Welcome to the second Friday of April!

The pollen count went down last weekend, and I had two whole days where I woke up with NO sinus headache first thin in the morning. Then Monday arrived. The pollen count has been hovering close to the highs of the previous week, but not always as bad all week. So it’s not quite as bad as last week.

Anyway, it’s time for the Friday Five in which I bring you: one really good video editorial, one scary story about bribed Secret Service agents, the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, and five stories about haters. Plus something a notable obituary.

This Week in Very Good Explainer of Why People Noticing that a Book is Racist is Not Cancel Culture:

SFF180 Editorial – The Implosion of Silver Shamrock Publishing

This Week in Bonkers:

2 men impersonated federal agents to get close to the Secret Service, FBI says Some details: they provided these Secret Service agents with very expensive gifts and allowed them to live rent free in luxury apartments valued at over $40,000 a year, and the agents are trying to claim they didn’t realize these were bribes. It’s a scary story.

Stories of the Week:

Protocluster has too many dead galaxies in it – What is killing all these galaxies?

Phil Lord, Chris Miller: Animation Is Not a Lower Art Form

Fox News’ viewers can change their attitudes with exposure to CNN

Covid: Record 4.9 million people have the virus in UK

West seeks to ramp up arms deliveries to Ukraine as war enters new phase – Allies are gearing up for long haul — but want to send heavy weaponry quickly

Stories of Interest to Queers and Our Allies:

Apple wields its lobbying might against anti-gay laws

Kentucky Gov. Vetoes Anti-Trans Sports Bill, But Override Possible

Businesses are speaking out against anti-LGBTQ laws

Supportive mom Amber Briggle releases emotional PSA defending her trans son from bully politicians – "Trans kids don’t have a political agenda. They are just kids. They just want to be left alone," Amber Briggle says in the video

Transphobic gays shocked to learn that their conservative allies are anti-gay – And the internet replied, "We told you so."

This Week in Haters and Abusers:

Border Patrol’s use of Amazon’s Wickr messaging app draws scrutiny – A letter from the National Archives and Records Administration hints at growing unease with government officials’ use of some encrypted messaging apps

Ginni Thomas Is Not A Liar – She’s just deeply, deeply deluded

Leaked audio: They defended televangelist Perry Stone in public. In private, they said he was living a ‘predatory lifestyle’ and ‘false reality’

Trey Gowdy Demands Madison Cawthorn Name Names

Trump’s Truth Social Is Doing Even Worse Than You Thought

In Memoriam:

Bobby Rydell Dead: 1960s Pop Idol and Star of ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ Was 79

Welcome to the first Friday of April!

My hay fever has been much worse this week than last week. I am having a very difficult time finding any energy to write or otherwise be productive once my work day has drained me.

Anyway, it’s time for the Friday Five in which I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about haters, five stories about traitors, and five stories about science. Plus something I posted.

This Week in Things That Should Be No-brainers:

House passes bill to cap the cost of insulin

This Week in Victims of the Murder Mob:

Exclusive: Widow of D.C. police officer Jeff Smith, who died by suicide, says battling rioters on Jan. 6 "changed him"

Stories of the Week:

Ariana DeBose becomes first out person of color to win an Oscar in historic moment

BFD ALERT! Judge Rules Trump Likely Committed Crimes

Russian Troops Are Now Turning on Each Other. ‘It’s a Sh*tshow,’ One Soldier Is Recorded Telling Another

Ginni Thomas Texts to Mark Meadows Indicate She Is Several Fries Short Of Happy Meal It’s not just seditious treason, it’s batshit bonkers seditious treason!

Jan. 6 DOJ probe expands to Trump “VIPs” — and maybe members of Congress: report – New subpoenas issued by the Justice Department could "reveal if members of Congress were in on the plot" I’ve seen lots of folk online dismissing this report because, "They’ll just ignore the subpoenas" You’re confusing the House of Representative’s Committee subpoenas with Department of Justice subpeonas. If someone ignores a Congressional committee subpeona, the Committee has to vote on whether to hold the person in contempt, and then the full House has to vote as well, at which point the Department of Justice has to decide whether to convene a grand jury… right? But this is the DOJ already convening a criminal proceeding. If you ignore the subpoena, U.S. Marshalls and/or the FBI take you to jail. So this is a very different situation.

Stories of Interest to Queers and Our Allies:

Lil Nas X’s “baby registry” initiative raises almost $500,000 for HIV/AIDS organisations

The New Head of GLSEN on How She’ll Protect Queer Kids

Utah Students Organize Queer Prom After State Passes Anti-Trans Bill

‘Disturbing’: Biden Education Secretary Warns Florida After DeSantis Signs Anti-LGBTQ Bill Targeting ‘Most Vulnerable’

Texas school superintendent slams Attorney General who demanded she cancel Pride Week

This Week in Haters and Abusers:

2-time Maine gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler arrested on child porn charges

Ben Shapiro Gonna Make His Own Razors, And His Own Disney, And, And, And … Other Stuff Too

DeSantis signs "Don’t Say Gay" bill into law The lie underlying this bill is the myth that people “become gay” by talking about it. The harm that this bill will cause to LGBTQ kids isn’t a myth — it is all too real.

Child sex abuse scandal in TX foster care system should undercut Abbott’s attack on trans kids and their families

Arizona, Oklahoma Governors Sign Anti-Trans Bills Into Law

This Week in Seditious Treason and Related Crimes:

Is It Good When A Judge Says A Lawyer And His Client The President Did Crimes? Asking For John Eastman

Feds Reached Deals with Brian Kolfage, Timothy Shea

Judge Cites Tucker Carlson as Validation of ‘Actual Malice’ in Defamation Suit Against Fox News

Trump’s 8-hour gap: Minute-by-minute during Jan. 6 riot – President Trump’s time during the Jan. 6 riot is reconstructed from texts, tweets, videos, calls and more

Jan. 6 Rioter Admits to Taunting Police With Confederate Flag on Stick

Things I Wrote:

Star Trek Picard Finds the “Watcher”

Welcome to the fourth Friday of March!

It is officially spring–and I have had the hay fever symptoms to prove it all week long![^1]

Anyway, it’s time for the Friday Five in which I bring you: the top five stories of the week[^2], five stories of interest to queers and our allies[^3], five stories about haters, and five stories about traitors. Plus some things I posted and some notable obituaries.

This Week in Crocodile Tears:

Dr. Jill Biden went on ‘Sesame Street’ to promote kindness and conservatives are PISSED

This Week in Things We Should Do More Often:

Seattle Pride Cut Ties With Amazon Over Anti-LGBTQ+ Donations We have to find ways to push back at hypocritical corporations that claim to be pro-LGBT every June, while donated millions to anti-gay politicians.

Stories of the Week:

Why Can’t the West Admit That Ukraine Is Winning? – America has become too accustomed to thinking of its side as stymied, ineffective, or incompetent

Dr. Fauci Isn’t Going Anywhere Until There’s a Cure for HIV

Christianity Today publishes a shocking exposé – about itself

The bodies of Russian soldiers are piling up in Ukraine, as Kremlin conceals true toll of war

On The Money — Unemployment claims at lowest level since late 1960s

Stories of Interest to Queers and Our Allies:

Utah governor cites suicide rates for transgender youth in vetoing sports ban bill: ‘I want them to live’

Joe Biden helps LGBTQ Ukrainian refugees with fast-tracked US resettlement – LGBTQ people in Ukraine are especially at risk during the invasion

Republicans were obsessed with LGBTQ people at Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearing – Republican Senators should have been asking Judge Jackson about the law. Instead they aired their own hateful beliefs.

The Crosses We Bear: The Butch Martyr in Science Fiction/Fantasy

Out Judge Alison Nathan Appointed to Court of Appeals

This Week in Haters and Abusers:

Attacks on transgender kids and their families prove that Republicans don’t give a d@mn about ‘parental rights’

More Than One-Third of Trans Kids Are at Risk of Losing Care

Even Alan Dershowitz Thinks Ted Cruz’s Questions Were ‘Bigotry’

Jan 6 pre-riot rally speaker and Texas Attorney General ‪Ken Paxton‬ who is still facing felony securities fraud charges plus an FBI corruption investigation instigated by AG staff (that also involves an affair) accuses school district of breaking the law over Pride Week curriculum

15-Year-Old Florida Teen Arrested Over Antigay Attack on Another Boy

This Week in Seditious Treason and Related Crimes:

Watergate Reporter Calls Ginni Thomas-Mark Meadows Bombshell ‘Unprecedented Entanglement’

Derrick Evans pleads guilty to civil disorder after Jan. 6 involvement – Ex-West Virginia Rep Pleads Guilty To Felony In Riot

Pro-Trump group sent armed members door-to-door in Colorado to “intimidate” voters

MI Gov Kidnap Plotter: We Wanted To Help Trump – Whitmer kidnapping aimed at stopping Biden win

U.S. Capitol Riot Suspect Granted Asylum in Belarus After Fleeing America

In Memoriam:

Madeleine Albright, former U.S. secretary of state and feminist icon, dies at 84

John Roach, Pioneer of the Personal Computer, Is Dead at 83

Things I Wrote:

Star Trek Picard Tries to Avoid “Assimilation”

[^1]: This is a footnote.

[^2]: In my opinion. And this is my blog, so why not?

[^3]: Even those so-called allies who object to the term queer.

Welcome to the third Friday of March!

This week the weather has been having a difficult time deciding what season it is, though we haven’t had any below freezing nights lately.

Anyway, it’s time for the Friday Five in which I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about haters, five stories about traitors, and five stories about science. Plus some things I posted and a notable obituary.

Stories of the Week:

America’s Best Christian Truth-Bombs Russia’s Worst Tyrant – Mrs. Betty Bowers against Vladdie Putin…he never stood a chance

Mounting Russian casualties in Ukraine lead to more questions about its military readiness

Biden Brings Receipts: President Blasts Big Oil for ‘Padding Their Profits at the Expense of Hardworking Americans’

Russell Wilson and His Seahawks

Fresno phishing scam dollar amount soars – and city wasn’t only victim, mayor says

Stories of Interest to Queers and Our Allies:

I Know the Harm Florida’s Don’t Say Gay Bill Can Do

Lizzo comes out swinging for trans kids

ABC Poll: Only 37% Support “Don’t Say Gay” Laws

Disney workers stage daily walkouts to protest ‘Don’t Say Gay’ and demand protections for LGBT+ staff

Idaho Republicans kill bill that would have made medical care for trans youth a felony – The Republicans still made it clear they are against gender-affirming care, though

This Week in Haters and Abusers:

A school asked a hate group to review its non-discrimination policy. LGBTQ people are fighting back – “We want to make sure they are appointing school board members that will think of all students when passing policy."

Pastor of Jacksonville church arrested in raid 1 of 3 charged with capital sexual battery

New Hampshire Pastor Hit With Four New Felony Child Porn Charges

Secret Service report details growing threat of "incel" terrorism – The Secret Service found some crossover between violent incels and white supremacists

White GOP Official Tries To Force ‘Hostile Takeover’ Of Black Town – The tiny, majority Black town of Mason, Tennessee is under fierce and direct pressure from the state’s white comptroller to dissolve its own 153-year-old charter and allow itself to be absorbed into the larger, majority white, majority Republican surrounding Tipton county, right after Ford announced they would build EVs there

This Week in Seditious Treason and Related Crimes:

Jan. 6 panel obtains riot footage from film crew that trailed Proud Boys

Capitol rioter from Ross who lost job, marriage asks for leniency, but feds want jail for lies, lack of remorse – Jennifer Heinl’s husband told her not to go to the rally and filed for divorce a month after the riot

Proud Boys leader had plans to ‘storm’ government buildings on 6 January – Enrique Tarrio possessed document titled ‘1776 Returns’, with details to invade and occupy seven buildings and Proud Boys Leader To Remain Locked Up Until Trial

Judge takes unusual guilty plea from Capitol riot suspect – In bid to head off other Jan. 6 charges, Texas resident Lucas Denney pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer

SC Jan. 6 defendant jailed for sending 5,000 threatening texts to wife, a potential government witness

This Week in Science:

How Migrating Birds Use Quantum Effects to Navigate

A new saber-toothed mammal was among the first hypercarnivores

James Webb: ‘Fully focused’ telescope beats expectations

‘Tiny’ asteroid strikes Earth testing early warning system

Sex traps can lure giant hornets to their death, study finds

In Memoriam:

William Hurt Dead: Oscar Winner for ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ Was 71

Things I Wrote:

Tuesday Tidbits: Gurl You’re A Mess Edition

Jean Luc Does Penance as Star Trek Picard Explores a Road Not Traveled

Finally turning off the xmas screen saver

Welcome to the second Friday of March!

This week has been slightly better than last. The weather has been a little odd.

Anyway, it’s time for the Friday Five in which I bring you: two stories about some sad news in Seattle, the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, and five stories about traitors and criminals. Plus some things I posted and two notable obituaries.

This Week in Why There is No Joy in Seattle This Week:

‘This trade stinks’: Wyman & Bob react to Seahawks trading Russell Wilson

Seahawks to release 8-time All-Pro LB Bobby Wagner

Stories of the Week:

Senate passes Emmett Till Antilynching Act of 2022

Biden announces ban on Russian energy imports

Media’s Gas Price Coverage Gives Big Oil A Pass – Eagerly reporting from outlier gas stations that charge far above the national average, journalists remain obsessed with pinning the global pump trend on President Joe Biden

Ukraine war: Russian soldiers edge closer to Kyiv – as satellite images show large convoy ‘has dispersed’

Senate gives final OK to $1.5T government funding bill and House Passes $1.5T Spending Bill In Late Night Vote

Stories of Interest to Queers and Our Allies:

Gay Democrat Challenges GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert With Vow to End ‘BS’

Education Secretary reminds Florida governor that federal law trumps the “Don’t Say Gay” bill – Florida schools could lose federal funding if they violate civil rights law

Texas may lose billions in federal funding over its attack on trans children. The state is suing

HRC rejects $5M Disney donation until company does something to stop Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill – That’s a lot of money to decline, but there’s even more at stake for LGBTQ youth

Suit Against Texas Anti-Trans Order Can Go Forward, Says Appeals Court

This Week in Seditious Treason and Other Crimes:

Texas militia member convicted on all charges in first Jan. 6 trial

US Rep. Madison Cawthorn calls Ukrainian president a ‘thug’

Proud Boys Leader Dragged Out of Bed in His Underwear to Face Conspiracy Charge

‘Never Spent a Night in There’: Questions Raised About Mark Meadows Using a Mobile Home as His Voting Address

Rioter Who Smoked Weed In Capitol Gets Double DOJ’s Recommended Sentence After Showing “No Remorse”

In Memoriam:

Emilio Delgado, who played Luis on "Sesame Street" for 45 years, has died at age 81

Last remaining member of Star Trek pilot, Laurel Goodwin, dies

Things I Wrote:

Friday Political Memes 3/4/2022

Blast from the Social Media Past

Welcome to the first Friday of March!

This week has not been too bad work wise. My husband hasn’t been feeling well all week. I don’t have anything as consistent as his symptoms but I’m a bit under the weather, too.

Anyway, it’s time for the Friday Five in which I bring you: the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about traitors and criminals, and five stories about sci fi award nominations. Plus some things I posted and two notable obituaries.

Stories of the Week:

Ukraine War Live Updates

‘Conquest doesn’t pay’: Economist Paul Krugman explains why imperialism will scar Russia’s economy

Activism Grows Nationwide In Response To School Book Bans

Much-Hyped D.C. Trucker Rally Turns Out to Be a Complete Joke

Russia inflames political war over gas prices, oil drilling

Stories of Interest to Queers and Our Allies:

Ukrainian LGBTQ activists fought & captured a group of Russian soldiers

Texas judge halts Republicans’ plans to investigate families of trans children for “child abuse” – Even Joe Biden is sick of Texas’ transphobia. His statement smacking down state Republicans is red hot

Student Organizer of Statewide Protest Against Florida ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill Suspended for Handing Out Pride Flags: Report

5 Steps Biden Administration Promises to Take to Protect Trans Kids

Good News From Texas: Historic Number of Out Candidates Win Primaries

This Week in Seditious Treason and Other Crimes:

Oath Keeper Joshua James Pleads GUILTY To Seditious Conspiracy – the right wing media has lost their "but no one has been charged with sedition" excuse when describing the January 6th insurrection.

Court Filing, At Last: J6 Panel Says Trump Conspired To ‘Defraud The United States’ – There is compelling evidence that puts Trump and his allies in grave danger of being prosecuted, George Conway explains

Teenage son takes stand at Jan. 6 trial of father – Jackson Reffitt describes reporting his dad, Guy Reffitt, to the FBI two weeks before the Capitol attack

BitConnect Founder Indicted in Global $2.4 Billion Cryptocurrency Scheme Surprise?

Tucker Carlson ‘Indistinguishable’ From Russian State Media, Ex-RT Host Argues

This Week in Science Fiction Nomination Time:

2022 Hugo Awards Nominations Close in Less Than Two Weeks

I’m a Hugo voter, and one of the areas of the ballot during nomination time that I always have trouble finding things to nominate is the "Best Related Work" category. Fan writer extraordinaire, Cora Buhlert, has decided to do something about that. She’s posting a series of reviews of non-fiction books about sci fi or sci fi creators that could be nominated:

Non-Fiction Spotlight: Robert E. Howard Changed My Life, edited by Jason M. Waltz

Non-Fiction Spotlight: The Complete Debarkle: Saga of a Culture War by Camestros Felapton

Non-Fiction Spotlight: Renegades and Rogues: The Life and Legacy of Robert E. Howard by Todd B. Vick

Non-Fiction Spotlight: True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee by Abraham Riesman

In Memoriam:

Sally Kellerman who played Dr Elizabeth Dehner in the very first Star Trek episode dies at 84

Henry Lincoln, last surviving writer of 1960s era Doctor Who dies

Things I Wrote:

Weekend Update: Really Big Galaxy

Sunday Update: It’s Not Inflation, It’s Corporate Greed

Picard Gazes into the Stars… and the Past and…

Welcome to the fourth Friday of February!

It has been another stressful week at work, but after working 16 hours on a single day, I took the next morning off and am feeling less stressed. Also, we got snow. Twice this week. After a lot of flowers and other plants and started sprouting because of a couple of weeks of warm weather.

Anyway, it’s time for an actual Friday Five in which I bring you: two stories about dealing with a war monger, the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about haters, and five stories about traitors, and five stories about the pandemic. Plus some things I posted and a notable obituary.

This Week in Dealing with Warmongers:

U.S. to send 7,000 troops already on alert to Germany -U.S. official

Opinion | The Isolationists Are Wrong: The Pax Americana Is Worth Defending

Stories of the Week:

DNA evidence clears 500-pound California bear Hank the Tank – Bear avoids death, relocation thanks to DNA evidence implicated two other bears

Ukraine and Russia War, Biden and Putin: Live Updates – The New York Times

Hamsters’ Testicles Shrink After Being Infected With COVID, Study Finds

Canadian Official Issues Epic Rant On ‘Liberty’ As Blockade Is Cleared

US women’s soccer team reach landmark $24m settlement in equal pay battle

Stories of Interest to Queers and Our Allies:

Virginia Senate Rejects Anti-LGBT “Religious Freedom” Bill

To All the Gay Men I’ve Loved Before – An Advocate writer pays homage to her platonic friendships with some of the brightest and funniest men she’s known

Two Students Sue School District for Banning LGBTQ+ Books

5 Texas DAs defy Gov. Greg Abbott, won’t treat gender affirming care for trans youth as ‘child abuse’

College students keep LGBTQ+ clubs afloat during the pandemic

This Week in Homophobes, Haters, and Discrimination:

Hate church called for death to gay people. Now they’re getting what they deserve – "I would love it if every fag would die right now!" Pastor Jonathan Shelley preached last year. Now he’s getting evicted

Texas Gov. Abbott orders gender-affirming care reported as child abuse

The GOP crusade against trans youth health care is built on lies, medical experts say

5 shot, 1 dead in Portland mass shooting; suspect Ben Smith was right-wing extremist furry

Kyle Rittenhouse plans to sue Whoopi Goldberg other ‘celebrities, politicians and athletes’

This Week in Seditious Treason and Other Major Crimes:

U.S. Supreme Court formally ends Trump’s fight over Capitol attack records

Cawthorn Concedes He Might Be Kept Off NC Ballot

3 More Trump Supporters Arrested For Voter Fraud In Florida

GOP candidate colluded with Russian spies to unseat gay Rep. David Cicilline. He still failed

Oh look, the New York Times has finally deigned to notice that the wife of a Supreme Court justice is deeply embedded in a lot of extremist conservative movements, including the fantasy that the election was stolen from Donald Trump

In Memoriam:

Remembering June Knightly

Things I Wrote:

Saturday Six (pepperidge farm remembers edition)

The official name of the holiday is NOT President’s Day…

Welcome to the first Friday in February.

After last week’s extremely stressful work week, this week has been more manageable but I seem to have a cold or something. Every day has brought a new symptom.

Anyway, enjoy this week’s Friday Five in which I bring you: one story about a conspiracy nut problem, the top five stories of the week and five stories about awful people. Plus one thing I posted and some notable obituaries.

This Week in Is Nothing Sacred:

Texas Butterfly Park To Close Indefinitely As Conspiracy Theorists Intensify Attacks – Trump-allied operatives have baselessly accused the National Butterfly Center of being involved with child trafficking.

Stories of the Week:

Domestic terrorist arrested by Capitol Police in October returns to street outside Supreme Court

How furries fought back against a mayor who demanded the library remove its LGBTQ books

The Biden administration is paying survivor’s benefits to victims of anti-gay discrimination

Philly Election Official Describes Working Under Violent Threats

St. Louis groups launch ‘banned book program’ to distribute challenged books

This Week in Haters, Traitors, and Other Deplorables:

Furry Panic is sweeping through Trump supporters, anti-vaxxers & the religious right

Jan. 6 committee member: Trump ‘absolutely’ tampering with witnesses

MO Dad Who Fought For LGBTQ+ Book Ban Arrested For Child Molestation Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!

GOP lawmaker admits that “the whole point of” religious exemptions is to allow discrimination

Katy TX Parent Demanded Michelle Obama Bio Get Removed from Library

Things I Wrote:

Very Very Late Friday Five (don’t ban books edition)

In Memoriam:

Holocaust survivor who lost his family in Auschwitz and successfully took shameful deniers to court in the 1980s after promising his father he would ‘tell what happened’ dies aged 95

‘Queen of Italian cinema’ Monica Vitti dies at 90

Jimmy Johnson, renowned Chicago bluesman, guitarist, dead at 93

Blues drummer Sam Lay, from Alabama, dies at 86; played with Dylan, Waters

Howard Hesseman, Dr. Johnny Fever on ‘WKRP in Cincinnati,’ Dies at 81 – The two-time Emmy nominee and improv veteran also played teacher Charlie Moore on ‘Head of the Class.’

Howard Hesseman’s WKRP character Dr. Johnny Fever moved the dial