time capsule

So… on the year I was born…

Ronald Reagan is president of the US.

The space shuttle Columbia completes its first operational flight.

Yes, I am young. Stop snickering already.

Automobile manufacturer John Delorean is arrested and charged with possession of 59 pounds of cocaine.

More the shame, since that pretty much killed what few chances the DeLorean automobile had, so far as I understand it. However, also as I understand it, a reincarnation of the original corporation is offering sales of both used and new (yes, I said “new”) versions of this very shiny (both literally and figuratively) car. Considering that the new ones start at $57,500, I might have to wait a while to snag one, though…

The Cable News Network, or CNN, is launched.

Well, I guess you can blame my birth-year for the mainstream news scene pretty much going to hell. Good to know.

Time Magazine’s Man of the Year was for the first time given to a non-human, a computer.

The first computer virus, written by Rich Skrenta, escapes into the wild.

My generation has grown up with computers, virii, automation, digitization, CGI, and all the rest permeating their lives since the beginning… One has to wonder what the next generation’s toy is going to be.

Kirsten Dunst and Elisha Cuthbert are born.

Was never terribly fond of the former, but, while Better Half is the hottest girl I know of, Cuthbert runs somewhere in the top five.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is the top grossing film.

And still one of the better movies out there, despite being a little dated.

Ozzy Osbourne bites the head off of a live bat thrown at him during a performance, later hospitalized with rabies.

And, just think, all these years later, he has not learned a damned bit more of common sense. Certainly has made a lot of money being oddly stupid, though… There seems to be a pattern about that.

“I Love Rock ‘N Roll” by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts spends the most time at the top of the US charts.

[Insert a repeat of the comments concerning E.T.]
To quote the memorable Captain Reynolds, “Huh.”
Found by way of Say Uncle.