Looking at my scripts from 1988 brought back memories and pictures that trouble my mind. There were a lot of homeless people on the streets of DC that Winter.
“From a distance it is only a blanket near a street corner. But a closer look reveals a woman – so still, only blinking eyes say she is alive.” That haunting description still bothers me today as I read it.
And there was extravagance. Jack Kent Cooke chartered a 747 to take a few friends out to San Diego for the Superbowl. The Redskins won Superbowl XXII in Jack Murphy Stadium. Shortly after that victory, Cooke began talking about the need for a new stadium back home. His first choice was DC, but he would entertain offers from the suburbs if DC couldn’t make a deal. A lot of dealing and posturing took place. In the end, a place Jack Kent Cooke called Ral-John was born - with its own zip code. Now, it's still Landover, MD, and Fedex Field.
Speaking of stadiums, this was an era when stadiums were named after prominent people , or veterans as a group, not products. Morganna, the “kissing bandit,” was in Baltimore City court because she had tried to kiss Cal Ripken in Memorial Stadium. She didn’t serve any time – a deal reached that she was free to go if she promised not to do whatever it was she did - again.
This was the year the world heard about Gallaudet University and the students’ “Deaf President Now” campaign. Students shut down the campus as they pressed the board for their first deaf president. In the end, I. King Jordan, would be named president. Jordan retired at the end of 2006.
The Virginia Lottery started up trying to grab some of the money its citizens were spending in DC and Maryland. Today, the Virginia Lottery pulls in 1.4 Billion dollars. Since its inception, the Commonwealth has pulled in 7.55 billion dollars.
Carl Rowan was in court over his June 14th use of a Saturday night special (which he didn't legally own) – in defending his property against a teenage trespasser. Rowan was criticized for his actions because of his columns on gun control. His day in court ended in a mistrial.
DC was having a big drug problem, and under Police Chief Isaac Fulwood, accepted assistance from the National Guard. The Nation of Islam also offered help in patrolling drug areas. Several housing complexes, including Mayfair Mansions, took the Muslims up on their offer.
On the tech side, the Internet was still a network of networks, connecting some universities, government and military users. The early effects of viruses were limited because there weren’t that many machines tied together. Some, like the Brain virus, were spread from computer to computer by floppy disk. (No, you probably don’t have a floppy disk). The virus’ goal back then was to keep the computer tied up – making it copy the virus so the machine couldn’t do anything else.
More later - as technology advances - opening up opportunities, and opening up all of us to exploitation.
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