Week of January 1, 1980

New Year’s Eve - A fire burns through the Opemiska Club - a crowded social

club in Quebec, killing at least 42 in one of Canada’s worst fires.

Thousands of Afghans try to storm the Soviet embassy in Tehran to protest the

Soviet Union’s intervention in Afghanistan, but Iranian guards stop them.

More Tehran - Iranian authorities thwart a plot against

the life of U.N. Secretary general Kurt Waldheim .

Walheim was in Tehran for talks aimed at leading to the

release of American hostages.

The three major U.S. TV networks broadcast footage of

four American hostages in Iran reading statements

criticizing the deposed Shah of Iran. The State

department denounced the statements as a “cynical

propaganda ploy” orchestrated by the Iranian militants

holding the hostages. The statements depicted Shah

Mohamed Reza Pahlavi as a “puppet” and “an accused criminal” and said the

shah should be extradited to Iran.

President Carter says that Soviet President Leonid

I. Brezhnev lied about the Kremlin’s motives in

sending troops into Afghanistan and that his overall

opinion of the Soviet Union has changed dramatically.

Afghanistan - Soviet invasion trips and Muslim rebels

fight a fierce battle about 100 northwest o Kabul.

Meantime, President Carter recalls Thomas Watson

Jr., the U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union for

consultations to respond to the soviet invasion of

Afghanistan.

It’s reported that Soviet tanks are moving closer to the

Iranian border with southwestern Afghanistan in an attempt to block all routes of

access for Iran-based Muslim guerrillas and escape for refugees.

President Carter asks for a delay in senate consideration of the SALT II treaty,

saying debate would be “inappropriate at this time.” And must await a

reassessment of Soviet intentions after the move into Afghanistan.

Week of January 1, 1980

Iran - The militants holding the U.S. embassy demand that L. Bruce Laingen,

America’s top diplomat in Iran, be handed over to them. They threatened to put a

hostage - an Air Force officer and alleged Vietnam “war criminal” on trial before

Vietnamese representatives.

Federal reserve chairman Paul A. Volcker says he has

no intention of backing away from tight monetary and

credit policies, despite signs that the nation’s economy is

slowing.

A federal judge in Pittsburgh, saying “Hispanic’ is not a

racial category, temporarily bars the city from promoting

a police officer of Mexican descent under an anti-

discrimination plan. He made it clear that only blacks and

women are included in his order forcing the city to award

preferential promotions to minorities on the police force.

President Carter curtails U.S. grain shipments and bans the sale of American

high technology to the Soviet Union in retaliation for the Soviet invasion of

Afghanistan.

Ethnic and religious rioting in Iran leaves 29 dead.

President Carter signs into law legislation giving $1.5 billion in loan guarantees to

Chrysler Corp, calling the step “extremely important” for the entire nation.

The Supreme Court leaves intact a decision allowing public schools to fire

teachers who refuse to teach the Pledge of Allegiance and patriotic songs.

Dodge Main in Hamtramck, Michigan, one of the

auto industry’s most storied assembly plants,

builds its final vehicle - 13,943,221 - a victim of

the financial squeeze that has crippled Chrysler

Corp. The final car was a two-door dodge

Aspen.

With the New Year, comes a new minimum

wage - now at $3.10 - up from $2.90.

Hot tubs more popular than ever - Citing 10 deaths during the last year, the

government warns hot tub users not to drink heavily when they dip and keep the

water temperature below 104 degrees. Hot tub sales have boomed in the last few

Week of January 1, 1980

years. Sales may reach 135,000 this year compared to only 40,000 in 1977 and

90,000 in 1979.

Gold us up - $100 higher than days earlier at a record $649.73 an ounce.

Sports - Bowl games -

Cotton - Houston - 17 Nebraska - 14

Orange - Oklahoma - 24 Florida St. - 7

Rose - USC - 17 - Ohio State - 16

Entertainment news -

Joy Adamson (69), whose book “Born Free”

about an orphaned lioness is dead - mauled

by a lion in Kenya. Friends say she was taking

her customary evening stroll in the bush

outside her camp and came across a lion

chasing a buffalo; the lion turned and killed

her.

Sears is looking into a direct satellite-to-home

subscription television service with Comsat

General Corp. Estimated cost for such equipment to the consumer would cost

about $20 a month, plus an initial cost outlay of equipment.

After 25 years - Bert Parks is fired from his job as

hosting the Miss America pageant each year. “You’ve got

to be kidding me. I’ absolutely shocked. I know nothing

about this at all.”

Music -

Record labels are disseminating their disco artist and

development due to a slump in the business. Disco’s

popularity peaked in the spring and summer of 1978 and

into 1979. The genre has seen a downward trend in big

hits, especially the top-10. That’s not stopping some -

Mark Kreinder of Ocean Records just signed Ann-Margret

for some disco records.

Sports -

The Pittsburgh Steelers make it to the Super Bowl for the fourth time, defeating

the Houston Oilers in the playoffs. Houston quarterback Dan Pastorina out

passed Pittsburgh’s Terry Bradshaw in net yards - 203 to 197, but the final score

was 27-13.

Week of January 1, 1980

Television news -

NBC will be pairing Japanese sensations “Pink Lady” with comedian Jeff Altman

for a variety show. “Pink Lady” - two females, although not known in the States,

have sold some $100 million in records sales in their homeland.

James Garner says he’s not well enough to return to “The

Rockford Files.” This is the last season of the show.

Steve Martin and separately, Marie Osmond sign long-

term contracts with NBC to star in specials and also for

Martin, develop comedy projects.

Wednesday night television -

CBS - Young Maverick, Movie

NBC - Real People, Diff’rent Strokes, Joe’s World, Best of

Saturday Night Live, Tonight Show, Tomorrow

ABC - Eight is enough, Charlie’s Angels, Vegas

Best of Saturday Night Live - Jill Clayburgh with musical guest Leon Redbone.