The LA Times carried the story this morning of the "debate" staged by striking WGA writers, held for the benefit of politicians in the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. The writers came to educate and inform D.C., in the way that only these guys can.

A small excerpt:

On one side, in shirts, was the striking Writers Guild of America, played by "Daily Show" writers Rob Kutner, Tim

I hope everyone has started back on the path to "normalcy". I, for one, was happy to see writers embraced on The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. And both shows were the better for being written by their writing staffs.

When the strike started we heard a lot of talk about writers writing specs during the strike. But I actually don't know anyone who wrote a script during the past 3 months. Some

Received an invite this morning from the DaVinci Institute in Denver to attend Night with a Futurist on July 7. Sometimes I wish I lived in the Denver area as their events usually seem relevant and interesting. Anyway, this next event is called "The Transformative Nature of Burning Man" with Scott Perlman, Co-Founder and COO of Think Like a Genius who has participated in the Burning Man event five times as well as organized the Colorado regional burning man event.

Some time ago, a co-worker of mine shared photos of when she attended the Burning Man event, so this invite reminded me to find out more about it. Upon further exploration, it did get me thinking about some Burning Man questions that may be relevant to what you're doing.

What kind of temporary community would you create, what would you name it, and where would you locate it?
What if there were no selling, no transportation other than walking or biking, and no dogs?
Who would you invite to participate, who would want to participate, and who would just show up as members of your community?
What would it feel like to participate in a community that would totally disappear with no trace within a month's time?

The political website moveon.org has started a petition to bring back "The Daily Show":

Why are The Daily Show, Colbert Report, and other TV shows in re-runs? TV studios are refusing to pay writers fairly--causing them to strike.

The studios will make over $120 million in ad revenue this year showing TV programs on the web. But they want to give writers a one-time payment of $250—that's right, $250—for unlimited use of their content online. This unbelievable greed is keeping Jon Stewart and his team off the air.

Can you sign this petition to the studio executives--and then ask all your friends who love "The Daily Show" to sign it too?

A compiled petition with your individual comment will be presented to the major studio executives.

(From fans4writers.com:)

Fans should gather at Universal Studios beginning at 11:00 AM. We have a customizable picket sign (pdf) you can use. Mingle with other fans, wave your signs, experience the thumbs-up and honking car horns of passing drivers.

Then, when the time comes, head to NBC Burbank, where many striking writers will be headed, in time for a larger strike rally to be visited by presidential candidate John Edwards beginning at 1:45 PM.

This is a relatively last-minute event, so spread the word far and wide. And keep an eye out here for future developments, because preliminary discussions are underway for a much larger Fan Day event to show the Companies just how much fans support the writers have.

Norman Borisoff (Academy Award winner Titan: The Story of Michelangelo, writer: Ironside, Quincy, I Spy) was one of many who attended The Homecoming Picket outside of Sony yesterday.

The picket was a small way for newer members to pay tribute to the veteran writers, actors, and directors who helped form and shape the unions we are protected by today.

Other attendees included:

Christopher Knopf (president of the WGA 1965-1967, The Dick Powell Show, The Big Valley, Dr. Kildaire, and Equal Justice.

Hollywood Homecoming, an event honoring the veteran writers, directors and stars of yesteryear who helped form and shape the unions we are fighting to protect, will be held this Friday, November 30th, from 10AM-12PM at Sony Studios in Culver City.

But your help is needed getting the word out and locating those trailblazers of Hollywood's Golden Age.

So who do you know? Is Shirley Temple your next door neighbor? Do you go to church with Esther Williams? Are you related to Mickey Rooney? Do you live next door to an Academy Award winning director from years past? Was your grandfather one of the writers on "The Wizard of Oz?" Did your great aunt work as the assistant to David O. Selznick? Does your family have a long history in the biz?

Help locate these guests and join us to pay tribute to them.

Rachael Ray wrote on her blog about her participation in the 2007 DogCatemy Awards. This sounds like one heck on an event. It is hosted by North Shore Animal League America, "the world's largest no-kill animal shelter."

This was sent yesterday to WGAW members:

Dear WGAW Members,

As you know, we are currently meeting informally with the companies under a news blackout. However, we would like to take this opportunity to urge you to attend this Monday’s WGA-SAG Unity Day picket at Fox Studios in Century City. More info here.

This joint WGA-SAG picket event will once again demonstrate to the entertainment

(From WGA Member and Colbert Report Writer Frank Lesser.)

Good news, guys! In solidarity with the WGA, all the cute internet
animals are going on strike.

WGA WRITERS THANK OUR COMMUNITY
FREE EVENT AT SHERMAN OAKS CASTLE PARK
FOR ANYONE OUT OF WORK BECAUSE OF THE STRIKE
As the WGA strike moves into a second month, we, a group of writers, want to recognize the members of our community who are out of work or otherwise impacted. While we support our union’s actions, we feel badly that the strike is taking a toll on so many people who are not writers. We know that many in the industry have been going through a tough time…and at this point we probably could all use a dose of levity.

To that end, if you are not a writer and are out of work because of the strike, we invite you and your kids to a free afternoon of mini-golf and arcade games at the Sherman Oaks Castle Park. We will provide pizza, ice cream and lots of fun.

The Details:
WGA writers thank our community
December 11, 2007
4pm-7pm

Courtesy of (mostly) Bear at Orange Coat/Orange Yeti, here is the photostream from yesterday's inaugural Tech After Five event:

The event itself.

The post event festivities.

PS: In true Yeti/bigfoot lore fashion, I cannot produce a single material witness and have absolutely no photographic evidence to corroborate my sighting of - and brief conversation with - The Practioner himself at the event. What are the odds. Seriously.

The following is an excerpt of a letter I received from Jay Kogan just prior to the holidays. Three weeks later everything he wrote has either come to pass or still holds true. To read the letter in its entirety click here. And be sure to check out the video Jay shot called, "As Long As It Takes."

The strike, which could have been avoided if the producers wanted to actually negotiate, has

The WGA just announced a new picket event, Bring an Actor Friend to the Line Day, for Tuesday, December 11. I like this event idea. SAG and the WGA have been partners in this from the beginning, and actors have been joining our picket lines every day of the strike. But the focus of this day is a little bit different.

I read on the NY Daily News web site today that Congressman Anthony Weiner wants the FBI to end the investigation into whether Roger Clemens lied to Congress last month because the government should target its resources into more serious threats, like terrorism and organized crime.

Weiner, a Democrat from New York (who ironically enough, was once my representative to Congress and graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School two years after I did), doesn't seem to realize that the genie's out of the bottle, and that Clemens brought all of this on himself. Uncle Sam doesn't like being lied to, and will go after people like Clemens who think they are above the law and think they are bulletproof.

And besides, you know the usual suspects like Al Sharpton will come running out of the woodwork screaming racism if the government lets Clemens off the hook while prosecuting other athletes like Barry Bonds and Marion Jones on similar charges of perjury.

The US government will have to come up with a better excuse than "we have more important business to take care of" if they don't go after Clemens.

This was submitted by WGA member Christopher Trumbo, member for 40 years, and son of WGA member Dalton Trumbo. His insights into the history of the guild are especially valuable now, as the strike continues and the AMPTP tries to divide us.

Last week a coalition of WGA members went to NYC to talk with the seven largest media buyers on Wall Street.

These ad buyers are the large corporations (like Proctor & Gamble, Johson & Johnson, etc.) who advertise on TV and pay the networks' bills.

Our WGA crew, lead by Matthew Weiner, showrunner of "Mad Men," laid out our position to the advertisers -- who for some reason might not be getting entirely accurate forecasts from their corporate customers like CBS.

The event was a success. The coalition of media buyers agreed that our demands are reasonable and that it was "irresponsible on the part of the networks not to settle this dispute immediately."

(The following is a letter from the presidents.)

To Our Fellow Members:

Today, it is our pleasure to inform you that members of the Writers Guilds of America, East and West, have voted to ratify the MBA contract with 93.6% approval. With a total of 4,060 votes cast, the tally was 3,802 to 258. These numbers reaffirm the tremendous level of support and commitment our membership has continuously demonstrated over these last few crucial months.

We are also pleased to report that the trustees of our health fund voted yesterday to follow the recommendation in our strike settlement agreement to provide additional coverage and an extension of the earnings cycle for a full quarter (three months) to participants who would otherwise lose health coverage following an earnings cycle that included all or a portion of the strike period. Participants whose health coverage is paid for by points will only be charged points if they have ten or more points as of April 1, 2008.

Poor Noah has pink eye. He especially hates the gook we have to put on his eyes three times a day. Spent most of yesterday afternoon at church hanging out with the older women in the congregation as they worked on quilts for an upcoming event.

I miss the Golden Globes. The fans miss seeing their favorite stars win awards for their favorite movies and tv shows. The Writers' Guild Awards have also been downgraded to a news event. All the writers who were nominated deserve their moment in the spotlight. And the Academy Awards... That's threatened too. Added to all the economic difficulties created by the strike, why not just let the

This story somehow got lost in my list of posts, but better late than never! InStyle magazine covered an event to benefit the New York City Food Bankthat Rachael Ray and her husband John Cusimano attended.

Rachael and John designed a lunchbox to be auctioned off at the event. Other stars participating included Beyonce, Reese Witherspoon, Mike Myers, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Billy Crudup and Zac Posen. There were a total of over 100 lunchboxes.

Rachael and her husband John also bought the lunchbox designed by Michael Stipe. You can check out a video of the bidding in the video below [via Snack], where John bid $35,000 for the prize:

BALTIMORE:
Photo from Associated Press: Actors Sonja Sohn (left) and Jeffrey Pratt Gordon (center) from the TV show "The Wire" joined striking screenwriter Rafael Alvarez at a Writers Guild protest yesterday in Baltimore.

WGAe employee Karen Young sent us links to articles from the Washington Times and the Baltimore Sun about the picket in Baltimore - attended by members from many different

MONDAY DECEMBER 17th: