First update in several days. In this update, John Glenn and a Democratic Congress begin reshaping America; Charles Bluhdorn, chairman of Gulf+Western, has leukemia, Starfleet: Intelligence episodes plus a debate on the direction of Star Trek; and the 1985 Academy Award nominations.
JOHN GLENN'S 'REAL DEAL' FLYING THROUGH CONGRESS
THREE BILLS ALREADY PASSED, INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE WAY
February 16, 1985
President Glenn, with a Democratic Congress, set out to reshape the country, and within the first three weeks of his administration, three significant pieces of legislation passed. The Social Security Act of 1985 raised the cap on Social Security contributions to the first $250,000 of a worker's annual income and allowed Americans to set up an extra Social Security savings account linked to the stock market. "We have ensured that Social Security, one of the greatest achievements of the New Deal, will survive in perpetuity," the President said, as he signed the bill into law. "More money will be flowing into retirement accounts to protect this generation and future generations of workers. Social Security will never go insolvent. Additionally, we have allowed Americans to invest extra money into the program to control their own finances." The Medicare Expansion Act of 1985, championed by Ted Kennedy, passed Congress narrowly and also headed to the President's desk. The Medicare expansion covers all adults who are not covered by employer healthcare plans and allows businesses with more than 500 employees to buy into Medicare and offer the program to their workers. "The Medicare Expansion Act ensures that there are no gaps in American healthcare. We have virtually accomplished universal healthcare coverage in the United States," the President said. Lastly, the Medical Pricing Control Act of 1985 ensures that no prescription drug in the United States costs more than $50 per month and no hospitalization costs more than $500 per week. "Americans will no longer have to pay exorbitant prices for healthcare," the President said. "We've chained the medical price controls to inflation, so families can keep up with costs." Another bill in committee, the Infrastructure Revitalization Act of 1985, is expected to pass Congress in March. "In a few weeks, we will pass the most sweeping infrastructure bill since Eisenhower built the interstate highway system," the President said. "We were elected to make a difference for the American people, and we will fulfill our promise."
GULF AND WESTERN CHAIRMAN BLUHDORN DIAGNOSED WITH LEUKEMIA
GIVEN WEEKS TO LIVE
February 21, 1985
Charles Bluhdorn, the chairman of Gulf+Western, was diagnosed with late-stage leukemia, and has weeks to live, according to sources within Gulf+Western. The conglomerate titan is most famously known for his properties in the Dominican Republic and his acquisition of the Walt Disney Company in 1979. Bluhdorn transferred control of Gulf+Western to Martin S. Davis, an executive at Paramount Pictures, indicating that the conglomerate is prioritizing its entertainment holdings above the rest of his business interests. "Bluhdorn survived a heart attack in 1983, but that was only a precursor to terminal health issues," a source within the company said. "We hope that he can attend the 1985 Academy Awards, because he would love to see The Godfather: Part III win an Academy Award for Best Picture, like the two previous Godfather movies did." Under Bluhdorn's leadership, Gulf+Western became one of the largest conglomerates in the world, owning Paramount, Disney, Madison Square Garden and its sports teams, publishing company Simon and Schuster, and rapidly expanding cable networks ESPN and The Disney Channel. Bluhdorn also owns two percent of the land in the Dominican Republic, including the Casa de Campo luxury resort near Santo Domingo. "One of Bluhdorn's last wishes was that Casa de Campo would never be sold," the source said. "He considers that his most valuable property, above all the businesses he bought."
NICHOLS: STARFLEET INTELLIGENCE ISN'T LOSING ITS EDGE
February 25, 1985
For the first time in three seasons, Starfleet Intelligence slipped out of the top 10 in the Nielsen ratings, clocking in at #11 for the month of January 1985. However, the series star, Nichelle Nichols, isn't sweating it. "Starfleet Intelligence isn't losing its edge," Nichols said. "Occasionally, shows go through ratings slumps and dips. I would know. The original Star Trek had a ratings dip in 1967 and almost got cancelled, but the fanbase ensured its survival. Starfleet Intelligence has a huge fanbase, and we'll definitely weather this slump." Industry insiders believed that bringing Walter Koenig back into the fold to replace Alfre Woodard would keep the show in the top 10, but the series has hovered around the bottom of the top 10. Paramount is growing concerned that its most valuable property is not producing to expectations on television. "We've produced some great episodes this season, despite the ratings," Nichols said. "The episode where Kruge acts against his own people was one of the most heartbreaking shows the series ever produced, and it invoked some visceral reactions from the audience. I could understand some of the audience being unable to stomach the scenes, as they were reminiscent of atrocities we've committed against each other throughout history." Nichols and executive producer Harve Bennett would not back away from the criticism they received over that episode,
Genocide on Beta Polaris. "Star Trek is meant to point a lens at the human condition," Bennett said. "Sometimes it is really ugly, and we make no excuses for this."
The 57th Academy Award nominations were announced in February 1985. A list of notable nominees is below.
Best Picture:
The Godfather: Part III
Amadeus
The Killing Fields
Places in the Heart
A Soldier's Story
Best Director:
Francis Ford Coppola, The Godfather: Part III
Milos Forman, Amadeus
Roland Joffe, The Killing Fields
Robert Benton, Places in the Heart
David Lean, A Passage to India
Best Actor:
William Shatner, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Al Pacino, The Godfather: Part III
F. Murray Abraham, Amadeus
Tom Hulce, Amadeus
Sam Waterston, The Killing Fields
Best Actress:
Diane Keaton, The Godfather: Part III
Sally Field, Places in the Heart
Judy Davis, A Passage to India
Jessica Lange, Country
Sissy Spacek, The River
Best Supporting Actor:
Leonard Nimoy, The Godfather: Part III
Haing S. Ngor, The Killing Fields
Pat Morita, The Karate Kid
John Malkovich, Places in the Heart
Adolph Caesar, A Soldier's Story
Best Supporting Actress:
Talia Shire, The Godfather: Part III
Peggy Ashcroft, A Passage to India
Glenn Close, The Natural
Lindsay Crouse, Places in the Heart
Christine Lahti, Swing Shift
Best Adapted Screenplay:
The Godfather: Part III
Amadeus
Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes
The Killing Fields
A Soldier's Story
Best Art Direction:
The Godfather: Part III
Amadeus
2010
The Natural
A Passage to India
STARFLEET INTELLIGENCE EPISODES
EPISODE 63: BLOWBACK, PART II. (Airdate: February 5, 1985). When the Federation-Tzenkethi secret arms deal is revealed, outrage sweeps the Federation home worlds. They demand the impeachment of President Roth for approving the deal, and support the Andorians after the terrorist attack. Roth does not know that the deal was consummated, and takes a lie detector test to prove it. When Roth is shown to be truthful, the Federation Council tries to find out who approved the deal in secret. Uhura and her team are tasked to find the mole in the Federation who conducted foreign policy without the President's consent. It turns out that a human member of the Federation Council, Ross Barkuss, initiated the deal in order for the Federation to win the brief war against the Ferengi. Uhura's team apprehends Barkuss, who faces trial. Unfortunately, the Tzenkethi view the end of the arms deal as a betrayal by the Federation, and declare war.
EPISODE 64: THE MAROONED (Airdate: February 12, 1985). A Starfleet patrol is marooned on Alpha Theta VI, a planet in Tzenkethi space, in the early stages of the Federation-Tzenkethi war. Uhura's team is tasked to break them out of confinement. They discover that the Tzenkethi are a telepathic species who turned the Starfleet patrol against them. Marx must work around the Tzenkethi mental probes and convince the patrol to ally themselves with Starfleet again. When the Tzenkethi realize that Starfleet has personnel that can defeat their telepathic abilities, they reveal themselves as large-headed, orange aliens who attack Uhura's team. The Starfleet patrol, still under the influence of the Tzenkethi, almost kill Uhura's team, but they eventually choose to fight for Starfleet once Marx successfully works around the telepathic blocks. Uhura reports these telepathic abilities to Starfleet, and an armistice is offered. The Tzenkethi refuse.
EPISODE 65: MIND GAMES (Airdate: February 19, 1985). Starfleet remains in a stalemate with the Tzenkethi. Although they have the better ships, they cannot contact the Tzenkethi face-to-face due to their telepathic abilities. Uhura's team is tasked to test a device that counteracts the telepathy. Marx discovers that pathways in human brains cannot withstand the device's effects, and cause madness. The device almost causes Uhura to shoot Chekov and Karlax out of insanity. When Marx reports that the device cannot be used on humans, Starfleet asks the team to test it on other species. They find that the Andorians are able to use the device, and the Andorians, thirsting for revenge after the terrorist attack on their home world, cannot wait to attack. Before this occurs, the Tzenkethi discover the device and try to destroy it; they are unsuccessful. Starfleet offers another armistice, and the Tzenkethi accept this time. The Intergalactic Council of Peace condemns the Federation arms deal and orders the Federation to cede five light years of space to the Tzenkethi. This deal is reluctantly accepted by President Roth, who promises never to engage in another war during his term.
