random debris news
Link rot and rotten links
Many of the informative articles people used to publish on their websites have been deleted in the past ten years, presumably as people try to rein in any damage to reputation that having an opinion might entail. This is a pain for historians. Unheralded architectural pamphlets, rants and manifestos from the past few centuries are preserved in archives and shoeboxes, awaiting discovery. It’s a much harder task examining the digital decades as it’s mostly wiped.
03.08.19 in directories random-debris
The silver fern
The silver fern has come to represent almost everything to do with New Zealand. There are a lot of ferns there so that makes sense. Weirdly enough, my great grandfather suggested it, well over a hundred years ago. Tamati Rangiwahia Erihana (Thomas Ellison, Ngai Tahu and Te Ati Awa) was a footballer of some repute, being the first coach of the New Zealand Rugby Team. At the first meeting of the NZRU in 1893 he suggested— a shift from the dark blue uniform with a gold fern to a, “black jersey with silver fernleaf, black cap with silver monogram, and white knickerbockers.” They kept them well-clad back then. The silver colour comes from the underside of the common ponga, or Cyathea Dealbata, a fern used by Māori for bedding. Ellison and team had worn this uniform on the Native Rugby Team overseas tour in 1888. His motion was accepted and so the uniform changed and has been pretty constant since, apart from a change to black shorts in 1901.
21.05.14 in random-debris
Comment [1]
Finding planes
I’ve spent a little time taking part in the aerial web search for the missing plane, MH370. Here are a few useful links I’ve found, and tips if you’re considering having a go. It’s good to have Photoshop or Gimp on hand… as well as an internet connection.
20.03.14 in random-debris
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Problems
The site was shifted today to a new server and there are a few problems. Sorry about that, attempting to fix them all now. The new server is running slightly different software causing some scripts to choke.
27.02.14 in random-debris
And then the pause
For anyone still happening to pass by here of their own volition, it’s been a little quiet. Blogging is a funny thing. You start off wanting to share anything you touch, then after a certain number of years you become much more selective. And interrogative. That seems to be the case here. The short pithy posts you will find on social media, here I’m now trying to do something more. You’ll see the most of the posts this year are quite long – in fact they took several months to put together – I’m not sure how the likes of Geoff Manuagh et al manage to do them so swiftly, but I seem to take my time.
17.10.13 in random-debris
Correction
The John Andrews seminar I advertised as happening this weekend in Queensland actually happened in 2010. My mistake. The Melbourne John Andrews Symposium is definitely taking place this Friday and Saturday..
16.10.12 in random-debris
Round Up
This post is not sponsored by Monsanto. This blog is currently being sponsored by Melbourne School of Design’s Incubator, if you hadn’t noticed. Please check out their new and very generous competition for relocatable schools.
18.07.11 in random-debris
Compilation
NZ award entries should go in before August 3rd. Awards Site
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05.07.11 in random-debris
Catch up time
It’s been another busy week about the land, and in my office. And I’m way behind. So here are a few bits and bobs that I have accumulated. If you want to see what is accumulating, the facebook page is where a lot of it seems to land. Post something there yourself).
26.06.11 in random-debris
Comment [8]
BP on FB
I keep forgetting to say – Butterpaper is on Facebook now too. So you can see what’s new on this site by going to that site and liking the butterpaper page. Madly frustrating to do as each post has a 420 character limit.
12.05.11 in random-debris
Site shift
Sorry it has been a bit quiet recently. Apart from being a bit flat out, my web host has been causing me some quite expensive grief. Upshot is that I am shifting the entire website and database to another web host. From now on, any new comments to the forum or this page may not appear on the new site.
23.02.11 in random-debris
Site renos
27/12: Parts of the site will appear weirdly for about an hour while the main software is updated to Textpattern v4.3.0. Done.
27.12.10 in random-debris
I heart NY, this week
Things may be looking a little American around here this week – I am digging up some stuff for a friend visiting there soon. Back to normal transmission soon.
21.09.10 in random-debris
Forum departures
Two of the most prolific users of the Butterpaper forums have requested that they be terminated, in response to a warning notice I posted. I have banned the accounts for Hairdresser and Luke.
15.05.10 in random-debris
Comment [7]
Restyle
The site is undergoing a restyling at the moment. It will probably be a bit quiet on this page until the relaunch (end of the month he says hopefully). I am also writing an article that is a bit bigger than normal, which takes time (I don’t know how that BLDGBLOG guy Geoff Manaugh manages to do them so quickly..).
12.04.10 in random-debris
Dear Larry
In answer to your to-the-point gmail of this morning (“DO YOU CARRY WEBER AND DO YOU TAKE CREDIT CARDS..”). Yes we’d love to take your credit card, just send it in. While we don’t carry weber, I do have a portable barbeque that I carried all the way to Edinburgh Gardens on Australia Day. I can’t remember the brand. I hope that helps.
15.03.10 in random-debris
Sticky carpet out
Another live music venue fails / falls. A few years after the Punters Club’s deluxification into a.. cheap pizza bar, Collingwood’s Tote Hotel is to follow.
14.01.10 in random-debris
Comment [2]
broke
I’ve just updated the site software and a lot of things aren’t looking right at the minute. Hope it isn’t a long night fixing code…
17.07.09 in random-debris