Shots Across The Bow

A history lesson

It was the middle of 1963. Kennedy was still alive, although not for long; the Soviets had put a woman in space, and the smiley was invented; Martin Luther King had a dream, and ATT introduced touch tone dialing. Brad Pitt, JAmes Hetfield, Helen Hunt, Quentin Tarantino, Charles Barkley, And Mike Myers were all born that year. And in Memphis TN, on June 14th, so was I.

The labor was difficult, so difficult that my mom was told she couldn't have anymore kids except through c-section. I came out of the deal with a head shaped like a bananna. Fortunately, baby's heads are very pliable, and the nurses spent hours reshaping my head to something approaching normalcy.

The first few years of my life passed in a blur, as I tried to figure out what all these new things around me were. In 1964, while I was gumming rice cereal, Ford introduced the Mustang; the Beatles performed on Ed Sullivan; IBM introduced the System 360 computer family, boasting a whopping 48k of memory. The computer language BASIC was introduced, And Leonid Brezhnev replaced Nikita Krushchev as leader of the Soviet Union. 1965 brought turmoil as Malcolm X was assassinated by a group of his followers, American combat forces entered Viet Nam, race riots broke out all over the nation, and the Russians made the first space walk. Coincidentally, I took my first steps that year as well.

The changes kept coming in 1966. Star Trek premiered; Charles Whitman climbed a tower in Texas, and killed random people, NOW was founded, and Catholics were allowed to eat meat on Friday.

In 1967, Israel defeated a coalition of Arab countries in only 6 days. The first Super Bowl was played, won by the Packers, Thurgood Marshall was appointed to the Supreme Court. The first heart transplant took place. Apollo 1 caught fire on the pad, killing all on board. The first ATM was installed, and Elvis Presley got married.
In 1968, the world accelerated. Martin Luther King and Robert F kennedy were both assassinated, Laugh In ushered in lightning fast comedy. George Foreman won gold in the Olympics. In Viet Nam, the Tet offensive was launched. It was a military failure, but a political succews, breaking America's will to fight. The first 9-1-1 system was installed.

In 1969, Mary Jo Kopechne drowned in Chappaquidick while Ted Kennedy swam to safety. ARPANET, the precursor to the Internet was born, and in a coincidence presaging it's impact on publishing, the Saturday Evening Post published it's last issue. Charles Manson and his "Family" slaughtered several people in California. As I was taking my first steps into a larger world, going to first grade, mankind was taking its first steps into an even larger world, as Neil Armstrong walked on the moon.

In 1970, four students were killed at Kent State in Ohio during a war protest. Monday Night Football was broadcast for the first time. Apollo 13's mission to the moon faced disaster, but resulted in the triumphant return of all astronauts.
The first NYC Marathon was run, and the Hailey family ran its own marathon, moving from FLA to TN. I got to ride in the U-Haul with my dad. The trip was great except I kept slamming my thumb in the door of the truck.

In 1971, Billie Jean King became the first female athlete to earn more than 1 million dollars. Disney World in FLA opened. The Nasdaq opened. The Supreme court ruled that bussing to enforce desegregation was legal. The violence continued as the Weather Underground plane\ted a bomb in the men's room in the Capitol. Intel introduced the first microprocessor, the 4004 beginning the long evolution of the PC.

In 1972, HP introduced the first hand held calculator, costing a mere $395. It added, subtracted, nultiplied and divided. republican operatives broke into the Democratic headquarters in the Watergate Hotel. The Dow broke 1000. The Munich Massacre took place in the Olympic Village.
Watergate

In 1973, I turned 10, and thought Schoolhouse Rock was the coolest thing ever. Roe V Wade made abortions legal, but with many restrictions, most of which would be stricken later. Secretariat won the Triple Crown. America launched SkyLab, the first space station. Israel fought off another Arab invasion during the Yom Kippur War.
Steinbrenner buys the Yankees

In 1974, Patty hearst was kidnapped by the SLA. NIxon was impeached and resigned, making Gerald Ford President. People magazine published its first issue.

In 1975, the first PC was introduced, the Altair 8800. It had no display, no keyboard, and was programmed by manipulating switches in sequence. It sold in kit form, meaning you had to actually put it together. It sold faster than the inventors could manufacture the kits. The US and Soviet space programs linked up with an Apollo-Soyuz rendezvous in space. Saturday Night Live debuted with the Not ready for Prime Time Players. Several went on to become famous. Some died.

In 1976, America celebrated 200 years. I entered my teenage years. Steve Jobs and Steve Wosniak invented the Apple Computer, which changed personal computing forever. At the same time, Bill Gates was founding Microsoft, beginning a rivalry that continues today. The first super sonic passenger plane, the Concorde, began to fly. Israel rescued hostages held by terrorists at an airport in Entebbe. The prototype Space Shuttle was named Enterprise, in honor of Star trek, following a furious write in campaign from Trekkers and dreamers everywhere. The phrase, "200 years ago today..." entered pop culture, as the "Bicentennial Minute" played nightly during prime time on CBS. We saw pictures from the Martian surface, showing a blue sky. They were later corrected. Jimmy Carter replaced Gerald Ford as President

In 1977, the world was introduced to Luke Skywalker and compnay through the movie Star Wars. I rode my bike about 5 miles to get to a theater to watch the movie. Disco dominated pop radio, while metal surged just beneath.

In 1978, Roman Polanski fled the country after pleading guilty to sex with a 13 year old girl. Karl wallenda dies on camera attempting to walk a tightrope between two buildings. The evening news plays the footage over and over. The first test tube baby is born. Pope Paul dies, replaced by John-Paul I who dies and is replaced by John-Paul II, the first Polish Pope. Egypt and Israel sign the Camp David Peace accords. JIm Jones and his followers commit mass suicide in Guyana.

In 1979, things got scary. The Shah of Iran was deposed, and Ayatollah Khomeini took power. The American Embassy was taken, and the Americans were held hostage. An accident at Three Mile Island nuclear power plant caused a core meltdown. Soviets invaded Afghanistan. The US mint introduced the Susan B Anthony dollar. And I got my driver's license.

In 1980, President Carter rescued Chrysler Corp, but couldn't rescue the hostages in Iran. The FBI targeted Congress with the ABSCAM sting. We boycotted the Moscow Olympics to protest the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Mt. St. Helens erupted. John Lennon was murdered. Due to the poor economy and the Iranian hostage crisis, Carter was replaced by Ronald Reagan as President.

In 1981 both hostage crises ended as the Iranian hostages came home, and I graduated from high school. Walter Cronkite retired. John Hinkley attempted to assassinate President Reagan. Space Shuttle Columbia launched for the first time. Mehmet Ali Agca attempts to kill the Pope. MTV debuts, showing all music videos 24 hours a day. PAC-Man is introduced, and quarters are gobbled up by the machine faster than phosphor dots on the screen. I go to Indiana for college.

In 1982, ATT is broken up, ending its monopoly on telephone service. The local Bells become independent. groundbreaking ceremonies are held for the Viet Nam War memorial. A computer was Time's Man of the Year. Larry Holmes defeated Gerry Cooney, and Ray Mancini defeated Duk Koo Kim, who died from injuries suffered during the fight. Late Night with David Letterman debuts, following The Tonight Show. The world comes to Knoxville for the 1982 World's Fair. I came back to Knoxville as well, enrolling at UT.

In 1983, I turned 20. The internet grew up as well, shifting to the IP protocol. DNS was invented. President Ronald Reagan makes his initial proposal to develop technology to intercept enemy missiles. The media dub this plan "Star Wars." Israel agrees to withdraw from Lebanon. The Marine Corps barracks in Beirut are destroyed by a suicide bomber. United States invades Grenada. I invade the work force, proudly manning the counter at a convenience store.

In 1984, Apple introduces the Macintosh. The Soviet Union boycotts the 1984 Summer Olympics. Ronald Reagan wins a second term. There is much debate about George Orwell. After being robbed at work, I decide to choose a different direction, and join the Navy.

In 1985, I go through Boot Camp and A school in Great Lakes, Illinois. In an irony suited to the military, I spend my first two years in the Navy landlocked in Illinois, Central FL, and upstate New York. The Titannic was found. The Greenpeace vessel, the Rainbow Warrior, was sunk by the French, who finally found an opponent they could handle. We Are the World is recorded by dozens of stars to raise money for ending famine.

In 1986, plans are begun for the Channel Tunnel, linking Britain and France. The Chernobyl nuclear facility in Russia catches on fire. Soviets at first deny there is any problem. Iran Contra hits the news. While I was transferring from Fl to NY, the Challenger blew up, killing all on board. In a parallel, I was run over by an 18 wheeler on an icy highway south of Philadelphia one day earlier. I was driving a 1970 Cadillac deVille convertable. The car took considerable damage, but despite the tire tracks across the hood, I drove away and completed the drive. They don't build 'em like that anymore.

In 1987, an Iragi Mirage (french built) fires two Exocet(also french built) missiles at the USS Stark. 37 sailors die. I was deployed in the Med on the USS Nimitz at the time. We learned about it over short wave, listening to the BBC. We were due to leave the mad that day, and expected to be delayed. We weren't. Gary Hart withdraws from the presidential race after failing to withdraw from Donna Rice. Jim Bakker steps down from the PTL club after admitting to sexual misconduct.

In 1988, Jimmy Swaggart follows Jim Bakker as another televangelist admits to sexual misconduct. The Soviet occupation of Afghanistan ends. The Space Shuttle resumes flying. I meet my future ex-wife, then deploy for 6 months to the Western Pacific. The Olympics are held in Seoul, and my battle\group stands off the coast as a security force. Robert Heinlein dies.

In 1989, the GPS network is launched, with 24 satellites placed in orbit. Time and Warner merge. Protesting students are massacred in Tienanmen Square, in China. Solidarity wins in Poland, as communist governments begin to fail all over Eastern Europe. The Berlin Wall comes down. I get married, and begin life as a father with three children and a baby. Within a couple of months, we find out we're expecting another baby. George H.W. Bush defeats Walter Mondale. Pete Rose is banned for life from baseball for gambling. The Exxon Valdez runs aground

In 1990, Virginia elects the nation's first black governor. Yep, we're backwards here in the South. Apartheid ends in South Africa as Nelson Mandela is freed. The Soviet Union collapses. Iraq invades Kuwait on Aug 2. The UN instantly condemns the action, while President Bush begins working to build a coalition to throw back the invasion. East Germany is reunited with Germany, removing one of the last vestiges of the Cold War, and accelerating the collapse of the Soviet Union. My 5th child is born.

In 1991, it was transfer time again, as I moved from Washington State to Virginia to meet my new ship, the USS Shenandoah. The Gulf War begins while I'm in training. I leave class and say, "I'm going to go check if we are at war."

We were.

The Gulf War ends after 41 days of fighting, with Iraq removed from Kuwait, and promising to pay reparations, and disarm. Neither promise is kept. The next 12 years are filled with move and countermove as inspectors try to verify disarmament, and Iraqi officials try to deny them access. LA Police are videotaped beating Rodney King, stopped for reckless driving. The tape sparks massive outrage.

In 1992, I deploy to the Med for another 6 months. My son is born shortly before I return. Yugoslavia dissolves into chaos as ethnic groups fight for control of historical territories. The verdict in the trial of the officer's accused of using excessive force in the Rodney King arrest is returned. Riots break out in LA and elsewhere when the four policemen are found "Not Guilty." The riots lasted for several days and caused millions of dollars of damage. Rodney King asks if we could all "...just get along." Hurrican Andrew devastates Florida; Bill Clinton is elected President. The Blue Kays win the World Series, becoming the first non-American team to do so.

In 1993, I reach the end of my enlistment, and move my family (wife, six kids, three dogs) to Youngstown Ohio. A van parked in the World Trade Center explodes, killing 6, and injuring over a thousand. The bombing is linked to Saudi financier Osama bin Laden. BATF agents try to arrest David Koresh in his compound. The resulting gun battle kills 6 Branch Davidians and 4 agents, and began a 51 day seige, which ended when Janet Reno authorized an attack on the compound which killed 82 members of the cult, including all the children. reno accepts responsibility for the disaster. Intel launches the first Pentium chip, clocking a blistering 60 Mhz. President Clinton orders a cruise missile attack on Iraq, in retaliation for an attempted assassination of George Bush a month earlier. Iraq continues to resist inspections. Clinton sends the army into Somalia to help keep the peace. The mission goes bad, winding up in a fierce battle to extract US soldiers. 18 soldiers die, and some of their bodies are dragged through the streets. America withdraws.

1994 is a banner year for women. Nancy Kerrigan is attacked by the boyfriend of rival skater Tonya Harding. Lorena Bobbitt goes on trial for cutting off her husband's penis while he slept. (The severed member is found by police on the way to the hosptial and is re-attached. John Bobbitt goes on to a short porn career (Frankenpenis and John Wayne Bobbitt uncut)) Shannon Faulkner sues for the right to attend the all male Citadel and wins. She drops out within weeks. I move my family to Tennessee, then I leave for a year to Johnston Island, where I work on a plutonium cleanup project.

The English Chunnel opens after 7 years of construction. Nelson Mandela becomes President of South Africa. OJ Simpson's ex wife Nicole and a co-worker are found murdered. OJ leads the police on a slow speed chase throughout LA in a white Ford bronco driven by A.C. Cowlings. Simpson gives himself up at his home in Brentwood. Defended by a legal "Dream Team, he is found not guilty; no riots break out, although Leno and Letterman tell a few caustic jokes.
The investigation into the Whitewater real estate deal begins. The World Series is cancelled due to a strike.

In 1995, Timothy McVeigh sets off a truck bomb outside a federal building in Oklahoma City, OK. 168 people die. McVeigh is found guitly and sentenced to die. His accomplice, Terry Nichols is sentenced to life without parole. Iraq continues to resist disarmament and the inspection process as the UNSC begins to lose cohesiveness. France and Russia begin to sell prohibited items to Iraq.

In 1996, a computer, Deep Blue, beats Gary Kasparov for the first time. The Unabomber is arrested. The first mammal, a sheep named Dolly, is cloned. Bill Clinton wins re-election over Bob Dole, who becomes a pitchman for Viagra. Jon Benet Ramsey, a 6 year old beauty queen, is found murdered in her basement. The case is never solved. A bomb explodes at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta. The man who found the bomb, Richard Jewell, falls under suspician immediately. After months of investigation, he is cleared, although his life is destroyed.

In 1997, a criticality in a plant in Japan exposes three workers to fatal doses of radiation. One worker was kept alive for a few weeks through massive blood tranfusions and other radical therapies, but all three died in the end. 39 cultists commit suicide to rendezvous with an object they believe is trailing comet Hale Bopp. Hong Kong returns to Chinese control. Princess Diana dies when the car she is riding in goes out of control in an attempt to elude paparazzi. The first land vehicle breaks the sound barrier.

In 1998, John Glenn returns to space in what many see as a publicity stunt. The Lewinski scandal breaks big, forcing President Clinton to deny sexual relations on national TV. A double bombing at an Atlanta abortion clinic is traced to Eric Rudolph, who flees to the North Carolina mountains, where he hides for 5 years. Eric Rudolph also becomes the prime suspect in the Atlanta Olympics bombing. Mercedes buys Chrysler. Matthew Shepard is murdered for being gay, igniting a drive for gay civil rights legislation. More missile strikes on Iraq are ordered by President Clinton, who says that Iraq is failing to disarm, and is continuing to research and produce weapons of mass destruction. The UNiversity of Tennessee Volunteers go 13-0 and defeat the Florida State Seminoles to win the first BCS National Championship.

In 1999, there were major concerns about Y2k compliance. Doomsday scenarios abounded and paranoiacs all over the world prepared for the complete breakdown of social services. MIllenial festivities were planned to bwegin on New Year's Day, 2000, despite the persnickety folks who complained, correctly, that the new millenium didn't begin until 2001. Bill Clinton is acquitted in his impeachment trial on a party line vote. The DOW closes above 10000 for the first time. Two teenagers in Columbine CO take over the high school, killing 12 astudents and 1 teacher before turning the guns on themselves.

In 2000, y2k turns out to be harmless. Millenial madness is a flop. Charles Shultz stops drawing Peanuts. He dies shortly afterward. Janet reno is back in the news as she initiates a raid which removes Cuban refuge Elian Gonzales from his family in Miami to return him to Cuba. Nobody dies this time, proving that she does learn from experience. Ariel Sharon visits the Temple Mount on a holy day, which Arafat uses to launch the Intifadah. My wife and I separate. George Bush and Al Gore go to the wire in an election too close to call. eventually, the SCOTUS has to step in to end the legal manuevers of Al Gore, leading to his concession. The American public is bitterly divided over the legitimacy of the result. Survivor premieres, sparking a new "reality" television which quickly snks to apalling depths.

In 2001, the new millenium begins. George Bush is inaugurated while Al Gore returns to Tennessee to mend fences, eat heavily, and grow a beard. Dale Earnhardt dies during the last lap of the Daytona 500. A US Surveillance plane is rammed by a Chinese fighter, and forced to land in China. The crew is taken prisoner, and the plane confiscated. eventually, the crew was released, but the plane was returned only after the Chinese had thoroughly examined it. The World trade Center is attacked by 2 hijacked aircraft which fly directly into the towers. The towers collapse in a matter of hours, killing 3000 people. Another plane crashes into the Pentagon, while a fourth crashes into a field in Pennsylvnia after the passengers fight back to regain control of the aircraft. The US is stunned, but a new resolve grows under the leadership of President Bush, and New York Mayor Giuliani. The recovery efforts last months. America invades Afghanistan to chase down Osama bin Laden and the al Qaida network, the ones behind the WTC massacre

In 2002, US efforts in Afghanistan continue. The Taliban is out of power, the al Qaida compound at Tora Bora is destroyed, and OBL is missing and presumed dead. The Intifadah continmues in Israel, with Palestinians conducting suicide bombings, and Israel responding by taking out Hamas and Jihad Islami leaders. The US begins pressuring the UN to act against Iraq, seen as part of an "Axis of evil," which funds terrorism.

In 2003, Shuttle Columbia disintegrated on re=entry over California, Nevada and Texas. The cause appears to be damage to the ablative tiles, possible coused by impact with foam from the external fuel tank. despite heavy opposition from france, Germany, and Russia, the US and allies, chiefly Britain and Australia, invade Iraq to end the regime of Saddam Hussein. Hussein is not found, and despite fears to the contrary, the force plan works exceptionally well, minimizing casualties for allies and non combatants. The peace plan is not as successful, but is progressing.

A lot can happen in 40 years. (Anybody still reading?)

Posted by Rich at June 14, 2003 12:14 PM | TrackBack