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Timelines - Decade
28y Physical 36y Emotional 44y Intellectual
American Cycles 1980s
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These Timelines are a detailed look at the time and the influence of Cycles. Significant events of the decade are analyzed through Twelve categories that serve as a kaleidoscopic lens through time, (see the clickable links above), as well as the position of Cycles at the time, (see the clickable folder links in the upper left corner). You can read and link up and down vertically through this Timeline, or, you can go any Category and link horizontally to the same Category in other Timelines (links are provided at the head of each Category). This cross linking is designed to provide a fast and easy way to make reading fun and interesting.

See the go to Overview here link near the top for a brief look at Cycles for this decade.

See the Matrix links above left for navigating through all Overviews and Timelines by Time, Subject, or Cycle as described in Introduction to Part II).


THE MATERIAL WORLD

In the Physical High of the 1980s we made military improvements and emphasized "peace through strength. We remained a bastion of freedom in the world and attacked totalitarian aggression. In other matters, the 1980s were as conservative as the 1960s were liberal. The "Reagan era" reversed a trend Socialist trend by downsizing government and relieving tax burdens. A Cyclic brought cut backs and 3rd Qtr. Reviews brought a return of traditional values.

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The Republicans won the presidency in 1980 when the Reagan/Bush ticket defeated the Carter/Mondale ticket in a landslide. Independents also ran, but with a minor showing. Reagan & Bush ran against again in 1984 former Vice President Walter Mondale who ran with New York Representative Geraldine Ferraro as his running mate. This was the first time a woman was to share the ticket, but the Emotional Cycle, and feminization were low. Reagan & Bush received the greatest landslide victory and Mondale & Ferraro since Roosevelt's election in 1936. This was mostly due to Reagan's popularity, but may have been partly due to a lack of public acceptance for Ferraro. Reverend Jesse Jackson won 20% of the vote in the Democratic primary as the first black candidate to campaign at a convention. Jackson's appeal embraced empowerment during the Physical High. Senator Gary Hart of Colorado made a minor showing at the Democratic primaries. An effective strategy during the presidential elections in this decade was negative campaigning. During an Emo-Intellectual Low negative campaigning is more effective than positive campaigning as people are more easily dissuaded, than persuaded.

Many presidential candidates in the 1980 and 1984 elections were from the Physically-based region of the Southwest (see Chapter XII GEORHYTHMS). Only the Physical Cycle was high. Four of the seven major presidential candidates in 1980 were from the Southwest, including, former California governor Ronald Reagan, Texas businessman George Bush, another former California governor Jerry Brown, and former Texas Senator John Connally. Reagan victory in both elections came with landslides. Senator Kennedy entered the 1980 race from the Intellectual-based region of New England but did not gain momentum in the Intellectual Low. Instead his past at Chappaquiddick was used effectively against him in the Emo-Intellectual 3rd Qtr. of reform.

We had a Three-way Low in the cycles during the 1988 presidential election. The Physical Cycle was in 3rd Qtr. Review. George Bush ran after serving two-terms as Vice President under Reagan. He then had the advantage of a Physical 3rd Qtr. America identified him with the popularity of his predecessor who reigned during the previous Physical High that was under review in 1988. Bush won the election. As the Physical Cycle was declining, Bush called for a "kinder, gentler nation." When Bush again ran for the presidency in 1992, 3rd Qtr. Review had ended in all three Cycles, and Bush's record would not carry him to victory. Not even an American to victory in the Persian Gulf could secure reelection as America turned from the past to search for alternatives.

1. Political  1980s Physical Cycle top    

Physical High (1971 - 1985)

America was in its biggest post industrial expansion since the Second World War. We strengthened military readiness and relied upon it. New political machines became empowered. The times were Physical.

President Carter Reinstated the Draft and Expressed Willingness to Fight after the Soviets attacked Afghanistan and advanced toward the Persian Gulf in 1980. The Persian Gulf has a narrow seaway at the Straight of Hormuz through which huge shipments of an oil pass on their way to the West. Carter announced that we would go to war to prevent a Soviet takeover of the region. To back this up, the President signed a 1980 bill that required 19 and 20-year-olds to register for the draft. America's resolve to fight is often greater during a Physical High.

Military Bases and Armaments Expanded in the Early 1980s with the Physical High. We increased our military territory by acquiring bases in Oman and in Somalia in 1980. President Reagan presented a five-point program for expanding defense in 1981 that called for 100 new B-1 bombers, 100 MX missiles, and super-hardened nuclear-resistant silos. Production on the neutron bomb began soon after. The House of Representatives rejected a resolution to freeze US and Soviet arsenals at existing levels. Reagan was unwilling to abandon the Strategic Defense Initiative and refused to revive the SALT II accord with the Soviets. Despite a few minor rallies against nuclear arms at home, defense was favored over pacifism.

The US invaded the Caribbean Island of Greneda after the Soviets launched a bloody coup against the existing regime in October 1983. A seaway by Greneda is another vital shipping lane for oil. The Soviets were building a landing field for high speed fighter jets on Grenada with technical aid from Cuba. The length of the landing field revealed Soviet intentions. President Reagan combined 7,000 US troops with other forces for a paratroop invasion of the Island just six days after the Soviet coup. American efforts liberated Grenada from communist aggression and protected 1,100 Americans on the island. We are more defensive in a Physical High. This move received the support of Congress and the public alike.

Law Enforcement was Boosted when the Supreme Court ruled on the admissibility of evidence in 1984. Illegally obtained evidence would be admitted in a trial if it were determined that it could have been discovered through legal means. The court also ruled that evidence obtained with a defective search warrant could be used. Enforcement was chosen over ideology in the Physical High.

Counter Espionage Increased at Home as more spies were ferreted out of our midst. Richard Miller became the first FBI agent to face charges of spying in 1984. Some thirteen spies were caught in 1984 from the CIA, the Navy, and the FBI. Most had sold their country out for money, but were caught as the Physical High improved our defenses.

Physical Low (1985 - 1999)

The US Was Willing to Disarm once the Physical Cycle was Low. The US made an agreement with Soviet leader Mikail Gorbachev in 1987 on Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty. Medium and short range nuclear weapons were banned. Both the US and the Soviet Union destroyed many of their missiles afterward.

The Free Trade Agreement with Canada was passed by an overwhelming majority of the Senate. We became less territorial in the Physical Low. Almost all trade barriers and tariffs will be eliminated by 1999.

Physical 3rd Qtr. Review (1985 - 1992)

Congress Strengthened the Clean Air Act of 1970 by obliging President Bush's request to counter air pollution and acid rain in 1989. Environmental concerns increased in over more laissez faire methods the Physical 3rd Qtr. of Reform. Enforcement came to business.

Convictions of Public Officials Continued in the Physical 3rd Qtr. Federal Judge Harry E. Clairborne was Convicted on three articles of impeachment in 1986 following convictions of tax evasion. When he refused to resign the bench, the Senate heard its first impeachment trial in half a century. Former Reagan Presidential Aide Michael Deaver Was Found Guilty of perjury before a House subcommittee about lobbying activities. He was accused of lobbying in violation of the Ethics in Government Act passed in 1978, a double Third Quarter year, to regulate lobbying by former government officials.

Maryland Was the First State to Outlaw Cheap Pistols Sales and Plastic Guns in 1988. Types that were easily concealed, inaccurate, or of poor quality, were prohibited when the provision went into effect in January 1990. This is Physical Reform.

Compensation was Allotted to Japanese Citizens Forced into Internment Camps during the Second World War. The 120,000 surviving Japanese citizens benefited from a bill signed by Reagan in 1988. They, and their beneficiaries would receive $20,000 tax-free dollars each from the Fed, along with an apology. We were reviewing the past and reforming the aftermath of Physical behavior.

Major Convictions Came Against Organized Crime in 1987 when the federal court convicted the eight man "board of directors," for racketeering. Seven other members received 100 year sentences and nine others received lighter sentences. They were caught in the net of Physical reform.

One of the Largest Indian Land Claim Settlements came in 1988 when the Puyallup tribe was given $162 million in cash, land, and jobs for relinquishing further claims to more than $750 million worth of land and buildings in Tacoma, Washington. Each adult received $20,000, and children received theirs upon reaching age twenty-one, (to reference other Indian settlements, see this subcategory below under "EMO-INTELLECTUAL" "3rd QTR. REFORM" ). The Physical Cycle often affects issues regarding land, and it was now in 3rd Qtr. Reform.

1. Political  1980s Emotional Cycle top    

Emotional Low (1973 - 1991)

The Equal Rights Amendment Failed in 1982. Some viewed it as a form of legal emancipation for women, (and as a form of special privilege entitlement by others). It was conceived during the Emotional High but we Ironically delayed the ratification process until the Emotional trough year of 1982. The ERA fell three states short of the required thirty-eight to pass.

Emotional 3rd Qtr. Review (1973 - 1982)

strong>Abortion Rights Came Under Reform in 1981 when the US Supreme Court ruled that states could require parental notification in some cases before allowing abortions to teenage girls. While we approved the liberal policy of abortion during the Emo-Intellectual High, both of the Cycles were now in reform. President Reagan favored repeal of legalized abortion. A major anti-abortion march on Washington marked the tenth anniversary of legalized abortion in January 1983, but abortion rights survived.

1. Political  1980s Intellectual Cycle top    

Intellectual 3rd Qtr. Review (1973 - 1984)

The post-1973 period of reform was still going on in the 1980s. If not directed toward the government, then directed by the government.

Congressmen Were Convicted in the ABSCAM Investigation. A sting operation conducted in the Emo-Intellectual 3rd Qtr. revealed that public officials on the take in 1980. It was the FBI's most extensive political investigation when they posed as Arab businessmen offering bribes. Thirty-one public officials took the bait, including members of Philadelphia's City Council, a Senator and a seven US Congressmen. Five Congressmen men were convicted, and Michael J. Myers became the first to be expelled from the House of Representatives since the 1861. Raymond Lederer resigned to avoid expulsion. Senator Harrison Williams of New Jersey was found guilty of criminal offenses while in office, making this the first conviction of this time since 1905, (also a Dbl. 3rd Qtr. Reform).

Forty Million Additional Acres Were Put Under Federal Protection in Alaska in 1980 as a conservation measure. A twenty-year ban was imposed against the oil, gas or mineral development as America thought to conserve in the Intellectual 3rd Qtr.

President Reagan's Budget Proposal for 1982 Included Major Spending Cuts in the Intellectual 3rd Qtr. The $695 billion package proposed some $48 ½ billion be cut, mainly from mass transit, synthetic fuels and federal programs for the arts. Even with these cutbacks, the budget projected a $45 billion deficit.

Hiring Quotas Came Under Reform. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that set the quotas in an attempt to ease long standing racial injustice in business. Some claimed, however, that quotas sometimes prohibited qualified non-minority applicants from filling positions while minimum quotas were filled. President Reagan urged voluntary compliance by industry to end discrimination, rather than the quota system. Reform itself was under reform.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday Became a National Holiday in 1983, as America remembered one of its heroes with reverence with 3rd Qtr. Review.

1. Political  1980s Polyrhythms top    

 

Physo-Intellectual Low (1985 - 1995)

Gold Prices Rose to $850 an Ounce in early 1980. The value of gold rose with the Physical Cycle. Value of the dollar declined with the Intellectual Cycle. The result was rising gold prices. It took more dollars to buy gold. The Physical Cycle Peaked in 1979, just before record high gold prices. Gold has never come near $800 an ounce since.

Emo-Intellectual Low (1973 - 1991)

The Economy Declined Along with American Confidence during a mixed economy in the 1980s. Inflation Rose to 14% in 1981. "Stagflation" was the new term that some introduced in the early 1980s to describe the combination of a stagnated economy mixed with inflation. The Washington Public Power Supply System Became the Largest Governmental Unit to Fail as it defaulted on $2.25 billion in debts. Cost for Buying a New Home Rose to exceed $100,000 for the first time. The same Levittown (NY) home which sold for $15,000 in 1967, cost $125,000 in 1986. A post 1973 downturn was still in motion.

The Auto Industry Declined. We came off a Physical Peak in 1978 and both the Emotional and Intellectual Cycles were low. We had 125 million cars on the road in 1980 and almost 17% of the working force directly, or indirectly, involved with automobiles. The big three automakers then lost some $3 billion to foreign competition in 1980. Sales came to a 19-year low. Ford lost $595 million in the third quarter of 1980. Chrysler went on to loose $1.71 billion, a record for any US industry. Industry was coming down from its high point.

Silver Futures Dropped as the price of silver fell to $10.8 and ounce in 1980, a decline of $5. The Hunt Brothers of Dallas had pledged to buy 19 million ounces of silver for $35 an ounce and failed to cover a $100 million loan. To avoid this commitment, the Hunts turned over their $500 million in holdings of silver and Canadian oil. The Silver market reacted as downward manifestation of the Emo-Intellectual Low.

Airline Industry Losses Spiraled for the ten major airlines during the Emo-Intellectual Low. Losses totaled $577 million in 1981. The eighth largest airline, Braniff International Corp., became the first major airline to file for bankruptcy in 1982. Eastern Airlines filed for bankruptcy in 1989 with $25 billion in debts.

Emo-Intellectual Dbl. 3rd Qtr. Review (1973 - 1982)

Business Reform had gained momentum since the beginning of the Emo-Intellectual 3rd Qtr. in 1973. The US Equal Opportunity Commission Issued Regulations Against Sexual Harassment that made it illegal in the work place. The US Government Declared a State of Emergency at Love Canal in Niagara Falls, New York because of toxic chemical wastes. A "Superfund" was created the following year to help situations like this. A Breakup of Monopolies came with the reforms. AT&T Broke Up into "baby Bells" in 1982 as a result of an antitrust settlement that began in 1974. The twenty-two Bell companies could now handle local service themselves. "Benevolent Capitalists" Sought Ethics in business. Some investment groups would not buy stocks in companies caught harming the environment. Some believed that this shift came with from mainstream absorption of "Hippies" into business. The Hippies were known for advocating environmental and business reform.

Air Traffic Controllers Were Fired by President Reagan after an illegal strike. The US Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) demanded higher wages and shorter hours. They had rejected a government contract in 1981 and went out on strike. A federal judge issued a back to work order, which they refused. The president fired all air traffic controllers who did not return to work, canceled the union's certification with the government, and ordered the Department of Transportation to hire replacements for 12,000 dismissed workers. While labor was empowered by a Physical High, this was not a Physically-based job. They were technicians, and technicians often move with the Intellectual Cycle. The Intellectual Cycle, and the Emotional Cycle, were in 3rd Qtr. Reform.

Emo-Intellectual Dbl. 4th Qtr. Alternatives (1984 - 1991)

Less Reform in Business resulted during Dbl. 4th Qtr. Alternatives. The US Supreme Court ruled that the last hired, first fired policy used by many businesses could stand. The courts could not overrule seniority programs in case of layoffs, and employees hired under affirmative action programs would not necessarily have preference. Labor supported the decision. Civil rights groups opposed it. As 3rd Qtr. Reform ended, a more laissez faire policy came toward business and some old systems were abandoned.

Trirhythmic Low (1985 - 1991)

The Economy Had Downturns in the Three-way Low. The Dow Jones Industrial Average Had a Record One day Loss of 45.75 points on June 9, 1986, then fell 88.61 points on September 11th to close at 1792.89. The National Debt Reached a Record $2 trillion mark this year. A poll by Lou Harris showed in 1987 that 81% of the population believed that the Rich Were Getting Richer, and the Poor Were Getting Poorer, (45% thought so when Harris first asked in 1966). In 1987 General Electric Sold its $3 Billion a Year Consumer Electronics Division to the Thompson Co., operated by the French government. Many companies were dis-investing for survival. In a move to protect a failing economy from foreign competition in 1987, Congress banned the Japanese From Bidding on Public Works Projects and President Reagan imposed high duties on Japanese electronics. An economic crisis in 1988 was the "Selling out of America" as major industries sold their assets at a rate of $2 billion a year to foreign investors. Investment just wasn't what it was. The "Wall Street Journal" reported in 1989 that day of junk bond profits was ending, and it was. Production, confidence, and means were low. The biggest of all post war economic disasters also happened at this time:

The Savings and Loans Failures came in the Three-way Low. When the Intellectual Cycle was in 3rd Qtr. Reform, it was time to review commodities and exchange in America. We implemented deregulation instead. As we saw with the banking industry in the 1970s, allowing deregulation when it is time for reform can bring trouble. The Savings and Loans industry came under less scrutiny in the early 1980s. Congress passed legislation in 1982 with Reagan's approval that allowed the reach of S&Ls to go beyond granting home mortgages. They were now allowed to invest in - anything. They did. By the latter part of the decade, some 15% of the 3,000 S&Ls were at, or near, insolvency. The Fed took over many organizations and found them to be rampant with fraud, mismanagement, and personal profit takers. Congress appropriated $166 billion for the bail out in 1989. Estimates for what it would take went as high as $500 billion. It was a major problem.

Huge Mergers came in the Three-way Low. Unlike the productive 2nd Qtr. when things branch off and prosper, the Cyclic Low had companies pulling together for survival. Some historic mergers had already occurred in the preceding two-way Low of the Emotional and Intellectual Cycles. They increased when the Physical Cycles crossed down making it a Three-way Low. Twenty-four mergers of $1 billion or more each came in 1985. The American Broadcasting Co. (ABC) was the first of the major networks sold when Capital Cities Communications, Inc. bought it for $3.5 billion in 1985. Campeau Corp. of Canada absorbed Allied Stores Corp. for $3.6 billion in 1987. It then made the largest department store takeover in 1988 when it bought the Federated Department Stores, Inc. for $6.6 billion. Philip Morris Companies took over Kraft Inc. for $115 billion to form the largest consumer products company in the world. Big companies were falling back and pulling together.

Huge Mergers Also Came to Publishing. The Gannett newspaper group bought the "Times" and "Courier-Journal" newspapers in Louisville, KY, for $305 million in 1986 after the same family owned them for seventy years. The Time Mirror Co. of Los Angeles bought the Baltimore "Sun" and "Evening Sun" for $450 million in 1986. A (West) German publisher bought Doubleday & Co. in September 1986 for $475 million. Random House bought Crown Publishing Group in August 1988. Rupert Murdoch, and Australian outfit bought Triangle Publications, Inc. for $3 billion in 1988, making it the largest takeover in publishing. The Three-way Low left little room for expansion. Companies instead were consolidating.

A Major Market Correction Came was Due. All three Cycles were low in the US for the first time since the Great Depression. Why then was the Dow-Jones Industrial Average at a record high in August 25th, closing at more than 2,722.42 points? The only answer for a record high during a three-way low in the Cycles is a false high. The market was over bought. If that were so, a correction would soon be in order.

On "Black Monday," October 19, 1987: The Stock Market Crashed 508 Points, or 26% of the market, to close at 1,738. This was the biggest one-day drop in points in history. 604.33 million shares were sold, surpassing the previous record of 338.5 million shares. Investors lost more than $500 million. It was the largest percentage drop since 1915, (a Crossover year), and greater than the drop in 1929. Why did it not lead to a depression? It was only a correction. It was not a double Crossover like 1901, 1929, or 1973. It also was not followed by three-way declines like 1973, or 1929. That is a line for bottom fishing. On October 20th the Dow rose 107 points. It was largest one day gain in history. A new record of shares traded reached 608.12 million. Despite a crash greater than that of 1929, and the economy general hardly blinked. Only a handful of invested players felt were caught on the roller coaster. At the end of 1987, the Dow closed at 1938.83, up 2.26% for the year.

The spontaneous sell-off was attributed to computer trading. Many programs were following the similar indicators for arbitrage dealing. To prevent this from recurring, the big board directors of the New York Stock Exchange Super Dot electronic order system banned orders from giant traders who use computer programs during market swings in February 1988.

During a three-way low, the sharp rise in the market is premature. When the market shot up on October 13, 1989. Another correction with a 190-point drop soon followed. Cycles can tell true trends from false ones.

 

Internal Aberration  

President Reagan was Shot on March 30, 1981 after giving a speech at the Washington Hilton Ballroom. As the President was walking toward his limousine, John W. Hinckley, Jr., came through a crowd and fired off a .22 caliber hand gun. The president recovered from a chest wound. Others were also injured, including press secretary James Brady who suffered brain damage from a shot in the head. Hinckley was tried and acquitted on the grounds that of mental incompetence, then admitted to a mental hospital. Nothing in these Cycles gave warning to this tragic anomaly. Though few and far between, Aberrations happen amid the flow of Cyclic energy.

External Aberration  

Other nations, moving with their own rhythms, committed acts of aggression that had rippling effects in the arena of world events. This prompted us to respond.

Terrorists Bombed The US Marine Headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, killing 200 US Marines in October 1983. The US backed off its peacekeeping efforts as the Marines were withdrawn in January 1984. Terrorists Also Bombed The US Embassy in September 1984, and twelve more were killed. The US Navy Attacked Iranian Forces in the Southern Persian Gulf in April 1988, after an US Navy vessel was damaged from Iranian mines placed in the Gulf. Two Iranian oil platforms were destroyed and six armed Iranian ships were sunk or disabled. The US Bombed Lybia in Response to State-sponsored Terrorism in April 1986. American fighter planes also shot down two Libyan planes that threatened US military targets in 1989. The US Invaded Panama and Arrested Manuel Noriega to counter voluminous drug trafficking of cocaine into the US. Both Reagan and Bush had opposed Noriega's despotism with sanctions. The Panamanian legislature supported Noriega with declaration of war against the US in December 1989. President Bush decided three days later to protect US citizens in Panama and to counter the flow of drugs across our border. US troops overpowered the Panamanian army and took control of the country. Noriega escaped to the Vatican embassy but surrendered 11 days later. These actions were US responses to external events in the 1980s. External events on other lands move outside our internal clockwork of rhythms.

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With the energy crisis behind us, America focused on more on strength and prosperity. More people entered the business world and invested in stocks. Young Americans viewed wealth with disdain, it was sought. Cities across the nation rebuilt downtown areas and expanded office space. The body of the nation was in motion after a peak in 1978. The heart and mind of the nation were asleep as Emotional and Intellectual Cycles hit bottoms in 1982 and 1984, respectively.

Materialism rose as "Yuppy" professionals established a youth trend during the Physical High. Views changed as REALITY was pronounced - REALTY, and the TAO was spelled - DOW. Materialism fell after a Downward Crossover in the Physical Cycle in 1985. Insider trader scandals and the Savings and Loans failure followed in the 3rd Qtr. Reform. The nation found itself between eras by the end of the decade when all the Cycles were low.

 Boring Numbers: In 1980, inflation was at 12% by the end of the year, (down from 19% in 1979), the Prime Rate peaked at 21.5% in December, and inflation was at %7.1. Tax freedom day fell on May 1st. This is the day of the year by which it is assumed that one has made enough money to pay their federal, state and local taxes. The budget deficit by $1982 exceeded 110 billion. Our trade deficit reached a record $18 billion in 1986. The national debt doubled between 1981 and 1986 from $1 trillion to $2 trillion. The first trillion-dollar federal budget was submitted in 1987. A post war high in unemployment came in 1982 at 10.8%. Two Cycles that had peaked in the 1960s would both hit the trough in the 1980s.

2. Business & Economy  1980s Physical Cycle top    

Physical High (1971 - 1985)

A Business High came in construction where many jobs were created. More investors entered the market and stock prices rose. While some businesses were still cutting back during the Emo-Intellectual Low, Physically-based industries were expanding. It was a mixed economy.

The "Yuppies" were en vogue. "Newsweek" magazine declared 1984 the "year of the yuppy," (Young Urban Professional). Yuppies sought business careers, wore conservative yet dressed-up business outfits, invested in the market, and drove BMWs. It was a Physical High for supreme materialists. They were not interested in social causes or things larger than themselves in the Emo-Intellectual Low. This was the opposite of the "Hippy" movement of the 1960s. What was the difference in the Cycles? In the 1960s, the Physical Cycle hit the Trough, while the Emotional and Intellectual Cycles hit the Peak; in the 1980s, the Physical Cycle was coming off a 1978 Peak, while the Emotional and Intellectual Cycles hit the Trough. Opposite cultural trends.

The Number of Lawyers Skyrocketed to almost ½ million by 1984. This reflected the new materialism of the Physical High as lawyers became the mediators for money. Litigation became more the means to profit, than cause.

Big Industry Got Bigger in the Physical High. The ICC Approved a Railroad Merger in 1982 for the Union Pacific, Missouri Pacific, and Eastern Pacific Railroads that consolidated more than 22,000 miles of track. Exxon was the Largest US Corporation in 1982 with sales more than $97 billion. The Largest Takeover in the World surpassed this in 1984 when Chevron acquired the Gulf Corp. for $13.3 billion. McDonald's Became one of the Dow-Jones 30 Industrial Stocks early in the decade then went to sell its fifty billionth hamburger in 1984 (give or take a burger). Consumption and waste were also up, however. Non-industrial trash from homes and businesses was almost 168 million before 1990, as opposed to seventy-eight million tons in 1960.

The Absence of 3rd Qtr. Reform comes with a Physical High, and deregulation came to some Physically-based industries. Congress deregulated the trucking industry and allowed it to establish its own rates in 1980. President Reagan Dismantled the Department of Energy in 1981 and delegated its functions to other agencies. Reagan also Removed Regulations on Domestic Oil and Gas Prices. Industry had more say.

Physical Downward Crossover (March 21, 1985- March 21, 1986)

The US Officially Became a Debtor Nation in 1985 for the first time since World War I. This Downward Crossover of the Physical Cycle in 1985 led US to a Three-way Low for six years. The federal deficit hit a record high of $211.9 billion in September 1985 and our deficit rose to a record $148.5 billion, then $169.78 in 1986, and $2 trillion in 1987.

Shakeups to Industry came with the Downward Crossover. Texaco was Ordered to Pay the Highest Damage Award Ever rendered when the courts upheld that it will pay $11.4 billion to Pennzoil for interfering with its takeover of Getty Oil. Huge takeovers came as the big fish ate the little fish.

Physical Low (1985 - 1999)

Industry Declined in the Physical Low. Houston Oil Companies were Hit Hard in 1986 as oil prices hit a long time low of $10.77 a barrel. The nation's largest steel maker, Dallas-based LTV Corp., Declared the Largest Bankruptcy in US history in 1986. It had lost $7 billion since 1982 and thinned its work force from 450,000 in 1979, to 200,000. The US was Now Importing Large Quantities of Steel despite our wealth of resources at home.

Physical 3rd Qtr. Review (1985 - 1982)

Now the flurry of the past years was coming under review. Scandals, fines, price changes, bankruptcies and tax reforms followed. Typical 3rd Qtr. Reform.

The Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act called for reducing the national debt and forbidding the federal government from spending more than it takes in. It was to bring the deficit to zero by 1991. The national debt was at record heights and military spending was more than $1.5 trillion over the past four years while taxes were lessened. To head off disaster, this bill was sponsored by Republican representative Phil Gramm from Texas, Republican senator Warren B. Rudman of New Hampshire, and Democratic senator Ernest F. Hollings of North Carolina. Congress passed the Act in 1985, but the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional in July 1986, and continued spending. This was a 3rd Qtr. Reform that failed.

The Tax Reform Act of 1986 brought the greatest changes to the system since World War II. Three separate, and distinct rates were placed for individuals to replace the existing tax schedule. It is designed to reduce the burden to most tax payers and exempt millions of low income families. Top rates for individuals were lowered from 50% to 38.5%. Top tax rates for corporations were reduced by 15%. Many deductions for corporations and individuals were eliminated. As a result, tax revenues were not to decline, but where they were collected was to change. Leona Helmsley was Found to Owe $1.2 million in August of 1989 after being convicted on thirty-three counts of tax evasion. The case caught national attention after her remark that, "Only the little people pay taxes," which left her dubbed, "The Queen of Mean." Many were caught in the net of Reform.

Oil Companies Declined with the Physical Cycle, as did other major industries. The oil companies saw the price per barrel drop below $15 dollars in 1986, the lowest price in years.

Market Reform came in the Physical 3rd Qtr. One of the nations wealthiest arbitrators, Ivan Boesky Pleaded Guilty to Illegal Insider Trading and was fined $100 million in 1986. He was banned from securities for life and sentenced to three years in prison. He was allowed to liquidate stocks to pay off $1.4 billion owed by his firm, however. Drexel Burnham Lambert, Inc. Pleaded Guilty and agreed to pay $560 million in fines for fraud in an illegal stock trading in 1987.

Business Reform also came with the 3rd Qtr. A.H.Robins Co. Was Ordered to Reserve $2.475 Billion to by a Federal Judge in 1987 compensated women injured from use of its Dalkon Shield intrauterine birth control device.

Nuclear Reform marked the Physical 3rd Qtr. as well. The history of nuclear plant operations came under scrutiny in September 1988 when it was discovered that they did not reveal accidents at the Savannah River plant in South Carolina for thirty-one years. The Energy Dept. shut down the plutonium processing plant near Boulder for safety reasons in October. It was also discovered that tons of radioactive uranium waste were released into the air by a plant near Fernald, Ohio, but not revealed by officials for decades. All plants supplied materials for nuclear weapons.

Welfare Reform came with the 3rd Qtr. A welfare reform bill became law in 1988 that required single parents on welfare with children over three years of age to either find work and earn income, or to enroll in job training or educational courses. Some $3.34 billion over the next five years was allocated for that purpose.

Get Rid of the Old Coca-Cola Recipe? Not in a 3rd Qtr. of Review when America was looking back and keeping what it liked. Coca-Cola drinkers said no way when Coca-Cola did away with its 99-year-old recipe and replaced it with new one in 1985. Amid protest from loyal Coke drinkers, the company reinstated the old recipe as "Coca-Cola Classic."

2. Business & Economy  1980s Emotional Cycle top    

Emotional Trough (1982)

The 1982 Recession came with the Emotional Trough of 1982. This year the Dow-Jones Industrial Average "bottomed out" and the market overall hit bottom in November. We now know this as "the 1982 recession." The Federal Reserve Board reported that factories were operating at 67.8% of capacity, the lowest since records began in 1948. The Fed closed the Penn Square Bank in Oklahoma City after heavy losses. It had $2 billion in loans, some of which were bought by other banks. Unemployment was at a postwar high of 10.8%. The Labor Dept. reported a 6% rise in the cost of living more than one year. According to the Census Bureau, the poverty rate this year was at 14%, the highest since 1967. Spirits were low, and it showed.

2. Business & Economy  1980s Intellectual Cycle top    

Intellectual 3rd Qtr. Review (1973 - 1984)

Taxation of Oil Companies Increased in the Intellectual 3rd Qtr. of Reform. Oil companies had reaped huge profits since the beginning of the energy crisis, and even more after price controls were lifted in 1979. President Carter signed the Crude Oil Windfall Profits Tax in 1980. It was the largest single tax ever levied on an industry. The taxes were expected to raise $277 billion by 1990.

Tax Reform came with the first tax-cut bill of the Reagan administration in 1981. This was one of many tax reforms bills that came during the string of 3rd Qtrs. that lasted from 1973 to 1992. This reform in amid the Intellectual 3rd Qtr. decreased personal income taxes by 4% in 1981, 10% in 1982, and another 10% in 1983. The public at first welcomed at first, but criticized it, but opponents criticized the bill as a benefit to the rich.

The Anti-nuclear Movement held its largest rally amid the Intellectual 3rd Qtr. in 1982. Some 550,000 demonstrators converged on the New York during the United Nations Special Session on Disarmament. Nuclear Reforms came in the following Physical 3rd Qtr., (see above PHYSICAL 3rd QTR. REVIEW).

Intellectual Trough (1984)

The 1984 Recession came with the Intellectual Trough of 1984. We had seventy-eight bank failures in 1984, more than anytime since 1938. The FDIC listed another 817 banks as problem cases with over extended in loans. The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit a major market bottom, as did the economy overall. The number of people living below the poverty line rose from 34.4 million in the Emotional Trough of 1982, to 35.3 million by the Intellectual Trough. Cities across the nation saw growing numbers of homeless in the streets.

2. Business & Economy  1980s Polyrhythms top    

 

Physo-Emotional WHATEVER (XXX)

...

Physo-Intellectual Low (1985 - 1995)

Gold Prices Rose to $850 an Ounce in early 1980. The value of gold rose with the Physical Cycle. Value of the dollar declined with the Intellectual Cycle. The result was rising gold prices. It took more dollars to buy gold. The Physical Cycle Peaked in 1979, just before record high gold prices. Gold has never come near $800 an ounce since.

Emo-Intellectual Low (1973 - 1991)

The Economy Declined Along with American Confidence during a mixed economy in the 1980s. Inflation Rose to 14% in 1981. "Stagflation" was the new term that some introduced in the early 1980s to describe the combination of a stagnated economy mixed with inflation. The Washington Public Power Supply System Became the Largest Governmental Unit to Fail as it defaulted on $2.25 billion in debts. Cost for Buying a New Home Rose to exceed $100,000 for the first time. The same Levittown (NY) home which sold for $15,000 in 1967, cost $125,000 in 1986. A post 1973 downturn was still in motion.

The Auto Industry Declined. We came off a Physical Peak in 1978 and both the Emotional and Intellectual Cycles were low. We had 125 million cars on the road in 1980 and almost 17% of the working force directly, or indirectly, involved with automobiles. The big three automakers then lost some $3 billion to foreign competition in 1980. Sales came to a 19-year low. Ford lost $595 million in the third quarter of 1980. Chrysler went on to loose $1.71 billion, a record for any US industry. Industry was coming down from its high point.

Silver Futures Dropped as the price of silver fell to $10.8 and ounce in 1980, a decline of $5. The Hunt Brothers of Dallas had pledged to buy 19 million ounces of silver for $35 an ounce and failed to cover a $100 million loan. To avoid this commitment, the Hunts turned over their $500 million in holdings of silver and Canadian oil. The Silver market reacted as downward manifestation of the Emo-Intellectual Low.

Airline Industry Losses Spiraled for the ten major airlines during the Emo-Intellectual Low. Losses totaled $577 million in 1981. The eighth largest airline, Braniff International Corp., became the first major airline to file for bankruptcy in 1982. Eastern Airlines filed for bankruptcy in 1989 with $25 billion in debts.  

Emo-Intellectual Dbl. 3rd Qtr. Review (1973 - 1982)

Business Reform had gained momentum since the beginning of the Emo-Intellectual 3rd Qtr. in 1973. The US Equal Opportunity Commission Issued Regulations Against Sexual Harassment that made it illegal in the work place. The US Government Declared a State of Emergency at Love Canal in Niagara Falls, New York because of toxic chemical wastes. A "Superfund" was created the following year to help situations like this. A Breakup of Monopolies came with the reforms. AT&T Broke Up into "baby Bells" in 1982 as a result of an antitrust settlement that began in 1974. The twenty-two Bell companies could now handle local service themselves. "Benevolent Capitalists" Sought Ethics in business. Some investment groups would not buy stocks in companies caught harming the environment. Some believed that this shift came with from mainstream absorption of "Hippies" into business. The Hippies were known for advocating environmental and business reform.

Air Traffic Controllers Were Fired by President Reagan after an illegal strike. The US Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) demanded higher wages and shorter hours. They had rejected a government contract in 1981 and went out on strike. A federal judge issued a back to work order, which they refused. The president fired all air traffic controllers who did not return to work, canceled the union's certification with the government, and ordered the Department of Transportation to hire replacements for 12,000 dismissed workers. While labor was empowered by a Physical High, this was not a Physically-based job. They were technicians, and technicians often move with the Intellectual Cycle. The Intellectual Cycle, and the Emotional Cycle, were in 3rd Qtr. Reform.

Emo-Intellectual Dbl. 4th Qtr. Alternatives (1984 - 1991)

Less Reform in Business resulted during Dbl. 4th Qtr. Alternatives. The US Supreme Court ruled that the last hired, first fired policy used by many businesses could stand. The courts could not overrule seniority programs in case of layoffs, and employees hired under affirmative action programs would not necessarily have preference. Labor supported the decision. Civil rights groups opposed it. As 3rd Qtr. Reform ended, a more laissez faire policy came toward business and some old systems were abandoned.

Trirhythmic Low (1985 - 1991)

The Economy Had Downturns in the Three-way Low. The Dow Jones Industrial Average Had a Record One day Loss of 45.75 points on June 9, 1986, then fell 88.61 points on September 11th to close at 1792.89. The National Debt Reached a Record $2 trillion mark this year. A poll by Lou Harris showed in 1987 that 81% of the population believed that the Rich Were Getting Richer, and the Poor Were Getting Poorer, (45% thought so when Harris first asked in 1966). In 1987 General Electric Sold its $3 Billion a Year Consumer Electronics Division to the Thompson Co., operated by the French government. Many companies were dis-investing for survival. In a move to protect a failing economy from foreign competition in 1987, Congress banned the Japanese From Bidding on Public Works Projects and President Reagan imposed high duties on Japanese electronics. An economic crisis in 1988 was the "Selling out of America" as major industries sold their assets at a rate of $2 billion a year to foreign investors. Investment just wasn't what it was. The "Wall Street Journal" reported in 1989 that day of junk bond profits was ending, and it was. Production, confidence, and means were low. The biggest of all post war economic disasters also happened at this time:

The Savings and Loans Failures came in the Three-way Low. When the Intellectual Cycle was in 3rd Qtr. Reform, it was time to review commodities and exchange in America. We implemented deregulation instead. As we saw with the banking industry in the 1970s, allowing deregulation when it is time for reform can bring trouble. The Savings and Loans industry came under less scrutiny in the early 1980s. Congress passed legislation in 1982 with Reagan's approval that allowed the reach of S&Ls to go beyond granting home mortgages. They were now allowed to invest in - anything. They did. By the latter part of the decade, some 15% of the 3,000 S&Ls were at, or near, insolvency. The Fed took over many organizations and found them to be rampant with fraud, mismanagement, and personal profit takers. Congress appropriated $166 billion for the bail out in 1989. Estimates for what it would take went as high as $500 billion. It was a major problem.

Huge Mergers came in the Three-way Low. Unlike the productive 2nd Qtr. when things branch off and prosper, the Cyclic Low had companies pulling together for survival. Some historic mergers had already occurred in the preceding two-way Low of the Emotional and Intellectual Cycles. They increased when the Physical Cycles crossed down making it a Three-way Low. Twenty-four mergers of $1 billion or more each came in 1985. The American Broadcasting Co. (ABC) was the first of the major networks sold when Capital Cities Communications, Inc. bought it for $3.5 billion in 1985. Campeau Corp. of Canada absorbed Allied Stores Corp. for $3.6 billion in 1987. It then made the largest department store takeover in 1988 when it bought the Federated Department Stores, Inc. for $6.6 billion. Philip Morris Companies took over Kraft Inc. for $115 billion to form the largest consumer products company in the world. Big companies were falling back and pulling together.

Huge Mergers Also Came to Publishing. The Gannett newspaper group bought the "Times" and "Courier-Journal" newspapers in Louisville, KY, for $305 million in 1986 after the same family owned them for seventy years. The Time Mirror Co. of Los Angeles bought the Baltimore "Sun" and "Evening Sun" for $450 million in 1986. A (West) German publisher bought Doubleday & Co. in September 1986 for $475 million. Random House bought Crown Publishing Group in August 1988. Rupert Murdoch, and Australian outfit bought Triangle Publications, Inc. for $3 billion in 1988, making it the largest takeover in publishing. The Three-way Low left little room for expansion. Companies instead were consolidating.

A Major Market Correction Came was Due. All three Cycles were low in the US for the first time since the Great Depression. Why then was the Dow-Jones Industrial Average at a record high in August 25th, closing at more than 2,722.42 points? The only answer for a record high during a three-way low in the Cycles is a false high. The market was over bought. If that were so, a correction would soon be in order.

On "Black Monday," October 19, 1987: The Stock Market Crashed 508 Points, or 26% of the market, to close at 1,738. This was the biggest one-day drop in points in history. 604.33 million shares were sold, surpassing the previous record of 338.5 million shares. Investors lost more than $500 million. It was the largest percentage drop since 1915, (a Crossover year), and greater than the drop in 1929. Why did it not lead to a depression? It was only a correction. It was not a double Crossover like 1901, 1929, or 1973. It also was not followed by three-way declines like 1973, or 1929. That is a line for bottom fishing. On October 20th the Dow rose 107 points. It was largest one day gain in history. A new record of shares traded reached 608.12 million. Despite a crash greater than that of 1929, and the economy general hardly blinked. Only a handful of invested players felt were caught on the roller coaster. At the end of 1987, the Dow closed at 1938.83, up 2.26% for the year.

The spontaneous sell-off was attributed to computer trading. Many programs were following the similar indicators for arbitrage dealing. To prevent this from recurring, the big board directors of the New York Stock Exchange Super Dot electronic order system banned orders from giant traders who use computer programs during market swings in February 1988.

During a three-way low, the sharp rise in the market is premature. When the market shot up on October 13, 1989. Another correction with a 190-point drop soon followed. Cycles can tell true trends from false ones.

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Science continues ever onward in the Cyclic waves. The most noteworthy advancement in the decade was the long awaited home computer. IBM broke into the market with the PC in 1981 and Apple was marketing its home computer.

3. Science & Technology  1980s Physical Cycle top    

Physical 2nd Qtr. Expansion (1978 - 1985)

The Physical Cycle peaked in 1978 and was high until 1985. This added to mechanical achievements in technology. In the Intellectual Cycle decline, development some changes focused more on existing methods rather than breaking into new ground.

The Space Program launched the Voyager I space probe that flew past Saturn in 1980 and sent back spectacular pictures of its many rings. Pioneer X, launched in 1972, passed Neptune's orbit and became the first human-made object to leave the solar system in 1983. Voyager II sent pictures in 1981 that revealed Saturn to have at least six more moons then we knew. It went on to reach Uranus in 1986, and Neptune in 1989, some 2.8 billion miles from earth. We were reaching further in the Physical 2nd Qtr.

The Space Shuttle was premiered in the preceding Physical 1st Qtr. of 1977. Space Shuttles can orbit the Earth, then reenter the atmosphere to land like an airplane. Space Shuttle "Columbia" made its voyage into space into space in 1981. Columbia showed its ability to deliver or retrieve items in orbit in the Physical 2nd Qtr. of 1982 when it carried two satellites into orbit.

The Space Shuttle Challenger Met With Tragedy and Exploded in 1985. All seven astronauts on board, including a school teacher, Christa McAuliffe, the first private citizen chosen to go into space. NASA temporarily halted the space program pending investigation. A presidential commission determined in June 1986, that a faulty "O-ring" in the solid-fuel booster, allowed combustible to ignite. The management and the technical operations of the space agency came under scrutiny as a result. Accidents are Internal Aberrations.

Defense Improvements came in the Physical 2nd Qtr. The highly publicized "Stealth" Bomber was unveiled in 1980. This aircraft could avoid radar detection with its sleek design and radar absorbing materials. President Reagan's proposal for a sophisticated missile defense system was nicknamed the "Star Wars" (from the science fiction movie). The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) was designed in intercept enemy missiles, a complex variation of conventional missile use. Congress authorized $625 for research and development of the MX Missile in 1983.

Other Improvements came as Kodak developed its first major camera variation in two decades with the release of the Disk Camera in 1982. A most vital organ Transplant of an Artificial Heart into a human was successfully done to Barney Clark at the University of Utah Medical Center, in December 1982. In 1984, a six-year-old in Texas became the first recipient of a heart and liver transplant.

Even the Nation's Garden Increased in the Physical 2nd Qtr. In 1980, the National Herb Garden in Washington, D.C., was opened. It showed 7,000 plants in numerous gardens.

Physical 3rd Qtr. Review (1985 - 1992)

The Senate Voted to Protect the Earth Ozone Layer with a count of eighty-three to zero. An International agreement to protect the earth's ozone shield and freeze or cutback harmful chemicals that damage it came in 1988. The largest producer of chlorofluorocarbons that damage the ozone, du Pont, announced that is was fazing out production of the product in the Physical 3rd Qtr. of Reform.

Airlines Banned Smoking on all passenger planes in flights of two hours or less in 1988. Northwest Airline made plans to ban smoking on all domestic flights. A New Jersey federal jury awarded $400,000 in damages to the surviving husband whose wife had died in 1984 after forty years of heavy smoking. A Cigarette Manufacturer Was Found Guilty for the Cancer Death of a long time smoker for the first time. In 300 suits in thirty-four years before the case in the Physical 3rd Qtr., the tobacco companies had never lost a case.

3. Science & Technology  1980s Emotional Cycle top    

3. Science & Technology  1980s Intellectual Cycle top    

Intellectual 3rd Qtr. Review (1973 - 1984)

The Surgeon General Responded to as More Women Died From Smoking induced lung cancer. Cigarette advertisers targeted women with advertising campaigns in the 1970s. As more women bought the appeal, more bought the risks that have proven fatal to so many men. The surgeon general's report in 1980 revealed that lung cancer was increasing at such a rate in women that it would soon overtake breast cancer as the leading cause form of terminal cancer. We reconsidered the dangers of smoking in the Intellectual 3rd Qtr.

More than 10,000 Claims of Asbestos Related Medical Problems came against Manville Corporation, the leading asbestos maker and former member of the Dow -Jones thirty Industrial stocks. As a result, the company filed for bankruptcy in August 1982, an Intellectual 3rd Qtr. year.

Medical Malpractice Suits Had Almost Tripled in ten years by 1985. Reforms in the Intellectual 3rd Qtr. were pervasive.

3. Science & Technology  1980s Polyrhythms top    

Trirhythmic Low (1985 - 1991)

Chronic Fatigue Deficiency Syndrome (CFIDS) was identified and named in 1988. The malady, nicknamed the "yuppie flu," is the feeling of just being out of energy, for no known reason. This inexplicable ailment came during the Three-way Low. While a correlation between these two events is uncertain, it is worth mentioning.

Internal Aberrations  

The Surgeon General Responded to as More Women Died From Smoking induced lung cancer. Cigarette advertisers targeted women with advertising campaigns in the 1970s. As more women bought the appeal, more bought the risks that have proven fatal to so many men. The surgeon general's report in 1980 revealed that lung cancer was increasing at such a rate in women that it would soon overtake breast cancer as the leading cause form of terminal cancer. We reconsidered the dangers of smoking in the Intellectual 3rd Qtr.

More than 10,000 Claims of Asbestos Related Medical Problems came against Manville Corporation, the leading asbestos maker and former member of the Dow -Jones thirty Industrial stocks. As a result, the company filed for bankruptcy in August 1982, an Intellectual 3rd Qtr. year.

Medical Malpractice Suits Had Almost Tripled in ten years by 1985. Reforms in the Intellectual 3rd Qtr. were pervasive.

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4. Mechanical  1980s Physical Cycle top    

Physical 2nd Qtr. Expansion (1978 - 1985)

The World's Largest Off-Shore Oil Drilling Platform, "Cognac," was built by Shell Oil and began operating in the Physical 2nd Qtr. Peak production from the rig was 50,000 barrels of oil and 150 million cubic feet of gas a day.

Variation Came to Automobiles as the "Minivan" was introduced in Chrysler's 1984 line. The new Plymouth Voyager and Dodge Caravan are hybrids between a station wagon and a van. They are eclectic variations in Physical 2nd Qtr. style. Four-wheel-drive vehicles were also popular in the Physical High.

Physical 3rd Qtr. Review (1985 - 1992)

A New Car With and Old Style came as Mazda released the Miata, a two-seater that brought back the sports car. They advertised it as link to the past in the Physical 3rd Qtr. Record Prices Came for Cars at Auction. A 1948 Tucher Torpedo brought in $275,000 in 1985. A Houston businessman paid $6.5 million for a one of seven French-built 1931 Bugatti Royales in 1986. A 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO racing car sold for $1.6 million in 1987, a record for its type.

Reform Came Review of Automobiles in the Physical 3rd Qtr. The EPA ordered that 90% of the lead in gasoline be removed by the end of 1985. Discussions were held on eliminating it entirely by 1988.

A Record Sum Was Paid for a .45 Caliber Colt Six Shooter Revolver at auction in 1987. The 1873 "Peacemaker" brought in $242,000. The Physical 3rd Qtr. brought reverence for Physical reminders of the past.

The 81-year-old Union Station in Washington, D.C. Reopened in 1988 after $160 million in renovations. The classical style railway station now supported shops, theaters and restaurant with great appeal in the Physical 3rd Qtr.

4. Mechanical  1980s Emotional Cycle top    

4. Mechanical  1980s Intellectual Cycle top    

4. Mechanical  1980s Polyrhythms top    

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5. Education  1980s Physical Cycle top    

5. Education  1980s Emotional Cycle top    

Emotional Low (1973 - 1982)

Creationism Verses Evolution revived a classic battle in January 1982. A federal judge found an Arkansas law that required schools to teach creationism, the Biblical theory of creation, wherever evolution is taught to be a violation of the Constitution that requires separation of church and state. Religious issues are Emotionally-based and did not fair well in the Emotional Trough of 1982.

5. Education  1980s Intellectual Cycle top    

Intellectual Low (1973 - 1995)

A Federal Commission Examined the Poor State of the Nation's Schools in 1983. Their remarks on the quality of education were that it "threatens our very future as a nation and a people." The Intellectual Cycle was just one year from a Trough at the time. Standardized test scores had declined since and Intellectual High in 1957, and as many as twenty-three million Americans were functionally illiterate. The commission called the situation the "rising tide of mediocrity," and was widely quoted in the Intellectual 3rd Qtr.

Intellectual 3rd Qtr. Review (1973 - 1984)

An Educational System Repealed Busing after attempts failed to achieve racial equality. Some viewed busing as an overly optimistic means that forced children from neighborhood schools and clashed them together in remote locations with violent results. The Los Angeles Board of Education ended mandatory busing in 1981. Education was coming under revision in the Intellectual 3rd Qtr.

Intellectual 4th Qtr. Alternatives (1984 - 1995)

Princeton's Educational Testing Service Announced and Alternative Style of testing would be implemented that is based more on what a student knows, than on absolute scores. The 1986 plan called for $30 million to be spent over fifteen years to develop on the project. The Intellectual Cycle was rising in 4th Qtr. Alternatives since 1984 and applications to schools were up 50% in 1988.

5. Education  1980s Polyrhythms top    

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The Catholic Church Addressed the Mixed Economy that resulted during the Physical High - Emo-Intellectual Low. A group of bishops drafted a Pastoral Letter on Catholic Social Teaching and the Economy, and presented it at the Annual Meeting of the National Conference of Catholic Bishop in November 1984. The 120 page document decried the inequality between the wealthy and the poor as unacceptable. Polarity in the economic spectrum came with while one Cycle was High and two were Low. More people felt that they were either winning or losing as the rich got richer and the poor got poorer, while the middle class was disappearing.

Televangalist Jim Bakker, founder of the PTL Club, stepped down as leader of the Christian organization in 1987 after admitting to a sexual encounter with Jessica Hahn. A new governing board headed by Jerry Fallwell took over and striped Bakker of any title. Bakker was sentenced to forty-five years for taking 158 million from donations. Televangalist Jimmy Swaggart admitted to an interlude with a prostitute in 1988. Some wondered if these events were related to an earlier announcement of presidential intentions by televangalist Pat Robertson, leader of the 700 Club. In any case, the downfalls of these religious figures came in an Emotional Low.

6. Religion & Spirituality  1980s Physical Cycle top    

6. Religion & Spirituality  1980s Emotional Cycle top    

Emotional 4th Qtr. Alternatives (1982 - 1991)

Presbyterians Abandoned a Long Standing Position of opposition during the Emotional 4th Qtr. of Alternatives in June 1982. The General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church voted in favor of merging with the Presbyterian Church of USA, thus ending a division that had existed between them since the Civil War. This made the made the new body the fourth largest denomination in the nation.

Three Lutheran denominations merged in September 1982, forming a 5.5 million member alliance of from The American Lutheran Church, the Association of Evangelist Lutheran Churches, and the Lutheran Church in America, into the new Evangelical Lutheran Church.

6. Religion & Spirituality  1980s Intellectual Cycle top    

6. Religion & Spirituality  1980s Polyrhythms top    

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7. Arts & Design  1980s Physical Cycle top    

Physical 3rd Qtr. Review (1985 - 1992)

Collectors Paid Record Prices for Old Works of Art while the Physical Cycles was in 3rd Qtr. Review came amid a string of 3rd Qtrs.from all three Cycles. One Cycle or another was in 3rd Qtr. Review for nineteen years in America. This gave momentum to review. A David Smith piece, "Voltri-Bolton XXIII" (1963), sold for in $1.3 million in 1986, a record for a sculpture at auction. The highest price paid for a work by Georgia O'Keefe was $1.9 million in 1987. An Elie Nadelman sculpture went for $2 million, in 1986, a Willem de Kooning painting took $3.6 million, and a George Caleb Bingham painting went for a record $6 million. A record price for a Jackson Pollock painting came for "Search" in 1988, (an appropriate name for a piece created in 1955, a year that contained a 4th Qtr. of Experimentation). It was auctioned for $4.88 million in New York. Any Warhol's enormous collection of art and objects was auctioned off for ten days in 1988, and brought in a total of $25.3 million. A new auction record for a sculpture in 1988 as "Little Dancer at 14 Years of age" by Edgar Degas sold for $10.12 million. Another auction record came in 1988 as "Irises" by Van Gogh went for $53.9 in New York. A 1955 painting Willem de Kooning painting fetched a record $20.6 million in 1989. It was 3rd Qtr. Review.

A Stamp Sold for a Record $1.1 Million to a Japanese Bank in 1987 who bought a 2-cent stamp minted in 1852. This topped the previous price of $935,000 paid for a stamp in 1980. Objects from the past become more valuable in the Physical 3rd Qtr. of Review.

7. Arts & Design  1980s Emotional Cycle top    

7. Arts & Design  1980s Intellectual Cycle top    

7. Arts & Design  1980s Polyrhythms top    

Emo-Intellectual Low (1973 - 1991)

Record Prices for Old Works of Art Continued in the Emo-Intellectual 3rd Qtr. of Review. America was looking back and cherishing the past. J.M.W. Turner's painting, "Juliet and Her Nurse," brought in a world record $6.4 million at auction in May 1980. A self portrait by Picasso was auctioned for $5.3 million in New York in 1981. Willem de Kooning's painting, "Two Women," brought in $1.9 million at auction in 1983. An Intellectual Low devalued the dollar, the Dbl. 3rd Qtr. Increased the value of old tings.

Trirhythmic Low (1985 - 1991)

The Metropolitan Opera Ceased its National Tour after 1986 due to rising costs. This was the first cessation of its tour since its founding in 1883. It was also a Three-way Low in the Cycles.

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Many publications either reviewed the past or rode on the Physical craze. During the Three-way Low that began after 1985, many large publishing firms merged, (see category, "2. BUSINESS & ECONOMY," subcategory "THREE-WAY LOW").

8. Literature & Publication  1980s Physical Cycle top    

Physical High (1971 - 1985)

Books Portrayed a Physical Appeal, like "Urban Cowboy," that was also made into a popular motion picture. The times were Physical in the Physical High.

Physical 3rd Qtr. Review (1985 - 1992)

Leading Books Reviewed the Past in the Physical 3rd Qtr. An overwhelming number of Pulitzer Prizes were issued for books about the American past in the latter 1980s. Many bestsellers at this time were on history. A reissue of "Gone With the Wind" on its 50th anniversary put it back on the bestseller list. In April 1988, Warner Books paid $4.9 million at auction in 1988 for the rights to sequel of "Gone With the Wind" to be written by Alexandria Ripely and released in 1990.

8. Literature & Publication  1980s Emotional Cycle top    

8. Literature & Publication  1980s Intellectual Cycle top    

Intellectual 4th Qtr. Alternatives (1984 - 1995)

Reading Increased as the Intellectual Cycle rose in 4th Qtr. Progressivism. Exports of American books increased 22% in 1987. Projected sales for books in 1988 were estimated at 3.3% through 1992. Projected sales for children's books were estimated to be 100% over levels five years earlier.

8. Literature & Publication  1980s Polyrhythms top    

Emo-Intellectual Low (1973 - 1991)

Conservative Americans Bought Conservative Publications like "The Official Preppie Handbook" in 1980. People looked, acted, and read, more conservative in the Emo-Intellectual Low. "Modern Maturity" was the leading magazine in 1989 with a circulation of over twenty million. Cyclical Lows bring reservation.

Emo-Intellectual Dbl. 3rd Qtr. Review (1973 - 1982)

Historic Authors were Published in 1982 as the Library of America developed uniform, quality releases of major American authors, including Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, Harriet Beecher Stowe and Mark Twain. Old releases found new readers in the Emo-Intellectual 3rd Qtr.

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The decade began with the tragic death of former Beatle, John Lennon on December 8, 1980. A disturbed individual shot Lennon as he left the Dakota Building in New York City. It was ironic that one who made so many love songs would meet a violent death. "Live Aid" was a huge and consorted effort by various Rock performers in 1985 to raise money for underfed children in Africa.

The entertainment trend relied mostly on Physical appeal throughout the Physical High. Disco music was in, action adventure films were big, theaters featured dance, and television had more cops and robbers programs. Other genres of entertainment looked back earlier times in the Emotional and Intellectual 3rd Qtrs., mostly the 1950s and 1960s.

9. Entertainment  1980s Physical Cycle top    

Physical High (1971 - 1985)

Michael Jackson Achieved Great Fame with Physical Prowess as a dancer and singer of Physically-based music. His music and very lively dance style seemed to set the pace in popular music videos in the Physical High. Jackson's "Thriller" album, released in 1982, became the greatest selling album of all time. Some 3/4 million copies sold in five days alone. He had three number one hits in 1983 and launched his highly successful "Victory Tour," in 1984. His eclectic steps also portrayed the Physical 2nd Qtr. with moves like his famous "moon walk" that may have been inspired by James Brown.

Punk Music was an unusual form of music that caught on in pockets of America. It was a style of music that involved more energy than talent in the Physical High - Emo-Intellectual Low. Sometimes punk musicians did not even know how to play the instruments they were using. Displays of violent energy and screaming were common.

Physically-based Films, such as "Flashdance" in 1983 were successful. This film alone influenced some dress styles, and made ripped sweats more popular. The film heavily portrayed the dance craze of the Physical High.

Dance Musicals Returned in the Physical High. A revival of "42nd Street" featured energetic tap dancing. "A Chorus Line," based on dance, became the longest running show on Broadway in September 1987, after 3,389 performances. The musical "Cats" became highly successful in 1984 and the following 3rd Qtr. of Review. 

Physical 2nd Qtr. Expansion (1978 - 1985)

Variations of Disco came with 2nd Qtr. Expansion of the Physical Cycle. Disco dancing spun off with "Break dancing" that involved complicated, and sometimes dangerous floor spins. "Rap" might be a spin off in that it uses thump-thump beat that came with Disco. Rap music goes back as far as the early 1980s with groups like "Cool and the Gang," who featured rhythmic lyrics spoken over a hard driven beat. "Hip Hop" and "Dance Music" also followed Disco with a hard driving beat.

Sequels Came for Action and Adventure Films. Sylvester Stallon found great success his many sequels to "Rocky," a 1976 release about an aspiring boxer. "Rambo" sequels also became popular as viewers followed the action filled adventures of an ex-soldier who returned to Viet Nam. Sequels to the 1977 blockbuster "Star Wars" came as "The Empire Strikes Back" topped the charts, and "Return of the Jedi" which grossed over $6 million in one day in 1983. "Raiders of the Lost Ark" had a hugely successful in sequel in 1983 with "Indiana Jones Enters the Temple of Doom." Another sequel that appeared in the Physical 2nd Qtr. when at least one other Cycle was in 3rd Qtr. was "Superman II" with Christopher Reeves.

An Attempt of Physical Review Did Poorly in the Physical High as the Cycle was still in the 2nd Qtr., which does not review. "The Right Stuff" was released in 1983 with a cinematic look back at the history of aeronautics and the space program. It cost $27 million to make and took in only $1 million in its first year.

Physical 3rd Qtr. Review (1985 - 1992)

Bruce Springsteen's Timely Recording of "Bruce Springsteen (1975 - 1985)" in 1985 looked back on his musical style that epitomized Physically-based Rock. The Physical Cycle entered 3rd Qtr. Review in 1985 and the album was very successful.

Disney's "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" Included Many Past Cartoon Characters in the popular 1988 film. This came with a revival of feature length film animation and a Physical 3rd Qtr.

"Batman" Returned to the big screen in 1989 and was a blockbuster hit. Batman toys, shirts and products became a mini-industry in the Physical 3rd Qtr. Sequels to this superhero movie have also been blockbusters.

9. Entertainment  1980s Emotional Cycle top    

Emotional Low (1973 - 1991)

More Conservative Views of Sex Were Seen in Cinema. Films like "Fatal Attraction" in 1987 used promiscuity in dramatic settings. Even the character, James Bond, mingled with fewer partners and became monogamous in "The Living Daylights." The negative term "bimbo" was heard again this year in 1987. The "free love" movement of the 1960s, became had become the free lust movement in the early 1980s. All was reviewed with reform in the Emotional 3rd Qtr.

The Last Playboy Club Closed its Doors in Lansing, Michigan in 1988. The first Playboy club opened in Chicago during an Emotional High in 1960. It was highly successful and expanded into twenty-two other clubs throughout the nation. As times changed in the Emotional Low, the clubs were left with 4th Qtr. Abandonment.

9. Entertainment  1980s Intellectual Cycle top    

Intellectual 3rd Qtr. Review (1973 - 1984)

James Bond Was Back in a big way in 1983 as intrigued moviegoers watch the original Bond, Sean Connery, return to the role in "Never Say Never Again." The mysterious adventures of 007 were back on top in the Intellectual 3rd Qtr.

The Popular TV Show, "M*A*S*H" Looked Back on America's military experience with the Korean War. The show was almost canceled in its second year because of poor ratings, but became more popular as it took a more critical and humorous view of the American military that held appeal in the Intellectual 3rd Qtr. of Reform. When the final episode aired in January 1983, it drew 121,624,000 viewers. That's a lot.

The "Prairie Home Companion" Radio Program by Garrison Keillor drew larger audiences to PBS radio in the early and mid 1980s with home spun appeal. In tales of the fictional "Lake Woebegone," he brought back the warmth of small town America with amusing anecdotes. His book, "Lake Woebegone Days" became a bestseller in the Intellectual 3rd Qtr.

9. Entertainment  1980s Polyrhythms top    

Emo-Intellectual Low (1973 - 1991)

America Lost its Lead in the World of Music in the Emo-Intellectual Low. The top 100 hits listed on "Billboard" in 1983 contained more foreign than American hits for the first time.

America Regressed in the Emo-Intellectual Low. Take Out Food Increased in ratio to dining out as more people stayed. Home Shopping Networks Boomed with success on American television. Cable Television Boomed. By the end of the decade, 58% of American homes subscribed to one of the 9,000 cable TV services, Cable News Network (CNN) came into preeminence, many channels like Nickelodeon became popular by specializing on old movies and TV shows. Reruns Took High Ratings for with shows like, "Star Trek," "Dick Van Dyke Show," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," etc.). Many new shows lacked former qualities and television featured "stupid sit-coms" and "trash TV." Sales of Video Cassette Recorders (VCR's) Soared along with the video rental business as people watched films at home. Many rentals were for old films during the 3rd Qtr. Luxury cars were designed with Simple Exteriors while lush but conservatives styles came on the inside. Drivers could shut out the world and go somewhat while riding in a comfortable nest. We were "cocooning" in the Low.

Many Music Videos Were Shot in Black and White in the Emo-Intellectual Low. This reflected on former days of film and took out color which is characteristic of an Emotional Low.

Trirhythmic Low (1973 - 1991)

Fewer Shows Were Staged on Broadway in 1985, than anytime in the 20th century. Before the Three-way Low, musicals and dance shows kept theater going with a Physical High, despite a declining economy that came with the Emo-Intellectual Low. Action adventure films also kept cinema going. The Physical also became Low in 1985, then was part of a Three-way Low that lasted for six years.

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Sports and fitness were high for the first half of the decade, then cooled down in the latter half. The change came with the Physical Cycle.

10. Sports  1980s Physical Cycle top    

Physical High (1971 - 1985)

Aerobics and Jogging Swept the Nation in the Physical High. Marketing responded with Physically-based television programs, books, tapes, bodybuilding equipment, and sports clothing. More than $1 billion in home exercise equipment was sold in 1984 alone. Jane Fonda and others produced here highly successful exercises video in 1982 and produced successful sequels. America was getting physical.

John McEnroe Took the US Men's Singles Championship Title for Three Years in a row, 1979 - 1981. The only other player to do this was Bill Tilden in the 1920s, during a previous Physical High.

America had the Most Successful Games in Olympic History held in Los Angeles, California in 1984. The United States won a record eighty-three gold medals.

Physical Feats came with the Physical High. A Nonstop Balloon Flight Across North America was accomplished for the first time in 1980 by the father and son team of Max and Kris Anderson. They traveled over 3,100 miles in four days. Major League Baseball Had Record Attendance with 44.5 million in 1982. The First Jockey to Earn $10 million in One Year was Anel Cordera in 1983. Willie Shoemaker then became the first jockey to achieve $100 million career in purse money on March 3, 1985.

Physical 2nd Qtr. Expansion (1985 - 1992)

The United States Football League (USFL) Formed in the 2nd Qtr. of Expansion in 1983. This spinoff allowed the formation of more teams to meet increased viewer demand. The NFL set a new attendance record of 13.392 million in 1981.

Physical Low (1985 - 1999)

The North American Soccer League Went Out of Business with big financial losses in 1985, as the Physical Cycle became Low. During the previous Physical High, Soccer had been the fastest growing sports, but times change

The Sports Craze Declined in the Physical Low. The major TV networks had eighteen college bowl games scheduled for broadcast, but dropped one third of them for lack of sponsorship in 1986. Sports viewership and attendance lessened.

Physical 3rd Qtr. Review (1985 - 1992)

Drug Reform in Sports Came in 1986 when they uncovered the use of steroids and cocaine to enhance the performance of professional athletes. Many professional athletes were suspended and sent to drug rehabilitation at this time. A member of the New York Nets basketball team was banned from the NBA after a third drug violation in 1986. The Houston Rockets released a player who failed a drug test. A University of Maryland basketball star who was top draft choice for the Boston Celtics died of a cocaine overdose in June. Also in June, a player for the Cleveland Browns football team died from cocaine. Use of a Physically-based drug in a Physically-based activity came under correction when the Physical Cycle entered the 3rd Qtr.

Baseball's Pete Rose Was Charged With Illegal Gambling on baseball in 1989. His conviction in the Physical 3rd Qtr. put into jeopardy the dream making baseball's Hall of Fame.

10. Sports  1980s Emotional Cycle top    

10. Sports  1980s Intellectual Cycle top    

Intellectual Low (1973 - 1995)

The US Boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympic Games Held in Moscow. President Carter ordered the boycott in response to the Soviet's 1979 invasion of Afghanistan. Fifty other nations were persuaded to do the same. The Soviets remained in Afghanistan until the Afghanis fought them back in a war of attrition. The Olympic games had always been the single unifying force in the world beyond all national differences and a separate force from wars and policy. Now, that last refuge was gone and it proved to be an unpopular decision in America during the Physical High. Athletes who had trained for years before the event learned that they would loose their chance to compete for a policy that proved ineffective. Soviet expansion continued.

When the 23rd Olympic Games were held in Los Angeles, in 1984, the Soviet Union boycotted the event along with some other Warsaw Pact nations. Nonetheless, the games held a record attendance of 5.5 million.

10. Sports  1980s Polyrhythms top    

Internal Aberration  

Two major strikes Came to Sports. A mid-season strike came to baseball for the first time in 1981 and lasted for seven weeks until August 9th. NFL players went on a 57-day strike in 1982 before reaching a tentative agreement. These Internal Aberrations came without warning. Other than that, the sports craze overall was trend-like.

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11. Fashion  1980s Physical Cycle top    

Physical High (1971 - 1985)

Men's Fashion Became More Masculine during the Physical (masculine/Yang) and Emotional Low (feminine/Yin). Fashion was as masculine in the 1980s as it was feminine in the 1960s. Men looked more manly and rugged. Some sported the "five o'clock" shadow (the Don Johnson / Miami Vice look). Styles were either sporty with knit shirts, muscle shirts, athletic wear and expensive sneakers, from the Physical High, or they were traditional and conservative from the Emo-Intellectual Low.

Women Wore Shorter Hair and "Dressing for Success." Styles were sensible and conservative. They geared less toward the "pretty" look, with long hair, ribbons, and flattering dresses as straight lines and dark or calm colors were more the norm. Women adorned oversized men's wear without concern. Women would wear colorful sweats, however, and athletic wear for casual dress. When physical appearance is more important, make up increases. The cosmetics industry sold over $10 billion in skin care products in 1984, (as opposed the more natural and less made up look in the Physical Low of the 1960s).

Physical Low (1985 - 1999)

Walking Became Preferred Over the Jogging Craze after 1985. Some found it to be jarring on the knees and back. Walking was an easier replacement as fitness craze toned down. Shoe companies came out with line of walking shoes in addition to the formerly popular running shoes in 1986, and they sold.

Styles Became Less Masculine and More Feminine when the Physical Cycle became Low. The Emotional Cycle was rising as women reintroduced an increasing element of femininity to their wardrobes. Brighter colors, and feminine cuts appeared as alternatives.

Physical 3rd Qtr. Review (1985 - 1992)

Tie-dyed Clothing and Guatemala Designs Made a Comeback in 1987. This was a review of the tie-die designs that first became popular in T-shirts and other apparel in the 1960s. The abstract design of tie-dies originally reflected the Physical 4th Qtr. of the 1960s and the bright colors reflected the Emotional High of the time. We review this In the Physical 3rd Qtr. of the 1980s.

11. Fashion  1980s Emotional Cycle top    

11. Fashion  1980s Intellectual Cycle top    

11. Fashion  1980s Polyrhythms top    

Emo-Intellectual Dbl. 4th Qtr. Alternatives (1984 - 1991)

Abstract Designs Became Popular. New designs came in with brightly colored abstract designs that appeared on clothing, soda cups, notebooks, and sports gear. Hot pink and fluorescent green were in fragmented and chaotic patterns. In the Emo-Intellectual 4th Qtr. abstract designs became popular.

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BORING NUMBERS: The US population in 1980 was almost 227 million. The population center now was just west of DeSoto Missouri. The House of Representatives reflected a population shift as seventeen seats moved from the Northeast and Midwest, to the South and West, (as the Physically-based region of the Southwest grew with the Physical High). The Census Bureau estimated in 1984 that most of the population growth since 1980 had been in the South and West. Divorce came to 38% of the marriages and a record 1.2 million occurred in 1981. Yet after the Emotional Cycle bottomed out March of 1982, divorce went into a decline which began that year. By 1984, divorce had declined for the third year in a row, down to 4.9% of marriages. Some twenty-five million Americans were age sixty-five or over. Less than 2% lived on farms in 1987, a post Civil War low.

12. Lifestyles  1980s Physical Cycle top    

Physical Low (1985 - 1999)

Homosexuality Declined in Public Acceptance. Between the earlier and latter parts of the decade, time went from a Physical High - Emotional Low, to a Physical Low - Emotional Low but rising. The decline of the Physical Cycle that came during an Emotional Low, brought a decline of masculinization, and a decline of male homosexuality. Whereas men's styles had come to women's fashion early in the decade, and men were with men, the over dominant era yang changed with the times. The Supreme Court ruled in 1986 that homosexual relations were not protected under the Constitution. This decision that came in the Physical 3rd Qtr. upheld an 1816 sodomy law in Georgia.

12. Lifestyles  1980s Emotional Cycle top    

12. Lifestyles  1980s Intellectual Cycle top    

12. Lifestyles  1980s Polyrhythms top    

Emo-Intellectual Low (1973 - 1991)

The Family as a Unit Suffered in the Emotional Low. 33% of the babies born in New York City in 1983 were out of wedlock. This was a growing problem nationwide. The Census Bureau reported we had 2.22 million unwed couples in 1986, up from 523,000 in 1970. The Bureau reported in 1988 that people were marrying later. The average marrying age for men & women in 1988 was 25.9 & 23.6, up from 22.6 & 20.2 years in 1955. Children of single parent homes in 1988 were at 27.3%, up from 12.9% in 1970. Unwed mothers were at record highs, 80.9% for African American, and 23.2% for European Americans. A Congresswoman estimated this that we had 5 to 7 million "latchkey" kids, who let themselves into their homes after school while their parent, or parents worked. The Physical High of the nation did not hold the family together during the Emotional Low.

"Dungeons and Dragons" was created in 1974 and a board-less version appeared in 1980. In this game players assumed roles of characters in eerie and dangerous realms of Dark Age type settings. The dark mood and past setting caught on in the Emotional 3rd Qtr. That youths indulged upon as an escape in the Intellectual Low.

Leisure Activities reflected the Emo-Intellectual Low. Backgammon Replaced Chess as a popular game. It is simple fun where luck played a more important role than interest and skill. A Canadian game met with great success in 1982 as "Trivial Pursuits" showed that fun facts could be more entertaining than prolong concentration. Games Shows Increased on television for the same reason. The nation settled down into a low period overall by the end of the decade.

Trirhythmic Low (1985 - 1991)

Generation "X" became the term for youths growing up in the Three-way Low in America. The term "X" came from those who said that they did not have distinguishing characteristics of the times to identify them. We were in a Cyclic Low. Generation "X" missed the Fabulous Fifties and the Sixties, so heavily reviewed in the following 3rd Qtrs., and the missed the Disco craze in the Physical High of the 1970s and 1980s. Still, it was too soon for the next era. They were neither here nor there. Between high times for America, they grew up 4th Qtrs. as the "lost" generation. Many did not feel a strong sense of direction or know what they identified with. It was a Three-way Low.

WHATEVER Aberration (XXX)

Mount St. Helen is the volcanic mountain in Washington state that erupted with about 500 megatons of force on May 18, 1980. The top of the mountain blew off, twenty-six people were killed, and the surrounding towns and countryside were showered with a thick layer of volcanic ash. Some $2.7 billion in damage resulted and lesser eruptions followed. It was an Internal Aberration.

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The Physical High stood out in the first half of decade as the other two Cycles were Low. Materialism and the Physical represented reality until the downward Crossover in 1985. The resulting Physical 3rd Qtr. continued the period of reform that began with the Emo-Intellectual 3rd in 1973. The Emotional and Intellectual Cycles bottomed out in 1982 and 1984, respectively, then were in 4th Qtr. Alternatives for the rest of the decade. Then the search until the dawn was under way, with some reforms of yesterday still left over.

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