Micro View

U.S. Statistics:

President: Ronald W. Reagan
Vice President: George Bush
Population: 244,498,982
Life expectancy: 74.9 years
Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 56.6
Property Crime Rate (per 1,000): 50.3

Economics:

US GDP (1998 dollars): $5,049.60 billion
Federal spending: $1064.14 billion
Federal debt: $2601.3 billion
Median Household Income(current dollars): $27,225
Consumer Price Index: 118.3
Unemployment: 5.5%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.22 ($0.25 as of 4/3/88)

Events:

Ninety-eight percent of U.S. households have at least one television set.
CDs outsell vinyl records for the first time.
Ted Turner starts Turner Network Television (TNT) and buys MGM's film library

Science:

France and China permit use of "morning-after" birth-control drug RU486 (Mifepristone). Background: Birth & Contraception

NASA scientist James Hansen warns congress of the dangers of the global warming and the greenhouse effect. Background: Environment & Nature

http://www.infoplease.com/year/1988.html