Economics
US GDP (gross domestic product - 1998 dollars): $3,115.90 billion
Federal spending: $678.25 billion
Federal debt: $994.8 billion
Median Household Income (current dollars): $19,074 
Consumer Price Index: 90.9
Unemployment: 7.1%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.15 ($0.18 as of 3/22/81; $0.20 as of 11/1/81)

Events
President Carter's gave his Farewell Address to the Nation
President Reagan's gave his first inaugural address
Iranian Hostages were released and returned to american soil
Bandleader Bill Haley, of Bill Haley and the Comets, dies at the age of 56
President Reagan is shot by John Hinckley Jr.
The 1st launch of a space shuttle (Columbia) 
Francois Mitterand is elected President of France
The Royal Wedding - Prince Charles and Diana Spencer marry 
Legendary Reggae musican Bob Marley dies at the age of 36
The birth of MTV, the 24 hour-a-day music television station
Sandra Day O'Connor becomes first female Supreme Court Justice 
Dynasty premiers in primetime hours and becomes a hit 
The US Agriculture Department tries making ketchup a school lunch vegetable 
Atari releases home version of Pac-Man in the US and sparks a huge craze
Joe Louis, one of the greatest prizefighters of all time, dies at the age of 67
The first IBM-PC's begin to roll of the lines
Singer/songwriter Harry Chapin dies at the age of 38, when the car he was driving was hit from behind by a tractor-trailer on the Long Island Expressway in Jericho, N.Y.
The first DeLorean sports cars roll off the assembly line
Private satellite dishes are given the ok by the FCC
MTV launches with first video, "Video Killed The Radio Star" by the Buggles
Allen Ludden game show host (Password), dies at 63 
Luke and Laura's Wedding (General Hospital) -- most watched wedding in history next to Charles and Diana
Salman Rushdie's Midnight Children was published
George Herbert Walker Bush is Vice President
Egyptian President Anwar Sadat is assassinated at the age of 63
The 236-m.p.h. TGV, Europe's high speed passenger train began operation in France
Jack Albertson actor (Chico & the Man), dies at 73 
FDA approves the use of Aspartame (Nutrasweet)
The musical "Dreamgirls" opens on Broadway 
Actress Natalie Wood drowns at the age of 43 
Hill Street Blues premieres on NBC-TV
"Golden Boy," Actor William Holden dies at the age of 63
AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) rears its ugly head

Sports Events
Super bowl - Oakland def. Philadelphia (27-10)
World Series - LA Dodgers d. NY Yankees (4-2)
NBA Championship - Boston d. Houston (4-2)
Stanley Cup - NY Islanders d. Minnesota (4-1)
Wimbledon 
o Women: Chris Evert Lloyd d. H. Mandlikova (6-2 6-2)
o Men: John McEnroe d. B. Borg (4-6 7-6 7-6 6-4)
Kentucky Derby Champion - Pleasant Colony
NCAA Basketball Championship - Indiana d. North Carolina (63-50)
NCAA Football Champions - Clemson (12-0-0)

1981 Tony Award Winners
42nd Street - Musical
Amadeus - Play
The Pirates of Penzance - Revival
Woman of the Year - Score, Book
Bacall, Lauren - Best Actress (M)
Backer, Brian - Featured Actor (P)
Battle, Hinton - Featured Actor (M)
Bury, John - Scenic Designer, Lighting Designer
Champion, Gower - Choreographer 
Cooper, Marilyn - Featured Actress (M)
Hall, Peter - Director (P) 
Horne, Lena - Special Awards
Kim, Willa - Costume Designer
Kline, Kevin - Best Actor (M)
Kurtz, Swoosie - Featured Actress (P)
Lapotaire, Jane - Best Actress (P)
Leach, Wilford - Director (M) 
McKellen, Ian - Best Actor (P)

1981 Academy Awards

Best Picture
Winner: 
Chariots of Fire - David Puttnam 

Other Nominees: 
Atlantic City - Denis Héroux 
On Golden Pond - Bruce Gilbert (I) 
Raiders of the Lost Ark - Frank Marshall (I) 
Reds - Warren Beatty 

Best Actor
Winner: 
On Golden Pond - Henry Fonda 

Other Nominees: 
Absence of Malice - Paul Newman 
Arthur - Dudley Moore 
Atlantic City - Burt Lancaster 
Reds - Warren Beatty 

Best Actress
Winner: 
On Golden Pond - Katharine Hepburn 

Other Nominees: 
Atlantic City - Susan Sarandon 
French Lieutenant's Woman, The - Meryl Streep 
Only When I Laugh - Marsha Mason 
Reds - Diane Keaton 

Best Supporting Actor
Winner: 
Arthur - John Gielgud 

Other Nominees: 
Chariots of Fire - Ian Holm 
Only When I Laugh - James Coco 
Ragtime - Howard E. Rollins Jr. 
Reds - Jack Nicholson 

Best Supporting Actress
Winner: 
Reds - Maureen Stapleton 

Other Nominees: 
Absence of Malice - Melinda Dillon 
On Golden Pond - Jane Fonda 
Only When I Laugh - Joan Hackett 
Ragtime - Elizabeth McGovern 

Best Director
Winner: 
Reds - Warren Beatty 

Other Nominees: 
Atlantic City - Louis Malle 
Chariots of Fire - Hugh Hudson 
On Golden Pond - Mark Rydell 
Raiders of the Lost Ark - Steven Spielberg 

Best Cinematography
Winner: 
Reds - Vittorio Storaro 

Other Nominees: 
Excalibur - Alex Thomson 
On Golden Pond - Billy Williams (III) 
Ragtime - Miroslav Ondrícek 
Raiders of the Lost Ark - Douglas Slocombe 

Best Effects, Visual Effects
Winner: 
Raiders of the Lost Ark - Richard Edlund; Kit West; Bruce Nicholson; Joe Johnston 

Other Nominees: 
Dragonslayer - Dennis Muren; Phil Tippett; Ken Ralston; Brian Johnson (VI) 

Best Makeup
Winner: 
American Werewolf in London, An - Rick Baker 

Other Nominees: 
Heartbeeps - Stan Winston 

Best Music, Song
Winner: 
Arthur - Burt Bacharach; Carole Bayer Sager; Christopher Cross (I); Peter Allen (I)

Other Nominees: 
Endless Love - Lionel Richie
For Your Eyes Only - Bill Conti (music); Mick Leeson (lyrics)
The First Time It Happens - Great Muppet Caper, The - Joe Raposo
One More Hour - Ragtime - Randy Newman

Best Music, Original Score
Winner: 
Chariots of Fire - Vangelis 

Other Nominees: 
Dragonslayer - Alex North 
On Golden Pond - Dave Grusin 
Ragtime - Randy Newman 
Raiders of the Lost Ark - John Williams 

Honorary Award
Winner: 
Barbara Stanwyck
- For superlative creativity and unique contribution to the art of screen acting. 

Special Achievement Award
Winner: 
Raiders of the Lost Ark - Ben Burtt; Richard L. Anderson
- For Sound Effects Editing. 

Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award
Winner: 
Albert R. Broccoli 

Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award
Winner: 
Danny Kaye 

Academy Award of Merit
Winner: 
Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
- For the research, development and introduction of a new Ultra-high-speed color negative film for motion pictures. 

Scientific and Engineering Award
Winners: 
Edward J. Blasko (Eastman Kodak Company); Roderick T. Ryan (Eastman Kodak Company)
- For the application of the Prostar Microfilm Processor for motion picture title and special optical effects production. 
Richard Edlund; Industrial Light and Magic, Inc.
- For the concept and engineering of a beam-splitter optical composite motion picture printer. 
Richard Edlund; Industrial Light and Magic, Inc.
- For the engineering of the Empire Motion Picture Camera System. 
Leonard Sokolow; Howard T. LaZare
- For the concept and design (Sokolow) and the development (LaZare) of Consolidated Film Industries' Stroboscan motion picture film viewer. 
Nelson Tyler
- For the progressive development and improvement of the Tyler Helicopter motion picture camera platform. 

Technical Achievement Award
Winners: 
Bill Hogan (II) (Ruxton, Ltd); Richard J. Stumpf (Universal City Studios' Production Sound Department); Daniel R. Brewer (Universal City Studios' Production Sound Department)
- For the engineering of a 24-frame color video system. 
Hal Landaker; Alan Landaker
- For the concept (H. Landaker) and the engineering (A.D. Landaker) of the Burbank Studios' Production Sound Department 24-frame color video system. 
Dennis Muren (Industrial Light and Magic, Inc.); Stuart Ziff (Industrial Light and Magic, Inc.)
- For the development of a Motion Picture Figure Mover for animation photography. 
Ernst F. Nettman (Continental Camera Systems, Inc.)
- For the development of a pitching lens for motion picture photography. 
Peter Parks (II) (Oxford Scientific Films)
- For the development of the OSF microcosmic zoom device for microscopic photography. 
Louis Stankiewicz; H.L. Blachford
- For the development of Baryfol sound barrier materials. 
Bill Taylor (III) (Universal City Studios)
- For the concept and specifications for a Two Format, Rotating Head, Aerial Image Optical Printer.