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Yahoo!It was a rare but welcome sight: smiles and genuine cheer on the faces of those stuck in the News-Press trenches. That's what happened last night, Thursday, December 7, when a gaggle of courageous N-P newsroom employees past and present converged at El Paseo to party down at The Independent's annual holiday shabang. For the first time in months, these reporters and editors were sporting grins and having a great time, dancing to '80s hits, drinking El Paseo's finest, and hamming it up with Indy staffers, who were once sworn crosstown enemies, at least in the days when the daily was a functioning paper and rivalry was ripe. It's a twisted world these days, though, so backward in fact that we Indy folks were treated to many heartfelt thanks from the N-P newsroom crew, as they slapped our backs for continuing to cover the De la Guerra meltdown. Luckily for us at The Indy, we could respond with the simple, "We're just doing our jobs." Sadly, the News-Pressers are just trying to do the same, but keep getting thwarted by their wacky owner and her crew of legal attack dogs (who, by the way, are making lawyers laugh loudly from New York to Los Angeles with their off-the-wall, roundly baseless litigation).
One such pitfall of being a News-Press
employee these days is that the holiday party is now off-limits fo
anyone other than their live-in
partners.
Earlier today on the comments of this blog, a reader wrote
the
following letter to Dr. Laura, asking for what to
do
in the event of a fiancee who doesn't live with her
man.
One such pitfall of being a News-Press employee these days is that the holiday party is now off-limits fo anyone other than their live-in partners. Yes, it seems that the paranoia and oddity has slipped down to the newspaper's seasonal festivities, as addresses and identification will be checked at the door of El Paseo next Thursday, when they have their party. (Nonetheless, we bet it'll be quite the party to crash just for bragging rights, even with all the dour moods and frowns sure to be attending.) Earlier today on the comments of this blog, a reader wrote the following letter to Dr. Laura, asking for what to do in the event of a fiancee who doesn't live with her man. It's such a kick that we decided to reproduce it here, and give it the brighter light it deserves. Dr. Laura? Are you out there? Any answers? And why didn't The Indy get any invites to the N-P soiree? It's only fair, considering your staff was at out party, right? Here's the letter: Dear Dr. Laura, My boss Wendy McCaw stays behind her closed doors and so I’m turning to you for advice. It’s about our News-Press holiday party at the El Paseo next week. I’ve worked at the newspaper for 8 years and I’m engaged to marry my boyfriend on New Year's Eve. My sweetheart and I have been saving ourselves for marriage and we're continuing to live apart until our wedding night. I’m sure you’d approve. How can I go with my fiancé to the party? Wendy’s invitation says I have to be either be married or living with Jim for him to go. Wendy says her security people will be checking names and addresses at the door. Should Jim move in with me, to live “in sin” before the party, like fiancés Wendy and Arthur, so that my boyfriend can enjoy the company party with me? Do you think it deviant and a biological error, Dr. Laura, or even fair, that Travis and his live-in boyfriend get to go to the party when my fiancé and I can’t? Is there any way I can celebrate with both my loved one and my co-workers and yet continue to live apart until marriage? I want to have my friends from work meet Jim. I don’t want to skip the party like other employees. They think there’s nothing to celebrate when so many lives have been ruined this year. I don’t want my boyfriend to have to try to sneak in—look at what Wendy’s bouncers did to that man at the Biltmore, and he had a ticket! Dr. Laura, am I being discriminated against since my private lifestyle – straight, moral and believing in marriage and children – isn’t shared by those who run the paper, Wendy, Arthur and Travis? Do I need a union to protect me? What would you and Jesus have me do? I sent this to your email address and you haven’t responded. I know from your column that you read the Independent and I hope you can answer me. Your advice is sincerely appreciated. Merry Christmas. Signed, a loyal, hard working News-Press employee P.S. If my boyfriend moves in with me so that he can go to our Christmas party, what ID does he bring to the door? Should I try to put the water bill in his name? Hope to see you there.
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STOP WHINING! I'M SHOCKED! If you'd read my "15 minute.." (hint, hint buy MY BOOKS) you'd know how to live your life without asking stupid questions! We don't have to answer your letters. We have machines and workers! Don't forget the times I told you : "Honor thy father and mother. Even bad parents deserve to be honored if only at a minimal level." "Your fiancee went to a licensed psychotherapist. I am that too!" "I am a prophet...I am a prophet." "I have never, ever said that I was a prophet! That's a total, complete lie." "You are stupid and uninformed." "When O'Reilly questioned Stossel for the explanation to why liberals give less, while promoting culture wars claiming liberals and Democrats are more compassionate toward the poor and middle class than conservatives and Republicans, the answer was that liberals relied on government to take care of these things. {new paragraph!} Clever 'out' dont you think?" * "Bias is bias is bias:" If you want more of my moral authority, BUY MY BOOKS! Join MY CLUB. And GIVE$$$$$$$$$ to MY CHARITY. Don't listen to those that say: "People like this are not only dangerous to others, they're dangerous to themselves. And it wouldn't be our business to criticize her were it not for the fact that she makes it her busine$$ to
criticize everyone else." Every good wish for the holiday.
"Bias is bias is bias:"
December 8, 2006 at 2:22 p.m.
December 8, 2006. News-Press, front page: A two week old story about the vandalism of River View Park in the valley. Way to go, Steepleton. You're really running a tight ship over there, you clown.
As for Dr. Laura, where to begin. The "Dear Laura" letter is a nifty stroke that nicely encapsulates the stupidity of the people "running" the News-Press. - Thanks to the author.
Jim John
December 8, 2006 at 3:32 p.m.
Dr. Laura,
I know a transvesite who is going to bring his wife to Wendy's big holiday bash. She is going to try to sneak in her boyfriend who is a midget (excuse me, a little person).
My problem is that I am engaged to a horse named Ed (a consenting adult) and I want to know if it would be unethical to introduce Ed as my husband.
Ed and I live in a barn at Neverland.
Also my dilemna is that Ed is insisting that Travis to ride him home after the big bash.
Should I be jealous or concerned that I might have to put Ed down if Travis runs into something that late at night and later blows a .21 percent?
Raul Hernandez
December 8, 2006 at 9:43 p.m.
Blowing a 0.21 percent is nuttin.
Travis Armstrong blew a 0.23, and is forever known as wrong-way, triple-drunk Travis.
Leaky
December 8, 2006 at 10:36 p.m.
A song about Wrong Way is here:
http://www.esnips.com/web/guildedtruthsO...
wTunes
December 9, 2006 at 10:31 a.m.
The NewsPress staff rally and march-demonstration is now scheduled to show on Santa Barbara Channels, Channel 17, on the following dates and times. This video was produced by Larry Nimmer.
SCHEDULE
Saturday, Dec. 9 at 6:00 pm
Sunday, Dec. 10 at 9:30 pm
Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 10 am
Wednesday, Dec 13 at 5 pm and 10:30 pm
Thursday, Dec. 14 at 8 pm
Saturday, Dec 16 at 11 am
Sunday, Dec 17 at 10:30 pm
This show is listed as "SBNP Demonstration"
Full programming schedule here:
http://www.sbchannels.tv/cgi-bin/schedul...
David Pritchett
December 9, 2006 at 12:26 p.m.
Thanks to David! I love the El Paseo! We would not want to be invited to Wendy's world, still fun to crash with new camera! The letter to Dr. Laura could be fun if it was not true. Neither Wendy McCaw or Dr. Laura bother to answer. FEARFUL COWARDS! They don't have a clue about journalism or newspapers. I guess Dr. Laura deserves a break. Her kid is in the service. I hear he's "top secret". He's going to be gone long or long gone , that's the spin.
El Paseo Funny Times!
December 9, 2006 at 2:24 p.m.
I heard the NewsPest party will be at Rob Lowe's beach house..exclusive pics at
http://sonny.egoweblog.com/blog/sonny141...
Sonny
December 10, 2006 at 6:24 a.m.
In the posh stateroom of Calixe, the Baron and Baroness feel another shudder. Shrugging, they continue dining, sipping a 1990 Dom Perignon Oenotheque, and exchanging misty, deep looks.
Far below the waterline, the iceberg tears the gash deeper into the hull. Melinda Burns is on KTYD in a Teamster's commercial, blasting McCaw and urging readers to cancel their subscriptions. More cold water pours in, but the publishers remain ignorant.
Going down
December 11, 2006 at 7:22 a.m.
Big front page story this morning about an anti-war protest at de la Guerra plaza.
What happened to the story about the anti-News-Press protest at de la Guerra plaza?
Banish the Bias!
December 11, 2006 at 7:28 a.m.
Dear Dr. Laura,
Wendy is never around and Arthur still can’t get my name right, so I’m turning to you. I’ve worked at the News-Press for 10 years and have dated Bob for 6. He lives in Glendale and I live in Goleta. We alternate staying with each other EVERY weekend and spend all of our vacations together. Although I would never pose nude for internet photos, we’re not “saving ourselves” for marriage. We do love each other very much.
This weekend, it’s Bob’s turn at my apartment. Does Bob make the grade as a “live-in” so that I can take him to the News-Press Christmas party? Is 2/7 living, vacations and six years enough? With everything that’s happened, it might be creepy and I don’t want to go by myself. How much do Wendy and Arthur sleep together anyway? If Wendy’s cops keep him out, can he stand outside and watch through the window?
Signed, another loyal but puzzled employee
Dear Laura
December 11, 2006 at 7:33 a.m.
Where can we see the peeps of the festivities? Will Leno be there? Who?
anonymous
December 14, 2006 at 1:29 a.m.
How was the News-Press holiday party 2006?
anonymous
December 16, 2006 at 8:01 p.m.
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