks, is why Ian McKellen is one of the coolest guys alive

This Week in Seditious Traitors:

Key figure in Matt Gaetz probe likely cooperating with federal prosecutors – “I am sure Matt Gaetz is not feeling very comfortable today,” Joel Greenberg’s defense attorney said

Ted Cruz Allegedly Bought Book Ads With Campaign Funds – Ted "Cancun" Cruz is in trouble for using campaign funds to buy Facebook ads to promote his "book."

Like Matt Gaetz, Alabama GOP Senate candidate denied sexual allegations — until he didn’t

Seattle Police Department had the most officers in DC on January 6. An investigation is underway to determine if they breached the Capitol, but advocates say the problem runs deeper

Confederate Flag-wavin’ Rioter Indicted On Five Counts

This Week in Haters and Deplorables:

White nationalist "groyper" movement links up with anti-vaxxers, threatens use of weapons – "Manipulate my DNA or inject satan juice, nah, I’m good," wrote a follower of young white nationalist Nick Fuentes

Nearly 200 cops with credibility issues still working in Washington state – A Crosscut investigation found at least 183 police officers flagged for issues such as dishonesty, bias and excessive force remain in law enforcement.

An insider-trading indictment shows ties to Bloomberg News scoops

Catholics Responded to a Joke Account Asking When They Felt Unwelcome in Church Note: the real church that they complain about are the hateful and deplorable ones, not the people responding to the question.

‘Psychotic’ fundraising tactics show how unhinged the Republican Party has become

Things I wrote:

Sam and Bucky: the 80s Want Their Plot Cliches Back

In Memoriam

Japanese Nobel-prize-winning semiconductor pioneer Isamu Akasaki dies aged 92

Songwriter who was mentor and uncle of Dolly Parton, Bill Owens,I t dies at 85 – ‘I wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t been there’

James Hampton, ‘Teen Wolf’ and ‘The Longest Yard’ Actor, Dies at 84

Videos

Click on the image to be taken to the video!

McConnell’s Hypocrisy On Corporate Speech Falls Flat As Big Brands Punish Georgia

Marvel Studios’ Loki – Official Trailer 2 (2021) Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson

Charli XCX & Christine and the Queens – Gone – Official Video

Pose | Season 3: Official Trailer | FX

TED and LINDSEY! – A Randy Rainbow Song Parody