Mand'alor Dash

Pretty much. Not alot of point in digging into the history of something like Friendship Gardens When it didn't even have a show.

I think the reason people call "Tales" G2 is that there's not much point having two G1s and no G2. It makes things alot simpler, even if it's not technically correct.

It's official. Germany is whole again. Gorbachev has adopted a new title as "President" of the Soviet Union. The Cold War is finally coming to an end, and I can't wait. M.C. Hammer - U Can't Touch This.

I voted Monster Raving Loony Party because they promised to let foreigners vote in UK elections so that I can vote for the Monster Raving Loony Party.

Ich Bin Ein Berliner. This is Billy Joel, with We Didn't Start the Fire.

For the first time in twelve years, both the United States and the USSR attended the Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. Times are changing, people. The new day looks to be a bright one. At the very least, we probably won't blow each other up tomorrow. Smooth Criminal. Here's Michael Jackson.

"We welcome change and openness; for we believe that freedom and security go together, that the advance of human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world peace. There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace. General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine). These next few years will define the entirety of human existence. With any luck, it will be for the better. R.E.M.

I was a bit more literal in my meaning. I was referring to bands such as Bon Jovi or The Scorpions. Primarily 80s bands that continued into the 90s. Honestly, I never really got grunge. I don't hate it, and I even see the appeal, but I guess it's just not for me. I didn't mean to imply that Nirvana was in any way 80s, nor did I mean that influence was a bad thing. Well, one can deny neither influence nor evolution, but at the same time, the milestones for this evolution really can be measured by the decades. Listen to two songs from the 20s, and you'll see definite similarities, then compare them to the 30s or 40s, and you can tell that some of these similarities are no longer there. The idea of the "sound of a decade" comes from this grand measuring stick of chronology that we call the 20th and 21st centuries, and the frequency with which the sounds change just happening to loosely line up with the 9s and 0s of that scale.

Hell, I'll just rate them all right now. 1900s - Definite effort, but recording quality at the time was so terribad that it makes these songs hard to listen to. 5/10 1910s - Much better recording quality. Enough that music from this age has just the right amount of grain to feel rustic without being annoying. Lyrics would also deal with the horrors of World War 1, among other things. 8/10 1920s - A much more innocent time than the 10s. Slightly better recording quality, but not as complex lyrically. The standout, however, is that this decade marked the beginnings of the Jazz age, and that early jazz still sounds amazing. 8/10 1930s - By now, recording quality is a non-issue, and the jazz age is in full swing. Some of the greatest records of all time were born out of the 30s. 9/10 1940s - The 30s upswing continues. Swing and big band reach their peak during World War II, but even in their decline, we see the (extraordinary) beginnings of rock and roll and the golden age of crooning. Plus, 40s propaganda music is just fantastic. 10/10 1950s - The perfect intersection of the jazz and rock ages. I honestly can't decide whether I like this decade or the previous one better. They're both fantastic. 10/10 1960s - The Jazz age comes to a close, but the rock age gets dirtier and edgier in the advent of the Vietnam War. Also, Gospel and R&B become a thing, which makes this decade fantastic in itself. 9/10 1970s - The golden age of songwriting. Lyrically, this is the best decade in music. Other things, however, I feel have been lost with time. Sadly, Disco is now a thing. 8/10 1980s - Still a good decade, but even though early synthesizers sounded cool for some songs, I feel it got a bit overused. 7/10 1990s - Sadly, a majority of the few good songs by this point are those by acts still stuck in the 80s or prior. Computers are becoming ubiquitous in production, and boy bands are appealing to mass audiences. 4/10 2000s - What little good music there is by now is drowned out by megatons of absolute and utter shitey crap. Electronica becomes a major genre, which sucks almost all the fun out of music automatically. 2/10 2010s - What few good songs I can name from the present decade are nearly insignificant by now. Electronica completely dominates the mainstream AND underground scenes, washing away any remaining bastions of quality or effort. Almost nothing redeemable. 0/10

Yeah... It must have been the scariest time in human history.

Perestroika, or "restructuring," is a radical new idea floating around the Politburo. Though it promises not to shake the framework of the USSR too harshly, the proposal of democratic elections has shocked traditionalists. As the Russian economy continues to stagnate, Gorbachev's proposed reform package may either be the only thing preventing war, or perhaps the catalyst of one. Europe - The Final Countdown

Following the early death of Soviet General Secretary Konstantin Chernenko, Politburo officials announced that up-and-comer Mikhail Gorbachev would succeed his position as head of the Communist Party. Following the announcement, speculation has arisen over Gorbachev's controversial belief in "Glastnost," as some believe it will push the already difficult relationship between eastern and western powers past its breaking point. Others see reform as necessary in today's increasingly globalized world, and believe that these reforms will only strengthen American-Soviet relations. Only time will tell what the party's youngest-ever leader will accomplish in his tenure as Soviet head-of-state. Tears for Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule the World.

"Colombian government forces working in collaboration with American anti-drug officials destroy more than $1 billion worth of cocaine in a series of raids against cocaine production facilities hidden deep in the jungles of Colombia." We have always been at war with drugs. Eurythmics, with Sex Crime (1984).

Now I wonder who could have written an episode this bad and controver- "Dave Polsky" THAR SHE BLOWS

If what President Reagan says is true, and we really do have the technology to survive a nuclear strike, then there's no telling where this may go. The Soviets aren't going to take this lying down, and the day may come for the President to put his money where his mouth is. With the Cold War escalating, and tensions higher than they've been in 20 years, this may prove to be the straw that broke the camel's back. Maybe this one will be the war to end all wars. No people, no war. Third time's the charm. Today's song is in German, and it underlines this central point better than I can. It's Nena, with 99 Luftballons.

I find it hard to sympathize with Argentina. Their government willfully provoked British retaliation when they invaded the Falklands. Such a quick end to the conflict can be taken as consolation, considering the length of some of the other wars we've had over this century. My only hope is that this doesn't cause the rest of the world to boil over. The planet is a powder keg, looking for any excuse to light a match. Anyway, this is Survivor. Eye of the Tiger.

I love classic jazz of all kinds. Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, etc. The people who gave the Jazz Age its name.

As we come in on the edge of the century, I feel we can safely say that they don't, in fact, write 'em like that anymore. The sad part is that they won't even be writing them like this in a few decades. The Greg Kihn Band. This is The Breakup Song.