culture jamming center camp

thoughtsurfer · Post by **thoughtsurfer** » Sat Nov 08, 2003 10:26 am

Somebody at b-man made little pizzas and delivered them to random camps all over the playa....the pizza delivery boys...
I think they did something like close their eyes every day and point to a random camp on the map...that seems like a good way to deliver coffee...
imagine waking up and having your lucky camp be the chosen one to receive fresh morning jo!

Ivy · Post by **Ivy** » Sun Nov 09, 2003 7:10 am

I'm all about random. I dig the idea of putting your finger on the map and then going there. Great idea.

Sobretta Franjipan · Post by **Sobretta Franjipan** » Sun Nov 09, 2003 12:27 pm

The Cafe is the most boring place on the Playa. Amateurs only please. The few times I tyrannically ride my bike through it I get weirded out on the vibe that it is someplace else. It's the black hole that sucks the fun/wacky/uniqueness out of BM and replaces it with layabouts who can't get enough of monotonous drum circles and/or exhibitionistic yoga gumbies. Hey, keep it up-I know many like it. But I wouldn't miss it.

Isotopia · Post by **Isotopia** » Sun Nov 09, 2003 1:52 pm

It's the black hole that sucks the fun/wacky/uniqueness out of BM and replaces it with layabouts who can't get enough of monotonous drum circles and/or exhibitionistic yoga gumbies.

Oooh, I think I like you.

Rob the Wop · Post by **Rob the Wop** » Sun Nov 09, 2003 10:14 pm

Sobretta Franjipan wrote:The Cafe is the most boring place on the Playa. Amateurs only please. The few times I tyrannically ride my bike through it I get weirded out on the vibe that it is someplace else. It's the black hole that sucks the fun/wacky/uniqueness out of BM and replaces it with layabouts who can't get enough of monotonous drum circles and/or exhibitionistic yoga gumbies. Hey, keep it up-I know many like it. But I wouldn't miss it.

he he he

i like her...

BlueBirdPoof · Post by **BlueBirdPoof** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 11:23 am

Badger wrote:. Confiscate the fine from the tip jars and well, hell...I'm not sure what you'd do with the $.

Someone, somewhere on the playa has got to have enough BTUs to melt them down. And make a federal case of it, I suppose.

BlueBirdPoof · Post by **BlueBirdPoof** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 11:27 am

Don Muerto wrote:I like French Toast. Can we get French Toast?

Only if you become Larry.

Please don't Larrify yourself.

blyslv · Post by **blyslv** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 2:01 pm

Sobretta Franjipan wrote:exhibitionistic yoga gumbies. .

Watch it buster!

Jane Eric · Post by **Jane Eric** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 2:01 pm

I'm very happy to put away my guilt over not having gone into Center Camp at all for two straight years. Thank you. I did feel a twinge on realizing I'd missed out on seeing Mark Finley's work but oh well.

The lights and flags are nice for figuring out where you are after the man burns, though.

Patience · Post by **Patience** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 2:03 pm

It's also a great place to steal a bike.

precipitate · Post by **precipitate** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 2:31 pm

> On the other hand, it was great o be able to get a simple cup of tea
> exactly when I needed it and to know how to find it.

Oh, you brought a camp stove, a pot, a cup, and a tea bag too, did you?
Good for you. I always forget which bin I put the tea in, but labeling
things and packing in advance has helped a lot.

BlueBirdPoof · Post by **BlueBirdPoof** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 3:10 pm

I have to say that BRCVFD was very lucky last year. One of our campmates treated us to coffee every morning--and it was an incredible gift. You had to wait your turn, but it was made to order. He even had cold milk and a french press. You'd sit there, under one of his parasols, and chat with him and other camp members.

He absolutely amazed me with his set up too. He had multiple tents--office, bedroom, living room--all with appropriate accoutraments. He had living plants too--lots of misting there. No dust--or very little--in the tents. Always up early and in a good service mode--not servile, but aware of your comfort and willing to make it work for you. It was truly gracious. And to whatever extent he kept those firefighters up and running, and to whatever extent the firefighters help keep BRC running, a gift to the whole city in a way.

He's an innkeeper in his other life.

I'm explaining it very poorly, but I guess it's some sort of vote for alternate coffees on the playa.

III · Post by **III** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 4:28 pm

>One of our campmates treated us to coffee every morning--and it was an incredible gift. You had to wait your turn, but it was made to order.

and what some of us have been saying is that this is a pretty common thing - there are people making coffee every couple of camps along every single block of burning man.

the sad thing is that, because center camp is so there, and based on that whole hand over cash thing, a lot of people never even find out that superior coffee and true (as opposed to commercialized) community exists within a stones throw of their camps.

the center cafe *is* the walmart of coffee on the playa.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 5:52 pm

Personally, I think the removal of the trash cans would be a good thing.

stuart · Post by **stuart** » Mon Nov 17, 2003 3:54 pm

I still don't know why I can't use the trash bins in center camp for my trash. Does it say somewhere that they are only for coffe cups cuz if you look at the ground you could only draw the conclusion that they are specifically NOT for coffe cups so they must be for MY trash.

And yeah! wtF are people doing going there to do their yoga other than to say 'Hey, I am so fuckin actualized! I do fuckin yoga!'

I managed to not go to center camp until this year. Some friends wanted to see some BLRZTA (that's black light reactive zip tie art for those of you outside of the arts communities). Center camp is creepy.

On the other hand, a few years ago I was chatting with a pal in a random dome at a big camp after dawn. In strolls this cute girl. She announces to the occupants 'Who wants fresh baked chocolate chip cookies?' FUCK YEAH! Now that's the way to do it.

Zane5100 · Post by **Zane5100** » Mon Nov 17, 2003 4:11 pm

stuart wrote:I still don't know why I can't use the trash bins in center camp for my trash.

Don't get me started about those goddamncocksuckingmotherfuckingpieceofshit trash cans.

Talk about fucking something up more than you thought possible in regards to "unintended consequences."

goddamn hippie fuckwits...

TestesInSac · Post by **TestesInSac** » Mon Nov 17, 2003 4:22 pm

You mean the trash cans or the burn barrels?

III · Post by **III** » Mon Nov 17, 2003 5:46 pm

i like a variation on stuart's idea, in which you take care of your own trash properly, but (as a community service of course) collect other people's trash and dispose of it in center camp. in fact, it'd be a great place to discard the product of a midweek moop sweep.

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Mon Nov 17, 2003 6:07 pm

You mean the trash cans or the burn barrels?

Hahahaaahahaa!!!!

girlie · Post by **girlie** » Mon Nov 17, 2003 10:59 pm

III posted:
>>the center cafe *is* the walmart of coffee on the playa.

How do other social and civic groups deal with this sort of thing when
stores like Walmart, etc. start driving out small businesses in their
communities?

Are there any tried and true practices for encouraging folks to get to
know their neighbours that could be built upon?

(asking questions 'cuz i'm stumped for any good large-scale strategy for
this sort of thing)

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Mon Nov 17, 2003 11:20 pm

How bout we chain tony to tree stump in center camp. Give all the coffee he wants and a spot (but serviceable) packet of cyanide laced acid.

Post a fire extinguisher and any stray LEO's nearby and I'm sure the rest of us will have a much better time.

But wait, he doesn't actually go or contribute to BM. He just clogs bandwith on the eplaya with his inane pratlings.

Nevermind.

DE FACTO · Post by **DE FACTO** » Mon Nov 17, 2003 11:21 pm

Sylvia wrote:How bout we chain tony to tree stump in center camp. Give all the coffee he wants and a spot (but serviceable) packet of cyanide laced acid.

Post a fire extinguisher and any stray LEO's nearby and I'm sure the rest of us will have a much better time.

But wait, he doesn't actually go or contribute to BM. He just clogs bandwith on the eplaya with his inane pratlings.

Nevermind.

wrong again. You should know better.

<sigh>

Ivy · Post by **Ivy** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 7:38 am

How do other social and civic groups deal with this sort of thing when
stores like Walmart, etc. start driving out small businesses in their
communities?

Girlie, that's a great question--the only time I've ever seen a smaller business successfully compete againt something like Wal-mart was by finding themselves some sort of specific niche. Other than that, i haven't heard of anything else working. I'd be curious (as I'm sure would business owners!) to see if anything else was successful.

We've also beent alking a lot of smack about the cafe (not undeservedly, IMO), but what about the rest of center camp? I am totaly fond of rioting at the post office...

Rob the Wop · Post by **Rob the Wop** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 8:18 am

You could always have a protest. Hold up signs.
"Center camp holds an unfair monopoly on lattes!"
"Center camp practices unfair business practices. Let the little coffee guys have a chance."

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 9:25 am

You could even set up a coffee shop right there and give it away. Or just let people buy a frigging cuppa joe, ferchissakes. What if I don't want to ask for something or bother saying thank you? What if nobody's up and about? Whatsa matta with letting someone have a normal experience as a break from all the lunacy?

Tiara · Post by **Tiara** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 9:50 am

Sylvia wrote:Whatsa matta with letting someone have a normal experience as a break from all the lunacy?

Quite simply, that is a violation of The Spirit of Burningman (TM).

BlueBirdPoof · Post by **BlueBirdPoof** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:27 am

Sylvia wrote:You could even set up a coffee shop right there and give it away.

Better yet, really mess with people by giving them coffee while carrying a big sign that says "Pay me not to give you coffee!" The "other operation" as it were. If lots of other people are giving away free coffee, you might as well sell not giving it at the center cafe.

BlueBirdPoof · Post by **BlueBirdPoof** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:32 am

Ivy wrote:-the only time I've ever seen a smaller business successfully compete againt something like Wal-mart was by finding themselves some sort of specific niche. Other than that, i haven't heard of anything else working. I'd be curious (as I'm sure would business owners!) to see if anything else was successful.

There's been some amount of community activism and lawsuit activity, too.

What if we accused the center cafe of hiring illegal aliens, not promoting women, promoting welfare for its workforce instead of decent healthcare, and buying prison labor coffee from China? Center Cafe is really the WTO reaching into BRC sort of thing. (At least then I can oogle all the people dressed as turtles!)

Rob the Wop · Post by **Rob the Wop** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:36 am

BlueBirdPoof wrote:What if we accused the center cafe of hiring illegal aliens, not promoting women, promoting welfare for its workforce instead of decent healthcare, and buying prison labor coffee from China? Center Cafe is really the WTO reaching into BRC sort of thing. (At least then I can oogle all the people dressed as turtles!)

Oh oh oh. I like.
May a photoshopped copy of third world child laborers holding a latte cup with the BM logo on it? Blind and/or crippled men and women (fake, of course) holding up signs proclaiming the health risks of CenterCamp Coffee?

electrolux · Post by **electrolux** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 2:45 pm

illegal aliens

i don't recall being asked for my social security # when they handed me some tip money. little did they know i pole vaulted over the us/canadian border in order to score some greenbacks. (don't worry i used the money for good - buying attractive women yet more coffee - and not evil - buying voyeur video's latest offering (BM '03 - boobs beyond belief)).

culture jamming center camp

Double decaf triple foam coffee cozy'd roofie Grande!

Re: Double decaf triple foam coffee cozy'd roofie Grande!

Re: Double decaf triple foam coffee cozy'd roofie Grande!