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

The air quality remained moderately bad until we finally got some light rain this week. There are some days in the 10-day that leave me thinking we should wait another week before putting away the two roll-out a/c units.

Let’s move on to the Friday Five in which I bring you: a story that desperately needing its headline fixed, the top five stories of the week, five stories about climate troubles, five stories about traitors & liars, and five stories about haters (plus one thing I wrote and notable obituary).

This Week in Fixing the Headline for You:

Book Thieves Lose, Authors Win in New Amazon Ebook Policy Change – Amazon will accept your ebook return, but only if you haven’t read more than 10% of the book

Stories of the Week:

‘Doesn’t Get to Tell the County What They Can Read’: Lawmaker Blasts Christian in Viral Video Attacking LGBTQ Library Books

Ancient fish fossils highlight the strangeness of our vertebrate ancestors – Nearly 440-million-year-old finds from China are of some of the first vertebrates with jaws

NASA crashes DART spacecraft into asteroid in world’s 1st planetary defense test

The Jetsons, now 60 years old, is iconic. That’s a problem

President Biden surprised Elton John with the National Humanities Medal

This Week in Climate Crisis:

Ian Again A Hurricane And Heading For South Carolina

“Hurricane Maria Never Finished Leaving Us”: The Aftermath of Fiona in a Puerto Rican Town

Pakistan floods: Children face a new disaster — diarrhea, dengue and other waterborne diseases

Typhoon Merbok spotlights Alaska’s need for science and climate-resilient infrastructure

Typhoon Noru slams Vietnam after unleashing severe flooding in the Philippines

This week in Traitors, Liars, and Thieves:

Ginni Thomas tells Jan. 6 panel she still believes false election fraud claims, chair says

Kevin McCarthy’s House GOP Agenda Rollout Goes Disastrously Off The Rails

GOP Poll Worker Charged With 2 Felonies For Tampering With Voter Equipment – A Republican, eh? How unsurprising

Trump’s Paid Speech And Tour Organizer Can’t Pay Its Bills

Capitol rioter, a ‘one man wrecking ball,’ gets 7-year term

This Week in Homophobes and Other Haters:

Bisexuality not covered by federal employment law lawsuit claims

Conservatives go full racist after Lizzo plays a crystal flute – "Lizzo playing James Madison’s flute was a form of racial retribution," one conservative pundit wrote. Liberals mocked them on Twitter

Drag Performer Sues Right-Wing Blogger Over Indecent Exposure Claims – Eric Posey, who performs as Mona Liza Million, says Summer Bushnell defamed him with a false accusation of indecent exposure at an Idaho Pride event

Doxxed Doctors, Library Bomb Threats, and Attacks on Pride Centers: A Week in Escalating Anti-LGBTQ Violence – Amid a rising right-wing tide of threats, recent incidents have sadly not been out of the norm

LGBTQ Italians on alert as right-wing alliance triumphs in election – Nationalist leader Giorgia Meloni, who is set to become Italy’s first female premier, has denounced what she calls “gender ideology” and “the LGBT lobby."

In Memoriam:

Maximilian Lerner, Whose Espionage Skills Helped Win a War, Dies at 98

Things I Wrote:

Quick birthday thought from an old gay guy

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

Not long after last week’s Friday Five posted, the air quality in my region starting going bad. There are wildfires around, some just on the other end of the county I live in, and all that smoke and particulate matter made breathing a bit unpleasant for a few days. So I wasn’t surprised that I had a sinus headache and cough last weekend. There were some other symptoms not obviously related, but I attributed most of it to the air quality. As the air cleared up, my symptoms started letting up. But then my husband started experiencing the same symptoms as I had. So now I’m wondering if I didn’t manage to catch something last week that was unrelated to the air quality. Joy!

We’ll keep you posted.

Let’s move on to 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 reacting to bad folks, five stories about toxic fance, and five stories about crooks and traitor (plus a notable obituary).

Stories of the Week:

Idaho Far Right’s Election Loss to 18-Year-Old Climate Activist

The mystery of why some people don’t catch COVID – Scientists think they might hold the key to helping protect us all

Scholar who saw all this coming: Americans "do not really understand liberal democracy"

These Incredibly Clever Tweets Prove How Complicated The Queen’s Death Was For Some Of Us

U.S. Inflation Falls For 2nd Straight Month On Lower Gas Costs

Stories of Interest to Queers and Our Allies:

Two-Thirds of Swing State Voters Support Marriage Equality – The findings come from the Human Rights Campaign as the Respect for Marriage Act awaits debate in the U.S. Senate

Florida city condemns school district for refusing to recognize LGBTQ History Month – The Miami-Dade School Board voted 8-1 against recognizing October as LGBTQ History Month. The "Don’t Say Gay" law is to blame

LibsofTikTok targeted a school district’s Pride mural project, with little success – Chaya Raichik called on her army of haters to swamp a California school district’s LGBTQ art project. It didn’t go so well

Montana judge blocks anti-transgender birth certificate rule – Conservative lawmakers in numerous states have sought to restrict transgender rights

Boston Marathon to feature nonbinary category next year – For nonbinary athletes, the qualifying standards will initially be the same as those in the women’s field, the Boston Athletic Association said

This Week in Reacting to Bad Guys:

Elena Kagan: Judges Create Their Own ‘Legitimacy Problems’

GOP senators led by Graham slam Trump Jan. 6 pardon promise

Hardee’s mocks Mike Lindell after he claimed the FBI took his phone at one of its Minnesota locations

Ocasio-Cortez blasts GOP lawmaker’s treatment of witness: ‘I’m trying to give you the floor, boo’

Mueller Investigator on Possible Trump Second Term: ‘I Don’t Have Enough Alcohol in My Apartment to Deal with That’

This Week in Toxic Fans:

Racists Are Worried About the Historical Accuracy of Mermaids – Apparently they can’t handle Halle Bailey singing "Part of Your World" in the new ‘Little Mermaid’ trailer

‘The Little Mermaid’ Was Originally a Metaphor for Unrequited Gay Love

Fear of a Black Hobbit – The demand to keep politics out of art is too often a demand for art to conform to conservative politics And I have some quibbles with this excerpt, but it makes some good point: "prominent genre brands like Star Wars, or Marvel, or Lord of the Rings also have the difficult task of creating content for children while still satisfying their middle-aged stalwarts, whose nostalgia is ultimately insatiable because they cannot look upon novel material with the same emotional intensity they felt as children. Many older fans are convinced they can’t recapture that intensity only because the producers themselves have failed to create stories of the same fundamental quality, when in reality they have simply outgrown the sentiment they are chasing. These campaigns seek to convince this audience that the feeling they are pursuing can be recaptured, if only those making popular art would reject modern progressive dogma—thus creating a well of cultural resentment they can manipulate for political purposes."

‘The Boys’ To ‘The Rings Of Power:’ Everyone Is Tired Of Toxic Fans

The Sandman creator Neil Gaiman ruthlessly hits back at troll’s ‘woke’ moaning

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

Republican county election commissioner is arrested and charged by the FBI

‘List of Political Grievances’: Judge Delivers Damning Rebuke as He Tosses Trump RICO-Like Lawsuit Against Clinton

Donald Trump’s Lawyers Reveal That Merrick Garland’s Justice Department Has Backed Them Into a Legal Corner

Trump-appointed judge convicts three Jan. 6 defendants but acquits two of them on obstruction charge

Oath Keepers want to suppress evidence of Zello chat host ordering arrests of ‘treasonous’ congressmembers

In Memoriam:

Fred Franzia, Two Buck Chuck Creator, Dies

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

It has been a weird week. The large volcano that can be seen from when the weather is particularly clear has started venting. If it goes we’re all going to die. That isn’t really an exaggeration. And the night before last we had a small earthquake from one of the many, many, many fault lines around here. It woke me up, but I didn’t realize it was an earthquake. My husband slept through it.

Because for so many, many, many, many months the nes has been so full of crazy and horrifying news, I decided to mix things up a bit this time. So this week I bring you: Five stories that have nothing alarming at all, five stories about science fiction and fact, five more typical stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers & our allies, and five stories about traitors. Plus a bunch of notable obituaries.

This Week in Interesting and Not Alarming:

FDA Finalizes Historic Rule Enabling Access to Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids for Millions of Americans

COVID tax relief: IRS provides broad-based penalty relief for certain 2019 and 2020 returns due to the pandemic; $1.2 billion in penalties being refunded to 1.6 million taxpayers

New Raspberry Rally Girl Scout Cookie Joins Nationwide Lineup for 2023 Season

Barack and Michelle Obama make first joint return to the White House for unveiling of official portraits

The Cartoon Mystery That Stumped the Internet

This Week in Science Fact and Fiction:

Here Are the Winners of the 2022 Hugo Awards

Beloved sci-fi bookstore, established in ’70s, reopens after burning down during unrest

You’ve Been Thinking of Australian Mammals All Wrong

In Ethiopia, scientists identify a fossil otter the size of a lion

Fascinating video demonstrates that none of us has any idea what a continent actually is

Stories of the Week:

Another dam(n) extinction: Another rare plant destroyed by a hydroelectric dam

Reionization of the Universe occurred 1.1 billion years after the Big Bang

Search for missing Native artifacts led to the discovery of bodies stored in ‘the most inhumane way possible’

Mystery of woman who went to ER and vanished 32 years ago solved – Myrtle Brown went to a hospital in Brooklyn in 1990 and was never heard from again. Her family was finally able to hold a virtual memorial for her

Neil Gaiman Slaps Back At Elon Musk For Criticizing Amazon’s ‘Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power’ — Update

Stories of Interest to Queers and Our Allies:

‘Casa Susanna’ Review: A Lost Chapter of Queer History Comes to Life

Country star raises over $100,000 for trans youth after denouncing influencer’s transphobia – Country musician Maren Morris is totally our hero of the day

Trans Floridians sue to block Medicaid rule excluding gender-affirming care – Human rights groups are suing Florida on behalf of four Medicaid beneficiaries who have been denied coverage of their gender-affirming medical care under a new state rule

Lil Nas X voguing to Beyoncé on tour is giving the internet life

Former dean of Christian boarding school charged with abducting teen Important note: the only reason any criminal charges were brought is because the mother of the teen — who hired this anti-gay a-holes to kidnap her child and torture them to try to make them straight — didn’t have legal custody. Nightmares like this happen to hundreds of kids every year with no consequences to the adults because the parents initiated it…

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

When, Where and For What Mar-a-Lago Crimes Should Garland Indict Trump?

We’ve reached the endgame of Trump’s imperial presidency – The Washington Post’s report about nuclear secrets at Mar-a-Lago further exposes Trump’s attempts to wield presidential power after losing in 2020

Trump’s Lawyers Might Think They Just Won. They Still Botched the Case – Trump’s incompetent attorneys turned an administrative matter into a possible criminal indictment. The appointment of a special master doesn’t change that

DOJ appeals decision to order special master to review evidence seized in Mar-a-Lago search and says it’s halted intelligence review

Steve Bannon pleads not guilty to NY state charges of money laundering, conspiracy and fraud related to border wall effort

In Memoriam:

Queen Elizabeth II has died

SETI Pioneer Frank Drake Leaves a Legacy of Searching for Voices in the Void

Award-Winning Underground Comics Writer/Artist Diane Noomin Dies at 75

Peter Straub Dead: Horror Novelist, Stephen King Collaborator Was 79

Anne Garrels, longtime foreign correspondent for NPR, has died at 71

CNN anchor Bernard Shaw dead at 82

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