1985 « Jack Yan: the Persuader Blog

Posts tagged ‘1985’

Helvetica in metal, 1985

03.03.2021

This was the back of Mum’s 1985 tax assessment slip from the IRD. Helvetica, in metal. The bold looks a bit narrow: a condensed cut, or just a compromised version because of the machinery used?
Not often seen, since by this time phototypesetting was the norm, though one reason Car magazine was a good read was its use of metal typesetting until very late in the game. I know there are many reasons the more modern forms of typesetting are superior, least of all fidelity to the designed forms, but there’s a literal depth to this that makes me nostalgic.

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A three-decade time capsule hanging on my door
From my desk, 1986
Neil Gaiman on JY Integrity on his UK paperbacks
Speaking on typography and social media, with Retake the Net in between
Type coverage—in 2012
Forget the stereotypes: how immigrants write with English as their second language
How not to do a rebrand, and feeling #UnWell
The Grundig parts’ cache time capsule

Tags: 1980s, 1985, Aotearoa, family, government, Helvetica, magazine, New Zealand, retro, technology, typeface, typesetting, typography
Posted in design, New Zealand, typography, Wellington | No Comments »

Why I ran

24.04.2014

In two elections, I told people some blarney on why I decided to run.
In 2010: ‘I was working at Lew’s Diner and this guy had been picked on. I told him, “Stand tall, boy, show some respect for yourself. Do you think I’m going to spend the rest of my life in this slop house? No, sir, I’m going to night school. I’m going to make something of myself.” Some weird guy sitting next to him in a life preserver chimes up, points and me, and says, “That’s right, he’s going to be Mayor!” And that’s when I got the idea. Mr Carruthers did say, “A coloured mayor, that’ll be the day,” but it didn’t deter me.’

jenna-louise-coleman-clara-oswin

In 2013: ‘I was wondering whether to stand again and decided to chill out and watch Doctor Who. In that episode, Jenna Coleman turns to the screen and says directly to me, “Run, you clever boy, and remember.” So I did.’
You have to admit these are better answers than the stock politicians’ ones.
With that, ladies and gentlemen, have a blessed Anzac Day.

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Is the death of expertise tied to the Anglosphere?
Live from Level 3
A year of random thoughts: 2014 in review
Open the shop and strip away the jargon
To Scotland with love
History of the 2010s: a look back at the decade that was
Steve Guttenberg shows us how a Kiwi accent is done
Trading identities in the personal branding space

Tags: 1980s, 1985, 2010, 2012, 2013, Aotearoa, Back to the Future, BBC, culture, Doctor Who, film, Hollywood, humour, mayoralty, New Zealand, politics, TV, UK, USA, Wellington, Whanganui-a-Tara
Posted in culture, New Zealand, politics, TV, UK, USA, Wellington | 2 Comments »

Wellington’s most dangerous intersection (in ﬁction)

13.11.2010

While chatting about the movie Shaker Run with one of our Lucire team (who was not born when the ﬁlm was made), I noticed that the intersection at Courtenay Place–Taranaki Street–Dixon Street was rather treacherous in 1980s’ ﬁction (start at 1’56”):

Fast forward to 1986 and the Hong Kong ﬁlm 最佳拍檔千里救差婆 (marketed as Aces Go Places IV). Watch from 28″ on:

When I still had a blog on Vox, I noted that the car chase in this ﬁlm played extreme liberties with New Zealand geography: you turn from the Auckland Harbour Bridge on to Willis Street, Wellington; and ﬂy in a Holden Torana from a Viaduct rooftop, leaving the Lombard car park in Wellington, and landing in a Ford Cortina on a soundstage in Hong Kong.

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