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So recently I was accepted into the teaching program at my school and I’m so excited because teaching has been a dream of mine since I was little! It would mean so much to me if you guys could check out my new blog that will track my journey! Feel free to send me any questions or advice too!

When I was in the 11th grade, I got an assignment in my World History II class to define everything in the ever-popular song "We Didn't Start the Fire."  This is 100% fact. 

At the time, I obviously hated this assignment because it lacked, shall we say, purpose.  And I also enjoyed using my Saturdays and Sundays for being a cool pre-adult rather than sitting at the family computer for endeavors outside of creating clever AIM away messages or figuring out which numbers I could substitute for letters in my words to m4k3 m3 l00k c00l3r t0 m4h p33pz. 

I highly doubt Billy Joel ever intended for anyone to waste a weekend decoding his ramblings- any song where "hula hoop" is held on par with "Catcher in the Rye" in terms of significance is missing the mark in my book- but such was the task I was given by the same man (Mr. Z) who once admittedly called out of his job as schoolteacher because he woke up and there was a squirrel in his kitchen.  Clearly he was all there and dedicated to providing America's future with a quality education.

Looking back now, I can really appreciate this assignment.  Not for it's relevance, but rather for it's "F You, syllabus and general guidelines of proper course planning" attitude.  Job well done, Sir. 

Oh, and you're welcome, world.

Harry Truman: Truman was shoved into presidency after the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt with practically no training and no knowledge of what was going on in the white house.  He was also involved in the decision to drop the atomic bomb as well as the continuous American effort against communism worldwide.

Doris Day: One of the most famous women in the entertainment industries of 50’s, Doris day was a very successful singer and actress during her time.  Although she was not as successful with her many marriages as she was with her career, she proved to be a very prominent idol and role model during her time.

Red China: The term “Red China” in the song refers to a communist part of China.  Most likely, this portion of the song is referring to when communism took over China during the Chinese Civil War and the People’s Republic of China was created.

Johnnie Ray: Johnnie Ray was a very successful singer of the early fifties, even though he was hard of hearing since birth.  Soon after releasing some albums and becoming a well-known singer, Ray signed a contract for the acting industry and starred in a few films as well.

South Pacific: South Pacific is a musical that first appeared on Broadway on April 7th, 1949 by Richard Rodgers.  The story is about a woman stationed overseas during World War II and was therefore very popular when it was released.

Walter Winchell: Winchell started off as a reporter and soon became a successful and respected columnist.  He had a very close relationship with Hoover and soon began publishing many articles on the works of his FBI agency.

Joe DiMaggio: One of the most famous Yankee’s to ever participate in America’s favorite pastime.  Most remembered for his 56-consecutive-game hitting streak in 1941, he served as a role model to many young kids of his time.

Joe McCarthy: Creator of one of the biggest scandals of his time.  McCarthy accused some two hundred people in the U.S. government of being related to the communist party, however his entire basis was a scam and he was soon discredited and striped of all legal duties.

Richard Nixon: During the year of 1950, Richard Nixon was first introduced into the American Federal Government.  However, although Nixon would later be President, at this time he was only a member of the Senate.

Studebaker: A very prominent car manufacturer of the early 50’s, Clement Studebaker was the owner of Studebaker cars.  Studebaker cars were not only cars, they were beautiful pieces of machinery, and many also saw them as elegant.

Television: Television was switched from a strictly informational media of the forties and previous years to a commercial and entertaining form of amusement during the fifties and beyond.  Dramas, sitcoms, and movies were beginning broadcast over televisions nationwide, and commercials were born as well.

North Korea: During the Korean War, Northern Korea was controlled by the communists.  Russia and other communist nations had military and troops in North Korea to try to keep the communist image alive in the nation.

South Korea: America and the United Nations were in control of South Korea during the Cold War.  The objective of these forces was to make sure that South Korea did not fall to the communist party.

Marilyn Monroe: A very powerful sex symbol of the 50’s, Marilyn Monroe was a well-known actress and model of her time.  She was beautiful and usually seen on the arm of a very wealthy, respectable man.  Marilyn made 29 movies over the course of her career and also did other things such as posing nude for a calender.

Rosenbergs: The Rosenbergs were an American couple that was accused of treason and aiding the Soviet Union by telling its representatives about America’s Nuclear weapons.  They were soon executed after being found guilty by a jury.

H-Bomb: On November 1st, 1952 the United States deployed the first Hydrogen Bomb somewhere over the Pacific Ocean as a “test”.  The heat from this bomb was felt 50 kilometers away and the light produced was greater than that of one thousand suns.

Sugar Ray: Sugar Ray, as the public called him, was a very famous boxer of his time who conquered the middleweight championship in the year 1951.  Out of 137 career bouts, he only ever lost 3 bouts, and was obviously a very feared man in the ring.

Panmunjom:  The city that acted as the barrier or divider between North and South Korea during the close of the Cold War.  However, Panmunjom only acted as a temporary barrier, and was known as the “truce village”. 

Brando:  A very famous and prominent actor during and around the fifties.  Brando is most notably remembered for his role as The Godfather in what became one of the biggest movies in cinema history.

“The King And I”: “The King and I” is a musical created by Richard Rodgers that first opened on Broadway in 1951.  The story was then taken to film in 1956, where the lead male character won an oscar.

"The Catcher in the Rye":  A “controversial” book written by J.D. Salinger that portrays the life of a young Holden Caulfield growing up in the Fifties.  He curses, sees things as fights and prostitution, and experiences the ups and downs of his society all within less than a week.

Eisenhower:  During this time, meaning the early 1950’s, Eisenhower was just elected President of the United States.  There was practically no competition against him during his battle for office and Eisenhower won by a landslide victory.

Vaccine: In this song, “vaccine” refers to the polio vaccine that was first introduced by Jonas Salk in the year 1952.  He concluded that by injecting dead polio cells into a human, the body would create immunities to it.  It was surely a great medical breakthrough.

England’s got a new Queen: Ever since 1952, Queen Elizabeth II has been the sole monarch of Great Britain.  She was crowned shortly after the death of her father and has now been on the throne for more than 50 years.

Marciano:  Marciano was an American Boxer who first won his title of world heavyweight champion in 1952 and then defended it for six years.  Later, a series of movies were made because of his great accomplishments, commonly known as “Rocky”.

Liberace: A very famous American Pianist of the 1950’s, and many other years for that matter.  He also had his own television special during the 50’s, which only made him better known and more popular amongst Americans.

Santayana Goodbye: Santayana, a very educated philosopher of his time, died during the year 1952.  His death is what is meant by “goodbye” in the songs lyrics.  Santayana was also a credited poet as well.

Joseph Stalin: A very powerful communist believer and leader of his times, Stalin died in 1953.  When Stalin died, his successor quickly decided to head in a different direction, away from “Stalinism”, and thus Stalin’s tactics were forgotten.

Malenkov: Malenkov was a very strong follower in all of Joseph Stalin’s preaching’s, and was not far behind him in the communist hierarchy.  However, when it came time to decide who would take over Stalin’s spot, he was not chosen and shortly after all Stalin’s beliefs were in ruins.

Nasser: Nasser was known best for being the “second-in-command” to Egypt’s Muhammad Naguib.  However, Nasser acted as the leader of the country during the creation of the new Egyptian nation in the 50’s.

Prokofiev: Prokofiev was one of the most credited and liked Russian composers of his time.  However, Prokofiev died on March 5th of 1953, the same day that Joseph Stalin passed on.

Rockefeller: Rockefeller is referring to Winthrop Rockefeller, who moved out to Arkansas in 1953 to create his own business.  In later years, Rockefeller became governor of Arkansas.

Campanella:  Campanella was a famous African American catcher who played for the Dodger’s during his very successful career.  In the beginning of his career he was not allowed to play in the MLB because of his color, but was soon let in and did an outstanding job in his position.

Communist Bloc: A “blockade” made by the Soviet Union during the Cold War that compromised nations in central and western Europe.  The communists nations made the block in order to gain security, as well as control, in the war.

Roy Cohn:  Cohn was a lawyer who did not become a well-known figure to the American people until he became involved in the Joseph McCarthy communist scare of the 1950’s.  Although, because of his choices and actions, he was seen as unpopular, he was a brilliant and clever lawyer of his time with great political power.

Juan Peron: Juan Domingo Peron was excommunicated from everyone during 1954 after attempting to start an uprising of his own form of living.  Previous to that, he was the President of Argentina.

Toscanini:  An Italian conductor who was seen as one of the greatest musicians of his time.  He was the conductor of the NBC Symphony Orchestra until retiring in 1954

Dacron: Dacron was a discovery of the 1950’s.  It is a textile-type of fiber made from the same plastic that polyester is now formed from.

Dien Bien Phu Falls: This quote was added to the song in reference to the fall of the French to what is now known as Vietnam.  A very unlikely win for the Asian nation, the French military simply didn’t have what it took to win.

Rock around the Clock:  “Rock around the Clock” was one of the most popular songs of its time when it was released in 1953.  Although it was not the first hit rock and roll songs, it is said to be the song that put rock and roll on the map forever in America.

Einstein:  Einstein was a brilliant mathematician and scientist of his time who helped in the creation of nuclear weapons and also won the noble prize for his works with photoelectrics.  In 1955 he died of heart failure after reaching his 75th birthday.

James Dean: James Dean was like the Marilyn Monroe for women of his time.  He was seen as a rebellious young actor, but he lit up the screen in his movie career that was unfortunately cut short because of a car crash early in his career.

Brooklyn’s got a winning team: It is hard to tell which win Billy Joel is talking about in this song because the Yankee’s won the World Series in 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1956, and 1958 during the 1950’s.  The Yankees were, and still are, an unstoppable force in baseball history.

Davy Crockett: Although the real Davy Crockett died in 1836, he was later portrayed in the 1950’s by Walt Disney in a series of animated adventures.  Because of this, a craze swept the nations youth and every child wanted to be like Crockett.

Peter Pan:  The last of the Disney Classics produced through RKO records, Peter Pan was the story of a young boy who never wished to grow old.  Walt Disney and Disneyland released the original in 1953.

Elvis Presley:  Perhaps the most famous singer of the 1950’s Elvis Presley was known for his swinging hips and rock and roll style.  He produced a ton of hit singles and also starred in many movies before he died in 1977.  However, “The King” has supposedly been sighted many times after his death, how unusual.

Disneyland:  After Walt Disney became well known; he created the most famous theme park in American history in California in 1955.  Also, after the popularity of his many animated films, he made the characters walk the 5 sections of his park in full costume to attract even more people.

Bardot: Bardot refers to Brigitte Bardot, a very famous actress of her time.  However, Bardot was known for more than her characters, she was also known as a wild and crazy young woman of her time.

Budapest: Budapest was home to a very large of Hungarian citizens against communists in 1956.  Members from all over Hungary, and even other nations, united to try to overthrow the communist government that had been controlling them.

Alabama: Alabama does not just symbolize a state in Billy Joel’s song; it symbolizes the beginning of an uprising for civil rights in America.  The Montgomery Bus Boycott, one of the first peaceful attempts for equality, was hosted in Alabama in 1956.

Khrushchev: Khrushchev was the leader that was chosen to take over after Joseph Stalin died in the early 50’s instead of Malenkov.  After gaining Stalin’s position, he soon went in his own direction and abandoned almost all of Stalin’s ideology.

Princess Grace:  Kelly Grace was first an actress before she abandoned that in 1956 to become a member of the royal family of Monaco.  Her acting career was not very successful, and thus she is mostly known for her role as a monarch.

Peyton Place: “Peyton Place” was one of the most popular novels of its time (which happened to be around 1956).  It was written by Grace Metalious and speaks mostly of 3 women throughout its entirety.  It was the first “blockbuster” of our nation.

Trouble in the Suez: During the late 1950’s, there was a growing concern in the Suez area.  Finally on October 29, 1956, Israel invaded the Gaza Strip and started the Suez Crisis.

Little Rock: Little Rock was another sight of an attempted end to segregation in the United States, however Orval Faubus put an end to that quickly.  He was the mayor of Little Rock at the time, and refused entry to the local high school to 9 black students, thus forcing Eisenhower to use military force.

Pasternak: Pasternak was a Russian-born author who then became popular worldwide during the late 1950’s.  With the publishing of his most famous book, Doctor Zhivago, Pasternak became well known.

Mickey Mantle: During 1957, Mickey Mantle was only in the middle of what proved to be an amazing baseball career.  At this time, he had already been named an American League All-Star for six years in a row.

Kerouac: In 1957, Kerouac used the knowledge gained from attending Columbia University in order to release yet another best-selling book entitled On The Road.  It was his first published novel in 7 years.

Sputnik: Sputnik was the name of the first satellite launched by any country in the world and it was launched during the very late 1950’s.  The Russians were first to the satellite discovery, and with them being such a powerful Communist nation, it made the United States government a little uneasy.

Chou En-Lai: After the Chinese Civil War, and entirely “new” nation of the Republic of China was formed, and it needed a leader.  Therefore, En-Lai was elected as Premier of the People's Republic of China and was in the middle of his term at the close of the 50’s.

Bridge on the River Kwai: The novel “Bridge on the River Kwai” was written in the year 1954, however this is referring to the movie adaptation.  The movie was released in 1957 and later received 7 awards for cinematography and such.

Lebanon: The Lebanon Crisis of 1958 began as a crisis within the country concerning political and religious tensions.  However, on July 15th 1958, the United States sent in 5,000 troops to help bring the misunderstanding to an end.

Charles de Gaulle: De Gaulle played a very important role in the First World War on the side of France.  However, during the 1950’s he especially became a figure of French resistance.

California Baseball: California baseball refers to the Brooklyn Dodgers in particular.  Of course, Brooklyn is not in California, and that is what makes this subject significant.  The Dodgers moved from New York to Los Angeles in 1958.  This subject also included the San Francisco Giants.

Starkwether: Charles Starkwether was a deranged and twisted man who went on a short killing spree in the Midwest during the 1950’s.  He killed over 10 people total and was finally sentenced to death on June 25, 1959 by electrocution.

Homicide: The homicide rate during the close of the 50’s did spark up a little.  The police forces were strengthened, however the murder rate did not change drastically.

Children of Thalidomide:  There was a very popular pill for women in Europe that was supposed to help morning sickness for those who were pregnant that was going around in the fifties known as Thalidomide.  However, this drug had horrible defects and babies born to mothers using the drug suffered severe mental and physical defects.

Buddy Holly: Buddy Holly was a Rock and Roll musician and recorder, even though the rest of his family was from a Western and Country background.  He died in a plane crash in the late 1950’s.

Ben Hur: “Ben Hur” was a very popular movie of the late 50’s that later won 11 Academy Awards (one of only 3 movies ever to accomplish such a feat) and set precedence for all future movies.  Still today, there are many scenes from “Ben Hur” that are considered exceptional cinematography.

Space Monkey: Before it was even fathomable that humans would enter space, NASA and other government agencies used monkeys and other animals to send in their spacecrafts.  Worldwide, a total of 32 monkeys were used in space related travel.

Mafia: The Italian Mafia in America is said to be the center of conspiracy, and has been for decades.  In 1957, one of the hugest mob busts in history occurred when over 60 dons were caught by the police and most of them convicted as well.

Hula Hoops: Although hula hoops are still seen as popular party activities today, during the 1950’s they were the most profitable fad and recreational activity.  They were “created” by Richard Knerr and Arthur Melin after a friend of theirs noticed the popularity of such an object in Australia.

Castro: After a few failed attempts at trying to overthrow the then leader of Cuba, Batista, Castro and his “troops” finally won the country in 1959.  America thought this to be a nice change from the controlling Batista, however Castro soon put an end to that thought with plans of domination and dictating.

Edsel is a no-go: Edsel was a brand of cars from overseas that had high expectations for sales in the United States.  However, during the late 50’s when the product was expected to be most popular, it took four years for them to sell the amount they wanted to sell in one year, therefore making it unsuccessful.

U2: The U-2 Crisis of 1960 all started when the Soviet Union shot down a United States “spy” plane over Soviet territories.  This, of course, put an end to all peace treaties that were supposed to be things of the future, and the proof made it very difficult for President Eisenhower to attempt to hide.

Syngman Rhee: During, and after, the Korean War, Rhee was named the leader of the Republic.  However, after winning a mysterious fourth term, he was accused of cheating and therefore exiled to live in Hawaii in the 1960’s.

Payola: The act or price of offering or pushing for a bribe.

Kennedy: During the election of 1960, Kennedy just barely defeated the favorite, Richard Nixon, for his spot as President.  Some say that the only reason that Kennedy won was because of his boyish good looks and youthful charm.

Chubby Checker: Born Ernest Evans, “Chubby Checker” is the man responsible for making “The Twist” the popular party dance that it is today.  Although Evans did try to stray away from that particular type of music, the public would not let him and only wanted to twist.

Psycho: Supposedly one of the scariest movies ever, “Psycho”, the film adapted by Alfred Hitchcock, premiered in theaters in 1960.  The movie was the first of it’s kind, and even though it was in black and white, still managed to bring horror to young teenagers.

Belgians in the Congo: King Leopold II of Belgium finally made “Congo” into a free nation in 1960.  The name was quickly changed to Belgian Congo and the Belgian Parliament took control of it.

Hemingway: Hemingway was one of, and probably still is, the most popular writers in the history of literature.  His blunt ways of writing make him target of many parodies, however his work is still considered genius.  He killed himself in 1961 with a rifle.

Eichman: Adolph Eichman was personally responsible for the murder of millions of Jews during World War II, however he fled to South America after the Nazi forces were being destroyed.  He was found in 1960 and eventually executed by Israel.

Stranger in a Strange Land: Written by Robert A. Heinlein, the book of the 1960’s is about a boy raised by Martians on Mars who then returns to Earth after being captured.  It was one of the first science-fiction best sellers of its time.

Dylan: Dylan, referring to Bob Dylan of course, was one of the most popular entertainers of the end of the entire twentieth century, however his journey began in the 1960’s.  He was part of the youth movement, however he really hit it big in the early 70’s with his hit song “Knockin on Heaven’s Door”.

Berlin: In August of 1961, the Berlin Wall, one of the most significant symbols of communism of its time, was built.  It was constructed between East and West Germany, however it was later destroyed after years of protest.

Bay of Pigs Invasion: The Bay of Pigs was a big misunderstanding under the leadership of JFK.  He promised troops in Cuba that he would help them with aid from the air, however pulled back before the aid could arrive for his own reasons.  Many think that this “mistake” could have been one of the contributing factors to someone wanting him dead.

Lawrence of Arabia: “Lawrence of Arabia” was a blockbuster of 1962 that followed the life of T. E. Lawrence during World War I.  It was an instant success, which may be in part credited to its director and producer, the same as “Bridge On The River Kwai”.

British Beatlemania: The Beatles first swept the world, starting with Britain, during 1962.  The group is best known as “The Fab Four” and is still very popular today, 50 years later.

Ole Miss: Ole Miss is referring to the University of Mississippi riot that was started in 1962.  The riot broke out after James Meredith, a black student, tried to enroll and attend school there in attempts to end segregation.

John Glenn: On February 20, 1962 John Glenn made history when he was the first man to orbit the Earth successfully.  Not only did Glenn orbit once, he orbited three times and in later years became one of the oldest men in space.

Liston beats Patterson: Liston, the World Heavyweight Champion in the year 1962, beat Patterson for his title.  Liston also beat Patterson again in 1963 to keep his title.

Pope Paul: In June of 1963, Pope Paul VI was elected as Pope of the Catholic Church.  He promised to keep the reform of previous parties and did so before his death in 1978.

Malcolm X: Another civil rights activist leader of the 1960’s, Malcolm X differed from MLK in his beliefs that non-violence was not the answer.  He kept switching his faiths and beliefs from Muslim to Orthodox Muslim and that lead to his assassination in 1965.

British Politician Sex: The Profumo Affair that hit the United Kingdom in the early 1960’s lead to many people resigning and a lot of truths being withheld.  The Secretary of State for War at the time of Great Britain was involved with a showgirl who was supposedly then involved with a Soviet officer as well, causing massive amounts of controversy overseas.

J.F.K. blown away: This is referring to the assassination of then President, John F. Kennedy, in the year 1963.  Lee Harvey Oswald supposedly shot him, however it is near impossible that there was only one shooter.  His death still remains a mystery to this day.

Birth Control: In 1965, all laws previously banning the use of birth control and other products like it were void.  Throughout the 1940’s and 50’s, activists were trying to promote the importance of birth control and it was finally legalized.

Ho Chi Minh: Ho Chi Minh was named as the leader of North Vietnam after the war between North and South.  He promised to keep the nation at peace with France, however that changed over time and feuds began again.

Richard Nixon back again: This part of the song states “back again” because he was previously mentioned for losing the election for President in the 50’s.  However, he was seriously elected in the 60’s after promising to take the US out of Vietnam.

Moonshot: Moonshot is referring to the first people to land on the moon using Apollo 11, the famous space shuttle that carried 3 American astronauts there and back safely.  Neil Armstrong is remembered as saying that it was “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”.

Woodstock: Woodstock was the most successful and memorable rock concert of its time.  It happened in 1969 and although only 50,000 people were expected to attend, nearly half a million wound up entering.  It is now seen as a place where “hippies” went to do drugs and such, but it was a very big deal, and still is.

Watergate: Watergate was the scandal that forced President Nixon to resign from his position before undergoing impeachment proceedings.  He was caught attempting to spy on the Democratic Party previous to the election, a very scandalous event of his time.

Punk Rock: Punk Rock, although still very popular today, made its mark in the 1970’s.  It is filled with anger and said to be lyrics of alienation and it truly went along with the teens of the 1970’s.

Begin: Menachem Begin was the Prime Minister of Israel through the 70’s and 80’s and during his reign he made peace with many nations.  However, many also criticized him when he made the decision to invade Lebanon in the early 80’s.

Reagan: Reagan was a much better politician than he ever was an actor.  After quitting show business, Reagan became governor of California and then later President during the 1980’s, where he was truly not a man to be toyed with.

Palestine: Yasir Arafat declared that the Palestine Liberation Organization’s intentions were to form and Arab state of Palestine in 1988.  After this declaration, plans went into effect to make the state a reality and it was soon accomplished.

Terror on the airline: There were a few hijackings of planes during the period that this song covers, however the one in reference is most likely when planes were hijacked from America to Cuba in the 1970’s.  These planes were hijacked sort of as ransom to the American people and also to help release the comrades that were then being held in prison.

Ayatollah’s in Iran: Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini was exiled from his country (Iran) in 1964, however he returned later.  During the year of 1979, Ayatollah returned to Iran and gave himself power over everything and returned Iran to a strict Islamic country.

Russians in Afghanistan: Communists took power of Afghanistan in the year 1978, and since most of the Communists of that time came from Russia, the title makes sense.  Afghanistan did not escape the clutches of communism until 1992.

Wheel of Fortune: “Wheel of Fortune” is the game show that first became popular in the 1970’s, yet is still very popular today.  The show features three contestants solving puzzles in hangman style and runs nationwide in the twenty-first century.

Sally Ride: Sally Kirsten Ride was the first woman born and raised in the United States to fly in space.  She went up in the space shuttle named Challenger two times over the span of her career before it exploded in 1978.  She then dedicated part of her career to that investigation, as well as her first love, physics.

Heavy metal: Heavy metal used to be much more popular and commercial than it is today, and this all took place during the 1980’s.  Heavy metal is filled with loud beats, screaming musicians, and lots of anger.

Suicide: Suicide, the act of killing oneself, became surprisingly and unfortunately popular during the 1970’s and 1980’s.  This could have to do with the then popularity of drugs, or could be for completely different reasons, no one will ever know.

Foreign Debts: Importing in America is a much more popular and greater industry than exporting, and therefore the US finds itself with complications from time to time.  Since the 1980’s especially, the need for imports has increased in America, and sometimes it is hard to pay off everything.

Homeless Vets: Homelessness in America did not become a real problem until the 1980’s, when even Veterans of previous wars were left on the streets to fend for themselves.  Generations have tried to solve the problems of poverty and homelessness; however thus far there is no great solution.

AIDS: Although AIDS has always been a serious problem since it was first discovered in the early 1900’s; it really took a turn for the worst in the 80’s.  A huge boom in the amount of people receiving the virus was cause for concern, and the number only continues to grow during recent times.

Crack: Crack, the more popular street name for cocaine, reached an all time high usage rate during the late 80’s.  Teenagers especially were using the drug on regular basis to get high, also partially because the aftermath was not known at the time.

Bernie Goetz: Bernie Goetz caused a little riot in 1984, when he decided to shoot 4 passengers on a bus in New York City.  Supposedly, one of the four who was shot asked Goetz for money and he responded violently.  He later turned himself in to police.

Hypodermics on the shores: During the mid 80’s, medical hypodermic needles and such were found washed up ashore local beaches.  The medical equipment is said to have come from an illegal dump out at sea.

China’s under martial law: China declared martial law on May 20, 1989.  This declaration enabled the Chinese Government to use violence and such to end the Tiananmen Square Protest.