The following is from "Eureka" showrunner Charlie Craig's blog "My Second Strike".

I’m sticking by my prediction of us going back to work sometime the week after next, but I caution that is based on optimism, a trait I have little experience with.

One thing’s for sure: in the scenario I just laid out, the shit’s going to hit the fan faster than anyone realizes. The whole hyphenate thing is

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”

Robert J. Elisberg, who writes the regular WGA Strike Primer columns on The Huffington Post, responds below to Michael Cieply's recent article in the New York Times entitled, Writers Strike Tests Mettle of 2 Outsiders.

Last week, Michael Cieply wrote once-again about his perception of “fissures” in the Writers Guild. It’s a theme of his. Back during the 1988 WGA strike he specialized in writing

Here we are at another Friday. But Thanksgiving is less than a week away! We still don't know we're doing this year, so I could or could not be making a big dinner. We'll just have to wait and see. I hope you can handle the suspense. What are your Thanksgiving plans? Any Rachael Ray dishes on the proposed menu? Check out my post from earlier this week if you're still looking for ideas.

Gosh, I don't know. Do you?

I've been asked many times if the strike is going to end this week. Nikki Finke posted a very optimistic report from an insider yesterday morning, and that has set off a wave of enthusiasm. "Fire up the margarita machine!" you say.

Well, not so fast. First of all, it's November, and who drinks margaritas in November?

The strike is over and our hosts are back to work. But as soon as they get settled in, they'll be returning with a new post-strike incarnation of United Hollywood Live. Details to come.

And to all the listeners, guests and volunteers who made UH Live - Version 1.0 such a big success, a sincere and heartfelt thank you.

On Sunday, from Noon-4:00pm, Angelo Peloni, the owner of La Bruschetta Ristorante, in West LA, celebrated the end of the strike by hosting a buffet lunch for any writer who wanted to stop by. A tradition he started back in 1988 when his friend George Kirgo was the President of the WGA, Angelo and his wife, Susana, generously opened their kitchen and sent out platter after platter of antipasti,

Tonight, I received a call from Larry Gelbart. Technically, it was Robot Larry Gelbart, via an automated call system. (During the strike authorization process, I received a call from Robot Stephen Gaghan.) Larry's message dealt with the rumors and media reports of the past 48 hours. His advice: "Lay them aside and pick up a picket sign."

We will try to bring you the full text of his message. (

Statement from Chief Negotiator David Young and the WGA Negotiating Committee.

We have attempted to negotiate with the AMPTP companies since July. First they ignored our opening proposals. Then they told us we had to choose between their two horrible proposals. Then we removed DVDs from the table. Their response was to walk out of negotiations and tell the press that we were the ones who walked. Last week they presented us with another set of ultimatums. They didn’t even wait for a reply but broke off negotiations and walked out again.

There is a strategy at work here.

In any negotiation there are bottom line goals and “fringe” goals. The AMPTP wants to make the WGA reduce our demands to the bottom line so we’ll negotiate down from an acceptable deal to a bad deal If we do this, as we did with DVDs, you can be sure they would not hand us the deal we want. They would simply try to further wear us down.

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.

RUMOR: A group of "A-list" writers is holding a meeting this weekend to formulate strategy on how to "force" the WGA to accept whatever deal the DGA signs with the AMPTP.
STATUS: Confusion reigns!

United Hollywood has been in touch with both WGA insiders and Nikki Finke today regarding the truth here. Some UH contributors are now convinced that the group is very real, numbers approximately

Emotions are flying fast and furious around this issue: do we hold a ratification vote before we lift the strike? Or do we go back to work as quickly as Monday, and hold the vote afterwards?

To get our position up here as quickly and accurately as possible, we decided to do separate grafs signed by each of us, and combine them into one post.

We're all coming at this from different perspectives

From screenwriter Brian Nelson (HARD CANDY, 30 DAYS OF NIGHT) --

The other day I had a conversation with a friend of mine who works in Craft Services. It was an unsettling talk. While this friend has been quite supportive of me all through the strike, during this talk he kept raising points that felt more like what people on the other side would say. "Well, it'll take a long time to undo all the damage ... the moment there was a DGA deal, why didn't the WGA just jump on that? ... It seemed like they were a lot more willing to talk to the DGA than to you guys, and I wonder why." I took a while and patiently responded to all these points, but it struck me that every time I'd respond, he didn't really acknowledge it but came back with another bone to pick.

What it brought home to me was that while my friend was definitely on our side because he felt that the corporate bosses were out to screw us all, he still was very wary of the WGA. Now that the WGA didn't need him so overtly on our side, he felt freer to express a lot of the frustration that BTL people must still feel.

This was submitted by WGA member Robert Eisele, who was present for both the strike in 1985 and the longer strike of 1988.

"Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it."
-- George Santayana, 1905

In 1988, writers endured a strike of nearly six months. In 2008, we are now approaching the halfway point of the length of that strike.

Although most Guild members in ’88 stood strong

Life on Strike was originally produced for The Strike Show, a live comedy-variety show that raised money to benefit members of the industry who are affected by the strike via the Motion Picture and Television Fund. and features Ana Ortiz (UGLY BETTY), Nick Kroll, (CAVEMEN), and Kat Foster (TIL' DEATH).

Things have been a little on the nutty side here at work this week. I am going to go home early today, which is nice. I worked 11 1/2 hours Wednesday! It was insane. Things are a little slower today, which is nice. I'll update more later this weekend.

While I know I need to get a lot of sleep, sleep alludes me. I was up and wide awake this morning at 7:30, even though I had gotten up three times in the middle of the night. I did however, take a three hour nap on Sunday. It was awesome, but left me feeling foggy the rest of the day.

This weekend we celebrated Dan's birthday with a bunch of friends. It was really nice getting to meet his friend from work and his wife. We of course played games, but mostly we girls sat around and talked. My one pregnant friend brought her baby, who was just too cute. My son will be right in the middle of her oldest and future baby. So he already has some playmates in store for him. I think Dan had a good time. He loves playing host. We did forget to eat his cake though. We were cleaning up after everyone had left and noticed the uneaten cake. So at five minutes until midnight we broke out the cake and candles and sang happy birthday. Needless to say the cake we ate was just sitting in my stomach. Not the best going to bed food!

Last week I worked 10 hours, but was then able to use up my remaining sick and personal time to cover the rest of the week, woohoo! I also knocked out plumbers and dentist this last week. This week I will actually get a real break. The only think I have on my calendar is my birth class and pest control. : ) Exciting life : )

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 is excerpted from the email that Warners strike captain Brian Hartt sent to other captains this week, with permission. Brian is an Emmy-nominated writer who coordinates all of the Warners picket teams, as well as being the showrunner on Mind of Mencia who helped get 4 West Coast and 2 East Coast shows on Comedy Central covered by the WGA contract . His tireless work and dedication are inspiring.

As I'm sure you all know, the AMPTP walked away from the table Friday.

You all should have, by now, gotten John Bowman's response to the "nice try" press release by the company's lap dog. Let me stress something that John mentioned - their press release came out minutes after they walked away.

Responding to my post ("The Faces of the Strike") earlier today, Anonymous said what a lot of us have been thinking. I think it's worth reprinting in its entirety.

Anonymous said...

Not "some accountant in one of the AMPTP companies"...every single company has done extensive financial analysis on this situation, and it's what will drive all decisions made from the AMPTP side.

Business decisions from executive management are based almost exclusively on finances...and often short term finances over long- or medium-term finances.

AMPTP knows exactly when this strike will end.

This was sent today to WGA members from Presidents Verrone and Winship:

To Our Fellow Members:

On Tuesday, members of the Writers Guilds East and West voted by a 92.5% margin to lift the restraining order that was invoked on November 5th. The strike is over.

Writing can resume immediately. If you were employed when the strike began, you should plan to report to work on Wednesday. If you're not

The Writer's Strike Story (So Far) depicts events through moments in classic film:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkvttQRZtBo

Mogul "Saddened" By WGA Strike demonstrates how one mogul is coping during the Writer's Strike:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A14db2Wco0

A fan broadcasts how the strike is affecting him, and pleads with the CEO's to come back and negotiate.
http://www.thepalestra.com