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We have reached the third Friday in December.

My week has been dominated by sniffles, coughing, a scratchy throat, and an on-again off-again low grade fever. At the advice of my doctor I got a COVID test this week. Still awaiting the result. My husband came down with the first symptoms about 3 days after I did. Keep your fingers crossed.

Anyway, it’s time for this week’s Friday Five in which I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about seditious traitors, and five stories about the pandemic. Plus notable obituaries.

Stories of the Week:

PolitiFact | The 2021 Lie of the Year: Lies about the Jan. 6 Capitol attack and its significance

Lessons from a year of reporting on climate solutions in the PNW

Oh, So Now The Mainstream Media Gets That Fox News Is Garbage?

Kentucky Workers’ Jobs Threatened If They Evacuated For Tornado – "Corporations will literally let you die to make a buck." Stay in the factory during a tornado or get fired? It’s time to unionize EVERYWHERE

Senator Warren Pushes SCOTUS Expansion: Four More Justices – It’s time to UNPACK the Court

Stories of Interest to Queers and Our Allies:

Carl Nassib designed rainbow cleats to support the LGBTQ community

Hormone therapy linked to lower suicide risk for trans youths, study finds

US LGBTQ+ population hits 20 million

11 ways LGBTQ rights improved around the world in 2021 – Though 2021 presented many challenges for the LGBTQ community, it was also a year of hope and progress

Jury Awards $4M to Trans Boy After School Denies Him Restroom Access

This Week in Seditious Traitors:

Mark Meadows should face charges for stonewalling Congress

Lauren Boebert’s Recent Joke: Contextualized for the Racist-Adjacent and Empathy Deficient

Dem Congressman Doesn’t Sugarcoat It: Jim Jordan Is A Traitor – No mincing of words by Ruben Gallego, a former Marine who is on the House Armed Services Committee

Delaware judge denies Fox’s motion to dismiss Dominion lawsuit

DOJ must move ‘full speed ahead’ with Jan. 6 criminal probe of Trump and his allies: Laurence Tribe

This Week in the Pandemic:

Google employees to lose pay if don’t comply with vaccination policy

Pfizer confirms COVID pill’s results, potency versus omicron

The NFL and NBA lead new Covid outbreaks in sports, spurring fines, restrictions, and delays

5 omicron variant symptoms you shouldn’t ignore

Fauci says omicron will soon become dominant Covid variant in U.S., urges people to get vaccines and boosters

In Memoriam:

Feminist author and poet bell hooks, known for ‘Aint I A Woman’ and ‘All About Love’, dies at 69

Remembering our sister-friend bell hooks – Heartbreaking doesn’t aptly depict the enormity of her passing

‘The world is a lesser place today without her.’ Acclaimed author bell hooks dies at 69

Michael Nesmith, Monkees Singer-Songwriter, Dead at 78

Michael Nesmith was more than a Monkee

Michael Nesmith, Monkee and pop innovator, has died

My Friend, My First LGBTQ Ally, Anne Rice, Has Died