ViceClass

You Wish You Were In The 80s.

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The 1985 film The Breakfast Club broke Simple Minds into the US market, when the band achieved their only No. 1 U.S. pop hit in April 1985 with the film's closing track, "Don't You (Forget About Me)". Temptations, the cat food company, cleverly used it to make this extended commercial music video with our feline friends. http://buff.ly/2dDkFpL #MusicMondays

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1983 - Pilot Episode of Reading Rainbow the LeVar Burton.  LeVar was host and executive producer the 1980's show named "Reading Rainbow" created with the hopes of convincing children to want to read more books.  It ran for 23 seasons and was awarded over 200 broadcast awards including 5 Emmy awards.  LeVar Burton's astounding dedication to Reading Rainbow is second to none when it comes to its educational influence on 1980s children. Thank you Mr. Burton. #viceclass

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Nylon, zippered parachute pants became popular somewhere between 1982-1984. Strictly different the the billowy pants made popular by MC Hammer in the early 90s, the type in the early 80s that were all the rage for breakers (break dancers) were form-fitting. #TailoredTuesdays

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Released February 13, 1981, Face Value was Phil Collins’ debut album. He had just turned 30 years old at the time. The #1 single, “In the Air Tonight” was noted for its atmospheric and macabre vibes. Inspired by the separation from his first wife, his song would go on to become popular in the 1984 pilot of TV show Miami Vice, as well as at Live Aid where he played the song on a piano the same calendar day in both Philly and London. #MusicMondays

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Also referred to as cottage cheese, stucco, and acoustic, popcorn ceilings were popular in the early 80s. Although banned by the Clean Air Act of 1978, all existing supplies of the material could be used in new developments in an effort to minimize economic hardship on builders. Who wouldn't want white asbestos fibers hanging above your head and detaching at any moment? #SinfulSundays

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In 1980 three young women sharing a flat in London's Tin Pan Alley decided to quit their day jobs and start performing. They couldn't play a single instrument, but their infectious enthusiasm and vocal compatibility took them far. Bananarama became most successful British girl group in pop history. Their appeal was based largely on a lack of pretension; their amateur approach was appealing, and their refusal to use sex as a marketing tool was refreshing. #SassySaturdays

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DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program) started in the city of LA in the early 1980s. Daryl Gates, the LAPD Chief of Police, helped create the program. Hundreds of millions of dollars and two decades later in 2001, the Surgeon General did its own evaluation, concluding, "[D.A.R.E.'s] popularity persists despite numerous well-designed evaluations and meta-analyses that consistently show little or no deterrent effects on substance use." Thanks, Nancy. #FreshFridays

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In 1982's "The Thing", Bush pilots were hired to fly the choppers; Russell called them “Fearless…wild men. One of them offered to crash a helicopter for money.”  With a cast of all men, the set of "The Thing" was a dangerous one.  Kurt Russell used live dynamite on set, which is in the final shot of the movie. It is an 80s MUST see. #ThingsThursday

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Fernandomania! Yes, twas a real thing for the LA Dodgers during the 1981 season. Rookie sensation Fernando Valenzuela, instant icon, drew large crowds, becoming a star with the LA Hispanic population. In his '81 rookie campaign became first player to win the Rookie of the Year Award + Cy Young Award in same season. He also became first rookie to lead the National League in strikeouts. Valenzuela would go on to help the Dodgers win the '81 World Series. #WagerWednesday

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At the behest of His Airness (Michael Jordan), Nike produced and Peter C. Moore designed the first-ever Air Jordans in 1984. David Stern, NBA Commissioner, banned the shoes for having very little white. The banning was used by Jordan and Nike as a promotional tool to advertise the shoes as providing a competitive edge for the wearer.  #TailoredTuesdays

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Originally slated for Stevie Nicks, European disco producer Giorgio Moroder wrote this with Blondie lead singer Debbie Harry, who thus became the first woman in British chart history to write three #1 hits. Moroder, hired to collaborate on an album with the group afterwards, quit and refused to work with rock bands moving forward to do interband fighting. #MusicMondays

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Crack Cocaine: cocaine that has been converted from its salt to its base form by heating with ether or boiling with sodium bicarbonate, taken by inhaling the fumes or smoking the residue. Extremely addicting at 1/6 of the price. #SinfulSundays

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What's that you say, "already posted Jennifer Grey?" Well, gag me with a spoon! #SassySaturdays

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Only one battle fought on Mexican soil in the 19th century led to the creation of a national holiday: the Battle of Puebla, fought on May 5, 1862. Now, Cinco de Mayo is more celebrated in the US than in Mexico, largely due to the wave of Mexican immigrants after the Mexican Civil War. #FreshFridays

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In 1982, new synthesizers and sequencers were coming on the market that changed the landscape of Pop music Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor was able to take advantage of the technology on this song, creating the distinctive track by linking a Roland 808 drum machine with a sequencer and a Roland Jupiter 8 keyboard. #MusicMondays

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Wide receiver Dwight Clark makes an incredible game winning catch in the back of the endzone off of a Joe Montana throw in the 1981 NFC Championship Game. The San Francisco 49rs defeated the Dallas Cowboys 28-27. Known as "The Catch"  it would end The Cowboys long held dominance in the league and would propel The 49rs into a dynasty becoming what many call the team of the 80s.  #ViceClass #WagerWednesdays

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From the Flock of Seagull's 1982 album of the same name, I Ran (So Far Away) peaked at #9 in the US. However, it flew too far away and never became popular in their home county the UK. #ViceClass #MusicMondays