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In my opinion and in my experience, the mid-late 1970's were begining to lighten-up. Well, with Disco dominating the scene and all...  ;)  They road was being paved for the 1980's.  :D

*Note - That kind of "paving" didn't happen at the end of the 80's for the 90's. I think it was because the 80's were so awesome, no one wanted to let them go.

Dissaster struck and the 80's were done by 1993 and all but a distant memory by '95.

That kind of "paving" didn't happen at the end of the 90's for the 2000's either. I think it's because people got stuck in the 90's rut.

That's just the way I like to view it all, of course.  ;D
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Nah, I disagree.  I'll probably lose my ACLU card for saying this, but things didn't change until Reagan was elected.  Sorry Jimmy, I voted for you, but it's true...  :-[End Quote

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I dropped the 80s like a hot toxic rock in winter '89-90.  
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:o

Why?

As for my observations above - That was my experience, anyway.

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Hairspray- I hear ya and I ain't arguing with ya (how can you argue with someone's memories, anyway?)   :D  

Race I'm old enough to have voted, for the first time, for Jimmy Carter.  Did you know that Ted Koppel's NightLine started with the Iranian hostage crisis?  I think the country went for Carter because he was clean and pious and not a Republican.  

I'm not qualified to judge Reagan.  Don't know enough about it.  What I remember is that everyone seemed to be more... "up" after Reagan was elected.  Carter was a little too pious, a little too critical.  Reagan was great for excentuating what was good about the country.  Carter may have been more qualified, but Reagan was what we needed.  You have to give him credit for fostering a climate where Americans felt good about themselves... for the first time in over a decade.  
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Oh, no!  :o

I didn't mean for you to think I was thinking you were debating me or I was debating you or arguing or.... ;)

I guess I should always remember to place that happy face/smilie emoticon.  ;)

Anyway, I was actually interested in your opinion as to why you "dropped the 80s like a hot toxic rock."  :)

So.....

Why?  :o

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Oh, no!  :o

I didn't mean for you to think I was thinking you were debating me or I was debating you or arguing or.... ;)

I guess I should always remember to place that happy face/smilie emoticon.  ;)

Anyway, I was actually interested in your opinion as to why you "dropped the 80s like a hot toxic rock."  :)

So.....

Why?  :o
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That was Race who did the dropping, Hairspray.   ;)

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That was Race who did the dropping, Hairspray.   ;)
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Ahhhhh!!! :o :o :o

I definitely need some coffee.  ;D  Sorry for the mix-up.

So....

Race,

What's the story?  ;)

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Ahhhhh!!! :o :o :o

I definitely need some coffee.  ;D  Sorry for the mix-up.

So....

Race,

What's the story?  ;)
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Hairspray- I hear ya and I ain't arguing with ya (how can you argue with someone's memories, anyway?)   :D  

Race I'm old enough to have voted, for the first time, for Jimmy Carter.  Did you know that Ted Koppel's NightLine started with the Iranian hostage crisis?  I think the country went for Carter because he was clean and pious and not a Republican.  

I'm not qualified to judge Reagan.  Don't know enough about it.  What I remember is that everyone seemed to be more... "up" after Reagan was elected.  Carter was a little too pious, a little too critical.  Reagan was great for excentuating what was good about the country.  Carter may have been more qualified, but Reagan was what we needed.  You have to give him credit for fostering a climate where Americans felt good about themselves... for the first time in over a decade.  
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No offence HairsprayEnd Quote

None taken.

I respect your opinion. I certainly understand how people experienced different decades.... differently.

Many good things happened in the 90's historically and environmentally. That aspect of the 90's I do like and fully recognize.  :)

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I also heard rumor that Reagan people negotiated for a later release of the hostages so it didn't happen before the election, but I choose not to believe it.  Your correct that Reagan was the "Great Comminicator" and I would have never admitted this 10 years ago but we need to thank him for the collapse of the Soviet Union.  
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I think it was more than a rumor, Race.  By the time they got around to investigating it CIA chief William Casey was in the final stages of a terminal illness.  

The incredible, and infuriating to some, thing about the Reagan administration was it's "teflon-ness".  If any previous adminstration had negotiated with a foreign government before they were in power, and a hostile government at that, they would have had to pay with political blood.  If the Iran/Contra affair had occured during the Nixon, Ford, or Carter administration there would have been an impeachment trial and probable removal.  Iran/Contra was bigger and more sinister than Watergate, or Lewinski, for that matter.  

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I think it was more than a rumor, Race.  By the time they got around to investigating it CIA chief William Casey was in the final stages of a terminal illness.  

The incredible, and infuriating to some, thing about the Reagan administration was it's "teflon-ness".  If any previous adminstration had negotiated with a foreign government before they were in power, and a hostile government at that, they would have had to pay with political blood.  If the Iran/Contra affair had occured during the Nixon, Ford, or Carter administration there would have been an impeachment trial and probable removal.  Iran/Contra was bigger and more sinister than Watergate, or Lewinski, for that matter.  


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I agree with all said about the 70's, fact wise.  I do not however, share all the opinions about it being a dark decade.  I personally had a blast in the 70's...from being 10 in 1970 and really was starting to get into music back then. The music was a great companion for me and all my friends throughout that decade.  Politically a darker decade..Yes....musically and concerning My own personal experiences....No.  The 80's were fun for me to but if I could go back and do either decade again I would definately choose to live through the 70's.
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What he said!! Thanks R&RF, for saying what I was trying to say when this thread originated.

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I know this is sort of a weird question.  But to me the '80's always seem like this cheery and happy decade.  But right before it was obviously the '70's, and for whatever reason I've always associated darkness, meaness and high violence with the '70's.  Was it because of Vietnam?  I don't know.  I don't know why, things are usually believed to get worse in the world, but to me the 1970's have this bizzarely dark appeal to me.  I wasn't really around then, I was born in the late '70's, so for anyone that really grew up then, or was older could tell me what it was like I would appreciate it.

And am I the only one that has felt this way?  '80's==Cheery, Happy and all around goodness.  '70's==Violence, Darkness, Meaness, and all around hard gritty appeal.  I think it's one reason the '70's still hold a high appeal to the kids around now, it has a dark streak to it.  The '80's don't have that darkness, and probably ain't as cool because of that.  
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I don't think the 70's were "dark" at all.  To me, the 80's seemed like a logical extension of Pop Culture from the 70's.  One difference that I will note is that the 80's seemed to have shaken off most of 70's Pop Culture where the 70's still drew heavily from the 60's.  I attribute that to Disco Music which, while wildly popular, did itself in by presenting an aire of exclusiveness.  (Remember how only people who were deemed "cool" enough could ever get into a Disco?)  Thus, those who were excluded fell back on a more 60's style Pop Culture. (e.g. Rock and Roll)

I don't remember the 80's having an aire of exclusiveness at all.  It was like a decade long party to which everyone was invited.

MCSEGuy