Biodegradable Paper Chinese Sky Laterns?

jcliff · Post by **jcliff** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 5:58 pm

Does anyone know if these would be allowed to be released? I realize they'd have to go when there's no wind.....but other than that, would there be a problem with them? Might make a pretty show.

robbidobbs · Post by **robbidobbs** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:05 pm

I hate to rain on your show, but this is still MOOP.

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:14 pm

Were even discouraged from dumping water on the playa.

jcliff · Post by **jcliff** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:15 pm

Ok, thought it would be a no-go. Thanks for the input.

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:55 pm

In a way, it's a good practice. When BM first moved to the playa, they cleaned up all kinds of shit, dumped by the locals. I understand the biodegradable aspect. But, we have set the standards for other playa users now. IMHO, I think it would be awesome!

maybe if you could tether them? and clean up after? It's not a direct playa burn....?

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:58 pm

MOOP, hell, unguided, uncontrolled open flames over a tent city.

They don't work well at altitude, much better at sea level.

Dr. Pyro · Post by **Dr. Pyro** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 7:47 pm

Jeeze AntiM, I don't know. I mean, MOOP is so over rated; uncontrolled fires and massive mayham within the tent city that is BRC. I can see the upside somehow. Well, maybe not. Unless we get it on BurningmanTV!

"And now, live from the playa, horrible mass death and distruction! Those greasy hippies sure do light up the night sky! If only Paul Addis were here to be set on fire as well!" Yes, I can see the upside.

Post by **AntiM** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 5:54 am

I could get down with some Mayhem.

Sail Man · Post by **Sail Man** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:08 am

One of those landed 3' from my tent with my wife and kid sleeping inside in 08. Not really a fan of those at the burn. We discussed allowing them at Lakes of Fire and nixed that idea as well.

Note to self, increase life insurance policy on wife and kid.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:50 am

Brainstorm: What if it was an LED light and had a tether?

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:56 am

LED in a helium ballon inflated in the lantern.

Mulligan · Post by **Mulligan** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:10 am

[quote="Ugly Dougly"]Brainstorm: What if it was an LED light and had a tether?[/quote]

Part of the lantern thing is that the heat from the fire makes it float.

I personally have a thing against tethering. There was a camp that had a kite tied to their tent a few doors down. You know how many bikers got clotheslined on that thing? And you don't even want to know what happened to those high'rise bikes...

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 12:05 pm

LEDs in an acetylene balloon would work for me.

illy dilly · Post by **illy dilly** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 12:20 pm

Mulligan wrote:
Ugly Dougly wrote:Brainstorm: What if it was an LED light and had a tether?
Part of the lantern thing is that the heat from the fire makes it float.

I personally have a thing against tethering. There was a camp that had a kite tied to their tent a few doors down. You know how many bikers got clotheslined on that thing? And you don't even want to know what happened to those high'rise bikes...

We're thinking about doing the balloon with a glow stick thing.
For the exact reason you mentioned we feel that white kite string is not visible enough. And tied to anything lower than 7' is way too low, in my opinion.

Our thought was tie it up high enough that something would have to be very tall to run into it. Top of the RV, or top of the dome was the plan.

Snow · Post by **Snow** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 10:47 pm

moopy and firery but seen plenty of them floating away. They work just fine at altitude, it just the playa not everest. Its 2500' less than my parts.

Dustdevil · Post by **Dustdevil** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 12:59 am

This idea has been proposed to the Fire Art Safety Team and it is not allowed. Generally they are safe as the flame is out by the time they come down, but the moop factor still exists. There is also the possibility they may come down due to wind before the fuel in the flame runs out.

I won't name names, but several years ago I witnessed a group pour two gallons of methyl borate into an 8' weather balloon, fill it with 200 cf of hydrogen, attach a fuse and let it go.

It was the most striking green explosion I had ever seen. I must have gone up 1000' feet before it exploded. Had to leave moop everywhere.

It was actually quite dangerous as filling those balloons creates a lot of static in the 3% humidity and hydrogen does not need much encouragement to burn.

BBadger · Post by **BBadger** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 3:33 am

Saw some of those flying off last year. I was just waiting for some news of some brush fire caused by it, and being attributed to some "damn hippy festival." Do us all a favor and do not float these lanterns, no matter how "biodegradable" they might be.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 9:56 am

Something like THIS would be too DANGEROUS and EDGY for Burning Man.
[youtube][/youtube]

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 9:57 am

FUCK, take a chance! Put some people in danger, if they haven't read their ticket, then TOO BAD!

Life is what you can get away with!

Bluemandrew · Post by **Bluemandrew** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 3:43 pm

Dustdevil wrote: It was actually quite dangerous as filling those balloons creates a lot of static in the 3% humidity and hydrogen does not need much encouragement to burn.

If you dipped the balloon in water before you started filling couldn't you cut out a lot of the static danger?

I've seen a lot of those things flying around, never seemed like a bright idea to me as they went winging towards the city from open playa. I'd be pissed if one burned something I owned, and they are quite moopy.

Dustdevil · Post by **Dustdevil** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 3:48 pm

A 200 cf weather ballon is 8' in diameter when inflated. It would be impractical to keep the entire balloon wet during the filling process. When we mix high energy comp on the Playa we drive a stake into the ground and use copper wire to ground ourselves. Rubber has such a perpensity for creating static that it might make matters worse to ground your body while filling a balloon. The methyl borate also adds to the excitement as it evaporates so fast in the heat.

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 11:24 pm

I love feeling like a glass licker from the rear window of the short bus.

thanks again, Jack!

Post by **actiongrl** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 5:36 am

""FUCK, take a chance! Put some people in danger, if they haven't read their ticket, then TOO BAD! ""

Here's your friendly neighborhood reminder that nothing that's printed on the back of that piece of paper removes you from liability if you do something stupid and someone else gets hurt.

Post by **actiongrl** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 6:33 am

I should say, nor responsibility. We do dangerous, completely stoopid looking things safely - think Burning Man, not Great White.

Dr. Pyro · Post by **Dr. Pyro** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 8:26 am

Andi, with an attitude like that, you're only going to encourage them to behave!

Foxfur · Post by **Foxfur** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 12:01 pm

We had a neighbor who let one up in August. It caught up in his 60ft cedar tree. Burned his house down. Didn't break my heart. He called us in on fireworks three years earlier.
Karma is a revolving bitch.

Ff

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 2:31 pm

There's a reason we went to the desert in the first place.