It’s Friday! We’ve reached the second Friday in May, already!

I’ve been doing a better job of taking at least a few minutes at the end of each workday to practice playing the ukulele, but I am way behind on so many other goals I set for the year.

Meanwhile, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about the pandemic, five stories about the war criminal pretending to be president, five stories about deplorable people, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and some things I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

That Squiggle of the Design Process .

The ‘Credibility Bookcase’ Is the Quarantine’s Hottest Accessory – The bookcase has become the preferred background for applying a patina of authority to an amateurish video feed.

LeVar Burton still loves reading aloud. His storytelling might be what you need right now.

Scientists explain magnetic pole’s wanderings.

How Apple reinvented the cursor for iPad. The fascinating part of this story is the analysis of cursors and computer interface before you get to the iPad part.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Instead Of Canceling, This Couple Had A Socially Distant Drive-In Wedding – Not wanting the coronavirus to interfere with their plans, this Austin, Texas, pair took their ceremony to the drive-in movie theater.

Under Lockdown, Parents Are Discovering Their Children Are LGBT And Dumping Them On The Street – “They’re trapped in the house, cooped up, and haven’t got anyone to let their frustrations out on.”.

Transgender ‘Rock Star’ Is Maine High School’s Valedictorian.

Netflix & Amazon Prime join forces to clap back at homophobes on Twitter.

What gay men can teach us about surviving the coronavirus – Frequent HIV testing is a fact of life for gay people. And even without a cure, we have found ways to lower risk and ease anxiety.

This Week in the Pandemic:

How the Pandemic Is Affecting the Navajo Nation – A conversation about the challenges facing—and the resilience of—the largest reservation in the country, which has become a COVID-19 hotspot.

Young and middle-aged people, barely sick with covid-19, are dying of strokes – Doctors sound alarm about patients in their 30s and 40s left debilitated or dead. Some didn’t even know they were infected.

Don’t Wear a Mask for Yourself . “Models show that if 80 percent of people wear masks that are 60 percent effective, easily achievable with cloth, we can get to an effective R0 of less than one. That’s enough to halt the spread of the disease.”

More people in District dying outside of hospitals during pandemic.

Trump and Tyson should do more to protect meat plant workers.

This Week in the Deplorable Thug Occupying the White House:

Minutes after pledging to not lie, the new White House press secretary lied a whole bunch.

Government orders 100,000 new body bags as Trump minimizes death toll.

Reporter Threatened With Retaliation For Mask Tweet.

Don Lemon Taunts Trump: ‘What is it About Obama That Bothers You? That He’s Smarter, Didn’t Need Daddy’s Help, is Better Looking, That He ‘Punked’ You?

The Trump administration botched the coronavirus response in exactly the shocking way everyone expected.

This Week in Deplorables:

Armed groups in downtown Raleigh protest virus-related restrictions.

Court filings show the NRA is in shambles — and Wayne LaPierre hopes his lawyer can ‘keep him out of jail’.

Loveland CO anti-lockdown protester had pipe bombs, FBI said. Was plotting to blow up a hospital because he believe medical professionals are lying about the epidemic…

NJ Councilwoman Has Obscene Homophobic Meltdown on Coronavirus Conference Call, Calls Gay Mayor a ‘Bitch-ass’ ‘Pedophile’ MF, Accuses Fellow Official of Sex Act.

Activist claims disturbing video depicts ‘modern day lynching’ of black jogger in Georgia — but suspects still not arrested.

In Memoriam:

King County Courthouse Screener Dies After Contracting the Coronavirus.

Things I wrote:

May the Fourth….

Midweek Update 5/6/2020: It’s not peaceful protest when you bring heavily armed vigilantes.

Videos!

Seattle Abandoned: The Empty Streets of America. 4K Aerial:

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Trump’s Fox News Coronavirus Town Hall: A Closer Look:

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Coronavirus VI: Testing: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO):

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Annie Lennox: A Thousand Beautiful Things (The Tonight Show: At Home Edition):

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Into The Woods – No One Is Alone:

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It’s Friday! The first Friday in May.

Remembering what day it is shouldn’t be as difficult as it has become. Even though I check my calendar every morning, and if it’s work day review meetings and deadlines, it still feel like all the days are blended together.

Meanwhile, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about the pandemic, five stories about deplorable people, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and some things I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

Federal Appeals Court Declares Literacy a Constitutional Right.

This brilliant illustration shows how much public space we’ve surrendered to cars.

Sex doll sales soar with gay people and couples fuelling demand. I have some issues with this headline. Some couples are gay. Not all gay people are not in a couple. Who wrote this headline?

Pentagon declassifies Navy videos that purportedly show UFOs – The Navy videos have been leaked in recent years.

It’s Time for a Bluexit.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

The sheriff fired her because she’s a lesbian so she ran for his office. She demolished him – There will be a new sheriff in town soon.

Rep. David Cicilline: Pandemic Relief Must Include LGBTQ Protections.

Puerto Rico government sharply criticized over response to LGBTQ murders.

A group is threatening legal action & demanding payment for use of the bisexual pride flag. A few problems with this: the creator of the Bi Pride flag back in 1998 officially put the trademark in the public domain. You can’t copyright a color combination. There is no record of a copyright. One of the articles you find if you search in Google for the guy who created the flag is one published by this group several years ago where he explains about putting it in the public domain…

What will Pride mean this year? – There won’t be rainbow floats in the streets, but Pride will still happen — online.

This Week in the Pandemic:

Seattle’s Leaders Let Scientists Take the Lead. New York’s Did Not .

Health Care Workers Stand Up To Anti-Lockdown Protesters In North Carolina – “They’re putting me and my family at risk,” a health care worker said of the “ReOpen NC” rallygoers in Raleigh.

30 million have sought US jobless aid since virus hit.

How high will it go? As Covid-19 death toll in U.S. blows past 60,000, there are no easy answers.

‘A phantom plague’: Evangelicals who defied social distancing guidelines are dying of coronavirus in frightening numbers.

This Week in Deplorables:

David Letterman Lambastes Mike Pence for “Taunting” Virus Patients by Not Wearing Mask at Mayo Clinic – The former ‘Late Show’ host also revealed Paul Shaffer’s wife was hospitalized with COVID-19.

Federal Judge Issues Scathing Ruling Against Jill Stein’s Lawsuit To Decertify 4000 Pennsylvania Voting Machines. Among other things the judge noted: “she seeks to promote only herself.” Truer words were never said.

Fox News Cuts Ties With Diamond & Silk, Unofficial Trump ‘Advisers’ Who Spread Bonkers Coronavirus Claims.

Once again we see, Red America wouldn’t last a week without daily bailouts from blue states.

NYT On Hannity’s Retraction Demand: That’s A No.

In Memoriam:

Gene Dynarski, Actor on ‘Seinfeld’ and ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind,’ Dies at 86 – He also appeared on ‘Star Trek,’ ‘Batman’ and ‘The X-Files’ and ran a small theater in L.A.

Did the ‘Voices Carry’ Hunk Die of AIDS 29 Years Ago?

College HUNKS® Honors Ryan White’s AIDS Legacy on the 30-Year Anniversary of His Death with ‘Hope’ Sculpture by Bill Mack – Moving Franchise Displays Newly Discovered Rare Sculpture at World Headquarters.

Things I wrote:

Confessions of the child of rednecks, or, not all kids had access to the same resources.

Weekend Update 4/26/2020: Bleach Bum and Son of a Mitch.

I’ve already survived one plague… part 2.

Tuesday Tidbits 4/28/2020: Skipping pants is better than pants on fire, I suppose.

Watch the skies! — and keep your terminology correct.

Why I hate hay fever reason #6529 (plus reason 3786 & 3113 & 2488 & 2149 & 1364, and don’t forget #47).

Videos!

Trump Ignored Coronavirus Warnings; Pence Refused to Wear a Mask – A Closer Look:

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Jared Kushner Declares Trump’s Coronavirus Decision-Making “A Great Success Story”:

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Something Happening Here: Billy Porter Drops Cover of Stephen Stills and Buffalo Springfield’s ‘For What It’s Worth’:

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Mask, Gloves, Soap, Scrubs (Official Video):

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Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski& Audra Mcdonald| Ladies Who lunch @Sondheim90concert:

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It’s already the fourth Friday in April!

It has started raining again, and the pollen count has gone down a bit. So I am a bit less miserable and the last couple of days haven’t been quite so anxiously playing the “are my symptoms extreme hay fever or have I finally caught the COVID-19 virus” game? Which, may I say, might qualify as the worst game in the history of games!

Meanwhile, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about the pandemic, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and some things I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

Poll: Don’t stop social distancing if coronavirus will spread – Only 10 percent of voters surveyed in a POLITICO/Morning Consult poll support ending social distancing to stimulate the economy.

Cecily Strong on Grieving a Loved One While Quarantined – I Don’t Know How to Tell This Story.

With humans shut in by the coronavirus, nature sees an opportunity.

Unemployment checks are being held up by a coding language almost nobody knows – States have been starved of modernization funding for years.

Archeology latest: Treasure trove of Assyrian kings discovered in ISIS excavated tunnels .

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

The law “subjects all female athletes to the possibility of invasive genital and genetic screenings,” an American Civil Liberties Union attorney said.

Americans Aren’t Polarized on LGBTQ Equality, Survey Finds.

Actor J. August Richards Comes Out as Gay.

School allowed anti-gay abuse of teen, lawsuit claims – The suit alleges that the bisexual teen’s Detroit-area school district did little after he was subjected to persistent bullying and abuse.

Coronavirus closed down colleges – now some LGBTQ students fear an abusive “war zone” at home.

This Week in the Pandemic:

The rightwing groups behind wave of protests against Covid-19 restrictions- Protesters in Michigan and other states claim to speak for ordinary citizens, but are also supported by street-fighting far-right group specifically: 3 Far-Right, Pro-Gun Brothers Behind Anti-Quarantine Protests in Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.

First US COVID Death Was Weeks Earlier Than Thought – Autopsy Reports Date First COVID-19 Bay Area Deaths to February.

More deaths, no benefit from malaria drug in VA virus study.

CDC director warns second wave of coronavirus is likely to be even more devastating.

Hospital delivers bodies to Philly medical examiner in the open back of a pickup truck. At Daring Fireball, where I found the link to this post, John Gruber noted: ” These aren’t bad people. No one wants to see dead bodies piled in the back of a pickup like bags of sand. This is the result of a system that is overwhelmed by the pandemic’s death toll.”

In Memoriam:

5-year-old daughter of two Detroit first responders dies from coronavirus.

Married Gay Couple Dies of Coronavirus Within Hours of Each Other, Leaving Live-in Mother to Deal with Grief Alone in Quarantine.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 4/18/2020: manbabies, misinformation, and racism.

Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it….

Talking to myself – it’s how some of us think, okay?

Tuesday Tidbits 4/21/2020: Discrediting, denying, and deceiving.

Invert the advice, see what happens?

The Stuff of Legend – loving sf/f and the illusion of logic.

Videos!

Meanwhile… The “I Need More Beer” Lady Rocks The Internet:

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Coronavirus IV: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO):

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Jimmy Kimmel’s Quarantine Monologue – Trump & Vegas Mayor Compete for Who’s Crazier:

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Lady Gaga – Stupid Love (Official Music Video):

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Orville Peck – Summertime (Acoustic):

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It’s the third Friday in April.

My hay fever symptoms have been bad all week. This causes the daily panic of my reminding myself that I’m checking my temperature regularly and checking my symptoms against the list from the CDC. It so happened that also this week I was rubbing oil into the wooden veranda furniture as I do every spring and winter to keep the wood safe from the elements. So during my lunch break today I carefully rubbed off all the excess oil from the previous couple of days of work with a dry cloth. Then in the evening I went out to turn on the grill for our first grilled dinner of the year, and I noticed the wooden table looked odd. Between noon and five so much pollen had gathered on the table, I could write in it with my finger. No wonder I had the worst sinus headache in months Thursday!

Meanwhile, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about the pandemic, five stories about the deplorable alleged president, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and some things I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

Dear right-wing protesters: your ‘liberty’ to swing your fist ends just where my nose begins.

That Time That Jerry Siegel Plundered the Funny Pages to Defeat Superman.

Florida panthers filmed fighting in the wild for the first time ever.

Detectives Recover Stolen Tsutakawa Memorial Gates.

The Oldest String Ever Found May Have Been Made By Neanderthals.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Gay men still unable to donate blood and plasma despite new FDA guidelines. Here’s why.

Prides are getting canceled, so now organizers are coming together for an online, global Pride – For the first time, Pride will come to every country on Earth on the same day as cities and countries band together to ensure LGBTQ people can celebrate despite the pandemic.

Franklin Graham claims he is not homophobic. The paper and video trail exposes him as a liar.

IMPLICATIONS OF COVID-19 FOR LGBTQ YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION.

Virginia Governor Signs Sweeping LGBTQ Protections into Law.

This Week in the Pandemic:

Massachusetts Joins New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Rhode Island’s Multi-State Council to Get People Back to Work and Restore the Economy.

Washington, Oregon and California to coordinate reopening of West Coast economies after coronavirus is contained.

Coronavirus could attack immune system like HIV by targeting protective cells, warn scientists.

COVID-19 spurs reckoning in crowded homeless shelters.

Biden: People are dying while Trump is ‘having temper tantrums’.

This Week in the Deplorable Thug Occupying the White House:

Editorial: Trump is playing a disgusting political game with our lives.

‘Crime against humanity’: Trump condemned for WHO funding freeze.

White House snubs Azar, installs Trump loyalist Michael Caputo as HHS spokesperson.

Trump claims it’s his call on when to ‘reopen’ the country. He’s wrong – Only the states can give shutdown orders, and only the states can lift them, legal scholars say. Many governors agree.

‘Not Enough Political Viagra in the World’ to Save Trump in Wisconsin.

In Memoriam:

Brian Dennehy, ‘Tommy Boy’ and ‘First Blood’ Star, Dies at 81.

The classic Doctor Who series writer Pip Baker has died at the age of 91.

Prof. John Horton Conway, one of the most renowned mathematicians of the past century, dead from COVID-19.

Time Bandits, Return of the Jedi actor Malcolm Dixon dies at 66.

Witchfinder General star Hilary Heath dies of coronavirus complications.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 4/11/2020: We have to look out for each other.

Chocolate bunnies for everyone!

A giant bee-killing hornet!

Predicting is hard… but we should still try!

A round up of Hugo round-ups.

“I’m not a lady, I’m a witch” — or, more of why I love sf/f.

Videos!

Trump Blames WHO and Rushes to “Open Up America Again”: A Closer Look:

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Give Donald Trump A Radio Show And Maybe He’ll Stop Holding These Marathon Coronavirus Briefings:

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The big lesson from South Korea’s coronavirus response:

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Jay MaQ No Love ft. Macc:

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ALMA – Stay All Night (Day 16: Quarantine Video):

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It’s the second Friday in April. And if we weren’t in the middle of a global pandemic, I would be writing this post in a hotel room because tonight would have been the first day of NorWesCon.

I decided not to cancel my vacation days, particularly given how stressful the previous couple of weeks of work had been. So Thursday morning when my alarm went off, instead of hitting the snooze and deciding whether to get up or doze for a bit, I turned it off and slept almost until noon. Goofing off for a day is just what I needed. There’s some household chores we’ve been neglecting that I want to work on the next few days, as well as some art and writing projects. Not sure how much I’ll actually get to, though.

Meanwhile, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about the pandemic, five stories about deplorable people, five sci fi related stories, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and some things I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

What Everyone’s Getting Wrong About the Toilet Paper Shortage – It isn’t really about hoarding. And there isn’t an easy fix.

Here Are a Few of the Thirstiest Posts from the ‘Quarantine Pillow Challenge’.

Zoom Bugbears: What You Need to Know About the Latest Zoom Vulnerabilities, and: 10 free Zoom alternative apps for video chats.

Event Horizon Telescope: Black hole produces twisting jet.

Scientists Find 2 Mating Flies Trapped in Prehistoric Amber – The discovery was part of a haul of unusual fossils recovered from sites across Australia and New Zealand.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

DuckTales introduced gay dads as new characters & the web went quackers.

Children’s book author Jacqueline Wilson comes out at age 74 – She just announced her 111th children’s book, which is about a tomboy who falls in love with “the prettiest girl in class”.

Anthony Fauci calls out “extraordinary stigma” gays face while standing right in front of Mike Pence – Fauci praised LGBTQ people’s “strength and activism” during the HIV epidemic as Pence loomed over his left shoulder.

Rebecca “It’s Friday, Friday” Black comes out.

Astronaut Anne McClain’s estranged wife charged with lying about alleged ‘space crime’.

This Week in Science Fiction:

Hugo Awards 2020 Finalists.

Where To Find The 2020 Hugo Award Finalists For Free Online.

Doctor Who: Every Doctor’s TRUE Companion.

Imaginary Space Programs Are Always Better Than Reality (But Reality Is Pretty Amazing).

The Being Not Human Awards.

This Week in Deplorables:

Teen Arrested As “Zoom Bombing” Incidents Escalate.

The Far-Right Helped Create The World’s Most Powerful Facial Recognition Technology. One of the app’s associates was allegedly working on a product that could “be useful for mass deportations.”

Falwell Accuses NYT, ProPublica Of Criminal Trespass While Covering COVID. He went on conservative talk radio and said he’s gotten a local magistrate to issue arrest warrants. But turns out that it was just the Liberty U campus police…

FDA warns Alex Jones to stop telling his viewers to drink silver to fight coronavirus.

LOUISIANA PASTOR: If Parishioners Die After Contracting COVID-19 IT’S A SACRIFICE FOR GOD AND FREEDOM!!!.

This Week in COVID-19:

Coronavirus: low antibody levels raise questions about reinfection risk.

Stunning Poll: Those with ‘Conservative News Diet’ Like Fox News Twice as Uninformed on Coronavirus Deadliness.

Experts Think We’re Flattening The Coronavirus Curve, But Hospitalizations Haven’t Peaked Yet.

Tracking the virus: US death toll tops 16,000.

Coronavirus is disproportionately killing African Americans – Early data from the US coronavirus pandemic exposes how systemic racism and inequality put minority groups at risk.

In Memoriam:

Gay police officer who proposed to his fiance in December died suddenly of coronavirus – After the Pulse shooting, he would park his patrol car outside LGBTQ venues, saying “No one is going to mess with my friends.”.

James Bond actress Honor Blackman dies aged 94.

MAD Magazine artist Mort Drucker died April 8 at the age of 91.

Phyllis Lyon, Pioneering Lesbian Activist, Dies at 95.

John Prine, One of America’s Greatest Songwriters, Dead at 73 – Grammy-winning singer who combined literary genius with a common touch succumbs to coronavirus complications.

Funerals in the Age of the Coronavirus.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 4/4/2020: Lying liars, flip flopping, and one funny suggestion.

What to pick?

Why do American right-wingers hate trains?

Tuesday Tidbits 4/7/2020: Grifters gotta grift.

Line up your rockets! Or, we have the 2020 Hugo Award Finalists!

Confessions of an urban transplant—or, conflicts in perceptual frameworks.

Videos!

Old Gays Play It Safe During Coronavirus:

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Trump Wants Everyone to Forget He Ignored Repeated Coronavirus Warnings: A Closer Look:

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Sen. Bernie Sanders, Bowing Out Of The Race, Gently Breaks The News To Supporters:

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Brandi Carlile Pays Tribute To John Prine: “Hello In There”:

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“Truly Brave” (San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus Virtual Chorus):

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We’ve reached the first Friday in April.

I’ve started on Camp NaNoWriMo, but my word count so far is pathetic. On the other hand, at one point on Thursday evening I realized that it was like the umpteenth time that day that I had shared a whiny story related to my work (I’m working from home in an industry that is considered essential, whereas my husband was furloughed last week and we’re both trying to adjust to being housebound together more than ever before)… so I recognized the expression on his face as being less than thrilled at my topic of discussion. So I said, “I need to stop talking about work, or you’re going to either divorce me or strangle me.” And he responded with: “Oh, I won’t DIVORCE you…” Which made me observe: “I see strangling is still on the menu…”

He did not contradict my conclusion.

So… I put on my headphones, picked one of my more compelling playlists, and started working on this post while trying very hard to resist any urge I had to pause and talk to him.

Meanwhile, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about the pandemic, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and some things I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

Fox News purportedly bracing for “legal bloodbath” after peddling coronavirus misinformation. Couldn’t happen to more deserving people, business, or network…

Authors, Publishers Condemn The ‘National Emergency Library’ As ‘Piracy’. Let me correct this headline: “vMedia Fails to Recognize The ‘National Emergency Library’ As Piracy Until Called Out.”

A Neighborhood Celebrated A Teen’s Last Chemo Session With A Coronavirus-Appropriate Parade.

It is not ethical to pirate an author’s work without their permission.

Craving Canon Is Killing the Way We Talk About Movies and TV.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

‘We both rolled over in bed. Me: ‘I’m gay.’ Her: ‘I’m transgender.’ Silence. Now what? I’m married. HAPPILY married!’: Couple stays together despite realizing sexual preferences weren’t as they initially thought.

U.S. Eases Restrictions on Gay Men Donating Blood Amid Covid-19.

Gay Men Barred from Donating Potentially Lifesaving Blood Plasma to Critically Ill Coronavirus Patients.

Gay Man Tearfully Recalls Husband, First ER Doctor to Die from Coronavirus, in Gut-Wrenching Interview.

California’s Same-Sex Marriage Foes Press to Keep Trial Video Under Wraps. Hateful bigots know that when their arguments are shown to the public the public embraces our side…

This Week in COVID-19:

What We Know So Far About Possible Coronavirus Treatments Promoted by Trump.

AOC Blasted the “Shameful” Corporate Bailouts in the Senate’s Coronavirus Relief Bill.

Global condom shortage looms as coronavirus shuts down production – World’s biggest producer says lockdown has already caused shortfall of 100m condoms.

Trump’s coronavirus response is a failure by his own standards.

‘Religious liberty’ argument, once hindering LGBTQ rights, is now endangering COVID-19 prevention.

In Memoriam:

Their Mom Died Of The Coronavirus. They Had To Say Goodbye Via Walkie-Talkie – “She was a supermom, you know?”.

Terrence McNally, acclaimed gay playwright, dies at 81.

Terrence McNally, Tony award-winning playwright, dies of coronavirus complications.

Rage for Terrence McNally.

Things I wrote:

Star Trek: Picard wraps season one in a retro doozy.

Sunday Night Update: We need some good news.

“You’re going that way”.

Tuesday Tidbits: No joke, some people don’t understand….

No foolin’ — and let’s go to Camp!.

A little brain dead.

Videos!

Stephen Colbert Returns With A Message: America, You Got This:

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Trump Fights with Governors, Reporters Over Coronavirus Response: A Closer Look:

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Coronavirus III: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO):

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Trump’s “New Tone” On Coronavirus | The Daily Social Distancing Show:

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:Dua Lipa – Break My Heart (Official Video)

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We’ve reached the final Friday in March.

Now not only am I working from home every single day, but my husband is also home because he has been furloughed. Like literally millions of other people. It is slightly amusing to see him go from his usual cheapskate mode to a new Super Cheapskate! Have to find the humor where we can, I guess.

Meanwhile, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about the pandemic, five stories about deplorable people, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and some things I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

A Breathtaking 3 Million People Filed For Unemployment Last Week As Coronavirus Shutdowns Hit.

Topless Tongan is Hosting Fitness Classes on Olympics Instagram.

Giant Burmese python found on Australian woman’s porch.

Mammal study explains ‘why females live longer’.

Stop Hating on the Hoarders – These hogs are mostly harmless and they might even be doing us a public service.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

28 Oldest Gay Celebs (and Why We Still Love Them).

We Survived AIDS, We Can Survive This: Why You Should Listen to Your Gay Elders.

Library of Congress Inducts Village People’s Gay Disco Anthem ‘Y.M.C.A.’ Into National Recording Registry.

LGBTQ dance party goes digital amid coronavirus pandemic.

Teen Who Stabbed Grindr ‘Date’ 128 Times and Left Him to Die is Jailed for 24 Years to Life.

This Week in COVID-19:

What I Learned When My Husband Got Sick With Coronavirus.

AMA Denounces Doctors For Hoarding Malaria Drug.

Coronavirus and the Cocoanut Grove Effect .

Medical Worker: Seeing Terrifying Lung Failure Even in Young Patients Completely Changed My Perspective on COVID-19.

Coronavirus: Woman whose husband died from chloroquine says not to trust Trump .

This Week in Deplorables:

Virginia Pastor Who Said COVID-19 Was Anti-Trump “Mass Hysteria” Dies of Virus.

Man under investigation for plotting an attack at a hospital believed to be treating Covid-19 patients was killed during an FBI investigation.

It Took A CNN Interview And A Twitter Fight For IL Gov TO Get Mask, Ventilators From Trump.

Trump’s Bible study teacher says coronavirus was caused by gays & environmentalists.

Richard Burr’s troubles are not going away. So why isn’t he?

In Memoriam:

‘Desperately Seeking Susan’ star Mark Blum dead from coronavirus at 69.

The Beloved Kenny Rogers Runs Out of Aces.

Bill Rieflin Dead – Nine Inch Nails & R.E.M. Drummer Dies at 59.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update: talk about insider trading and disaster profiteering.

Sunday Silliness: A couple of takes on the Quarantini.

“Et in Arcadia ego” finds Jean-Luc’s motley crew confronting mortality while wrestling moral dilemmas.

This post contains nothing momentous nor newsworthy.

I’ve already survived one plague where people said the victims weren’t worth saving… and now?

Thursday Tidbits: Reading about angry people while social distancing.

Italian coronavirus patient shares experience: ‘I wore a breathing helmet for six days’:

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SOCIAL DISTANCE – A Randy Rainbow Song Parody:

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Niall Horan – Put A Little Love On Me (Official):

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Come Rain Or Come Shine:

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Colorado Symphony’s Digital Ode to Joy:

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We’ve reached the third Friday in March and also the official beginning of spring (in the northern hemisphere).

More of the world is working from home this week. My husband’s place of work has cut down on hours, so he’s not having to leave the house as many days each week. That has a marginal decrease on my anxiety, and for now we’re trying really hard not to worry about economics.

Meanwhile, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five (pandemic-free) stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about responding to the pandemic, five stories about the pandemic, one story in a category of its own, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and some things I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

The Cold Crowdfunding Campaign: Save the Girl and Save Me From Having to Toss Her Out of the Airlock. A superb parody…

Stop With the Superhero Babies! It Never Works.

Fossil ‘wonderchicken’ could be earliest known fowl.

How thin, delicate butterfly wings keep from overheating.

What scientists learned after firing a small cannonball into a near-Earth asteroid.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Inventor of the world wide web: the internet isn’t working for LGBTQ women.

‘Intertwined with the Trump Administration,’ Anti-LGBT Hate Groups Rose Sharply in 2019.

This Gay Historian’s Book Club for the Coronavirus Quarantine Could Help Save Us All.

Trans Judge Candidate Wins, Anti-LGBTQ Congressman Loses in Illinois.

A quarantined gay man played piano on his balcony for neighbors. Then someone brought out the sax.

This Week in Responding to a Crisis:

Grocery store workers in Minnesota classified as emergency workers.

Netflix urged to slow down streaming to stop the internet from breaking – Can the internet take all this extra bandwidth usage?

Trump signs major coronavirus relief package meant to ease burden of pandemic.

Idaho GOP ignores coronavirus in favor of requiring medical tests for transgender student athletes.

California Gov. Newsom issues order for entire state to stay at home due to coronavirus.

This Week in COVID-19:

The Impact of COVID-19 on Air Quality in US Cities.

Hixson man faces price-gouging investigation for attempt to profit from sanitizer sales amid coronavirus outbreak.

Warning: Turns Out Coronavirus Is Dangerous To Millennials, Too.

Italy’s coronavirus death toll overtakes China’s.

Throngs of travelers arriving back in the US are jam-packed in airports after Trump’s coronavirus travel ban.

This Week in Finally:

Tulsi Gabbard ends White House bid, endorses Biden. It’s not that I want everyone to rally ’round Biden already, it’s just that I really wanted her out: “She had also become the subject of widespread skepticism among national Democrats, often rebuked for her past anti-LGBT rhetoric, isolationist brand of diplomacy and 2017 meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad, whom she declined to label a war criminal despite the dictator’s use of chemical weapons to attack his own people.” There were only three candidates still in the running in last week’s mini-Tuesday… and still she came in sixth place. For good reason!

In Memoriam:

Actor Stuart Whitman Dead at 92.

Lyle Waggoner, Actor on ‘The Carol Burnett Show’ and ‘Wonder Woman,’ Dies at 84v- He auditioned for ‘Batman,’ posed as the first centerfold for ‘Playgirl’ and launched a successful business catering to Hollywood behind the scenes.

Things I wrote:

Sunday Update: Please stop hoarding!

Picard tries to start mending all the “Broken Pieces”— the new series takes a Lovecraftian turn.

Confessions of a (supposedly) Veteran Remote Worker.

Videos!

Coronavirus II: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO):

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Stephen Colbert: No Red States Or Blue States, Just 50 Anxious Pale States:

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ELM – Golden (Official Video):

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Sam Smith – To Die For (Acoustic):

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Lisa Loeb – Sing Out:

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We’ve reached the second Friday in March, and everyone is starting to learn about social distancing.

This is the second week that I (and my entire department) have been working from home at the direction of upper management. I am exceedingly lucky that my work can be done over the internet and that my employer is set up for that. It makes me feel extremely guilty that a lot of other people can’t. Including my husband. And I only have anxiety attacks about him (and many other friends and relatives) a dozen or so times a day.

Meanwhile, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about deplorable things and the people fighting them, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and some things I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

Why Are Women Less Likely Than Men To Support Sanders? Data that backs up what I’ve been saying for over three years: “It’s hard to pin down a single reason why men seem to be more attracted to Sanders’s candidacy than women… But there is evidence, according to an analysis by Dan Cassino, a political science professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University, that while support for Biden increases among voters with more sexist views, those with the most sexist views were disproportionately likely to favor Sanders. And sexism was higher, in general, among men.”

What Will You Do If You Start Coughing? – “Stay home” is not a sufficient plan.

Scientists Discover Smallest Dinosaur on Record – International team finds tiny, tooth-filled skull of a predatorial bird preserved in 99-million-year-old Burmese amber.

Why plastic is a deadly attraction for sea turtles.

Can I Get Coronavirus via Sex – All Your Horny Little Coronavirus Questions, Answered.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Psychologists’ Group Supports Trans Restroom Access, LGBTQ Parents.

Disney Boss Shuts Down Shareholder Claiming LGBTQ Content Is Hurting the Company.

Trans woman wins $50K after she was told she couldn’t live “around children”.

LGBTQ voters turned out in record numbers on Super Tuesday.

Pixar’s Onward ‘banned by four Middle East countries’ over gay reference.

This Week in Deplorables and People Fighting Them:

Baptist Church in Florida Hires Convicted Child Molester as Pastor.

Sex Before Marriage Is Now Legal in Virginia.

“There Are So Many Examples”: Kamala Harris Opened Up About How She Was Covered As A Black Candidate.

Trump’s Coronavirus Bungling Has Only Boosted Joe Biden’s Return-to-Normalcy Campaign.

“He’s Definitely Melting Down Over This”: Trump, Germaphobe in Chief, Struggles to Control the Covid-19 Story.

In Memoriam:

‘Boys in the Band’ Playwright Mart Crowley Dead at 84.

Mart Crowley Dies: The Trailblazing ‘Boys In The Band’ Playwright Was 84.

Max von Sydow, Star of ‘Seventh Seal’ and ‘Exorcist,’ Dies at 90.

Earl Kemp (1929-2020).

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 03/07/2020: Men with more money, hate, and self-loathing than sense.

“Nepenthe” predicts Picard will be up to his ass in Romulans for the rest of his life.

It’s another primary election day, or, confessions of a “perfect voter”.

Videos:

The Ingraham Angle Coronavirus Cold Open – SNL:

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Patrick Stewart Answers the Web’s Most Searched Questions | WIRED:

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Stargirl Teaser #2:

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Billie Eilish Live – bad guy – American Airlines Arena – Miami – 3/9/20 2020 – Where Do We Go Tour:

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Lose You To Love Me (Selena Gomez) Cover By Kelly Clarkson:

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We’ve reached the first Friday in March, and I wish I was feeling a bit more upbeat about it.

Not to focus too much on one news event, but it just so happens that I live in the same county where nearly all of the coronavirus deaths that have happened in the U.S. thus far have occurred. I worked from home the first couple of days of the week because I was having a few bad hay fever days, which means I was sniffling and sneezing and occasionally coughing. Since I have remained fever free all week, I do not believe that I am sick, however, right now nobody wants to be around anyone who is coughing or otherwise seems to be sick. Then, the county health department recommended that anyone who could work at home should, and my boss and her boss asked all of us to work from home for the rest of the week. Since then the state health department has made the same request, and the executives at my employer have asked us all to keep working from home for the foreseeable future. So I have not witnessed for myself much less crowded the buses and lots of public places downtown reportedly are. I do happen to be in an age bracket that is considered at higher risk for having severe symptoms if I do get sick, and I have one of the longterm health issues that is also on that list. And I come from a long line of Professional Worriers™, so while my usual optimism is still intact, there are moments.

Meanwhile, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about the possible pandemic, five stories about the deplorable thug occupying the White House, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and some things I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

The Heartbreaking True Story Behind Pixar’s Onward – A lost father. A found tape. A voice a filmmaker thought he would never hear.

U.S. strikes Taliban a day after Trump hails their Afghan accord.

Coronavirus: Australian newspaper prints extra pages to help out in toilet paper shortage.

Doctors try 1st CRISPR editing in the body for blindness.

‘Bold’ thief uses fishing rod to hook Versace necklace off Melbourne mannequin.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Police Finally Re-Arrest Suspect Accused of Fatally Stabbing Chicago Man After Yelling Gay Slur.

Queer Mormons say they’ve been put in danger by ‘cruel’ university as it U-turns on homosexuality policy.

LGBTQ Candidates Win Big In Super Tuesday Contests Across U.S. – Advocates cited Pete Buttigieg’s presidential bid with inspiring other LGBTQ people to run for office.

Congresswoman AOC condemns using ‘religious liberty’ to justify anti-LGBTQ discrimination in fiery speech.

Why Republicans are suddenly in a rush to regulate every trans kid’s puberty – Proposals in eight states would ban puberty blockers and hormones for trans minors.

This Week in COVID-19:

UW Medicine now testing for coronavirus at Seattle laboratory – UW Medicine and the Washington State Public Health Laboratory in Shoreline are currently the only two locations in Washington state that can test for COVID-19.

Tech companies are getting more aggressive to fight COVID-19 hoaxes – And it’s about time.

Rick Santelli Wishes Everyone Could Get COVID-19 At Once To Stabilize Financial Markets – CNBC’s Rick Santelli just took “die and die quickly” to new heights.

Tito’s Vodka is warning consumers that it can’t be used as a hand sanitizer replacement as the coronavirus spreads across the US.

Senate approves $8.3 billion total coronavirus response package.

This Week in the Deplorable Thug Occupying the White House:

Markets plunge as critics say Trump’s desperate efforts to calm the panic have backfired.

Trump insists Taliban wants to ‘make a deal’ after surge in violence in Afghanistan.

Ben Carson Replaced Health Secretary Azar At Wednesday’s Coronavirus Briefing.

Bloomberg to form new group to help Democratic nominee defeat Trump.

Utah’s coronavirus response team accuses Trump of spreading misinformation. I think the word you’re looking for isn’t “accuses” but rather “points out” …

In Memoriam:

Freeman Dyson, Math Genius Turned Visionary Technologist, Dies at 96.

Rosalind P. Walter, the First ‘Rosie the Riveter,’ Is Dead at 95.

David Wise, writer of Emmy-winning Star Trek: The Animated Series episode, has died.

Comics artist Frank McLaughlin Dies at Age 84.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 02/29/2020: the Graveyard of Empires.

A Surfeit of Ex-Borgs: Jean-Luc Picard beams into the “Impossible Box”.

Tuesday Tidbits: Not the good kind of viral.

Drip, drip, drip— or, Showing up matters.

Videos!

Elizabeth Warren announces she is ending her presidential campaign:

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Trump Calls Criticism of His Coronavirus Response a “Hoax” as Concerns Grow: A Closer Look:

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Learn To Wash Your Hands The Right Way with Samantha Bee | Full Frontal on TBS:

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CONNECTED – Official Trailer (HD):

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ANY DEM WILL DO! – A Randy Rainbow Song Parody:

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