CBS news writers, who have been working under an expired contract for the past two years, are threatening to join their WGA brethren (and low-level tv bloggers) and go on strike before week's end. "About 500 unionized news writers could soon join their creative colleagues on the picket line", reports HuffPo.

In response, CBS released a statement saying they are "prepared for the possibility of a writers strike [and] will continue to produce quality news programming."

Which, for whatever reason, brought that old joke to mind. You know, the one where the doctor tells a man with two broken hands that he needs an operation, and the man cries out, "Will I be able to play the violin after the surgery?" and the doctor says, "I don't see why not!" and the relieved patient replies, "Oh, that's great. I never really could play it before."

On a completely different subject, thanks for the prompt reassurances, CBS. For what it's worth, we look forward to seeing the same quality of news programming we've come to know and expect from your network. With or without the writer's strike.