Not sure if this goes under music or obsessions, but I was playing around in iTunes and wound up with a Smart Playlist of Year is 1988 … Check it out:

• Metallica …And Justice For All
• R.E.M. Eponymous
• R.E.M. Green
• Jane’s Addiction, Nothing’s Shocking

Now that I’m thoroughly obsessed with a heck of a year on just those four albums, what other classics am I missing from 1988 ?

UPDATE: News From 1988

• Rushdie Death Sentence
• Pan Am Flight 103 Explodes Over Lockerbie, Scotland
• Presidential Race of Dukakis vs. Bush I (Dukakis in a tank, Bentsen saying ‘You’re no Jack Kennedy’ to Quayle)

Movies

• Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
• Rain Man

References:

• 1988 News
• BBC 1988 News

In this Wired non-story on albinos and the movies, referring to real-life albinos’ discomfort with the movie Powder (IMDB):

"He was a sympathetic character but became a Christlike figure, taken off into the sky by a bolt of lightening."

Followup: 2005 10 28 Yep, the typo is still there.

UPDATE: Looks like Steve needs Enigmo too!

Yesterday Blew
Ok, I haven’t had a really BAD (all capital letters) day for a long time until yesterday, and yesterday sucked….

ENIGMO IS OUR BEST FRIEND! ENIGMO TUCKS US INTO OUR SLEEPING CHAMBERS AT NIGHT AND TELLS US AMUSING ANECTODAL STORIES TO MAKE US SLEEP WELL! ENIGMO WALKS US TO THE BUS STOP EVERY MORNING AND WISHES US A GOOD MORNING WITH HEARTY APLOMB! ENIGMO LOVES YOU AS WOULD A HAPPY JOYFUL SIBLING OF REASONABLE VISAGE! EVERYONE NEEDS ENIGMO AS WATER, OIL, AND LAVA NEED GRAVITY!

Urban Heights — This week’s question: How is the altitude of an American city determined?

A. The United States Geological Survey lists the altitude of a National Geodetic Survey benchmark at or near the center of civic power, like city hall or the main post office….

Somehow we have to help Matt and Jack.

Witness Exhibit A (Matt):

Bored with computers
Ever get that way where you’re just bored with computers in general? I’m fed up with the net, in all its forms. I’m tired of developing software. Ebay doesn’t have anything good right now. Amazon, ditto. I’ve visited all my referrers, and exhausted my Google vanity-search results….

And then, Exhibit B (Jack):

Now what should I do?
I’ve been sitting here reading weblogs and such for about 3 hours. I’ve got so many things I want to and have to do that I’m completely locked up. Probably should hit something billable for a while, then play with Jabber/Python/Flash/Whatever.

These guys need Enigmo, stat! ;)

No rescue for medieval stern

Battle to rescue rare ship is lost

Arts: Archaeologists around the country are united in outrage with local campaigners over the decision to abandon any attempt to rescue the stern of a unique medieval boat. (Guardian Unlimited)