And here we are at the fourth Friday of October.

Not quite Halloween, just yet. I’m trying to remain calm after my husband found out that his supervisor at his workplace has tested positive for COVID-19. And I just don’t have anything to say beyond that about anything right now.

So, let’s jump to this week’s 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 moronic thug occupying the Oval Office, and five videos (plus some things I wrote and notable obituaries).

Stories of the Week:

Billy Porter Says To ‘Get Your Little Asses to The Polls!’.

‘Hocus Pocus’ Cast Reuniting for Halloween Special Hosted by Elvira; See the Trio Back in Their Costumes!

This House’s Halloween Decorations That Have People Calling 911.

First NASA Osiris-Rex images show incredible touchdown on asteroid Bennu.

Five more states voting this fall on legalizing marijuana – Dire budget conditions of many states increasingly aid arguments in favor of legalization.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Dear SCOTUS: LGBTQ+ People Are Religious and Also Deserve Liberty.

Political candidates face uptick in anti-LGBTQ attack ads – The “homophobic and transphobic attacks” are “more frequent and more direct than we have seen in at least a decade,” LGBTQ Victory Fund CEO Annise Parker said.

One Million Moms Threatens Oreo Boycott Over LGBTQ+ Ad.

Joe Biden makes a pledge to trans people: “I believe that Trans Lives Matter” – The death of Sara Blackwood, in part, spurred former Vice President Joe Biden to speak on the “unacceptable” epidemic of violence facing transgender & gender non-conforming people.

United States to team with countries who persecute LGBTQ people for ‘pro-family’ manifesto, including ‘Kill the Gays’ bill sponsor Uganda.

This Week in the Moronavirus Occupying the White House:

Reality Check: Trump’s Accusations Are Always Projections About Himself.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused nearly 300,000 more deaths than expected in a typical year.

Can We Hope This Era Of Paranoia Is Burning Itself Out?

Trump’s 60 Minutes Interview Reveals Him To Be A Whiny Brat. My favorite sum-up of the full, unedited video that Donald released thinking it made him look good: “He keeps spouting nonsense, and she calmly explains that it’s nonsense and he just keeps getting more whiny.”

‘This guy is a dog whistle’: Biden lights Trump up after he claims to be ‘least racist’ person at debate.

In Memoriam:

Famed Magician and Skeptic James Randi Dies at 92: ‘A Crusader Against Fakes, Flimflam and Frauds’.

‘Amazing’ Escape Artist, Magician, And Skeptic James Randi Dead At 92.

Things I wrote:

Tuesday Tidbits 10/18/2020: Tornadoes, voting, scrub jays, and more.

Words and Images: Is it really only Wednesday? Because it feels so, so much later.

You’re So Cool, Brewster! — more of why I love spooky sf/f.

Videos!

OREO Proud Parent:

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Cruelty Was The Plan: Chilling News About The Human Toll Of Trump’s Child Separation Policy:

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Trump Leaks Embarrassing 60 Minutes Interview Before Second Debate: A Closer Look:

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Ariana Grande – positions (official video):

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Lauv & Conan Gray – Fake [Official Music Video]:

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And here we are at the third Friday of October.

This has been a weird week. Work hasn’t been more stressful than usual, but I’ve had more than a few symptoms and indications that I may have something more serious the autumn hay fever going on. I’ve gotten some writing done this week, and started reading the next book in my virtual pile, but haven’t gotten as far as I had hoped on either.

So, let’s jump to this week’s 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 moronic thug occupying the Oval Office, and five videos (plus some things I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

Patriotic Voter Preps for Long Poll Lines with Chair and Snacks – 2020 ELECTION I’M READY TO VOTE NO MATTER WHAT … ‘Ain’t S*** Gon’ Stop Me!!!’.

Restaurant bans entry to people with symptoms of “COVID-19, racism, homophobia & transphobia” – “This is something we stand for and we figured our customers would agree with it, and as the sign says if not we are not particularly keen to have them in here.”.

We Watched A Star Get ‘Spaghettified’ By A Monster Black Hole, Say Scientists.

Why Are Nearly All of the Penises Appearing in TV and Film Prosthetic?

This Utah Man Recorded A Terrifying Encounter With An Angry Mama Cougar – Kyle Burgess was followed by the cougar for more than six very scary minutes.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Amy Coney Barrett Won’t Say if SCOTUS Marriage Equality Case Was Correctly Decided.

574 LGBTQ Candidates on General Election Ballots This Year, Up 33 Percent: Victory Fund Report.

This small town’s battle over gay Pride flags is helping fuel a national debate – Heber City, Utah, is one of a growing number of municipalities across the U.S. that has seen controversy ignited by the public display of LGBTQ pride flags.

Lifelong Republican, 94, pledges to vote Biden to protect the LGBT+ community after gay grandson’s emotional appeal.

Nico Tortorella Wants You to Know Your Queer History.

This Week in the Moronavirus Occupying the White House:

GOP Sen. Sasse In Audio: Trump Sold Out Allies, Flirted With White Supremacists, And Cozied Up To Dictators.

NBC Staffers Seethe as Trump Gleefully Uses the Network Against Biden.

How can 42 percent of Americans still support the worst president in our history?

Twitter Zaps Bot Army Of Fake Black Trump Supporters.

The Time Nixon’s Cronies Tried to Overturn a Presidential Election.

Things I wrote:

Come out of hiding and stand proudly in the light!

Celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day.

Tuesday Tidbits 10/13/2020: Endangering health and democracy.

Spoons, coping mechanisms, and coffee.

If I want your opinion, I’ll beat it out of you — more of why I love spooky sf/f.

Videos!

The What/Why/How of the Columbus Day Debate | The Daily Social Distancing Show:

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A Message from Your Friendly Local Mail Carrier:

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Pelosi Rages At CNN’s Wolf Blitzer After He Suggests Accepting GOP’s $1.8 Trillion Stimulus Package:

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[OFFICIAL VIDEO] Happy Now – Pentatonix:

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“Don’t Cancel Halloween” (2020) – Elvira Music Video:

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This meme hits me hard…

Let’s jump to this week’s Friday Five. This week I bring you: a late breaking story on its own, the top five stories of the week, five stories originating near me, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about deplorable people, five stories about the fight to save my homeland, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and some things I wrote).

Breaking News That Needs Its Own Category:

Trump, first lady test positive for Covid-19 – The announcement comes shortly after the president said he and the first lady were in the “quarantine process” following senior aide Hope Hicks’ positive test.

Stories of the Week:

Unredacted FBI Document Sheds New Light on White Supremacist Infiltration of Law Enforcement.

‘They’re all hustlers’. The person being quoted in the headline is Trump from some private conversations. The big takeaway is that when Trump accuses other people of doing what we all suspect he’s doing, it’s not so much project as an apparent sincere belief that everyone (except suckers) are lying and scamming and cheating just like he is.

The Hoxne Hoard: How a Mislaid Hammer Led to the Largest Roman Treasure in Britain. Okay, so this was published a few years ago, but I only found it this week.

76% of LGBTQ people are voting for Joe Biden while only 17% support Donald Trump – LGBTQ people also like Kamala Harris a lot more than Mike Pence, the poll found. Just in case any of you believed that online poll Trump was quoting about how many LGBTQ people support him…

Bette Midler Shares Excitement For ‘Hocus Pocus’ Sequel & Dishes On If She’ll Be Part of It.

This Week in News (Mostly) Local to Me:

Doctors: Seattle COVID patient only third in the world to be reinfected after recovering.

3 new sightings of Asian giant hornets confirmed in Whatcom County – Asian giant hornets are invasive to the Pacific Northwest and they have been dubbed “murder hornets” for their impact on bee populations.

Smoky September finishes up 2nd warmest on record by average temperature.

Sen. Patty Murray says Democrats will apply pressure in fight to replace SCOTUS ‘North Star’.

Scarecrow Video the World’s Largest Archive of DVDs, VHS, and Blu-rays is Open Again.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

LGBTQ themes found in half of the past decade’s 20 most-banned books – “Two Boys Kissing,” “I Am Jazz” and “Kite Runner” are among the titles on the American Library Association’s most-banned books of the past decade list.

Gay 13-year-old kicked out of an “inclusive” church finds true community in love from strangers – Drag queens, a local printer, and LGBTQ people he never met sent him support after hearing his story.

Migraines Affect Staggering Number of Gay, Bi People, Study Finds.

Charlie Carver says gay colleague slapped him for being “too effeminate”. And so, a few months later, Charlie came out…

In Gay We Trust: What Do I Do With This Hate? – If hope is the antidote to despair, what is hate’s?

This Week in Haters and Other Deplorable People:

Louisiana Trooper Who Choked Black Man Caught on Mic: ‘I Beat the Ever-Living F*ck Out Of Him’ – A 27-second audio clip implicates Chris Hollingsworth in the death of Ronald Greene, which officers initially blamed on injuries from a car crash.

‘Proud Boys’ leader used dildo on himself to ‘own liberals’ and prove he wasn’t homophobic. What???

Michigan AG Files Felony Charges Again Jack Burkman, Jacob Wohl for Alleged Voter Suppression Scheme.

Proud Boys Celebrate As Trump Endorses Their Proto-Fascist Violence – The neo-Nazi group couldn’t wait to rejoice and announce they were ready and waiting for marching orders from their white supremacist leader, Donald Trump.

White Judges Keep Black Man In Prison For Life For Petty Theft.

This Week in the Fight to Save America:

Debate Fact-Checks Show Trump Lied And Lied, But One Group Of Lies Is By Far The Most Damaging – Both of Trump’s attempts to rattle Biden by attacking his son Hunter, and his lies about voting, had more sustained intention behind them. But the lies about the integrity of November’s elections were far more serious.

Senate approves stopgap bill to prevent shutdown ahead of midnight deadline.

Endangered Republicans back Senate Democrats’ bill opposing Obamacare lawsuit – Five Republicans facing tough reelections crossed party lines in a vote highlighting Trump’s challenge to the health care law.

How Democrats Should Address the ACBarrett nomination. I don’t agree with all parts of this post, but there are some good ideas in there.

‘Biden Won’: Fox Business Host Breaks The Bad News To Kayleigh McEnany About Trump’s Debate – White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany insisted on Wednesday that President Donald Trump came out on top against Democratic nominee Joe Biden in Tuesday night’s debate.

In Memoriam:

Singer and activist Helen Reddy dies aged 78.

Helen Reddy, the roaring sound of feminism – HELEN REDDY: 1941 – 2020.

First person ever cured from HIV infection, Timothy Ray Brown, known as ‘the Berlin Patient’ dies of cancer.

Things I wrote:

Monday Update 9/29/2020: I’m not sure ‘bombshell’ is the word you mean.

Classic Rich F— Tactic, and also why I’m not watching the debate.

Why I hate hay fever reason #6542.

Videos!

Trump’s Debate Performance Was an Embarrassing Debacle: A Closer Look – Seth Meyers Goes to Town After Watching Trump Debate: ‘It Was Like Hotboxing a Porta Potty with Crystal Meth in Phoenix in July’:

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Wildfires – If You Don’t Know, Now You Know | The Daily Social Distancing Show:

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GOP Worries They Backed The Wrong Horse As Biden’s Lead Grows Following “Embarrassing” Debate:

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Even Trump Supporters Are Getting Tired of Him | The Tonight Show:

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Sigala, James Arthur – Lasting Lover (Official Video):

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Welcome to the fourth Friday in September. September, the month when superior people are born, and this day in September is the on which extra-special awesome people are born.

I’m just a little bit prejudiced in that evaluation. Today’s blog post has a slightly odd title because today is my birthday. And it’s one of those big ones evenly divisible by ten. I am now officially a member to two different groups within the population considered at high risk in the pandemic. Yesterday I was in only one. I usually make a post on my birthday that ends with some words of wisdom. I decided I don’t need to do a separate post today, so you get the words of wisdom here: Taking care of yourself is being productive.

And now it is time for me to roll out this week’s Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories about deplorables, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and some things I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

The Village People Will Sue You for Saying ‘YMCA’ Is About Gay Sex.

‘Schitt’s Creek’, a ‘Celebration of Inclusivity and Castigation of Homophobia,’ Takes Every Comedy Emmy in Historic Win.

North Seattle and the Foghorns from Nowhere.

More than 200 retired generals, admirals endorse Biden.

Too much candy: Man dies from eating bags of black licorice.

This Week in Deplorables:

They couldn’t even wait until Ruth Bader Ginsburg was in her grave.

It’s propaganda, not hypocrisy: Republicans use lying as their primary governing technique.

Toobin: McConnell engaging in ‘greatest act of hypocrisy in American political history’ with Ginsburg replacement vote.

I almost believed for a second that Mitt Romney had integrity. How foolish was I? – We always knew Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell were hypocrites. But Romney gave us cause for optimism — before crushing our hopes in the most disappointing way.

‘It’s a Crazy Way to Run a Country’: How to Reform the Supreme Court .

In Memoriam:

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Champion Of Gender Equality, Dies At 87.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Supreme Court Justice and Liberal Icon, Dies at 87.

The Legendary RBG: The Judicial Legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg – By the time she sat on the Supreme Court, she had already wiped over 200 discriminatory laws off the books. As a justice, she wrote majority opinions in the most significant rulings of our time.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s legacy, and the future of the Supreme Court, explained – Ginsburg’s death places her entire legacy in danger.

An inspiration and an example: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died Friday, mourned in Valley.

Lee Kerslake, Ozzy Osbourne and Uriah Heep Drummer, Dead at 73 – Drummer played on Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 9/19/2020: What the F*ck Else, 2020?

Surviving the massive smoke plume, or the ninth plague of 2020.

Time for y’all to say hello to fall!

Confessions of an older homo devil, or, Some of us had baggage to deal with.

Unauthorized sons of Tarzan, or, how an almost friendship encouraged my love of sf/f.

Videos!

Saying Goodbye To Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, An American Hero:

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Trump and GOP Rush to Fill Ginsburg’s Seat Despite 2016 Hypocrisy: A Closer Look:

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There have been 200,000 coronavirus deaths in the US. Fox News got us here:

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How Trump Is Planning on Winning the Election No Matter What | The Daily Social Distancing Show:

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Finally, let’s close with the song that was number 1 on Billboard’s Top 100 on the day that I was born – Chubby Checker-The Twist:

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Welcome to the third Friday in September. September, the month when superior people are born.

The air quality index has remained in either the Unhealthy for Everyone or Very Unhealthy range all week. I only started getting partial night’s sleep when my doctor confirmed that the inhaler I have incase I get a case of bronchitis can be used for this. I’m coughing slightly less now that I’m using the inhaler four times a day. I really hope the rain comes and cleans us out soon!

It’s time for me to roll out this week’s Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories about the haters & deplorables & related, and five videos (plus something I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

Alcohol possibly from Prohibition era found in walls of Queen Anne home.

CA governor signs law to equalize punishments for gay & straight sex offenders – The law gives judges the ability to keep LGBTQ teenagers off the state’s public sex offender registry if the teens are of similar ages, the same leeway the state already gives straight teens.

A gas found on Earth that signifies life has been detected in the clouds on Venus.

Culture Wars Masquerading as Social Science: New Survey Illustrates Evangelicals’ Election Year Anxieties .

Trump Admin Sues Grocery Giant Kroger Over Firing Of Two Staffers Who Refused To Wear “Rainbow” On Apron.

This Week in Haters and Other Deplorable People:

This ex-Trump voter got deprogrammed — thanks in part to watching Stephen Colbert.

911 Call From Intoxicated Jerry Falwell Jr.’s House Last Month Describes ‘A Lot Of Blood’ .

ICE whistleblower: Nurse alleges ‘hysterectomies on immigrant women in US’.

LGBTQ: The letters Republicans didn’t utter.

The Slow-Fingered President – Donald Trump has been eager to tweet on many subjects—but notably reticent to emphasize public health.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 9/12/2020: It’s 2020 Everywhere….

Videos!

Trump Blames “Blue States” For COVID Deaths: A Closer Look:

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Former Trump Officials Defect To Back Biden:

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Former FBI official Peter Strzok goes one-on-one with Maddow:

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The Pandemmy Awards: Honoring the Greatest Achievements of the Coronavirus Pandemic:

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Quarantinewhile… What Pairs Best With Taco Bell Wine?:

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Welcome to the second Friday in September. September, the month when superior people are born.

We’ve had a rare September heat wave this week, coupled with unhealthy air quality thanks to smoke from wildfires each of us and south of us.

It’s time for me to roll out this week’s Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories about wild fires, five stories about science and sci fi, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about the pandemic, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and some things that I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

Toppled Confederate monument in Capitol Hill’s Lake View Cemetery won’t be restored. This is one I’ve written about a fe times before, erected in a cemetery where the only Civil War veterans (a very small number) are Union soldiers and sailors. Not single Confederate grave in the place. Good riddance.

In a first, a person’s immune system fought HIV — and won – Analysis of 1.5 billion cells from this rare case found no trace of the virus.

How a Massive Bomb Came Together in Beirut’s Port.

Portland approves strictest ban on facial recognition technology in the U.S..

At Least 37 Million People Have Been Displaced by America’s War on Terror.

This Week in Wild Fires:

West Coast fires: Hundreds of homes burned to ground, Oregon governor says.

Scores of wildfires scorch U.S. West Coast, killing at least eight.

California fire that killed 3 threatens thousands of homes.

‘The entire town is gone’; Malden devastated by wildfires, most homes destroyed.

California wildfires: Gender reveal party blamed for fire.

This Week in Science Fact and Science Fiction:

A weirdly warped planet-forming disk circles a distant trio of stars – The bizarre geometry of this system is the first known of its kind.

This hummingbird survives cold nights by nearly freezing itself solid – The black metaltail goes into a state of suspended animation, becoming ‘cold as a rock’.

Retro Review: “Black God’s Kiss” by C.L. Moore or How to Suppress Women’s Sword and Sorcery Writing.

‘Mighty mice’ stay musclebound in space, boon for astronauts.

Lovecraft Country: making the best of the horror icon – An interview with author Matt Ruff.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Georgia church splits from United Methodists over UM refusal to support gay rights – More than a third of the congregation at Asbury Memorial Church in Savannah are LGBTQ, according to its minister.

For His Birthday, a Gay Atheist Is Raising Money for an LGBTQ-Inclusive Church.

Donald Trump unveils new Supreme Court shortlist packed with deplorable homophobes and it’s bad, bad news for LGBT+ rights.

Texas Assistant AG Fired for Anti-LGBTQ+ and Other Outrageous Tweets.

Feds capture man who detonated bomb in front of a gay gym – He had “substantial quantities of bomb-making materials, numerous weapons,” and body armor in his home.

This Week in the Pandemic:

Emails show HHS official trying to muzzle Fauci – Emails obtained by POLITICO show a top aide at the department dictating what the nation’s top infections disease expert should say during media interviews.

It’s not a scam: Snohomish County contract tracers searching for people who tested positive for COVID – As the county monitors case counts after Labor Day weekend, the health district had to shut down some testing sites due to poor air quality.

‘This is deadly stuff’: Tapes show Trump acknowledging virus threat in February – In a series of on-the-record interviews with Bob Woodward, the president struck a very different tone about the disease.

America Is Trapped in a Pandemic Spiral – As the U.S. heads toward the winter, the country is going round in circles, making the same conceptual errors that have plagued it since spring.

As students return, the deaths of at least six teachers from covid-19 renew pandemic fears.

In Memoriam:

Dame Diana Rigg: Avengers, Bond and Game of Thrones actress dies at 82.

Diana Rigg, Star of ‘The Avengers’ and ‘Game of Thrones,’ Dies at 82.

Joe Ruby, TV writer and producer who co-created Scooby-Doo, dies at 87.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Meme-date 9/5/2020: Just some quickies.

And just what is a “weekend,” three-day or otherwise?

Tuesday Tidbits 9/8/2020: News cycle continues to be disheartening.

Videos!

Trump Lashes Out Over Report that He Insulted Fallen Soldiers: A Closer Look:

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Reformed Neo-Nazi Explains How People Fall Prey to QAnon Online | MSNBC:

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Gender Reveal Wildfires, Daniel Prude Protests & Jessica Krug | The Daily Social Distancing Show:

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Bruce Springsteen – Letter To You (Official Video):

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Cameron Hawthorn – To Break Hers:

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And here were are at the first Friday in September. September, the month when superior people are born.

We had a relatively cool week, though temps have been edging up into the range where I start to melt, and the long term forecast says we might be up in those insane temperatures late next week. Which is really weird, because September almost never gets that warm here. Speaking, my quest to find a replacement to local weather blog since my former favorite has, over the course of the last couple years: become a climate change denialist apologist, claimed that quarantines and other measures weren’t necessary to stop the pandemic, starting supporting Blue Lives Matter, and finally compared the Black Lives Matter protestors to Nazi Brownshirts. Fortunately a local nonprofit news blog noticed all of us searching and came out with a list of suggestions (only one of which I’d found before). So, yay!

It’s time for me to roll out this week’s Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories about science and sci fi, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about good things, five stories about the pussy grabber in chief and his enablers, and five videos (plus notable obituaries and some things that I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

The Destabilizing Loss of Chadwick Boseman: Chadwick Boseman Gave Us Something We Had Not Had Before – He brought King T’Challa to life in a way that transfixed the world and spoke uniquely to Black Americans.

Athletes’ Racial Justice Protest Last Week Made History. But It Wasn’t the First Wildcat Strike in Pro Sports.

How Robert Mueller failed America.

Becky Albertalli: I know I’m late. A very interesting tale about coming out, denial, and other topics…

An Ohio man built a backyard squirrel bar with seven varieties of nuts on tap.

This Week in Science Fact and Science Fiction:

The Midwest Sees a Spike as Covid-19 Cases Decline Elsewhere – In nine U.S. states, case numbers are still rising or setting records. The virus is pummeling the economies of India and South Korea. Hong Kong began a Beijing-backed testing program.

Another astronomical doomsday that doesn’t actually exist: The solar micronova.

Cosmic signal rattles Earth after 7 billion years.

Ugandan gorillas in Bwindi park have ‘baby boom’.

Star Trek will get its first transgender characters this year – Congrats to actors Ian Alexander and Blu del Barrio who will play the first-ever out transgender and non-binary characters on the 54-year-old sci-fi TV series.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

California’s legislature just passed a bill to treat LGBTQ & straight sex offenders the same – The bill’s sponsor got death threats for saying that LGBTQ people should be treated the same.

LGBTQ advocates notch legal win in fight against Trump health care rule.

Federal judge: State Department must recognize U.S. citizenship of gay couple’s daughter.

Jacob Blake’s Transgender Cousin Responds to Anti-LGBTQ+ Threats.

Dictionary.com just added a lot of LGBTQ words but will use “homosexuality” less.

This Week in I Need a Break From Bad News:

I’m not going to reopen my shuttered restaurant. I’d rather feed children in need.

‘We’ll take care of you’: Tennessee Kroger gives job to woman who slept in the store’s parking lot.

Man‘s Best Buddy is a Red Robin That Helped Him Through Trauma – Watch it Feed From His Hand.

Democrat Gina Ortiz Jones Raises $100,000 After GOP’s Anti-Gay Smear Effort – “Their efforts to attack an Air Force and Iraq War veteran who served under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell clearly backfired,” said her campaign.

Cher raises $2 million for Biden at LGBTQ virtual fundraiser.

This Week in the Deplorable Thug Occupying the White House:

Operation Undermine 2020 at Full Throttle as Trump Again Suggests Voters Vote Twice.

New Study Shows Republicans Willing to Embrace Fascism to Preserve Dream of a White Nation.

Department of Health and Human Services Preparing to Launch $250 million Pandemic Propaganda Campaign- The proposed communications contract comes as the agency faces growing questions about its independence from the Trump White House.

Trump Flotilla Leader to be Charged with Felony, His Lawyer Says – The charge is “written threat to kill or bodily harm” and carried a potential sentence of up to 15 years. Gavidia previously served time for marijuana trafficking.

Facebook, Instagram Ban Pro-Trump Operative Jacob Wohl.

In Memoriam:

‘Black Panther’ star Chadwick Boseman dies of cancer at 43.

Remembering Actor Chadwick Boseman.

This 7-year-old boy held a heartbreaking memorial for Chadwick Boseman.

‘Black Panther’ Director Ryan Coogler Pens Emotional, Beautiful Tribute to Chadwick Boseman.

Chadwick Boseman visited terminally ill children during his own cancer battle.

‘We lost our own superhero.’ How Chadwick Boseman — as a Black superhero on the big screen — made families feel seen.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 8/29/2020: The virus and the fascism are the enemy, not the masks.

Dirty Deeds Coming Home to Roost, or, What’s Happening with those Evangelical Pool Boy Chasing Devils?

It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion….

Tread all to pow’rs of darkness down, or a queer ex-evangelical looks at circular reasoning.

Confessions of a Rambler, or, my blogging style is verbose, okay?

Videos!

RNC 2020 & Kenosha: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO):

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Some Unconventional News | The Daily Social Distancing Show:

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NO TIME TO DIE | Trailer 2:

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Do you like PDA?:

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The Boys in the Band | Official Trailer | Netflix:

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“The only reason you are defending his actions is because you disagree with the politics of his victims. He was an out of state agitator, disobeying a police ordered curfew, illegally carrying a firearm, in ‘defense’ of property he didn’t own. He is a MURDER, not a patriot.”
Click to embiggen!

Because I wrote a number of posts over the last couple of years about the son of an anti-gay, racist televangelist with whom I had a bit of a connection, when the scandal many of those posts had been about exploded this week, I suddenly had many hundreds of clicks on all those old posts. One of them has now crossed into the thousands, and it left me feeling weird (even though I made two more posts about it this week because, he’s been trying to take away my rights for years) because I’d really rather some other topics I’ve written about where getting all those click. One friend pointed out that even though it isn’t my favorite subject, it’s still my writing people are clicking on, and another pointed out that this is just the weirdness of blogging. Anyway…

It’s time for me to roll out this week’s Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories about tropical storms/hurricanes, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about the pandemic, five stories about awful people, and five videos (plus a notable obituary and some things that I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

College Trombonist Brings His Instrument to Battle Against MAGA Cultist, Becomes Hero.

Do Some Damage: What Could Have Been and What Still Can Be – a former cop talks about what is needed for police reform.

Evangelical leaders denounce QAnon as ‘political cult,’ ‘satanic movement’ – Evangelical leaders denounce QAnon as ‘political cult,’ ‘satanic movement’.

‘God, this sucks’: Internet aghast at what Melania Trump has done to the Rose Garden.

Chris Wallace Shuts Down Fox News’ Support Of Vigilante Violence – Chris Wallace got into a heated argument with other Fox News pundits because they endorsed the idea that murderous vigilantes attacking protesters were justified because they were “filling a void” for the police.

This Week in Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm Laura Moving Through the Mid-South With Gusty Winds, Flooding After Category 4 Landfall.

Hurricane Laura causes destruction across Louisiana.

Hurricane Laura damaged a Lake Charles Confederate monument, after parish officials voted to keep it. Heh

Hurricane Laura leaves at least six dead and a trail of destruction – “We have thousands and thousands of our fellow citizens whose lives are upside down,” Louisiana’s governor said.

Marco makes landfall, but it’s Tropical Storm Laura that has Gulf residents really nervous.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Federal appeals court rules that anti-trans school bathroom policies are unconstitutional – Gavin Grimm just won another court victory against the Gloucester County School Board of Virginia and its transphobic student bathroom policy.

State park renamed to honor legendary trans activist Marsha P. Johnson – The first state park in New York to honor an LGBTQ person will reflect “Marsha’s style and colors.”.

AOC endorses gay primary challenger Alex Morse over powerful incumbent Congressman – Out progressive candidate Alex Morse is within striking distance of knocking out the powerful chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Richard Neal.

Coronavirus lockdown has led to depression in LGBTQ people – “One gay man described how his social isolation had become ‘unbearable’ and was ‘destroying my mental health.'”.

Study: Pride Games Decrease Antigay Slurs Among Players by 40 Percent.

This Week in the Pandemic:

New coronavirus cases are down nationwide. But the US is still averaging more than 900 deaths a day – The number of deaths related to the coronavirus in the US topped 180,000 on Thursday.

Fauci Says He Was Under Anesthesia When CDC Changed COVID-19 Testing Guidelines.

Almost 50 North Texans Drank Bleach This Month, Poison Center Warns ‘Stop, It Won’t Cure COVID’.

Big 12, Conference USA join SEC in conducting three COVID-19 tests per week during 2020 season.

Hate Group’s Office Listed As “COVID Outbreak Site”.

This Week in Deplorables:

Prosecutors announce homicide charges against Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old accused of shooting and killing 2 people at a Kenosha protest and Illinois teen arrested in connection to deadly shooting in Kenosha.

Jacob Wohl Accused of Starting a Voter Suppression Scheme – Michigan Attorney General Says Culprits In Robocall Voter Suppression Stunt Face Up To Five Years In Prison.

New Zealand mosque shooter sentenced to life without parole – Brenton Tarrant, who killed 51 Muslims as they prayed, is first in New Zealand to be sentenced to life without parole.

Trump Has Now Moved $2.3 Million Of Campaign-Donor Money Into His Private Business.

Daniel Dale On Convention Lies: ‘It’s Hard For Me To Know Where To Start’.

In Memoriam:

Darryl Macdonald, co-founder of Seattle International Film Festival, dies of cancer.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 8/22/2020: At least justice for some….

Oh you cuckolded devil—or, the Evangelical Power Couple and the Pool Boy.

Tuesday Tidbits 8/25/2020: Acceptable deaths continue while stock market soars.

Pharisee says being held to his own standards is unfai.

Every starship needs a navigator, or, how librarians enabled my love for sf/f.

Videos!

The RNC’s Appeal to Black Voters & Don Jr.’s “Imagine” Speech | The Daily Social Distancing Show:

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Why Did the Police Shoot Jacob Blake? | The Daily Social Distancing Show:

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Stephen Colbert: I Didn’t Watch The RNC Tonight, And I Feel Great About It:

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Chris Webber Holds Back Tears Speaking On NBA Players’ Strike after Police Shooting of Jacob Blake:

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Kylie Minogue – Say Something (Official Video):

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Just like Dolly said…

The heatwave came back, and it felt as if all week I was trying to keep cool and figure out things to cook for dinner that didn’t heat the house up worse than it was. The work week, meanwhile, felt more like a month squeezed into a week. On the other hand, the prescription issue I was still dealing with last week has been taken care of for now, so that’s a yay. Also, I enjoyed streaming the DNC convention, which gave me a few moments of hope.

Which brings us to this week’s Friday Five. For a while now I’ve had basically the same five categories of stories week after week, and it’s seemed harder than ever to not let all the outrage-worthy news predominate. So I’ve tried to shake things up a little bit. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories that are about good or funny or interesting things, five stories about awful people, and five videos (plus a notable obituary and something I wrote).

Stories of the Week:

Dolly Parton Steers Her Empire Through the Pandemic — and Keeps It Growing . This is an awesome interview! “As soon as you realize that [something] is a problem, you should fix it. Don’t be a dumbass. That’s where my heart is. I would never dream of hurting anybody on purpose.”

The Case of the Top Secret iPod.

Matriarch of Northwest apple industry passes away at age 194. Not a misprint.

Asteroid Makes the Closest Earth Flyby a Space Rock Has Ever Survived – The car-sized object zoomed by just 1,830 miles away.

Wolverines return to Mt Rainier for first time in more than 100 years.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Waiter Has Message for Trump Supporters After Receiving $5 Tip with ‘Get Out of America, Fag’ Written on It.

‘It Has A Chilling Effect’: Some In LGBTQ Community Say Scrutiny Of Alex Morse Is Harmful .

Judge stops Idaho from enacting ban on transgender athletes – The ruling means transgender athletes wanting to participate in sports that match their gender identity can do so this fall.

I’m A Nurse Who Cares For Gender Surgery Patients. Here’s Why I Love It So Much – “It’s terribly lonely to have people know you as an incomplete or incorrect version of yourself.”.

Record Number of LGBTQ+ Delegates Make Voices Heard at Dem Convention.

This Week in I Need a Break From Bad News:

Cutie Jack Kennedy Schlossberg appeared at the virtual DNC with his mom.

Evangelical Coalition Urges Christians To Get COVID Vax Because “All Scientific Truth Is Ultimately From God”.

Florida mosquitoes: 750 million genetically modified insects to be released.

Earliest art in the British Isles discovered on Jersey.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Explained What Her “Shark Week, Motherfucker” Comment Meant And Made It Even Better – “It’s funny and it’s about women’s empowerment, and it makes me smile.”.

This Week in Deplorables:

New Senate Report Links Trump’s Business Partners To Russian Mob, Human Trafficking, And Putin.

Steve Bannon, Three Others Arrested In $25M Scheme To Defraud Donors To Private Border Wall.

Postal Service cuts imperil ladder to middle class for many Black Americans – Postal workers say DeJoy’s policies would make it nearly impossible to cope with sweeping changes that are affecting their jobs every day.

Thom Brennaman should be fired for his anti-gay slur – We know exactly who you are. Calling yourself a “man of faith” isn’t an excuse.

Squidbillies Star Stuart Baker Fired for ‘Extremely Offensive’ Facebook Posts. His long racist rant included calling Dolly Parton a freak and a slut for speaking out against racism, so, you know…

In Memoriam:

Chi Chi DeVayne dead: RuPaul’s Drag Race queen dies at age 34.

Things I wrote:

Sometimes we leap, sometimes we fall, sometimes we’re pushed….

Videos!

Watch Barack Obama’s Full Speech At The 2020 DNC | NBC News:

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Why You Shouldn’t Be Asking If Kamala Harris Is “Black Enough” | The Daily Social Distancing Show:

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Barack Obama’s Fiery, Emotional Speech Sets The Stage For Historic Kamala Harris VP Nomination:

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Billie Eilish debuts ‘My Future’ at the 2020 Democratic National Convention:

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Carly Rae Jepsen – Me And The Boys In The Band:

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