Calamities of the Eighties

Drugs,Crime,Disease, and Natural Disasters

Mount Saint Helens

• Erupted May 18, 1980.• There was no evidence in the data that could

have led to a prediction of this eruption.• The volcano was triggered by low magnitude

earthquake that was beneath the volcano.• The eruption caused the entire north face of

Mount Saint Helens to collapse, causing the largest landslide-debris avalanche ever, killing 57 people.

Hurricane Gilbert

• In September 1988 Hurricane Gilbert struck the Atlantic coast.

• A category 5 hurricane with the lowest sea level pressure of any hurricane in the western hemisphere.

• With sustained winds of 175 mph and gusts up to 200 mph it caused 50 million dollars in damages, killing 318 people.

Hurricane Hugo

• In September 1989, Hurricane Hugo hit Charleston, SC as a category 4 hurricane and headed for Charlotte, NC.

• The storms reached charlotte with still enough force to knock down most trees.

• Hugo cause 7 billion dollars in damages to the U.S. and 3 billion to the Carribbean causing 56 deaths.

• The storm also destroyed 13 yr old Tim Duncan’s swimming pool causing him to focus more on basketball. `

Hugo

Aids Epidemic

• It started in 1981 there had been 5 similar cases 5 young gay me living in New York all whom had been stricken with the disease that is now called HIV AIDS.

• Within a month, nearly 40 homosexual men had been diagnosed with the same affliction.

• By June of 81 the disease had also spread to heterosexuals, all of whom had been infected by sharing needles.

AIDs

• In July the term AIDs was first used in a meeting in Washington, where it was said that 1 to 2 cases of AIDs were being diagnosed in America every day.

• This epidemic caused widespread fear and paranoia, because people did not know how the disease was being transmitted.

• In 1987, the Food & Drug administration approved the use of the drug AZT to be used as a treatment for AIDs.

• This drug proved to slow the progression of AIDs and HIV.

• By 1989 more than 100,000 people had been diagnosed with AIDs.

Drugs in the 80s

• The eighties bore witness to great increase in public concern about the use and abuse of drugs, this concern was the beginning of the drug panic.

• In 1985, crack (cocaine) had had sudden outbreak in many urban areas

• In June 1986 two young popular athletes deaths occurred within one week of another due to crack use. University of Maryland basketball player Len Bais, and Cleveland Browns defensive back Don Rogers.

• President Reagan attempted to retaliate to theses drug problems, with Nancy raegan’s “Just Say No” campaign

• Another large problem involved with the crack epidemic were “crack-babies” these were infants whose mothers had used crack cocaine while pregnant with the child.

• Crack-babies were more likely to be premature, have small heads, suffer from seizures, and to have genital and urinary abnormalities as well as brain lesions

Crime in the 1980s• The Harvey Resort Hotel bombing, in August 1980, 3

men under the command of millionaire John Birges planted 1000 pounds of dynamite in the hotel casino where Birges had lost 750,000 dollars.

• He was attempting to extort 3 million dollars from the casino.

• A failed attempt to disarm the bomb triggered it, destroying most of the casino.

• Birges was sentenced to 25 years of hard labor in a Russian work camp. After eight years he escaped the camp by having it blown up.

• He was later sentenced to life imprisonment, and died in jail.

Trinity High Murders

• On September 29th 1984 in Louisville Kentucky, two 17 year-old boys from trinity High school named Scott Nelson and Richard Stephenson were looking for directions to an away football game.

• They picked up Victor Taylor and George Wade who had promised to give the boys directions in return for a ride.

• They led them behind an abandon football stadium where one of them was raped and both were robbed and killed.

Green River Killer

• Gary Leon Ridgeway, the green river killer, was convicted for the murder of 48 women.

• He confessed to killing nearly twice that many.

• He earned his nickname for dumping the bodies of his first five victims in the green river.

• on November 30, 2001 he was sentenced to life in prison.

Culture of the 1980s

• The 1980s was a decade of spending, which included binge buying and credit card splurging. The phrase “shop til you drop” originated in this decade.

• This decade also began with double digit inflation, President Reagan began a war on drugs, and hospital cost rose.

• Many lives were also lost and damaged to AIDS during the 80s and unemployment rose.

Culture

• The U.S. Constitution had it 200th birthday during this decade.

• As a whole the American people of the 80s gave $115,000,000,000 in charity.

• Video games, aerobics, minivans, camcorders, and talk shows became part of everyday life during the 80s.

• Popular items during the 80s included the Rubik Cube, Cabbage Patch dolls, Smurphs, Care Bears, pogo balls and Star war toys.

Culture

Fashion of the 1980s

• During the 80s popular trends included:

• Shoulder pads, mini skirts, legwarmers, huge earrings, finger gloves, and parachute pants.

Fashion

• Haircuts: Bangs, Asymmetrical, the Side ponytail, and the Rodent or Water Fowl.

Slang of the 1980s

• 411 - information • ace - the best • airhead - a stupid person • BFF - best friends forever• bomb or boss - excellent • couch potato - someone who sits on the sofa

watching TV or playing games • crunk - cool or hip

cowabunga! - surf's up or let's go! • DINK - Dual Income No Kids

Slang

• narc - a tattle-tale or sell-out • noob - a new gamer or a dork • "o-rama" added to a word - makes it slang for "a whole

lot of ___" such as "nerd-o-rama" or "babe-o-rama" • posse - friends • ralph - to vomit • righteous - awesome • rush or head rush - big thrill • schweet - sweet • scumbag - an undesirable person • shibby, shib, or sick - cool or awesome

Slang

• 'sup - what's going on • tard - retard or idiot • veg - to chill out • wannabe - a "want to be" or someone who

is not cool • Yello - hello

Technology of the 1980s

• New technology of the 1980s included:• CDs• Walkmans• VCRs• Camcorders• Video game consoles• Cable television• Answering machines• Fax Machines• Portable phones

Family life of the 1980s

• Male life expectancy=69.9

• Female life expectancy=77.6

• During the 80s the two-earner families (mother and father bring in income) began to appear.

• 25% of births were out of marriage.

• In 1980 a new house cost $68,714.00 and by 1989 was

$120,00.00.• In 1980 the average income per year was $19,170.00 and by

1989 was $27,210.00.

• In 1980 the average cost of new car was $7,210.00 and by 1989 was $15,400.00

Family life

• During the 80s Men continued their traditional roles as bread winners while women worked their way into the work force while kids went to daycare, school, and played sports.

• As kids began to play sports minivans became popular amongst soccer moms and team moms who had multiple children and carpooled.