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Welcome to the We Love the Eighties Community

This community is dedicated to the music, movies, television, games, radio, and pop culture that defined the 1980s. It is a place for people who lived the decade, as well as those who appreciate what made it unforgettable. Members use this forum to check in during live radio blocks, share weekly listening memories, and talk about what the music, shows, and moments of the 80s bring back for them. Guests are welcome to browse selected discussions, while full participation requires registration. If you would like to understand the intent behind this community and how it is curated, you can read more here: About This Community. Explore current conversations, share your memories, and take part in a community built around real 80s experiences.

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  1. On This Day: May 9, 1988 - New Parliament House Officially Opens in Canberra

    On This Day: May 9, 1988 - New Parliament House Officially Opens in Canberra

    On this day May 9, 1988, the New Parliament House in Canberra was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II. The event marked a major moment in Australian history, celebrating the bicentenary of European settlement and symbolizing a modern era of governance. The building replaced the Old...
  2. On This Day: May 9, 1980 - Sunshine Skyway Bridge Collapse in Tampa, Florida

    On This Day: May 9, 1980 - Sunshine Skyway Bridge Collapse in Tampa, Florida

    On this day May 9, 1980, a tragic event unfolded in Tampa, Florida, when the cargo freighter MV Summit Venture collided with a support column of the original Sunshine Skyway Bridge during a violent thunderstorm. The impact caused a 1,400 foot section of the southbound span to collapse into Tampa...
  3. On This Day: May 9, 1980 - Norco Bank Robbery Leads to Massive Shootout and Pursuit

    On This Day: May 9, 1980 - Norco Bank Robbery Leads to Massive Shootout and Pursuit

    On this day May 9, 1980, five heavily armed gunmen held up a Security Pacific Bank in Norco, California, triggering one of the most violent police shootouts and car chases in California history. Armed with assault rifles, homemade explosives, and military gear, the robbers engaged in a fierce...
  4. On This Day: May 8, 1984 - Denis Lortie Opens Fire at the Quebec National Assembly

    On This Day: May 8, 1984 - Denis Lortie Opens Fire at the Quebec National Assembly

    On this day May 8, 1984, Corporal Denis Lortie of the Canadian Armed Forces entered the Quebec National Assembly building in Quebec City and opened fire, killing three people and wounding thirteen others. The attack occurred before the day's session had begun, sparing the lives of many members...
  5. On This Day: May 8, 1988 - Hinsdale Fire Triggers Major Telecommunications Disaster

    On This Day: May 8, 1988 - Hinsdale Fire Triggers Major Telecommunications Disaster

    On this day May 8, 1988, a fire broke out at Illinois Bell's central switching office in Hinsdale, Illinois, causing what would later be described as the worst telecommunications disaster in U.S. telephone industry history. The blaze severely damaged crucial switching equipment and brought down...
  6. On This Day: May 8, 1980 - WHO Declares Smallpox Eradicated

    On This Day: May 8, 1980 - WHO Declares Smallpox Eradicated

    On this day May 8, 1980, the World Health Organization officially declared that smallpox had been eradicated, marking one of the greatest achievements in medical history. Once one of the deadliest diseases known to humanity, smallpox killed millions over centuries and left survivors with...
  7. On This Day: May 6, 1983 - The Hitler Diaries Exposed as a Hoax

    On This Day: May 6, 1983 - The Hitler Diaries Exposed as a Hoax

    On this day May 6, 1983, the infamous Hitler Diaries were officially revealed to be a hoax. The supposed personal journals of Adolf Hitler had been published by a German magazine and gained international attention, with media outlets and historians eager to uncover their contents. Just weeks...
  8. On This Day: May 5, 1987 - Iran Contra Hearings Begin in the United States

    On This Day: May 5, 1987 - Iran Contra Hearings Begin in the United States

    On May 5, 1987, the congressional hearings into the Iran Contra affair officially began in Washington D.C., putting one of the decade’s biggest political scandals in the national spotlight. The hearings were broadcast live and investigated the covert sale of arms to Iran and the illegal...
  9. On This Day: May 5, 1985 - President Reagan Speaks at Bergen-Belsen

    On This Day: May 5, 1985 - President Reagan Speaks at Bergen-Belsen

    On May 5, 1985, President Ronald Reagan delivered a solemn speech at the site of the former Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in West Germany. His visit came during a controversial trip that also included a stop at a German military cemetery in Bitburg, but at Bergen-Belsen, the tone was reverent...
  10. On This Day: May 5, 1980 - SAS Ends the Iranian Embassy Siege in London

    On This Day: May 5, 1980 - SAS Ends the Iranian Embassy Siege in London

    On May 5, 1980, British Special Air Service forces stormed the Iranian Embassy in London, ending a tense six day hostage crisis. The siege began when six armed men took 26 hostages inside the embassy, demanding autonomy for Iran’s Khuzestan Province. The standoff gripped the UK and was broadcast...
  11. On This Day: May 5, 1981 - Bobby Sands Dies After 66 Day Hunger Strike

    On This Day: May 5, 1981 - Bobby Sands Dies After 66 Day Hunger Strike

    On May 5, 1981, Bobby Sands died at the age of 27 in a prison hospital after a 66 day hunger strike. A member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, Sands was imprisoned in Northern Ireland's Maze Prison for firearms possession and became the central figure in a hunger strike protesting the...
    • Pete
    • News story
    • 80s history 80s news bobby sands britain hunger strike ireland northern ireland maze prison
    • Category: On This Day in 80s News
  12. On This Day: May 4, 1988 - PEPCON Explosion Rocks Henderson, Nevada

    On This Day: May 4, 1988 - PEPCON Explosion Rocks Henderson, Nevada

    On May 4, 1988, a massive explosion occurred at the PEPCON chemical plant in Henderson, Nevada, where ammonium perchlorate used for space shuttle fuel was being stored. The disaster killed 2 people, injured 372 others, and caused over 100 million dollars in property damage. The explosion was so...
  13. On This Day: May 2, 1986 - The City of Chernobyl Is Evacuated

    On This Day: May 2, 1986 - The City of Chernobyl Is Evacuated

    On May 2, 1986, six days after the explosion at Reactor 4 of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, the city of Chernobyl was officially evacuated. While the nearby town of Pripyat had been evacuated on April 27, the full evacuation of surrounding areas including the city of Chernobyl itself took...
  14. On This Day: May 2, 1989 - Hungary Begins Dismantling Its Border Fence With Austria

    On This Day: May 2, 1989 - Hungary Begins Dismantling Its Border Fence With Austria

    On May 2, 1989, Hungary began dismantling its border fence with Austria, a quiet but historic move that signaled the beginning of the end for the Iron Curtain. The opening allowed East Germans to cross into Austria and defect to the West, bypassing the heavily guarded Berlin Wall. This moment...
  15. On This Day: May 2, 1982 - The Weather Channel Makes Its Debut

    On This Day: May 2, 1982 - The Weather Channel Makes Its Debut

    On May 2, 1982, The Weather Channel made its official debut, launching as the first 24 hour television network dedicated entirely to weather reporting and forecasting. Founded by meteorologist John Coleman and entrepreneur Frank Batten, the channel changed how Americans consumed daily weather...
  16. On This Day: May 2, 1984 - Jack Barry, Host of Joker’s Wild, Passes Away

    On This Day: May 2, 1984 - Jack Barry, Host of Joker’s Wild, Passes Away

    On May 2, 1984, Jack Barry, the longtime host of the popular game show Joker’s Wild, passed away at the age of 66 from cardiac arrest. Barry had been a major figure in American television since the 1950s, both as a host and producer. Despite facing setbacks earlier in his career during the game...
  17. On This Day: May 1, 1989 - Police Mistake Michael Jackson for a Suspicious Shopper

    On This Day: May 1, 1989 - Police Mistake Michael Jackson for a Suspicious Shopper

    On May 1, 1989, police were called to a jewelry store in California after employees reported a suspicious man behaving oddly. When officers arrived, they discovered that the man in question was actually Michael Jackson shopping in disguise to avoid being recognized. Michael often wore elaborate...
  18. On This Day: May 1, 1984 - Mick Fleetwood Files for Bankruptcy

    On This Day: May 1, 1984 - Mick Fleetwood Files for Bankruptcy

    On May 1, 1984, Mick Fleetwood, the drummer and co-founder of Fleetwood Mac, officially filed for bankruptcy. Despite the band's enormous success through the late 70s and early 80s, Fleetwood’s financial troubles were caused by years of heavy spending, bad investments, and personal challenges...
  19. On This Day: May 1, 1989 - Disney-MGM Studios Opens at Walt Disney World

    On This Day: May 1, 1989 - Disney-MGM Studios Opens at Walt Disney World

    On May 1, 1989, Disney-MGM Studios officially opened at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The new theme park combined the magic of Hollywood with the excitement of a working production studio, offering visitors a behind-the-scenes look at how movies and television shows were made. At its...
  20. On This Day: May 1, 1983 - Sydney Entertainment Centre Opens in Australia

    On This Day: May 1, 1983 - Sydney Entertainment Centre Opens in Australia

    On May 1, 1983, the Sydney Entertainment Centre officially opened its doors in Sydney, Australia. Built to host concerts, sporting events, and major entertainment productions, it quickly became one of the premier venues in the country. The Sydney Entertainment Centre attracted some of the...
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