WHY I’M NOT GOING BACK TO BURNING MAN

XS · Post by XS » Mon Sep 29, 2003 10:04 am

I don't know Big D. I appreciate your concerns and share some of your healthy cynicism. My experience with the leave no trace ethic has taught be to be a better, more mindful being in my everyday life. Granted I grew up with the "pick up after yourself", and "don't be a litter bug" environmental mindset. While at BM and upon return, I have been much more mindful of one's impact on the environment. I find myself picking up trash where ever I might see it. MOOP occurs. Just have to deal with it. I think the BM experience was great reinforcement. Leave no trace, anywhere. Be well.

Kinetic · Post by **Kinetic** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 11:25 am

TheJudge wrote:
Kinetic wrote:This thread is making me want to do some research on the playa itself, and find out what the BLM and other groups have to say about playa surfaces and how well they heal up. I mean 30,000 people, art cars, etc will definitely make an impact.....We practice LNT, but are we doing it well enough?
It can ALWAYS be done better. Maybe you should visit the playa and see if you can help with the LNT process.

I am almost 2000 miles away so I can't exactly get out there but once a year. I would love to back out and learn more.

The idea behind my post was to learn more about the chemical and structural composition of "playa" and the second part was to find out what the BLM has learned from BM. In the press release they made a lot of good comments about the ORG and the clean up...I was curious if they have taken the lessons learned and applied them elsewhere...say in other environments that are not playa like surfaces. In other words what lessons could be borrowed and used elsewhere that the BLM says works? It could come in handy when dealing with other Federal agencies say if you want to host a regional burn on USFS land or something.

robbidobbs · Post by **robbidobbs** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 12:12 pm

If you want to see the DeMoopers in action, check out:

http://groups.msn.com/petuniafoto/pictures

precipitate · Post by **precipitate** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 12:29 pm

> I have been much more mindful of one's impact on the environment. I
> find myself picking up trash where ever I might see it.

That's a start. But I think Mayfield said it best:

Burning Man isn't a Leave No Trace event; it's a Leave No Trace *here* event.

Not only should you think about picking up MOOP in your daily life, but also
the vast amount of unneccessary waste that gets created for packaging
just about everything. Encourage manufacturers to reduce packaging.
Write them letters. Buy only stuff that uses minimal materials. Buy in
bulk (and not Costco-bulk, where you buy 24 sets of the same packaging).
Reduce, reuse, recycle.

Fuck. Starting to sound like a hippie. Better go eat some raw meat.

TestesInSac · Post by **TestesInSac** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 12:35 pm

precipitate wrote:Fuck. Starting to sound like a hippie. Better go eat some raw meat.

Not at all. True conservatives have been practicing that preach for longer than it's been fashionable. Goes with that fiscal frugality/take-care-of-yourself thing.

precipitate · Post by **precipitate** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 12:37 pm

No, I meant the preachy bit, not the sentiment itself.

Kinetic · Post by **Kinetic** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 12:58 pm

Here's another thing you can do to cut down on waste in more ways than one.

The Direct Marketing Association / Consumers page
http://tinyurl.com/p38l

If you scroll down you can chose to opt out of direct mailing which cuts the volume of junk mail you get. You can also register for a fee for the DMA's version of the Do Not Call list which I was on long before the Feds started their list.

It's pretty easy to do and it saves some paper not to mention the aggravation of sorting out all that junk mail that some of us get...or make that used to get.

precipitate · Post by **precipitate** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 1:16 pm

> cuts the volume of junk mail you get.

Did that a couple of years ago. Actually turned out to be a problem for this
year's Junkmail Man. I had to scrounge around my mom's house and in
my roommate's mail to get enough.

Angry Butterfly · Post by **Angry Butterfly** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 9:21 pm

Hi, I had some requests to re post this respose I wrote in the reno 911 thread here:

Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2003 8:02 pm Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reno 911 is hardly mainstream, Burning man got mentioned on the Simpsons years ago, here is the thing about media coverage and becoming a bit of pop culture, it raises the bar, after reading about burnigman in wired and seeing stuff on discovery chanel and the simpsons and what not, I really had this impression that burningman was something really special and if I participated i had to really do it right and really go all out, and so when I helped with projects and did my own I really went all out, because it was "BURNINGMAN" but then when i was worried I wasn't finished and my friend I was helping decided to do something half assed and ugly insted of following my design, he was all like, "nobody cares, it's burningman" well, that sucked, See, the cool thing about getting coverage like that is that you get people like me who are both intimidated and thrilled and have this beautiful idea bigger than itself and it is kind of like this perfect image that they want to live up to. When I had to deal with all these veterans (before I went out) bitching about how this or that didnt go right and telling me how things were half assed it kind of burst my bubble, and spoiled this dream i had, but when I got out there and it WAS amazing, and it was incredible, and i WAS awed, I wondered how anybody could bitch about it.

The same thing happens at a smaller scale in the collective I hang out at, I saw these amazing things they did and thoght it was a huge deal to be a part of it, so I really worked to get my art to a level where I felt it was worthy. when I got to know the place a little better i realized that thay had there warts and problems like everything else, but they made magic happen so that the whole was greater than the sum of it's parts and they end up attracting people with real talent and real skill who want to contribute, so fresh blood makes things better, because you are not all bitter and jaded, see everyone gets disillusioned eventualy, but hopefully you have made some progress or contribution before that vision of perfection fades, and also when you get some fresh blood, hopefully you can see through their eyes and remember what it felt like when You had that perfect vision, and mabe you can even help get yours back.

harleyb · Post by **harleyb** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 11:49 am

BD, your rant was one of the best I have ever seen in ANY forum! Pull your tongue out of your cheek and get yer ass back to BM next year!!!

harleyb · Post by **harleyb** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 9:44 am

matzoboy wrote:
sugarlarry wrote:"Okay, who wants to do the "Spooge in a Pool" theme camp...?"

Don’t shoot me, I’m only the messenger.

1 spooge = 1cc.
15,000 men x 8 days = 120,000 spooges = 120 liters

1 liter = 61 cubic inches.
120 liters = 7321 cubic inches

diameter of wading pool = 72 in.
area of wading pool = * x 36 x 36 = 4069 square inches

7321 cubic inches / 4069 square inches = 1.8 inches deep.

That is, the spooge pool would fill to less than 2” deep. You couldn’t really soak in it; you'd have to lay on your back and scoop it over yourself to get the effect.

Actually, that's 10cc/spooge, so your off by a factor of 10!
(The band of the same name taught us this)

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 12:24 pm

Another way of looking at it, once you're been to Burning Man once or twice, what will be the payoff for going back again and again? Isn't it like seeing a movie over and over, expecting to get something new out of it, while the experience doesn't change all that much from year to year? I mean there are other things to do on Labor Day for Pete's sake...

SealBoy · Post by **SealBoy** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 2:04 pm

Ugly Dougly wrote:Another way of looking at it, once you're been to Burning Man once or twice, what will be the payoff for going back again and again? Isn't it like seeing a movie over and over, expecting to get something new out of it, while the experience doesn't change all that much from year to year? I mean there are other things to do on Labor Day for Pete's sake...

I couldn't agree more. I even did an art project this year to try to "get something more" out of the Burning Man experience, but in the end it seemed like a re-run. After 4 years, maybe it's time to take a break. Maybe I'll spend all that money traveling to exotic lands and actually experiencing the world instead of trying to escape from it.

(I do hope other people enjoyed themselves, I'm just over it at this point.)

_tears_ · Post by **_tears_** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 5:52 pm

Thank goodness I wont see you there in 2005!

Rob the Wop · Post by **Rob the Wop** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 8:57 pm

_tears_ wrote:Thank goodness I wont see you there in 2005!

Now there's that 'new and improved' Burning Man spirit. Make sure to bring your frat boy friends with you instead of real artists.

freddybaby · Post by **freddybaby** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 10:59 am

BD - I was all set to come to work today and give the BM community a rash of shit but man you hit every nail on the head... and few that didnt occur to me... Thats for summing up everything that got my girlfriends skirt that I was wearing in a twist...

I on the other hand WILL be going back, but not to bitch and complain like I did this year... It's time to take back the city.. I know, it sounds lame, but after I saw Howard Sterns name in the events guide (Did he really have a XXX sex show or was it a joke) I was ready for battle...

Perhaps we are seeing what the American puplic can do to something amazing. It IS a project you know, and you never know the outcome till your complete.. Or is it that the population of BRC is growing faster than the core principals can seep into the citizens ?

Anyway, I'm still going untill I see a Coors beer truck and the Captian Morgan dancers... And i'm not going to treat oblivious signs of advertising and consumerism ver nice either.. Fuck the rules, they are changing them under our noses... They got us hooked on the BM principals, they can hear all the people bitching that "My logos on my truck got tagged", "Oh someone shoved epoxy up my RV drain and now I cant drain my water", "sombody cut my tent ropes cause I was too stupid to cover my rebar"

I must be really tired... was there 2 weeks... ouch...

mamasaid · Post by **mamasaid** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 3:46 pm

I aint got time to sit here and read all of these posts, particularly when it touched a negative nerve in me...

I was mostly sober throughout the burn, chemically speaking. i was high on the energy, so I ain't no e-popping burner who's mind and soul is in the dumps right about now.

In response, big dave, I had a moment as I was leaving and trying to find space to put all of our trash, that I might consider trying to live a life in America without making trash. Literally making a conscious choice to only buy and support what I can recycle. rough...but a possibilty I may choose.

It became clear to me that even though we just had this incredible experience together, and let me tell you, over-zealous rangers and art guardians and spectators aside, my experience was magic and Godly. But that it had to happen at the expense of too much trash. all along highway 80 there was bins full of it.

We may be at the point where this event is too big now. And I try not to be the typical sinister nor-cal person who ALWAYS says, "yeah, it used to be cool when..." Magic still happened for me, I smiled and laughed and sang and danced constantly.

can't write, much less talk with a real point right now, but just wanted you to know that I am aware of the playa nazis, of where this is going, but also to let you know I hope you aren't always this negative in real life. As some chic yelled at me today to get out of the street while riding my still-playafied bike, I waved and smiled. You gotta stop worrying and find a true way to be happy...
lots of love.
maldita

Zeejay · Post by **Zeejay** » Thu Sep 09, 2004 5:46 pm

Ivy wrote:
Did u find them virgins? 'cause everyone promissed them to me but I never found them.
What is up with the desire for virgins? I would think more experienced women would be desirable.

Shit, no wonder I don't get laid.

This public service announcement brought to you by Ivy.
Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Theres a desire for virgins? damm i was embarrased to admit it. no wonder i didn't get laid.

vulgaris · Post by **vulgaris** » Thu Sep 09, 2004 7:20 pm

I totally agree with you, and what a lot of people here said. The thing about Burning Man is that it is real life. There are aspects of it that are going to be downright rediculuos. Things are going to offend you. You may be surprised, amazed, absolved, whatevered by something and the person right next to you might be like "Who gives a fuck, I'm naked!" and the person next to that person will be like "God this fucking blows."

meandthemissus · Post by **meandthemissus** » Thu Sep 09, 2004 7:57 pm

Did you notice the 4 large dumpsters located in Wadsworth? They were filled to over flowing with more bags of trash piled on the ground. So the playa was cleaned up, and the trash dumped by hundreds of people on the reservation. could this be a problem? This along with the trash along 447.

Funny story, me and the missus and the kid were driving past Burning Man on the way to go camping. The kid wanted to see the Man, so I pulled off the road and drove toward the perimeter fence. When I did so an odd looking fellow in a junked up Datsun 240 painted white with a yellow caution light cranked up his heap and raced along side. Me and the missus and the kid, watched the camp roll by beyond the orange fence while this fellow raced around trying to get our attention with his yellow light flashing. I finally rolled my window down, he yelled at me to stop. I replied, you aren't law enforcement. He stated he was a "BLACK ROCK RANGER!" which certainly meant something to him. I replied that if he wanted me to stop he would have to get a law enforcement officer. Since we were moseying along at 20 mph, with no signs of any sort stating that we could not do such a thing, I figured he was out of line. Well, he grabbed a radio and as we cleared the end of the camp we accelerated to cruising speed and moved away. After a few moments we did see red and blue lights flashing behind us. We shut the truck down and got out. A BLM truck pulled up. "Did you see a Black Rock Ranger", "Apparently," I replied.
Did he ask you to stop, "Yes, I replied"
"Your response was?"
"Get an LEO"
"Did you pass a closure sign when you entered the the playa?"
"No" responded myself and echoed by the Missus.
"Did you attempt to enter the event?"
"Why? do we look like morons?"
They in unison, "Thanks for getting us away from that place, it is nice out here on the playa, that is no place for a family."

"No Problemo" We chatted about law enforcement, the assault on the officer that took place in camp. Hiking in the desert. They finally had to break away and go back to BM, sad they were.

windmistress · Post by **windmistress** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 11:53 am

bigdave wrote:The kooky Left loves a good conspiracy… maybe BM is an event cooked up by rich capitalists, the Rothschilds, Masons, Skull & Bones, the World Bank, IMF, Bechtel, Texaco, Dick Cheney, Bill Gates, and the New World Order.

Or perhaps, BM is an event that endures for no other reason than for all of those who do not attend. In their minds, they are left to wonder, to speculate and to imagine. As you now know -- since you have attended and voiced your opinion -- BM ain't what you had hoped.

I second your frustration regarding the myriad of hypocrisies that riddle the playa. There are SO many of them bundled up that it's difficult to unravel them and piece through them. It's easy to respond to your rant by saying, "Fuck you if you don't like aspects of BM, don't come back." That, of course, is the easy way out. I actually would like the vegan with the 10% shrimp complaint (story) to come forward with an explanation.

As far as clichés go (and the myriad of them as well), there's none better than, "That’s SO ORIGINAL! STARF*CKS!!! Dude, we’re ARTISTS!!! Where’s the bong?" I was sorely disappointed in what some called creative. On the other hand, super juicy creative was alive and abundant on the playa, though not as alive as years passed (according to seasoned Burners).

PetsUntilEaten · Post by **PetsUntilEaten** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 2:27 pm

Even in Catholism & various religons their exists the idea of Holy Aethism. That to be truely engaged in a relationship with God one must have serious doubts in the face of all that is wrong with the world.

Without suggesting that Burning Man is religon - I've regarded my relationship to Burningman in such a way - that any important relationship is marked by resentment, anger & doubt at some point.

Kiba · Post by **Kiba** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 3:58 pm

Gee Dave, it sounds like you had a bad time at Burning Man. Guess what? I didn't and I'm going next year. ^_^

jimbobby · Post by **jimbobby** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 6:55 pm

fuck off BRR

or is it fuck you?

guy got nabbed by LEO with weed on him. White out came. Guy dropped weed and fled into dust. LEO picks up weed and says 'Don't worry, god has a plan for him'. What an asshole.

PetsUntilEaten · Post by **PetsUntilEaten** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 7:02 pm

windmistress wrote:super juicy creative was alive and abundant on the playa, though not as alive as years passed (according to seasoned Burners).

I bet my seasoned burners can beat up your seasoned burners!

madmatt · Post by **madmatt** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 9:09 am

Re: WHY I’M NOT GOING BACK TO BURNING MAN

Buh-bye. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Rob the Wop · Post by **Rob the Wop** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 12:17 pm

madmatt wrote:
Re: WHY I’M NOT GOING BACK TO BURNING MAN
Buh-bye. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

I'll make sure that he's replaced with a unprepared, clueless Etard.

geekster · Post by **geekster** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 12:24 pm

jimbobby wrote:fuck off BRR
guy got nabbed by LEO with weed on him. White out came. Guy dropped weed and fled into dust. LEO picks up weed and says 'Don't worry, god has a plan for him'. What an asshole.

Not asshole, just Mormon it sounds like. A typical response from what I have seen. I am just wondering if he was able to disappear into the whiteout, why did he drop the weed? What a waste of perfectly good buzzage.

Big trout · Post by **Big trout** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 7:43 pm

Well I'm not going anymore because I couldnt score pussy this year!! What the hells up with the girls crossing thier legs this year???

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 7:48 pm

"I'm not going back because of big trout."

Now, there's a concept.