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December 28, 1981

Revisit the music, news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.

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Headlines from December 28, 1981

4TH QUARTER WORRYING RETAILERS

By Isadore Barmash

Although shoppers were much in evidence on Saturday, many of the nation's merchants, after a difficult Christmas season, are facing the final month of their last 1981 fiscal quarter with discomfort. More than a few believe it will show the scars of erratic sales and the costly markdowns taken during the first four weeks of December. The outlook for the fourth quarter, which for retailers ends on Jan. 31, is cloudy, a special source of concern since the period normally provides more than 50 percent of the year's profits and 30 percent of sales. But most analysts see the quarter's results as unchanged or down from the 1980 quarter. They also see it as an uncertain harbinger for the early months of the new fiscal year.

Financial Desk1234 words

POLAND TO REDUCE THE MEAT RATION FOR MOST CITIZENS

By John Herbers, Special To the New York Times

The Warsaw radio announced today that meat rations for all Poles except manual workers would be reduced next month. As the third week of martial law began for Poland, officials said that the country faced a serious shortage of meat supplies and that large quantities of imports from the Soviet Union and other countries in the Communist bloc would be needed to maintain the ration for miners and other manual workers at the December level. The shortage of meat and other commodities was one of the causes of the birth of the Solidarity free trade union, which has led protests against the Government, in the summer of 1980. Productivity Said to Improve The announcement of a further reduction in meat rations was in contrast to official reports of a gradual return to work and improved productivity despite continuing resistance by 1,111 coal miners in the Piast mine in Silesia.

Foreign Desk960 words

Quotation of the Day

By Unknown Author

''I can assure you there will be responses to the Soviets specifically, not simply the Polish Government.'' -Jeane J. Kirkpatrick, chief United States delegate to the United Nations. (A12:1.)

Metropolitan Desk31 words

MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1981; The Economy

By Unknown Author

Retailers face the last month of their fiscal year with concern. Many fear the early markdowns taken to buoy erratic holiday sales will undercut traditional January bargain shopping, further weakening the most important quarter of the retailing year. (Page D1.)

Financial Desk391 words

UTILITIES CUT SPENDING PLANS 37%

By Leonard Sloane

Capital appropriations made in the third quarter by investor-owned gas and electric utilities fell 37 percent, to $11.2 billion, on a seasonally adjusted basis, from an expansive second quarter, the Conference Board reported over the weekend. However, actual capital expenditures by these utilities rose 8 percent from the second quarter, to a record $8.6 billion, the business research organization said. Capital appropriations are authorizations for plans to spend funds in the future, marking the first step in the capital investment process and preceding the ordering of equipment and the letting of construction contracts. Capital expenditures are actual outlays for plant and equipment.

Financial Desk409 words

Music on My Birthday

Billboard 200

The Top 50 albums for the chart week of December 23, 1981, covering December 28, 1981.

1
For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)
AC/DC
Last week
3
Peak
1
Weeks
3
2
Ghost In The Machine
The Police
Last week
2
Peak
2
Weeks
10
3
4
Foreigner
Last week
1
Peak
1
Weeks
23
4
Escape
Journey
Last week
4
Peak
1
Weeks
21
5
Raise
Earth| Wind & Fire
Last week
5
Peak
5
Weeks
7

Notable Births

1981Khalid Boulahrouz, Dutch footballer^[†]

Khalid Boulahrouz is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a defender. Nicknamed "The Cannibal" for his ability to "eat up" the opposition, Boulahrouz was noted for his technical ability, tackling and versatility in defence.

1981Elizabeth Jordan Carr, American journalist^[†]

Elizabeth Jordan Carr is the United States' first baby born from the in-vitro fertilization procedure and the 15th in the world. The technique was conducted at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk under the direction of Doctors Howard Jones and Georgeanna Seegar Jones, who were the first to attempt the process in the United States. She was delivered at Norfolk General Hospital in Virginia by Dr. Mason Andrews weighing 5 pounds 12 ounces.

1981Sienna Miller, American-British actress and fashion designer^[†]

Sienna Rose Diana Miller is an American-British actress. Born in New York City and raised in London, she began her career as a photography model, appearing in the pages of Italian Vogue and for the 2003 Pirelli Calendar. Her acting breakthrough came in the 2004 films Layer Cake and Alfie. She subsequently portrayed socialite Edie Sedgwick in Factory Girl (2006) and author Caitlin Macnamara in The Edge of Love (2008), and was nominated for the BAFTA Rising Star Award in 2008. Her role as The Baroness in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) was followed by a brief sabbatical from the screen amid increased tabloid scrutiny.

1981David Moss, American ice hockey player^[†]

David Moss is an American former professional ice hockey winger who last played for the EHC Biel of the NLA. He was a last round selection of the Calgary Flames, taken 220th overall, at the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Moss has appeared in three outdoor games during his career: The 2001 Cold War while he was a member of the University of Michigan Wolverines, while a member of the United States National Team at the 2010 World Championship and at the 2011 Heritage Classic as a member of the Flames. Moss has been honored by his teams for his sportsmanship and dedication to the community on several occasions.

1981Narsha, South Korean singer and dancer^[†]

Park Hyo-jin, better known by her stage name Narsha, is a South Korean singer and actress. She is best known as a member of the South Korean girl group Brown Eyed Girls. Her stage name, Narsha, is derived from the term na-reu-sha, which means 'to fly up' in Middle Korean and was given to her by a former manager.

1981Frank Turner, English singer-songwriter and guitarist^[†]

Francis Edward Turner is an English punk and folk singer-songwriter from Meonstoke, Hampshire. He began his career as the vocalist of post-hardcore band Million Dead, then embarked upon a primarily acoustic-based solo career following the band's split in 2005. In the studio and during live performances, Turner is accompanied by his backing band, The Sleeping Souls, which consists of Ben Lloyd, Tarrant Anderson (bass), Matt Nasir and Callum Green (drums).

1981Mika Väyrynen, Finnish footballer^[†]

Mika Väyrynen is a Finnish former professional footballer who played as a central midfielder, and a football coach, most recently serving as the head coach of Honka in Kakkonen. After his playing career, Väyrynen has also worked as an assistant coach of Klubi 04 and HJK, and as a head coach of Klubi 04.

Notable Deaths

1981Allan Dwan, Canadian-American director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1885)^[†]

Allan Dwan was a pioneering Canadian-born American motion picture director, producer, and screenwriter.

Historical Context for December 28, 1981

In 1981, the world population was approximately 4,528,777,306 people^[†]

Headlines from December 28, 1981

4TH QUARTER WORRYING RETAILERS

POLAND TO REDUCE THE MEAT RATION FOR MOST CITIZENS

Quotation of the Day

MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1981; The Economy

UTILITIES CUT SPENDING PLANS 37%

For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)

Ghost In The Machine

4

Escape

Raise

Notable Births

Notable Deaths

Historical Context for December 28, 1981