Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Farce About

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  • B Jones,

    The lyric sounded familiar to me, though I've never knowingly heard the song. I googled it, so it doesn't count, but having done so I realised I'd seen the episode in question and remembered it very well.

    Speaking of political dramas, my first introduction to the concept of "soundalike" music came from the film Fallout, about the 84 campaign. I seem to recall one side (maybe the Nats) had tried for Chariots of Fire, couldn't get the licence, and had to settle for something that sounded a whole lot like it. It was less of a resemblance than the Clocks knockoff. A good example of soundalike is the McCain chips ad where the people on the porch eating the chips make such a noise they stampede the animals. It sounds like Peer Gynt, but it's not.

    Some bank used Bittersweet Symphony recently, for reasons best known only to their ad agency.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 976 posts Report

  • Ben McNicoll,

    @Craig

    That would be Steely Dan's "New York Minute", and The West Wing respectively. Two fine creative works.

    Grey Lynn • Since May 2007 • 115 posts Report

  • Paul Campbell,

    One more piece of feedback about the Broadband Map - using orange for telecom might be a mistake since the underlying map is using the same colour for main roads and 1 way streets

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report

  • Joanna,

    so they have commissioned a 'sound-alike' to get round it.
    It's not a cover version...

    It's like how the "Don't steal movies!" trailer on DVDs has a total ripoff version of that Prodigy track (umm, I think it's 'Diesel Power' but it's been a long time since 1997) on it. It reminds me of celebrity-lookalike porn stars, like Mary Carey, etc...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 746 posts Report

  • Ben McNicoll,

    Although, I'm not sure I need any BONUS nerd points...

    Grey Lynn • Since May 2007 • 115 posts Report

  • Tom Beard,

    It's actually working out what's what on the map. I know it's nearly all Telecom networks, but it's hard to see what else there is. Maybe I'm just challenged.

    No, it does get messy in places. I'm tweaking the Telecom network areas for central and southeast Auckland, because there were areas in the GIS files that overlapped, so once they're displayed as translucent layers they get too opaque and block the others. It's also hard to design a key to identify the colour scheme when the colours are laid over a multi-coloured map, so the coverage areas, on the maps may not always match exactly what's on the legend, depending on the background.

    Until I worked on this project, I never realised just how limited the coverage was in Auckland. Compare Telstra's coverage in Wellington to the Auckland offerings, and it's amazingly different.

    There's not much in the way of private business added to the map yet, but we've got dozens in the moderation queue, so there'll be more to see shortly.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1040 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Hints please, maybe genre and/or era? '70s, '80s or more recent?

    The song was originally released in 1989, covered by the band the singer-songwriter also belong to in 1994 and shares a title with a more than usual vacuous Olsen Twins movie that was released to general indifference in 2004.

    The show ran in the US from 1999 to 2006; is tied with Hill Street Blues for the most Emmy Awards won by a drama (including Outstanding Drama gongs for its first four seasons); and its final season was marked by the sudden death of a core cast member that lead to a radical rewrite of the final six episodes.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Tom Beard,

    Paul:

    it also doesn't work with my browser - type my whole address in, click submit and it complains I haven't filled it in.

    When you type in the address, does it bring up the mini-map to confirm the location? And what browser are you using? We've had a devil of a time with IE6.

    Actually, before this turns into a Broadband Map help forum, send any specific technical feedback directly to me at: tom (at) projectx.co.nz. This is all useful advice (that's what the "BETA"'s for!), but it's probably best to keep this thread on-topic.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1040 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    That would be Steely Dan's "New York Minute", and The West Wing respectively. Two fine creative works.

    One and a half out of two, but I can't tease any more. Don Henley not Donald Fagan.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Angus Robertson,

    It's hard to defend a legislative process as shambolic as that around the EFB. It's also hard to defend some of the people who are making all the noise about it.

    Politics 101: when defending the undefendable, launch an ad hominen attack. Shoot The Messenger.

    Like all spam, it is a form of applied arrogance -- if I spam you I am asserting that my time is more valuable than yours. You can run to your phone, peasant; I'll go about my business.

    Like all spam, it is relatively cheap compared to more respectful forms that are slightly less annoying (TV, radio, mail). Most people hate robo-calling, so with each robo-call of 2008 (priced in courtesy of the EFB spending restrictions) let's offer our own special thanks to the originators of the legislation.

    Auckland • Since May 2007 • 984 posts Report

  • Paul Williams,

    Ahhhhhhhh. I think it was the slightly twangy-country tone, with no disrespect intended to Mr Henley, that set me off course although how I landed at Dukes of Hazzard is impossible to comprehend.

    Thanks, it's a great song but I didn't know it was used in the West Wing. Will have to consult the DVD collection.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Ben McNicoll,

    except of course, "New York Minute" is not by Steely Dan, but by Don henley, and I only associate it with Steely Dan because it is next to a jazz cover of the Steely Dan tune "My Gold Teeth" on Herbie Hancock's "The New Standard" which is a great album featuring the talent's of the late great Michael Brecker, and the sublime John Scofield. Which i would have known had I sung through it all in my head before posting.

    Well, DUH.

    Grey Lynn • Since May 2007 • 115 posts Report

  • Jeremy Andrew,

    And with that, I think of next year with this lyric stuck on repeat: "Oh, it's a long, long while from May to December..."

    I was in a more Green Day state of mind - "Wake me up, when September ends."

    Hamiltron - City of the F… • Since Nov 2006 • 900 posts Report

  • Andy Milne,

    Whew - glad the answer came out before I saw this thread!

    I was going to go with "Come out and play (keep em separated)" by the offspring. But now I realise the line from that song is actually "one goes to the morgue and the other to jail".

    But luckily, the answer came out before I was able to reveal my ignorance for all to see. Now I can just pretend I really knew it was New York Minute all along...

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 59 posts Report

  • Richard Aston,

    Back onto the anti-Electoral Finance Bill crusade.

    Whats with the NZ Herald and this? They have been banging away at the Electoral Finance Bill for a few weeks now and now their crusade is front page news (in red!). Its not front page news! its a newspaper using it's pages to try to influence public thinking, yeah I know half the paper is full of ads trying to do that but I dunno call me old fashion, I thought journalism was meant to report the facts, the events and news in the world not try to change the facts and news in the world.
    I don't have a position either way on the bill itself but I am becoming increasingly irritated at the Heralds overt politicizing.
    Whats the hell is behind this?

    Northland • Since Nov 2006 • 510 posts Report

  • Heather Gaye,

    from the herald article re: clocks...

    National Party campaign manager Jo de Joux said the music was composed by "an Auckland artist" and paid for by the production company which produced the DVD.

    WTF? There are a bajillion musicians in Aucks who could provide a catchy ripoff that's nowhere near such an obvious litigation magnet. Either they roped in an extremely shit musician, or a left-wing one. OK, if you broke it down statistically, I bet the latter is far more probable than the former.

    Morningside • Since Nov 2006 • 533 posts Report

  • Testcard,

    This Key-Coldplay brouhaha sure is a gift to pun-lovers everywhere.

    The Herald has given us http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10479448|Key out of tune with Coldplay

    and

    Coldplay-lite strikes wrong Key wherein Audrey Young writes

    My colleague Claire Trevett wrote about the DVD last week and it was the subject of the Weekend Herald billboard. Claire talked to Otago University musicologist Graeme Downes (he is in the Verlaines) for her story.

    He said music on the DVD and in Clocks were both in F minor - perhaps that should be a major F (up).

    Hilarious.

    I suggest (with apologies to W.H. Auden) Stop all the clocks

    Since Nov 2007 • 23 posts Report

  • Testcard,

    (Oops. Try again)

    This Key-Coldplay brouhaha sure is a gift to pun-lovers everywhere.

    The Herald has given us Key out of tune with Coldplay

    and

    Coldplay-lite strikes wrong Key wherein Audrey Young writes

    My colleague Claire Trevett wrote about the DVD last week and it was the subject of the Weekend Herald billboard. Claire talked to Otago University musicologist Graeme Downes (he is in the Verlaines) for her story.

    He said music on the DVD and in Clocks were both in F minor - perhaps that should be a major F (up).

    Hilarious.

    I suggest (with apologies to W.H. Auden) Stop all the clocks

    Since Nov 2007 • 23 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Hey, at least we can have a sour giggle about this. If I was in London right now, I'd probably be mute with shock after reading stories like this:

    Gordon Brown’s election chief, Douglas Alexander, ordered his sister not to resign as Scottish Labour Party leader for fear of causing fallout throughout the Cabinet.

    The disclosure that Mr Alexander put pressure on his sister, Wendy Alexander, came as Peter Hain admitted failing to register donations properly and as the Prime Minister tried to rally his demoralised party at a meeting of backbenchers.

    If Ms Alexander had resigned over an illegal £950 donation, pressure on Harriet Harman to step down as Mr Brown’s deputy over an illegal donation of £5,500 could have proved irresistible. Ms Harman is further being investigated over a failure to declare a £40,000 mortgage to finance her leadership campaign. The latest embarrassment will increase pressure on Mr Brown to strip her of her role as party chairman.

    It also emerged that Ms Harman’s husband, Jack Dromey, was at the top of a secret list of approved candidates to be given safe seats in the event of a snap election.

    The Times has learnt that Mr Alexander, the International Development Secretary and one of Mr Brown’s closest Cabinet allies, delivered the stark message to his sister on Sunday afternoon. Mr Brown is also understood to have urged Ms Alexander to stay on.

    Sources in Ms Alexander’s camp say that until Sunday afternoon she was on the point of resigning because of the turmoil the illegal donation to her leadership campaign was causing her and the party. One source told The Times: “She was completely down and incredibly angry. She wanted to go but then the message came from London: you must stay. After that we had to decide how to present her decision as a decision made by her.”

    I know the 90's are so last millennium, but don't these people remember a damn thing?

    At least Clark can console herself with this mantra, "At least I'm not Gordon, at least I'm not Gordon..."

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Heather Gaye,

    He said music on the DVD and in Clocks were both in F minor

    WTF?? No they're not!

    Morningside • Since Nov 2006 • 533 posts Report

  • LegBreak,

    Wasn’t Clocks used as the theme for a recent movie adaptation of Peter Pen? Perhaps Key’s got some subliminal role model thing going on there.



    BTW, I’d like to wish severe misfortune (like having to watch a National Party DVD) on whoever mentioned “Love lift us up where we belong” on here. I’ve had it running around in my head for a good half an hour now, and suspect it will be with me for the rest of the day….

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report

  • 3410,

    This Key-Coldplay brouhaha sure is a gift to pun-lovers everywhere.

    I'll suggest:

    "Complete Clock-up sees DVDs recalled"

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Lyndon Hood,

    Clock-blocked?

    music on the DVD and in Clocks were both in F minor

    WIkipedia has 'E flat Mixolydian' which following the links would apparently be based on A flat major.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1115 posts Report

  • Testcard,

    Another:

    Key clocks off

    Since Nov 2007 • 23 posts Report

  • Richard Aston,

    yet another

    No play Coldplay.
    Today Key pays

    Northland • Since Nov 2006 • 510 posts Report

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