Observations — 1978, “Drinking The Kool Aid” And The Bee Gees

908 followers of People’s Temple Leader Jim Jones voluntarily drank lethal Kool Aid. Jimmy Carter convinced Egypt’s Anwar Sadat and Israel’ Menachem Begin to join him at Camp David to discuss a framework for peace. Carter said “no” to neutron bomb.  A former Italian premiere and his bodyguards were slain. U.S. agreed to turn over the Panama Canal to Panama. Carter doubled the size of U.S. national parks. The Supreme Court ruled women need not pay more than men for health insurance.  Carl Sagan won a Pulitzer Prize. Hustler publisher Larry Flynt was shot. Charlie Chaplin’s coffin (with Chaplain’s remains) was stolen. Ted Nugent autographed a fan with a knife. First “test tube baby” was born.” Balloon angioplasty was developed. Sony released its first Walkman. Velcro was introduced to the marketplace. “Dallas” premiered on TV. One of the Flying Wallendas slipped off the high wire to his death.  Leon Spinks defeated Mohammed Ali. Ali returned the favor before the year ended.  Pete Rose reached 3,000 hits. Al Unser won his 3^rd Indianapolis 500.  Bjorn Borg won the French Open and Wimbledon. China lifted its ban on Shakespeare, Aristotle and Dickens.  Isaac Bashevis Singer received the Nobel Prize for literature.  The Pulitzer for literature went to James Alan McPherson for Elbow Room.  The Mystery Writers of America gave its top award to William H. Hallahan, for Catch Me If You Can. We also read And Still I Rise by Maya Angelou, The World According To Garp by John Irving, The Snow Leopard by Peter Mathiessen, War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk. We watched Grease, Superman, Animal House, Every Way But Loose, Heaven Can Wait, Hooper, Jaws 2, Dawn of the Dead, Revenge of the Pink Panther, and The Deer Hunter.   We listened to “Shadow Dancing” by Andy Gibb, “Night Fever” by the The Bee Gees,  “You Light Up My Life” by Debbie Boone, “Kiss You All Over by Exile,  “Baby Come Back” by Player, “How Deep Is Your Love.” By The Bee Gees, “Thicker Than Water” by Andy Gibb, “Boogie Oogie Oogie” by A Taste of Honey and “Three Times A Lady” by the Commodores.  Among those born in 1978 were Kobe Bryant, Usher, James Franco, Ashton Kutcher and January Jones. Pope John I died after only 33 days in office. Others who departed include Norman Rockwell, Hubert Humphrey, Robert Shaw, Bob Crane, Charles Boyer, Louis Prima, Gig Young, Keith Moon, Dan Dailey, Oskar Homolka, Keith Moon and Edgar Bergen.  If you were around. what were you doing during this year of the earth horse?