JRS Volume #6; Issue #22

JRS/6:22/06.05.02

Jack Rabbit Speaks — that voice emanating from the throat of the Burning Man.

So, howdy! 81 days left… a perfect time for a Virgo like me to get a jump on packing, and start “The Stack in the Garage,” so I can begin to fill my boxes with my checklist items for a stress-free departure in August. Let’s see: sunscreen, hat, yes, got those… fire torches, lamp oil, camp fuel… hmmm, now that I think of it, do I really need anything else, besides water? 😉

This week, I must admit to a gaffe. One mistake now and then is quite excusable for a human, but when one makes the same exact mistake less than a year later, one’s gotta cop to it and apologize. You see, yours truly has a history of confusing Ventura, California and Venice, California, and in last week’s JRS, I YET AGAIN incorrectly referred to Ventura being in the “Los Angeles area.” Being that I have friends in both of these places, you’d think this distinction would cement itself into my addled little brain.

At any rate, I meant absolutely no disrespect to the residents of lovely Ventura, California, population 100,000, (in a county also called Ventura, home to some 750,000 people — and not one Los Angeleno among them.) My penance has been determined — I have been invited to pay a visit to Ventura, to meet the Burners whose town I keep trying to relocate on the map, to see for myself once and for all that Ventura is not L.A.

Heheh.

Anyway, how about some news? Oh, OK! If you insist. First, we’ve got the art car info that you creatively motor-vated (har?) types have been itching to see. Next, we’ll get some ugly cleanup bodies reporting out of the way, then take some nice, cleansing breaths while we explore some volunteer training opportunities for rangers and greeters. Some other event-related information, and then we’ll move to some fun regional stuffs: a report from playa del fuego, and gatherings coming up in Colorado and the midwest. Then, for those looking for fun this weekend, we’ve got info about the Health and Harmony Festival in the North SF Bay, a DeathGuild Thunderdome benefit, and still more!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

***!ARTCARS!*!ARTCARS!*!ARTCARS!*NEW REGS ANNOUNCED!***

Are you making an Art Car conveyance for Burning Man this year? If so, it is time to check out our new regulations for 2002! Last year we had WAAAAAY too many violations of the driving policies in Black Rock City. Sunday night was downright scary! This year, things are going to change. Black Rock City is a city for pedestrians and bikes. Art cars are an exception, not the rule — and guidelines must be carefully enforced, for everyone’s safety.

As we speak, our beloved Department of Mutant Vehicles crew is warming up for the approval process by eating nails and walking through broken glass! Yes, they are going to be very strict, and they have tightened their criteria for what is and what is not an art car. Likewise, the Rangers are practicing their kung fu kicks, speedy hand work and piercing glares to put the fear of god into perpetrators of the new “2 strikes and you’re impounded” system. That’s right, folks, the joyride has to end. Why? Because it just ain’t safe, and someone is going to get hurt!

If you read the regulations and think your car will cut the mustard, fill out the questionnaire. That way we can handle all of your (and our) questions pre-event! Visit http://www.burningman.com/on_the_playa/playa_vehicles/dmv.html and get your car registered today!

***CLEANUP REPORT: DID **YOU** LEAVE A TRACE??***

We all know that Burning Man is about participation. One important form of participating is Leaving No Trace. Burning Man and the Earth Guardians have worked very hard to educate the citizens of Black Rock City in Leave No Trace procedures and ethics. Even with all this hard work, but sadly, there are always a few folks out there who just don’t get it. Below, you will find a list of M.O.O.P. (Matter Out Of Place) that was left behind in 2001.

Even with extensive emailing and calling, some people have not gotten back to us. There is a possibility that our information and photos were collected before you were done cleaning up. If this is the case, please accept our apologies for making an example before you were finished.

The view photos of some of the messes listed below go here: http://www.zbolan.com/chooch/

For all the hard-working individuals who planned a Theme Camp for the enjoyment and entertainment of all, thank you for cleaning up your trash! For those who left trash behind, shame on you! For those who had trash brought into your space after you left the playa, you have officially entered martyrdom! We hope sharing this information will provoke feelings of remorse and regret for those out there who opted to leave a mess, and pride in the hearts of those who removed messes above and beyond the call of duty.

The following messes are all unclaimed. (Locations do not mean that Theme Camps in the area are necessarily responsible for the messes. All camps were contacted regarding messes in their locale. Most of these items appeared after the Theme Camps had left the playa!)

Where: 8:30 & Infant.
What: A pile of loose trash wrapped in Astroturf, some loose trash, and some bottles.

Where: 9:00 – 9:30 & Infant.
What: Multiple pieces of embedded rebar, pvc pipes, a large pile of bagged trash, some loose trash, a wood desk, wood pallets, and assorted wood debris.

Where: 9:30 & Child.
What: Eight bags of trash, wood beams, aluminum beams, a 5 gallon bucket with a toilet seat and human waste!!! (Whoever you are, YOU ARE SO AMAZINGLY NAUGHTY AND NASTY!!!)

Where: 2:00 & Infant.
What: One 5 gallon bucket of concrete with a piece of embedded rebar inside.

Where: 6:30 – 7:00 & Infant.
What: Five bags of garbage, 4×8 plywood sheets, wood debris, and a stack of firewood.

Where: 6:30 & Child.
What: A small, orange lean-to structure, full of bottled water, and wicker furniture.

Where: 7:00 – 7:30 & Child.
What: Three rugs of decent size.

Where: 7:30-ish off Child, near Lover.
What: Six bags of messy, organic garbage, and some pvc pipes.

Where: 4:20 & Esplanade.
What: Six embedded heavy tent stakes, 2 piles of mostly bagged trash, 1 wood stove, sofa, rugs, an end-table, and various small debris.

Where: 2:30 – 3:00 & Child & Lover.
What: A loose pile of trash, wrapped in plastic.

The following are messes which have been identified as belonging to a particular camp. We have attempted to contact all camps listed below but have not heard back from them at this time.

Camp: Emerald City
Mess #1: 2:10 & Infant — 5 bags of trash, neatly bagged.
Mess #2: 2:00 & Esplanade — a large mess, bright green circus tent containing much stuff (in process of clean up?)
Mess #3: 2:15 & Esplanade — some loose trash, some bagged trash, and some rebar stakes.

Camp: Draka the Dragon
Mess: 8:00 & Esplanade — rebar stakes, trash, metal scrap, and wood scrap.

Camp: The guy squatting near Astral Head Wash and HappyLand. These Camps are not to blame for the mess!!
Mess: 2:45 & Esplanade — an entire shelter, rebar stakes, furniture, and bottles.

This year, let’s try harder, so we don’t have to send out another report like this next year.

**TRAINING: BE A BLACK ROCK RANGER!**

Hey, you Ranger-types! Want to become a Ranger? Here are your two newest chances to be a part of the ranger-training craze that’s sweeping the nation!

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Training
Saturday, June 8th
10:00 AM
Integratron (approx. 2 hours east of LA — visit http://www.integratron.com/ for direx)

This is an amazing and sacred place near the Mojave Desert in Southern California. We are welcome to camp there both Friday and Saturday nights, with our lovely hosts Rangers Rock It and Integra. Training will start at 10am on Saturday and go to about 6pm, including breaks.

SAN FRANCISCO Training
Saturday, June 15
10:00 AM
Burning Man Office, SF
(Directions available at http://www.burningman.com/officedirections/)

Training will run from 10 AM to 6 PM. Please come prepared in a rangerly manner with snacks, liquids and lunch. Places to get a quick bite are fairly few and far between this neck of the woods, and we only have half an hour for lunch!

Come learn to be a Ranger and serve your community at Black Rock City. For more information about the fine art of Rangering, visit http://www.burningman.com/participate/brc_rangers.html.

***GREETERS TAKE IT ON THE ROAD — TRAIN IN THE NORTHWEST!***

If you’re looking for a great way to participate at Burning Man, and you consider yourself a friendly, fun, and happy person, you just might make a terrific Greeter! Greeters are the first person Burners meet after passing through the Gates at Black Rock City, and they help welcome folks home to the playa with a warm smile and useful information. Being a Greeter is fun and action-packed!

In order to be a great Greeter, it is important to be properly trained — our next session is coming up in Seattle.

GREETER TRAINING
June 22nd, 3-5 p.m.
Green Lake Library, Seattle
(directions: http://www.spl.lib.wa.us/neighborhoodlibs/greenlake/)

Come join us in the lovely city of Seattle for 2 hours of fun-filled information! We have the room from 3:00 to 5:00 on June 22 (and may not have access to it prior to 3:00 — it depends on if anyone else books that time). The room is accessed by the door next to the parking lot; do not go through the main library entrance.

As a condition of use, the library requires us to state that this event is in no way sponsored, co-sponsored or approved by the library. Please do not call the library with questions about the event because 1) they don’t have the staff to field such questions, and 2) they won’t know any of the details anyway. Naked greeters are encouraged to cover up for these two hours so as not to alarm the other library patrons.

See ya on the playa,
sweetthang(at)burningman(dot)com
project manager

Read more about Greeting at http://www.burningman.com/participate/greeters.html.

***THE CENTER CAMP CAFÉ SEEKS BELLYDANCERS!!***

From the Performance team: The Cafe Needs >>Your<< Belly!
( . ) ( . ) ( . )
Belly belly belly, that’s what we’re all about this month cuz it’s summer! We want to see your belly, dancing away in the Café this year.

Yes! We’re seeking active Belly Dancers, and maybe a belly dancer band, for a special event atop the Floating World. Know someone who belly dances? Know 50 belly dancers? Fly like the wind to your inbox and email cafe-performance(at)burningman(dot)com to belly up. Yayyyyy, bellies…

***NEW AIRSTREAM TRAILER LIST***

A message from a Burner with a sleek, silver heart:

Do you have an Airstream? Are you taking it to Burning Man this year? If so, join the Burnstream email list to discuss possible caravans, theme camp ideas, or just to pick a neighborhood where we might park together. Send the words “subscribe burnstream” in the subject or body of an email to requests(at)caravanlist(dot)net.

This is a list just for Airstreamers. I am towing mine in from Chicago this year, leaving on Aug 24. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me, Ray, at burner(at)batmo(dot)com.

***A BRIEF REMINDER FROM THE FRIENDLY MEDIA HO’S***

If you are a member of the media hoping to film a documentary at Burning Man, or if your camp or art project is planning any sort of film documentary or video project on the playa, and you plan to do anything with it besides watch it with your friends in your own living room, listen up: the deadline for submitting an application is approaching on June 15th.

Find out more, and register, at: http://www.burningman.com/press.

We at Media Mecca would like to remind everyone that there is no filming at Burning Man without written permission, and that all motion-video-capturing devices are tagged at the gates of Black Rock City — including all non-professional video cameras for personal use. In order to protect the rights of artists and participants at Burning Man, we require everyone with a video camera to register and tag it, and to provide information about what they plan to do with the footage, if anything. While most everyone with a camera just wants to get a few memories to take home, we take these steps to help ensure that each participant’s image and imagery are protected from exploitation. If you have questions about this process, feel free to drop us a line at press(at)burningman(dot)com.

REGIONAL EVENTS
{First, a note of apology to the Arizona burners, whose event slipped through the bunny cracks last week and wasn’t announced in the JRS. 🙁 Sorry! But I’m told it was a smash — they even got visitors on their way home from Flipside stopping by to check out the Southwestern vibe!}

***PLAYA DEL FUEGO AFTERBURN REPORT!***

We just love it around here when we get to hear back from the Regionals after the conclusion of their event. This report comes from DCLynn, the Washington, DC Regional, after she got back from Playa del Fuego in Delaware:

“Playa del Fuego is the name of our twice-yearly gathering of East Coast burners. We started as a beach campout of 20 or so in 1998 on Assateague Island in MD. We had our last burn at the beach in Spring 2001 with about 110. Last fall we moved to a new site in Northern Delaware, owned by the Vietnam Veterans Motorcycle Club, where 230 Burners participated. This past Memorial weekend, 382 participants got crazy, with a mud wrestling contest, spontaneous slip ’n slide, a huge new geodesic dome for the DJs to play in 24/7, a new cuddle pool (dry) in the chill dome, the always popular Labia Lounge, a contiuum of entertainment on the stage, pancakes and waffles and potluck dinners, and on and on and on. The NY bus brought its own lighted ball to drop at midnight—twice; the beautifully decorated Gold Bar was so popular it ran out of mixers opening night; and I’m sorry I never made it into Camo Camp but it looked kewl from afar! I signed my own RV “Spectator Camp/House of Everything.” Of course there was so much more!

We had our first newsletter this year and a full team of awesome greeters, PDF rangers, Communication folk, and DPW. We worked within a carefully prepared budget for the first time and now have a wonderful new problem of having leftover proceeds from two burns (yippee!)

We asked for art to be submitted for the PDF tickets, and because we received such amazing and diverse submissions, we decided to use all five of them. The weather even cooperated, as we relayed weather reports of storms coming our way on two different days (Burn Day afternoon being one), but alas! We were made pleasantly wrong and stayed dry. We had the best pre-burn show of fire spinners ever, including one on stilts and another with a hula hoop of fire. DPW built a magical stick pony and set it on top of the huge pile of wood they’d carefully stacked. First a big wooden bunny was set aflame, then the spinners showed us different ways to play with fire, followed by a very sparkly explosion that started the pony burn. Leave No Trace was just a matter of fact this year as each camp cleaned as they left.”

For more info, visit http://www.playadelfuego.org. Congratulations on a great event, East Coast!

***GEODESIKA’02 — Wild Whimsical Worlds***
• June 27th thru July 1st, 2002
• Outside Denver, CO
• Regional gathering

http://geodesika.org/flyer.html

The 2nd annual Geodesika event is nearly upon us! Tickets are onsale now for $30 @ http://geodesika.org/

Tucked into a private lake in the Rocky Mountains near Denver, Colorado, Geodesika brings out a little ‘burner’ culture, in a lush, living environment. This is a Leave No Trace, participants-only event. Come create Wild Whimsical Worlds of Art, Science and Spirit to share with your community!

The environment at Geodesika is much less harsh than BRC, but it is still dangerous. There is wildlife, including bears, and we’re even closer to the Sun. Please read the ‘about’ section on our website for further details about survival.

Because of the current drought conditions in Colorado, there will be fire restriction in place, the extent of which will be unknown until the event. Expect to be able to use only propane for fire/heat. The use of fire poi and other props will be restricted to designated areas, if allowed at all.

Geodesika is a not-for-profit, community steered organization whose purpose is to hold an interactive event focused on geodesics with synergetic expression of art, science and spirit in a temporary autonomous zone.

(Jackrabbit says: the group hosting this event springs out of the Burn community in the area, and funds collected are directed at putting on the event. Denver Regional Contact, Ms. Terious, who attends Geodesika, had this to say: “We, the burner community, would like to initiate loved ones and strangers to the essence that is our playa experience… to the (Burning Man-)uninitiated, Geodesika will be a nifty arts festival unlike they have ever experienced, but to the burner community, it’s our version of a local burn.”)

***REMINDER: SYNCHRONICITY: BURN THE MIDWEST***
• Southern Wisconsin
• July 4th-7th
• Regional Burn Event

As a reminder! “SynchroniCity: Burn the Midwest” will be happening July 4-7, 2002 in East Troy, WI (about an hour north of Chicago, 25 minutes south of Milwaukee).

Tickets are now on sale at http://www.synchroni-city.org, There will only be 300 tickets sold so buy them while you can! Tickets can be paid for with a credit card on line, or by cashier’s check or money order. All tickets are $30, all sales final, all souls sold direct by phone.

And one more thing:

SYNCHRONICITY RANGERS
Wanted — Dead or Alive!

Reward:
Participation

Contact:
rangers(at)synchroni-city(dot)org

Reminder: Click here, click the map, meet your community: http://www.burningman.com/blackrockcity_yearround/contacts/regional_contacts.html.

OTHER EVENTS & SUCH

***DEATHGUILD THUNDERDOME BENEFIT***
• June 8
• Oakland, CA
• Theme camp benefit

Thunderdome DJ’s Decay, Slick, and Mad Max Battle of the DJ’s Mitch vs. Fernando
Fire performance
Operatic stylings by Diva Marisa

18+ with valid ID
9:00 pm – Late
$10+ donations accepted and appreciated
Location: Chevil Ate Theater (Directions: http://www.chevil-ate.com/directions.html)
Food & Drinks available

Further info: http://www.deathguild.com

(AG Note: To us, Thunderdome is as much a part of Burning Man as art cars and eating dust. This location is an excellent theatrical warehouse space in Oakland, and it’s always a treat to hear Diva Marisa, who performed at the Blue Ball. Don’t miss it!)

***24th ANNUAL HEALTH AND HARMONY FESTIVAL***
• June 8-9
• Sonoma County, CA
• Festival announcement

HEALTH AND HARMONY FESTIVAL
Saturday and Sunday June 8th and 9th
10 AM to 7 PM
TECHNO TRIBAL COMMUNITY DANCE
Saturday June 8, 7 PM – 1 AM

Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Santa Rosa, CA

The Health and Harmony Festival in Sonoma County, founded in 1978, is presently produced by a non-profit called the Association for the Creative Endeavor. While this group is not directly affiliated with Burning Man, we break from our usual Burning Man-only format to inform the community about this event each year, largely because of its longstanding ties to the BMan community in the North Bay, and the number of Burners who are directly involved with its planning and performance. Acts such as Lost at Last, Mystic Family Circus, the folks of Medicine Drum, friends from Emerald City, and many others can be found at the H & H Festival, along with workshops, a community dance, massage, lectures, natural food and drink, and community art projects, plus much more.

We congratulate this festival on its 24th year, and we invite you to visit their website for more information, including schedules, accomodations, booth and volunteer applications, and tickets.

http://www.harmonyfestival.com
info(at)harmonyfestival(dot)com
Info line: (707) 547-9355

More info on the Techno Tribal Community Dance: http://www.mysticbeatlounge.com.

***The ACID CABARET FUNDRAISER***
• June 7
• San Francisco
• Theme Camp Benefit

Friday, June 7th
Studio Z (the former Transmission Theater)
11th and Folsom, San Francisco

9:00 pm until ??? – $10.00

Calling freaks of all kinds, musicians, belly dancers, impersonators, comedians, fire-eaters, theramin players, dominatrices, strippers, hippies, cherubs, arabs and trannies! Whatever you do, whoever you are… your exciting, average, rare, and/or obscure acts, feats and talents are requested at the Acid Cabaret!

You’ve got 9 days to get your act together! Attendees and performers welcomed and encouraged! We’ve got some incredible acts locked and loaded and are looking for a few more. This Acid Cabaret will be a more scheduled and structured format than usual, so if you are in fact interested in performing… you need to let them know immediately! There will be room for drop-in talent, but that space will be limited as always… so act now!

Studio Z is a very cool, largish space with a great sound system and a full bar that sells drinks at reasonable prices. They have an after hours permit! You are welcome to selectively forward this [information] to those you think should know about this event. (AG Note: this was sent for posting in the JRS, so you Burners must be on their “selective” list!)

Costumes and participation are strongly encouraged!

***POLAREYEZ — SOLAR SEED FUNDRAISER***
• June 22
• San Francisco
• Theme Camp Fundraiser

Creating a universal mind vision…
@ Cell Space – Sat. June 22nd from 8:30 PM – 2:00 AM
fundraiser for Yellow Solar Seed Station at Burning Man 2002

Tickets: Presale @ $13 | Door @ $20
Tickets and info: http://www.solarseed.org

Join us for a night of art, music and exploration into Yellow Solar Seed Station. Resonating radio waves and community manifestation, we will transmit our expressions through solar speaker amplification. Expand your conscious awareness and learn about how our camp utilizes sustainable resources with solar and wind powering our vision. The music will speak to your heart with a collaboration of several local musicians and disc jockeys. There will also be several performances including fire, light and love.

The mission of The Yellow Solar Seed Station is to invite others to join our community in playing with energy in all of its forms, infusing our conscious use of solar and wind power, our broadcast of a diverse spectrum of sound expression, and our shared lust for existence… to have a @%*&#’ good time!

Thanks for all the kind words, polite post requests, and excited encouragement! We love you too, and we’ll see you on the playa!

xoxo
*AG*

{Soundtrack to this JRS: Speedball Baby; Morcheeba; and ladies and gentlemen, the world’s greatest band, Eggstone!}

P.S. And yes, I realize this didn’t come out on Wednesday. This whole thing really was composed yesterday, but I had to hold it until Thursday morning for one teeeeeeny bit of coding to be done on the DMV pages. I hope you’ll forgive me this tardiness, and that somehow, some way, the Man will still burn, even as I miss the occasional self-imposed deadline. Somethin’ tells me it’ll all work out. 😛

ADMIN OFF & ON

jackrabbitspeaks(at)burningman(dot)com (for questions and post requests)

old rabbits: http://bmpublishing.wpengine.com/blackrockcity_yearround/jrs/

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