LA Times: Burning Man becomes a hot academic topic
- Mosin
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LA Times: Burning Man becomes a hot academic topic
Featured on the front page of the LATimes web site this evening...
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-burning-man-20101020,0,3074357.story
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-burning-man-20101020,0,3074357.story
Come down with fire - Lift my spirit higher -Someone's screaming my name - Come and make me holy again....
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junglesmacks wrote:The comments are just lovely..
Takes all kinds, I guess.

Interesting that she would say that "bike theft is rampant out there". Strange the things she thought important to mention.
JK
JK

http://www.mudskippercafe.com
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle.
Then I realized that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me

http://www.mudskippercafe.com
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle.
Then I realized that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me
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Everybody's entitled to their opinions, but I generally refuse to help academics and writers with their homework.
Amazing desert structures & stuff: http://sites.google.com/site/potatotrap/
"Let us say I suggest you may be human." -- Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam
"Let us say I suggest you may be human." -- Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam
I tried to write my own version of the obligatory "burning man sucks don't go" comment this morning when i saw this article, but the LA Times didn't allow it.
Maybe I went to far when I wrote participants regularly develop staph infections from the porta potties.
Seriously though, reading news articles online has become difficult lately as it is hard to ignore the ignorant garbage posted after every article. Just wait, soon there will be a comment on how burning man is no longer fun due to all the "illegals" and Obama's socialist agenda.
Maybe I went to far when I wrote participants regularly develop staph infections from the porta potties.
Seriously though, reading news articles online has become difficult lately as it is hard to ignore the ignorant garbage posted after every article. Just wait, soon there will be a comment on how burning man is no longer fun due to all the "illegals" and Obama's socialist agenda.
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jkisha wrote:junglesmacks wrote:The comments are just lovely..
Takes all kinds, I guess. :(
Interesting that she would say that "bike theft is rampant out there". Strange the things she thought important to mention.
JK
Well, when a group of friends and I go for our first time, and during the course of the week 25% of our bikes are stolen...we tend to remember that as a major part of our trip.
If we don't want it mentioned we need to stop the bike theft rings which are operating there. And by the evidence I saw in one week there are organized groups there for the sole purpose of stealing. Maybe if LEO's weren't so intent on making the world safer from pot we might actually find ourselves free of most crime.
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bluesbob wrote:jkisha wrote:junglesmacks wrote:The comments are just lovely..
Takes all kinds, I guess.
Interesting that she would say that "bike theft is rampant out there". Strange the things she thought important to mention.
JK
Well, when a group of friends and I go for our first time, and during the course of the week 25% of our bikes are stolen...we tend to remember that as a major part of our trip.
If we don't want it mentioned we need to stop the bike theft rings which are operating there. And by the evidence I saw in one week there are organized groups there for the sole purpose of stealing. Maybe if LEO's weren't so intent on making the world safer from pot we might actually find ourselves free of most crime.
I'm not sure how credible that "bike theft ring" claim really is. I've been going to the event for five years and my partner for seven, and we have never had a bike stolen. We are with a theme camp and only one bike in all of that time has ever been stolen from anyone from our camp. (We did have a few people from time to time that THOUGHT their bikes had been stolen and they found them the next morning right where the left them the previous night though.)
And also we have never had any problem with LEO and drugs or anything else for that matter, so I don't agree with your characterization of their behavior either. Had there been a "large bicycle theft ring" working on the playa, I can't imagine they wouldn't have been found out and arrested. I mean a camp with a hundred(s) of bikes parked around it with no entertainment going on would be bound to attract some level of suspicion.
Maybe somebody can post a credible link to the large bike theft ring info here.
JK
JK

http://www.mudskippercafe.com
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle.
Then I realized that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me

http://www.mudskippercafe.com
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle.
Then I realized that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me
jkisha wrote:Maybe somebody can post a credible link to the large bike theft ring info here.
JK
Someone mentioned earlier hearing an announcement Monday morning during exodus on BMIR about arrests made of folks involving what appeared to be a bike theft ring. I heard that announcement as well.
I know that what you were looking for was credible evidence and that us 2 eplayans' memory (and BMIR) may not meet your test of credibility. So I see your anecdotal evidence and raise you with hearsay.
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also:
in going back out late, it is amazing, how many bikes are scattered about the playa........literally hundreds.
abandon, or whatever.
and, this, after the donation bike place has taken all they can handle.
i'd say, "theft" may well be, at times, some stoned hippie, getting on an unlocked bike, riding it somewhere, and walking off.......sort of "borrowing".
Or, someone "altered" enough, that they rode their bike somewhere, and, forgot where.
Lots of the bikes laying around out there are to nice to just be "abandon" by their owners.
in going back out late, it is amazing, how many bikes are scattered about the playa........literally hundreds.
abandon, or whatever.
and, this, after the donation bike place has taken all they can handle.
i'd say, "theft" may well be, at times, some stoned hippie, getting on an unlocked bike, riding it somewhere, and walking off.......sort of "borrowing".
Or, someone "altered" enough, that they rode their bike somewhere, and, forgot where.
Lots of the bikes laying around out there are to nice to just be "abandon" by their owners.
YGMIR
Unabashed Nordic
Pagan
Unabashed Nordic
Pagan
ygmir wrote:also:
in going back out late, it is amazing, how many bikes are scattered about the playa........literally hundreds.
abandon, or whatever.
and, this, after the donation bike place has taken all they can handle.
i'd say, "theft" may well be, at times, some stoned hippie, getting on an unlocked bike, riding it somewhere, and walking off.......sort of "borrowing".
Or, someone "altered" enough, that they rode their bike somewhere, and, forgot where.
Lots of the bikes laying around out there are to nice to just be "abandon" by their owners.
Seems like that accounts for a lot of it. But there are plenty of people who have reported having locks cut off, which clearly isn't just a "borrowing" hippie...
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Artemis wrote:jkisha wrote:Maybe somebody can post a credible link to the large bike theft ring info here.
JK
Someone mentioned earlier hearing an announcement Monday morning during exodus on BMIR about arrests made of folks involving what appeared to be a bike theft ring. I heard that announcement as well.
I know that what you were looking for was credible evidence and that us 2 eplayans' memory (and BMIR) may not meet your test of credibility. So I see your anecdotal evidence and raise you with hearsay.
Actually, hearing they were ARRESTED adds a lot of credibility to the story, at least for me. I just couldn't imagine a 'large ring of bike thieves' not getting caught out there.
JK
JK

http://www.mudskippercafe.com
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle.
Then I realized that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me

http://www.mudskippercafe.com
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle.
Then I realized that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me
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Artemis wrote:ygmir wrote:also:
in going back out late, it is amazing, how many bikes are scattered about the playa........literally hundreds.
abandon, or whatever.
and, this, after the donation bike place has taken all they can handle.
i'd say, "theft" may well be, at times, some stoned hippie, getting on an unlocked bike, riding it somewhere, and walking off.......sort of "borrowing".
Or, someone "altered" enough, that they rode their bike somewhere, and, forgot where.
Lots of the bikes laying around out there are to nice to just be "abandon" by their owners.
Seems like that accounts for a lot of it. But there are plenty of people who have reported having locks cut off, which clearly isn't just a "borrowing" hippie...
I've heard that too, but just based on the people with a suspicious nature here on eplaya, I again would find it hard to believe that people could be roaming the playa with bolt cutters and not at least be questioned.
JK
JK

http://www.mudskippercafe.com
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle.
Then I realized that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me

http://www.mudskippercafe.com
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle.
Then I realized that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me
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Bounce530 wrote:and is there really that much of a black market for playa-ized bikes? Given the amount of effort of the trip alone, plus having to refurb the 'stolen' bikes. Sounds like alotta work for little return.
ya, that definitely makes sense.
JK
JK

http://www.mudskippercafe.com
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle.
Then I realized that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me

http://www.mudskippercafe.com
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle.
Then I realized that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me
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jkisha wrote:Artemis wrote:ygmir wrote:also:
in going back out late, it is amazing, how many bikes are scattered about the playa........literally hundreds.
abandon, or whatever.
and, this, after the donation bike place has taken all they can handle.
i'd say, "theft" may well be, at times, some stoned hippie, getting on an unlocked bike, riding it somewhere, and walking off.......sort of "borrowing".
Or, someone "altered" enough, that they rode their bike somewhere, and, forgot where.
Lots of the bikes laying around out there are to nice to just be "abandon" by their owners.
Seems like that accounts for a lot of it. But there are plenty of people who have reported having locks cut off, which clearly isn't just a "borrowing" hippie...
I've heard that too, but just based on the people with a suspicious nature here on eplaya, I again would find it hard to believe that people could be roaming the playa with bolt cutters and not at least be questioned.
JK
All someone has to do is tell us it's part of his project adn we disappear into the ether again.
(I know, not helping. Sorry, I'll get out of the thread drift now.)
The Lady with a Lamprey
"The powerful are exploiting people, art and ideas, and this leads to us plebes debating how to best ration ice.
Man, no wonder they always win....." Lonesomebri
"The powerful are exploiting people, art and ideas, and this leads to us plebes debating how to best ration ice.
Man, no wonder they always win....." Lonesomebri
jkisha wrote:I've heard that too, but just based on the people with a suspicious nature here on eplaya, I again would find it hard to believe that people could be roaming the playa with bolt cutters and not at least be questioned.
JK
During my first year my friend's combo lock jammed and wouldn't open. She went to a ranger station and found someone with a bolt cutter. He was not wearing a ranger uniform or anything that suggested he was doing something official. He walked around (carrying this massive bolt cutter) about a block with us and around all the bikes near center camp. Not one person stopped or seemed surprised that someone with a bolt cutter was walking through the bike racks at center camp. This was in broad daylight. No one questioned us, no one even really glanced at us. So I don't find it hard to believe...
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jkisha wrote:bluesbob wrote:jkisha wrote:junglesmacks wrote:The comments are just lovely..
Takes all kinds, I guess. :(
Interesting that she would say that "bike theft is rampant out there". Strange the things she thought important to mention.
JK
Well, when a group of friends and I go for our first time, and during the course of the week 25% of our bikes are stolen...we tend to remember that as a major part of our trip.
If we don't want it mentioned we need to stop the bike theft rings which are operating there. And by the evidence I saw in one week there are organized groups there for the sole purpose of stealing. Maybe if LEO's weren't so intent on making the world safer from pot we might actually find ourselves free of most crime.
I'm not sure how credible that "bike theft ring" claim really is. I've been going to the event for five years and my partner for seven, and we have never had a bike stolen. We are with a theme camp and only one bike in all of that time has ever been stolen from anyone from our camp. (We did have a few people from time to time that THOUGHT their bikes had been stolen and they found them the next morning right where the left them the previous night though.)
And also we have never had any problem with LEO and drugs or anything else for that matter, so I don't agree with your characterization of their behavior either. Had there been a "large bicycle theft ring" working on the playa, I can't imagine they wouldn't have been found out and arrested. I mean a camp with a hundred(s) of bikes parked around it with no entertainment going on would be bound to attract some level of suspicion.
Maybe somebody can post a credible link to the large bike theft ring info here.
JK
I didn't go to the Critical Tits parade, so I guess it didn't happen.
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bluesbob wrote:
I didn't go to the Critical Tits parade, so I guess it didn't happen.
I can assure you that Critical Tits did indeed happen. As for the other unsubstantiated stories that always follow the event, I just go by "if it doesn't make sense to me, it's probably not true." And your original post seemed to have a definite bias against LE on the play, so it didn't help me in determining credibility.
I'll wait 'till the afterburn report thank you.
JK
JK

http://www.mudskippercafe.com
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle.
Then I realized that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me

http://www.mudskippercafe.com
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle.
Then I realized that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me
Artemis wrote:jkisha wrote:I've heard that too, but just based on the people with a suspicious nature here on eplaya, I again would find it hard to believe that people could be roaming the playa with bolt cutters and not at least be questioned.
JK
During my first year my friend's combo lock jammed and wouldn't open. She went to a ranger station and found someone with a bolt cutter. He was not wearing a ranger uniform or anything that suggested he was doing something official. He walked around (carrying this massive bolt cutter) about a block with us and around all the bikes near center camp. Not one person stopped or seemed surprised that someone with a bolt cutter was walking through the bike racks at center camp. This was in broad daylight. No one questioned us, no one even really glanced at us. So I don't find it hard to believe...
here's an interesting story/social experiment called Steal This Bike, done in Portland; actually I think I first read this on the way to BM in 2006:
http://wweek.com/editorial/3242/7923
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Fire_Moose wrote:I carry around bolt cutters to free enslaved green bikes.
Would you have a problem with that?
No, you should be commended.
JK
JK

http://www.mudskippercafe.com
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle.
Then I realized that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me

http://www.mudskippercafe.com
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle.
Then I realized that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me
I'm not sure how credible that "bike theft ring" claim really is.
This is Burningman's version of urban lore.
Though there are bike thefts there is no theft ring.
Concerted efforts have been made over the years by Rangers and LEOs working in cooperation with DPW, Gate and BR Rangers to prove the existence of such a thing and every effort has yielded no proof. Nada.
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Sorry, but stealing bikes in groups is not a thoughtless error.
And many bring very expensive bikes, even without realizing it.
The Toronto bike ring was mythological.... until they caught them with their warehouses full of stolen bikes.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/ ... -bail.html
And many bring very expensive bikes, even without realizing it.
The Toronto bike ring was mythological.... until they caught them with their warehouses full of stolen bikes.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/ ... -bail.html
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