Welcome to the first Friday of September. September, the most blesséd month, when superior babies are born.

It’s been a week. Again.

It’s time for the Friday Five in which I bring you: two bonus categories, the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers are our allies, five stories about election stuff, plus an obituary.

This Week in Justice:

Ex-NYPD officer who assaulted D.C. officer on Jan. 6 gets record 10-year sentence – Thomas Webster, a retired New York City officer, was convicted of several felonies for attacking a Washington officer with a flagpole and tackling him to the ground on Jan. 6

Proud Boy sentenced to 4.5 years in prison in Jan. 6 case, still says election was stolen – The judge who sentenced Joshua Pruitt, a former Washington, D.C., bartender, called the Jan. 6 riot "a national disgrace."

This Week in The Former Guy:

Ex-Trump Aides Say He Probably Has More Sensitive Documents At Other Properties – Michael Cohen and John Bolton said they suspect Trump could have more classified documents stored in Bedminster, New Jersey, and elsewhere

The DOJ’s new filing punctures Trump’s greatest delusion – Trump thinks that ex-president’s are somehow a protected class under the law. The Justice Department disagrees

Stories of the Week:

Biden delivers prime-time speech on the "battle for the soul of the nation" in Philadelphia

Are lightning bugs disappearing from night skies? Dimming prospects face some fireflies

It Is Long Past Time To Give Up On Most Of The Right – The Fever Will Never Break

Attacks on the LGBTQ+ Community Amount to Stochastic Terrorism

Remember Al Gore? – 2000 vs. 2020 (and 2022)

Stories of Interest to Queers and Our Allies:

California may act as U.S. refuge for transgender youths – Legislation would provide legal refuge to parents from other states who risk having their trans children taken away or being prosecuted if they support their children’s access to gender-affirming care

Biden Administration Outlines Measures to End HIV by 2030 – The plan calls for an increase in testing, education, and access to PrEP at a time when those are endangered

‘A League of Their Own’ remake shows what it’s like to be Black and trans in the 1940s – Lea Robinson, a Black nonbinary and transgender actor, plays the role of a Black trans man known as Bertie Hart in the new Amazon series

Virginia Won’t Ban Books for Obscenity—for Now – “We have to keep working our way up the ladder,” said the Republican stage legislator who brought the case

New Super PAC To Target Anti-LGBTQ Candidates – Agenda PAC says their aim is to defeat candidates who oppose same-sex marriage and other rights for LGBTQ Americans

Elections and Related:

Ron DeSantis’ First Voter Fraud Bust Is Quickly Imploding – The governor’s own administration greenlighted the defendants’ voter registration applications. Now it has arrested them for voting

Michigan groups ask state court to put abortion rights measure on the Nov. ballot – The amendment — now in limbo — would insert permanent protections into the state’s constitution for abortion and other reproductive health services

‘Really?!’ Bewildered Sarah Palin implodes after losing congressional race to a Democrat

Florida GOP leader to quit after conviction in ‘ghost’ candidate scandal: report

"Corrupt as hell": Ginni Thomas effort to overturn Trump’s loss even more extensive than reported – It wasn’t just Arizona — messages show Thomas leaning on Wisconsin lawmakers to block Biden’s win

In Memoriam:

Mikhail Gorbachev, Soviet leader who helped end the Cold War, has died – Born in the village of Privolnoye, Gorbachev grew up a committed communist during World War II. He wound up winning a Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 for helping end the Cold War

Welcome to the fourth Friday of August.

It’s been a week.

It’s time for the Friday Five in which I bring you: two bonus categories, the top five stories of the week and five stories of interest to queers are our allies (plus a couple of things I wrote).

This Week in We’ve Been Telling You:

Daylight Savings Time Turns Us Into Terrible People by Making Us Exhausted, Study Finds

This Week in the Dreams:

Some Very Biased Thoughts about The Sandman on Netflix

Stories of the Week:

How a far-right, Christian cellphone company ‘took over’ four Texas school boards – Patriot Mobile markets itself as “America’s only Christian conservative wireless provider.” Now the Trump-aligned company is on a mission to win control of Texas school boards

Webb’s Jupiter Images Showcase Auroras, Hazes

‘The Future We Deserve’: This Florida Gen Z Candidate Thinks He Can Chart a New Path For the Youth

Oldest human relative walked upright 7 million years ago

[Study: Trump Tax Cuts Failed to Help Anybody But the Wealthy](Study: Trump Tax Cuts Failed to Help Anybody But the Wealthy) Big surprise…

Stories of Interest to Queers and Our Allies:

Texas church that performed unlicensed and homophobic version of ‘Hamilton’ forced to donate to LGBTQ causes

Judge blocks Utah’s transgender sports ban for being discriminatory – The injunction is the first victory for three families of trans children who sued the state

6 LGBTQ candidates won their Florida primaries. They all oppose the state’s “Don’t Say Gay” law – For these candidates, the law isn’t only a personal insult to their dignity and families, it also endangers queer kids across the country

Federal court rules that trans youth healthcare ban is a form of sex discrimination – Arkansas cannot enact its law banning gender-affirming healthcare for transgender youth

Former Marine Disarms Man Who Brought Grenade To Gay Bar

Things I Wrote:

Chuck is the artist, Chas is the writer

There are things worse than gatekeeping…

Welcome to the third Friday of August!

Weird week in many ways. Had a bit of an adventure in the middle of the week during my drive down and back from visiting my mom. The weather has continued to be hot, though we didn’t break one record some meterologists thought we might this week.

It’s time for the Friday Five in which I bring you: one bonus category, the top five stories of the week and five stories about traitors and other deplorables.

This Week in Song Parodies:

Stories of the Week:

World’s biggest mod site bans mods replacing Pride flags: ‘We don’t want to and won’t argue this with you’ – Following community drama around a Spider-Man mod, Nexusmods says enough is enough

Jim Crow, Science Fiction, and WorldCon

Yes, the Government Really Does Stash Billions of Pounds of Cheese in Missouri Caves

Researchers identify ancient bird behind giant eggs from Down Under

USPS reform act 2022: What the new overhaul law means for you

This Week in the Crooks, Traitors, and Other Deplorables:

Graham, Giuliani run from Georgia DA faster than Hawley during a Capitol riot

MAGA Crowd Already Decrying Now-Dead FBI Attempted Shooter As False Flag Crisis Actor

Arizona Republican secretary of state nominee kept ‘Treason Watch List’ and posted about stockpiling ammunition on Pinterest

No One Wants to Be Donald Trump’s Lawyer

Kansas Man Offers His House, Dips Into Retirement Savings to Fund Abortion Vote Recount

Welcome to the second Friday of August!

Many days this week the weather was cool in the morning and hot in the evening. We had one exciting afternoon with a surprise thunderstorm. And I’m focusing on the weather this week because I don’t want to talk about other things other than to repeat vehemently: fuck cancer.

It’s time for the Friday Five in which I bring you: two bonus categories about legends and dreams, the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about deplorables facing consequences, and some notable obituaries.

This Week in Legends:

Bill Russell’s No 6 jersey retired across NBA, in 1st for league – Bill Russell’s number 6 jersey is being retired across the National Basketball Association in the United States

This Week in the Dreams:

Netflix’s Sandman has achieved the impossible – Don’t give up on your dreams, kids!

Comics: 3 Reasons The Sandman is one of the best comic books ever

Stories of the Week:

Colbert Says FBI’s Trump Raid Is Like Christmas: ‘We All Got the Present We Wanted’ – Colbert also depicts librarians as Trump-hunting ninja on ”The Late Show“ “We still don’t why the raid happened, because we don’t yet know what was in the warrant. Think about that. We’re talking about the former president of the United States of America, the FBI raids his home, and all we can think is, ‘Hmmm, I wonder which of his crimes they’re investigating? ‘Cause he’s done so many, it’s hard.’”

‘There is no uprising’ for Trump after FBI search – MSNBC’S Lawrence O’Donnell explains why there was no uprising of the 5.6 million Florida Trump voters or the nation’s 74 million voters after Donald Trump’s home was searched by the FBI and why the media continues to distort the reaction of a tiny number of Trump’s followers

Yes, the Inflation Reduction Act Is a Big Effing Deal – While the bill that just survived the Senate is a whittled-down version of the Build Back Better Act, it still puts the Democratic party on a promising new path

Payrolls increased 528,000 in July, much better than expected in a sign of strength for jobs market

U.S. gasoline prices fall below $4 for first time since March

Stories of Interest to Queers and Our Allies:

Hero baker comes to the rescue after lesbian couple denied wedding cake by homophobe – A baker in New York has come to the rescue after a lesbian couple was denied a wedding cake by a homophobic vendor

Trans equality wins in federal court as state Medicaid ordered to pay for gender affirming care – West Virginia’s Medicaid program has denied gender-affirming care for trans people since 2013. On Tuesday, a judge put an end to the discriminatory policy

Montreal Pride parade was suddenly canceled. That didn’t stop hundreds from marching in the streets – Everyone from the mayor on down was angry that it was canceled hours before it was supposed to start. That’s when it turned into a protest march

Homophobic conservatives are trying to wreck public libraries, but people are fighting back

Being gay is not a disease, Vietnam tells its medical workers in bid to end anti-LGBTQ discrimination

This Week in the Deplorables Face Consequences:

Merrick Garland calls Trump’s bluff – After Trump allies demanded he reveal the warrant behind the search of Mar-a-Lago, the attorney general moved to do just that. And the former president agreed

Man Who Allegedly Attempted To Break Into Cincinnati FBI Building Dead After Standoff

Ex-Va. police officer gets more than 7 years for role in Jan. 6 riot – Sentence for former Rocky Mount officer Thomas Robertson matches highest punishment for a Capitol riot defendant so far

NYPD Fires Officer Over Working For “Known Felon” – Roger Stone NYPD cop pal Sal Greco fired by police commissioner, plans $25 million lawsuit

Report: FBI delivers subpoenas to several Pa. Republican lawmakers

In Memoriam:

Olivia Newton-John Dead: Hollywood Pays Tribute

Olivia Newton-John: Beloved Singer, Actress, & LGBTQ+ Icon Dies at 73

Olivia Newton-John Dead: Beloved Actress & Singer Dies at 73

Roger E. Mosley Dead: ‘Magnum, P.I.’ Actor Was 83

David McCullough, historian and film narrator, died at 89

Welcome to the fifth and final Friday of July!

The weather has been unpleasantly hot. And it’s a very humid hot. Nuff said.

It’s time for the Friday Five in which I bring you: two stories about an insult that backfired, two stories about the other epidemic, two stories about a previously reported death threat, the top five stories of the week, five election-related stories, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about haters, and four notable obituaries.

This Week in Making Lemonade Out of Douche-bag Comments:

Matt Gaetz body-shamed a queer teen. She used the publicity to raise $168K for abortion funds – Olivia Julianna, 19, parlayed the congressman’s attack into an opportunity to do some good

Teen Activist Won’t Stop Making Gaetz Pay For Abortions Across The U.S. That last update I saw, the fund was above 1 million…

This Week in the Other Infectious Disease Emergency:

Here’s Why We Should Stop Calling It ‘Monkeypox’

New HHS reg seeks non-discrimination in health care as monkeypox spreads

This Week Following Up on News About a Death Threat:

Man accused in threats to kill Rep. Pramila Jayapal charged

Jayapal blames Trump for violence after threats against her

Stories of the Week:

Jackie Robinson Museum opens in New York after 14 years of planning

The colloquial definition of a recession isn’t actually the correct one, no matter what the financial press or Fox News says

Two decades of Alzheimer’s research may be based on deliberate fraud that has cost millions of lives

Bioluminescent backlighting illuminates the complex visual signals of a social squid in the deep sea

Brooklyn Public Library Offers Free eCards to Teens Nationwide Facing Book Bans in Local Communities

Elections and Related:

She ran the Nevada Republican Party. She just endorsed Democrats for the next election

Judge: Wisconsin probe found ‘absolutely no’ election fraud – Liberal Group Awarded Legal Fees In WI Election Suit

The Forgotten Constitutional Weapon Against Voter Restrictions

Georgia GOP chair appears before Atlanta-area grand jury in election probe

Democrats are finally bringing the rage. More of this, please – Democrats participating in civil disobedience for abortion rights is a good thing

Stories of Interest to Queers and Our Allies:

Whoopi Goldberg destroys Jim Jones’ same-sex marriage argument

Bakery refuses to back down after receiving threats over family-friendly drag performance

LGBTQ people, keep voting against anyone who votes against you

Record-setting college athlete says coming out as gay was the best thing he did for his career – Kade McCall has excelled at the hammer throw at Kansas State. Since coming out, he feels completely free

Indiana Judge Allows Trans Girl to Rejoin Softball Team – The girl’s school had told her parents she couldn’t play on the team anymore after the passage of the state’s anti-trans sports bill

This Week in Liars, Homophobes, and Other Deplorables:

Former Covington Catholic Student Nick Sandmann Loses Defamation Lawsuits Against CBS, ABC, NYT, and Others

Twitter is letting anti-trans account Libs of TikTok target Pride events, including those that right-wing extremists disrupted

They Don’t Know Us. But They Hate Us.

Why did the GOP reject a bill to help veterans exposed to toxins? – If there’s a defense for Senate Republicans rejecting a bill to help sick veterans, after having already voted for a similar bill, it’s hiding well

QAnon Rioter Pleads Guilty To Felony, Faces 20 Years – Ohio Woman Pleads Guilty to Felony Charge for Actions in Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

In Memoriam:

Paul Sorvino Dead: ‘Goodfellas,’ Law & Order’ Actor Was 83

Tony Dow, Who Played Wally Cleaver on ‘Leave It to Beaver,’ Dies a Day After Erroneous Announcement

Doctor Who’s Bernard Cribbins Dead at 93

David Warner Dead: ‘Titanic,’ ‘Time Bandits,’ And ‘The Omen’ Star Was 80

Welcome to the fourth Friday of July!

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 haters, five stories about traitors, and two notable obituaries.

Stories of the Week:

While All Eyes Were on Covid, HIV Researchers Were Making Progress on “The Holy Grail of Vaccines”

US recovers more than half a million dollars in ransom payments to North Korea

‘Normal Family’ author Chrysta Bilton has a sperm donor dad and 35 siblings

Wild Bison Now Roam the UK for First Time in Thousands of Years

Guard Rails Around the Bottomless Pit – The Villain, Considered as Safety Tool

Stories of Interest to Queers and Our Allies:

This little-known “unabashedly gay” doo-wop duo ran the ’50s club circuit

Penguin Random House erects billboards displaying work from LGBTQ+ writers in response to recent book bans

My Daughter Is Trans. I’m Done Debating Whether She Has a Right to Exist

Gender-Affirming Care Improves Mental Health—and May Save Lives

House passes marriage equality for same-sex couples bill. 157 Republicans voted against it

This Week in Homophobia and Transphobia:

White supremacists destroyed a Pride mural. The video they made got them arrested

2022 is already a record year for state bills seeking to curtail LGBTQ rights, ACLU data shows

Why Republicans support abortion bans with no exception for rape, incest, or health of the mother

What’s Happening With The Vinton Public Library

Anti-LGBTQ Alabama pastor sentenced to 10 years in prison for molesting boys – “He will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.”

This Week in Liars, Deplorables, and Seditious Traitors:

There is a gap in the evidence we’ve seen against Trump. We have to rely on the DOJ to fill it

Stephen Colbert Spots Exact Moment Steve Bannon Spilled The Beans On Trump

National Archives demands Secret Service probe into ‘erased’ text messages

DHS inspector general meets with House select committee regarding Secret Service erasing text messages from January 6

Trump Is Going Down and He Is Taking Evangelicals with Him

In Memoriam:

Eric Flint (1947-2022)

Herbert W. Franke Dead: Pioneering Digital Artist and Science Fiction Author Dies at 95

And here we are at the third Friday of July!

When I mentioned how difficult a time I was having trying to sift through the stories I thought important this week to get into a few categories, a friend commented, "I’m constantly amazed that you haven’t had a ‘The Friday Five – The World is a Chaotic Fucking Mess, and the 5 by 5’s is now 3125’" and I decided at least part of that could be this week’s title. Anyway…

Anyway, it’s time for the Friday Five in which I bring you: two stories about a rightwingnut making death threats, two stories about how both-sidism enables the badguys, two stories about consequences, the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about haters, five stories about deplorables of many kinds, and two notable obituaries.

This Week in Death Threats:

‘I’m Going to Kill You’: Congresswoman Jayapal Targeted in Alleged Hate Crime – "The right-wingers crying over protesters often won’t talk about their deranged supporters threatening to kill lawmakers with an ounce of care or concern," said Rep. Ilhan Omar in response to the attack on her colleague

Man accused of threatening to kill Rep. Jayapal released after prosecutors fail to file charges in time

This Week in Neutrality Enables the Baddies:

Social media networks fail to protect LGBTQ users

There’s a Strong Chance a Conservative Will Try to Kill Me Because of My Writing – In America, you’re not even allowed to acknowledge the Civil War was an act of treason

This Week in Just Desserts:

ABBA used to drown out anti-LGBTQ+ ‘bigots’ in ‘Nazi regalia’ protesting drag brunch

There Is No Constitutional Right to Eat Dinner – Claims that Justice Brett Kavanaugh had his rights violated by protesters outside a D.C. restaurant fail on originalist grounds

Stories of the Week:

‘Extinct’ Tree Is Still Alive in a Texas Park—but Barely

Far out: NASA space telescope’s 1st cosmic view goes deep

How the January 6 committee has already succeeded

Abortion Rights Supporters Are in Step With the Mainstream – Taking shots at the Democratic Party regulars who do the work is very unhelpful

Walgreens Clerk Refuses To Sell Condoms To Whore Of Babylon – Just kidding, she was a nice married lady on vacation with her husband. Not that there’s anything wrong with being a whore of Babylon!

Stories of Interest to Queers and Our Allies:

Summer of love: LGBTQ people across sports tie the knot and get engaged – People across sports, and the Outsports community, are expressing their love this summer

14 LGBTQ+ Pride Celebrations Held in Rural or Small-Town America

Most Texas, Florida voters say transgender youth should have access to gender-affirming care

Lynda Carter on Supporting Trans Community, New Music and Why ‘Wonder Woman’ is a Queer Icon

DC drag queens sprang into action as soon as abortion was overturned & they’re making a difference – The Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v Wade set off a flurry of political organizing in the LGBTQ community. LGBTQ elders are bracing for a protracted battle while gender-nonconforming queers lead the fight

This Week in Homophobia and Transphobia:

Florida school axes anti-LGBTQ bullying prevention measure because of Don’t Say Gay law – The Don’t Say Gay law says education about sexual orientation has to be "age appropriate." This school is worried that an anti-bullying video could get them sued

Man sues library board over LGBTQ & antiracism books. He has the nuttiest argument possible – He hasn’t even read the 50 books he wants banned, but he’s sure that reading Allison Bechdel’s books is the same as having sex in front of kids

Canadian LGBTQ+ youth centre attacked by extremist Libs of Tik-Tok – The hateful messaging targeting the LGBTQ+ youth centre includes death threats and other violent comments on social media

Conservative Texas Lawyer Targets PrEP Access After Abortion Rights

Republicans have ‘plans’ for the LGBTQ – especially the transgender – community if they take over Congress

This Week in Liars, Deplorables, and Seditious Traitors:

Conservatives Called an Ohio Rape Case Fake News. Now an Arrest Has Been Made – Right-wing commentators and politicians cast doubt on a report that a 10-year-old girl who traveled to get an abortion was raped. Law enforcement says the alleged perpetrator has confessed … and it gets worse: Conservatives Respond to Child Rape Arrest by Vilifying the Doctors Who Cared For Her – Todd Rokita, Indiana’s Republican attorney general, is trying to smear a doctor for not reporting an abortion given to a 10-year-old who was raped. The doctor did, however, report it

Arrest sought of Colorado clerk in voting tampering case – Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters and her chief deputy are being prosecuted for allegedly allowing a copy of a hard drive to be made during an update of election equipment in May 2021

Secret Service erased text messages from January 5 and 6, 2021 — after oversight officials asked for them, watchdog says

Former US Attorney Says ‘Strong Case’ That ‘Trump Committed 5 Counts of Manslaughter’

Judge orders Sen. Lindsey Graham to testify for special grand jury in Trump election probe

In Memoriam:

R.I.P. Monty Norman, songwriter behind the James Bond theme

Larry Storch of TV’s ‘F Troop’ dies at 99

And here we are at the second Friday of July!

In the post I published on Wednesday I commented upon the fact that I have been doing virtually no blogging for months other than Friday Five. And I plan to continue to publish the weekly Friday Five. But I have to admit that we are all living in what more and more appears to be the absolute worst timeline, and looking back on what categories have been appearing again and again in the Friday Five these last several months makes me feel as if all I’m doing is contributing to everyone else’s Doom Scrolling.

I know I can’t prevent Doom Scrolling. And I’m not going to try to limit myself only to feel-good stories (for various reasons that I ought to write a real blog post about). What I’m going to do this week, at least, is limit further the numer of links posted.

Anyway, it’s time for the Friday Five in which I bring you: the top five stories of the week, a link to the other post I made this week, and two notable obituary.

Stories of the Week:

This couldn’t happen anywhere: How coverage of the shooting failed Highland Park – Mass shootings are seemingly disparate, but almost all mass shooters are motivated by bigoted extremism that festers online

Meet Meraxes Giga, a Ferocious Dinosaur With Teeny Arms Like T. Rex

The Myth of ‘I’m Bad at Math’

Wonder Woman stands up for trans people in wake of Bette Midler’s & Macy Gray’s attacks

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs bill ending “walking while trans” law

In Memoriam:

The Godfather star James Caan dies aged 82

Joe Turkel Dead: The Shining Bartender, Tyrell in Blade Runner Was 94

Things I Wrote:

Midweek Update: Gullibility at its worst?