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We have reached the second Friday in December. Which is one day after my wedding anniversary, and I’m still a bit amazed that my husband still puts up with me.

It’s getting colder. Earlier this week, because I let the bird feeder get lower than usual, there was a lot of drama outside my window. Little birds can be vicious to each other. The hummingbird feeder was not so low, but the colder temperatures (and a lot fewer flowering plants blooming in the area) means that several are visiting the feeder many times a day. For some reason there is that spot about a foot away from the feeder one the fairy lights I have strung up out there where several of the hummingbirds want to sit in between feeding… but they don’t want to share. And their fights are even more vicious than the altercations between the sparrows, junkos, and chickadees at the other feeder.

Anyway, it’s time for this week’s Friday Five in which I bring you: one story about a hidden treasure, two stories about making bad people pay for their wrongs, the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about deplorable people, and five stories about the pandemic. Plus notable obituaries and something I wrote.

This Week in Hidden Treasures:

Hidden sketch revealed beneath Rembrandt’s The Night Watch – Restoration uncovers Dutch master’s original vision for 1642 painting for the first time

This Week in Make Them Pay:

Mass Shooting Victim Sues MI School District For $100M – Michigan school shooting ‘entirely preventable,’ $100-million suit says

Family of Georgia Trans Inmate Wins $2.2M Wrongful-Death Settlement

Stories of the Week:

Canada Bans the Dangerous Practice of LGBTQ+ ‘Conversion Therapy’ – unanimous votes in both Houses…

Supreme Court Justice shoots down lawyer’s wild claim about LGBTQ rights – The lawyer said the right won’t use attacks on abortion to take away LGBTQ rights. Sonia Sotomayor called bullshit

Two recent murder trials show the danger of white fragility – Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted while Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael, and William Bryan Jr. were found guilty, but the trials are merely opposite sides of the same coin

14 GOP senators help advance McConnell debt limit deal

Seventh-grader dies by suicide after being told he’d go to hell for being gay

Stories of Interest to Queers and Our Allies:

Federal Court To South Carolina: Fulton Doesn’t Do What You Think It Does – South Carolina thought the Supreme Court gave them an avenue to practice anti-LGBTQ discrimination. Guess what?

Priest backs trans community after diocese tells LGBT+ people ‘repent if you want baptism’

Wonder Woman Is Getting the Queer Romance She Deserves in New DC Comic

Minnesota Town Rallies Around Outed Trans Child

Pro wrestler kisses his boyfriend in front of homophobic protestors to “stand up against hate” – His fans loved it

This Week in Haters, Deplorable People, and Their Victims:

Antigay activist Josh Duggar can now add “convicted child sex predator” to his esteemed resumé

Court rejects Trump’s efforts to keep records from 1/6 panel

The far right isn’t attacking books. They’re attacking children – The right is weaponizing Q-Anon ideology and sexual assault to ban LGBTQ books, putting kids in danger

Torrance police traded racist, homophobic texts. It could jeopardize hundreds of cases – While no officers face criminal charges in direct relation to the text messages, the racist exchanges have led to the dismissal of at least 85 criminal cases involving the officers implicated in the scandal

Martin Shkreli ‘Pharma Bro’ Firm Reaches $40M Settlement in Gouging Case – The settlement doesn’t stop litigation against Martin Shkreli, who was dubbed the “Pharma Bro" and allegedly masterminded the scheme as Vyera’s first CEO

This Week in the Pandemic:

Covid-19 patients at this hospital are dying ‘at a rate we’ve never seen die before’ — and it’s taking a toll on health care workers

Illinois State Rep. Introduces Bill Requiring Unvaccinated Residents to Pay For Their Own COVID Care

16- and 17-year-olds are now eligible for a Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine booster

Maria Van Kerkhove interview: What we know about omicron so far – Exclusive: The World Health Organization’s technical lead on covid-19 says we will know how effective our vaccines are against omicron by Christmas

Fauci pushed back on Sen. Ron Johnson’s claims that he ‘overhyped’ the AIDS crisis and COVID-19

In Memoriam:

Bronski Beat founder Steve Bronski dies at 61

Bronski Beat co-founder ‘who changed lives’ dies

Steve Bronski, co-founder of pioneering gay band Bronski Beat, dies aged 61

Bob Dole dies at 98; anti-LGBTQ record is part of his legacy

Things I Wrote:

Nine Years Ago Today