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Historical Context for October 1, 1980

In 1980, the world population was approximately 4,447,606,236 people[†]

In 1980, the average yearly tuition was $738 for public universities and $3,225 for private universities. Today, these costs have risen to $9,750 and $35,248 respectively[†]

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Headlines from October 1, 1980

Arabs See Oil Cut Raising Prices; Industrialized Nations Optimistic; Serious Damage Reported ARABS SAY OIL CUTS WILL INCREASE PRICE Pipeline Exports Stopped Rise in Output Doubted End of Discounts Cited

By Youssef M. Ibrahim Special To the New York Times

KUWAIT, Sept. 30--Well-informed officials in the Arab oil industry say that Iraq's vital refining and oil-loading terminals have been so badly damaged in the war with Iran that its oil exports may be cut off long after the conflict is over.

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$300 MILLION BONDS FOR NEW YORK GAIN FEDERAL GUARANTEE; A JOINT COMMITTEE APPROVES Pressure From Carter and Reagan Leads Proxmire to Withdraw His Effort to Block Plan Other Bond Sales Planned New York Wins Guarantee for $300 Million in Bonds

By Irvin Molotsky Special To the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 A joint committe of the Senate and the House of Representatives cleared the way today for New York City to issue $300 million in federally guaranteed bonds.

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Attacking Iraqi Troops in Iran Find the Foe Still Fights; Advance Appears Stalled Iraqi Attackers Finding Iranians Still Fight Hard Iranian Guns Hold Attackers

By John Kifner Special To the New York Times

SHALAMJA, Iran, Sept. 30 Iraqi military officers, clustered around a bombed-out Iranian customs station here today, looked unhappily down the asphalt road toward the oil port of Khurramshahr as a well-placed Iranian artillery shell set one of their trucks afire.

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Fine Home Cooking: A Heritage Nurtured; With Care Variations on a Classic Culinary Theme Some Variations on a Classic Culinary Theme Related Recipes Quiche Lorraine Variations Mayonnaise Variations Hollandaise Sauce Variations Sauce Anglaise (English custard) Bavarois au Liqueur (Liqueur-flavored Bavarian cream) Custard Pie Variation

By Craig Claiborne

IT is generally agreed that the home cooks of America have become the most sophisticated on earth. They possess an exhaustive number of cookbooks dealing with virtually all of the world's cuisines.

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KHOMEINI DISMISSES TRUCE OFFER, VOWING A FIGHT 'TO THE END'; SPURNS TALK OF COMPROMISE Bombs Fall on Nuclear Plant Near Baghdad, but Miss Reactor Iraq Escalates Offensive Parliament Discusses the Hostages Khomeini Dismisses Proposals for Cease-Fire in Fighting With Iraq

By Henry Tanner Special To the New York Times

BEIRUT, Lebanon, Sept. 30 Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini dismissed all peace proposals tonight, declaring that Iran would fight against Iraq "to the end and, God willing, shall be victorious."

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I was wondering if anything interesting on the news was going on when I was born, and decided to create this website for fun. The purpose is to show people what was going on when they were born. With this website I've found out that it was a pretty slow news day on my birthday, but I bet it would feel cool to know a historical event happened on your birthday.

The data used in this project is provided by the New York Times API. They have by far the best API I was able to find, with articles dating back to the 1950s. There weren't any other major newspapers that had an API with close to as much data. The closest was the Guardian API, but theirs only went back to the 1990s. I decided to only use articles from the New York Times because their API was by far the best. This tool works if you have a birthday after the 1950s or so.

Some important dates in history I'd recommend looking up on this website are:

  • 9/11/2001: The September 11 Attacks happened on this day, the news articles from this date provide great context to the tragedy our nation suffered and the immediate response from the American people. The headlines capture the shock, confusion, and unity that emerged in the aftermath of this devastating event.
  • 7/20/1969: The historic Apollo 11 moon landing, when humans first set foot on another celestial body. The articles from this date showcase humanity's greatest achievement in space exploration and the culmination of the space race.
  • 11/9/1989: The fall of the Berlin Wall, marking the beginning of the end of the Cold War. The coverage provides fascinating insights into this pivotal moment in world history and the emotions of people as decades of division came to an end.
  • 1/20/2009: Barack Obama's inauguration as the first African American President of the United States, a watershed moment in American history that represented a major milestone in the ongoing journey toward racial equality.
  • 8/15/1969: The Woodstock Music Festival began, marking a defining moment in American counterculture and music history. The coverage captures the spirit of the era and the unprecedented gathering of young people.

These historical events are just a few examples of the fascinating moments in history you can explore through this tool. Whether you're interested in your own birthday, significant historical dates, or just curious about what was making headlines on any given day, this website offers a unique window into the past through the lens of contemporary news coverage.

You can read more on our blog.