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.
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.
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 |
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 |
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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.
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 |
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7. Arts & Design 1980s |
Physical Cycle |
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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 |
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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