1977: David Berkowitz, also known as the "Son of Sam" and the .44 caliber killer, receives life imprisonment for six murders he committed before his arrest in August.

1999: Spike Lee makes a movie, Summer of Sam, about the summer of 1977 in New York City and the fearful grip that Berkowitz had on the City.

1978: Earthquakes rock Greece, Japan, Mexico, Iran, and Central Europe.

1999: A massive earthquake rocks Turkey. More than 12,000 people die.

1977: George Lucas's film Star Wars is released and breaks all box-office records.

1999: The prequel to the Star Wars Trilogy, The Phantom Menace, is released. Calling it a "cultural holiday," many companies give their workers the day off on the day the movie opens.

1979: The American public's fear of a nuclear meltdown increases after an accident at Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island Nuclear plant.

Today: Largely because of the American public's continuing distrust of nuclear power...