Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2007 January 8

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January 8

Trends in music

Does anyone think that music is heading towards a more electronic/synth sound, maybe that will be the next trend in music? Just look at a lot of the current popular songs and they have an increasing electronic influence. Also, techno/dance songs seem to be having a resurgence, maybe just in my area, but many people seem to be more interested in techno music than a year or so ago.--Technofreak90 01:08, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

What do you mean by "trend"? Hasn't synthesized music been more or less popular for 30 years by now? 惑乱 分からん 01:18, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

I mean more popular songs are incorporating electronic elements into them, and no, sythnesized music, as in synthpop, hasn't been popular since the 1980's. Techno music specifically really hasn't been selling well since the late 90's. --Technofreak90 01:32, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

Rather depends on your definition of popular, doesn't it? The original synthpop band was of course Kraftwerk. Some of the synth bands that first became successful in the 80s, such as Depeche Mode, New Order and the Pet Shop Boys, continue to be both critically and commercially successful to this day. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 10:42, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

Possibly also on your definition of trend. Popular music trends seem to get more and more fragmentized. 惑乱 分からん 13:50, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

Don't forget Erasure! --Nelson Ricardo 01:59, 9 January 2007 (UTC)

Ebi

What is the song Vaghtesheh by Ebi about? Thanks! S.dedalus 08:19, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

Music Identification

Question Removed by Author

TV Series Set in WWII Germany

Hi I recall reading about a television series that was set in wartime Germany. I think it was set in a small town/village and portrayed the lives of otherwise 'average' people throughout the Nazi regime and how they survived, day to day. If I remember the description it wasn't a particularly old show (though I am not sure at all) and it was quite dramatic/serious rather than a comedy like, say, Allo Allo. ny156uk 19:21, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

It's quite possible you're referring to the miniseries Holocaust. Carom 19:52, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

Or you could be thinking of the first film in the Heimat trilogy, which was indeed set in a small village in Germany and portrayed the lives of ordinary people there, although it was only partly set in wartime. It covered the period 1919-1982. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 19:57, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

There was also a recent series about Brits living on the occupied Channel Islands during WW2, called Island at War. StuRat 20:06, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure it was Heimat that I had read about - thanks a lot everybody. ny156uk 20:40, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

Following from StuRat's comment, there was also a much older (1970s) series on the same subject called Enemy at the Door. Grutness...wha? 06:05, 15 January 2007 (UTC)

Kukla Fran & Ollie feature presentation

Does anyone recall a fairy story, it may have been a ballet, about a girl whose three brothers had been turned into swans and she had to knit a cloak for each one out of brambles or something to break the spell? The KF&O website was unable to help. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Jelizbeth (talk • contribs) 20:23, 8 January 2007 (UTC).

That would appear to be Hans Christian Andersen's The Wild Swans (only there are 11 brothers, according to the article). Clarityfiend 23:35, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

CD Player

Is it posible to clean a CD player oneself? I'm sick of yearly maintenance fees! It resides in a close fitting bookcase, I don't burn anything but beeswax candles because paraffin is bad for electronics I've heard, although I suppose keeping the humidity around 50% has a way of attracting dust or making it adhere based on how often I have to dust. I also use a disc cleaner often but currently even that won't playJelizbeth 20:33, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

You can indeed clean your CD player yourself. Doing so very often voids your warranty though. Here is a website that shows how to clean the lens of your PS2 (http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Playstation-2-Lens). The technique of cleaning is much the same. More often than not it is merely a case of gently blowing away (with a blower rather than your mouth) dust. I then used a little alcohol on the lens to quickly clean it with a ear-bud stick. As always these things can cause damage so be careful. ny156uk 20:47, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

Be wary about cleaning the lens with alcohol. Glass lenses are fine with a pure alcohol cleaner (Isopropyl alcohol or IPA is what is used professionally) but this will cause fogging on some plastic lenses (generally the cheaper domestic players). On these, you are better off using a little pure water on a cotton bud and GENTLY rubbing to remove any dirt. NEVER do this with the cover removed or any of the laser interlock defeated.

Success! Condensation (high humidity + cold surface) can be corrected by a lengthy warming up period, or so Kenwood says. Whether it's plastic I can't say but the rubbing alcohol worked fine. Thanks - the music sounds sweeter, somehow.68.73.2.117 19:32, 13 January 2007 (UTC)

Australian TV series about - The First Fleet and subsequent settlement of Australia.

About the time of the 200th aniversary of the Frist Fleet in 1987, a TV show was shown in the UK on ITV late at night (the The Hitman and Her / Prisoner Cell Block H slot) which charted the landing of the First Fleet and subsequent settlement of Australia. It may have been produced in Australia some years before this. I've tried to find out more information about this TV series by searching IMDB (with things like the character Arthur Phillip etc) and have posted on the "I Need To Know" forum there, but have not been able to get any info at all on this series. Surely I didn't imagine it. BTW if anyone suggests it I am not talking about the recent thing with Sam Neill. Jooler 23:37, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

It appears that Anthony Andrews appeared in a movie called "The First Fleet" that was released in 1986, but I'm not able to find any other information whatsoever. You might try asking someone at this site, though. Carom 00:59, 9 January 2007 (UTC)

For the record - I found what I was looking for it was called The Timeless Land - (this was by pure fluke of looking at the work of the venerable Australian actor Noel Trevarthen I didn't even know he was in it. I had bneen trying to find the answer to this question for the last 5 or 6 years. Jooler 10:39, 11 February 2007 (UTC)

Old Radio Show (c1920s)

"If I get there first, I'll draw a blue line. If you get there first, I'll rub it out" I thought my Dad made that up to keep us kids in line but I've heard it comes from a radio show c1920. Any one know an old- timer who remembers this one?Jelizbeth 23:44, 8 January 2007 (UTC) —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Jelizbeth (talk • contribs) 23:43, 8 January 2007 (UTC).

Chess question

How many people in North America play chess? Specifically I would also like to know how many people play it on a regular basis, say once a week. Thanks. 209.244.43.57 18:06, 9 January 2007 (UTC)

• Your best bet would be to look for people who play chess at a master or grandmaster level or who compete in high level club competitions. See FIDE and ELO. Both give chess players ratings and there's a considerable overlap and neither counts kids from school chess clubs. I think it's nearly impossible to find this number without being more specific on which players you want to see included. - Mgm|^(talk) 10:57, 10 January 2007 (UTC)

You might want to check out chessbase, an online chess database. I can't access some parts of it due to some computer problems, but you might. --JDitto 06:36, 13 January 2007 (UTC)

An MTV "spokesperson" from the 80s (?)

This question is about as unimportant as it gets, but does anyone remember a series of MTV station-identification spots featuring a peace-loving, unkempt "hippie" named Randy? I am fairly certain that these spots were played in the mid-1980s on the network (back when they used to play music videos!) and his catchphrase was something to the effect of "whatever you want, it's alright with me." This is something I've been curious about for a long time, but have never found any information even with some (I think) very creative Googling.

If anyone else remembers this guy, I'd be very interested to find out:

• The actor's name
• The character's full name (I believe he had a last name)
• The character's origins (was it just for MTV, or was it an established character from a stand-up routine or something that MTV wanted to use?
• His actual catchphrase
• Links to pictures or video of the spots

Sorry I don't have more to go on. Thank you! --Toby Rush ‹ ✆|✍ › 06:21, 9 January 2007 (UTC)

Randee of the Redwoods. Here's the actor's bio at imdb but it doesn't contain his catchphrase. Wolfgangus 17:34, 9 January 2007 (UTC)

Thanks, Wolfgangus! It was the alternate spelling of his name that was keeping me from finding anything. The catchphrase was "Either way, it's fine with me," and the actor's real name is Jim Turner. I appreciate the help! --Toby Rush ‹ ✆|✍ › 20:36, 9 January 2007 (UTC)