2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

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2020 happenings.

January

23 - Day 1 of President Trump’s impeachment trial. Also, we find out in April that this is the first day he received an intelligence briefing on COVID-19. In good people news, Day 1 of my mom turning 67.

27 - Nine die, including Kobe Bryant, in helicopter crash.

31 - The WHO officially informs the world that the coronavirus is a global emergency.

February

05 - The President gives his version of a State of the Union address. Nancy Pelosi tears a copy of it up while on stage.

06 - President Trump is acquitted by the Senate. Senator Mitt Romney is the only - the only - Republican who votes in favor.

08 - Trump goes on the revenge trial, post-impeachment hearings. Alexander Vindman and his brother lose their jobs. And careers, and much else. Why? For stepping up with integrity and honesty.

10 - Parasite takes Best Picture at the Oscars. I comfortably watch from a vantage point where I can almost taste Niagara Fall spray. My youngest sister, far away, begins the first day of ever being 24.

18 - After China reports 16,000 coronavirus cases, 100 million+ go into lockdown.

25 - Harvey Weinstein found guilty of rape.

29 - United States signs a peace deal with the Taliban in Afghanistan. Twenty years of war. I remember when it started.

March

Crowded Democrat primaries. Coronavirus awareness rising fast as cases multiply every day. Infections hit a hundred thousand worldwide. First cases hit the U.S. Events start canceling, emergency measures start to drop into place increasingly fast. Stocks dropping. Unemployment rises sharply as everything starts closing and shutting down. Pence in charge of coronavirus response.

12 - All U.S. travel is suspended by President Trump due to COVID-19. The NBA cancels the season.

28 - The CARES Act - an economic stimulus bill to battle coronavirus - is passed.

April

One million cases reported worldwide. Mask recommendations start to segue into mandates. Trump suggests he knows more than CDC, recommends hydroxychloroquine will work, starts undercutting Dr. Fauci. Unemployment over 22 million. Hospitals filling. Social distancing starts to become a thing. Reports start coming out detailing how intelligence agencies were warning Trump about coronavirus in January, but he skipped reading the reports.

May

Trump prances around minus mask. Over one-point-five cases in the U.S. Deaths close to 100k. Trump starts going full Trump on Fauci, as Fauci warns against a brutal COVID winter ahead. Protests all over U.S. after police murder of (Black man) George Floyd. And (Black woman) Breonna Taylor. And others.

27 - George Floyd killed by police kneeling on his neck. Black Lives Matter protests all over.

June

Trump pulls out a Bible as he walks to a church in D.C. cleared for his visit. It does not go over well. Protests in the aftermath of George Floyd ramp up. The Pentagon shoots down Trump’s idea to use military to suppress protests. Two million COVID cases in U.S; 120k deaths. NASCAR bans Confederate flags. Yes, this is the year 2020. Trump tries to block John Bolton’s book from being published. Reopening, Phase 1 and 2 begin, as playgrounds and open air dining returns.

July

Police declare riot (twice) in Portland with ongoing BLM protests. Phase 3 reopenings. Half a million COVID deaths worldwide, 14 million cases, 150k dead in U.S. Portland Mayor tells federal agents to get out, while nightly protests continue against police violence for second month. Major League Baseball starts up, without fans. Trump lies about the Yankees inviting him to throw out the first pitch.

12 - Trump wears a mask in public for the first time. Why? Who knows. Yes, the date is correct: July 12.

22 - Trump (finally) suggests maybe people should wear masks.

August

Five million COVID cases in U.S. Trump praises QAnon. California wildfires. Proud Boys try and tangle with BLM and anti racism protestors in Portland. Trump starts really laying groundwork for election fraud and says Democrats are already trying to steal the election. Protests begin in Kenosha, Wisconsin, over police shooting of Jacob Blake. Two are killed by a 17-year old with a rifle. Chadwick Bozeman dies at 43. The month closes with 180k plus dead in the U.S.

19 - Joe Biden nominated as Democratic candidate.

September

California wildfires get worse, as do a number in the Pacific Northwest. Almost a hundred major fires on the West Coast. The air quality is toxic. Half a million under evacuation orders. Bob Woodward releases tapes of his talks with Trump, including him stating how easily transmissible COVID is, while saying the opposite to the public. Trump refuses to say whether or not he will step aside if he loses the upcoming election. He nominates Amy Coney Barrett to replace Ginsburg.

05 - Portland’s 100th day of protests.

19 - Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies at 87. Becca and I celebrate our 18th anniversary.

30 - First debate between Trump and Biden. The former refuses to condemn white supremacists and interrupts over 100 times.

October

Thirteen right-wing militia are charged in a conspiracy to kidnap and murder Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Amy Coney Barrett confirmation hearings. Presidential debates. Trump reminds everyone that QAnon is super against pedophilia. Trump keeps calling Fauci names and railing against him as an idiot. Murder hornet nests found in Washington State. Dodgers win the World Series.

03 - Trump gets COVID, taken to Walter Reed

06 - Trump leaves hospital and takes off his mask, with a big smug smile.

27 - Barrett confirmed to the Supreme Court. Conservatives now have a 6-3 majority.

November

Final campaign events. Biden has Obama and Stevie Wonder. Trump has a bunch of people minus masks. His supporters go after a campaign bus in Texas, and block bridges elsewhere. Trump reminds everyone that votes shouldn’t be counted after Election Day. Pfizer announces vaccine that is 90% effective. SpaceX sends four astronauts to the International Space Station; the first private flight for NASA. U.S. hits 250k dead of COVID.

03 - Election Day. A hundred million have already voted.

04 - Still don’t know.

05 - Biden needs six more electoral votes.

07 - Georgia runoff will determine control of the Senate.

08 - Biden declares victory.

09 - Rudy Giuliani gives legendary, infamous, and almost too-comitragic to believe press conference outside Four Seasons Landscaping and begins his new career as leading expert on election fraud.

12 - Trump refuses to concede, citing voter fraud.

20 - Trump grasping for anything to support his fraud claims. Tries to get Michigan GOP to White House. They decide to follow the law instead of a lame-duck President.

29 - Pennsylvania Supreme Court tosses out Repub’s attempt to have 2.5 million mail-in ballots invalidated.

December

Attorney General William Barr - appointed by Trump - announces his findings: there was no massive fraud in the election. This does not go over well with certain people. “Stop the Steal” protests get going in various states. The first Pfizer vaccine shipments start go out. U.S. deaths are at 300k, or, approximately 1 in every 1,000 citizens. Russian hacking is determined to be much more serious than previously thought. Trump insists it’s actually China and reminds everyone he really did win the election. Goes on a rampage pardoning a bunch of people, including those who lied to Robert Mueller, and also Roger Stone. Also, continues refusing to allow Biden to get security briefings. Big battle with Congress/Administration over COVID relief bill.

08 - First Pfizer vaccine approved in the West is used.

09 - The Supreme Court - the one with a 6-3 conservative majority and three Trump-appointed justices - refuses to overturn the election results. This does not go over well with certain people. Eighteen Republican Attorney Generals back Trump.

15 - The first COVID vaccine in the U.S. is given. AG Barr resigns.

16 - Mitch McConnell recognizes Biden as the President-Elect. This does not go over well with some.

2020 Movies & Films I loved.

My 22 Favorites

Da Five Bloods
Enola Holmes
Hamilton
The Invisible Man
The King of Staten Island
Minari
Nomadland
The Old Guard
On the Rocks
One Night in Miami
Promising Young Woman
Riders of Justice
Save Yourselves!
Sound of Metal
The Social Dilemma
The Trial of the Chicago Seven
The Vast of Night
The Whistlers

Honorable mention

Alone
Bad Education
Birds of Prey: …Harley Quinn
Emma
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
First Cow
The Gentlemen
Greyhound
His House
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Palm Springs
The Rental
Run
Selah and the Spades
Shirley
The Way Back

All ages

Onward
Soul
Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made

Holiday

Happiest Season (Hulu)

Guilty pleasures

*Coming soon*

Not great, but worth a once-through

Borat : Subsequent Moviefilm

Want to see

13th (Netflix, documentary)
The 40 Year-Old-Version
American Utopia
The Assistant
Bacurau
The Beach House
Beanpole
Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets
Blow the Man Down
Boys State
Color Out of Space
Cuties
The Devil All the Time
Dick Johnson is Dead (Netflix, documentary)
Driveways
Gretel & Hansel
The Half of It
The Humans
If Anything Happens I Love You
Kajillionaire
Les Misérables
Lucky Grandma
The Midnight Sky (Netflix)
My Octopus Teacher
The Night House
Over the Moon
The Painter and the Thief
The Personal History of David Copperfield
Prom (Netflix)
Radioactive
Relic
Sea Fever
She Dies Tomorrow
Small Axe (Steve McQueen, Prime - anthology of films)
Sorry We Missed You
Soul (Disney+)
Tesla (Prime)
Time (Prime, documentary)
Uncle Frank (Prime)
What the Constitution Means to Me
The Wolf House
Wolfwalkers

Underwhelming / disappointing

Ava (Jessica Chastain contract killer)
i’m thinking of ending things
Project Power

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Back to Film Index by Year

Essential Music of 2020

My favourite 11 albums

Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters
flora cash - Baby, It’s Okay
The Grahams - Kids Like Us
James Dean Bradfield - Even in Exile
the Killers - Imploding the Mirage
Run the Jewels - RTJ4
Sea Wolf - Through a Dark Wood
Bruce Springsteen - Letter to You
The Strokes - The New Abnormal

Honorable Mention

Alanis Morissette - Such Pretty Forks in the Road
...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - X: The Godless Void and Other Stories
BOAT - Tread Lightly
Brendan Benson - Dear Life
Built to Spill -Built to Spill Plays the Songs of Daniel Johnston
Charley Crockett - Welcome to Hard Times
The Chicks - Gaslighter
Cornershop - England is a Garden
Courtney Marie Andrews - Old Flowers
HAIM - Women in Music Pt. III
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Reunions
Tennis - Swimmer
The Waterboys - Good Luck, Seeker

Disappointments & underperformers

Bob Dylan - Rough and Rowdy Ways

Haven’t listened / haven’t spent enough time with yet

James Blake - Before
Deftones - Ohms
Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia
I Break Horses - Warnings
Ka - Descendants of Cain
Deftones - Ohms
The Microphones - Microphones in 2020
Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher
Shirley Collins - Heart’s Ease
Stephen Malkmus - Traditional Techniques
Sunny Jain - Wild Wild East
Supercrush - SODO Pop
Tame Impala - The Slow Rush
Taylor Swift - folklore
Neil Young - Homegrown