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As we await the announcement of the theme of the WGA's next picketing event (we're hoping a petting zoo is involved, or at least a parade of more cute dogs in sweaters bearing protest slogans), here's the obligatory morning round-up of strike-related news.

· Skillfully employing adorable babies, enough famous faces to fill an entire supermarket checkout aisle's worth of celebrity weeklies, and colorful, signage-based attacks on their opponents in their publicity-attracting picketing efforts, the WGA seems to be winning the PR war against the studios; a pair of surveys reveals the striking writers are eliciting much more public sympathy than the faceless multimedia conglomerates that may never find an infant cute enough to sell the idea that there's no money to be made on the internet. [Variety]

· The head of IATSE gives the WGA a tongue-lashing over its handling of the negotiations, claiming the the Guild was hellbent on walking off the job just so it could throw totally sweet Rage Against the Machine concerts in Rupert Murdoch's backyard and eat yummy pizzas with Eva Longoria. Unsurprisingly, WGA president Patric Verrone takes issue with this characterization of the union's strategy. [THR]
· Money must be getting tight at NBC, as they're starting to auction off props from popular shows shut down by the strike. [Reuters/THR]
· Executive expense accounts are the latest victims of the Companies' belt-tightening measures, with many networks cutting back expenditures on travel and car services—unless trips utilizing pricey chauffeured coaches can somehow include the mowing down of a couple of picketers as they drive to their meetings on studio lots. [Variety]
· In an unscientific poll, it is revealed that words-loving Scrabble enthusiasts overwhelmingly support the writers' position. [DHD]
· Frustrated by stalled contract talks, Gollum has taken it upon himself to coax key executives from the AMPTP back to the bargaining table. [Scribe Vibe]

[Photo: Getty Images]