Dateline: Events/Headlines - Week of March 15, 1988 In News, Pop Culture, Tech, Celebrity, Entertainment & Fascinating Facts
In The News
Panama orders a U.S diplomat out of the country and breaks-up protests by hundreds of disgruntled hospital workers by tear gas.
Sen. Paul Simon wins the Democratic presidential primary in Illinois as Vice President Bush soundly beats Bob Dole on the Republican side.
A federal grand jury in Washington indicts former national security adviser John Poindexter, Lt. Col. Oliver North and two arms dealers on conspiracy charges in the diversion of Iranian arms sales profits to the Nicaraguan Contra rebels in the most sweeping criminal prosecution of White House officials since the Watergate scandal.
Thousands of American solders begin arriving because of an alleged incursion by Nicaraguan troops and a Honduran official says his government had given the Sandinistas 24 hours to get out. President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua responded that his army was “ready to combat and liquidate the famous forces of the 82nd Airborne Division.”
Thousands of people across the nation join spreading protests against the sending of U.S. troops to Honduras and more than 350 were arrested after blocking federal buildings in Chicago, Boston and San Francisco.
Beginning to run low on food, ammunition and medical supplies, the Reagan Administration says it will press Congress to approve emergency aid for the Nicaraguan Contras.
The Reagan Administration stops an attempt to case Panamanian strongman Manuel A. Noriega into exile after he rejected the U.S. offer.
President Reagan, marking the fifth anniversary of his “Star Wars” proposal says the United States would move to deploy elements of the space-based missile defense system as soon as they are ready, thereby denying the soviets “confidence in their ability to achieve any objectives through the use of ballistic missiles.” Put the President gave no indication of any scientific breakthroughs that would allow initial deployment before the early 1990’s.
Two British soldiers in civilian clothes were stripped, stripped, beaten and shot to death after their unmarked car was trapped in an IRA funeral procession in Roman Catholic West Belfast.
Marine Lt. Col. Oliver L. North says he may summon the nation’s “highest ranking officials” to testify in his defense against criminal charges in the Iran-Contra affair, announces he will retire from the Marine Corps on May 1.
In a remark he immediately regretted, President Reagan says he sometimes doesn’t tell Congress everything it wants to know. The subject arose when Reagan was asked about his former national security adviser, Robert McFarlane pleading guilty last week to four misdemeanor counts of withholding information from Congress. “He just pleaded guilty to not telling Congress everything it wanted to know. I’ve done that myself,” said the President.
Looks like those Bob Big Boy statues may disappear. . New owner Marriott is seriously considering it. They confirm that it is converting a handful of the coffee shops into a new “family” restaurant concept without the famous statues of a smiling chubby boy with his thumbs tucked into the suspenders.
Federal regulators, striving to head off the collapse of the largest bank in Texas, give an emergency $1 billion loan to First Republic Bank Corp of Dallas and pledges that all depositors would be fully protected from any financial losses.
Fascinating Business news – March 15, 1988
ears, Roebuck & Co. moving beyond its traditional department stores, announces plans to buy Western Auto Supply Co., one of the nation’s oldest and best-known auto parts chains, in a deal valued at $402 million.
Sports news – March 15, 1988
The Cardinals get permission from 26 National Football League owners to move to Phoenix from St. Louis.
Off-road racer and promoter Mickey Thompson, along with his wife are murdered outside their S. California home. So far, police have no clues.
No female umpires please – Houston Astros pitcher Bob Knepper says he doesn’t think Pam Postema should be umpiring major league games because that’s not a woman’s role in life.
Technology news – March 15, 1988
Apple Computer files suit against Microsoft and HP, contending that the two companies are illegally infringing on the copyrighted audio-visual display technology used on apple’s popular Macintosh personal computers. The suit could have a major impact on the development of thousands of new software programs expected to be developed in the next several years to run under the new computer operating system OS/2 developed jointly by Microsoft and IBM.
Delco Electronics plans to supply digital audiotape players (DAT) for GM cars this summer. Ford also expects to bow a digital audiotape player. Ford’s DAT players are expected to go for about $1,200 each.
Radio news – March 15, 1988
Hollywood Hamilton (nee Tim Bello) – heard 6-10pm on KIIS-FM Los Angeles, signs to host “Flip,” a Saturday morning kids show on CBS-TV, along with his sidekick Dr. George Brothers. The show will focus on entertainment topics and tee-vee related insights. It is scheduled to air after Pee-Wee’s Playhouse. Hamilton hosts the syndicated radio show “Rock Confidential.” “Flip” will debut in September.
Entertainment /Celebrity/Movie news - March 15, 1988
Dean Martin is hospitalized in fair condition with kidney problems, but the Rat Pack reunion concert tour with frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. will go on without him, at least temporarily. Martin is 70.
Unexpected – Hollywood producer Merv Griffin offers $250 million for the stock of casino operator Resorts International. The $35-a-share bid comes on the ever of a court hearing that is crucial to resorts Chairman Donald Trump’s $22-a-share plan to take the company private.
New York Financier Donald Trump files suit against Merv Grffin, alleging violation of securities laws in Griffin’s $225 million offer to buy casino operator Resorts International. Griffin’s offer, the complaint said, was designed to interrupt Trump’s pending tender offer.
Rob Lowe’s fling with Princes Stephanie of Monaco is apparently over: “We were from two different worlds, we weren’t relating very well. She speak French, I don’t She wears a crown, I don’t. She sings, I don’t She designs bathing suits, I don’t. She doesn’t pay taxes, I do,” said Lowe.
A Pepsi commercial starring Michael J. Fox is named ‘world’s best video commercial” of 1987 at the 28th International Broadcasting awards.
Michael Jackson’s “Bad” tour is getting rave reviews.
Saturday night television listings/TV guide – week of march 15, 1988
CBS – High Mountain rangers, Tour of Duty, West 57th
NBC – Facts of Live, My Tow Dads, The Golden Girls, Amen, Hunter, Saturday Night Live
ABC – Dolly, Dhara, Spenser for Hire
Fox – Boys will be Boys, Women in Prison, Adventures of Bean Baxter, Mr. President
PBS – Peter, Paul & Mary 25th Anniversary Concert.
On Saturday Night Live – Robert Mitchum hosts with musical guests Simply Red.
Music news – March 15, 1988
CBS Records, the industry’s largest CD manufacturer, announces that next month, it will join other labels in lowering CD prices on most releases, But the company said it will not drop prices from the current suggested retail level of $17.98 on a “superstar” product.
Featured at the National Assn. of recording Merchandisers convention – three major labels announce imminent rollout of a 3-inch compact disc.
“Man in the Mirror” makes Michael Jackson the first artist ever to land four No. 1 pop hits from one album. The others are “Bad,” “I Just Can’t stop Loving You,” and “The Way You Make Me Feel.”
The Hard Rock Café will now get its own TV program – Look for “Coca-Cola Presents: Live From the hard Rock Café” and hosted by Dan Aykroyed The program will probably originate from one of the restaurants, although some segments may be filmed at a hard Rock replica built on an NBC sound stage.
Top Album Rock Music Cuts – March 15, 1988
Angel – Aerosmith
Heaven Knows – Robert Plant
Damn Good – David Lee Roth
Check it Out – John Cougar Mellencamp
Get It On - Kingdom Come
Be Still My Beating Heart – Sting
I Wish I Had A Girl – Henry Lee Summer
Devil Inside – INXS
Magic Tough – Mike Oldfield
Cloud Nine – George Harrison
Top Country Hit Music Singles – March 15, 1988
Turn It Loose – The Judds
Life Turned Her that Way – Ricky Van Shelton
Love Will Find (Its Way To You – Reba McEntire
This Missin’ You Heart of Mine – sawyer Brown
Touch and Go Crazy – Lee Greenwood
Famous Last Words of a Fool – George StraitWilder Days – Baillie and the Boys
I Wanna Dance With You – Eddie Rabbit
Santa Fe – The Ballamy Brothers
Shouldn’t It Be Easier Than This – Charley Pride
I’ll Always Come Back – K.T. Oslin
Top Pop Hit Music Singles In Britain – March 15, 1988
Together Forever – Rick Astley
I Should Be So Lucky – Kylie Minogue
Beat Dis – Bomb The Bass
Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car – Billy Ocean
Doctorin’ the House – Coldcut Feat. Yazz & The Plastic People
Gimme Hope Jo’Anna – Eddy Grant
Suedehead – Morrissey
Crash - The Primitives
That’s The Way It Is – Mel & Kim
Top pop hit music singles(top-40) – March 15, 1988
Father Figure – George Michael
I Get Weak – Belinda Carisle
Never Gonna Give You Up – Rick Astely
She’s Like the Wind – Patrick Swayze Feat. Wendy Fraser
Endless Summer Nights – Richard Marx
Just Like Paradise – David Lee Roth
Out of the Blue – Debbie Gibson
Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car – Billy Ocean
I Want Her – Keith seat
Rocket 2 - The Jets
Hysteria – Def Leppard
Girlfriend – Pebbles
Dock of the Bay – Michael Bolton
I Found Someone – Cher
Devil Inside – INXS
Be still My Beating heart – Sting
Some Kind of Lover – Jody Watley
Where Do Broken Hearts Go – Whitney Houston
Wishing Well – Terence Trend D’Arby
Check It Out – John Cougar Mellencamp
Top music albums – March 15, 1988
Faith – George Michael
Dirty Dancing – Soundtrack
Skyscraper – David Lee Roth
Tiffany – Tiffany
The Lonesome Jubilee – John Cougar Mellencamp
Hysteria – Def Leppard
Whenever You Need Somebody – Rick Astley
Whitney – Whitney Houston
Blow Up Your Video – AC/DC
Tunnel of Love – Bruce Springsteen
Good Morning Vietnam – Soundtrack
Heaven on earth – Belinda Carlisle
Appetite for destruction – Guns N’ Roses
Cloud Nine – George Harrison
Make It Last Forever – Keith Sweat
Permanent Vacation – Aerosmith
Top movies – March 15, 1988
Good Morning, Vietnam
Vice Versa
Masquerade
Off Limits
Moonstruck