Week of December 22, 1981

Poland - Steel workers barricade themselves inside two mills in southern Poland

in defiance of the country’s military rule and say they will blow-up the plants if

troops move in.

A federal judge delivers two severe blows to the equal rights amendment, ruling

that Congress lacked authority to extend the deadline for ratification and that five

states acted within their rights when they rescinded approval.

President Reagan declares that “freemen cannot and will not stand idly by in the

face of brutal repression” and imposes economic sanctions on Poland’s military

rulers.

Secretary of State Alexander M. Haig Jr. predicts that “the heel of the military

boot” will not crush resistance in Poland and said it is up to Polish and Soviet

authorities to stem a rise in East-West tensions.

The government’s index of leading indicators drops in November, but at a slower

rate. Officials say it may mean the recession is slowing.

Week of December 22, 1981

President Reagan, moving to punish the Soviet Union for the martial-law

crackdown in Poland, blocks the sale of equipment for a pipeline that would carry

natural gas from Siberia to Western Europe.

A member of the Guardian Angeles volunteer anti-crime group is shot to death in

Newark by a police officer outside a housing project - by mistake. The officer

said he mistook him for a burglary suspect.

Pope John Paul II sends his Christmas greetings with a special prayer for peace

with Justice in his homeland and an improvised salute to Solidarity, the free trade

union movement of Poland.

Robert Poli who led the Professional Air traffic

Controllers Organization on an ill-fated strike that

led to the firing of 11,400 federal controllers,

resigns. He said as a result of his decision, which

becomes effective Jan. 6, “I only hope the Reagan

Administration sees fit to return the air traffic

controllers to their former occupations.”

The nation’s first test-tube baby is born to a 28-

year-old New England schoolteacher. She gave

birth through a c-section to a 5lb-12oz girl. The

mother is Judith Carr and her daughter is Elizabeth

Jordan.

next years - Look for solo records by Clarence

Clemmons and Miami Steve Van Zandt. Another new artist for David Geffen -

George Thorogood.

CBS Happy New Year America - Host Donny Osmond with Les Brown, Mickey

Gilley, the Urban Cowboy Band with Johnny Lee and the Pointer Sisters.

Passing - Songwriter Hoagy Carmichael (82).

Gretzky scored four goals.

Bart Starr is retained as coach of the Green Bay Packers, despite a record that

needs improvement.

The New York Yankees sign free agent Dave Collins of the Reds for an

Week of December 22, 1981

estimated $750,000.

CBS will only televise five NBA games next season, down from 18 games this

season. Ratings of NBA telecasts on CBS dropped steadily for three seasons

before rising slightly the past two seasons.

gimmick. He offers $1,000 to any woman who can pin him

in a wrestling match.

William Shatner says the next Star Trek movie should come

cheaper than the first. While the first one came in at about

$40 million to produce, it looks like the second could be

less than half that amount.

After five years of marriage - Elizabeth Taylor and Sen.

John Warner of Virginia, have decided to separate.

Dardevil Evel Knievel is ordered to pay $12.75 million in damages to Sheldon

Saltman, the former television executive he injured in a 1977 assault with a

baseball bat.

Playing in Las Vegas -

Wayne Newton - Aladdin

Captain & Tennille/David Copperfield - Hilton

Rich Little, Lynda Carter - MGM Grand

Jerry Lewis, Carol Lawrence, Flip Wilson, Vic

Damone - Sahara

CBS is moving “Captain Kangaroo” to 6:30am to

make room for its morning news program.

Rona Barrett’s four-week-old series on NBC is

cancelled and as a result, she will leave the

network.

The Roman Catholic Church forms The Catholic

Telecommunications Network of America (CTNA).

It’ll feed 171 Catholic dioceses through the country via satellite.

Week of December 22, 1981

CBS - Mr. Merlin, WKRP in Cincinnati, Movie

NBC - Real People, Facts of Life, Love Sidney,

Quincy, Tonight, Tomorrow

ABC - Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, The Leprechauns

Christmas Gold, The Fall Guy, Dynasty, Nightline

PBS - A Christmas Special With Luciano Pavarotti.

WKRP - Boss Carlson’s Scrooge ways when it comes

to Christmas bonuses.