High on Burning Man

avhouston · Post by **avhouston** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:49 pm

Metropolis, here we come!

cant wait for BM 2010, but i have a few questions for experienced burners...

ive read of 'gifting,' and bartering, and about all the things (tangible and not) that you can share with people. of all these things that people will share, trade, or offer, i havent heard much in regards to sharing 'party favors.' do people share booze? do you have to trade for it? ive also read that cars are searched upon entering BM?? so who's bringing in the 'magic?' and how do people go about sharing such treasures? do you trade for it? do such occasions call for particularly special gifts in return?

let me know about your experience. hopefully my questions arent too forward. just trying to be prepared :wink:

Post by **Elderberry** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:54 pm

First, "party favors" are illegal. So, unless you know somebody, they are not that likely to be shared--you never know who might be undercover law enforcement.

Second, booze--is shared on the playa in much the same way you would offer a drink to a friend visiting your home, in addition, there are many theme camps that have bars and serve the general public--provided you are of legal age.

You basically bring and create your own "magic". No one is looking for party favors during the search--mostly for people trying to sneak in and items that aren't permitted like plants for one example.

JK

Remark · Post by **Remark** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:14 am

jkisha wrote: You basically bring and create your own "magic".
JK

Sums many things up quite nicely. Well said.

erbal · Post by **erbal** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 1:13 am

People bring plants to the playa? ... madness!

All that dust, cant be good for the poor blighters

In my experience gifts are for giving, you cant give something and expect to recieve something in return, that's a trade not a gift.

Just be yourself and good things will happen

phil · Post by **phil** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 9:50 am

> ive read of 'gifting,' and bartering, and about all the things (tangible
> and not) that you can share with people.

I think the message gets lost in the translation. If you want to give someone something, just give it. No expectations, no requirments, no nothing. Gifts are not required.

Decades ago, anything went at Burning Man, including selling stuff. Some people paid for their trip to the Burn by selling things - some people ran restaurants, and you could buy a meal; one couple sold snow cones; some people sold drugs. Then when the BLM came down on the Man after '96, sales were prohibited, so BMOrg instituted a barter rule. There's no real difference between barter and selling, so barter was proscribed. The "gift economy" was announced. Shrug - now people seem to feel forced to bring gifts and to think gifts are required and an exchange of gifts is expected. Sheesh.

If you want to bring stuff to give away, bring stuff to give away. If someone gives you something, thank them - no exchange of gifts is required.

After you've come the first time, my hope is that you will be enlightened in the ways of Burning Man - there's no real way to get understanding other than by going and being there.

Louise and I don't do drugs, so I can't speak to the expectations among those who do. Having circumspect and vague posts here may cause more confusion than understanding. Or maybe not. Who can tell?

My pet peeve is that 'gift' is a noun. You don't 'gift' something you give it. My favorite button from Burning Man is "I'm not giving you shit - I'm gifting it." Give. Give gifts. Gift is not a verb. Give is a verb. Rant over.

ibdave · Post by **ibdave** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 9:53 am

avhouston wrote:Metropolis, here we come!

last year was better....

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 10:05 am

jkisha wrote:First, "party favors" are illegal.

Methinks you are reading too much into that, hippy.

Homiesinheaven · Post by **Homiesinheaven** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 10:44 am

get high on your own supply. i wouldnt bring "magic" as a gift. make friends, ask if they're cops, and share but dont bring stuff looking to trade. i've never "bartered" before, that to me implies negotiating. you give and receive but it's usually not a trade with the same person. also try not to think of gifting in terms of objects, helping someone out in any capacity is a thousand times better.

welcome!

Post by **AntiM** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 10:53 am

Plain talk time: If you give a gift of drugs to an undercover cop, you will be busted. If you accept a gift of drugs from an undercover cop, you will be busted. Do be paranoid.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:09 am

Homiesinheaven wrote: ask if they're cops,

welcome!

Can you explain this?

ibdave · Post by **ibdave** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:54 am

gyre wrote:
Homiesinheaven wrote: ask if they're cops,

welcome!
Can you explain this?

Never works on "COPS""bad boy's whatcha going to do" ..
the lady of the corner still gets busted....Every time...

I think I'm thinking right.. Right?

Homiesinheaven · Post by **Homiesinheaven** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 1:00 pm

i'm not a lawyer but, a very cute girl who hung around our camp two years ago was very adamant about buying as much ecstasy as possible. we shrugged and told her we werent selling anything and after the third time she asked i asked her "are you an undercover cop or something?" she then pretended to not hear me, her demeanor changed, and she waltzed her pretty little narc ass out of our camp without saying goodbye.

Post by **AntiM** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 1:38 pm

The thing is, undercovers can lie about being cops. Perfectly legal for them to say, "Nope, I'm not a cop".

Homiesinheaven · Post by **Homiesinheaven** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 2:11 pm

i believe you AntiM but does anyone have any actual proof of this? people seem to quote Nevada State statutes here all the time. any BM experiences with outting undercover cops?

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 2:12 pm

I'm fairly certain that this has happened in the past.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 2:19 pm

Homiesinheaven wrote:i believe you AntiM but does anyone have any actual proof of this? people seem to quote Nevada State statutes here all the time. any BM experiences with outting undercover cops?

I've outted a few.
That question ain't gonna do it.
If she was a narc, she left because you weren't buying her act.

Who told you they wouldn't lie?

Homiesinheaven · Post by **Homiesinheaven** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 2:54 pm

Johnny Outlaw told me and i believe everything Johnny Outlaw says. how did you out them?

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 7:44 pm

I like giving out teddy bears filled with cement. At least, if. It hits the ground, it does so with panache. Bartering for booze is more fun than just receiving it. I think the personal touch is what's more important.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 9:32 pm

Burning Man requires that you not break the law. Read the fucking ticket, or better yet, go somewhere else.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 10:08 pm

Homiesinheaven wrote:Johnny Outlaw told me and i believe everything Johnny Outlaw says. how did you out them?

Is he a cop?

You can spot the narcs because they will ask you to buy, sell, trade or give them drugs.

Often they are unfamiliar with things that any participant would know, but not always.
They may not have a camp.
They may be too clean or over costumed.
In a crowd, they may be watching things no one else is.
Watch their eyes.
And don't ever assume you will always spot them.

Check out police or government training for spotting people out of place.
Plenty of instructional material about this.
The police and the secret service use these techniques.
So can you.

And everyone should know interrogation techniques, as a self defense against them.
Everyone.

And don't buy, sell, trade or give anyone drugs.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:03 pm

And they do read these boards.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:17 pm

There are police forums too.

Homiesinheaven · Post by **Homiesinheaven** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 12:39 pm

that's cool and all gyre, but you still havent shared the stories of how you "outted a few." do tell.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 1:09 pm

Some things are best not talked about publicly, but usually these guys out themselves, or are too good to spot.
I just turn around and tell the other people that someone is looking for 'psychedelics' or whatever.
The answer is always "There are drugs in Reno."
Just keep telling anyone that asks.

I filed a formal complaint about the fake police art car that wanted to trade rides for drugs a few years ago.
If I find another one doing this, I still intend to tag it as a police car and get the photos of the car (and maybe the cop too) off the playa and to AP quick.
I'm betting I can whip up a pretty good distraction out there, but as long as the camera chip gets passed off a few times and gets published, it's cool.
They have been warned.

Art cars are off limits for the police, so watch for this tactic.

They have been known to travel with people for awhile before asking too.

Remember-
tell them there are drugs in reno.
They may eventually get tired of always hearing that.

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 1:19 pm

Tell them there are drugs in your twinkie, and if he/she can extract them, they can can have the creamy filling also.

Homiesinheaven · Post by **Homiesinheaven** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 1:37 pm

ha ha, i like the twinkie line and just understood the Reno line in the context of narcs. cool, thanks!

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:55 pm

I admire and hate the cops. They do a job,few of us would want, but then feel entitled to act above the law. They are SUPER rent-a-cops. They need to be elected. I don't know...maybe I'm just tired.

Post by **Elderberry** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 9:21 pm

I still don't get the Reno line.

JK

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 9:37 pm

Use it in Black Rock City.

Deb Prothero · Post by **Deb Prothero** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 10:10 pm

I had fun outting a bunch of narcs this year.

I was walking back in the 'burbs - trying to find a friend's camp. It was 9:30ish and seven people came along the street I was on (J or K) yelling out the names of drugs. I was chuckling to myself wondering if they really thought we were that stupid.

Anyway, as they got closer I looked behind me again to be sure they weren't going to run me over. The lead cyclist said, "you look like someone who knows where to find drugs." And I said rather loudly, "And you look like a bunch of narcs!"

They took off and never said another peep.

Saw them again later that night, walking their bikes in front of our newspaper camp. So I brought out my pals from the newspaper and hollered, "There's the narcs!" They jumped on their bikes, turned around and took off again.

Next time I saw them was on my way over to the Booby Bar late on Tuesday night. I was walking and they had discarded their bikes and were on A street approaching 4:00. I came up behind them and said, "Did you find any yet?" They took the next corner in an opposite direction.

Funny, made my day.

So it was easy to spot them. Five men, two women. All in their late twenties. All wearing the same boots. One Asian male, one Latino male, one African American male, two white guys. One white female and one Latino female. Looked like the political correct squad.

High on Burning Man

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