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2020 year in review: Life during annus horribilis – a cheatsheet you can use to tell your grandkids about the most freakish year in human history.

The oddities and curiosities of the year 2020

Most of us are counting the days until 2021. It seems like this year will never end. Here are the freakish events we endured during this most unusual (and somewhat terrifying) year.

January 2020

The world is on fire

We’re only two days into the new year when a third state of emergency is called in Austalia as bushfires consume the south coast of the country. Sad photos of burnt Koala bears being pulled from the fires sets the stage for what is to come.

BTW, while the world burns, there’s this weird new virus in China

A few days after Australia’s third state of emergency is issued, China notifies WHO that they’ve discovered a weird virus, then known as 2019-nCoV, that is unlike any other virus they’ve seen. And BTW, we think it all started in a wet market in Wuhan that sells monkey brains. Did we mention that our country’s largest Viral Infection Research lab is located just around the block?

Hey, wait a minute. Can you just stop being a Prince?

That weird virus on the other side of the world is in the back of our minds but something more interesting just happened across the pond. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announce they are stepping down as senior royals. The royal family is in uproar, infighting ensues, and the world asks, “can they really do that?”

Iran puts on its big boy pants and launches missiles at US soldiers

On January 8, the same day Harry and Markle toss their crowns in the trash bin, Iran launches more than a dozen missiles at two military bases in Iraq. Trump says Iran warned us the bombs were coming so we had time to climb into underground bunkers. No big deal, nobody was hurt, no harm, no foul. Then later we find that more than 100 US troops were diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries.

Uh, wait. Was that a commercial flight we just shot down?

On the same day a prince resigns and Iran launches missiles at US soldiers, in all the excitement, Iran accidentally shoots down Ukrainian Flight 752 in Tehran, Iran killing all 176 people on board.

Look, up in the sky… What is that swarm?

A swarm of “mystery drones” appears in the skies over Colorado and Nebraska. They flew in patterns over multiple states and nobody ever figured out what or who was flying them.

Let’s make the start of 2020 epic. How about we impeach a president!

On January 16, the impeachment trial for President Donald Trump begins. the impeachment was prompted by a whistleblower complaint that centered on the president’s call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky where Trump asked Zelensky for “a favor” and discussed his political rival Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden.

Uh, you know that virus we told you about a few weeks ago? Well, it just arrived on US shores.

With 10 days left in the month, the first coronavirus case is reported in Washington State. By this time, the coronavirus had already killed 17 people and infected more than 470 people in China, spreading to other countries like South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand. Three days later, Wuhan, China is put under an unprecedented lockdown of more than 11 million residents.

An NBA legend dies in a freak helicopter crash

On January 26, the world is stunned when less than five years after retiring from the NBA, basketball legend Kobe Bryant and 8 other passengers are killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.

Let’s try this – an impeachment trial with no witnesses

The U.S. Senate votes 51-49 against calling witnesses in President Trump’s impeachment trial.

Let’s close out January 2020 with a bang. A country resigns from a union.

On the last day of January, the United Kingdom leaves the European Union sparking protests and upheaval across the country.

February 2020

The 2020 presidential race begins, then shudders to a stop

The first major event of the 2020 presidential election begins and America waits on edge to see if the tea leaves predict the Orange Messiah will be ousted from the Whitehouse. For the first time in history, the Iowa Caucus stumbles due to “quality control” issues, prompting a weeks-long delay in voting results.

A slimy snake slides into prison for attempts to tamper with Trump impeachment trial

Political consultant Roger Stone is sentenced to 40 months in prison after being found guilty of witness tampering, obstructing an official proceeding, and five counts of making false statements. In less than five months, he will be pardoned by Trump.

Legendary Hollywood producer is convicted of rape

The #MeToo movement gets its legs when Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein is convicted of third-degree rape and first-degree criminal sexual act.

This virus everyone’s been talking about – maybe it could be worse than we thought

Growing fear of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic causes a 1,190 point drop in the DOW. It’s the largest single-day points decline in US history. Two days later, after the total number of cases in the US reaches 66, the first death from COVID-19 is reported by officials in Washington state.

March 2020

Freak tornado outbreak kills dozens of people

On March 2, a tornado outbreak in Tennessee kills 26 people.

A virus ravages a country with no mercy

Italy stuns the world when they announce a nationwide lockdown after becoming the second-worst hit country by Covid-19. The next day, WHO declares the coronavirus a pandemic. Two days later, President Donald Trump declares a national emergency but casually adds, “Again, we don’t want everybody taking this test, it’s totally unnecessary.”

A virus reaches the east coast

On March 6, Florida reports two deaths from COVID-19. It becomes the first confirmed U.S. fatality outside the west coast. The virus has now stretched across the country.

Breonna Taylor is killed by police

Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician, is shot eight times by Louisville police during a no-knock warrant as part of a narcotics investigation. Protests erupt.

The stock market crashes

On March 16, less than a month after recording its largest single-day drop in history, the Dow plunges 2,997 points. Trading is halted.

An invasion inside the US begins, then is called off

President Trump says the National Guard has been activated in California, Washington, and New York, thus far the most impacted states during the pandemic. The Washington National Guard clarifies that it was yet to be “activated”, only put on stand-by. Meanwhile US hospital ships are deployed to both coasts.

No Summer Olympics for you

Japan concedes that due to the pandemic, the 2020 Summer Olympics will be postponed until 2021.

No work for the sick and weary

The Department of Labor reports that 3.28 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits in the last week, the largest increase in U.S. history. Meanwhile, nationwide reported COVID-19 cases exceed 163,000 as the national death toll reaches 3,000. Three-quarters of the U.S. population are under lockdown. Psychologists warn mental depression could become widespread.

April 2020

Confined inmates riot over COVID-19 infections

Over 100 inmates at Monroe Correctional Complex in Monroe, Washington riot after six inmates test positive for COVID-19.

We’re number 1! We’re number 1!

On April 11, the U.S. becomes the country with the highest number of reported COVID-19 deaths: over 20,000, overtaking Italy.

Another freak tornado outbreak kills dozens of people

At least 30 people are killed and 1.3 million left without electricity after an Easter tornado outbreak across the South.

The United States suspends WHO funding during a worldwide pandemic

During the midst of a worldwide pandemic, in a move that draws criticism from both sides of the aisle, Trump suspends World Health Organization funding.

Unemployment reaches levels not seen since the Great Depression

It is revealed that nearly 22 million Americans have filed for unemployment within a single month due to COVID-19 lockdowns, the worst unemployment crisis since the Great Depression.

Yes, Russia did interfere in the 2016 presidential election

A bipartisan Senate report reaffirms intelligence findings that Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election.

It’s a slow news day so the Pentagon releases three official UFO videos that they cannot explain

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It’s nothing to be alarmed about buy yes, we have multiple videos of a “unidentified aerial phenomena” that were taken by Navy pilots in 2004 and 2005. They leaked in 2017 so what the heck, we’ll just admit that yeah, there are things flying around in the sky that we cannot explain.

May 2020

We’re not trying to alarm you, but they’re called “Murder Hornets”

They grow as large as 2 1/2-inches long and although native to Southeast Asia, China, and Taiwan, They somehow turn up in Washington State near the Canadian border where they pose a threat to both bees and human beings. Citizens are told, “An Asian giant hornet can sting you multiple times and deliver larger doses of venom just because of the size of them. The venom itself is fairly toxic and creates localized necrosis around the wound so you’ll see melting flesh around the wound.”

An Attorney General goes rogue

The Department of Justice unexpectedly drops charges against former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn in the Mueller investigation of Trump’s involvement in the Russia election interference scandal. On May 11, nearly 2,000 former Justice Department officials sign a letter calling for Attorney General William Barr to resign over what they describe as his improper intervention in the Flynn case.

State sponsored racism rears its head

Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is videotaped kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, 46, until he dies, as three other officers watch. Video of the incident goes viral and the four officers are subsequently fired. Three days later, protests will erupt across the country resulting in deployment of National Guard forces and state of emergency declarations.

A president further stokes the flames of racism

The George Floyd protests grow as officers are charged with murder. Trump tweets, “When the looting starts, the shooting starts”. Twitter hides the tweet for “glorifying violence”. Curfews are instituted across the country as the rioting is termed the worst instance of civil unrest in the US since the 1968 Martin Luther King assassination riots. In response, President Trump stokes rioters’ anger by declaring the left-leaning Antifa a terrorist organization. The next day, Trump threatens to deploy the military to quell the riots.

June 2020

Law enforcement attacks protestors to clear path for Trump photo-op

The month starts with a bang when Trump insists on a controversial photo-op. Law enforcement beat back protestors to clear a walking path for Trump to the nearby St. Johns’ Episcopal Church where he awkwardly poses holding a Bible. Military leaders who accompanied Trump during the march denounce the photo-op and tell reporters they were not told what was going to take place.

Blackout Tuesday

In the midst of the rioting, now running under the moniker Black Lives Matter, media outlets black out programming and websites for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the length of time that police officer Derek Chauvin compressed George Floyd’s neck.

Seattle loses control of the city

Amid growing protests and following violent attacks against the police, Seattle authorities relinquish control of six square blocks to protestors. The zone was cleared of police and anarchy allowed to reign free in the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ). Days later, President Trump signs an executive order on ensuring that anyone who destroys or vandalizes a public monument, memorial, or statue is prosecuted to the fullest extent under federal law.

Protests in Atlanta turn violent

Protests breakout in Atlanta following the killing of Rayshard Brooks, 27, by a police officer in the parking lot of a Wendy’s fast food restaurant.] The next day, June 13, Atlanta Chief of Police Erika Shields resigns and protesters burn down the fast food restaurant where the incident took place.

Poland accidentally invades Czech Republic

Polish military accidentally crosses the border and stops Czechs from entering their own church. They quickly apologized and both countries laugh it off as just another bizaree 2020 moment.

July 2020

A star just up and disappears

Against all known theories, a massive star in the Kinman Dwarf galaxy just disappears. No supernova, no warning, nothing. One day it’s there. The next day it’s gone.

The President’s sister releases a book calling her brother dysfunctional and a sociopath

Mary Trump releases a scathing book, Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man, in which she reveals her brother, President Donald Trump, grew up in a “dysfunctional” family that turned him into a narcissistic, racist, ignorant sociopath.

President Trump suggests delaying the election

President Trump suggests delaying the 2020 presidential election, saying increased voting by mail could lead to fraud and inaccurate results.

August 2020

Two hurricanes simultaneously barrel towards the United States

Scientists predict for the first time ever, two hurricanes will simultaneously enter the Gulf of Mexico and barrel toward US shores.

Forgotten chemicals in a port explode creating a quarter-mile wide crater and killing more than 300 people

A fire at the Port of Beirut reminded authorities that more than 2,750 tons of confiscated ammonium nitrate had been forgotten in the port. The explosion created a crater 460-feet wide, blew out windows more than five miles away, and registered as a 3.3-magnitude earthquake. The dockside was destroyed, 300,000 people became homeless, and more than 300 people were killed instantly.

Project Blue Book part 2

Reports emerge that the Pentagon is establishing a new task force to investigate UFO sightings, particularly over military bases, similar to that of the U.S. Navy’s Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon Task Force.

Deadly mosquito swarms force cities to ask citizens stay indoors

An especially frightening spread of mosquito borne disease spread through Michigan causing authorities to urge people to stay indoors after dark to slow its spread.

California hit with storms and blackouts

A rare thunderstorm from remnants of Tropical Storm Fausto spawns hundreds of wildfires in California, causing evacuations. A record number of lightning strikes are observed. At the same time, a record-breaking heat wave causes heavy strain to the state’s power grid, forcing rolling blackouts and mass conservation efforts.

Right-wingers confront left-wingers and protests turn violent

Across the country, videos of violence at Black Lives Matter protests saturate social media. Fanatical right-wingers confronted left-wingers and violence breaks out in the form of attacks, shootings, vandalism, and hit and run attacks.

September 2020

A movie graphically sexualizes young girls to show you the damage caused by the graphic sexualization of young girls

The country slid into a frenzy with the release of “Cuties”, a movie that most everyone found “uncomfortable” due to its shocking sexualization of young children including prepubescent girls taking and sharing pictures of their nether-regions, 9-year-old girls attempting to seduce an older man in order to get out of trouble, and yes, wildly inappropriate close-up shots of the young girls crotches as they gyrated and twerked to music. Netflix cancellations increased nearly 10-fold amidst cries of “child porn!”

Legendary Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies

The death of a Supreme Court Justice presents a rare opportunity for the seating of a jurist that meets the public’s left or right-leaning stance. However, the death of a justice less than 2-months before an election presents a quandary. The Republican-controlled Senate says they will ditch past convention and nominate a new justice before the election. The public scratches their heads and fear of a contested election becomes much more frightening.

Uh, yeah, we’re not through with that pandemic thing

As the number of COVID-19 deaths approached the 1-million mar, schools opened, people cheered – and then the number of coronavirus infections turned upward again. Fear struck the stock market, prices tumbled, businesses groaned. Meanwhile, with no vaccination in sight, people begin to hunker down again.

The Whitehouse is mine! All mine!!!

With the country still reeling from the Ginsburg death, Trump tells news outlets he cannot guarantee he will peacefully turn over the presidency if he loses the election. He claims any loss he suffers will be attributed to voter fraud via online voting.

This stupid year is making me crazy, man.

A CDC poll reveals more than 40% of Americans are suffering from anxiety and depression. With Winter just around the corner, scientists warn seasonal affective disorder could result in an increase in suicides across the country.

First presidential debate descends into chaos prompting rule changes

President Donald Trump vs. Joe Biden debate prompts anger when Trump refuses to denounce white supremacist groups then disrupts the debate by refusing to let his opponent speak without interruption. For the first time in history, the Commission on Presidential Debates says they will change the rules before the next debate.

30 days before the election, the country is thrown into chaos when it’s revealed President Donald Trump has the deadly coronavirus infection

Hours after it is revealed that the President’s Communications Director has COVID-19, news breaks that President Trump and his wife Melania Trump have COVID-19. The country realizes there is no precedent to fall back on and leaders are unsure how to proceed.

October 2020

Coronavirus surges across the planet

Again, coronavirus surges. Countries begin locking down, economies shuttered.

Let’s kidnap a governor

The FBI announces that 13 men from militia group Wolverine Watchmen have been charged in a plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer at her vacation home.

Protests spread around the world

Protests grow across the planet with unrest surging in Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Thailand, and Poland.

Hurricane record broken

Hurricane Delta makes landfall near Creole, Louisiana, remarkably close to where Hurricane Laura made landfall. This makes it the 10th landfalling storm in the season, breaking the record for number of landfalling storms in a season. The country will see 3 more major hurricanes before the year ends.

Halloween festivities shut down

As the month comes to a close, the coronavirus forces shutdown of the first holiday event of the season – Halloween.

Biden campaign event cancelled after being attacked by Trump supporters in Texas

The FBI launches an investigation into an incident in Texas where a Joe Biden campaign bus tour was cancelled after a caravan of supporters of President Trump attempted to run it off the road and hit a staffer’s car. Trump defends the attackers saying, “In my opinion, these patriots did nothing wrong”.

November 2020

Coronavirus continues its surge

The coronavirus surges yet again. Projects for infections and deaths are raised yet the world hesitates to shut down economies for fear of destroying businesses.

Election chaos

The election ends. Donald Trump is ousted from office when America chooses Joe Biden. Immediately Trump begins false claims that the election was rigged. Court cases are opened across the country. Civil War is suggested.

Riots, again…

Riots begin again in Portland.

Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani goes mad

Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani has a bizarre month. He farts on live TV, sweats brown hair die from his ears, and catches COVID-19 (while claiming he still believes protective masks are overused).

Trump’s mental state is questioned

Trump refuses to concede the election. He begins assigning posts that incoming President Joe Biden cannot overturn. Trump calls several state and party leaders requesting they overturn the will of the people and cast their electoral votes for him instead. Fear that Trump may start a war before leaving the White House grows.

December 2020

Trump subtlety suggests a Civil War-like revolt against the election results

As the end of the year nears and a sense of hope begins to grow after the election of Joe Biden, Trump’s mental state continues to cause concern. He issues a ominous Tweet that again claims the election was fixed seems to incite violence, “We will soon be learning about the word “courage” and saving our Country”.

Texas sues Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin over 2020 election results

In an attempt to upend the results of the U.S. election, Texas sues Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin over 2020 election results and Trump throws his weight behind the lawsuit. The lawsuit attempts to invalidate election results and turn the choice of president over to Congress.

States begin plans to file criminal charges against Donald Trump

Unclear how state criminal charges would work against an ex-US president, states, particularly New York, begin preparations for criminal charges against President Trump after he leaves office. Charges relate to hush-money allegations, tax and bank fraud, real estate fraud, and breaking of emoluments clause, in addition to sexual misconduct lawsuits and a lawsuit against him by his sister.

Trump considers martial law

Even those inside the Trump administration become alarmed when, with less than a month remaining in office, Donald Trump considers implementing martial law in American states in response to what he calls a “fraudulent election”.

Trump pardon parade begins

President Trump issues pardons for dozens of associates including Roger Stone, Paul Manafort, and Charles Kushner.

No Pandemic end in sight

The U.S. surpasses 19 million cases of COVID-19, having averaged 185,000 daily cases over the past week. Deaths crossed over 300,000 just days prior.

Christmas Day terrorist attack in Nashville

Christmas arrives and American begin breathing a sigh of relief – only six days left in the year. Then news breaks of a massive explosion in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. A explosive laden RV rocks the city.

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