Fall TV Shows

Here are Entertainment Weekly's predictions for the shows that will be hits or misses on TV this fall -

http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/08/27/fall-tv-predictions/?xid=email-top25-today-Fall+TV+predictions%3A+10+hits+and+misses

I can't get too excited about most of these.  What I want to know is when will Mad Men be on again?

Birthday Greetings

I celebrated my birthday recently and one of the greetings I received was from ING Direct and I thought it had a nice message.  Enjoy -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfY_vbrQrDQ&feature=colike

End of the World

I was watching a Mad Men rerun the other day and they played the song "End of the World" by Skeeter Davis at the end of the show.  I haven't heard that song in a long time so I'm posting a video of it here -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ5WeXtOacU&feature=colike

It is a sad song but it's beautifully done and the video is lovely.  Here are the lyrics:

Why does the sun go on shining?
Why does the sea rush to shore?
Don't they know it's the end of the world,
'Cause you don't love me any more?

Why do the birds go on singing?
Why do the stars glow above?
Don't they know it's the end of the world.
It ended when I lost your love.

I wake up in the morning and I wonder,
Why everything's the same as it was.
I can't understand. No, I can't understand,
How life goes on the way it does.

Why does my heart go on beating?
Why do these eyes of mine cry?
Don't they know it's the end of the world.
It ended when you said goodbye.

Why does my heart go on beating?
Why do these eyes of mine cry?
Don't they know it's the end of the world.
It ended when you said goodbye.

 

 

Who will win Best Actor Emmy?

As unbelievable as it may seem, Jon Hamm has yet to receive the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series despite being nominated 5 times.  Tune in on September 23rd to see if he wins this year.  In the meantime, check out his competition in this article -

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118057557?refcatid=14

I've seen all the other nominated actors except for Damian Lewis in Homeland.  I do have the DVDs of Homeland on request at the library though and I hear it's good.  But Jon Hamm did such excellent work on Mad Men this year (as always) that I really think he deserves to win for once.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for him!

Jon Hamm as Don Draper

Facts about Labor Day

Since Labor Day is coming up soon I thought I'd post these facts about it -

Peter McGuire, co-founder of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and general secretary of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, is often recognized as being responsible for the first suggestion of Labor Day. An issue with recognizing McGuire as the first person to suggest Labor Day is a man named Matthew Maguire.

Matthew Maguire was a machinist, secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists. Those who believe that Maguire and not McGuire first suggested Labor Day assert that Maguire made the suggestion while he was secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York in 1882.

 

It was indeed in New York City, in 1882, that the first Labor Day observance was held, when more than 10,000 workers walked off their jobs, parade-style, on a Tuesday. The majority did so without permission.

The Central Labor Union suggested that labor unions in other cities join in to celebrate the contributions of working men. The idea quickly spread from New York to other industrial areas by 1884.  Despite the efforts of workers in New York, Oregon was actually the first state to make Labor Day a holiday in 1887. By the end of the year, New York and three other states followed suit.

 

After hundreds of employees were laid off in 1893, the Pullman Strike led to the nationwide boycott of trains with Pullman Cars, rioting, and the deaths of two striking workers.  Although he'd been a staunch opponent, President Grover Cleveland made Labor Day a federally recognized holiday in 1894, pushing it through Congress in just six days.

 

Canada also celebrates Labor Day on the first Monday in September. But several other countries celebrate it on May 1.  The fashion faux pas of not wearing white after Labor Day is history. Wearing white after Labor Day is quite acceptable and promoted in many stores.

Labor Day is the “official” end of hot dog season. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans eat more than 7 billion hot dogs between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Detroit was responsible for a shortened workday during the early labor movement. Houston’s Mix 96.5 says Detroit workers demanded a pay raise of $2 per hour and that the workday be shortened to 10 hours.

Labor Day is the unofficial end of the summer season, a time for one last barbecue or dip in the pool. However you celebrate, make the most of your day and raise a glass to the holiday's history.

 

- from the BWM Northwest newsletter

Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee

I just watched Jerry Seinfeld's new web series called Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.  In the first episode Jerry picks up his old pal Larry David and they go out for breakfast together.  It's fun to watch but evidently there is a British web series called Carpool that is very similar.  Here is the article that talks about it -

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/08/02/jerry-seinfeld-s-comedians-in-cars-web-series-ruffles-u-k-feathers-with-similarity-to-british-carpool.html

Seinfeld's web series will appear every second Thursday of the month.  Check it out on www.comediansincarsgettingcoffee.com.  Ricky Gervais appears in the second episode.