When This Dropped

December 6, 1983

President
Reagan
Dow (EOY)
1,259
Gas/gal
$1.16
Big Mac
$1.25
Min Wage
$3.35

By the winter of 1983, Reagan was in the White House and the federal minimum wage stood at $3.35/hr — the United States and its NATO allies were pressing the Soviet Union to engage in fresh diplomatic talks amid ongoing Cold War tensions. On the cultural front, "Tootsie" starring Dustin Hoffman was pulling crowds into movie theaters across the country, while Michael Jackson's "Thriller" was dominating radio airplay and on its way to winning the Grammy Album of the Year. The Philadelphia 76ers had claimed the NBA championship that year by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers, and on January 1, 1983, the ARPANET officially completed its migration to the TCP/IP protocol — a transition that engineers and researchers at the time recognized as the founding moment of what would become the modern Internet.

On the cover

Magazine Covers — December 6, 1983

New York Times
Time
Rolling Stone
TV Guide
Nat. Geographic

NY Times Headlines — Week of December 6, 1983

Nato Urges Soviet To Join 'Dialogue' On New Relations

Shultz Under Attack By Arabs, Strongly Defends Pact With Israel

Comments By Soviet Marshal Point Up Public'S War Jitters

World Events — December 1983

Time Person of the Year — 1983

The Computer
Person of the Year
The Computer

On the radio

Billboard Charts — December 6, 1983

Say Say Say
Paul McCartney And Michael Jackson
Hot 100 #1
"Say Say Say"
Paul McCartney And Michael Jackson
Can't Slow Down
Lionel Richie
Billboard 200 #1
"Can't Slow Down"
Lionel Richie

Grammy Awards

Thriller
Michael Jackson
Grammy Album of the Year
"Thriller"
Michael Jackson
Every Breath You Take
The Police
Grammy Song of the Year
"Every Breath You Take"
The Police
Beat It
Michael Jackson
Grammy Record of the Year
"Beat It"
Michael Jackson
Culture Club
Grammy Best New Artist
Culture Club

On the bookshelf

Poland
James Michener
NYT Fiction #1
"Poland"
James Michener
In Search of Excellence
Peters & Waterman
NYT Non-Fiction #1
"In Search of Excellence"
Peters & Waterman
The Color Purple
Alice Walker
Pulitzer Prize Fiction
"The Color Purple"
Alice Walker
The Color Purple
Alice Walker
National Book Award Fiction
"The Color Purple"
Alice Walker
China: Alive in the Bitter Sea
Fox Butterfield
National Book Award Nonfiction
"China: Alive in the Bitter Sea"
Fox Butterfield

On the television

Nielsen Top 10 — 1983–84 Season

60 Minutes
Nielsen #1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Nielsen
Top 10
TV Shows
Nielsen Ratings
Top 10 TV Shows
1983–84 Season

Emmy Winners — 1983

Hill Street Blues
Emmy Drama Series
Hill Street Blues
Cheers
Emmy Comedy Series
Cheers
Ed Flanders
St. Elsewhere
Emmy Lead Actor
Ed Flanders
St. Elsewhere
Tyne Daly
Cagney & Lacey
Emmy Lead Actress
Tyne Daly
Cagney & Lacey

At the movies

Box Office & Oscar Winners — December 6, 1983

Terms of Endearment
Box Office #1
Terms of Endearment
Gandhi
Oscar Best Picture
Gandhi
James L. Brooks
Terms of Endearment
Oscar Best Director
James L. Brooks
Terms of Endearment
Robert Duvall
Tender Mercies
Oscar Best Actor
Robert Duvall
Tender Mercies
Shirley MacLaine
Terms of Endearment
Oscar Best Actress
Shirley MacLaine
Terms of Endearment

Ebert 4-Star Films — December 6, 1983

A Christmas Story
4-Star Review
A Christmas Story
Betrayal
4-Star Review
Betrayal
Danton
4-Star Review
Danton
Dark Circle
4-Star Review
Dark Circle
El Norte
4-Star Review
El Norte

On the field

Sports Champions — December 6, 1983

Super Bowl
Washington Redskins
def. Miami Dolphins
World Series
Baltimore Orioles
def. Philadelphia Phillies
NBA Champion
Philadelphia 76ers
def. Los Angeles Lakers
Stanley Cup
New York Islanders
def. Edmonton Oilers

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