Jrs V14 I02

JRS VOLUME #14; ISSUE #02

Burning Man Update: The Jack Rabbit Speaks Volume 14, Issue #2 September 28, 2009

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INTRODUCTION

LATEST NEWS:
+ LOST AND FOUND — UPDATE
+ GATE MATERIALS: WHERE’D THEY GO?
+ SEEKING VIDEO OR PHOTOS OF THAT HELICOPTER
+ BLACK ROCK SOLAR DEDICATES LOVELOCK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SOLAR ARRAYS
+ BURNING MAN ARTICLE IN JUST CAUSE MAGAZINE

PARTICIPATE:
+ SEEKING PHOTOS FOR BURNING MAN PHOTOSYNTH PROJECT

EVENTS & HAPPENINGS:
+ BURNING OPERA PLAYS TEATRO ZINZANNI, SF, OCTOBER 5-6-7, 12-13-14
+ LOS ANGELES DECOMPRESSION – OCTOBER 3
+ SAN FRANCISCO DECOMPRESSION – OCTOBER 11
+ NEW YORK CITY DECOMPRESSION – OCTOBER 17
+ BURNING LIFE VIRTUAL BURN 2009

PHOTOS & IMAGES:
+ EVOLUTION: BURNING TIME LAPSES, BY DELRIOUS

CONNECT WITH BURNING MAN:
+ Burning Man on your favorite social networks

ADMINISTERRATA:
+ Want to unsubscribe from the JRS? Srsly? OK, here’s how: http://tinyurl.com/2rwqzx

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We’re still basking in the afterglow of the smoldering embers here at Burning Man HQ, and settling back into our regular lives, if such a thing actually exists anymore. We’re sure you’re doing the same.

Again, to ease that transition, we encourage you to check out the goings-on and opportunities to contribute your stories to the Burning Blog, adding your comments to the growing number of folks sharing their own stories … it’s really quite a collection gathering, well worth a read:

http://blog.burningman.com

Also, please keep sending in your thoughts about the event to feedback (at) burningman (dot) com so we can factor ’em in to our planning process for 2010. To make sure info is timely for that process, we will stop taking submissions in early October.

So, we’ve got lots of interesting — and mysterious — posts for you in this issue. We’re looking for pictures or video of *that* helicopter, we’re looking for mysteriously disappearing Gate materials, and people are looking for their lost and found items that mysteriously vanished in a whirl of dust. Then there’s some not so mysterious stuff, but interesting nonetheless — like the Burning Opera and the Burning Life virtual Burn, comin’ around the bend. Good stuff, people! Chop chop!

Also, it’s time for the big daddy Decompression events, and this year they’re — pop pop pop — one right after the other. If you’re a Burning jetsetter, this is the year for you to travel. Info down below.

And hey, we want to give a shout out to all the wonderful people we met on playa this year … it was great to put faces to our readership, cuz you know, we just hit Send over here and it can feel like it just flits out into the void. You guys are awesome, and your faithful Rabbits agree it was a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

By the way … y’all ask us about this sometimes: Will Chase here is the composer/editor/Rabbit Master of the JRS you receive weekly, but Andie Grace also writes some of its content and contributes/edits weekly, so the voices you generally hear from on this newsletter would be we two … sometimes even within the same sentence. In this capacity we report to Marian Goodell, she who started the JRS for you some 14 seasons back (wow!). There are also other editors and undercover contributors who assist with the effort of this mailing list (we love you we love you oh yes we do). Thanks for reading!

Until next time ….

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LOST AND FOUND — UPDATE

We forgot to tell you that in addition to putting your Lost and Found items on the ePlaya board, you can also email descriptions of your lost stuff to lostandfound (at) burningman (dot) com. The helpful folks on the other end of that email address are standing by (much like operators at a telethon, except there’s no Lou Rawls), eager to help reuinite you with your crap. But act quickly. Our official lost and found efforts end when ticket sales begin in mid-January for our next Burning Man.

Here’s the Lost and Found board on the ePlaya:

http://bit.ly/19zbpL

[Editor’s Note: A silver cufflink with Celtic-looking engraving was lost somewhere between Center Camp and Hookahdome on Sunday night. It has deep sentimental value (its former owner, recently passed away, wasn’t allowed to live his truth, and it’s a reminder to always live authentically). It would be great to have it back.]

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GATE MATERIALS: WHERE’D THEY GO?

Strange things were afoot at the Circle K this year. Or at the Greeters Station, anyway. Did you miss out on your Map, What Where When, gate stickers, and other crucial and/or fun stuff in the Gate Materials packet? You and approximately 10,000 others, unfortunately — but not because we didn’t print enough.

Someone (not you, of course, dear reader) apparently thought it would be funny/cool/good kindling to misappropriate the already-collated materials from a container at the Greeters’ station. Not just a few stray boxes, either… about a quarter of the total we made for you just wandered off on walkabout.

We offer our apology to those who didn’t get a packet of the goodies & info, and that we hope the lack of materials wasn’t too detrimental to anyone’s experience (especially first timers with less of an idea what to expect in BRC!). We’ve heard from some of you who are (rightfully) angry at not getting this crucial printed info, and we’re sorry that someone’s prank/theft/monkeyshines affected your ability to be informed inside Black Rock City.

If you saw or heard anything about 100 so very heavy boxes of official Burning Man printed materials inside BRC. This theft or misappropriation represents thousands of dollars of your ticket money, as well as many hours of wasted effort by staff and volunteers from production to collation…and of course, everyone who wanted this stuff and didn’t get it was negatively affected as well. Weaksauce all around, really.

Please consider letting us know privately if you have any information about this mysterious disappearance. Your contact information/identity will remain completely confidential: actiongrl@burningman.com.”

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SEEKING VIDEO OR PHOTOS OF THAT HELICOPTER

If you were witness to the low-flying helicopter pulling an advertising banner over BRC on Saturday of the event, two things for you:

Firstly, no, no, and hell no, Burning Man didn’t and wouldn’t approve an advertising banner’s flight pattern over BRC. In fact, the copter’s flight was unannounced, unpermitted, and by all accounts and observation, flew below the legally controlled “ceiling” of BRI airport, and against the flight pattern used by small craft above BRC.

Even if Black Rock City’s residents WERE the type to respond well to marketing ploys, (which, ha)…well, loose maneuver, dude, quoth the Rabbits.

Here’s where you all come in: if you got video or photos of this helicopter flight that clearly show its elevation in perspective from the ground, PLEASE let us know: airport (at) burningman (dot) com

The best solace of the whole shebang is, knowing Burners, it’s highly doubtful this stunt earned Unnamed Company X any customers or supporters…. in fact it probably generated them nothing short of massive amounts of resentment toward their brand and since we know a few people who have written their CEO to tell him as much, we’re sort of guessing that he wishes they’d never heard of Burning Man right about now. My, but you Burners are protective of our fair city and its values. Smooch!

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BLACK ROCK SOLAR DEDICATES LOVELOCK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SOLAR ARRAYS

Black Rock Solar is at it again, recently dedicating two solar arrays they installed at Lovelock Elementary School, and making a difference in the world … thanks to YOUR help. BRS’s Executive Director Tom Price writes:

“321 people from around the world, most of whom will never visit Lovelock, contributed to make this happen. At the dedication the Superintendent announced they’d already saved $3,600 in two months from just one of the two arrays, and were using the money to put laid off teachers back to work — THAT’s why this work matters.”

More information about Black Rock Solar:

http://www.blackrocksolar.org/?p=458

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BURNING MAN ARTICLE IN JUST CAUSE MAGAZINE

Matt Freedman, who wrote the really cool Burning Man Photographer’s Guide (like, if you want to take even half-decent pictures on the playa, this is a must read), writes in to let us know that a …

“JUST CAUSE Magazine article about Burning Man’s impact on greater society, featuring my photography (including a Burning Man cover image), and written by Seattle regionals Kay Morrison and Phill Arensberg is now available in its entirety free, online. The best link to use is:

http://justcauseit.com/about/just-cause-magazine

And here’s that photographer’s guide Matt wrote:

http://www.burningman.com/press/photo_guide.html

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SEEKING PHOTOS FOR BURNING MAN PHOTOSYNTH PROJECT

After shaking off the dust, everyone is invited to participate in helping the Burning Man Earth project re-create Black Rock City 2009. If we can assemble enough photos of the Man, the Temple and the Rocket WITHOUT PEOPLE STANDING IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA, our friendly neighbors at the University of Washington Graphics and Imaging Laboratory have offered to run them up in their latest Photosynth renderer. It’s an amazing system … to see it in action, check out:

http://bit.ly/s7IX7

If possible, we would also would like to assemble enough shots of the City at street level to (again, without featuring people) to recreate it as well.

Upload your shots to Flickr and click the “organize” button to tag and save your shots with these codes.

For The Temple …. burningman:art=430
For The Man …. burningman:art=422
For The Gothic Rocket …. burningman:art=438

You can search for codes for everything else here:

http://jsbin.com/ogeku/

We will need thousands of your images to build a broad data set to make this work…. We would like to show this at SF decom on the 11th October, so please help us to make this happen!! It will be so cool!!

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{================================================} ==============EVENTS & HAPPENINGS=============== {================================================}

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BURNING OPERA PLAYS TEATRO ZINZANNI, SF, OCTOBER 5-6-7, 12-13-14

We do try to avoid being too Bay Area-centric in the JRS, but since Decompression this October 11 will bring lots of traveling BRCitizens to San Franfreakshow, CA, well…we thought we’d remind you of a very good reason to extend your visit.

“HOW TO SURVIVE THE APOCALYPSE: A Burning Opera” has been invited to the spiegeltent at SF’s lovely waterfront performance space, Teatro ZinZanni, for two weeks in October!

What is it? We’ll let them tell you:

“If we told you we created a rock opera about Burning Man, you’d probably think we were either insane or brilliant. If we told you we were performing the show in Teatro Zinzanni’s flamboyant theatre tent on the SF waterfront, you’d probably just think we wanted to have a fabulous time. But maybe its all true! Come see for yourself in October, during the premiere run of the full production of “How to Survive the Apocalypse: A Burning Opera.”

Beginning the first week of October, Teatro ZinZanni’s resplendent waterfront /spiegeltent/ will be transformed into a Dadaist fantasia as the cast and crew of “How to Survive the Apocalypse” distill the essence of Burning Man into a vibrant and hilarious piece of radically altered musical theater.

Designed to communicate the transformational madness of the playa to the “Burning curious” as well as the experienced (or jaded) playa faithful, “How to Survive the Apocalyse” follows three newbies as they stumble through the erotic, psychological, and visionary minefield of the festival. Scored by Mark Nichols, with libretto by counterculture writer Erik Davis, the show is appropriate both for Burning Man veterans looking for a familiar boost, and for anyone who has ever wondered what it would be like to enjoy the Burner mystique without the dust and brain-bubbling sun. Bring your neighbor, your Mom, your co-workers: all those folks in your life who’ve been wondering what you’re up to every August but aren’t willing to trek to Nevada to find out.

Describing an earlier workshop version of the show, SFBay Guardian reviewer Steve Jones wrote: “This play… is both engrossing musical theater in its own right and a piece of art that truly captures the feel of the event and the Zeitgeist of its attendees.” Burning Man’s official newsletter said: “We sent out our most cynical, jaded scouts to watch the show when it premiered. [They] were completely blown away. This show? Is awesome. Funny, intelligent, poignant, thoughtful, and thoroughly representative of our little shindig in the desert.”

The evening offers a full range of delights. Doors open at 6:30, giving ticket-holders the opportunity to explore the Teatro ZinZanni marvelous space, purchase dinner from a customized menu, and enjoy TZ’s full bar. The show begins promptly at 7:30, with an exclusive After Party following each performance.* * Food and beverages will also be available for purchase during the show’s Dance Break/ Intermission and at the After Party.

This is your opportunity to catch “How to Survive the Apocalypse” at a special premier-run price before we take the show on the road.

Tickets are on sale now through the Teatro ZinZanni website:

http://love.zinzanni.org/burningopera.htm

Individual floor seating is available for $45 for Inner Ring and $35 for Outer Ring tickets; Group Booths are available for $300 for a booth seating up to 8 guests or $250 for a booth seating up to 6. Inner Ring tickets are sold out for 10/12 and nearly gone for 10/5 and 10/7; “A” booths are sold out for 10/14, and only one is left 10/7. Get your tickets now to be sure you don’t miss this experience!

More information and some musical snippets are available at:

http://www.burningopera.com

Also … John Curley wrote up a blog post about the Burning Opera on the Burning Blog:

http://blog.burningman.com/?p=5655

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LOS ANGELES DECOMPRESSION – OCTOBER 3

The LA Regional crew write:

October 3rd Noon to Midnight at the Los Angeles State Historical Park 1245 N. Spring Street, 90012 (yes, the cornfield) 7 Stages of Live Entertainment, Tons of Arts and Activities for all ages

Do you have your ticket yet? No? Then jump on over to the website at get your ticket before presales end on September 30th.

http://www.decom.laburningman.com/

Yes . . . . The Black Rock Roller Disco WILL be at Decom this year so prepare to get your SK8T on. And our very own Lightning Temple will be setting up with not 1, not 2, not 3 but 4 TESLA COILS. Plus a magnificent fire show. AND . . . We could keep going with all the highlights but honestly it would be like listing all the stuff you like about Burning Man.

For the full lineup of performers, theme camps and art installations, as well as important logistical details about attending the event, see:

http://www.laburningman.com

There’s also a fantastic new link on the site for upcoming events:

http://www.laburningman.com/upcoming_events

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED So you want to be a part of the whole shindig but you don’t have a piece of art or a theme camp and you just can’t sing. We still want you to participate. For Volunteers (we so love you):

volunteers (at) laburningman (dot) com

PRESALE TICKETS We are trying something new this year. PRESALE TICKETS. That’s right you can get a less expensive ticket by figuring out what you want to do on October 3rd ahead of time. We are rewarding you for planning ahead.

$10 presale (http://decom.beticketing.com), $15 at door in costume, $20 in plain clothes (children under 12 free) ***DPW, Rangers, and BM crew with 2009 badges get in free*** Presales end Sept 30th.

We are looking forward to seeing all of you at LA Decom this year.

Your LA Regional Team”

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SAN FRANCISCO DECOMPRESSION – OCTOBER 11

Don’t miss out on San Francisco Decompression (aka the Heat the Street FaIRE), Sunday October 11. Of course, it’s going to have all the performances, art installations, theme camps, dancin’, hootin’, hollerin’, partcipatin’ and more that you’ve come to expect from Decompression. This is the best way to reignite the flame, to reacquaint yourself with the dust, and reconnect with all the wonderful people of our community. Come early, stay late … and participate! So much fun you won’t want it to end, guaranteed.

Taking mass transit is highly encouraged, folks.

Full details coming soon on the Burning Man website:

http://bit.ly/IzDva

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NEW YORK CITY DECOMPRESSION – OCTOBER 17

Eschaton 3000, New York’s 2009 Decompression event, takes place October 17th in Brooklyn. Full details and a link to buy tickets can be found here:

http://nycdecompression.org/

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BURNING LIFE VIRTUAL BURN 2009

For reals, we’re admittedly pretty cynical about such things as virtual worlds (with our proclivity towards immediacy an’ all), but after Danger Ranger took us on a tour of the Burning Life virtual playa last year, our jaws positively hit. the. floor. The virtual realism and attention to detail, accurately reflecting all the various aspects and nuances of Burning Man (including the dust storms) is pretty damn amazing. It really *does* feel like Burning Man.

OK, so YOU should participate. We’ll have more information forthcoming, but to whet your appetite in the meantime, here’s a pretty rad teaser trailer video thing about it:

http://bit.ly/rigmz

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EVOLUTION: BURNING TIME LAPSES, BY DELRIOUS

These? Are rad. Warning: safe for work, but you may find yourself tearing up, so be prepared to pretend you got something in your eye, or make like you smashed your hand with a hammer or something. OK, ready? Go:

http://vimeo.com/6636389

**/**/**/**/**/**/**/***/** {================================================} ===========CONNECT WITH BURNING MAN============= {================================================}

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The Official Burning Man Facebook Page:
http://tr.im/bman_fb

Official Burning Man Twitter Account – All Things Burning Man:
http://www.twitter.com/burningman

Black Rock City Twitter Account – All Things BRC:
http://www.twitter.com/blackrockcity

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{====================================================} ==============ADMIN ON AND OFF THE JRS============== {====================================================}

Email us or questions (at) burningman (dot) com any time with questions. Email jackrabbitspeaks (at) burningman (dot) com by 11:59 PM PST on Sunday for post requests. (We don’t post all requests, however.) Please type “POST REQUEST” in your subject line to make it past the SPAM.

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Soundtrack for this JRS: Sons & Daughters, Ra Ra Riot, Monsters of Folk, Blitzen Trapper.