The basic problem with modern BRC

[Token]

Embrace the Digital FKOs.

Cell, data, Internet is here to stay and there is absolutely Dick anyone including the BORG can do about it.

Especially cellular service - federally regulated, lucrative, and serious jail time if you fuck with it.

The rest is mostly choice by the BORG, or choice by the BLM NHP and other TLA agencies.

Pick your battles where it matters.

[Simon of the Playa]

“Cell, data, Internet is here to stay and there is absolutely Dick anyone including the BORG can do about it. “



unless we all decide to switch to cricket.

[BBadger]

Yeah, Cricket was DOA out there.

[Simon of the Playa]

so.....when anyone asks you....tell them

not to mention the redefinition of the term “burner phone”

[Sham]

For anyone who thinks that tiny rooftop cell phone tower in Gerlach can handle any volume of calls or messages, is sadly naive. It's understood that every call, message or data is most likely passing through police units called StingRay. The remoteness of the playa allows the perfect scenario to put this technology through the paces and train law enforcement. GPS can pinpoint any questionable phone, right to the inch. Burning Man is the training grounds. Do something stupid, expect 6 1200 lumen flashlights to be shining in your startled, shocked face.

PUT YOUR FUCKING PHONES AWAY AND LIVE IN THE MOMENT.

Read more here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stingray_phone_tracker

[some seeing eye]

Mr Sham is correct that any and all mobile communication: socials, voice, text, and apps are capable of and expected to be intercepted by technical methods including far beyond Stringray approaches.

Assume all on to from playa communication is intercepted. Anything intercepted on mobile is available in a court of law.

Loose your mobile device at home, get a short term device for the event, and minimize interaction on it. Or store photos and go silent on your main mobile device. Catch up on social media when you get home.

Hard but easy.

[wraith]

Don't store photos, either.

Immediacy, bitches. Be in the moment, not staring at a screen trying to get your instagram profile boosters for later.

If you're not press, put the camera away. If you are press, please be sure to remain close enough to center camp that the bomb collar receives a constant signal to prevent any unintended detonations.

[Traveller in Time]

. . .

This event is being ruined by ravers, advertisers exploiting the venue, and mainly by non-participants. More videos won't help.

More Videos Wont Help

[FIGJAM]

Seen the latest city map?

Open camping only on the outer 3 streets.

BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[motskyroonmatick]

Seen the latest city map?

Open camping only on the outer 3 streets.

BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree with that sentiment and I'm hopeful the deeper blocks closer in will concentrate the theme camps a little more so that there is more space for open camping. I really wonder why they just didn't add a whole M street to provide more open camping. Maybe too simple of a solution to implement... Lets just change a bunch of block sizes.

[FIGJAM]

As a one man camp I can't get placement, nor would I want to be told where to set up.

Now I would be limited to the limited space left on the furthest outer streets.

No thanks.

[maladroit]

Open camping was almost completely full after Sunday last year. We came in late and there was a sign after Greeters saying that anything 6:00 and up was completely full, don't even try it. We turned right and spent hours driving up and down the streets and a few false starts before we found a spot deep inside some other camps; talked to them and got them to pull up a few stakes so we could get in. An unofficial M street started up and camps were two-deep into walk-in camping, they had to move the flags.

We're trying to get a very small camp placed this year to hopefully avoid some of that mess. It's definitely reinforcing the idea that if you want to attend Burning Man, you have to do one of the following:

• Have Placement look over your camp idea and decide to let you in
• Rent a camping spot from a profitable mega-camp that always gets placement

[Papa Bear]

I agree with that sentiment and I'm hopeful the deeper blocks closer in will concentrate the theme camps a little more so that there is more space for open camping.

I'm hopeful that's one result. My understanding is that there's typically been unpopulated space in the center of those outer blocks, so making them shallower may result in more efficient use of the city's real estate overall. Increasing the radius another 50 feet also means they're adding quite a bit more real estate to the mix too.

In theory, the fact that those inner blocks are deeper should mean that the average footprint of a theme camp placed there will also be deeper but with less street frontage. Maybe that will help reduce the RV wall frontage effect and make those streets a little more vibrant?

[Papa Bear]

Following up to my own post: if my calculations are correct, adding that extra 50 feet to the city depth adds roughly 1.683 million square feet to the available space. Probably a bit less for camping, since the shallower blocks mean the roads will take up a portion of that. I'd have to go do more detailed math to figure that out.

But even if only 2/3 of that is increase available for camping, that's still 2800 more 20'x20' plots. Maybe they don't need an M street?

[Skyskater]

Simple, just hire the organizers of the Fyre Festival to run the place. We'll be back to self-reliance in no time.

[motskyroonmatick]

Following up to my own post: if my calculations are correct, adding that extra 50 feet to the city depth adds roughly 1.683 million square feet to the available space. Probably a bit less for camping, since the shallower blocks mean the roads will take up a portion of that. I'd have to go do more detailed math to figure that out.

But even if only 2/3 of that is increase available for camping, that's still 2800 more 20'x20' plots. Maybe they don't need an M street?

I will not deny your calculations to be correct or the potential efficiencies that the new block widths may yield..... I'm hopeful for positive results but ....( to a different audience ) What lack of supply has not been solved entirely by generous oversupply? You want to go headlong in to global phenomena and rampant world wide Burnerism? Make prolific open camping. New seeds spread the furthest. Old trees are well established and don't drop seeds far.

[Papa Bear]

What lack of supply has not been solved entirely by generous oversupply?

Well, traffic and freeways, for one. The more lanes you build, the more people are inclined to live further away and commute, which then increases traffic and clogs the roads up again.

Back to the point, though - the lead placer for the 4:30 sector recently stated on FB that their belief is that the new geometry will open more blocks up for open camping, because they will be able to pack more theme camps into the inner (and now deeper) streets.

Time will tell whether that actually pans out, of course.

[maladroit]

Back to the point, though - the lead placer for the 4:30 sector recently stated on FB that their belief is that the new geometry will open more blocks up for open camping, because they will be able to pack more theme camps into the inner (and now deeper) streets.

While at the same time drawing a fuzzed map that allows anything to happen, all the way up to zero open camping, without any accountability to past promises.

[gaminwench]

With a fuzzed map; that *could* include open camping on the radials ...

[maladroit]

I want to know the last time BMORG surprised you in a positive direction.

[Dr. Pyro]

I want to know the last time BMORG surprised you in a positive direction.

Uh, never?

[motskyroonmatick]

I want to know the last time BMORG surprised you in a positive direction.

When they added a second bank of portopotties on the radials and more in open and any in deep playa.

[FIGJAM]

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[Simon of the Playa]

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[jcliff]

Here's my big fucking problem with better cell service.....100% self-centered! I'm a Catholic High School Dean, and they've been gracious enough to give me 6 school days off in the first 2 weeks of the school year to participate in Burning Man. For all of these years there's been an understanding that I cannot be gotten a hold of for any reason. If the reality of better cell service gets back to my higher-ups I'm gonna be pissed! My phone gets stowed when I roll in and stays stowed until I roll out.

[Traveller in Time]

Just send us your phone or leave it at default

[BrotherNomad]

I think Simon’s scenario is the only hope for reversing the deterioration and dilution of the event.

Yes yes, and steer the weather every way we can. If a pilot can get above the clouds & seed them over BRC the more the merrier.

Any other ideas?

[FlyingMonkey]

“Cell, data, Internet is here to stay and there is absolutely Dick anyone including the BORG can do about it. “



unless we all decide to switch to cricket.

Unless we just shut them off for 1 freaking week.

[FlyingMonkey]

Seen the latest city map?

Open camping only on the outer 3 streets.

BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Totally. I completely agree!

[FlyingMonkey]

So there is no confusion or ambiguity, the remote, off the grid location of the Black Rock Desert makes this area absolutely ideal for police to train on the use of their Stingray monitoring devices.

Note: Sham knows his phones. This is not hyperbole or a conspiracy theory. BRC is where LEO tests their toys (and collects the Idiot Tax)

There have been so many instances where Stingray has been used "improperly". It's surprising what technology is actually available to local law enforcement.