(The following is from Teamster Member, John Jabaley. The opinions expressed are not the IBT's point of view, but John's.)

Where I grew up in the deep south in the 1970's, union was a dirty word. Even in my family, conspicuously liberal (in our neighborhood, at least) for our attendance of public schools, unions were considered a way for workers to loaf on the job without being punished. Coming from the management side of the equation, most people I knew were happy they didn't have to deal with workers who stuck together.

I sailed through childhood with this belief essentially unchallenged.

(We want to welcome Teamster Member John Jabaley as a regular contributor to United Hollywood, and we hope to continue to add voices and perspectives from all unions.)

Last night was a literary evening at my house. After "Go, Dog, Go!" and "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" we continued the Ingalls' family saga with a chapter of "Little Town on the Prairie." After my kids fell asleep I settled down to look at the AMPTP's latest proposal to the WGA.

I really should have stuck with P.D. Eastman & Dr. Seuss. A big dog party up there in the tree is something I can believe in. But $250.00 in residuals? For a whole year? Really?

I couldn't resist grabbing a paper towel and pen to try and figure out what this proposal means for those of us below the line.

Professor Thom's Tuesday Night Trivia will feature a special round of Christmas/December 25 Trivia. It will be questions about people, places and things associated with either Christmas or December 25.

We will also have the usual four categories as well, and we'll get going at about 9 PM. Please also remember that next week we will be having Trivia Night on Wednesday, December 26, as Christmas Day falls on a Tuesday this year.

The Sneak Peek question for Tuesday night is:
"The bubbles inside a glass of champagne are made up of what gas?"

I hope to see many of you for Trivia on Tuesday night.

LOS ANGELES – The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) have issued the following statement regarding Contract 2007 negotiations:

“The Writers Guild has reached a binding independent agreement today with Worldwide Pants that will allow Late Night with David Letterman and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson to return to the air with their full

Please remember that we will not be having the regular Tuesday night trivia this week due to the Christmas holiday, and it will be happening this Wednesday night, again at 9 PM.

The featured category this week will be The Year 2007 Trivia, as I will be asking 10 questions about events that occurred this year. We also be having the usual four categories as well.

Since I will not be posting on Tuesday due to the Christmas holiday, I will be posting the Sneak Peek question a day earlier. So, here it is:

"What was the name of the hit song by The Baha Men in 2000?"

I hope many of you can make it for Trivia Night on Wednesday. And please remember that next week's Trivia Night will also be on Wednesday night, January 2, due to the New Year's holiday.

See you Wednesday.

Late Show writers talk on the picket lines about their determination to stay out until a fair deal is reached.

To all the late-night hosts who have stood with us in solidarity through this, and have paid out of their own pocket to keep their non-writing staff and crew from suffering, we can't say enough to thank them.

This is the second piece (and sequel to the first) by WGA strike captain Alfredo Barrios, a former corporate attorney turned writer.

I was asked to comment on the DGA deal. I decided to wait a few days. Like most of you, I was waiting for more information about the deal than a broad sketch in a press release.

In the meantime, it's my understanding that a small group of self-described “

Here's a video clip from Rachael Ray's September appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman:

"Ravensridge" tells the story of a striking steelworker who must travel to Russia to pressure the owner of his factory to end the strike. Runs from Feb 23 - Mar 30. Fremont Center Theatre, 1000 Fremont Ave, South Pasadena. For more information call 866-811-4111 or go to theatremania.

Robert J. Elisberg, WGA Member and contributor to The Huffington Post, wrote a piece excerpted here called, "WGA Strike Primer: Settling a Final Debt."

It's not officially over yet, of course. There still is the matter of approving the contract. It's a 10-day process, a blink by strike standards, but long enough. Arguments of all views will be made, we do know that -- these are writers after all

For my own notes (thanks to ABookGeek for the idea)

Need to Read for Challenges:
Through a Brief Darkness by Richard Peck (by Dec. 1)
A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck (by Dec. 1)
Strays Like Us by Richard Peck (by Dec. 1)
Baby Be Mine by Diane Fanning
Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom
Merry Christmas Babies by Tara Taylor Quinn
Eve's Christmas by Janet Dailey
Booked to Die by John Dunning
Bookman's Wake by John Dunning
Bookseller of Kabul by Anne Seiersted
Red Rage by Rachel Ward
Leaving Simplicity by Claire Carmichael

Need to Finish for Review Books:
Splitting Harriet by Tamara Leigh
For Parents Only
Last two in above list as well

Hope to Finish for Group Reads:
Christmas Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini

This was sent early this morning to membership. The delay in publishing the deal points, we've learned, was because the companies dragged their feet enshrining some of the final details in an attempt to renege on some of what they had promised. The last-minute fight to keep that from happening took until late last night.

To Our Fellow Members,

We have a tentative deal.

It is an agreement

col-lu-sion [kuh-loo-zhuhn]

secret agreement or cooperation between two or more parties for a fraudulent, illegal, or deceitful purpose

The New York Times reported that David Letterman is pursuing an interim agreement with the WGA that would allow his late-night talk show back on the air, even if the strike is still ongoing. As the Times article linked above states, "that could potentially put Mr. Letterman at an enormous advantage over most of his late-night colleagues."

This piece is by WGA strike captain Alfredo Barrios, a former corporate attorney turned writer. It offers insight into what the AMPTP methods and rationale for undermining the writers' resolve. Thanks to Ashley Gable for submitting this to us. -JA

We’re two months into the strike, and I’ve noticed a certain confusion and fear emanating from certain quarters about how things have been “handled”

I was busy today watching that all-important matchup between the Red Sox and Mets today, which ended in a 1-1 tie after 10 innings. (A very well pitched game on both sides, especially by Jon Lester and Johan Santana.) I got a call late in the game from my dad in Florida, who asked me if I heard about Governor Eliot Spitzer. I said no, that I hadn't watched the news the entire day. I thought it might have been some kind of attempt on his life, as Spitzer isn't the most popular guy in NY State these days, as he has plenty of enemies in Albany and on Wall Street.

I turned on the news to see that reports came flying out today that Spitzer's in some real serious doo-doo, and his name is linked to some kind of prostitution ring.

Say good night, Eliot.

He probably wishes right now that someone had taken a shot at him. At least people would feel sorry for him.

Last night I watched my all time favorite Christmas special. "A Charlie Brown Christmas" is still gold standard in my humble opinion for quality Christmas fare, and it just isn't Christmas without watching Charlie Brown discover the true meaning of the holiday.

Patric Verrone and Michael Winship just sent this message to the membership. The WGA is determined to stay at the table until we have a deal. If the AMPTP wants to negotiate in good faith, and end the strike, we are at the table.

Dear Fellow Members,

Before we head into negotiations this morning, we want to give you an update on where we stand.

Ten Literary Characters I Would Totally Make Out With If I Were Single and They Were Real But I’m Not, Single I Mean, I Am Real, But I’m Also Happily Married and Want to Stay That Way So Maybe We Should Forget This.

I couldn’t resist the title of this meme, found over at Bookfoolery & Babble. Too funny. And there are so many hot imaginary men!

1. Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice (self evident!)

2. Harvey Muldane from But Not for Me, a Harlequin I’ve recently confessed my soft spot for - he’s definitely Darcy inspired.

3. Rhett Butler from Gone with the Wind

The following was submitted by SAG board member and regular U.H. contributor Justine Bateman.

Remember how at the beginning of the WGA's negotiations, the CEOs made a threat about getting rid of residuals? Well, by my reading, the DGA deal does that for TV.

Are you ready to trade an entire year's worth of TV residuals for a one-time fee of $1,200?

Currently, writers and directors both make

Worms

We went worm-hunting, we did, me and you, we did.
Thing is, when a man is to go fishing, he needs the worms.
And so, my great God, I dug ‘em as though my last three lives
Depended on a damn-good basketfull right now.

I dug, and scraped, and so did you.
Until we found a few, curling and lost. Disoriented worms,

I was saddened to learn today of the passing of legendary TV comedian Dick Martin, who passed away due to respiratory problems at the age of 86. He will forever be remembered in teaming up with Dan Rowan to form "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In," which was a classic comedy hour that was filled with all kinds of sketch comedy, one-liners and political and risque humor, and made stars of people like Goldie Hawn, Ruth Buzzi, Henry Gibson, Arte Johnson and Joanne Worley.

The show ran from January 1968 until it was canceled in May 1973. I was a faithful viewer of the show even in my youth (I was a hip kid), as my TV was always on NBC every Monday night at 8 PM. In their openers, Rowan played the exasperated "straight man" to Martin's "dumb guy," and it made some classic humor.

My favorite Dick Martin character was "Ferd Berfel," the neighbor in a recurring sketch, "The Farkel Family." Every show would end with Rowan saying "Say good night, Dick," to which Martin would always say, "Good night Dick."

Here is a YouTube clip of one of Rowan and Martin classic openers:

1. LSU- PR- 2
LSU had an impressive comeback win over Florida Saturday night. They are the clear number one right now, but looks like the Tigers will have another down to the wire match up at Kentucky this week.
2. California- PR- 3
Cal had a week off but they move up to the 2 spot with USC losing. Cal looks like the favorite right now in the Pac 10. If they can continue to put up points like they've been doing they should win out. I can't wait for their match up with USC on Nov. 10.
3. Ohio St.- PR- 5With the way OSU has been playing they're definitely one of the top teams in the country. An impressive win over Purdue boosts them even more. Easy game vs. Kent St. before they play Michigan St.
4. South Florida- PR- 6

LiveJournal's Fans for the WGA group has been brainstorming and executing on a variety of fan actions over the course of the strike, and this week's fan action is of particular importance considering what's about to go down on the airwaves tonight.

Letterman, Leno, Kimmel, Conan, and Ferguson are going back to work, and most of them are going back without their respective writing staffs. But

Friday Fill-In #49
1. I love the nostalgia surrounding Christmas.
2. Blue is/are my favorite color(s) for the Christmas tree lights.
3. The non-existent candles in the window have non-existent bulbs.
4. A Christmas Story (You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!) is one of my most favorite Christmas movies.
5. My favorite Christmas lyric(s) is/are

Marin Japanese Restaurant Scene. The Japanese restaurant scene has had quite a few changes in the last few months, so I thought it time to post an update, and expand it to some other Japanese restaurants visited.

I find it rather amazing that I've visited every Japanese restaurant in Marin save one. If I'm missing any, please let me know!

Japanese Restaurants and others serving "Japanese" food (and link to my review, if I wrote one, or other info)

Larkspur

If you’ve read Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, then you know who Lord John is. If you need a reminder, he’s a Major in the British Army who was once the jailer of Jamie Fraser. They eventually become friends but it’s a rocky road. For, you see, Lord John is in love with Jamie and the feelings are not mutual.

(This just in from the WGA... I've heard similar sentiment from friends and family all over the nation. The temperature I'm reading -- the whole country is fed up with corporate conglomerates caring only about the bottom line, and not about the welfare of their workers.)