Christmas Party

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has begun termination proceedings against six deputies who were part of what officials are describing as an aggressive group that may have used gang-like hand signs to identify themselves before allegedly assaulting two fellow deputies at a Christmas party last year. The firing of six deputies in connection with a single incident is one of the largest in the department's history, officials said. The men all worked on the third floor of Men's Central Jail, where they allegedly were part of a clique that had certain gang-like characteristics, including three-finger hand signs, representing the third floor.

A few years ago Ann Coulter published a book titled "How to Talk to Liberal (If You Must). " With all due respect, Coulter, one of my favorite conservative eye-pokers, was wrong. There is no "how" in talking to a liberal. You can't talk to a liberal, period. Believe me, I've tried. I've got a liberal mother, four liberal siblings and their assorted liberal offspring, and a horde of liberal friends (I went to college and grad school). Whenever I advance to them even the mildest of challenges to liberal orthodoxies, on topics ranging from the welfare state to illegal immigration to abortion, I'm greeted with name-calling, obscenities, shout-overs and, finally, the grave-like silence of ostracism.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has begun termination proceedings against six deputies who were part of what officials are describing as an aggressive group that may have used gang-like hand signs to identify themselves before allegedly assaulting two fellow deputies at a Christmas party last year. The firing of six deputies in connection with a single incident is one of the largest in the department's history, officials said. The men all worked on the third floor of Men's Central Jail, where they allegedly were part of a clique that had certain gang-like characteristics, including three-finger hand signs, representing the third floor.

COMEDY The 1988 Nakatomi Corporation Christmas Party The improvised comedy show turns action-thriller "Die Hard" into a 1988 holiday office party. The whole cast of coworkers will be there: Nakatomi President Joe Takagi, Holly Gennaro (recently separated from her husband, John McClane), Harry Ellis and more. Enjoy the train wreck that's sure to come. Upright Citizens Brigade, 5919 Franklin Ave., Hollywood. 11 p.m. $5. (323) 908-8702. losangeles.ucbtheatre.com . MUSIC Watch the Throne The long-gestating project combines the strengths of two rappers of the last two decades, Jay-Z and Kanye West, who have worked together often but never on a collaborative full-length album.

A few years ago Ann Coulter published a book titled "How to Talk to Liberal (If You Must). " With all due respect, Coulter, one of my favorite conservative eye-pokers, was wrong. There is no "how" in talking to a liberal. You can't talk to a liberal, period. Believe me, I've tried. I've got a liberal mother, four liberal siblings and their assorted liberal offspring, and a horde of liberal friends (I went to college and grad school). Whenever I advance to them even the mildest of challenges to liberal orthodoxies, on topics ranging from the welfare state to illegal immigration to abortion, I'm greeted with name-calling, obscenities, shout-overs and, finally, the grave-like silence of ostracism.

A Christmas party for Men's Central Jail employees turned ugly when a brawl broke out that resulted in seven Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies being relieved of duty, officials confirmed. Roughly 100 guests, including sheriff's supervisors, had gathered Friday night in Montebello. The party was winding down near midnight when local police received an anonymous 911 call reporting a fight at the Quiet Cannon banquet hall, officials said. It was unclear if alcohol was involved, but sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said "it was a Christmas party, one could assume there was" drinking.

A group of sixth-graders from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School in Santa Clarita celebrated an early Christmas on Monday with about 30 first-time mothers--most of them disadvantaged teenagers--and their babies. "This is so much fun, I've never seen so many babies in one place," said 11-year-old Andrew DeGiorgio, one of the sixth-graders.

Question: Last December I met a really cute guy at our office Christmas party. Our company has several branches, and he works at an office about an hour away. We seemed to hit it off really well and even talked about getting together after the holidays. I've thought about him a lot since then and am convinced that there was something special between us. But it's been several weeks and I haven't heard from him yet. Do you think I should call him at work and invite him to dinner?

The Variety Boys and Girls Club will host its 45th annual Christmas party for members on Saturday. The party begins at 10 a.m. Candy, fruit and toys will be given to children age 7 to 17 who are members. Annual membership at the club, 2530 Cincinnati St., is $2, which includes sports and recreation programs, educational and computer classes, field trips and games. Information: (213) 269-3177.

The City Council has approved a city staff request for $10,000 for the city employees' Christmas party. The request came from City Manager Howard Caldwell's office, who asked for "funds not to exceed $10,000 for the 1992 employees' Christmas party." The three council members present, Omar Bradley, Jane D. Robbins and Bernice Woods, passed the motion without discussion. "The city manager annually asks for about $10,000 for the Christmas party, but usually only spends about $4,000," Bradley said.

Two Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies who were allegedly attacked by other deputies at a Christmas party last year have accused the department of encouraging an atmosphere of lawlessness and violence among its jail employees, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday. The allegations stem from an altercation at a Montebello banquet hall last December when about half a dozen deputies allegedly assaulted two others and punched a female deputy who tried to intervene in the face. The deputies who were described as the aggressors worked on the third floor of Men's Central Jail, where they were believed to have formed an aggressive clique known to flash gang-like hand signs.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has begun termination proceedings against six deputies who were part of what officials are describing as an aggressive group that may have used gang-like hand signs to identify themselves before allegedly assaulting two fellow deputies at a Christmas party last year. The firing of six deputies in connection with a single incident is one of the largest in the department's history, officials said. The men all worked on the third floor of Men's Central Jail, where they allegedly were part of a clique that had certain gang-like characteristics, including three-finger hand signs, representing the third floor.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has begun termination proceedings against six deputies who were part of what officials are describing as an aggressive group that may have used gang-like hand signs to identify themselves before allegedly assaulting two fellow deputies at a Christmas party last year. The firing of six deputies in connection with a single incident is one of the largest in the department's history, officials said. The men all worked on the third floor of Men's Central Jail, where they allegedly were part of a clique that had certain gang-like characteristics, including three-finger hand signs, representing the third floor.

The flashing lights, inflatable Santas and desiccated Christmas trees have all come down, and so have the gaudy ratings numbers for KOST-FM (103.5) ? annual home of nonstop holiday music. Once Christmas was over, KOST returned to its normal playlist of adult-contemporary music and dropped from first to second in the January ratings, according to figures released this week by the Arbitron ratings service. The station ? which every year since 2001 has converted to constant carols for the holidays and seen a subsequent bump in its popularity ?

A deputy at the L.A. County Men's Central Jail was arrested on suspicion of public drunkenness during the USC- UCLA football game at the Rose Bowl, marking the latest allegation of off-duty wrongdoing by jail guards. Deputy Joseph Gonzalez was arrested by Pasadena police on a misdemeanor charge during the Dec. 4 game. The Sheriff's Department confirmed that Gonzalez was relieved of duty while an internal investigation was completed but would not say why, citing personnel rules. Two weeks ago, seven deputies at Men's Central were relieved of duty after violence broke out at their employee Christmas party in Montebello.

A Christmas party for Men's Central Jail employees turned ugly when a brawl broke out that resulted in seven Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies being relieved of duty, officials confirmed. Roughly 100 guests, including sheriff's supervisors, had gathered Friday night in Montebello. The party was winding down near midnight when local police received an anonymous 911 call reporting a fight at the Quiet Cannon banquet hall, officials said. It was unclear if alcohol was involved, but sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said "it was a Christmas party, one could assume there was" drinking.

More than 100 current and former burn patients and their families gathered at the Garden Grove Community Center on Wednesday afternoon to celebrate the holidays during the Orange County Burn Assn.'s 11th annual Burn Survivor Christmas Party. Mostly attended by younger patients, the annual Christmas party gave the victims an opportunity to socialize with other survivors, as well as the physicians, nurses, therapists and volunteers who helped care for them.

Lt. Col. Oliver L. North and retired Rear Adm. John M. Poindexter were guests last week at one of Vice President George Bush's Christmas parties, a spokesman said today. "They are among the people routinely invited," said Steve Hart, Bush's acting press secretary. "He's had a long-term relationship with both men and . . . he won't exclude them because they're down."

A Christmas party for Men's Central Jail employees turned ugly when a brawl broke out that resulted in seven Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies being relieved of duty, officials confirmed. Roughly 100 guests, including sheriff's supervisors, had gathered Friday night in Montebello. The party was winding down near midnight when local police received an anonymous 911 call reporting a fight at the Quiet Cannon banquet hall, officials said. It was unclear if alcohol was involved, but sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said "it was a Christmas party, one could assume there was" drinking.

"My son was murdered." That's how the mothers and the fathers begin their sentences. They've lost loved ones to the violent streets of Baltimore -- just weeks ago, or maybe years ago -- and they want to talk. Need to talk. They seek out a reporter. "Do you want to talk to me about my son?" They're wearing T-shirts with photos of their lost children on the front. They're holding pictures above their heads for all to see. They're clutching white angels to put on a tree in a room at the downtown courthouse.