How we and everyone else were

1968 In both Europe and America Japanese imported cars and other goods were continuing to rise and trouble the governments of UK and USA as they worried about industries in their own countries being effected and jobs lost.

In the spring of 1968 The Rev Martin Luther King was assassinated and Robert Kennedy was mortally wounded also the peace movement had continued to grow and more and more Americans were against the war in Vietnam, and once again more riots occurred throughout cities in America.

The music scene was once again set by the "Beatles" and the "Rolling Stones" , and fashion flirted with see through blouses and midis and maxis skirts joined the Mini Skirt as part of the fashion trends. There is a Flu Pandemic in Hong Kong and the first Black power salute is seen on Television worldwide during an Olympics medal ceremony


Cost of Living 1968
How Much things cost in 1968Yearly Inflation Rate USA 4.27%
Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average 943
Average Cost of new house $14,950.00
Average Income per year $7,850.00
Average Monthly Rent $130.00
Gas per Gallon 34 cents Average
Cost of a new car $2,822.00
Movie Ticket$1.50


What Events Happened in 1968

Anti Vietnam War protests throughout the western world
North Vietnam and Viet Cong troops launch the Tet offensive
Vietnam US soldiers masacre men, women and children in My lai
Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Leader of Negro Civil Rights Movement is killed by James Earl Ray which leads to Violence and Race Riots in US Cities
Following the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968
RMS Queen Elizabeth - retired from service
Senator Robert Kennedy is assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles
Earthquake in Sicily - 231 dead, 262 injured.
Enoch Powell's delivers his "Rivers of Blood" anti immigration speech
The Third Heart transplant is performed in South Africa By Dr Christian N Barnard
London Bridge sold for 1 million. and later re-erected in Arizona.
President Johnson announces on nationwide television he would not run for another term of office
Population in Europe reaches 455 million ( excluding USSR )
The Kray twins, arrested for the murders of George Cornell and Jack 'The Hat' McVitie, members of the London underworld.
Televisions Installed increases 25 million US , 20.5 million Japan , 19 Million Great Britain
Alec Rose completes his single-handed 354-day round-the-world trip.
Pierre Elliott Trudeau becomes the Prime Minister of Canada
Student Occupation at Columbia University over Universities affiliation with the Institute for Defense Analyse
Aristotle Onassis and Jacqueline Kennedy marry
The Ferry "TEV Wahine" capsizes in Wellington Harbour, New Zealand
Hong Kong Flu pandemic begins in Hong Kong.
Black power salute is seen on Television worldwide after the gold and bronze medalists in Olympics show salute during medal ceremony in Mexico City, Mexico
The Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia was to provide political liberalization but was crushed by Warsaw Pact countries
The Soviet Union invades Czechoslovakia and arrests President Dubcek "Prague Spring"
The Aswan Dam in Egypt is completed
The Gateway Arch in St. Louis is dedicated
Equatorial Gunea Gains Independence From Spain
The Winter Olympic Games are held in Grenoble, France
800,000 teachers, workers and student protestors marched through the French capital during a one day general strike
Technology
Boeing 747 made its maiden flight.
NASA launches Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo mission
Apollo 8 orbits the Moon, becoming the first manned space mission to achieve the feat.
Dr. Christian Barnard performs the first successful heart transplant.
US Explodes experimental hydrogen Bomb.
The Emergency 911 Telephone service is started in the USA which provides a single number for reporting emergencies and is manned 24 hrs per day 365 days per year
ATM First Philadelphia Bank installs the first automated teller machine in the U.S.

Popular Culture 1968

The first Big Mac goes on sale in McDonalds
Popular Films
The Graduate
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Bonnie and Clyde
Valley of the Dolls
The Odd Couple
Planet of the Apes
Rosemary's Baby
What do you remember ? Did you go to a Concert that year ? Please take the time to post your memory on this Page
Popular Musicians
The Rolling Stones
The Supremes
The Beatles with " Hey Jude "
Fleetwood Mac
Aretha Franklin
Gary Puckett and The Union Gap
The Grateful Dead
The Monkees
Simon and Garfunkel " Mrs Robinson "
The Beach Boys
The Bee Gees
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Cream
The Doors " Hello I Love You "
Pink Floyd
Moody Blues
Bobby Goldsboro " Honey "
Marvin Gaye " I heard it through the Grapevine "
David Bowie

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

I hope that you all had a joyous Christmas season. Here is a photo of my lovely family for our holiday. It is my sincere hope that we can use this blog to continue to stay in touch with one another through the years. Let me be the first to start:

Erik, on the far left, works up in Bellingham, Washington for Otion (www.otionsoap.com) He manages the retail arm of his sister's company, Bramble Berry, and is proud to report that he has helped raise the company to profitability levels not seen by his sister.

Cheriss, Erik's new bride, works for an advertising agency on one account, the Haggens Grocery Account. She loves her job and is getting used to the Washington weather. As a California transplant, the wetness up here is difficult.

Next to Cheriss is Chris, my son-in-law. He is an fiberglass engineer who has recently purchased the family business. In addition to running his company, he is going to school at night for his MBA.

Anne-Marie, my daughter, runs www.brambleberry.com and www.soapqueen.com She enjoys teaching women all over the world how to make a part time income selling soap and is also our de facto tech person for this blog.

Wenche, my lovely wife, is a big help to me in the clinic I've started in Olympia, Washington. She does everything that keeps the clinic together - from washing shets to emptying the trash to picking up the mail.

As for me, I keep busy running my clinic, looking for a partner (anyone know of a young buck that wants to buy into a clinic in Olympia, WA) and begging any of my children to provide grandchildren.

I'll post instructions on how to become an official blogger in this account on the next post.

PS - No post would be complete without my perfect granddaughter, Samantha, a purebred boxer. My most favored child, Erik, made me the happiest grandfather in the world when he adopted this little gem. Until a real, pink, hairless baby shows up, this little guy will have to do.