Here we are at the third Friday of September.

I’m still sick. My husband is still sick. When I told a good friend that I had more than ten videos that I was trying to choose from for this week’s Friday Five (where I traditionally only post five videos), she suggested that I do a Vidoes section and then a Second Videos and make a Hobbit Second Breakfast joke… then I realized that I had five music videos and 7 non-music videos, and once split apart like that, it was much easier to pick only five of each kind, so…

Anyway, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories about sf/f & fandom, five stories about deplorable people, five non-music videos, and five music videos (plus things I wrote and notable obituaries).

Stories of the Week:

Why Don’t Police Catch Serial Rapists?

Newest Pterosaur Was Likely as Tall as a Giraffe – Ancient flying reptile dubbed Cryodrakon boreas, the “cold dragon of the north winds,” may shed light on the evolution of these dinosaur relatives.

There’s a Lost Continent 1,000 Miles Under Europe – Scientists tracked down the last remnants of Greater Adria, an ancient Greenland-sized landmass.

I Went to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This is What I Saw..

Piece of missing sculpture resurfaces in antiques store 50 years later .

This Week in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Fandom:

Fantasy and Science Fiction – a collaboration by two of the genre’s founders that was largely unknown ‘til a couple of years ago: Flora Columbia: Goddess of a New Age, by Jules Verne and H. G. Wells.

LET’S FRIGHTEN CHILDREN! Vincent Price & Scooby-Doo.

Letting Go of Our “Heroes”: Ongoing Humanist Training and the (Ex-)James Tiptree, Jr. Award.

How Scooby Doo Revived Gothic Storytelling for Generations of Kids.

Truck Carrying Gaming Dice Spills Onto Highway, Rolls A Perfect 756,000.

Deplorables of the Week:

I’m a comedian. I know Shane Gillis’s words matter – Here are the problems with what Shane Gillis said: It wasn’t said on stage, it wasn’t said years ago, and it wasn’t a joke.

Republican state senator who blocked LGBTQ rights charged with sexual abuse of a minor – As a powerful committee chair, he had blocked LGBTQ rights legislation for years. For the umpteen-millionth time: if a politician is vehemently anti-gay, journalists should dig into their background! You will always find some scandal or crime. Always!

Kavanaugh ‘should be impeached’ just like Trump. He lied to the Senate under oath. Hell, yes, he should be impeached!

What Happens if Trump Won’t Step Down? – National security expert Josh Geltzer on why we should be prepared for the worst.

What happens when the administration won’t tell Congress about a whistleblower complaint regarding the president – ‘A deficiency in the law’: How Trump accidentally exposed a whistleblower loophole?

In Memoriam:

Cokie Roberts, Pioneering Journalist Who Helped Shape NPR, Dies At 75.

Eddie Money, ‘Two Tickets to Paradise’ Singer, Dies at 70.

Ric Ocasek, frontman of new wave pioneers the Cars, dies at 75.

Things I wrote:

As mean as a cornered ocelot.

The Parable of the Speck and the Log, or, telling others how to love sf/f will never work.

Tuesday Tidbits 9/17/2017: On the taxonomy of devils….

All generalizations are dangerous* — especially about generations!

The importance of being seen.

Newsy Videos!

Out Celebs Have a #BiWeek Message for Bisexual+ Youth: You Matter:

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

James Corden Responds to Bill Maher’s Fat Shaming Take:

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

Filibuster: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver:

]\

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

Trump Threatens War with Iran on Saudi Arabia’s Behalf: A Closer Look:

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

Beto O’Rourke: Current approach to guns no longer works:

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

Music Videos!

Charli XCX – 2099 [Official Video]:

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

PJ Brennan- Bones:

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

Keiynan Lonsdale – Rainbow Dragon (Official Music Video):

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

Kezar – Don’t Touch The Queen (Official Music Video):

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

Cher Performs “Waterloo” LIVE On America’s Got Talent! – America’s Got Talent 2019:

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

It is the second Friday of September. Which is significant because Septemer is the month when superior babies are born.

I thought that the significant change in the weather last weekend had kicked up a new round of hay fever—plants throwing out more pollen cause they’re soaking up all the water, and so forth. So when I felt more tired and braindead at the end of my workday Monday, I just attributed it to that. Tuesday it was clear that my sinuses had something else going wrong. Wednesday morning I had a soe throat and my voice kept giving out. More symptoms piled on over the course of the day, including a cough that became the Cough of Doom™ during the night. Which meant I didn’t sleep well. And when I did drag myself out of bed my congestion was much worse and my whole body ached. So I took a partial sick day and worked from home again.

Anyway, 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 people, and five videos (plus things I wrote and notable obituaries).

Stories of the Week:

How Bullwinkle Taught Kids Sophisticated Political Satire.

Seattle man reunited with beloved bulldog that was stolen from him.

‘We’re told to be grateful we even have readers’: pirated ebooks threaten the future of book series.

Gender and the Hugo Awards, by the Numbers.

Tina Turner Is Having the Time of Her Life .

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Homophobic hate crime charges fall despite soaring reports.

Elizabeth Warren Vows To Fight For LGBTQ Equality In Surprise DragCon Video – The 2020 presidential candidate’s virtual “appearance” also drew attention to violence against transgender people.

Edmund White to receive honorary National Book Award – White, 79, is among the most influential gay writers of his time, known for works such as “A Boy’s Own Story” and “The Beautiful Room is Empty” and for helping to create the market for openly gay literature.

Gay Maryland Couple Sues State Department for Denying Citizenship to ‘Out-of-Wedlock’ Daughter.

The sensational Candlestick Murder trial of 1958 struck fear in Charleston’s gay community .

This Week in Science:

1.7-Million-Year-Old Rhino Tooth Provides Oldest DNA Data Ever Studied.

Astronomers just found an interstellar comet, the second visitor of its kind ever detected.

Moon rocks could help reveal how life evolved on Earth – and may enable us to resurrect extinct species.

Lovers of Modena skeletons holding hands were both men.

The day the dinosaurs’ world fell apart.

This Week in Homophobes and Other Deplorables:

Mike Pence To Meet With Anti-LGBT Group Days After White House Claimed He Can’t Possibly Be Anti-LGBT.

Teachers, Students Leave High School After Official Email Requires Them to Disavow Same-Sex Relationships.

On Tuesday, Jerry Falwell, Jr. learned the definition of the word ‘receipts’ . . . the hard way.

In Defending Falwell, Liberty U Approvingly Tweets Link to Column Calling Him ‘A Greedy Hypocrite’ .

Broke Homocon Milo “Can’t Put Food On The Table”.

In Memoriam:

Meredythe Glass, Mercer Island resident who was in ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ dies at 98.

Things I wrote:

Here comes the rain again… and I couldn’t be happier!

The Dark Domain, or a queer ex-evangelical looks at an agent of intolerance and his scandalous heirs.

Serious topic: and one I still can’t write about.

Videos!

Dion Diamond remembers the risks he took as a young civil rights activist:

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

Trump Faces Scrutiny Over Personal Properties, Hurricane Lies:

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

“Jerry Falwell’s God” by Roy Zimmerman:

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

Ben Platt – RAIN [Official Video]:

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

Pet Shop Boys (feat. Years & Years) – Dreamland (Official lyric video):

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

It’s Friday! Friday! Friday! Friday! And it is the first Friday in September, the month in which superior babies are born!

We managed the impossible deadline… and much earlier than the previous two, which made the three-day weekend much more pleasant than I was afraid it would be. The weekend itself was very relaxing.

So, 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 people, five stories about why we should impeach someone already, and five videos (plus things I wrote and notable obituaries).

Stories of the Week:

San Francisco Board Of Supervisors Votes Unanimously To Declare NRA To Be “Domestic Terrorist Organization”.

Have You Seen Any Nazi Uranium? These Researchers Want To Know.

History of ‘Cotemporary’: The Archaic ‘Contemporary’ .

Rich people are hoarding cash, and wealth managers are getting frustrated.

America, the Gerontocracy – Our leaders, our electorate and our hallowed system of government itself are aging. And it shows.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

An overwhelming majority of young people think trans people should use whichever bathroom they want.

Kristen Stewart Was Told to Stay Closeted to Get a Marvel Movie.

CNN To Broadcast Human Rights Campaign Town Hall On LGBT Issues With 2020 Dem Presidential Candidates.

Lil Nas X Gave a Masterclass on Dealing With the Gaslighting LGBTQ People Face Every Day – In an episode of The Shop: Uninterrupted, the musician turned a comment from Kevin Hart into an important discussion.

What happens when a man gets pregnant? – The medical system has always categorized these men as woman, so there’s no available date that shows just how many transgender men in America have given birth.

This Week in Homophobes and Other Deplorables:

Four High School Students Suspended After Crashing Gay/Straight Alliance Meeting With MAGA Flags.

Miriam Lord: How Mike Pence shat on the new carpet in Ireland’s spare room. Irish Times columnists don’t pull their punches!

Alex Jones Loses Sandy Hook Defamation Suit Appeal.

Jacob Wohl Charged With Felony in California.

GOP Congressman Blasted for Appearing to Suggest He Lends Guns to Friends Who Wouldn’t Pass Background Checks.

This Week in Impeach the Mo-Fo Already:

Trump May Have Broken Federal Law by Using Doctored Weather Map to Avoid Admitting He Lied About Dorian.

The Border Wall Is Trump’s High Crime.

Trump Admin Called Out For Colluding With Fox News In Violation Of Federal Law Against Covert Propaganda – Unearthed emails showed a Treasury official directing a Fox employee to use his preferred wording on a story. Democracy Forward wants the IG to see if that broke a federal law.

Trump’s Border Wall Funding To Come At Expense Of Military Hospital, Elementary Schools, Puerto Rico Aid.

House Panel Subpoenas Homeland Security For Docs Related To Promised Trump Pardons For Breaking Law.

In Memoriam:

Actress Valerie Harper Dead At Age 80 .

Valerie Harper: A Fighter Who Left a Complex Hollywood Legacy.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 8/31/2019: Dozens attend straight pride, and yet another ex-ex-gay.

Struggle against the darkness… or, an opening phrase isn’t the same as an opening sentence.

Videos!

Stephen Colbert – Colbert Questions Biden About Being a “Gaffe Machine”:

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

Adam Lambert – Superpower (Official Music Video) – NSFW:

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

Lil Nas X – Panini (Official Video):

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

Katy Perry – Small Talk (Official):

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

Maluma – No Se Me Quita (Official Video) ft. Ricky Martin:

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

I really can’t believe that it is Friday! The last Friday in August. So summer is winding down. And this weekend is a holiday. Yay!

But first, I have to get through another impossible deadline at work. One the plus side, while I was compiling this I was also watching the Seahawks win the final game of the pre-season. Which was fun. Even if the gane doesn’t count.

So, 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 science stories, five stories about a hopeful future, five stories about why we should impeach someone already, and five videos (plus things I wrote and notable obituaries).

Stories of the Week:

In The Matter Of Diamond And Silk’s Very Real Lawyer v. Wonkette: Bring It, Sh*thead. For the record: Diamond and Silk are black, but they also promote and defend white supremacists, so yes, they most definitely are black white supremacists. And should be deeply ashamed.

Undercover in Patriot Prayer: Insights From a Vancouver Democrat Who’s Been Working Against the Far-Right Group from the Inside.

Hurricane Dorian grazes Puerto Rico.

New Jersey woman won’t stop abandoning kittens at Whole Foods, shelter begs her to stop.

Now You Can Help Save the Environment by Watching a Bunch of Porn.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Superior, Wis., passes gay ‘conversion therapy’ ban – The city joins seven others in Wisconsin banning the practice.

‘We Don’t Promote That Here’: Kentucky School Administrators Force Students to Remove LGBTQ-Pride Tee Shirts – Student Says Principal Outed Several LGBTQ Students to Their Parents.

Former NFL Player: There Are Gay, Bisexual Players On Every Pro Football Team – Ryan O’Callaghan, who played for the New England Patriots and came out in 2017, said he regularly hears from closeted current athletes and as if on cue: Former NFL Player Comes Out As Bisexual.

Out candidate Pete Buttigieg would beat Donald Trump in presidential election – A new poll from Quinnipiac shows Mayor Pete winning the general election by 9 points.

Kentucky principal who tried to ban books over ‘homosexual content’ busted for child porn .

This Week in Science:

New landmark study finds that genetics influences sexual orientation – It turns out there isn’t just one gay gene. There are several.

Stone tools may place some of the first Americans in Idaho 16,500 years ago – Artifacts add to evidence that North America’s early settlers predated an inland, ice-free path.

Storms on Jupiter are disturbing the planet’s colorful belts: Radio, IR and optical observations show evolution of plumes and their impact on belts and zones.

NASA is sending a helicopter to Mars. It’ll be the first aircraft to fly on another planet.

These Experimental Shorts Are An ‘Exosuit’ That Boosts Endurance On The Trail.

This Week in the Next Blue Wave:

How Georgia could help Democrats win the Senate — but only if they play it perfectly.

Democrats’ Emerging Tax Idea: Look Beyond Income, Target Wealth – Lawmakers and 2020 candidates offer a range of options focused on capturing some of the trillions of dollars in assets belonging to the nation’s richest.

A goal for Democrats: Make the White House boring again.

Republicans grow anxious about the Trump economy – Trump’s trade war with China could undermine GOP chances of holding the White House and Senate in 2020.

Is The NRA Financially Bleeding Out?

This Week in Impeach the Mo-Fo Already:

Legal Experts: Trump’s Promise of Pardons to Aides for Breaking the Law to Build His Wall Is Impeachable.

Thank You for Your Service. Sorry, Your Kids Aren’t US Citizens: Trump Changes Rules on Military Families Overseas.

Trump sees all U.S. Jews as Israelis because his Christian Zionist allies do, too.

Trump Loots Millions From FEMA to Send Migrants Back to Mexico – Just as Hurricane Season Starts.

Former Defense Secretary James Mattis Rips Trump’s Policies In New Book: Storm Clouds Are Gathering, America’s At The Breaking Point.

In Memoriam:

Attorney Who Challenged Arkansas Gay Marriage Ban Dies.

Gaming Legend Rick Loomis.

Things I wrote:

Oppressed oppressors: A Dozen Peaceful Racists Show Up for “Straight Pride”.

Frogs and scorpions, or, he was never a journalist.

Late Tuesday Tidbit: The evangelical leader and the other pool boy.

Astounding Stories of Super-Science, or name changes are nothing new in sf/f.

Hard Times reap hard lessons, or when did cyberpunk really begin?

Videos!

CHEETO CHRIST STUPID-CZAR – Randy Rainbow Song Parody:

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

Greyson Chance – white roses:

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

Kygo & Whitney Houston – Higher Love (Official Video):

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

Tegan and Sara – I’ll Be Back Someday [Official Music Video]:

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

David Archuleta – Paralyzed (Official Video):

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

Once again, Friday is upon us!

After a few hot and muggy days, we got a drizzly day followed by an cool overcast day. So far we’ve had a mild summer. Let’s hope it stays that way!

So, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories about sci fi and fantasy, five science stories, five stories the impeachable one and related problems, five stories about domestic terrorist, and five videos (plus things I wrote and notable obituaries).

Stories of the Week:

The Second Amendment Has Always Been a Tool of White Supremacy – The U.S. has a long political tradition of marrying gun control legislation with racism and xenophobia.

Beto O’Rourke re-invents how to run for president. Is his ‘Bulworth’ campaign crazy enough to work? Beto isn’t my first choice, but I’m glad that someone had decided to take the gloves off vis a vis whether Cadet Bonespur is a racist.

Art Spiegelman: golden age superheroes were shaped by the rise of fascism.

Detroit Jewish group supports Tlaib, despite Donald Trump’s comments.

LGBTQ books are being censored in middle schools. Authors are speaking out.

This Week in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Fandom:

8 Lesser-Known Works by Ray Bradbury.

These Nigerian Teens Are Making Sci-Fi Shorts with Slick Visual Effects.

Cory Doctorow: Jeannette Ng’s Campbell Award acceptance speech, in which she correctly identifies Campbell as a fascist and expresses solidarity with Hong Kong protesters.

2019 Hugos in detail, and reflections on the viability of Best Fanzine.

Spider-Man and Tom Holland: Sony ‘disappointed’ over Disney split.

This Week in Science:

Nasa confirms ocean moon mission.

Meet Alice Ball, the Bad-Ass Seattle Scientist Almost Lost to History.

How a Cooling Vest Invented by a Furry Made Its Way Into the U.S. Military.

Astronomers just quintupled the number of known repeating fast radio bursts.

A 3-D map of stars reveals the Milky Way’s warped shape.

This Week in the Impeachable One and Other Deplorable People:

Trump’s Campaign Manager Brad Parscale Has Blown Millions.

Trump’s ‘Chosen One’ Comment and Spat with Denmark Shows His ‘Psychotic-Like State’ Says Doctor Who First Warned About President’s Mental Condition.

The Justice Department Sent Immigration Judges A White Nationalist Blog Post With Anti-Semitic Attacks.

Trump swats at Danish prime minister for ‘nasty’ statement on Greenland.

In Insane Tweet Trump Baselessly Accuses Democratic Lawmaker of ‘Violence’.

This Week in White Domestic Terrorists:

White Supremacist Who Attended Charlottesville Nazi Rally Busted For Terror Threat and Jewish Community FBI Says, Many Weapons Found.

Private militias must stop pretending to have authority they don’t have.

Proud Boys Rallying Could Ramp Up With Trump Re-election Campaign .

Feds Arrest Neo-Nazi Trump Fan for Threatening to “Exterminate” Miami Hispanics.

At least 27 people have been arrested over threats to commit mass attacks since the El Paso and Dayton shootings.

In Memoriam:

‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ Animator Richard Williams Has Died.

Things I wrote:

A Hugo of Our Own.

Tuesday Tidbit 8/20/2019: Closeted politician tries to co-opt us to dodge his anti-gay past.

Set our hearts at liberty — more confessions of a queer ex-evangelical.

That has always been here, or politics aren’t a new thing in sf/f.

Videos!

The Check In: Trump and Trucking:

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

Maddow: Racism Is ‘A Persistent Infection’ In White American Culture:

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

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance | Trailer:

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

Lostchild – Like Like (Official Music Video):

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

MIKA – Tiny Love:

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

Here it is, Friday once more!

All the usual busy-ness at work, but I’ve got a three-day weekend and will be visiting family, so that’s a good thing.

So, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to the queer community, five stories about haters and their ilk, five stories the impeachable one, and five videos (plus things I wrote and notable obituaries).

Stories of the Week:

Dystopia, With a Dose of Sudden Death.

NASA discovers “cloaked” black hole from earliest days of the universe.

Humans Are Gone In ‘Hollow Kingdom,’ So It’s Up To The Crows.

An Appeals Court Ruled That, Yes, Sleep And Soap Count As “Safe And Sanitary” Conditions For Detained Immigrant Kids.

Marine kidnapped as baby in Lakewood reunites with rescuing FBI agent.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Gay diver Eric Blevins wins world masters title with his husband cheering him on.

LGBTQ Creators Are Suing YouTube For Discrimination.

N.C. exec. order stops pipeline to ‘conversion’ therapy.

Marcel Proust’s Lost Gay Love Stories to Finally Be Published .

Jake Shears on LGBTQ Acceptance in Music, Homophobia in the Industry and How Pop Is Changing.

This Week in Homophobes and Other Deplorables:

Family Research Council giddy over Trump plan to discriminate against LGBTQ taxpayers.

The New Hate Pastors – How a new class of religious zealots is going viral—and already tearing itself apart.

Seattle synagogues in Rainier Valley target of racist flyers – More than a dozen of these flyers have been posted outside religious organizations in the past month, said the Anti-Defamation League of the Pacific Northwest.

City Council Crowd Erupts in Laughter When ‘Straight Pride’ Organizer Says ‘We’re a Totally Peaceful Racist Group’.

Ohio man posted about mass shootings, attacking Planned Parenthood and federal agents, authorities say.

This Week in the Impeachable One and Other Deplorable People:

Surrogate Angels of Death – What to make of the First Lady holding the motherless child and youngest survivor of the El Paso massacre.

Trump has made more than 12,000 false or misleading claims.

‘Casually Tweeting Out National Secrets’: Internet Stunned as Trump Tweets About Previously Unknown US Nukes.

Lou Dobbs says ICE employee ‘is within his rights’ to plow his car into peaceful protestors.

Trump Launches Maniacal Tweetstorm After Devastating Fox News Poll Shows His Numbers Near All-Time Worst.

In Memoriam:

With no family left, El Paso man opened wife’s funeral to public. Up to 1,000 are now expected. You may need a kleenex when you read this.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 8/10/2019: the Coward’s Way Out.

Tuesday Tidbit 08/13/2019: Domestic terror is a feature, not a bug, of the Trump machine.

That’s not a plothole….

Most writing advice is free, but the value varies.

Videos!

‘Tariff Man’ Donald Trump Doesn’t Want To Be The Grinch Who Stole Christmas:

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

Trump Freaks Out About the Possibility of A Recession: A Closer Look:

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

Mayor Pete Eats His Way Through Iowa, While Hickenlooper Looks For The Exit:

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

Full Frontal Investigates: The Case of Jerry Falwell, Jr., the Pool Boy, Michael Cohen, & Tom Arnold:

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

All About Shirtless Chris Evans 2019 (America’s Ass Endgame 4k):

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

And now we’re at the second Friday in August.

This has not been exactly a happy week for world news. Seriously, one of the least awful things to happen this week was the stock market taking a dive as the pointless trade war rattled the economy further.

So this week’s Friday Five wasn’t exactly fun to assemble. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to the queer community, five stories about science fact and fiction, five stories about haters and their guns, five stories about the deplorables, and five videos (plus things I wrote and notable obituaries).

Stories of the Week:

Multi-state police chase of kitten filled car ends in Clarksville.

The man in the plastic mask: Brazil inmate busted in brazen jailbreak.

Government tested AIDS drugs on foster kids.

Black families once lived off their southern farmland. Their descendants are struggling to hold onto it.. The corrections to the article are almost as long as the article itself!

Grandmother averts mass shooting by bringing grandson to hospital after threats – Authorities found an AK-47, 17 magazines loaded with ammunition, and multiple knives in the hotel room the 19-year-old had rented.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

DC’s Town LGBT Nightclub To Reopen In Former Church .

Michigan doctors reach out to LGBTQ community to narrow health disparities.

Hundreds of LGBTQ families came together & OMG would you look at these photos of cute kids?.

Microsoft agrees to rethink anti-LGBTQ PAC donations after pressure from activists.

Utah high court throws out ban on valid surrogacy contracts for gay couples.

This Week in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Science:

Avengers: Endgame: A lack of closure at the end of the line.

This Remote Corner Of Nevada Is One Of The Darkest Places In The World.

The Conservative Manifesto Buried in ‘Avengers: Endgame’.

Glasgow scientists develop artificial tongue to tackle fake whisky.

How the MCU Failed Its Captain America Characters.

This Week in the Impeachable One and Other Deplorable People:

Devin Nunes fake farmer lawsuit surprises Republicans.

Missouri Teachers Force District To Move Required Meeting Out of Anti-Gay Church .

Judge signals interest in removing Mueller report redactions .

Mulvaney Admits To Ulterior Motive For Move Of USDA Experts.

Fox pundit gets repeatedly cut off while trying to explain the link between Trump and violence.

This Week in That Awful Topic:

The El Paso mass shooting and defenses of white people with racist opinions – Where Taking the Concerns of Racists Seriously Has Gotten Us.

Stopping the Epidemic of White Nationalist Gun Violence.

Jordan Cofer Identified As Trans Man, Dayton Shooter’s Sibling.

Experts See Parallels Between ISIS And White Terrorism.

New Info Turns Gilroy Shooting Into Terrorism Probe.

In Memoriam:

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison Dies at 88.

One of Late Writer Toni Morrison’s Most Famous Quotes About Racism Came from a Talk at Portland State University. Listen to It Here.

Remembering The Magic Of Toni Morrison.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 8/3/2019: damn lies, stupid lies, shocked deniers, and the end of a campaign.

The appeal to worse problems fallacy, and other unhelpful responses to domestic terrorism.

Tuesday Tidbits 8/6/19: Smirking and Inciting.

Leopard spots and sheep’s clothing, part 4 — or, even more confessions of an ex-evangelical.

Dragons to the rescue, or more of why I love sf/f.

Videos!

A Reminder to Our Government That White Supremacist Violence is Terrorism | Full Frontal on TBS:

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

Stephen Colbert – America’s Gun Culture Is Melting Down:

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

Politicians React to Shootings in El Paso and Dayton: A Closer Look:

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

Eureka O’Hara – Pretty Hot And Tasty (Official Music Video):

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

Ariana Grande & Barbra Streisand Duet On “No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)” at Chicago Concert:

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

And now we’ve reached August…

It’s been a busy work week and I have an insane deadline. Meanwhile, my personal laptop is being repaired so I’m working it a slightly older machine borrowed from my husband.

Anyway, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to the queer community, five stories about deplorable people, and five videos (plus things I wrote and notable obituaries).

Stories of the Week:

Our Language Is Evolving, ‘Because Internet’.

Amputee can feel objects again with prosthetic arm inspired by Luke Skywalker.

The Many Different Faces of ‘Franchise’.

Washington House hires outside firm to investigate a member.

Stun Belts in Court: Restraint or Punishment?

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Author of bestselling Christian book apologizes to LGBTQ community. I’m glad this guy has done this, after getting his publisher to agree not to print new copies of his books, and I’m glad he’s getting out of the grip of the fundamentalist evangelical church he was raised in.

Should a Public Library Rent Space From a Church That Condemns Being Gay? The City of Salem Says Yes.. “I’m certain there will be many, many people who won’t use the library in the church building. It’ll leave hard feelings for a long time.”

The GOP tried to censure a Congressman for marrying a gay couple. It didn’t go as expected.

Changing the Game Depicts the Joy and Agony of Young Trans Athletes.

Second Arrest Made in Hate-Motivated Homicide of Gay Social Worker.

This Week in Racists and Other Deplorables:

Schumer suggests McConnell is blocking election security measures because he wants ‘the Russians to interfere’.

Letter: Bring Trump before the Hague.

Police: White Supremacist Gilroy Shooter Acted Alone.

Ronald Reagan’s Long-Hidden Racist Conversation with Richard Nixon. In newly unearthed audio, the then–California governor disparaged African delegates to the United Nations

Trump’s race playbook: Excoriate the left and enthrall his base.

In Memoriam:

Atlanta Gay Activist and Politician Dies at 81. In 1988 he was the first openly gay delegate to be sent to a Democratic National Convention.

HAROLD PRINCE, WHO BROUGHT ‘FIDDLER ON THE ROOF’ TO THE STAGE, DIES AT 91.

What Broadway legend Harold Prince meant to American theater.

Russi Taylor, the Voice of Minnie Mouse and ‘Simpsons’ Characters, Dies at 75.

Things I wrote:

Sunday Update 7/28/2019: The dubious finances of men with no morals.

He has no sock(puppet)s, and he must cry wolf*—bullied bullies are everywhere.

Only hours left to finalize your 2019 Hugo Award ballot—and I’m still waffling!

Videos!

CNN’s Democratic Debate, Night Two: A Closer Look:

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

Goats escape into the neighborhood!:

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

Rare encounter with piglet squid leaves deep sea explorers at a loss for scientific words:

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

God Bless America, Except Baltimore:

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

More adventures in replying to spam:

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

Here we are at the fourth Friday of July.

While many parts of the world were experiencing record-breaking heat, we were having daytime highs in the 70s. Work continues to be crazy. The pollen count remains high. And I spent way more time reading than writing this week.

Anyway, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to the queer community, five stories about the impeachable one, five stories about haters and their ilk, five stories about the lack of exoneration, and five videos (plus things I wrote and notable obituaries).

Stories of the Week:

Our Churches Are Burning, Racist Terrorism Is Rising – I Should Have Listened To My Grandma About American Racist Terrorism.

Can’t read just one: Slate’s daily advice columns are strange, funny, deep, and increasingly a major traffic driver for the site » Nieman Journalism Lab.

The Crane Wife – Ten days after I called off my engagement I was supposed to go on a scientific expedition to study the whooping crane on the gulf coast of Texas.

Meeting My Brother For The First Time. Adopted writer used genetic service and found her half-brother.

The Democrats Are Experiencing a Generational Clash – Saikat Chakrabarti, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s chief of staff, is working to build a generational movement.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

The House unanimously passed a bill to give money back to same-sex couples – The bill would return up to $67 million to gay and lesbian taxpayers and remove gendered language from the tax code.

With ‘Old Town Road,’ Lil Nas X Sets New Precedent For LGBTQ Musicians – The rapper’s track, featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, is the longest-running No. 1 single by an openly queer artist in history.

Dear Gentlemen, Your 60-year-old Wedding Pics are Ready – LGBT History project is trying to identify the men in these once confiscated photos of a same-sex wedding iin 1957. Go look at the pictures!

I Could Spend All Day Looking at the Covers of These LGBTQ Publications.

North Carolina Reaches Agreement to Protect Trans Restroom Access- The state can’t limit access in buildings under its control, says a settlement of a case involving a notorious anti-transgender law.

This Week in the Impeachable One and Related Disasters:

Trump has not built a single mile of new border fence after 30 months in office.

Trump Is a Petty Racist, Not a Master Strategist.

The Death Penalty Is Already a Farce. William Barr’s Plan Might Make It Torturous.

Lawyer: US-Born Teen Lost 26 Pounds While Detained By Border Patrol For Weeks.

Trump Chillingly Tells Students’ Group the Constitution Gives Him ‘The Right to Do Whatever I Want as President’.

This Week in Not Exoneration:

Actually, Robert Mueller Was Awesome – History will show that he had one big goal, and nailed it.

What the Mueller investigation was always about.

Senate Intelligence report on Russian meddling sounds alarm for 2020 and then 2020 election security: GOP senators block bills hours after Mueller warns of Russian interference .

Trump was not exonerated by my report, Robert Mueller tells Congress.

No Knight On A White Horse – House Democrats have spent the last two years waiting for someone else to solve the Trump conundrum. It is now up to them, and to them alone.

This Week in Homphobes and Other Deplorable People:

A “Straight Pride” Parade In California Plans To Celebrate Western Civilization And “Whiteness” – The thinly veiled white supremacist rally aims to celebrate “Western civilization,” Christianity, and “whiteness,” according to one of the organizers. The hate is getting more blatant…

Anti-LGBTQ GOP Lawmaker Resigns After Grindr Messages Reveal ‘Burning Desire’ for ‘Down and Dirty Guy’.

Mom who sued trans daughter for transitioning is taking her case to the Supreme Court – Her teenage daughter was legally emancipated and living on her own, but she says she should have been able to deny her child medical care.

Christian Hate-Preacher Steven Anderson Has Been Banned from Entering Australia.

LGBTQ-friendly church in Battle Ground, WA targeted by vandals.

In Memoriam:

Chris Kraft, 1st flight director for NASA, dies at 95.

Chris Kraft’s Greatest NASA Accomplishments.

Remembering Chris Kraft.

Paul Krassner Is Up In Heaven Now.

In Fond Remembrance of Mad Magazine.

Rutger Hauer, ‘Blade Runner’ Co-Star, Dies at 75.

Remembering Rutger Hauer, Black-Armored Knight of the Genre.

Tears in rain: 8 of our favorite moments from Rutger Hauer’s career – Though he was most famous for his unforgettable turn as Roy Batty in Blade Runner, there was so much more to the career of Rutger Hauer.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 7/20/2019: Crystal cathedrals, berated bigots, and racist racisms.

Chock-full of meaning, or more adventures in dictionaries.

Videos!

Boyfriends Talk About Being Creative While In Love:

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

Scientists Just Discovered Fresh Water Under the Ocean, and It’s HUGE:

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

SUCKERS – Randy Rainbow Song Parody:

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

John Oliver Describes Boris Johnson, England’s Very Own Trump:

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

Sam Smith – How Do You Sleep? (Official Video):

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

Here we are at the third Friday of July.

It’s been a weird week. Started out trying to convince myself that it was just hay fever. Instead, I’ve been unwell all week.

Anyway, welcome to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories about sf/f and science, five stories about haters and their ilk, and five videos (plus things I wrote and notable obituaries).

Stories of the Week:

Who has given money to rebuild Notre Dame? – The French super-rich promised to dig deep, but such philanthropy comes at a steep price.

All 104 James Bond Villains, Ranked – From masterminds to henchmen, the final word on 007’s furious foes.

Will Typewriters Become Popular Again?

Man shouting ‘You die!’ kills 33 in Japan anime studio fire.

Abigail Disney, an heiress of the Walt Disney empire, has become a champion for better working conditions in her family’s parks after she went undercover in one of them and found a grim reality beneath the facade of the “Happiest Place on Earth.”.

This Week in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Science:

Voyager – A New Plan for Keeping NASA’s Oldest Explorers Going.

Hayabusa-2: Japanese spacecraft makes final touchdown on asteroid.

The Evolution of the Disc.

Five SFF Works Reminiscent of Andre Norton.

Harvard exhibit charts history of Apollo 11 moon mission.

This Week in Homophobes and Other Deplorables:

Editorial: Congressional Republicans shame themselves with their silence on Trump’s racism.

Netflix Legal Warns Straight Pride: Stop Using Our Logo As We’re Here, We’re Queer, And You Better Steer Clear.

Religious author says evangelical silence about Trump’s racism proves they made ‘a deal with the devil’.

Founder of Neo-Nazi Site Daily Stormer Ordered to Pay $14 Million to Target of Racist ‘Troll Storm’.

Trump Needs His Base to Burn With Anger.

In Memoriam:

After 71 years of marriage, a husband and wife die on the same day.

Retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens has died at the age of 99 .

John Paul Stevens, long-serving Supreme Court justice, dies at 99.

John Paul Stevens Leaves Legacy of LGBTQ Rights Advocacy. “It borders on the absurd to assume that the word ‘liberty’ does not include one’s right to choose a spouse, but does include a right to possess a firearm in one’s home.”

John Paul Stevens Evolved into the Supreme Court’s Unlikely Liberal Champion.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 7/13/2019: Powerful men sometimes face consequences, but what happened at New Republic?

SF-adjacent: the inherent fuzziness of human enthusiasms.

Why I hate hay fever reason #6508.

Stop claiming that being called a bigot is worse than the actual bigotry.

Divine prophecies and muscular men in very short skirts, or more of why I love sf/f.

Videos!

What Scarlett Johansson’s Missing in the Representation Debate – Between the Scenes | The Daily Show:

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

The GOP Reacts (And Doesn’t) To Trump’s Racist Tweets:

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

Trump’s Racist Attacks on Democratic Congresswomen: A Closer Look:

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

Where Are All the Bob Ross Paintings? We Found Them:

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

‘Batman’ DVD Robin storyboard sequence – The sequence introducing the Boy Wonder – ultimately cut before filming began – was taken from an early draft of the 1989 ‘Batman’ movie, put together using original pre-production storyboards and voiced by B:TAS’s Kevin Conroy (Batman) and Mark Hamill (the Joker):

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