When This Dropped

January 31, 1990

President
G.H.W. Bush
Dow (EOY)
2,634
Gas/gal
$1.16
Big Mac
$2.20
Min Wage
$3.80

By the winter of 1990, Bush was in the White House and the federal minimum wage stood at $3.80/hr — and Iraq announced it would free Soviet hostages held since the Gulf crisis began, a signal that international tensions were shifting even as American daily life continued at its usual pace. On television, "Roseanne" was the top-rated show in the country, and at the box office "Born on the Fourth of July" was drawing crowds to theaters nationwide. The Detroit Pistons had claimed the NBA Championship that year by defeating the Portland Trail Blazers, and in December, Garry Kasparov defended his World Chess Championship title against Anatoly Karpov in a match that marked the first time the championship had been contested entirely between players from the same country.

On the cover

Magazine Covers — January 31, 1990

New York Times
Time
Rolling Stone
TV Guide
Nat. Geographic

NY Times Headlines — Week of January 31, 1990

Upheaval In The East: U.S. Policy; Bush Calls On Soviets To Join In Deep Troop Cuts For Europe As Germans See Path To Unity

Cardinal Defends A Jailed Bishop Who Warned Cuomo On Abortion

Greenspan'S Twist; Fed Chief Surprises Some Colleagues By Citing Lower Odds Of A Recession

Anxiety Over Anti-Semitism Spurs Soviet Warning On Hate

8 Killed And 17 Wounded In Raid On Bus Of Israeli Tourists In Egypt

World Events — January 1990

Time Person of the Year — 1990

Mikhail Gorbachev
Person of the Year
Mikhail Gorbachev

On the radio

Billboard Charts — January 31, 1990

How Am I Supposed To Live Without You
Michael Bolton
Hot 100 #1
"How Am I Supposed To Live Without You"
Michael Bolton
Miami Vice
Soundtrack
Billboard 200 #1
"Miami Vice"
Soundtrack

Grammy Awards

Back on the Block
Quincy Jones
Grammy Album of the Year
"Back on the Block"
Quincy Jones
From a Distance
Bette Midler
Grammy Song of the Year
"From a Distance"
Bette Midler
Another Day in Paradise
Phil Collins
Grammy Record of the Year
"Another Day in Paradise"
Phil Collins
Mariah Carey
Grammy Best New Artist
Mariah Carey

On the bookshelf

The Plains of Passage
Jean M. Auel
NYT Fiction #1
"The Plains of Passage"
Jean M. Auel
The Civil War
Ken Burns & Geoffrey C. Ward
NYT Non-Fiction #1
"The Civil War"
Ken Burns & Geoffrey C. Ward
The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love
Oscar Hijuelos
Pulitzer Prize Fiction
"The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love"
Oscar Hijuelos
Middle Passage
Charles Johnson
National Book Award Fiction
"Middle Passage"
Charles Johnson
The House of Morgan
Ron Chernow
National Book Award Nonfiction
"The House of Morgan"
Ron Chernow

On the television

Nielsen Top 10 — 1989–90 Season

Roseanne
Nielsen #1 TV Show
Roseanne
Nielsen
Top 10
TV Shows
Nielsen Ratings
Top 10 TV Shows
1989–90 Season

Emmy Winners — 1990

L.A. Law
Emmy Drama Series
L.A. Law
Cheers
Emmy Comedy Series
Cheers
James Earl Jones
Gabriel's Fire
Emmy Lead Actor
James Earl Jones
Gabriel's Fire
Dana Delany
China Beach
Emmy Lead Actress
Dana Delany
China Beach

At the movies

Box Office & Oscar Winners — January 31, 1990

Driving Miss Daisy
Box Office #1
Driving Miss Daisy
Driving Miss Daisy
Oscar Best Picture
Driving Miss Daisy
Kevin Costner
Dances with Wolves
Oscar Best Director
Kevin Costner
Dances with Wolves
Jeremy Irons
Reversal of Fortune
Oscar Best Actor
Jeremy Irons
Reversal of Fortune
Kathy Bates
Misery
Oscar Best Actress
Kathy Bates
Misery

Ebert 4-Star Films — January 31, 1990

After Dark, My Sweet
4-Star Review
After Dark, My Sweet
American Dream
4-Star Review
American Dream
Avalon
4-Star Review
Avalon
Awakenings
4-Star Review
Awakenings
Dances with Wolves
4-Star Review
Dances with Wolves

On the field

Sports Champions — January 31, 1990

Super Bowl
San Francisco 49ers
def. Denver Broncos
World Series
Cincinnati Reds
def. Oakland Athletics
NBA Champion
Detroit Pistons
def. Portland Trail Blazers
Stanley Cup
Edmonton Oilers
def. Boston Bruins

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