Statement

In 1988 Ronald W. Reagan was President and George Bush was the V.P. The population of the United States was right around 244,498,982 and our life expectancy was the age 74. Also 98% of the United States households have a Television. On January 13 the Supreme Court ruled that public school officials had broad powers to censor school newspapers, school plays and other school sponsored expressive activities. A U.S. Civil Liberties Act was passed. Feb 10, A 3-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco struck down the Army's ban on homosexuals, saying gays were entitled to the same protection against discrimination as racial minorities. The ruling was later set aside by the full appeals court. President Reagan vetoes a Civil Rights Restoration Act March 16 but Congress overrides his veto March 22, expanding the reach of non-discrimination laws within private institutions receiving federal funds. The U.S. Supreme Court rules unanimously June 20 in New York State Club Association, Inc., v. The City of New York that the city's 1984 law banning discrimination against women and minorities in private clubs with more than 400 members does not violate First Amendment rights. The ruling supports the city's human rights law and will affect clubs in every other U.S. city. After 8 years and 1.5 million dead the Iran -- Iraq war ends in August. US Navy ship shoots down Iranian airliner in Persian Gulf, mistaking it for jet fighter; 290 killed (July 3). Suspected Libyan terrorist bomb explodes on Pan Am jet over Lockerbie in Scotland on December 21st killing all 259 on board and 11 on the ground. Also France and China permit use of "morning-after" birth-control drug RU486. This was a very large issue in 1988. In 1988 Prozac is introduced as an anti-depresent. The first plutonium pacemaker is made. A new drug Crack appears ( A derivative of Cocaine ) and is increasingly found in US Cities. World's longest undersea tunnel is completed. Work begins on the Chunnel which will then become the world's longest undersea tunnel. Also the Hubble Space Telescope is put into operation. The US Stealth Bomber is unveiled. Using Carbon Dating it is established that the Turin Shroud Can Not Be the Burial Cloth of Christ. Archaeologists uncover the original Globe Theatre in London. Some Popular films of this time were: Rain Man, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Big, Twins, Crocodile Dundee II, Die Hard, Beetlejuice and Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood. There were a lot of great musical artists of this time but here are few of the chart toppers: Enya, Robert Palmer, Erasure, Kylie Minogue, U2, The Beach Boys, Michael Jackson, Gloria Estefan, Chicago with " Look Away " , George Michael with " father Figure ", and Guns N' Roses. Also in 1988 it was the first year that CD’s outsold vinyl records. Some deaths of this time: Roy Orbison, Chet Baker, Luis Alvarez, Edgar Jean Faure, and Nora Astorga. Interesting Fact 1988 was the year of the dragon People born in the Year of the Dragon are healthy, energetic, excitable, short-tempered, and stubborn. They are also honest, sensitive, brave, and they inspire confidence and trust. Dragon people are the most eccentric of any in the eastern zodiac. They neither borrow money nor make flowery speeches, but they tend to be soft-hearted which sometimes gives others an advantage over them. In 1988 most people with religious backgrounds were concerned with the fact that the presidents running for office such as George Bush were for the death penalty but against abortion and Dukakis was for abortion but against the death penalty they were confused on who would be the better candidate.