Week of December 8, 1983

Addressing an education summit meeting in Indianapolis, President Reagan

declares that America’s schools must be “temples of learning, not drug dens,”

and said he has ordered the Justice and education department to find ways of

helping schools ‘enforce discipline.”

Edwin Meese III - the White House counselor, who got

slammed for comments that he has seen no “authoritative

evidence’ that there are hungry children in American and that

some people go to soup kitchens “because the food is free

and that’s easier than paying for it” - is retreating and says he

will study the extent of hunger in the country.

Kuwait - A dump truck packed with explosives crashes

through the U.S. Embassy gates and blows-up, killing four

people and injuring 14.

President Reagan tells the nation’s war heroes that America is finished with

“turning our swords into plowshares, hoping others would follow,” ad that with his

military buildup “our days of weakness are over.’

The White House says that all U.S. combat and support troops will leave

Grenada by next week. (Thursday).

Santa Barbara (CA) police apologized to three Christmas-shipping members of

the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team after forcing them to lie spread-eagled

on the ground and holding them at gunpoint before clearing them in a robbery

investigation. One of the was Louis (Sweet Lou) Dunbar, who said - “If

somebody pointed a revolver at your head, you don’t just shake that of.” The

other two were Ovie Dotson and Jimmy Blacklock.

Two-minute ceremony - Martha Layne Collins

becomes Kentucky’s first female governor.

President Reagan announces that David Gergen, his

chief media adviser has decided to resign. He was

known to be frustrated by white House infighting and

upset by recent White House decisions regarding the

news media - particularly the decision by James

Baker to ban coverage of the U.S. invasion of

Grenada.

Week of December 8, 1983

Sports -

The NFL confirms that Commissioner Pete Rozelle has sent a letter to all 28

teams to warn players that the non-medical use of steroids could result in

disciplinary action.

Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken Jr., after just two seasons in the majors -

is already named Major League Player of the Year. Of course, he’s also been an

MVP.

Mt. T joins First Lady Nancy Reagan at a preview

showing of White House Christmas decorations.

Technology - IBM says it is ramping-up its PC

production. Clones have had a nice run so far

because there’s been a shortage in IBM PC’s, so

customers purchase clones instead. That may

change next year.

Music news -

New movie coming out - Recently, Barbra Streisand was seen on the covers of

Billboard, People and Life magazine. It’s the first time in Billboard’s history that

an entertainment personality had been featured on its cover. Usually, Billboard is

loaded with industry news on the front.

“”Purple Rain” starring artist Prince Rogers Nelson (Prince) is finishing shooting

in Minneapolis. In the movie, love interest Vanity was replaced by Patty Kotero.

Some say Vanity wanted too much money.

Entertainment news -

Passing - Slim Pickens who never fully

recovered from pneumonia after brain surgery

last year. He was 64.

Yul Brunner says doctors in September gave

him only two months to live but he is

determined to beat lung cancer. “I’m still here

and still working.”

Passing - Actor David Rounds - Tony-award

winner. He was 53.

Week of December 8, 1983

Available in Canada - Wayne Gretzky Doll From Mattel.

Television news -

ABC-TV’s “Nightline” with Ted Koppel is being trimmed back to 30 minutes from

60.

Friday night television -

CBS - Dukes of Hazzard, Dallas, Falcon Crest

NBC - Smurfs Christmas special, A Chipmunk Christmas, Movie, Tonight Show,

David Letterman

ABC - Benson, Webster, Lottery, Matt Houston

PBS - Washington Week, Wall St. Week.

USA - Night Flight (videos)

WTBS - Night Tracks

HBO - Billy Joel In Concert: A Television First