Every time I see the number of professors, 88, brought up, it reminds me of one of the many meanings attributed to the number combination.
Neo-Nazi symbol
Eighty-eight is used as code among white supremacists to identify each other. H is the 8th letter of the alphabet, so 88 is taken to stand for HH which in turn means Heil Hitler. [1] This has caused controversy in the past, when trendspotters for the Target Corporation noticed the symbol and began its use on hats and T-shirts, unaware of its meaning. “ 14 is used similarly, referring to the so-called “Fourteen Words”, often found in combination with 88 (1488, 14/88, etc.). This form of the number has inspired the naming of the groups Column 88, Unit 88 and White Legion 88.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/88_(number)#Neo-Nazi_symbol
Ironic isn’t it?
When I hear 88 I think of “keys on a piano” or a famous German cannon.