Whose brilliant idea was it to put a cellphone tower@BM

Apollonaris Zeus · Post by **Apollonaris Zeus** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:47 pm

tisha2 wrote:
Ken Wheels wrote:Whose brilliant idea was it to put a cellphone tower@BM
that would be verizon wireless.

the signal is there. it covers, tho its weak. the good news is, it can only carry about 50 calls at a time, so it's already virtually useless.

Sounds like a good spoof already in the works

Crowd reactions on random common ring tones

damn if nobody does it this year, it's my spoof next year

Paul addis is a punk

MrMullen · Post by **MrMullen** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 11:46 pm

I have to agree.

To the person(s) who are responsible for the cell tower; I hope you get cancer and die a long, expensive and painful death. I hope it is a really embarrassing and painful form of cancer. Something that people can tell you are going to of but you are too embarrassed to talk about. I hope you suffer and I hope that when you die, it really becomes apparent that the world will not miss you.

Thank You!

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 12:22 pm

I only hope you never have friends or loved one's suffering from the sort of cancer you so casually (and callously) wish to be visited on others.

Fire_Moose · Post by **Fire_Moose** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 12:43 pm

any one knwo if phones are still working now that the gates are open? I would assume all the people with their phones on have clogged it....

geekster · Post by **geekster** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 7:44 pm

50 calls? Try much less than that. In practical terms most cell towers can not handle more than 16 calls in progress at any given time. As was posted ... good luck trying to make a call. If you really need to have a phone, rent a satellite phone.

littleflower · Post by **littleflower** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 6:36 pm

i got a call from the playa on monday, the 24th, so i know AT&T had some cell service.

text messages never worked at all.

one of our guys wanted to make a call on sunday, and couldn't. he went all over the city, and finally drove out to the highway to call.

i had bars on saturday, but they were gone by sunday. i had a call on tuesday i think, but never got the message until i had left BRC.

wifi worked, though, so people were able to write emails on their iphones.

Ken Wheels · Post by **Ken Wheels** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 10:56 pm

Cell phones are like GG Allen-they suck donkey balls!

I am using your technology to erase and enlighten you!

My ufo will destroy or fuck you.

?????????????????????????

Elorrum · Post by **Elorrum** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 8:26 am

I didn't experience what I was fearing regarding cell phones. I thought I'd be hearing people on the phone in the port-a-potties, or in lines for the portapotties, or walking down the streets. (side note, I got about a 50% hello response when walking aorund... that makes me a little sad.) I guess it didn't work well enough to disturb me in any way. I wish they would have at least decorated the towers with lights, such a missed opportunity. I remember at some music festivals I went to, the police dogs wore little tie dye t-shirts. made an effort at least to fit in.

Monkeypoo · Post by **Monkeypoo** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 7:51 pm

From listening to BMIR radio all week, it was reported that a lot of people either lost their keys, cameras, backpacks, bikes or they were stolen. One drunk womyn even reported her 17 year kid was missing. We got a laugh out of that lady Kyle, how could you scare your mama like that!!!

I wonder how many people lost their cell phones.

Burp! · Post by **Burp!** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 9:41 pm

Elorrum wrote:I didn't experience what I was fearing regarding cell phones. I thought I'd be hearing people on the phone in the port-a-potties, or in lines for the portapotties, or walking down the streets. (side note, I got about a 50% hello response when walking aorund... that makes me a little sad.) I guess it didn't work well enough to disturb me in any way. I wish they would have at least decorated the towers with lights, such a missed opportunity. I remember at some music festivals I went to, the police dogs wore little tie dye t-shirts. made an effort at least to fit in.

Give it time. Next year two towers, there after you'll look out from your camp to the street and half the people walking will have a cell to their ear. I suppose there is not much that can stop this.

Progress right?

T.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 3:58 pm

I actually wanted to call my Dad, to see if my kitty was okay.

Then I remembered I was a barbarian in the desert.

Thecatman · Post by **Thecatman** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 4:09 pm

I tried to call the better half on Thursday evening to check on our 7 kitties.

I was at 6:00 and Lineage. I got through for about 4 seconds and then everything went blank.

Grazelda · Post by **Grazelda** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 6:02 pm

Not meant as a troll, but what is your take on the tower(s) being used for the webcam feed? Is it the tower that bothers you - or the encroachment of techno?

The 'Camp Envy' thing via webcam opened BM to a tidy mess of people who could not otherwise participate. On the one hand it was the ultimate in non-burner tourist spectovision. But on the other it created a community as potent in impact on/for its members as being at the burn; and very robust in the participation it brought. More people watched the webcam feed that attended BM through 96, and for many it was a very emotional experience to share the vibes.

I can relate that cell phones are evil at their core and personally think they are the direct spawn of the devil. But if tolerance towards the cell-dependant means opening new avenues of BM participation - it would be well worth exploring the less conspicuous ways the electrons can flow.

spectabillis · Post by **spectabillis** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 7:09 pm

Grazelda wrote: The 'Camp Envy' thing via webcam opened BM to a tidy mess of people who could not otherwise participate. .. But on the other it created a community as potent in impact on/for its members as being at the burn; and very robust in the participation it brought. More people watched the webcam feed that attended BM through 96, and for many it was a very emotional experience to share the vibes.

about 95% of web based content is crap meant for consumerist based attention consumption. so obviously the majority of people dont quite share your romantic vision of technotopia... any more than thier emotional investment in a cheeseburger.

Monkeypoo · Post by **Monkeypoo** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 7:16 pm

spectabillis wrote:
Grazelda wrote: The 'Camp Envy' thing via webcam opened BM to a tidy mess of people who could not otherwise participate. .. But on the other it created a community as potent in impact on/for its members as being at the burn; and very robust in the participation it brought. More people watched the webcam feed that attended BM through 96, and for many it was a very emotional experience to share the vibes.
about 95% of web based content is crap meant for consumerist based attention consumption. so obviously the majority of people dont quite share your romantic vision of technotopia... any more than thier emotional investment in a cheeseburger.

Thank you for speaking for the majority of the people.

Camp Envy pulled together a great community of burners and non-burners. It was hilarious a lot of the time. I'm with Grizelda on this. Has anyone seen Kyle lately or heard from him?

spectabillis · Post by **spectabillis** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 7:49 pm

and thank you for speaking for the vested interest

Grazelda · Post by **Grazelda** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 7:59 am

spectabillis wrote:about 95% of web based content is crap meant for consumerist based attention consumption. so obviously the majority of people dont quite share your romantic vision of technotopia... any more than thier emotional investment in a cheeseburger.

Huh? You say that 95% of the web-based content on Burning Man is crap? We must be looking at very different internets.

spectabillis · Post by **spectabillis** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 10:22 am

in general, but i suspect you knew thats what i meant.

and thats where the domain of such media lays, despite the 'one-to-one' and online targeted marketeering speak and despite your interpreted intention. even if most of the viewers are past attendees and interested parties, its still being pushed by the same medium to a mass consumerist public. fortunately its far less invasive as wireless phone coverage to cameraphones, but thats not saying much.

so when did the people operating the webcam ask if people mind being captured? where is permission asked? do i now have to worry about being filmed exactly where i felt completely free and comfortable from it? nowhere, absolutely nowhere do i see that was given consideration by the people doing it.

Kinetik V · Post by **Kinetik V** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 10:38 am

I was able to get my T-Mobile G1 to call out from the playa more than once, and my three test tweets also made it out. I love having cell phone coverage out there.

As far as the webcam....put me down in the I don't give a rat's ass department. I go out there with NO expectation of privacy. In fact I relish being photographed even if it's me standing at an art kiosk along the Esplanade and my Catholic schoolgirl skirt flies up right when someone takes a pic...so what. Beats having a LEO take a pair of binocs with an attached cam and snap pix to put in some secret file somewhere...and I saw that kind of gear on the BLM and Sheriffs this year. Anyway back to the webcam, it's easier to ask for forgiveness than it is for permission....and considering how many people benefitted from it...all the better. Bring it back next year, upgrade it to boot and enjoy it. It's here, no amount of bitching will change it, embrace it. /soapbox

Post by **AntiM** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 10:39 am

MyLarry has Verizon and he had cell service. He called home on Saturday, pre-event, to find out if his sister had survived her emergency surgery on Friday evening. She has stage three, possibly stage four, ovarian cancer, a fast growing variety which will most assuredly kill her in under a year. he put his phone away after the call and did not call again until we were off playa.

But he could call that one time, and that was priceless. I am anti-phone on the playa, but suddenly I can see the benefits of available service. The technology will creep in, it is up to individual burners to decide how and when to access it, and to provide socially acceptable examples of phone behavior.

True story, third hand: A woman rolled up to the gate on the phone. The gate staff tapped on her window. She snarled at them, "Can't you see I'm on the phone? I have to finish this call!" (paraphrased) They left her alone for ten minutes or so and tried again. She was still on the phone. They sent her to D lot to finish her conversation. She sat there for a couple hours, plenty of time to finish that call.

As for wishing cancer on people: don't. Just don't. I lost my brother to it in December. I am losing a sister in law to it now. I came home to read an email that a dear online friend had passed while I was away. Fuck cancer, but fuck you too for wishing it on people. They have families and friends and loved ones. Fuck you for using it as a joke.

Fire_Moose · Post by **Fire_Moose** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 10:49 am

Best line from camp envy......

"What is this place called?!"

spectabillis · Post by **spectabillis** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 11:01 am

AntiM wrote:... it is up to individual burners to decide how and when to access it, and to provide socially acceptable examples of phone behavior.

having to resort to explicit camera control including registration tags and greeter explanations, that doesnt say much about leaving such things to individual responsibility, unfortunately.

Nitevenus · Post by **Nitevenus** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 11:02 am

Hey Kinetic V, I'm glad to see you made it to the playa! I saw you posting late in the week for tickets, were you able to get tix at the box office after all?

Kinetik V · Post by **Kinetik V** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 11:04 am

Nitevenus wrote:Hey Kinetic V, I'm glad to see you made it to the playa! I saw you posting late in the week for tickets, were you able to get tix at the box office after all?

I was able to pick up someone's will call tix last minute...the Box Office staff rock...good people. This was the best burn yet.

Post by **AntiM** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 11:22 am

spectabillis wrote:
AntiM wrote:... it is up to individual burners to decide how and when to access it, and to provide socially acceptable examples of phone behavior.
having to resort to explicit camera control including registration tags and greeter explanations, that doesnt say much about leaving such things to individual responsibility, unfortunately.

True, but I'm still in my post-burn optimistic phase.

spectabillis · Post by **spectabillis** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 11:28 am

if its narcotic, doesnt last for long.

best approach for staying optimistic seems to be giving such things a digestible coating of 'its inevitable' or 'change' or 'i dont give a fuck.'

Glittering Clitoris · Post by **Glittering Clitoris** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 9:13 am

Seems all the fear of having cell phone signals in the area were for not.

Too far from the tower and overloaded capacity was probably the formula to prevent people from using it. If someone placed them there to profit off the event might make them to remove the towers to a more convenient location nearer the town.

But hey, Frog Pond has access and a good place to catch up on Biz calls so one may extend their time in the desert!

AIIZ

gaminwench · Post by **gaminwench** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 10:03 am

naught.

Token · Post by **Token** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 3:33 pm

I don't see the big stink here.

I was happy to have my camp make a dozen or so calls to let family know we arrived safe. We made calls from camp when we needed then turned the phones off when done.

We had full coverage at camp at all times during the event. There was no clogged circuit thing speculators are tossing in the air.

The scheme that effectively and legally did a bunch of cell blocking was the big texting peer cell network that someone fired up. Most phones linked into this network since it was alphabetically listed above the ATT network and phones appeared to be without voice service. Brilliant! I venture a guess that most people don't know how to manually select a network on their phones.

I hope the texting network returns next year. So much better than FRS and GMSR radios.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 3:37 pm

Family? You have no need to contact your family! We are your family now, praise La-Ri! Now have some of this fine Kool-Aid....

Whose brilliant idea was it to put a cellphone tower@BM

Re: Whose brilliant idea was it to put a cellphone tower@BM

I am posting this from outer space