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Welcome to the first Friday of March!

This week has not been too bad work wise. My husband hasn’t been feeling well all week. I don’t have anything as consistent as his symptoms but I’m a bit under the weather, too.

Anyway, it’s time for the 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 traitors and criminals, and five stories about sci fi award nominations. Plus some things I posted and two notable obituaries.

Stories of the Week:

Ukraine War Live Updates

‘Conquest doesn’t pay’: Economist Paul Krugman explains why imperialism will scar Russia’s economy

Activism Grows Nationwide In Response To School Book Bans

Much-Hyped D.C. Trucker Rally Turns Out to Be a Complete Joke

Russia inflames political war over gas prices, oil drilling

Stories of Interest to Queers and Our Allies:

Ukrainian LGBTQ activists fought & captured a group of Russian soldiers

Texas judge halts Republicans’ plans to investigate families of trans children for “child abuse” – Even Joe Biden is sick of Texas’ transphobia. His statement smacking down state Republicans is red hot

Student Organizer of Statewide Protest Against Florida ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill Suspended for Handing Out Pride Flags: Report

5 Steps Biden Administration Promises to Take to Protect Trans Kids

Good News From Texas: Historic Number of Out Candidates Win Primaries

This Week in Seditious Treason and Other Crimes:

Oath Keeper Joshua James Pleads GUILTY To Seditious Conspiracy – the right wing media has lost their "but no one has been charged with sedition" excuse when describing the January 6th insurrection.

Court Filing, At Last: J6 Panel Says Trump Conspired To ‘Defraud The United States’ – There is compelling evidence that puts Trump and his allies in grave danger of being prosecuted, George Conway explains

Teenage son takes stand at Jan. 6 trial of father – Jackson Reffitt describes reporting his dad, Guy Reffitt, to the FBI two weeks before the Capitol attack

BitConnect Founder Indicted in Global $2.4 Billion Cryptocurrency Scheme Surprise?

Tucker Carlson ‘Indistinguishable’ From Russian State Media, Ex-RT Host Argues

This Week in Science Fiction Nomination Time:

2022 Hugo Awards Nominations Close in Less Than Two Weeks

I’m a Hugo voter, and one of the areas of the ballot during nomination time that I always have trouble finding things to nominate is the "Best Related Work" category. Fan writer extraordinaire, Cora Buhlert, has decided to do something about that. She’s posting a series of reviews of non-fiction books about sci fi or sci fi creators that could be nominated:

Non-Fiction Spotlight: Robert E. Howard Changed My Life, edited by Jason M. Waltz

Non-Fiction Spotlight: The Complete Debarkle: Saga of a Culture War by Camestros Felapton

Non-Fiction Spotlight: Renegades and Rogues: The Life and Legacy of Robert E. Howard by Todd B. Vick

Non-Fiction Spotlight: True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee by Abraham Riesman

In Memoriam:

Sally Kellerman who played Dr Elizabeth Dehner in the very first Star Trek episode dies at 84

Henry Lincoln, last surviving writer of 1960s era Doctor Who dies

Things I Wrote:

Weekend Update: Really Big Galaxy

Sunday Update: It’s Not Inflation, It’s Corporate Greed

Picard Gazes into the Stars… and the Past and…