It is now the fifth Friday in October. Halloween is only two days away!

Real rain arrived this week. It has been coming down as if the goddess aimed a giant firehose at Seattle.

Anyway, it’s time for this week’s Friday Five in which I bring you: one story that needs its own category, the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about traitors, and five stories about haters and other deplorable people. Plus one thing I posted this week.

This Week in Buh-bye!:

Anti-Vax Former GOP US Senate Candidate Who Called Gay City Councilman “Cocksucker” Dies Of Something Joe at Joe.My.God has been using the phrase "of something" when he reports anti-mask or anti-vax people contracting or dying from COVID.

Stories of the Week:

‘Hocus Pocus 2’ making movie magic in Rhode Island

Merck will allow drugmakers in other countries to make its COVID-19 pill royalty-free

LA to deduct test costs from paychecks of unvaccinated officers, firefighters, city employees

‘Dune’ Is the Movie We Always Wanted – What ‘Dune’ Gets Right that ‘Foundation’ Doesn’t

“Dad Bod,” "ghost kitchen", and "curbside pickup" Among Words Added By Merriam-Webster

Stories of Interest to Queers and Our Allies:

Queer Black lives on screen: A brief history of the good, the bad and what needs to come next

Intersex people have been challenging ‘gender-normalizing surgery.’ Doctors are starting to listen – An increasing number of surgeons are giving parents of intersex children options, rather than recommending surgery as a default solution

Billy Porter Is Directing the Gay Summer Camp Romance Film We Deserve

New LGBTQ School-Bullying Study Electrifies Advocates – Unexpected new data show how you can fight back and win

Top Australian Soccer Player Comes Out – ‘I have been fighting my sexuality’: A-League Men player Josh Cavallo comes out as gay

This Week in Seditious Traitors:

Sen. Ted Cruz Defends Parent Who Gave Nazi Salute At School Board Meeting – The Texas Republican asked if giving a Nazi salute at an elected official is protected speech

DOJ pushes back against claims of mistreatment at DC jail where dozens of Capitol rioters are being held – Judge On Complaining Rioters: It’s A Jail, Not A Hotel

Report says Rep. Cawthorn has deeper involvement in Jan. 6 protests

Josh Hawley Making COVID ‘Worse to Further His Political Career’: Missouri Newspaper – A prominent Missouri newspaper didn’t mince words Thursday when criticizing Senator Josh Hawley, accusing him of making the COVID-19 pandemic "worse to further his political career."

Judge Says He and Others Presiding Over Jan. 6 Cases Are Receiving ‘All Kinds of Threats’ Thanks to Capitol Rioters Pushing Election Lies

This Week in Haters, Deplorables, and Liars:

Top Election Officials Detail Death Threats Received After Trump Election Loss: ‘We Are Watching You’

Liberty U president says on tape that ‘getting people elected’ is his goal – Comments by Falwell’s successor, Jerry Prevo, raise new questions about evangelical university’s blurring of lines between politics and education

Brett Favre Repays $600,000 in Mississippi Welfare Fraud Case – The Mississippi state auditor said that Mr. Favre, the Hall of Fame quarterback, could still be sued if he does not pay an additional $228,000 in interest that he owes

‘Crying Nazi’ Reportedly Watched Tucker Carlson in Prison to Prep for Charlottesville Trial Also, he’s representing himself in the trial, which should work out just great, I’m sure.

GOP senators highjack judicial hearing to spread already refuted transphobic story about sexual assault in school bathroom

Things I Wrote:

Monday Quicky: Wages and Myths about their consequences