Cell Phone coverage

[theCryptofishist]

Electric wheelchairs. You know they are putting 392 megawatts of solar plants in the desert of Southern California, bulldozing 1000s of acres of desert tortoise habitat just to power wheelchairs. Electric wheelchairs are evil and the BLM is spineless and evil for letting it happen!

[OregonRed]

Funny part of this debate for me is the highly selective attitude toward technology. If it's green, solar technology it gets kudos. If it's a cell phone it's baaadddd. Couple this with the significant over representation of high tech workers at BM... Strange.

I'll bet the woman that claims that cell phones are evil drives to BM in a Prius.

I'll bet she thinks EL wire is really cool and has some solar halogen patio lights in her camp.

I'll bet she uses a digital camera.

...

I never said that cell phones were evil, I said they were unnecessary on the playa. And I'll say it again, YOU DON'T NEED YOUR CELL PHONE ON THE PLAYA. My first eight Burns there was absolutely no cell phone coverage on the playa, and it was fine.

I do not work in high tech. I do not drive a Prius.

I do enjoy the art I've seen done with EL wire (Don't you ). We gave up solar halogen lights in camp for compact fluorescent bulbs.

I don't own a camera other than the one on my cell phone (and I'm really bad about remembering to take pictures anyway).

I do own a cell phone. It lives in the glove box while I'm on the playa.

I will agree with OED that vending machines are evil.

[robrob]

lol, yeah, that red is really irritating to read in big chunks. but burn on, in whatever way suits you best!

[andromeda23]

personally, I love the disconnecting from the default world. It takes me about 2 days out there to realize that the thing missing while i'm sitting down is my laptop, the noises I hear in the background are NOT my email, text notification, or my cell phone ringing.

That said, this is the first year both my husband and I will be out there together (his first burn). Unlike babyrocks (from another thread), I KNOW my children DO NOT belong on the playa. So they will be with grandparents. so yeah, I kinda need to check in or at least see if there is an "OMG the baby is in the hospital with 3 cracked ribs from playing with his brother!!!" email or text. My family has all the appropriate 911 info on how to get an emergency message to me, but i have told them to go ahead and send a text or email in addition to it in case getting to playa info is delayed or the rangers can't find my camp. I just need to have all the bases covered. Plus, i'm doing a couple of shifts at the airport in the am and the alarm clock feature will ensure I show up on time.

see? there are perfectly legitimate reasons to have a cell phone out there but i sure as hell won't be keeping it on me or keeping it turned on!

one more thing.. since my husband and I have recently upgraded our phones, we will probably be using an old one with a camera to take pictures out there. much less cumbersome than a big old digi and not nearly as devastating if it gets lost.

[The CO]

lol, yeah, that red is really irritating to read in big chunks. but burn on, in whatever way suits you best!

Why's it gotta be about color? Some people gotta drag race into everything...

[JoeJoe]

I've decided to help everyone out and install a land line out there on the playa for everyone to use who may need to. It's not a cell phone so you can't get all burnier than though. But it is an effective means of getting a phone to your ear. It's pretty high tech and expensive (seeing as how I have to purchase and transport the whole set up out there), but with all this controversy I think it's necessary. Those wishing to donate to the Land Line for Burners fund can PM me for details. Below I've pictured the set up I will be bringing and installing at center camp. Please don't bother me with questions about how it works and tech specs, I don't understand it myself.

To be installed for public use:


FYI, next year I may upgrade to a cordless video phone (see below), but we'll have to see how it goes this year.


also, I dunno about you, but I thought drag racing into burning man wasn't allowed? 5mph speed limit and all that. Though I suppose you could get it a pass as a MV... gotta say though, I'd def choose red as the color of my racer!

Why's it gotta be about color? Some people gotta drag race into everything...

[OregonRed]

lol, yeah, that red is really irritating to read in big chunks. but burn on, in whatever way suits you best!

If you don't want to see my posts, you are welcome to foe me and never have to see my "irritating" posts again. Otherwise, I invite you to go fuck yourself.


See you in the dust.

[Turnip]

Someone feels like they've got something to prove.

[Homiesinheaven]

To be installed for public use:


FYI, next year I may upgrade to a cordless video phone (see below), but we'll have to see how it goes this year.

hilarious!

[kelizabeth]

Every year my birthday usually falls at the end of the week. This year my birthday is on Monday, and I will be in Reno then. I only use my cell phone to make a call to my parents and brother on that day, if I find service. 2009 was pretty cool because Friday, my birthday, I was all of a sudden magically roaming on ATT's network. I went a little overboard and instead of calling just my parents and brother, I called up a bunch of friends who used to attend the event to cackle at them. Then I put it away and didn't pull it out again until I was on the freeway to Reno.