Welcome to the second Friday of May!

Our weather isn’t quite ready to become fully spring here. Given how bad the weather is many other places I suppose I should be grateful.

Anyway, it’s time for the Friday Five in which I bring you: two stories about the liars and traitors, the top five stories of the week, five stories about science fiction fantasy and related topics, and five stories of interest to queers and our allies. Plus some notable obituaries.

This Week in Grifters, Idiots, and Traitors:

Trump Wanted US To Retaliate Militarily Against China For Shooting Storms At America With "Hurricane Gun"

How the Jan. 6 panel broke through Trump allies’ stonewalling – High-level aides to the former president aren’t the only ones who can detail his network’s movements leading up to and during the Capitol attack.

Stories of the Week:

Meat Packers Manufactured Pandemic Meat ‘Crisis’ To Stay Open – At least 269 workers died.

OAN Finally Admits ‘No Widespread Voter Fraud’ by Georgia Election Workers After Settling Defamation Lawsuit – Georgia election workers were dragged through the mud on OAN by right-wing conspiracy theorists like Rudy Giuliani. Now the network is finally acknowledging there was no fraud

NASA Releases Ridiculously Sharp Webb Space Telescope Images

The music lives on – iPod touch will be available while supplies last

The Inarguable Logic of UNpacking the Court

This Week in Science Fiction and Fact:

The Sandman creator and star discuss bringing Morpheus to the screen

Random Roles: The Addams Family Star John Astin

Like Elizabeth Olsen, I Also Get ‘Feisty’ Defending Marvel

2022 Locus Awards Top Ten Finalists

Mars Is a Hellhole – Colonizing the red planet is a ridiculous way to help humanity.

Stories of Interest to Queers and Our Allies:

Opinion | How the New York Times Helped Keep People in the Closet – POLITICO

His mother tortured him for years. Child services found out he’s gay & let him be raped

Lil Nas X Wins Outstanding Music Artist at 2022 GLAAD Media Awards

The Pope says that God “doesn’t disown” LGBTQ people, but his Church certainly does This pope keeps trying to find ways to lie about what the church wants to do to queer people…

Joe Rogan claims teachers are telling straight kids they’ll “burn in hell” if they don’t turn gay

In Memoriam:

George Pérez, celebrated comic book artist who redefined Wonder Woman, has died

Patricia A. McKillip (1948-2022)