Last weekend we were at NorWesCon and it was the first time I’d taken vacation since Christmas. I had a great time at the convention. When I got back to work this week and went to log into the company network it took me a while to remember my password. I take that as a sign that the vacation fulfilled its purpose. Unfortunately the insane deadlins are still lined up ahead of my and it’s a constant scramble to hit the next one. But my boss paid me a great compliment this week—she mentioned that I was one of the members of the department who don’t actually need supervision, and specifically said that I always meet the customer deadlines no matter how impossible they look. But enough about that…

It’s Friday, and so I bring you the Friday Five: This week you get the top five (IMHO) stories of the week, plus the top five stories of interest to queer people, and top five videos (plus notable obituaries and a recap of my blog posts).

Stories of the Week:

Dinosaur tracks on Skye ‘globally important’.

The Whitewashing of King’s Assassination: The death of Martin Luther King Jr. wasn’t a galvanizing event, but the premature end of a movement that had only just begun.

Little Free Libraries Are Turning Into Ground Zero for Religious Proselytizing. “It’s not censorship, it’s curating.”

Police domestic violence nearly twice average rate.

How ableism affects a book review.

For Queers and Allies:

Anti-LGBTQ activist angry at ‘Love, Simon’ for showing a positive image of gays.

Everyone Got The Pulse Massacre Story Completely Wrong: And another, smaller injustice was obscured: the sadistic prosecution of Noor Salman.

Maryland Lawmakers Ban Gay Conversion Therapy.

Anti-transgender discrimination loses in Alaska vote.

Judge Dismisses Homophobe’s Lawsuit Claiming Rainbow Flags Are Religious Symbols.

In Memoriam:

Isao Takahata, Studio Ghibli Co-Founder and ‘Grave of the Fireflies’ Director, Dies at 82 — Report.

Remembering the Life of the Hilarious, Hardworking Seattle Comedian, Peggy Platt.

Things I wrote:

No one likes a bully.

Happy Easter!

Camp NaNoWriMo and the continuing adventure of resetting.

NorWesCon 41 Report — Professor Plum in the hall with the selfie stick.

Videos!

Dr. Evil Gets Fired from Trump’s Cabinet:

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

Trump Sends National Guard to the Border, Attacks Amazon: A Closer Look:

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

Bravo, Edna – Incredibles 2:

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

Fahrenheit 451 (2018) Official Trailer ft. Michael B. Jordan & Michael Shannon | HBO:

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

Natti Vogel – BROWN RICE feat. Matthew Wilkas:

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

It’s the fifth Friday of March!

Work was insanely busy again, but right now I don’t care because I’m on vacation! My husband and I are attending the 41st Northwest Science Fiction Convention, along with a whole bunch of our friends. My husband is on staff this year, instead of doing his usual thing of volunteering in a bunch of departments, he’s just being an IT Ninja all weekend. I, meanwhile, I’m goofing off. And doing a lot of it in costume. Today, for instance, I’m wearing an upgraded version of the Social Justice Necromancer costume I debuted a friend’s Halloween party a few years ago. I’ll be handing out pocket Constitutions, Bill of Rights bookmarks, and other fun civil rights related things while supplies last.

But for now, I bring you the Friday Five: This week you get the top five (IMHO) stories of the week and top five videos (plus notable obituaries and a recap of my blog posts).

Stories of the Week:

The Quantum Physics Of Vampires.

Who Does She Think She Is?

This whimsical home made entirely from clay is basically a giant piece of pottery. .

Why ‘He Should Have Just Complied’ Does Not Apply to Stephon Clark.

For 1st Time Since Fatal Bombings Rocked Austin, Texas, Police Chief Finally Calls Serial Bomber a ‘Domestic Terrorist’. One of the few times ‘finally” is justified in a headline.

In Memoriam:

Linda Brown, Whose Case Ended Racial Segregation in US Schools, Dies.

Linda Brown, Symbol of Landmark Desegregation Case, Dies at 75.

Photos: What integration after Brown v. Board of Education looked like.

Actress & Stunt Performer Debbie Lee Carrington Has Passed Away.

Things I wrote:

Veterans for Gun Reform.

I don’t mean to be a jerk, part 2.

Videos!

Supergirl | Schott Through The Heart Trailer | The CW:

x

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

Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Infinity War – Gone TV Spot:

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

Stephen Falls Victim To CNN’s ‘Fake News’:

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

Keiynan Lonsdale – Kiss The Boy (Official Lyric Video):

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

This Is Me – Cover by Shoshana Bean Featuring Travis Wall:

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

It’s the fourth Friday of March!

Very busy at work. I and several co-workers coming down with several maladies. Impossible deadlines, as always. Meanwhile, spring appears to arrive, but is quickly overshadowing by weird unseasonable weather. Meanwhile, we still have a senile narcissist in the White House and the Republicans continue to show absolutely no spine and certainly no respect for the rule of law.

Once again I bring you the Friday Five: This week you get the top five (IMHO) stories of the week, the top five stories related to queer rights, plus five stories about white terrorists, and videos (plus notable obituaries and a recap of my blog posts).

Stories of the Week:

THE LIMITS OF LEGALISM – Robert Mueller and the FBI can’t save us.

The Great Lie of Conservatism – The philosophical foundation of conservatism is a template for exploitation, argues Drew Magary, and it’s time to stop treating it as half our country’s guiding principles. “…like most conservative writings, these principles are written in the kind of highfalutin dipshit-ese designed specifically to impress any self-declared “enfant terrible” in your school’s debate club. It’s all insufferably pompous. But if you plow through all of Kirk’s bone dry copy, you will see the blueprint for the con laid out.”

Child abuse imagery found within bitcoin’s blockchain. Also, cryptocurencies are a scam.

Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner Promised a Criminal Justice Revolution. He’s Exceeding Expectations. Seriously, this is incredible!

‘This is now a crime scene’: Trail steward recalls finding illegal ‘gingerbread house’ filled with child porn. This story is sooooo weird!

News for queers and our allies:

John Oliver’s gay bunny book is a runaway success. Mike Pence’s bunny book isn’t. Also, this book’s proceeds go to charities devoted to helping gay people. Remember that Pence, when he was a governor, diverted health care funds earmarked for AIDS patients into conversion therapy. So ignore that Slate article that takes issue with this book. Even better, go comment on that Slate article about how much good this book does…

Savannah Georgia ruined Mike Pence’s St. Patrick’s Day in the best way possible.

AIDS 1969: HIV, History, and Race.

Women who have sex with women orgasm much, much more, new study shows.

Judge Demands Trump Provide Names of Those Who Advised Trans Military Ban.

This week in white terrorism:

Here’s What We Know About The Austin Package Bomber.

The double standard on how the media is talking about the Austin bomber .

Americans are more likely to be attacked by far-right terrorists than Islamists.

‘This is all we’ve got’: Young white supremacists are down to their last fundraising platform .

White evangelical Christians really only care about one thing — and everything else is a sham.

In Memoriam:

Who Is Stephon Clark? Police Shot Black Man Holding Cellphone 20 Times.

Austin Bombing Victims Included a Father and a 17-Year-Old Musician.

These are the victims of the Austin bombings.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 3/17/2018: Did no one see this coming?.

Spring has sprung, but winter isn’t through with us, yet! (and what say the squirrel god?).

It still isn’t unfathomable!

Ken and Ben, twinks in love — or where did you think fashion came from?

Videos!

A Selfish Argument for Making the World a Better Place – Egoistic Altruism:

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

Stephen Colbert Works Out With Ruth Bader Ginsburg:

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

John Oliver on His Children’s Book About VP Pence’s Gay Bunny, Marlon Bundo:

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

Trump’s Advisers Told Him Not to Congratulate Putin: A Closer Look:

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

Panic! At The Disco: Say Amen (Saturday Night) [OFFICIAL VIDEO]:

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

Things have been happening in the lives of a bunch of our friends. Work is being insanely stressful. I have not been in the greatest of moods. But enough about that.

Once again I bring you the Friday Five: The top five (IMHO) stories of the week and videos (plus notable obituaries and a recap of my blog posts).

Stories of the Week:

Using an AIDS-activism slogan to protest gun violence.

Donald Trump Is the New George W. Bush.

Jesus Taught Me How to Play Soprano Saxophone While I Was Dead, Says Christian.

Generation Z Is Less Religious Than Ever, and Evangelicals Don’t Know Why.

Depth Of Russian Politician’s Cultivation Of NRA Ties Revealed.

In Memoriam:

Pioneering Scientist Stephen Hawking Passes Away at 76.

How Stephen Hawking Transformed Our Understanding of Black Holes.

Stephen Hawking’s life was made possible by access to great health care and social support.

STEPHEN HAWKING: MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE CHARITY WEBSITE CRASHES AS PHYSICIST’S DEATH SPARKS DONATION SURGE.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update (3/10/2018): Another homophobe arrested for being a sexual predator.

100 years of Daylight Saving Time, and most of what you know about it is wrong.

Pseudo spring arrived, time for flowers and to assess our plans for the veranda!.

…and the darkness comprehended it not.

Videos!

Spider-Man’s Tom Holland crushes Rihanna’s “Umbrella” in lip-synch challenge:

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

Which Trump Cabinet Member Will Survive The DCAA Tournament:

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

Jimmy Kimmel’s Shocking Discovery About Trump Merchandise:

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

Conor Lamb’s Win, Trump’s “Space Force” and #NationalStudentWalkout::

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

Ireland’s Adorable Gay Eurovision Song Entry May Be Banned By Russia:

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

The weather is warming up, which is nice. Though it also means that my hay fever is ramping up.

Once again I bring you the Friday Five: The top five (IMHO) stories of the week, five important storis about queer rights, and videos (plus notable obituaries and a recap of my blog posts).

Stories of the Week:

An OurTime.Com Con Man and the Women Who Busted Him .

Deadly Connection: Neo-Nazi Group Linked To 3 Accused Killers.

Former Ohio Republican AG says he regrets ‘devil’s bargain’ with the NRA: ‘I had abandoned my principles and sold my soul’.

The unwelcome revival of ‘race science’ .

MSNBC’s Ali Velshi refutes NRA talking point that people are safer with more guns around.

News for queers and our allies:

There is No Such Thing as a “Homosexual Lifestyle.”.

Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters: Religious right defense of ‘ex-gay’ therapy is doomed to fail.

Was It Right for a Gay Escort to Expose Dozens of Catholic Priests Who Saw Him? Yes.

Roy Moore ‘Struggling to Make Ends Meet’ – Urges Supporters to Help Him Fight ‘Gays, Lesbians, and Transgenders’ –.

Ontario AG reviews call for inquiry into Toronto police handling of missing persons cases linked to Gay Village serial killer.

In Memoriam:

David Ogden Stiers, Major Winchester on ‘M*A*S*H,’ Dies at 75.

David Ogden Stiers, ‘M.A.S.H.’ actor who became voice of Disney movies, dies at 75.

Alan Alda pays tribute to M*A*S*H costar David Ogden Stiers.

Lewis Gilbert, director of three James Bond films, dies.

Things I wrote:

Sunday Funnies, part 27.

A writer writes — where do characters come from?.

Subplots, plots, and resolutions — but what about the denouement!.

Unnamed faces in old (and not-so-old) family pictures.

Videos!

Pastor Jeffress talks evangelical reaction to Stormy Daniels:

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

Stormy Daniels Sues, Gary Cohn Quits, Trump Talks North Korea: A Closer Look:

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

Alt-Right Killers | March 7, 2018 Act 2 | Full Frontal on TBS:

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

Legion | Season 2 – Official Trailer:

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

Mark Hamill’s Walk of Fame Award Acceptance Speech – Star Wars The Last Jedi:

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

We’re still having colder than usual weather, including a rather weird graupel storm last Sunday that I got stuck in traffic in for a long time. I seemed to then come down with a cold for a couple of days in the middle of the week. And things continue to be super busy at work.

Once again I bring you the Friday Five: The top five (IMHO) stories of the week and videos (plus notable obituaries and a recap of my blog posts).

Stories of the Week:

Georgia Can’t Afford Another Anti-LGBT Bill.

Humans Behave Surprisingly Bat-Like in Echolocation Study.

Mars Curiosity rover can now drill again, and more like a human.

Report: Media Largely Ignored Unprecedented Anti-LGBTQ Violence of 2017.

Olympian Gus Kenworthy shared some of his worst hate mail and made a powerful point: Homophobia is very, very real.

In Memoriam:

Emma Chambers, The Vicar of Dibley actor, dies aged 53.

Nanette Fabray, star of stage, screen and TV’s ‘One Day at a Time,’ dies at 97.

Marty Allen, Wild-Eyed Comedy Star, Is Dead at 95.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 2/24/2018: Mutually Assured Massacre.

Ill humours and untangled threads – more adventures in dictionaries.

You’re a storyteller, so paint pictures with your words.

Videos!

Survivors of Pulse, Parkland Mass Shootings Stand Together in Solidarity:

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

Trump Discusses Guns; Hicks, Kushner and Carson Under Fire: A Closer Look:

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

Trump Claims He Would Have ‘Run’ Into The School:

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

Gal Pals. Just girls being friends. Just sleeping in the same room and scooting the beds closer together while they use their ‘portable massager’ after a hard day:

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

Kendrick Lamar, SZA – All The Stars:

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

Hayley Kiyoko “Curious” | BOY VERSION with Donald Romain:

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

Seattle is in the middle of a record breaking cold snap, even while other parts of the country are experiencing record breaking heat. We seldom get snow in Seattle at all, and this winter we’ve had it several times. They’re saying it’s going to be this cold for several more days, at least. And the same large atmospheric phenomenon giving us all this icy weather it also what’s making it so warm elsewhere.

Once again I bring you the Friday Five: The top five (IMHO) stories of the week and videos (plus notable obituaries and a recap of my blog posts).

Stories of the Week:

More Than Twice As Many Women Are Running For Congress In 2018 Compared With 2016.

The Pro-Trump Media Has Its Match In The Parkland Students.

Democrats Should Run on Gun Control All Over the Country.

Gov. Greitens indicted for felony invasion of privacy stemming from affair. He is also accused of attempted blackmail. So much for family values…

What Ever Happened To Brendan Fraser? This article is not about what you probably think it’s about.

Death:

Billy Graham: Neither prophet nor theologian. I so seldom agree with George Will, but maybe only a curmudgeonly old ultra conservative can get away from saying (among other thing) in an obituary: “Graham frequently vowed to abstain from partisan politics, and almost as frequently slipped this self-imposed leash, almost always on behalf of Republicans… On Feb. 1, 1972, unaware of Nixon’s Oval Office taping system, when Nixon ranted about how Jews “totally dominated” the media, Graham said “this stranglehold has got to be broken or this country is going down the drain.” He also told Nixon that Jews are “the ones putting out the pornographic stuff.” One can reasonably acquit Graham of anti-Semitism only by convicting him of toadying.”

Even a Graham can’t save Trump. (This is more about Franklin Graham and his ilk and Trump, but the opening paragraphs nicely sum up the way Billy fit into the lives of many, many evangelicals in the 50s through at least the 80s)

Anti-gay evangelical Billy Graham has died, aged 99.

What the Obits Aren’t Saying: Evangelist Billy Graham Was a Homophobe.

Far from being ‘an exemplar to generation upon generation’, Graham is an example of how religion is so often successfully leveraged as a means of making bigotry appear somehow acceptable, even something to aspire to.

Things I wrote:

It can’t be too late for common sense about guns, right?

No, today’s official holiday name isn’t what you think.

When the roll is called up yonder, or queer confessions of an ex-evangelical.

Videos!

Trump vs. The World: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO):

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

The Kids From Florida Aren’t Acting:

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

Fox News retracts story mocking Olympic diversity:

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

Legion Season 2 “No Secrets” International Promo (HD):

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

Matt Gresham – Home (Official Video):

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

It’s been a weird week for us. My hubby caught another cold. Work has been a weird mix of “Rush! Rush! OMG Please hurry!” and “let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” This weekend we’re host Writers’ Night, meeting a friend for a birthday celebration, and will try to see Black Panther.

Once again I bring you the Friday Five: The top five (IMHO) stories of the week and videos (plus notable obituaries and a recap of my blog posts). This week I’m also including for links related to the 19th mass shooting of the year, because awful news sometimes needs a separate category.

Stories of the Week:

Christian Writer: ‘The devil is delighted’ to see evangelicals defending Trump and the GOP at all costs.

The Follower Factory – Everyone wants to be popular online. Some even pay for it. Inside social media’s black market. The interactive graphics on this story alone are with the click!

Jeff Sessions Celebrates “Anglo-American Heritage of Law Enforcement”. A lot of people keep defending this on the grounds that Anglo-American is a technical legal term used sometimes used to refer to the U.S. interpretation of common law. But it wasn’t in the prepared speech, it is something he added over the advice of others, and every racist dog whistle that ever existed is technically a term of something that exist. Doesn’t make it not racist.

‘Skating was always there’: Eric Radford’s road to becoming the first openly gay man to win gold at the Winter Olympics.

Inside Apple’s HomePod Audio Lab.

Horrible News:

Our Moloch.

Leader Of White Nationalist Militia Says Shooter Was Member, Took Part In Paramilitary Drills.

New assault weapons ban will prevent mass shootings, experts say.

How Donald Trump’s Defense of White Supremacists Puts National Security at Risk.

After the Parkland shooting, let’s call GOP hypocrisy on guns what it really is: complicity.

In Memoriam:

These are the innocent victims of the Florida school shooting.

Florida shooting victims: Tributes pour in for students and teachers killed in Parkland school massacre.

Florida school shooting victims identified by authorities, remembered by friends, family.

Things I wrote:

Offended offenders — the joke is on who, exactly?

A Writer Writes: Where do I find my subplots?

“But he wasn’t a very good illusionist” — or, all is fair in camp, love, and war.

Great-grandma’s Gun.

Videos!

P!nk Belts Out the National Anthem! | Super Bowl LII NFL Pregame:

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

Adam Rippon skates clean team event free skate:

NBC won’t allow embedding, so click here.)

Former GOP House Rep. David Jolly: If You Want Any Action On Guns, Democrats Must Flip The House:

"Republicans will never do anything on gun control," says former GOP Rep. David Jolly. "The idea of gun policy in the Republican party is to try to get a speaking slot at the NRA and prove to that constituency that you are further right." pic.twitter.com/4ijiJ4ZwKW

— CNN (@CNN) February 15, 2018

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

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

STAND BY YOUR MAN (Donald Trump) – A Randy Rainbow Song Parody:

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

Otter Snow Day at Shedd – 2018:

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

Work was less tense this week as we scrambled to make the crazy deadline and now we’re picking up loose ends and planning for the next crazy deadlines.

Welcome to my Friday Five: The top five (IMHO) stories of the week and videos (plus notable obituaries and a recap of my blog posts). Also this week I’m including five stories from my local news sources.

Stories of the Week:

Russians penetrated U.S. voter systems, top U.S. official says.

Thomas The Bisexual Goose Will Be Buried Beside His Male Partner Of 30 Years.

Meet a Briton From 10,000 Years Ago.

Why Are Murders Of Gay And Bi Men Up A Staggering 400 Percent?

Tillerson Warns Russia Is Meddling In 2018 Midterms, Methods Evolving.

Local Developments:

Mayor Jenny Durkan: Why Seattle Is Erasing Misdemeanor Marijuana Convictions from People’s Records.

As the oceans change, can oysters adapt?

The Mystery Tree Fall Near Lake Quinault: Why Did It Happen? Part I and Part II.

‘We thought we’d pulled a dead person out of the water’: Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation machine saved her life.

Seattle, Tacoma among worst traffic congestion in U.S.

In Memoriam:

John Mahoney, who played cranky dad on “Frasier,” dies at 77.

The Late, Great John Mahoney Was Frasier’s Father, and Yours Too.

Why John Mahoney is an inspiration to late bloomers everywhere.

Things I wrote:

Coffee, coffee, everywhere — and why half of what you know about it is wrong.

Self-loathing self deceivers—they are never just hurting themselves.

A Writer Writes: Subplots and subtexts are not the same thing.

That doesn’t mean what it used to — more adventures in dictionaries.

Videos!

VENOM – Official Teaser Trailer (HD):

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

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Official Super Bowl Trailer (2018) Marvel:

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

Deadpool, Meet Cable:

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

Of Course Trump Wants to Throw Himself a Military Parade: The Daily Show:

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

Matt Palmer – Solo Act (Official Music Video):

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

This has been a weird week. Except it isn’t that weird, because in the thirty (30) years that I’ve worked in the software industry, this has been something that occurred several times each year. We had an impossible deadline. Everyone worked extremely long hours (for which we aren’t paid overtime because the suits figured out years ago that you could demand impossible results that require enormous amounts of extra time from people while implicitly threatening their employment and we would allow ourselves to be classified as “exempt” employees and give up many protections).

The upshot is, I was surprised that I had more than five stories bookmarked and actually had to spend some time tonight deciding which five to include in this post, because I worked such long days this week that I had very little time to pay attention to the news. Yet, I did have to spend some time winnowing it down. And therefore…

Welcome to my Friday Five: Only the top five (IMHO) stories of the week and videos (plus notable obituaries and a recap of my blog posts).

Stories of the Week:

Fitness tracking app Strava gives away location of secret US army bases.

Why do evangelicals love Trump? Dumb question: Why wouldn’t they? “Trump is doing the bidding of right-wing Christians — and movement conservatism has become a form of religion”

The Book That Colored Charles Darwin’s World.

‘The Shed at Dulwich’ was London’s top-rated restaurant. Just one problem: It didn’t exist.

Staffing the Accused: Inside the Six-Month-Long Downfall of Seattle Mayor Ed Murray – Their boss allegedly committed sexual assault and abuse. He denied everything. They had to decide: Who do I believe? What do I do? Fascinating story by our local Pulitzer-winning reporter who accepted a 71-day gig as a speech writer for the second of two temporary Mayors we had after the disgraced Murray resigned.

In Memoriam:

Bob Smith, Groundbreaking Gay Comedian, Is Dead at 59.

Things I wrote:

Singular They Isn’t New — more adventures in dictionaries.

Videos!

Samantha Bee on Full Frontal on TBS The Actual State of Our Union:

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

ALL ABOUT HIS BASE – Randy Rainbow Song Parody:

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

Stunning video captures meteorological phenomenon known as cloud iridescence, which painted the sky:

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

Ant-Man and the Wasp Trailer #1:

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

Kylie Minogue – Dancing (Official Video):

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