Here we are in 2021

 

Letting off steam

 

Monday Morning Smile

 

Ya THINK?

 

21st

Dawn of a New Day

The Parler Videos

Here is the link for the videos:  Pro Publica's collection of videos downloaded from Parler showing how many idiots filmed themselves committing crimes.

As supporters of President Donald Trump took part in a violent riot at the Capitol, users of the social media service Parler posted videos of themselves and others joining the fray. ProPublica reviewed thousands of videos uploaded publicly to the service that were archived by a programmer before Parler was taken offline by its web host. Below is a collection of more than 500 videos that ProPublica determined were taken during the events of Jan. 6 and were relevant and newsworthy. Taken together, they provide one of the most comprehensive records of a dark event in American history through the eyes of those who took part. Read more: Why We Published Hundreds of Videos Taken by Parler Users of the Capitol Riots | Inside the Capitol Riot: What the Parler Videos Reveal

Videos are ordered by the time they were taken. Scroll down to start watching or click on the timeline to jump to any point in the day.

2021 Inauguration Eve

 Today is the last full day of the Trump presidency and the eve of Biden's inauguration. The US Capitol is effectively blanketed by security as we prepare for the changing of the guard -- and for the grim milestone of 400,000 covid-19 deaths (in under a year).

In his inaugural address, Biden is expected to echo his calls for unity, for the turning of the page, and for inclusion, peace, and patience. He may also hit directly at some of the contemporary causes of discord, echoing -- for instance -- Bernice King's (MLK's daughter) comments yesterday:

"This King holiday has not only come at a time of great peril and physical violence, it has also come during a time of violence in our speech — what we say and how we say it...It is frankly out of control and we are causing too much harm to one another."

Biden will be sworn in and assume the presidency at exactly noon.

In place of the normal inaugural crowds, more than 200,000 flags -- made up of a bunch of American flags and some from each of the states -- have been placed on the National Mall. At 5:30pm tonight, before the inaugural events begin in earnest, Biden will host a vigil at the Lincoln Memorial to remember those who have died from covid-19. It is likely that, by the time he is on TV for this event, the US death toll will have crossed 400,000 -- roughly equal to wiping an entire city the size of Minneapolis from the country. Buildings will be illuminated all over the country as part of this ceremony, and church bells will ring in many towns.

At the inauguration itself, just a small number of people will be allowed on the stage with the president-elect, and the ceremony will be built for TV more than the crowd that is present. Presidents Obama, Bush, and Clinton are expected to be in attendance, as well as Vice President Pence. President Carter's health will keep him from attending, and President Trump has planned a concurrent event. This will be the fourth time an outgoing president has skipped the inaugural ceremonies; the last was when Andrew Johnson snubbed Ulysses S. Grant. John Adams and his son also skipped their successor's inaugurations.

Lady Gaga will sing the national anthem, and Jennifer Lopez and Garth Brooks will also perform. There will be a variety of other components to the ceremony, including poetry readings and salutes from the military bands.

Biden and Harris will then proceed down Pennsylvania Avenue in a parade. There will be 1,391 people in the parade, plus 90 horses and 9 dogs. The parade is *not* to celebrate Biden and Harris. As is traditional, the "pass in review" along the East Front of the Capitol at the start of the parade is meant for the new commander-in-chief to review the armed forces, who have just been (historically) peaceably transferred from one commander-in-chief to another.

Biden, Harris, Obama, Bush, Clinton, and the various First Ladies/Gentleman will also lay a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery's Tomb of the Unknown Solider. Because covid-19 will black out most of the normal festivities, there will be a virtual "Parade Across America," which will include performances and art installations from the 50 states and 6 other US territories. In addition to the state-level performers, the Mall has been lit with 56 pillars of blue light, and a variety of performers in DC -- led by Tony Goldwyn, Jon Stewart, the New Radicals, and others -- will supplement the parade.

At 8:30pm, the will be a prime-time TV special to celebrate American unity. The special will include performances by Bon Jovi, the Foo Fighters, John Legend, Demi Levato, Bruce Springsteen, Justin Timberlake, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Kerry Washington, Eva Longoria, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jose Andres, Dolores Huerta, and others. Tom Hanks will host the event, and the new president will speak a second time.

On Thursday morning, an inaugural prayer service at the National Cathedral will conclude the inauguration events.

Included here are several photos from the rehearsal of the inauguration that took place yesterday, as well as some imagery of the National Mall last night.

The view of the Capitol from the National Mall.

The pillars of light, marking each of the states and territories, last night.

The view of the state flags lining the Mall.

The National Mall - January 18, 2021

The pillars of light, one for each of the states and territories, above DC  January 18, 2021

An art installation in Lawrence, Kansas that will be part of the Parade Across America tomorrow.

Flags for each state and territories

400,000 Lost Souls

 

400,000 lost souls finally acknowledged and mourned by our government

Monday Morning Smile

 

Animals

The terrorists that stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021 are animals.  Watch how they act, listen to their words.  Decent human beings do not act like this.  

drumpfism is a cult.  How to deprogram his cult members?  I don't know.  But the animals in this film and others that were there can deprogram in jail.  Hopefully for a long time.

As for their sainted Ashli Babbit?  Watch her actions that caused her death.  She was no saint.

On January 17, 2021, ProPublica released "What Parler Saw During the Attack on the Capitol",   a collection of 500 videos taken by Parler members and saved before the right-wing social media was taken down.

Here's the link