Editorial
So Long, 1976; Hello, 1977
We hope you've survived the past three weeks, and now it's actually here! Winter vacation arrives between 1:06 and 3:27 depending on when your day ends. It seems like just yesterday that it was Thanksgiving, but time sure flew by. Speaking of flying time. 1976 will come to an end two weeks from tonight with a million balloons, horns, and confetti. However, before you say hello to 1977. let us take time to review 1976. the Bicentennial year.
To many, '76 was the year of our two hundredth anniversary, but to the rest of the world this year will be remembered for earthquakes. There were at least 20 major quakes, such as those in China, Greece, Turkey. Japan. Central America. Iran, and the Philippines. California also suffered hundreds of minor to moderate quakes, but no damage occurred.
In February we all watched Dorothy Hamill skate to fame, and soon the "short and sassy look" became a popular women's hair style. In July came the summer Olympics and Nadia Comanechi performed without a flaw. Both the telephone and baseball marked their hundredth anniversary. Coca‑Cola marked its seventy‑fifth year. and both NBS and talking pictures marked their first 50 years of existence.
Unfortunately. 1976 will be remembered for its disasters also. Hurricane Kathleen struck California killing three people and causing $10 million in damage. On Guadeloupe a volcano rumbled sending 75.000 to safer areas, and along with ashes came earthquakes: and then Hurricane Emy struck the island. Emy missed the U.S. and went harmlessly out to sea, but two weeks later the storm crossed the Portugese Azores causing a plane to crash.
On Aug. 8 a typhoon struck Japan killing 41. and on Oct. 20 a ship collided with a ferry on the Mississippi killing 20. Jan. 9 marks the day one person died and 380 were injured when two CTA trains collided near Chicago. The Big Thompson River Canyon flood occurred July 30: over 100 died and 300 were injured. In Philadelphia an unknown "Legionnaire's illness" killed 28, and violence in South Africa killed at least 200. Ironically the world's population passed four billion on March 27.
Metrics came into more common use in 1976. and the SST started commercial service between the United States and London and also Paris. Jimmy Carter was nominated for President. Route 66 will cease to be and will become part of the interstate system, and the Cincinnati Reds won the World Series for the second straight year.
Rock music changed to disco earlier this year but lately seems to be fading out. Many car speedometers only read to 85 mph. now, and both the Stockyards Inn and the La Salle Hotel closed.
To end this review, we landed two Viking space craft on Mars: England suffered one of its worst droughts in history: and Chairman Mao died. Smokey the Bear died: plans for a State Street mall were approved: Sept. 8 was consecutive diminishing digit day. (9/8 /76), and Maine West is becoming famous again for its power shortages.
Enjoy your vacation. See you in 1977. From the Westerner staff. Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!