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

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

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

This Week’s Story That Made Me Laugh:

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

Stories of the Week:

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

Generation X Is Sick of Your Bullshit.

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

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

Rachel Maddow Wins Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

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

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

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

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

Ireland’s Incredible Transformation Into an LGBTQ+ Haven.

This Week in the Repairing Democracy:

Deb Haaland Confirmed As 1st Native American Interior Secretary.

Senate narrowly confirms Becerra as health secretary.

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

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

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

Hate Crime of the Week:

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

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

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

The truth about the Atlanta shooter’s supposed excuses.

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

This Week in the Pandemic:

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

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

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

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

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

In Memoriam:

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

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

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

Things I wrote:

Sunday Update: Closing so many open tabs.

Socially acceptable chemical dependence in the morning.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

Videos!

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

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

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

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

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

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And here we are at the second Friday in March!

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

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

Stories of the Week:

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

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

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

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

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

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

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

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

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

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

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

This Week in the Repairing Democracy:

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

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

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

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

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

This Week in the Pandemic:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In Memoriam:

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

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

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

Dutch inventor of the audio cassette tape dies aged 94.

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

Things I wrote:

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

The State of the State of the Union Address.

Videos!

Meteor Over Northern Vermont Seen By People Around New England:

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Brooke Eden – Sunroof (Music Video):

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stories of the Week:

The real reason for the Dr. Seuss freakout.

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

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

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

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

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

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

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

Gay Blogger Andy Towle Exits Towleroad.

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

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

This Week in the Pandemic:

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

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

Why kids are hitting the pandemic wall.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In Memoriam:

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

Things I wrote:

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

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

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

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

Videos!

Republicans Unleash A Tidal Wave Of Anti-Voting Legislation:

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

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

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

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Spoiler Alert: AGATHA ALL ALONG REMIX – AFROBOIYT:

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Welcome to the fourth Friday in February!

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

Meanwhile, we have the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stores from my local news, five stories about the pandemic, five stories about haters and other deplorables, and five videas (plus things I wrote and some notable obituaries).

This Week in News to Just Be Happy About:

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

Stories of the Week:

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

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

Baffled Canadians Spread Reports Of ‘Hard’ Butter.

Republicans Go To War While Democrats Try To Negotiate.

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

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

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

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

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

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

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

This Week In News Local to Me:

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

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

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

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

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

This Week in the Pandemic:

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

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

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

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

Half Million US People Die Of The Coronavirus.

This Week in Haters and Other Deplorable People:

Southern Baptists oust 2 churches over LGBTQ inclusion.

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

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

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

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

In Memoriam:

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

Farewell to Jan Morris, Groundbreaking Trans Explorer of Realms.

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

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

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

Things I wrote:

WandaVision goes Modern while really breaking all the walls.

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

Videos!

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

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

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

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

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Tina (2021): Official Teaser:

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Welcome to the third Friday in February!

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

Meanwhile, we have the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories related to science fiction, five stories about the future of democracy, and five videas (plus things I wrote and some notable obituaries).

Stories of the Week:

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

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

General Unstructured Thoughts On “Being Cancelled”.

Pentagon report reveals inroads white supremacists have made in military.

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

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

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

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

Hallmark to homophobes: More gay is on the way.

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

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

This Week in Science Fiction:

Baen Books Forum Being Used to Advocate for Political Violence.

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

More bad Baen’s Bar defences.

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

2020 Locus Recommended Reading List.

This Week in the Future of Democracy:

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

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

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

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

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

In Memoriam:

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

Pioneering Out Recording Artist Ari Gold Dies at 47.

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

Things I wrote:

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

Happy Day Before Discount Chocolate Day.

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

With great satisfaction.

WandaVision Brings Tricks, Treats, and a Growing Menace.

Videos!

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

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

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

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Reporters WILL NOT STOP Humiliating Themselves with Jen Psaki:

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

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We’ve already reached the first Friday in February! Wow!

It’s been very rainy, but the temps have been just a bit higher than average, and it is starting to look as if this might be the third winter in the last 100 years where the daytime high never fell below 40ºF… Meanwhile, both my husband and I have been having extra bad allergy symptom all week.

Meanwhile, we have the Friday Five. This week I bring you: one special story to bring a smile, the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about the pandemic, five stories about threats to the future of democracy, five stories about the seditious traitors, and five videos (plus things I wrote and some notable obituaries).

This Week In News to Lighten Your Day:

Trans lesbian destroys transphobic trope in viral video – She responded to “You know, wearing a dress doesn’t make you a woman” by showing off butch fashion.

Stories of the Week:

Can shortage leaves Chicago breweries scrambling, adding yet another COVID-19 hurdle — and spelling the demise of at least 1 brand. This article focuses on the Chicago area, but the aluminum can shortage is effecting beverage producers everywhere.

Seanan McGuire, award-winning fantasy author, talks new novel and her Marvel Comics dream.

‘Meme stock’ rally rescues AMC theaters from $600M debt.

Has science solved the Dyatlov Pass incident, one of history’s greatest adventure mysteries?

Media Literacy 101: 5 Steps to Help You Avoid Fake News.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

TJ Osborne, One Half of ‘Brothers Osborne’ Country Duo, Comes Out as Gay.

Markey, Lowenthal to reintroduce bill requiring US to promote LGBTQ rights abroad.

Biden issues presidential memo protecting rights of LGBTQ people internationally – The United States will welcome and protect LGBTQ asylum-seekers and refugees again.

Federal court nixes Alabama’s ban on trans people correcting driver licenses without surgery – The judge said the state couldn’t even say why it required both top and bottom surgery to correct the gender marker on a driver license.

For First Time Ever, Three National LGBTQ Orgs Have Black Leaders.

This Week in the Pandemic:

Pfizer and Moderna vaccines may be even more effective than previously thought, new data suggests – Data from large-scale Israeli trials indicates high levels of protection against COVID-19.

Biden administration weighs plan to directly send masks to all Americans – The Trump administration scrapped a plan last year to deliver cloth masks to every U.S. household.

COVID deaths are starting to drop in every part of the US – Covid-19 deaths have begun to decline in every section of the U.S., the latest sign of relief as cases continue to drop and the vaccination push accelerates.

The mystery of the missing vaccines.

Race and ethnicity data missing for nearly half of coronavirus vaccine recipients, federal study finds.

This Week in the Future of Democracy:

Senate approves power-sharing agreement, allowing Democrats to take control of committees. By dragging his feet, Moscow Mitch managed to steal a whole month from the Democrats…

From banging on doors to hiding on the floor, congresswoman describes moment pro-Trump rioters stormed Capitol .

Facebook Knew Calls for Violence Plagued ‘Groups,’ Now Plans Overhaul – The giant struggled to balance Mark Zuckerberg’s free-expression mantra against findings that rabid partisanship had overrun a feature central to its future.

Exclusive: Dozens of former Bush officials leave Republican Party, calling it ‘Trump cult’.

Republicans outraged by Dems’ willingness to govern without them – Republicans genuinely seem to believe Biden has a responsibility to give the GOP the power to veto his own COVID relief bill.

This Week in Seditious Traitors:

DOJ debating use of RICO law to charge insurrectionists involved in Capitol coup: report .

Men who are anxious about their masculinity are more likely to support aggressive politics and to have voted for Trump.

Arizona GOP lawmaker introduces bill to give Legislature power to toss out election results – One section grants the Legislature the ability to revoke the secretary of state’s certification at any time before the presidential inauguration.

Brian Williams Roasts Kevin McCarthy with ‘Exclusive Video’ of Mar-a-Lago Meeting with Trump.

Madison Cawthorn is a Republican creation and North Carolina embarrassment.

In Memoriam:

Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick lies in honor in Rotunda.

Remembering Officer Brian Sicknick, an American hero.

Former Tarzan Actor and NFL Player Mike Henry Died Aged 84.

Hal Holbrook, prolific actor who played “Deep Throat” in “All the President’s Men,” has died at 95.

Ex-Pirates pitcher, World Series champion Grant Jackson dies at 78.

Paul Crutzen, Nobel Laureate Who Fought Climate Change, Dies at 87 – He named our age the “Anthropocene” and warned the world of threats that certain chemicals posed to the ozone layer.

Andrew Brooks, who led development of the first FDA-approved Covid-19 saliva test, dies at 51.

John Chaney, Temple’s towering Hall of Fame basketball coach, dies aged 89.

Joseph Sonnabend, pioneering AIDS physician, dies at 88.

Things I wrote:

WandaVision Interrupts the Program to Give Some Answers, and Raise More Questions.

When the lightning burns, the wolfsbane blooms, and the autumn moon is bright – or, more of why I love sf/f/a>.

Videos!

House Votes to Remove Marjorie Taylor Greene from Committees: A Closer Look:

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My Pillow Guy Spouts The Same Election Fraud Lies The Ex-President Plans To Use At Impeachment Trial:

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‘These are her words, her lies’: Cooper calls out Rep. Greene:

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Boyfriend D vs Vacation D (NSFW):

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MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE – A Randy Rainbow Song Parody:

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And here we are at the final Friday in January. It seems as if it was only 10 days ago that we were still shaking off the vestages of 2020… oh, wait, we were!

It has been cold and damp all week. Sometimes so cold that there was the possibility of snow in the forecast. So far we have been spared a snowpocalypse, but it could still happen!

Meanwhile, we have the Friday Five. This week I bring you: one special story to bring a smile, the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about the pandemic, five stories about the seditious traitors, five stories about deplorable people, and five videas (plus things I wrote and some notable obituaries).

This Week In News to Lighten Your Day:

Remember when Dolly Parton fully subverted the ‘dumb blonde’ cliché with her ’80s excess styling?.

Stories of the Week:

The Advocate, Plus Among 2021 GLAAD Media Award Nominees.

Charles Payne Furious That Wall Street Is Now ‘Whining’ Over GameStop Short – “They want to change the rules of the game now because the general public is making money after decades of the shorts crushing thousands of stocks into the dirt,” the Fox Business host said.

Dogs likely migrated to the Americas with humans over 15,000 years ago, study says.

The War on Professionalism.

Burial ground reveals Stone Age people wore clothing covered in elk teeth.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Biden’s pro-LGBTQ executive order is his most popular according to new polling – Even most Republicans say they support Biden extending discrimination protections to LGBTQ people.

Trans student goes viral with amazing response to teacher who refused to use correct pronouns – The professor said her “convictions” prevent her from using trans people’s pronouns. Not even the school’s gay-straight alliance will help.

State of emergency declared in Puerto Rico after killings targeting women, transgender people.

Joe Biden Repeals Donald Trump’s Transgender Military Ban – The new president is also expected to reinstate a rule protecting transgender students’ right to use the bathroom that best aligns with their gender identity.

They lived a ‘double life’ for decades. Now, these gay elders are telling their stories – In a new exhibit, LGBTQ elders share what it was like to spend most of their lives in the closet.

This Week in the Pandemic:

The reason I qualify for a Covid-19 vaccine has nothing to do with the fact that I’m immunocompromised. That needs to change.

January has been the deadliest month for Covid-19 with nearly 80,000 lives lost so far in the US.

Oklahoma trying to return its $2m stockpile of hydroxychloroquine, Trump’s Malaria Drug.

Everyday activities are more dangerous now that new Covid-19 variants are circulating, expert says.

10 Covid-19 vaccine dos and don’ts – It’s an all-out sprint to get Americans vaccinated against the deadly novel coronavirus. As you prepare to get your shot, here are 10 actions experts suggest doing — and avoiding.

This Week in Seditious Traitors:

The Resistance hasn’t won yet. The war isn’t over – To keep and to ever improve our democracy takes constant work, constant resistance, and constant vigilance. But the work pays perpetual dividends.

Trumpism isn’t ‘history’: But our blindness to history could lead to its comeback.

It’s Time to Talk About Madison Cawthorn.

Dominion Files $1.3B Defamation Suit Against Giuliani.

Parkland Dad: Taylor Greene ‘Needs To Be Out’ Of Congress ‘Today’ – Fred Guttenberg is fed up with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene denying his daughter’s murder in the Parkland shooting but that’s only one of many reasons he’s demanding her immediate expulsion from Congress.

This Week in Deplorable People:

DHS Issues Nationwide Alert For Real Terrorist Threat – Homegrown Right Wing Extremists – How long did it take for Republicans to (falsely) label Black Lives Matter a terrorist organization? Let’s see how they like it from the DHS.

Fired Fox News political editor calls out ‘hype men in the media’ who helped Trump attempt to ‘steal an election’.

A few miles from Mar-a-Lago, white supremacists set up headquarters.

Here’s how right-wing media will lie about the Equality Act .

Man arrested with gun and 20 rounds of ammunition near US Capitol.

In Memoriam:

Joanne Rogers, Widow Of Fred Rogers, Dies At Age 92.

Mira Furlan Dead: ‘Babylon 5,’ ‘Lost’ Actress Dies at 65 .

Babylon 5 And Lost Star Mira Furlan Is Dead At 65.

Braves legend Hank Aaron dies at age 86, daughter says.

Hank Aaron remembered at funeral by Bill Clinton, Bud Selig, others.

Gregory Sierra, ‘Barney Miller’ and ‘Sanford and Son’ Actor, Dies at 83.

Larry King, Veteran TV and Radio Host, Dead at 87 – Award-winning TV and radio host who became a household name on CNN show Larry King Live.

Walter Bernstein, Celebrated Screenwriter, Is Dead at 101 – His movies included “Fail Safe,” “Paris Blues” and, perhaps most notably, “The Front,” based on his own experience of being blacklisted.

Cloris Leachman, Emmy and Oscar Winner, Dies at 94.

Remembering Cloris Leachman, an Oscar- and Emmy-Winning Actor of Stunning Range.

Cloris Leachman, Emmy and Oscar-Winning Actress, Dies at 94 .

Remembering Cloris Leachman, LGBTQ+ Icon and Ally.

Cicely Tyson, Iconic ‘Sounder’ and ‘The Help’ Actress, Dies at 96.

Cicely Tyson: An Actress and Civil-Rights Icon for the Ages.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 1/23/2021: Lord of the Rings isn’t a legal document, and other revelations.

Catching myself being a jerk in a dream.

That song isn’t the one I think it is, or catching up from December.

Tuesday Tidbits 1/26/2021: Let’s worry about the pandemic for a change.

A bit of rock (sugar), a lot of rye, some sliced citrus, and a bunch of spice.

What do you call a fourth wall that’s entirely inside the production, or, Let’s talk about WandaVision.

Videos!

Returning To Norms: Biden Rips Putin In Tough Phone Call, Immediately Releases Details:

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Reddit’s GameStop Stock Boost & MLB’s Hall of Fame Drought | The Daily Social Distancing Show:

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Republicans Try to Dismiss Trump’s Second Impeachment Trial: A Closer Look:

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Can We Do a Monologue Without Mentioning You-Know-Who?:

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“We Seem To Not Get Tired Of Each Other” Colin Firth & Stanley Tucci On Co-Starring In “Supernova”:

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In keeping with last week’s announcement in this space that I’d decided to join those who were considering everything up until the moment the new President was sworn in as part of 2020, welcome to the first true Friday of 2021!

I took Wednesday off from work and spent a good chunk of the day watching the Inaugural. I admit half of the reason I did so was because I didn’t trust the nazis, traitors, and fascists not to cause some kind of trouble. I have to admit, I was a little surprised when, while Lady Gaga was singing the national anthem, that I started crying extra hard at the line, “that our flag was still there.” I mean, the flags that she pointed to at the moment were U.S. flag, but in the same space she was singing, exactly 14 days earlier, the Murder Mob had literally pulled down U.S. flags and raised Trump flags in their place. Full disclosure: I’m the kind of bleeding heart liberal who cries whenever I hear or sing the Star Spangled Banner under any circumstances. And I’m also the kind of bleeding hear liberal who was a boy scout as a child and I get incredibly, incandescently angry at people who disrespect the flag and don’t even know the flag code. As Stephen Colbert noted later that day, usually the Star Spangled Banner isn’t a cliffhanger, right? Anyway, as I have said elsewhere, defeating the grifter at the ballot box last November wasn’t enough; winning the two Georgia senate seats wasn’t enough; getting Biden and Harris safely inaugurated wasn’t enough. There is still a lot of work to do, and we have to stay engaged and be ready to hold our Representatives, Senators, and President accountable if they falter or fail to advance the causes of justice and equality. But I have to admit, for a day and a half it has been an incredible relief that some things have become boring, again.

Time will tell. Until then, we have the Friday Five. This week I bring you: the top five fun stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about the pandemic, five stories about the seditious traitors, five stories about deplorable people, and five videas (plus things I wrote and some notable obituaries).

Fun Stories of the Week:

Inauguration Day full coverage: Joe Biden sworn in as 46th president, Kamala Harris as first female vice president.

Surprising discoveries in new 10 billion pixel photo of Vermeer’s famous ‘Girl With a Pearl Earring’ .

At Bakka-Phoenix, the beloved sci-fi and fantasy bookstore, you can let your geek flag fly.

Dinosaur fossils could belong to the world’s largest ever creature.

Surreal ‘dome fountain’ of lava bubbles up in Hawaii .

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Joe Biden signs sweeping executive order fighting anti-LGBTQ discrimination.

Joe Biden’s defense pick wants to allow trans people to serve in the military again.

LGBTQ+ Americans Express a Weary Hope With Biden-Harris Inauguration.

Biden signs EO implementing Supreme Court ruling for LGBTQ rights.

The Unofficial Ranking of Top Queer Villains: a Guest Post by Be Dazzled Author Ryan La Sala.

This Week in the Pandemic:

‘Come with me if you want to live’: Schwarzenegger gets vaccinated.

Two more US service members killed by COVID-19.

U.S. adds almost 4,400 more COVID-19 deaths, 182,000 new cases.

Biden inheriting nonexistent coronavirus vaccine distribution plan and must start ‘from scratch,’ sources say.

Biden Pledges “Wartime Effort” Against COVID, Signs Executive Order Activating Defense Production Act.

This Week in Seditious Traitors:

Trumpists, Here Are Your Terms of Surrender. Also, Fuck You. I feel the need to point out that the author of this piece was a Republican operative who has a whole lot of his own awful to answer for, but I think we have to–until they prove otherwise–accept it when people claim they have seen the error of their ways. And his list is really good.

Little Man, What Now? — MAGA should be properly understood as the product of a bored and restless upper middle class.

Sen. Ron Johnson calls editorial ‘unhinged.’ Editorial Board responds – Senator Johnson objects to the Editorial Board’s call for him to resign over his actions after the presidential election.

Evidence collected by federal investigators details Capitol rioters attacking police.

“This Is Not A Peaceful Protest”: Prosecutors Charged Capitol Rioters Using Their Own Words – Charging documents in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection quote Trump supporters prepared — and excited — for violence.

This Week in Deplorable People:

Judge Denies the NRA’s Effort to Dismiss, Pause or Transfer the N.Y. Attorney General’s Suit Seeking Its Dissolution.

Democrats poised to rebuff McConnell’s filibuster demands .

Trump’s Last-Day Pardon List Shows A Soft Spot For Those Accused Of Public Corruption.

Judge Refuses To Reinstate Parler After Amazon Shut It Down.

Senate Democrats file ethics complaint against Hawley, Cruz over Capitol attack.

In Memoriam:

Helga Weyhe, Germany’s Oldest Bookseller, Dies at 98 – She died above the bookstore, founded in 1840, where she had worked since the waning months of World War II. She locked it up for the last time in December.

Comic book artist’s sudden death: ‘We had no idea he had Covid’.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 1/17/2021: Who woulda thought?

On the day we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, a challenge.

This is supposed to be the boring time….

How do you measure four years of lies?

America, America, let’s give our best….

Videos!

Stop Saying “This Isn’t Who We Are”: Week In Review | The Amber Ruffin Show This is last week’s show, but I think it’s important to watch:

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Biden’s First Day of Clearing Trump’s Extremely Low Bar | The Daily Social Distancing Show:

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Duran Duran – “Five Years” (David Bowie Cover) [OFFICIAL AUDIO]:

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Olivia Rodrigo – drivers license (Official Video):

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Lana Del Rey – Chemtrails Over The Country Club (Official Video):

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I’ve decided that the people who have been saying 2020 doesn’t really end until the Traitor-in-Chief’s term officially ends this coming Wednesday are on to something. So welcome to the 55th Friday of that most curséd year, 2020.

So, a bit over a week since a murder mob incited by the president and some of his political allies attacked the U.S. Capitol building, we’ve seen a second impeachment, thousands of national guard troops in the capital city, and a number of internet services have finally started enforcing their terms of service on rightwing people for threatening more violence. That last bit makes me hopeful that this timeline may be taking a turn toward the less awful than it could be. Or maybe I’m reaching delusional levels of hope.

Time will tell. Until then, we have the Friday Five. This week I bring you: one local story that has taken a major source of happy distraction from my day, the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about deplorable people, five stories about the deplorable thug still occupying the White House, and five videas (plus things I wrote and some notable obituaries).

This Week In News Local to Me:

Sick and dead finches reported in Kitsap County and across Washington state.

Stories of the Week:

Movers Pick Up Their Pace At The White House – More moving trucks seen at White House week ahead of Biden arrival.

Betty White reveals how she plans to spend her 99th birthday in quarantine.

Congress impeached and tried my ancestor after he left office. Trump could be next – I’ll leave the legal arguments to the lawyers, but my own last name is proof Congress can impeach and try newly-minted private citizens.

A man injected himself with ‘magic’ mushrooms and the fungi grew in his blood, which put him into organ failure.

US police three times as likely to use force against leftwing protesters, data finds – Law enforcement responses to more than 13,000 protests show a clear disparity in responses, new statistics show.

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Lesbian teen who got kicked out by family turns them in as possible MAGA rioters – “hi mom remember the time you told me I shouldn’t go to BLM protests bc they could get violent…this you?” she tweeted with a photo of her mom attacking a Black woman.

The 22 Funniest Queer Jokes From LGBTQ Comedians.

Transgender people killed in Chicago & Puerto Rico as wave of violence continues – Tyianna “Davarea” Alexander was shot while walking down the street. Samuel Edmund Damián Valentín was killed before his body was dumped in the middle of a highway.

North Carolina Town Adopts LGBTQ-Inclusive Law After State Ban Lifts.

In ‘nasty parting shot,’ HHS finalizes rule axing LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections – Under the new Health Department rule, taxpayer-funded adoption agencies can refuse to acknowledge same-sex marriages and turn away qualified LGBTQ parents.

This Week in Deplorable People:

Justice Department launches webpage tracking individuals charged in Capitol riot.

MAGA Terrorists Making Threats At All Levels Of Government – MAGA seditionists are now issuing threats to politicians in all levels of governments.

Off-duty cops who rioted at Capitol facing investigations – Several off-duty police officers have been identified as participants in the pro-Trump attack on the Capitol.

Exclusive: Large bitcoin payments to right-wing activists a month before Capitol riot linked to foreign account.

Rick Wilson Unloads On The Whiny Bitch Victimhood Of The Republican Party – “Twitter and Facebook aren’t banning you because you’re a conservative. They’re banning you because you suck. They’re banning you because you say evil shit,” said Wilson to Joy Reid.

This Week in the Deplorable Thug Occupying the White House:

House Republicans overwhelmingly stood behind Trump after he incited a white supremacist insurrection.

Desperate QAnon Believers Think Trump Spoke to Them in Morse Code.

Donald Trump Refuses To Pay Rudy Giuliani’s Legal Fees – Living up to his reputation, Donald Trump is stiffing yet another person that worked for him.

How Science Explains Trump’s Grip on White Males.

Trump Issues Lie-Filled Video Statement After He is Impeached for Second Time.

In Memoriam:

Chuck Yeager, pilot who broke the sound barrier, dies at 97.

Chuck Yeager was a Hollywood idea of a brave test pilot – today they must be skilled engineers too.

Chuck Yeager Was a Hero to Speed Demons Everywhere.

Public Ceremony Scheduled In West Virginia For The Late Chuck Yeager.

100-Year-Old Tuskegee Airman Theodore Lumpkin Jr. Dies of COVID-19.

Pioneering Texas Trans Pol Addison Perry-Franks Dead at 39.

Pat Loud, Matriarch of Pioneering Reality TV Family That Introduced America to Their Out and Proud Gay Son, Dead at 94.

RIP Muppet Designer Caroly Wilcox.

Siegfried Fischbacher of Siegfried & Roy Dead at 81.

SF gay activist Ken Jones dies at 70.

Things I wrote:

Monday Update: Reactions to murder mob incited by the President, Police response, and Dems winning the Senate.

Age of Misinformation, or, how sf/f warned us of the current apocalypse.

You cannot reason with terrorists and cultists.

Videos!

It’s a Little Too Late For Republicans To Denounce Trump Pt. 1:

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FBI: The MAGA Maniacs Who Tried To Overthrow The Government Are Going To Pay:

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After Second Impeachment, Trump Begins Moving Out of White House: A Closer Look:

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James Comey: If You Went Up Those Stairs, You Committed A Crime. You Are Going To Be Found:

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Doritos – The best gift (Mexico, English subtitles, 2020):

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