<p>Something was terribly wrong in America in the 1970s. The United States was supposed to be a superpower, yet American forces proved powerless to stop a tiny guerrilla force in Vietnam. Support for Israel in the Middle East led to a rash of terrorism against American citizens traveling abroad, as well a punitive oil embargo that stifled the economy and forced American motorists to wait hours for their next tank of gasoline. At home, the news was no better. The worst political scandal in United States history forced a president to resign before facing certain impeachment. But all was saved - not by President Jimmy Carter, but by disco music, mood rings, and pet rocks.</p>