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Generation "X" or the "13 ER" appear shocking to others on the outside and unknown on the inside. Older generations classify this generation as irresponsible, reckless, uneducated, and violent - the generation only concerned about me. "13 ERs" find this criticism both overblown and very unfair. This generation observed parents and other adults not in control of their own lives or their country. A country totally out of control, with actions and impacts ranging from the Vietnam War to nuclear power accidents, e.g. Three Mile Island; while on the home front, families broke apart by skyrocketing divorces creating an unprecedented number of single parent households. The surge of mothers into the workplace created "latchkey" kids left alone to fend for themselves.

This is a generation of children without a childhood. "13 ERs" are survivors of what the adult world have left behind. Forced to grow up fast and overloaded with information, this generation finds it hard to understand what is truth, right from wrong, or how to achieve success in their lives. "13 ERs" are confronted with drug addiction, AIDS, sexual freedom, uncontrollable violence, educational requirements, and environmental and world problems created by past generations. This is the odd generation, born on "Friday the Thirteenth", or the generation "cross-out" with a capital "X".

Life Expectancy
Male: 72.8 years
Female: 79.7 years

Three most popular names
Male: David, Michael, Jason
Female: Mary, Jennifer, Lisa
www.charm.net/~shack/name/historic.html

A dollar in 1982 equals $1.68 in 1998.
www.aier.org

Popular Toys:
Game Boy
Rubik's Cube
Transformers

Popular Movies
1982 - The Extra Terrestrial
1981 - Raiders of the Lost Ark
1991 - The Silence of the Lambs
1991 - Close Encounters of the Third Kind
1990 - Dances With Wolves

Roe versus Wade - 1986 - Abortion Case
The landmark 1973 court case of Roe v. Wade was a matter of a whether or not the right of privacy included a woman's right to end an unwanted pregnancy. Jane Roe (who later revealed herself as Dallas Resident, Norma McCovey) brought to the court's attention the fact that the anti-abortion law was unfair because it did not allow women do what they felt to be their option in handling an unwanted pregnancy. Jane Roe, an unmarried woman, fought for the right to have an abortion and won. The right to end an unwanted pregnancy helped the Women's Movement by allowing women the right to decide what to do with their unborn child. Although there have been repeated challenges to this case that have narrowed its scope, it has not yet been overturned, and Roe v. Wade celebrated its 25th anniversary on January 22, 1998.
www.naral.org
women.eb.com

Challenger Shuttle Explodes on Takeoff - 1986
Seventy seconds after being launched, the space shuttle Challenger exploded, killing the seven astronauts aboard, including schoolteacher Sharon McAuliffe, the first private citizen to be sent into space. NASA halted all other shuttle launches while scientists searched to find the reason the Challenger exploded. This was the most serious accident of the time that the American Space Program had ever experienced.
spacelink.nasa.gov/NASA.Projects...

Berlin Wall Dismantled - 1989
A series of political and economic events led to the opening of the Berlin Wall. Contributing actions included many pro-democracy demonstrations in East Germany and many East Germans migrating into West Germany through Hungary. But the Berlin Wall truly opened up with the fall of the East German government, and for the first time in years, the gates and checkpoints were opened by the East German guards allowing Berliners to freely travel from one side of the wall to the other. Crowds of people physically dismantled the wall, and the "Fall of the Berlin Wall" symbolized a new beginning for Germans as democracy once more made its way into a united country. East Germany was among the first of many Eastern European countries to unite, and as a united country to choose a Democratic government instead remaining Communistic.
www.members.tripod.com/~Nevermore/wall

Fall of Communism in Eastern Europe - 1989
Beginning in the summer of 1989 with the landslide victory of the Polish Solidarity political party to the Christmas Day execution of Romanian dictator Nicolas Ceausescu, seemingly the domino effect in place, caused Communism in Eastern Europe to fall. The people of Eastern Europe, tired of living in poverty while their Western counterparts prospered and became rich, demonstrated to end this oppression and protest Communism - the source of oppression. With these demonstrations came the breakdown of Communistic governments as Communism was now viewed to be a part of the Old World order that had little place in present society. Like the fall of a large tree in the forest, the thud of Communism's fall was heard for miles around the world and will be for years to come.

U.S. Troops go to Persian Gulf - 1990
Believing that he was entitled to the oil reserves along the Iraqi-Kuwait border, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein sent Iraqi troops into Kuwait to reclaim what he believed was Iraqi territory. To counteract the invasion of Iraq into Kuwait, George Bush, President of the United States at the time, sent Allied troops into the Persian Gulf to help defend Kuwait. It was decided that if Iraq did not pull out of the Kuwaiti oil reserves, the Allies would have to use military action to force Iraq out of Kuwait. When Iraq did not comply with the United Nations orders to leave Kuwait by January 15, the following day Allies launched Desert Storm - a series of air and missile attacks. Within a month-and-a-half, Kuwait was recaptured and the Iraqis were driven out of Kuwait. It was announced that Iraq had agreed to a cease-fire and Allied troops returned home to a welcoming victory celebration.
www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/gulf/index

A.I.D.S. (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) Identified - 1981
With the mysterious epidemic of rare lung infections and Kaposi's sarcoma (a rare form of cancer) among America's homosexual communities, baffled doctors and scientists worked to find out what was causing this plague for so many people. The results of this search identified the disease known as A.I.D.S., short for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. After the identification of this disease and more research, it was found that A.I.D.S. could be spread through blood transfusions, sexual contact, and sharing of intravenous needles. Distribution of this knowledge helped to lead to a global awareness of the dangers of A.I.D.S. Programs to help educate people about the disease A.I.D.S. and how to prevent it were encouraged in schools and communities worldwide. Currently, many celebrities help to endorse fund raising activities for finding a cure for and preventing A.I.D.S as many in the entertainment field have died from the disease. As many in Generation "X" have learned the hard way and are now dying of the disease, A.I.D.S. is a deadly disease that kills many if precautions are not taken to prevent it.
www.thebody.com/index.shtml

Time's fun when you're having flies.
~Kermit the Frog

Michael Jackson - The Man with the Glove
Michael Jackson has grown up in the public eye. As a child, he performed with his brothers in their group, The Jackson Five. The King of Pop has 'moon walked' his way through history and become one of the most significant entertainers of all time. His video 'Thriller' not only won awards but also contributed greatly in establishing videography as a respectable art form. His chart topping, multi-platinum albums have changed the face of music forever. He is an icon associated with eighties celebrity culture and an exciting, talented, and energetic performer. www.wallofsound.com/artists/michaeljackson

Madonna - The Material Girl
Madonna, another larger-than-life pop icon, came from the eighties. The 'Material Girl' has earned respect as both an actress and as a musician. As a star who is constantly reinventing herself, she may be in fact, the most successful female musician of all time. Madonna is a shocking trendsetter who has shaped the directions of fashion and music for nearly two decades. Many people love Madonna and are devoted fans, but many people also find her vulgar and offensive - whichever side you are on there is no denial that she is extremely talented. www.wallofsound.com/artists/madonna/index

Oprah Winfrey - Freedom of Speech
Oprah Winfrey is unarguably the Queen of the television talk show. Her compassion and humorous style have earned her a loyal following of people that tune in to catch her entertaining show every day. She has interviewed all of the most influential celebrities around and many of the best-selling authors. Her interviews are a reflection of the 1990's - American cultural values and ideas. She asks all of the important questions, making her show a most dependable source of intelligent conversation on television. Oprah has also expanded to her popular talk show's scope to do more than interviews by including features with her Angel Network and Book Club. www.oprah.com/show/tows.html

MTV - The World of Music Videos
MTV is the channel that brought the music to the masses on videos, and its headquartered in New York City's Time Square. Musicians know they have hit the big time when their videos go into rotation on MTV. Beats from the tragically hip and the just plain tragic divvy up the air time with shows like Daria, Loveline, Roadrules, and the Real World; the last two are chronicles of a human experiment. Often on the cutting edge, MTV has become an easily accepted and available platform for political expression.
www.mtv.com

Rap Music - Music with Another Beat
Rap music, some say it's a natural split-off from Hip Hop, is fast becoming one of the most popular forms of music today. Originally, rap music was for sheer entertainment and a form of non-violent competition. Developed by creative DJs who maneuvered the beats of records together, rap music eventually, inspired DJs and others to take on a more interactive role with their listeners. At parties they became the Master of Ceremony, or as we know them those outrageously talented MCs, ad libing to the beat of the music, often speaking in rhyme - a competition of skills - who could rhyme the best and at the same time hype up the crowd. The next evolution of rap music was into becoming a political platform that left very few issues untouched. Many of these issues relate to the Black community thus allowing expression on views not readily voiced in other media. Using rap music as a means of expression, the hopes of many Rap artists is to educate their listener.
www.frymulti.com/~bfenton/politic/360.html
busboy.sped.ukans.edu/~music/rap/rap

Sesame Street - Learning is fun!
One of the first television shows designed expressly for preschool children that was both entertaining and educational, Sesame Street is one of the longest running children's television programs on the air. Sesame Street begins its 29th season this year with an entirely new curriculum. Preschoolers can now enjoy "The Science of Discovery," exploring science and what it offers at a level they can easily understand. The show is currently seen in more than 140 countries. Children around the world have grown up and received some of their first educational learning experiences with Jim Henson's Muppets as their teachers and friends by watching Sesame Street. In fact, a recently released study found that children who watched an educational program on television in early childhood, like Sesame Street, have better grades in high school than those who didn't, and an added benefit was that they also developed a great love for learning.
ctw.org/sesame/tv/season

Mike Tyson - Heavy Weight Champion
Brooklyn's homegrown, Mike Tyson won the title "The Youngest Heavyweight Boxing Champion in History" after defeating Trevor Berbick on August 1,1986. Tyson took on the fight for the World Boxing Council when he was only twenty years old. Going on to win more and more Heavy Weight titles, it soon became apparent that Tyson was the undisputed heavyweight boxing champion of the world. Tyson went on to successfully defend his titles until 1990, when in a match against Buster Douglas, Tyson lost his title.

Mary Lou Retton - A Winning Gymnast with Style
Born in Fairmont, West Virginia, gymnast Mary Lou Retton was the first American woman who won an individual Gold Medal in Olympic Gymnastics. It was during the 1984 Olympics, held in Los Angeles, that Mary Lou scored perfect 'Tens' on the floor exercise and vault. Mary Lou also won four other medals - three of them she won individually and one was won as a member of the U.S. Olympic team. Mary Lou Retton's accomplishments helped to emphasize to viewers worldwide that women could be as athletic as they are elegant.
women.eb.com/women/articles/Retton_Mary_Lou
www.bibliography.com
women.ed.com

Carl Lewis - Four Gold Medals
The 1984 Olympics bore a strong resemblance to that of a past generation. Carl Lewis' feat of winning four Gold Medals at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games could have been mistaken for 1936 feat of Jessie Owen's except for the fact that there was no threat of a World War and that these Olympics were being held in Los Angeles and not Berlin. Winning Gold Medals in the Long Jump, 4 X 100 meter, 200 meter and 100 meter sprints - not to mention setting an Olympic record for that 200 meter sprint - Carl Lewis was a superstar of the main Olympic games.
www.idaf.org/athletes/legends/9

Typical household and neighborhood
Although this generation is a very busy group, at times they are also very lonely. Most households have parents working full-time jobs trying to make ends meat while also trying to give their kids the best of life, especially materially, yet at the same time leaving many of the "13ERs" to fend for themselves. With limited face-to-face interaction between each other, families try to meet at meals but many times just pass each other in house hallways between social events, sport's practices, health gyms, and jobs. It sad to say but that on some days the only communication between family members and "13ERs" is done only by portable telephone, beepers or e-mail. Since "13ERs" have a wide variety of entertainment at their fingertips with TV, video games, computers, and music CD's, this generation seems to best expresses their feeling through music groups, Internet communication, and with what they wear.

Try it! Use mouse to move Press S to Scramble Press R to Solve

Rubik's Cube
During 1975, Ernö Rubik invented the famous cube. The cube craze lasted from 1980-1983. Rubik's Cube's clubs and newsletters were created, only to fail shortly after. Nederlandse Kubus Club is the last remaining Rubik's Cube club. NKC has a regular newsletter which was published in Dutch but now in English. This colorful cube has become a popular game to those of all ages. The point of the game is to return the cube to its original configuration. All sides of the cube are made up of only one color each and it's your mission to return the cube to one color per side. Sounds simple enough, but can you defeat the Cube?

Eighties Fashion

A preppie is an upper-middle class conservatively dressed in fifties retro country club style. During the eighties this style became popular. Preppies wore turtlenecks, cotton shirts, crew neck sweaters, wool blazers, tasseled loafers, horn rimmed glasses, and Bermuda shorts. Adult Preppies are better known as glasses, and Bermuda shorts. Adult Preppies are better known as Yuppies.

During the 1980's these Yuppies "dressed for success" especially in big metropolitan areas. Women usually wore black or blue suits with a below the knee slim skirt. They wore plain white blouses and sometimes added a big bow to its collar. They wore little makeup and low heels. Their hair was usually neat, smooth and short, or straight and shoulder length. They have a suitcase and wear trenchcoats.

Men wore the typical suit with a tie and white button up collar shirt. They wear trousers with this outfit. Men's hairstyle is conservative and short. They wear either laced or loafer style Italian leather shoes. Men often carry suitcases and wear Rolex watches.

The Western hemisphere was influenced by the Orient of the Twentieth Century. During the 1980s Japanese designers came to the west and revamped its ideas about color fabrics and lines. Some clothes designed are torn, wrinkled, draped, colored tunics, wide-legged pants, smocks, extraneous straps, pockets, and flaps.

In the '80s, some women liked the retro/metro cow girl look. The wore layers of petticoats and denim skirts. Women wore shorter skirts, new versions of the classic jacket, jewelry, and chic tee shirts.

In the '80s, some women liked the retro/metro cow girl look. The wore layers of petticoats and denim skirts. Women wore shorter skirts, new versions of the classic jacket, jewelry, and chic tee shirts. During the mid-eighties Madonna, the singing superstar, marketed her look. Women would wear rolled tube tops, torn off the shoulder sweatshirts, tight skirts, lace tank tops, lingerie, and black elbow length fingerless gloves. Accessories worn with these clothes are plenty of jewelry, spiked heels, and waif like look. Like Marilyn Monroe, Madonna had sleek blond hair, red lips, and the tight dresses.

Women during this decade looked like they dressed in whatever they wanted. A person did not have to be in style. Women wore plenty of makeup and their hair was usually permed or wavy. They usually swept it off their face. The one-piece bathing suit and bikini were worn. Clothes for women, especially in the eighties, started becoming tight and form fitting. Sleek and modern bodysuits were created. Women started getting tattoos along with men. Women's formal wear was usually very form fitting, flirty, and came in most colors.

Men's clothes in the 1980s were pretty basic. They wore casual sneakers or loafers, jean pants or trousers, and tee shirts or button up collar shirts. Jackets are formal. Many men wore fake ear necklaces. Men started to wear bike caps, day glo spandex bike shorts, and tied around the waist bicycle messenger pouches. Men wore the normal shorts-boxer bathing suits.

Internet - 1995 - Information Superhighway
Christened the information superhighway by United States Vice President Al Gore, the Internet has opened doors and crossed oceans to connect millions and inform many. Originally a 1970's military network, Advanced Research Projects Agency Network, was opened up to us ordinary everyday folk so we could access information on the network to use for research. This network has continued to expand by leaps and bounds, becoming much more accessible to more of the general public at a reasonable cost, and has evolved into what we know today simply as the 'Internet' or 'Net'. The Internet allows us to travel to places we may not otherwise be able to visit; all with the point and click of a mouse, one can view paintings in one of the best art museums in France, the Louvre, from the comfort of our own homes. Knowledge is now available and accessible at a rate unheard of by previous generations that relied on books (which were not always available) in their local library to obtain their facts. Newspapers and news magazines don't have to be delivered to our door anymore as many are now published on the Internet, definitely making information more obtainable on a timely basis even in remote areas. Members of Generation 'X' would be lost without this tool of the Nineties that links Generation 'X'ers to others all across the globe. The Internet has created a whole new world - a virtual world. It enables people of all generations to communicate and relate with each other, share their ideas, voice their opinions, and educate each other with the ease of simply typing up what they want to say and sending it off, all from the comfort of their chair. The Internet helps to bridge the gap between different nationalities by bringing people closer together despite the long distances between them.

First Test Tube Baby - The Miracle of Louise Brown
What once was thought to be impossible, became possible and a reality in 1978. A baby was conceived but not in the standard traditional manner - not through human intervention but rather by mechanical intervention. Born in 1978, Louise Brown was the first baby to be born that was conceived through in-vitro fertilization. In-vitro is a Latin word for "in glass", which refers to test tube conception (although it actually was a petrie dish in which the egg was fertilized). This scientific first raised many concerns and moral issues during 1978, such as to what extent this might be used as in extreme cases of conception, for example breeding an animal with a human. Of course, with 15 year old Londoner, Louise Brown all grown up now, as healthy as any other teen conceived in the usual fashion, the fears of in-vitro fertilization have calmed down. In fact, many members of Generation "Y", the Millennial Generation would not have been born were it not for in-vitro fertilization. For many Generation "X"ers, in-vitro fertilization has offered the only option to successfully conceive and have a child.
www.infertility.ca/gazette.html

Hubble Space Telescope - 1990 - A View to the Universe
"Eye spy with my little eye.…" I mean not so little eye, and come to think of it, It's not even an eye…it's more of a telescope…but what's this that I see through this telescope? Could it be? Or does my eye, or rather my telescope, play tricks on me? No, it is what I see, what my eye sees, what the Hubble Telescope sees. In 1990 the Hubble Telescope was launched into space to help find out the answers to key questions asked by many astronomers. Initially there was trouble with the Earth's "Eye in the Sky" as the Hubble Telescope suffered from many technical difficulties, but those problems were soon resolved. In 1994, the Hubble Telescope peered into the far reaches of the galaxy, and found proof for the existence of black holes. The Hubble Telescope continues to keep a watchful eye on the universe, trying to discover the secrets and answers that it holds. What will the future hold? www.spacezone.com

Choose a person below to read their interview:

• Trent, born 1980
• Teresa D., born 1963
• Gerard Jeronowitz, born 1968
• Robert, born 1981
• Mag Anthony W, born 1980
• nick, born 1980
• Monica, born 1974
• Monica, born 1974
• Travis, born 1980
• anonymous, born 1976
• Jason, born 1973
• liz, born 1977
• anonymous, born 1981
• Rebecca, born 1981
• Ben, born 1980
• Jon, born 1978
• April, born 1924
• James, born 1978
• Adrian, born 1981
• Doug Donohoe, born 1981
• Ryan, born 1979
• Kristina, born 1980
• Matt, born 1978