It's one thing to make slobby engineers hire tuxedos for a holiday party, as Yahoo's London management is doing. And, if the alternative is a reject act from American Idol, the show at the internet giant's Bay Area party, then it may be best to skip the entertainment. But never, at least not in hard-drinking England, skimp on the free bar. It's a cultural thing. An outraged local, after the jump:

Further to your post about the piss-poor Yahoo Christmas party in the US, the Yahoo London Christmas party is by all indications going to be an order of magnitude worse. No entertainment has been booked for the party, and the venue that has been booked rather brilliantly has a capacity of 500 (there are 750 employees in London). Even better, the company isn't even putting its hand in its pockets deep enough to pay for drinks all night - there is apparently a 'limited fund' behind the bar (does not apply to Champagne), and once that has expired, us worker bees have to buy our own drinks all night. Oh and also, after complaints that last year's party 'theme' of black tie was uninspired and boring, this year's theme is Casino Royale. Or 'black tie', if you prefer.

As a result, the engineering department's pretty much boycotting our own Christmas party, and spending the money we're expected to spend hiring a tuxedo on booze in a half-decent bar instead. Some might point out that this is all a pretty good metaphor for the state that Yahoo is currently in, but I wouldn't be so unkind, no sir.

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