• 

Washington Post’s flawed immigration coverage slammed as ‘pure hot garbage, beginning to end’.

Ninth Circuit Goes Back to English Law in the Middle Ages, Says Pre-U.S. Law in Hawaii Allows State’s Open Carry Restrictions.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Pantene doubles down on support for transgender youth after backlash to ad featuring LGBTQ family.

Poll: Majority of Republicans support same-sex marriage for the first time.

Arkansas legislature passes bill to allow EMTs & doctors refuse to treat LGBTQ people – The bill to allow health care providers to turn away patients due to their religious beliefs is headed to the Republican governor’s desk.

Small-Town Sandy, Oregon Hosts a Public Standoff Over LGBTQ Rights—and the Proud Boys Resurface.

Dr. Rachel Levine makes history, becomes first openly transgender person confirmed by Senate.

This Week in Haters and Deplorables:

Top Senate Republican says Americans don’t need ‘alternative versions’ of January 6 Capitol attack.

Colorado mass shooting witnesses describe terrifying moment gunman opened fire: “At that point, it was just run”.

Biden Calls For Assault Weapons Ban In Wake Of Shootings – “It was a law for the longest time, and it brought down these mass killings.” said the President.

Boulder Police Acted On Belief King Sooper Shooter Was White – Don’t be gaslit into thinking all of a sudden color doesn’t matter to police.

This Week in the Pandemic:

Global COVID-19 deaths up for first time in six weeks, WHO says.

Vaccine mystery: Why J&J’s shots aren’t reaching more arms – The single-shot vaccine was supposed to be the catalyst for the country’s return to normalcy. Instead, it’s sparking confusion and finger-pointing.

A rapid COVID-19 vaccine rollout backfired in some US states – Conspiracy theories, poor communication and undependable shipments slowed vaccination efforts.

De Blasio Urges N.Y. to Follow N.J. in Pausing Reopenings.

Covid cases are rising in 21 states as health officials warn against reopening too quickly.

In Memoriam:

Jessica Walter, ‘Arrested Development’ and ‘Archer’ Star, Dies at 80.

Things I wrote:

Bucky and Sam try to find their place in the “New World Order”.

Tuesday Tidbits 3/23/2021: Some useful info and a lot of WTF.

There is only coffee time and cocktail time.

Videos!

Biden Holds First Press Conference, Ted Cruz Refuses to Wear a Mask: A Closer Look: https://www.youtube.com/embed/3aIa9BBdm4c

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Kamala Harris’s Salute Scandal & Utah’s Porn Block | The Daily Social Distancing Show: https://www.youtube.com/embed/XxzCokceBMI

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Now’s Not The Time To Fix America’s Gun Problem, Says GOP In Familiar Refrain: https://www.youtube.com/embed/CAlMS4fG37w

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Dr. Anthony Fauci Loves Kate McKinnon’s SNL Impression of Him: https://www.youtube.com/embed/IXvqdITeXa4

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Good Omens: Lockdown (Yes, I this is a bit over 13 months old and I posted it back then, but it came around in my stream and made me laugh again): https://www.youtube.com/embed/quSXoj8Kob0

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

It’s hard to believe that it’s already the third Friday in March!

Still trying to get into the groove of things. One of the lavender plants on the deck is starting to show so buds. I need to get some spot colors for some of the other pots and planters.

Meanwhile, we have the <em>Friday Five</em>. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about haters and deplorables, five stories about the pandemic, and five videas (plus things I wrote and some notable obituaries).

<h4>Stories of the Week:</h4>

<a href=”https://www.king5.com/article/news/verify/verify-covid-19-or-allergies-how-to-tell-the-difference-between-symptoms-do-i-have-covid-or-allergies-flu-cold/65-77c8912f-576a-43ef-9088-eccaa26a54ab”>VERIFY: COVID-19 or allergies? How to tell the difference between symptoms – With springtime around the corner, people are starting to question whether coughs and sniffles are mere allergies, or something more scary</a>.

<a href=”https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/editorial-template-for-every-time-a-white-person-commits-an-atrocious-crime”>Editorial Template for Every Time a White Person Commits an Atrocious Crime</a>.

<a href=”https://crooksandliars.com/2021/03/why-can-t-irs-just-send-americans-refund”>Why Can’t The IRS Just Send Americans A Refund – Or A Bill? – Taxes should be a simple matter of paying through the year and reconciling at the end. There’s a reason they aren’t</a>.

<a href=”https://www.dailykos.com/story/2021/3/22/2022254/-Washington-Post-s-flawed-immigration-coverage-slammed-as-pure-hot-garbage-beginning-to-end”>Washington Post’s flawed immigration coverage slammed as ‘pure hot garbage, beginning to end'</a>.

<a href=”https://lawandcrime.com/second-amendment/ninth-circuit-goes-back-to-english-law-in-the-middle-ages-says-pre-u-s-law-in-hawaii-allows-states-open-carry-restrictions/?utm_source=mostpopular”>Ninth Circuit Goes Back to English Law in the Middle Ages, Says Pre-U.S. Law in Hawaii Allows State’s Open Carry Restrictions</a>.

<h4>This Week in News for Queers and Allies:</h4>

<a href=”https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/pantene-support-transgender-youth-after-backlash-171024373.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9yLnNlYXJjaC55YWhvby5jb20vX3lsdD1Bd3JYbkNiUHgxdGdMQjRBX2huUXRETUQ7X3lsdT1ZMjlzYndObmNURUVjRzl6QXpJRWRuUnBaQU1FYzJWakEzTnkvUlY9Mi9SRT0xNjE2NjU2NDYzL1JPPTEwL1JVPWh0dHBzJTNhJTJmJTJmd3d3LnlhaG9vLmNvbSUyZmxpZmVzdHlsZSUyZnBhbnRlbmUtc3VwcG9ydC10cmFuc2dlbmRlci15b3V0aC1hZnRlci1iYWNrbGFzaC0xNzEwMjQzNzMuaHRtbC9SSz0yL1JTPXJtZnZZeldmVDhaSndmbkNSRlJOVk1nQXFHVS0&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAKHVXM_NCkcobg-X7UlP0ss_dPn7FdX5_6sMMdZriEUhC_KIAs7TCPVPqTsfniLdCZ7yrnDBMUl2DfLt4tlLrke75OlKgL0KazLZ1I0BWZj_w2FgLRfYdgtTayfCJUlh_k_ARaZd5QhVW4CZZmj16hmIuvsSFStYskeoi0aG6pKj”>Pantene doubles down on support for transgender youth after backlash to ad featuring LGBTQ family</a>.

<a href=”https://thehill.com/homenews/news/544500-poll-majority-of-republicans-support-same-sex-marriage-for-the-first-time”>Poll: Majority of Republicans support same-sex marriage for the first time</a>.

<a href=”https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2021/03/arkansas-legislature-passes-bill-allow-emts-doctors-refuse-treat-lgbtq-people/”>Arkansas legislature passes bill to allow EMTs & doctors refuse to treat LGBTQ people – The bill to allow health care providers to turn away patients due to their religious beliefs is headed to the Republican governor’s desk</a>.

<a href=”https://www.wweek.com/news/2021/03/21/small-town-sandy-hosts-a-public-standoff-over-lgbtq-rights-and-the-proud-boys-resurface/”>Small-Town Sandy, Oregon Hosts a Public Standoff Over LGBTQ Rights—and the Proud Boys Resurface</a>.

<a href=”https://holybulliesandheadlessmonsters.blogspot.com/2021/03/dr-rachel-levine-makes-history-becomes.html”>Dr. Rachel Levine makes history, becomes first openly transgender person confirmed by Senate</a>.

<h4>This Week in Haters and Deplorables:</h4>

<a href=”https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/capitol-riot-investigation-plea-deals/2021/03/19/161221bc-88ca-11eb-8a8b-5cf82c3dffe4_story.html”>Justice Dept. prepares to engage in plea talks with many Capitol riot defendants</a>.

<a href=”https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/21/politics/roy-blunt-january-6-capitol-insurrection/index.html”>Top Senate Republican says Americans don’t need ‘alternative versions’ of January 6 Capitol attack</a>.

<a href=”https://www.cbsnews.com/news/boulder-shooting-witnesses-describe-king-sooper/”>Colorado mass shooting witnesses describe terrifying moment gunman opened fire: “At that point, it was just run”</a>.

<a href=”https://crooksandliars.com/2021/03/biden-calls-weapons-ban-wake-shootings”>Biden Calls For Assault Weapons Ban In Wake Of Shootings – “It was a law for the longest time, and it brought down these mass killings.” said the President</a>.

<a href=”https://sam.crooksandliars.com/2021/03/boulder-police-believed-king-sooper”>Boulder Police Acted On Belief King Sooper Shooter Was White – Don’t be gaslit into thinking all of a sudden color doesn’t matter to police</a>.

<h4>This Week in the Pandemic:</h4>

<a href=”https://thehill.com/homenews/news/544387-global-covid-19-deaths-up-for-first-time-in-6-weeks-who-says”>Global COVID-19 deaths up for first time in six weeks, WHO says</a>.

<a href=”https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/29/vaccine-mystery-why-j-js-shots-arent-reaching-more-arms-477292″>Vaccine mystery: Why J&J’s shots aren’t reaching more arms – The single-shot vaccine was supposed to be the catalyst for the country’s return to normalcy. Instead, it’s sparking confusion and finger-pointing</a>.

<a href=”https://www.foxnews.com/health/a-rapid-covid-19-vaccine-rollout-backfired-in-some-us-states”>A rapid COVID-19 vaccine rollout backfired in some US states – Conspiracy theories, poor communication and undependable shipments slowed vaccination efforts</a>.

<a href=”https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-22/n-j-will-pause-further-reopenings-as-covid-case-counts-rise”>De Blasio Urges N.Y. to Follow N.J. in Pausing Reopenings</a>.

<a href=”https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/20/covid-cases-are-rising-in-21-states-as-health-officials-warn-against-reopening-too-quickly.html”>Covid cases are rising in 21 states as health officials warn against reopening too quickly</a>.

<h4>In Memoriam:</h4>

<a href=”https:/<a href=”untitled%20text%205.html”>untitled text 5.html</a>/variety.com/2021/film/news/jessica-walter-dead-arrested-development-archer-1234938246/”>Jessica Walter, ‘Arrested Development’ and ‘Archer’ Star, Dies at 80</a>.

<h4>Things I wrote:</h4>

<a href=”https://fontfolly.net/2021/03/22/bucky-and-sam-try-to-find-their-place-in-the-new-world-order/”>Bucky and Sam try to find their place in the “New World Order”</a>.

<a href=”https://fontfolly.net/2021/03/23/tuesday-tidbits-3-23-2021-some-useful-info-and-a-lot-of-wtf/”>Tuesday Tidbits 3/23/2021: Some useful info and a lot of WTF</a>.

<a href=”https://fontfolly.net/2021/03/25/there-is-only-coffee-time-and-cocktail-time/”>There is only coffee time and cocktail time</a>.

<h4>Videos!</h4>

Biden Holds First Press Conference, Ted Cruz Refuses to Wear a Mask: A Closer Look:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click <a href=”https://youtu.be/3aIa9BBdm4c”>here</a&gt;.)

Kamala Harris’s Salute Scandal & Utah’s Porn Block | The Daily Social Distancing Show:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click <a href=”https://youtu.be/XxzCokceBMI”>here</a&gt;.)

Now’s Not The Time To Fix America’s Gun Problem, Says GOP In Familiar Refrain:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click <a href=”https://youtu.be/CAlMS4fG37w”>here</a&gt;.)

Dr. Anthony Fauci Loves Kate McKinnon’s SNL Impression of Him:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click <a href=”https://youtu.be/IXvqdITeXa4″>here</a&gt;.)

Good Omens: Lockdown (Yes, I this is a bit over 13 months old and I posted it back then, but it came around in my stream and made me laugh again):

(If embedding doesn’t work, click <a href=”https://youtu.be/quSXoj8Kob0″>here</a&gt;.)

It’s hard to believe that it’s already the third Friday in March!

The weather was warming for several days, and no the rain came back. And hay fever was virtually non-existent until the first rainy day.

Meanwhile, we have the Friday Five. This week I bring you: one story that made me laugh, the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about restoring the nation, five stories about the pandemic, five stories about latest mass shooting, five stories about the pandemic, and five videos (plus things I wrote and some notable obituaries).

This Week’s Story That Made Me Laugh:

Texas museum removes wax Trump figure after visitors kept punching it.

Stories of the Week:

Aplets & Cotlets candy maker to close after 100 years. Oh, no!

Generation X Is Sick of Your Bullshit.

Washington state, Canada team up to eradicate Asian giant hornets. The fight continues!

Girl who spotted Irish walrus has ideas for names – depending on if it’s a boy or a girl.

Rachel Maddow Wins Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

73 percent of people support trans kids in sports, new poll finds – A new report released Wednesday found that people support two of the biggest LGBTQ+ issues.

Many major news outlets highlighted anti-trans voices in coverage of the Equality Act.

Winners and losers in LGBTQ sports one year into the pandemic.

I am not 50% gay and 50% straight. I am 100% bisexual.

Ireland’s Incredible Transformation Into an LGBTQ+ Haven.

This Week in the Repairing Democracy:

Deb Haaland Confirmed As 1st Native American Interior Secretary.

Senate narrowly confirms Becerra as health secretary.

Judge: Arizona GOP must pay $18K in groundless election suit.

Consumer bureau bans LGBT lending discrimination following Biden executive order – Hate Group Condemns Lending Protections For LGBTs.

Biden’s new Interior Secretary Deb Haaland strikes fear into the heart of the GOP — here’s why.

Hate Crime of the Week:

Atlanta-area shootings leave 8 dead, many of Asian descent – The killings came amid a recent wave of attacks against Asian Americans that coincided with the spread of the coronavirus across the United States.

The Atlanta shootings can be both an anti-Asian hate crime and a sexist one.

Fetishized, sexualized and marginalized, Asian women are uniquely vulnerable to violence.

The truth about the Atlanta shooter’s supposed excuses.

A trip to the spa that ended in death. These are some of the victims of the Atlanta-area shootings.

This Week in the Pandemic:

Vaccine passports pose ethical thicket for Biden administration – The White House says the government shouldn’t issue the credentials or store the data.

A Brooklyn pharmacist had spare vaccines. So he went to an LGBTQ senior center & got to work – Thanks to an independent pharmacist willing to work overtime, dozens of vulnerable seniors are getting their shots.

Shot Chasers: How Officials in Trump’s Lame-Duck White House Scrambled to Score COVID-19 Vaccinations – In December and January, a long-planned effort to vaccinate essential federal workers was thrown into turmoil, breeding suspicion, infighting, and “shameless” attempts to crash the list.

Is It OK To Drink Between Vaccine Doses? What Does ‘Vaccine Efficacy’ Mean? :.

CDC identifies public-health guidance from the Trump administration that downplayed pandemic severity – The analysis was done to promote public trust and ensure that the agency’s coronavirus guidance ‘is evidence-based and free of politics,’ a memo says. The Trump administration lied? Shocked! Shocked! (not)

In Memoriam:

RIP Yaphet Koto: ‘Alien’ Star Dies At Age 81 .

Yaphet Kotto, Bond Villain and ‘Alien’ Star, Dies at 81.

Remembering Yaphet Kotto, and the screen career Hollywood didn’t accommodate.

Things I wrote:

Sunday Update: Closing so many open tabs.

Socially acceptable chemical dependence in the morning.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

Videos!

Fox News Demands Biden Give Trump Credit for the COVID Vaccines: A Closer Look – Seth Meyers Just Invited Everyone To Tucker’s House July 4:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Jimmy Kimmel Says Don Jr. Really Shouldn’t Use That Word – Don Jr. Angry at Biden and Tucker Carlson Attacks Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Stephen Colbert – The Answer Is Simple Yet Strangely Difficult: Don’t Hate Each Other:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Tucker Carlson: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO):

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Why We Should’ve Seen the Atlanta Shootings Coming | The Daily Social Distancing Show:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

And here we are at the second Friday in March!

I mentioned last week how my hay fever was kicking up. This week it got much worse. There was one day that the sinus headache was so bad I had to take a break in the middle of the work day to lie in a dark room for a couple of hours.

Meanwhile, we have 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 restoring the nation, five stories about the pandemic, five stories about haters and other deplorables, and five videas (plus things I wrote and some notable obituaries).

Stories of the Week:

Changing Your Mind Can Make You Less Anxious – Humans are programmed to think we’re right at all costs. Fighting that instinct will set you free.

Kentucky judge dismisses charges against Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker III.

A quick guide to the birds you’re hearing now in Seattle area.

Why Apple’s security works: It locks out both the bad guys and the good guys – Apple’s supposed security conundrum is a feature, not a bug.

Man Arrested After Police Find 400-Pound Playground Slide In WA Mobile Home.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Construction halted on Marsha P. Johnson park after family & Black trans activists object – They say no one was consulted before the park was closed and the state started construction on a design no one likes.

College athletes demand NCAA cancel tournaments in states that ban trans athletes.

Biden issues executive order against gender discrimination in education including LGBTQ people.

Some Faith Leaders Call Equality Act Devastating; For Others, It’s God’s Will.

Amazon, Nissan among businesses speaking out against Tennessee bills targeting LGBTQ communities.

This Week in the Repairing Democracy:

White House fires Trump EEOC official after she refuses to step down.

Biden administration ditches Trump plan to limit immigration for those financially dependent on government.

On First Day, Garland Vows to Restore Justice Dept. Independence – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland was sworn in and briefed on the department’s investigation into the Capitol riot..

Labor Department moves to reverse Trump rules that narrow worker protections.

Marcia Fudge has ambitious plans for HUD — even though she didn’t want the job – She’s inheriting an agency in crisis after the Senate confirmed her Wednesday in a 66-34 vote.

This Week in the Pandemic:

States with Republican governors had highest Covid incidence and death rates, study finds – The study found that states with Democratic governors had higher death rates early on in the pandemic, but that trend was reversed by the Fourth of July.

Fauci: CDC will release new guidance for vaccinated Americans ‘very soon’.

The Covid-19 Relief Bill Has Passed. Now Biden and the GOP Both Plan to Tell Voters What’s in It – Democrats will tout stimulus checks, other aid while Republicans will focus on the scale of spending.

Pres. Biden addresses nation on first anniversary of Covid shutdown.

Study: Higher pollen counts could increase COVID-19 infection rates.

This Week in Haters, Seditionists, and Other Deplorable People:

Trump Lost His Last Post-Election Supreme Court Challenge – Trump argued a case he’d filed in Wisconsin wasn’t moot even after Biden took office. The Supreme Court refused to hear it.

Jacob ‘QAnon Shaman’ Chansley Kept Behind Bars as Reagan-Appointed Judge Hammers His Lawyer for ‘Publicity Stunt’ Interview on ‘60 Minutes’.

Trump’s own Defense secretary says Trump was responsible for Capitol riot.

The Daily Beast’s Lawyers Eviscerate Dan Bongino Over His Refusal to Accept That He Lost a Defamation Case and Has to Pay Up.

Capitol riot suspect pictured at Pelosi’s desk screams ‘It’s not fair’ in courtroom tantrum.

In Memoriam:

Robert Ashby, One of Three Last Surviving Tuskegee Airmen in Arizona, Dies at 95.

Roger Mudd, Anchorman Who Stumped a Kennedy, Is Dead at 93 – A staple of CBS, NBC and PBS, he was best known for his interview with Senator Edward M. Kennedy in 1979, when he asked a simple question: “Why do you want to be president?

Norton Juster, Who Wrote ‘The Phantom Tollbooth,’ Dies at 91 – “Tollbooth,” about a bored boy’s fantastical journey, became a beloved touchstone of children’s literature when it was first published in 1961.

Dutch inventor of the audio cassette tape dies aged 94.

Joan Weldon Dies: Actress Terrorized By Giant Ants In ‘Them!’ Was 90.

Things I wrote:

WandaVisions Wraps Things Up in the Awesome “The Series Finale”.

The State of the State of the Union Address.

Videos!

Meteor Over Northern Vermont Seen By People Around New England:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Brooke Eden – Sunroof (Music Video):

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

MR. BIDEN (Bring My Vaccine) – A Randy Rainbow Song Parody:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

And here’s the original – The Chordettes – Mr Sandman (Live 1958):

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

NSFWL Rebecca Black – Friday (Remix) ft Dorian Electra, Big Freedia & 3OH!3 [Official Video]:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Welcome to the first Friday in March! It’s March! That means that I have been in quarantine for one year and 12 days!

Truly it is spring! My hay fever is worse, we’ve had a few days of sunny weather but still cold nights, and then it went back to buckets of rain. Don’t get me wrong, I love the rain. It’s just that the switching back and forth as quickly as it did a few times this weeks makes it difficult to plan anything.

Meanwhile, we have 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 haters and other deplorables, and five videas (plus things I wrote and some notable obituaries).

Stories of the Week:

The real reason for the Dr. Seuss freakout.

Universal basic income experiment results in more full-time jobs.

Opinion | The worst-kept secret: Conservatism has no value(s).

Human origins: ‘Little Foot’ fossil’s big journey out of Africa.

Predatory octopuses were drilling into clamshells at least 75 million years ago.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Trans Youth Could Face Juvenile Detention Under 2021’s Worst Anti-Trans Bill – Students would be slapped with a misdemeanor under Minnesota law, resulting in possible criminal penalties.

Jen Psaki masterfully shuts down reporter’s dumb question about trans people.

Gay Blogger Andy Towle Exits Towleroad.

Major Christian adoption agency in U.S. to start working with LGBTQ people.

The Equality Act is important but it won’t solve workplace discrimination.

This Week in the Pandemic:

COVID-19 vaccine confidence grows as side effect worries fade.

Biden’s Covid aid bill advances in Senate – Republicans are planning to make life as excruciating as possible ahead of passage.

Why kids are hitting the pandemic wall.

Texas Gov. Abbott stalled federal offer to test migrants then blamed them for spreading Covid.

Ron DeSantis Is Selling Vaccines To Rich Floridians – Florida’s only elected state-wide Democrat is furious about Gov. Ron DeSantis favoring donor communities in vaccine distribution.

h4>This Week in Haters, Seditionists, and Other Deplorable People:

National Guard General Testifies About SecDef’s ‘Unusual’ Limits On 1-6 – General Walker did not receive word that Pentagon officials had authorized his request until 5:08 p.m. — three hours and 19 minutes after he had received Chief Sund’s plea.

Listen: RNC Lawyer Makes Stunning Admission to Supreme Court Justices That GOP Needs Voter Suppression Laws to Win.

‘Un-Christian Liar’ Ted Cruz Pummeled for Lie Blaming Biden for Totally Non-Existent ‘Ban’ on Dr. Suess Books.

You Will Love Stacey Abrams’ Answer About Donald 2024 – Stacey Abrams should get a gold medal for her answer to James Corden.

CPAC Engaged in Bitter Behind-the-Scenes Feud With Company That Built Its Controversial Stage.

In Memoriam:

Vernon Jordan, activist and former Clinton advisor, dies at 85.

Things I wrote:

WandaVision gives us some answers and fills in Wanda’s backstory.

Statistics are seldom simple — or, a queer survivor unpacks survival, visibility, and feeling safe to be out.

Tuesday Tidbits 3/2/2021: Stop being doormats.

Hey, it’s March Fourth! So, let’s March Forth.

Videos!

Republicans Unleash A Tidal Wave Of Anti-Voting Legislation:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Trump, Cruz and Noem Repeat Their Insane Lies at CPAC: A Closer Look:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Biden’s Vaccine Announcement, Texas Ditches Masks | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Dr. Seuss Is Not Cancelled, It’s Just Time To Retire Books With Racist Imagery:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Spoiler Alert: AGATHA ALL ALONG REMIX – AFROBOIYT:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click https://youtu.be/Wb1nQuIMS7Y.)

Welcome to the fourth Friday in February!

Temperatures are warmer here, although there is a lot of snow still coming down in the mountains not that far away. And I know much of the rest of the country is still dealing with the fallout of those severe winter storms. Our state wildlife department is still urging us not to put our bird feeders and such back up, and I must say I really miss seeing all the birds outside my window. Also, the coolest of the Valentine’s Day gifts my husband gave me was a hanging bird bath for our veranda, and as of now I’m not allowed to put it up until April.

Meanwhile, we have 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 stores from my local news, five stories about the pandemic, five stories about haters and other deplorables, and five videas (plus things I wrote and some notable obituaries).

This Week in News to Just Be Happy About:

I Miss My Bar – Recreate Your Favorite Bar’s Atmosphere. Yes, this link was in my Monday Update post, but I think it is worth linking to once again a free web site that allows you to generate a customized sound ambience as if you are out at a bar or restaurant rather than quarantine…

Stories of the Week:

Landmark LGBTQ civil rights legislation passes House in bipartisan vote – The Equality Act is now going to the Senate, where it faces an uphill fight against Republican opposition.

Lawyers have found the parents of 105 separated migrant children in past month – The parents of 506 separated migrant children still haven’t been found, however. Lawyers say the parents of 322 of them were likely to have been deported.

Baffled Canadians Spread Reports Of ‘Hard’ Butter.

Republicans Go To War While Democrats Try To Negotiate.

I’m Being Censored, and You Can Read, Hear, and See Me Talk About It in the News, on the Radio, and on TV.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Black & Gay Back In The Day: The Story Behind The Archive.

5.6% of American adults say they are LGBTQ. Over half identify as bisexual – The number of LGBTQ Americans coming out and claiming their identity just keeps growing.

Furious crowd forces armed police officers to release men arrested for kissing on a beach – Parents and locals started chanting “I’m gay!” and “I’m gay too!” in solidarity with the men as they surrounded the cops.

How Black LGBTQ talent helped shape the history of modern music.

What Trans Elder Miss Major Griffin-Gracy Wants You to Know.

This Week In News Local to Me:

Washington state wildlife officials: Leave bird feeders down until April.

Washington State Supreme Court Rules the Simple Possession Law is Unconstitutional – Former U.S. Attorney John McKay weighs in on a State Supreme Court ruling that found Washington’s simple drug possession law is unconstitutional.

Washington State Patrol worker arrested for child rape investigation in undercover sting.

WA Insurance Commissioner Calls for the Death of His Own Bill After Senate Democrats Gut It.

King County to reexamine decades-old bicyclist helmet law – The move by the King County Board of Health comes after a Crosscut report showing disproportionate enforcement toward homeless people.

This Week in the Pandemic:

Covid Hospital Admissions Drop 72%, Led by Oldest U.S. Patients.

Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine deemed “safe and effective” by the FDA.

Amid COVID-19 pandemic, flu has disappeared in the US.

Moderna says new version of vaccine is tailored to quell infection by South Africa variant.

Half Million US People Die Of The Coronavirus.

This Week in Haters and Other Deplorable People:

Southern Baptists oust 2 churches over LGBTQ inclusion.

Evangelical Leaders Condemn ‘Radicalized Christian Nationalism’. As my grandpa would say, “Y’all are closing the barn door long, long, long after the horses ran away.”

Rand Paul goes on unhinged transphobic rant at Dr. Rachel Levine’s confirmation hearing – “Genital mutilation,” Paul bellowed as he started questioning the first transgender person nominated to a Senate-confirmed position, Dr. Rachel Levine.

State judge rejects motion by right-wing robocallers to toss case.

Republican asks for a moment of silence for Rush Limbaugh during LGBTQ Equality Act debate – Over a week after Rush Limbaugh died, Rep. Ralph Norman wanted the House to take a moment of silence for the notorious homophobe during the historic LGBTQ debate – His request was rejected.

In Memoriam:

Pioneering Lesbian and Feminist Activist Ivy Bottini Has Died at 94.

Farewell to Jan Morris, Groundbreaking Trans Explorer of Realms.

Lawrence Ferlinghetti, City Lights founder and champion of the Beat Generation, dead at 101.

‘It’s not in books, it’s in the world’: Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s shining legacy.

James Burke, Five Stairsteps Singer Who Crooned ‘O-o-h Child,’ Dead at 70.

Things I wrote:

WandaVision goes Modern while really breaking all the walls.

Monday Update 2/22/2021: For whom the subpoena tolls… plus some free ambience!

Videos!

NASA’s Thrilling Mars Landing Is The Good News Pandemic-Weary America Needs:

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The GOP Is Actively Working to Restrict Voting in Key States | The Daily Social Distancing Show:

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Great Vaccine News Has Everyone Asking When Life Will Return to Normal: A Closer Look:

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Bernie Sanders on Raising the Minimum Wage, Big Lies from Republicans & Biden’s Health Care Plan:

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Tina (2021): Official Teaser:

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Welcome to the third Friday in February!

The snow here in the Seattle area started melting on Monday. Unfortunately most of the rest of the country is still experiencing much colder temperatures than usual, and then there is the disaster going on in Texas. So I’m feeling fortunate that right now we’re not worried about keeping warm or having safe drinking water.

Meanwhile, we have 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 related to science fiction, five stories about the future of democracy, and five videas (plus things I wrote and some notable obituaries).

Stories of the Week:

NASA’s Perseverance rover nails Mars landing, sends first images of Jezero Crater.

Texas was “seconds and minutes” away from catastrophic monthslong blackouts, officials say – Officials with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas said that grid operators implemented blackouts to avoid a catastrophic failure that could have left Texans in the dark for months.

General Unstructured Thoughts On “Being Cancelled”.

Pentagon report reveals inroads white supremacists have made in military.

COVID shaving years off American life expectancies: – US life expectancy drops in pandemic, most since WWII.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) Reintroduce LGBTQ Equality Act.

State anti-transgender bills represent coordinated attack, advocates say – Many proposed bans on trans athletes and transition care for minors share identical language.

Hallmark to homophobes: More gay is on the way.

Chasten Buttigieg had the shadiest reaction to Rush Limbaugh’s death – Rush Limbaugh was obsessed with Chasten & Pete showing any affection for one another in public. So Chasten acknowledged that homophobia one last time.

Texas lawmakers are trying to pass pro-LGBTQ proposals. Do they have a chance?

This Week in Science Fiction:

Baen Books Forum Being Used to Advocate for Political Violence.

Opinion: On Baen Books, Moderating Discussion Boards, & Political Expression.

More bad Baen’s Bar defences.

Masks and Magic 2021 – A Round-up of Indie Mardi Gras Speculative Fiction.

2020 Locus Recommended Reading List.

This Week in the Future of Democracy:

Investigation finds Latino ballots in WA more likely to be rejected – Latino signatures are more likely to be questioned and less likely to be fixed during Washington state elections..

A GOP donor gave $2.5 million for a voter fraud investigation. Now he wants his money back.

After Weeks Of Being Offline, Parler Finds A New Web Host.

FBI Informant Panic Is Ruining Friendships All Over the Far Right.

Trump left them to die. 43 Senate Republicans still licked his boots.

In Memoriam:

Remembering Charlie Brydon, an Early LGBTQ Rights Leader and father of the LGBTQ Civil Rights Movement in Washington State.

Pioneering Out Recording Artist Ari Gold Dies at 47.

‘Extraordinary, trailblazing and inspiring’ trans writer and historian Jan Morris has died, aged 94.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 2/13/2021: The truth eventually comes out.

Happy Day Before Discount Chocolate Day.

In which I pedantically remind you that today is NOT President’s Day….

With great satisfaction.

WandaVision Brings Tricks, Treats, and a Growing Menace.

Videos!

The Next Pandemic: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO):

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Ted Cruz Jets To Cancun While Texans Freeze | The Daily Social Distancing Show:

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‘Brazen Lie’: Chris Hayes Calls Out Gov. Abbott, Fox News For Texas Power Grid Lies | All In | MSNBC:

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Reporters WILL NOT STOP Humiliating Themselves with Jen Psaki:

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Rick Astley’s ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ Video Was Remastered in 4K and It’s So Damn Crisp Fans are Flipping Out:

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