Week of July 23, 1987

Secretary of State George Shultz testifies that White

House aides isolated President Reagan and fed him

false information about their plans to swap arms for

hostages with Iran. When the arms deal began to unravel

last fall, members of the White House clique were relying

on Reagan’s ability as a communicator to save them.

White House officials say that no U.s. retaliation against

Iran is being considered ‘at this time” for the damage to a

U.S.-flagged oil tanker that hit a mine in the Persian Gulf.

President Reagan says that the United States and the Soviet Union have forged

a favorable new negotiating climate in Geneva and are moving toward a historic

agreement to reduce their nuclear arsenals.

A Soviet court sentences six men to labor camp terms ranging from 20 to 10

years for violating safety rules and neglecting their duty in connection with the

Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster.

President Reagan, ending a four-month search, names U.S. District Judge

William Sessions, who calls himself a “West Texas tough guy,” as director of the

FBI.

President Reagan tells a group of law enforcement officials

that Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork deserves to be

confirmed by the senate before the court’s fall term begins in

October. “No man in America and few in our history have

been as qualified to sit on the Supreme Court as Robert

Bork,” declared the President.

President Reagan, afflicted with skin cancer for the third time in tow years, will

have more tissue surgically removed from his nose at Bethesda naval Hospital

this week.

Road rage climbs - An angry driver shoots a motorist to death during a quarrel

and then kills a pedestrian who may have intervened in the ninth traffic related

shooting in southern California since mid-June.

President Reagan announces an anti-abortion initiative to withhold federal funds

from or otherwise restrict health care programs that advise pregnant women that

abortion is an option.

Week of July 23, 1987

Donald Regan, President Reagan’s chief of staff for two years, testifies that the

President looked so surprised when told of the secret diversion of money to

Nicaraguan rebels that he deserved an Academy Award if he was acting.

The U.S. Navy has found another underwater mine in the Persian Gulf about 14

miles north of the one that blew a 10-by-30 foot hole in the hull of the supertanker

Bridgetown.

French explorers bring back the first objects ever recovered from the wreckage of

the Titanic, dishes scattered on the ocean floor when the luxury liner sank 75

years ago. The min-submarine Nautile plunged 2 ½ miles to retrieve the objects.

The site is in an area 350 miles off the coast of Newfoundland.

The Dow climbs 25.83 points to close at a record 2519.77.

Wow - no more electronics from General Electric.

The oldest name in American consumer electronics

is saying goodbye. The company says it will sell its

$3 billion-a-year consumer electronics business,

which includes the RCA division, to Thomson S.A.

in return for its medical equipment business with

cash. That leaves Zenith Electronics (Of Illinois) as

the only American-owned company in the television

manufacturing industry. GE, which had total

revenue of $37 billion in 1986, did not consider the

category one of its strategic businesses. The

company will emerge as one of the leaders in the medical equipment industry.

Thomson has a strong position in Europe, but as of now, has not been in the

U.S. market.

Book - Look for “The Making of McPaper: The

Inside Story of USA Today” by Peter Prichard,

managing editor for cover stories at USA Today.

Update - In May, “USA Today” reported its first

profit - finally - of about $1 million. Gannett

expects the paper to be “modestly unprofitable”

through the summer, but to have a stronger second

half. The paper launched in 1982.

Week of July 23, 1987

Princess Diana , miffed over reports she

embarrassed the royal family by downing too much

champagne, disregarded tradition and announce at a

luncheon “I have not been drinking.” “Contrary to

recent reports in some of our more sensational

Sunday newspapers, I have not been drinking. And I

am not, I assure you, about to become an alcoholic.”

More Diana - Britain’s future queen, the Princess of

Wales, was awarded the Freedom of the City of

London - granting her the right to herd sheep across

London Bridge and be hanged with a silken rope. About becoming a Shepard,

Lady Diana said - “I promise I will give good warning before I avail myself of this

privilege.”

Cockroaches driven into a frenzy by a heat wave gripping Manhattan, swarmed

through a city bus at rush hour, forcing the driver to pull-over and let disgusted

passengers off near Times Square. One passenger said she didn’t become

alarmed until the bugs began crawling up another rider’s neck. Then, she saw

the bugs everywhere.

Entertainment news -

Ally Sheedy has a new movie - “Maid To

Order.” Right after ‘War Games,’ I

remember saying flat out that I want to work

very hard and make enough money in the

next couple of years so that I can afford to

wait for a good project and not have to work

in what I consider to be junk. And that’s

what happened. I worked continually, one

thing after another, and I saved my money. I

didn’t spend it. And not I have it,” said the

actress.

Sports -

Former Chicago Cub Billy Williams is inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in

Cooperstown.

George Steinbrenner isn’t happy. The Yankees just lost their fourth straight. “If

they don’t start playing with intensity, and the errors don’t stop, they’ll hear from

me,” said the Yankee owner.

Week of July

23,1987

Radio news -

The FCC silences a shipboard pirate

radio station operating off of Long

Island on 103.1 on the FM dial. It

was called Radio New York

International.

Music news -

British consumer products group

Thorn EMI announces that it will buy

the Rent-A-Center. Electronic goods

chain for $594 million in a move to

expand its presence in the United

States. Rent-A-Center owns 270

shops and 168 franchises in 38

states.

Moscow - Billy Joel opens a six-

concert tour of the Soviet Union with

a raucous show before 20,000 Soviet

rock fans that ended with the

unbelievable militiamen being unable

to restrain an audience that rushed to

the state.

The Beatles file a $15 million suit

against the Nike athletic shoe

company for using an original recording of the song “Revolution” in a commercial,

saying the group does not “endorse or peddle sneakers or panty hose.” The

rights to the song actually are owned by singer Michael Jackson but the suit

claims that Nike used an original recording of the song

Television news -

Valerie Harper walks off the set of “Valerie” and the problem is pay demands.

Passing - Jack Lescoulie - first anchor for NBC’s “Today” show.

He was 75.

Full circle - Max Headroom is back - on cable, where he started in

the U.S. He made is debut here in April 1985 on Cinemax in “The

Max Headroom Story.” Then it was on to ABC-TV. This week, catch

Max back on Cinemax with “The Original Max Talking Headroom

Show.”

Week of July 23, 1987

Friday night television -

CBS - Bugs Bunny/Looney Tunes All-Star 50 th Anniversary, American Film

Institute salute to Fred Astaire, In Person From The Palace

NBC - Stingray, Miami Vice, Crime Story, Tonight Show, David Letterman,

Friday Night Videos

ABC - Sledge Hammer, Mr. Belvedere, Movie, Nightline, Aids Connection

PBS - Washington Week, Wall St. Week

HBO - Movie - Weird Science.

TNN - Nashville Now, Crook & Chase, Video Country

Salute to Fred Astaire - David Niven hosts

In Person From The Palace - Roger Daltrey,

Smokey Robinson and ABC perform.

Late Night With David Letterman - Comedians

Brother Theodore and Fred Willard and musician

Andy Summers.