20 years ago today: The Wall came down

Um, if it's NSFW, you might oughta just link it.

 

She's white hot.

Funny how Merkel lavished praise on Gorby when it was Reagan's words and actions that helped tip the scales. I guess dead is forgotten.

 

Is that Merken ? Wow

 

Oops. Meant to.

 

I was a teen when it happened. I remember hearing how East Germans were escaping through Hungary and recall being surprised when the military was just letting that happen. Then I came home from school late that one night, and remember seeing Tom Brokaw broadcasting the fall.

 

Watched Fog of War last night - hard to believe we were that close to actual war. As a kid who loved Tom Clancy's books, particularly Red Storm Rising, that was enough for me.
I do find it amusing to remember a Jimmy Buffett concert album where he talked about his "plan" to end the Cold War. Air drop millions of Victoria's Secret catalogues behind the wall, then drop about a million $50 dollar bills - he figured that would end communism. He wasn't that far off.

 

I don't think there are any Russians
And there ain't no Yanks
Just corporate criminals
Playing with tanks.

 

Celebrations today as the Berlin Wall was eaten by wolves. It was delicious.

 

"Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall."

 

I was a teenager at the time, and when I think of the end of the Soviet Empire, I don't think of the Berlin Wall.

A few months earlier, Poland's government held elections, presumed by all sides to have gamed the system so it would retain power and then Solidarity unexpectedly won in a landslide. The next day, buried on the evening news, was the report on the political earthquake. The Polish government spokesman, speaking in that classic communist monotone, said that he felt the vote did not reflect the will of the people. The reporters responded with mocking laughter.