When This Dropped

December 15, 1978

President
Carter
Dow (EOY)
805
Gas/gal
$0.63
Big Mac
$0.83
Min Wage
$2.65

By the winter of 1978, Carter was in the White House and the federal minimum wage stood at $2.65/hr — the Camp David Accords had just brought Egypt and Israel to the negotiating table, marking one of the most significant diplomatic breakthroughs of the Cold War era. On screens and turntables, Americans were watching "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" pack movie theaters while Player's "Baby Come Back" held the top spot on the charts. The New York Yankees had claimed the World Series title over the Los Angeles Dodgers that fall, and on February 27, 1978, the United States launched Navstar 1, the world's first GPS satellite, laying the foundation for a navigation system that would eventually change how every person on earth finds their way.

On the cover

Magazine Covers — December 15, 1978

New York Times
Time
Rolling Stone
TV Guide
Nat. Geographic

NY Times Headlines — Week of December 15, 1978

Vance Reports To President

Egypt Content To Let U.S. Act On Treaty Rift

Israeli Parliament Backs Begin'S Stand And Criticizes U.S

World Events — December 1978

Time Person of the Year — 1978

Anwar Sadat
Person of the Year
Anwar Sadat

On the radio

Billboard Charts — December 15, 1978

You Don't Bring Me Flowers
Barbra Streisand & Neil Diamond
Hot 100 #1
"You Don't Bring Me Flowers"
Barbra Streisand & Neil Diamond
52nd Street
Billy Joel
Billboard 200 #1
"52nd Street"
Billy Joel

Grammy Awards

Saturday Night Fever
Bee Gees
Grammy Album of the Year
"Saturday Night Fever"
Bee Gees
Just the Way You Are
Billy Joel
Grammy Song of the Year
"Just the Way You Are"
Billy Joel
Just the Way You Are
Billy Joel
Grammy Record of the Year
"Just the Way You Are"
Billy Joel
A Taste of Honey
Grammy Best New Artist
A Taste of Honey

On the bookshelf

Chesapeake
James Michener
NYT Fiction #1
"Chesapeake"
James Michener
If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries…
Erma Bombeck
NYT Non-Fiction #1
"If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries…"
Erma Bombeck
Elbow Room
James Alan McPherson
Pulitzer Prize Fiction
"Elbow Room"
James Alan McPherson
Blood Tie
Mary Lee Settle
National Book Award Fiction
"Blood Tie"
Mary Lee Settle
Samuel Johnson
W. Jackson Bate
National Book Award Nonfiction
"Samuel Johnson"
W. Jackson Bate

On the television

Nielsen Top 10 — 1978–79 Season

Laverne & Shirley
Nielsen #1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Nielsen
Top 10
TV Shows
Nielsen Ratings
Top 10 TV Shows
1978–79 Season

Emmy Winners — 1978

Lou Grant
Emmy Drama Series
Lou Grant
Taxi
Emmy Comedy Series
Taxi
Ron Leibman
Kaz
Emmy Lead Actor
Ron Leibman
Kaz
Mariette Hartley
The Incredible Hulk
Emmy Lead Actress
Mariette Hartley
The Incredible Hulk

At the movies

Box Office & Oscar Winners — December 15, 1978

Midnight Express
Box Office #1
Midnight Express
Annie Hall
Oscar Best Picture
Annie Hall
Michael Cimino
The Deer Hunter
Oscar Best Director
Michael Cimino
The Deer Hunter
Jon Voight
Coming Home
Oscar Best Actor
Jon Voight
Coming Home
Jane Fonda
Coming Home
Oscar Best Actress
Jane Fonda
Coming Home

Ebert 4-Star Films — December 15, 1978

An Unmarried Woman
4-Star Review
An Unmarried Woman
Blue Collar
4-Star Review
Blue Collar
Coming Home
4-Star Review
Coming Home
Days of Heaven
4-Star Review
Days of Heaven
Gates of Heaven
4-Star Review
Gates of Heaven

On the field

Sports Champions — December 15, 1978

Super Bowl
Dallas Cowboys
def. Denver Broncos
World Series
New York Yankees
def. Los Angeles Dodgers
NBA Champion
Washington Bullets
def. Seattle SuperSonics
Stanley Cup
Montreal Canadiens
def. Boston Bruins

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