I'm curious what the plan is for the private planes at the airfield. I'd have to suspect that all that muck and mud would keep anything from coming or going for quite some time even after the...
I'm curious what the plan is for the private planes at the airfield. I'd have to suspect that all that muck and mud would keep anything from coming or going for quite some time even after the roads open up, which would make for some ironic poetic justice.
I was always sort of interested in burning man a decade ago, but it just seems like a hypocritical joke nowadays. The techbro penchant for insisting on being part of the counterculture while...
I was always sort of interested in burning man a decade ago, but it just seems like a hypocritical joke nowadays.
The techbro penchant for insisting on being part of the counterculture while simultaneously being the most powerful people in the world is just especially grating to me.
It also seems very reductive. Sure, some “tech bros” are the “most powerful people in the world”, but this is very small handful of people. Your average “tech bro” usually has no real power, just...
It also seems very reductive. Sure, some “tech bros” are the “most powerful people in the world”, but this is very small handful of people. Your average “tech bro” usually has no real power, just an above average income level.
Agreed. Honestly, if someone never been and relies on stereotypes to describe the attendees, sounds like they have no idea what they talking about (no offense). I have been to the burn a few years...
Agreed. Honestly, if someone never been and relies on stereotypes to describe the attendees, sounds like they have no idea what they talking about (no offense). I have been to the burn a few years back. There are a few tech bros, but there still plenty of people with diverse background that go.
Just texted with my brother, who's out in the middle of the mud bath. He's fine, the site has ample clean water, and he was even able to get in a hot shower. Aside from his snarky "no one's...
Just texted with my brother, who's out in the middle of the mud bath. He's fine, the site has ample clean water, and he was even able to get in a hot shower. Aside from his snarky "no one's getting out alive... until Tuesday!", it sounds like things are reasonably well organized. Everyone's disappointed by not getting to light up the Burning Man and there may be sanitation problems, but serious trouble remains unlikely right now.
One of my favorite silly pastimes is browsing festival subreddits whenever I hear that a festival has descended into mayhem. This summer was a treat, with the highlight being Electric Daisy...
One of my favorite silly pastimes is browsing festival subreddits whenever I hear that a festival has descended into mayhem. This summer was a treat, with the highlight being Electric Daisy Carnival (a disaster of vomit, heat exhaustion, public ass-eating, and $75 sushi plates,) and this weekend I had both Electric Zoo and Burning Man to observe.
The first day of Electric Zoo was canceled day of, with the organizers having the nerve to claim "supply chain issues" as the reason. Day 2 involved 5+ hour lines for will call that broke into fights/trampling/crowd crush. I'm expecting most people to give up on Day 3, lessening the chaos for those who decide to go, hopefully. I feel bad for the attendees, seems like a real bummer. Lots of whiners and angry people freaking out in the subreddit, understandably though.
Now, back to why I'm replying to your comment - I've actually been impressed by the Burning Man situation. I expected mass chaos in the subreddit, but people are mostly making hilarious joke posts and simply coordinating cat sitters for their cats who will be left alone for a couple days longer than expected. There is one confirmed death so far, sadly, but for a festival of its size and nature, deaths are not unusual even during normal years. Besides the completely unprepared people having a very bad time (who shouldn't have ever gone to the festival in the first place,) most actual burners seem like they're almost having fun building impressive mud sculptures all over the city. This one is my favorite (NSFW) Honestly this all aligns with my experience of knowing some local burners, they're always tough and resourceful.
I hope your brother stays safe and gets home soon!
My brother is a super-preparer who'll bring everything to cover every conceivable scenario - the first line of his text was how many days of food he had available for himself and any dozen or so...
My brother is a super-preparer who'll bring everything to cover every conceivable scenario - the first line of his text was how many days of food he had available for himself and any dozen or so fellow travelers. Experienced Burners know they're going to an isolated, hostile place where anything can happen, and the festival itself is mostly run by people who've been involved for 20+ years. Honestly, they could give Mars mission planners good advice. The philosophy of the event incorporates mutualism and interdependence - it's easy to see how it would be far more resilient and safe than a corporate-sponsored, top-down managed festival.
Yes, I'm not too surprised that most burners are faring alright, and part of it is that their attempts to improve the situation aren't controlled and they're not corralled into even more unsafe...
The philosophy of the event incorporates mutualism and interdependence - it's easy to see how it would be far more resilient and safe than a corporate-sponsored, top-down managed festival.
Yes, I'm not too surprised that most burners are faring alright, and part of it is that their attempts to improve the situation aren't controlled and they're not corralled into even more unsafe situations by incompetent organizers. The main reason I was expecting chaos is because of the widespread belief that burning man is nothing like it used to be (which I'm sure is true in various ways, but obviously the spirit of it is still there, at least somewhat.)
The absurdity of huge corporate festivals is what draws me to check out the situations that happen there. I don't wish harm upon anyone, and don't engage in the weird hatred that the internet tends to have for partying people who just want to have a good time - However, it is always a little funny when people go to these massive events like EDC and are absolutely shocked when the corporations in charge end up not caring at all about attendees' safety, enjoyment, or financial cost. It's interesting to see how fast the "peace and love" vibes run out when push comes to shove at many of these festivals.
I was glad to see that burners appear to be living up to the expectation of resilience and community. The widespread hatred for burners being "fake" or "cringe" weirds me out. Most of the ones I've met are like extreme outdoor enthusiasts with impressive planning skills who also happen to like art, music, and drugs. I've gone to a few local burns and had a great time.
Definitely. I just think it's odd when people extend that resentment towards the normal attendees who are just as resentful of the out-of-touch techies in the first place. They hate it much more...
Definitely. I just think it's odd when people extend that resentment towards the normal attendees who are just as resentful of the out-of-touch techies in the first place. They hate it much more than any outsiders do.
My bro and his cohorts are among the starving artists traveling from everywhere to put on a show for each other as a participatory event, and only incidentally for the spectating elites. You'd...
My bro and his cohorts are among the starving artists traveling from everywhere to put on a show for each other as a participatory event, and only incidentally for the spectating elites. You'd think people could extend a little charity towards an event/show/festival that was started for artists, by artists, and continues to be a major cultural and technical interchange despite the Sparkle Ponies.
I'm not surprised. BM is a festival that you have to plan out your water, food, and etc for the week. I usually plan out with a group of people that coordinate shade and kitchen infrastructure....
I'm not surprised. BM is a festival that you have to plan out your water, food, and etc for the week. I usually plan out with a group of people that coordinate shade and kitchen infrastructure. You already have the structure and communication in place to deal with these type of events.
People have been using the phrase "JOMO" regarding Electric Zoo this year. The Joy Of Missing Out. Congratulations! :) Yeah, I feel upset for people too. The reason I'm interested in seeing what...
People have been using the phrase "JOMO" regarding Electric Zoo this year. The Joy Of Missing Out. Congratulations! :)
Yeah, I feel upset for people too. The reason I'm interested in seeing what happens at these festivals is because I've been burned by incompetent organizers plenty of times before, though luckily never to the point of danger, or completely wasted money. In the past few years I've found a couple small festivals that are perfectly run, and I'll hold on to them for dear life before giving another penny to festivals that try to control everything you do and still don't run things smoothly or keep people safe.
I feel like the severity of negligence/crime from some of these companies is ignored or doesn't get enough attention, because it's "just music" or "just for fun." Some of the situations are genuinely dangerous and egregious though, or at best, seem like fraud because they charge people thousands of dollars and don't deliver a reasonable experience in return.
I mean the sex act. There were reports of a couple engaging in the act in the middle of the crowd while Griz was playing at EDC. As someone who really likes Griz, that was hilarious to me since I...
I mean the sex act. There were reports of a couple engaging in the act in the middle of the crowd while Griz was playing at EDC. As someone who really likes Griz, that was hilarious to me since I can't imagine that behavior at any of the smaller festivals or shows I've seen him at.
It really painted a vivid picture of the energy at that festival!
How does one have cell service at burning man? I didn't have service in the Delaware Water Gap which is located within a handful of miles off one of the most populous area in the northeastern USA!...
How does one have cell service at burning man? I didn't have service in the Delaware Water Gap which is located within a handful of miles off one of the most populous area in the northeastern USA! Impressive! Glad he's doing well as well as the rest of the burners. Always on my bucket list but doubt I'll ever get to it. Not being able to burn the man would be a massive downer, that's kind of the whole point. I've heard it's super spiritual.
Cell phones do not work well at the event. There are no cell towers operating near the area that can handle the volume of calls necessary for our population of more than 70,000. You absolutely should not rely on it it for mission-critical communications after that.
Satellite phones do work at the event, but these can be quite expensive. The nearest “land-line” is in Gerlach. If you choose to drive to Gerlach, you will need to pay a re-entry fee ($20/person), you must wait in line with others entering the city, and you MUST have your ticket stub. The wait in line can be substantial as there is no express lane for re-entering private vehicles.
But maybe they work a little bit, enough to get a text through sometimes?
The site has Starlink antennae and portable cellular as I understand the situation. Exchanging texts was noticeably slower than usual, though. Spouse and I haven't made it to Burning Man yet,...
The site has Starlink antennae and portable cellular as I understand the situation. Exchanging texts was noticeably slower than usual, though.
Spouse and I haven't made it to Burning Man yet, either. I've been to smaller regional festivals, like Starwood, and just can't bring myself to feel enthusiastic about that size of crowd times 10 for the number of people.
Status update: https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/03/us/burning-man-storms-shelter-sunday/index.html The Burning Man organizing team has brought in additional cellular trailers and is opening up public...
The Burning Man organizing team has brought in additional cellular trailers and is opening up public Wi-Fi access so people can communicate and make arrangements to handle transportation and return to work delays. They're making busses available for people who've chosen to walk away from the playa to the neighboring town, and getting ATVs in to handle medical emergencies. All respect for their good coordination, flexibility, and emergency planning.
The remote area in northwest Nevada was hit with 2 to 3 months’ worth of rain – up to 0.8 inches – in just 24 hours between Friday and Saturday morning. The heavy rainfall fell on dry desert grounds, whipping up thick, clay-like mud festivalgoers said was too difficult to walk or bike through.
More rain is likely Sunday afternoon, according to a forecast from the National Weather Service office in Reno. “Stronger storms will be capable of very heavy rainfall, small hail, and wind gusts to 40+ mph,” the weather service noted.
…
The rain “made it virtually impossible for motorized vehicles to traverse the playa,” the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office said, noting people were advised to shelter in place until the ground has dried enough to drive on safely.
Vehicles trying to drive out will get stuck in the mud, Burning Man organizers said Saturday. “It will hamper Exodus if we have cars stuck on roads in our camping areas, or on the Gate Road out of the city,” the organizers added.
It’s weird reading how news outlets report on this. I’m Scandinavian as is most of my camp and our main worry was missing the flights, since we didn’t know how long it would take before they...
It’s weird reading how news outlets report on this. I’m Scandinavian as is most of my camp and our main worry was missing the flights, since we didn’t know how long it would take before they opened the roads again.
Compared to how it was presented though it was truly beautiful to see how most people really did everything they could to help each other out. The main challenge was not knowing how things would turn out. Most camps had both water and food, and the portapotties were serviced pretty much as usual. Had the rain lasted for more than two days it would have been a bigger challenge as I expect most camps could probably ration food and water for four or even five days if necessary. Thankfully it didn’t come to that, but it was a genuine worry there for a while when the rain continued on Saturday and a bit on Sunday.
Just heard from my brother; he joined the Exodus this morning. About 4 hours to get out to I-80, which is actually pretty routine. No harm, no foul all the way around, and again thanks to a...
Just heard from my brother; he joined the Exodus this morning. About 4 hours to get out to I-80, which is actually pretty routine. No harm, no foul all the way around, and again thanks to a well-organized Burning Man committee and attendees who took care of each other. He's still driving, and I expect to hear all the details when he arrives home on Thursday.
My brother and his fiancee got so lucky - he had a single work call that he couldn't miss that was early Friday morning, so the two of them drove to Reno on Thursday night to spend one night at a...
My brother and his fiancee got so lucky - he had a single work call that he couldn't miss that was early Friday morning, so the two of them drove to Reno on Thursday night to spend one night at a hotel there so he could use the hotel wifi. After they saw the rain come in, they decided "y'know what, that's enough", and flew home.
I'm curious what the plan is for the private planes at the airfield. I'd have to suspect that all that muck and mud would keep anything from coming or going for quite some time even after the roads open up, which would make for some ironic poetic justice.
I was always sort of interested in burning man a decade ago, but it just seems like a hypocritical joke nowadays.
The techbro penchant for insisting on being part of the counterculture while simultaneously being the most powerful people in the world is just especially grating to me.
Although some rich people do go and there are wealth disparities, I doubt that’s true of everyone?
It also seems very reductive. Sure, some “tech bros” are the “most powerful people in the world”, but this is very small handful of people. Your average “tech bro” usually has no real power, just an above average income level.
Agreed. Honestly, if someone never been and relies on stereotypes to describe the attendees, sounds like they have no idea what they talking about (no offense). I have been to the burn a few years back. There are a few tech bros, but there still plenty of people with diverse background that go.
Hating the 'nerds' however you define the term, is a trend that has been around for a long time
Just texted with my brother, who's out in the middle of the mud bath. He's fine, the site has ample clean water, and he was even able to get in a hot shower. Aside from his snarky "no one's getting out alive... until Tuesday!", it sounds like things are reasonably well organized. Everyone's disappointed by not getting to light up the Burning Man and there may be sanitation problems, but serious trouble remains unlikely right now.
One of my favorite silly pastimes is browsing festival subreddits whenever I hear that a festival has descended into mayhem. This summer was a treat, with the highlight being Electric Daisy Carnival (a disaster of vomit, heat exhaustion, public ass-eating, and $75 sushi plates,) and this weekend I had both Electric Zoo and Burning Man to observe.
The first day of Electric Zoo was canceled day of, with the organizers having the nerve to claim "supply chain issues" as the reason. Day 2 involved 5+ hour lines for will call that broke into fights/trampling/crowd crush. I'm expecting most people to give up on Day 3, lessening the chaos for those who decide to go, hopefully. I feel bad for the attendees, seems like a real bummer. Lots of whiners and angry people freaking out in the subreddit, understandably though.
Now, back to why I'm replying to your comment - I've actually been impressed by the Burning Man situation. I expected mass chaos in the subreddit, but people are mostly making hilarious joke posts and simply coordinating cat sitters for their cats who will be left alone for a couple days longer than expected. There is one confirmed death so far, sadly, but for a festival of its size and nature, deaths are not unusual even during normal years. Besides the completely unprepared people having a very bad time (who shouldn't have ever gone to the festival in the first place,) most actual burners seem like they're almost having fun building impressive mud sculptures all over the city. This one is my favorite (NSFW) Honestly this all aligns with my experience of knowing some local burners, they're always tough and resourceful.
I hope your brother stays safe and gets home soon!
My brother is a super-preparer who'll bring everything to cover every conceivable scenario - the first line of his text was how many days of food he had available for himself and any dozen or so fellow travelers. Experienced Burners know they're going to an isolated, hostile place where anything can happen, and the festival itself is mostly run by people who've been involved for 20+ years. Honestly, they could give Mars mission planners good advice. The philosophy of the event incorporates mutualism and interdependence - it's easy to see how it would be far more resilient and safe than a corporate-sponsored, top-down managed festival.
Yes, I'm not too surprised that most burners are faring alright, and part of it is that their attempts to improve the situation aren't controlled and they're not corralled into even more unsafe situations by incompetent organizers. The main reason I was expecting chaos is because of the widespread belief that burning man is nothing like it used to be (which I'm sure is true in various ways, but obviously the spirit of it is still there, at least somewhat.)
The absurdity of huge corporate festivals is what draws me to check out the situations that happen there. I don't wish harm upon anyone, and don't engage in the weird hatred that the internet tends to have for partying people who just want to have a good time - However, it is always a little funny when people go to these massive events like EDC and are absolutely shocked when the corporations in charge end up not caring at all about attendees' safety, enjoyment, or financial cost. It's interesting to see how fast the "peace and love" vibes run out when push comes to shove at many of these festivals.
I was glad to see that burners appear to be living up to the expectation of resilience and community. The widespread hatred for burners being "fake" or "cringe" weirds me out. Most of the ones I've met are like extreme outdoor enthusiasts with impressive planning skills who also happen to like art, music, and drugs. I've gone to a few local burns and had a great time.
The overlap of Burning Man participants with local Bay Area elite/privileged can lead to resentment based on factors unrelated to Burning Man.
Definitely. I just think it's odd when people extend that resentment towards the normal attendees who are just as resentful of the out-of-touch techies in the first place. They hate it much more than any outsiders do.
But yes, you are correct.
My bro and his cohorts are among the starving artists traveling from everywhere to put on a show for each other as a participatory event, and only incidentally for the spectating elites. You'd think people could extend a little charity towards an event/show/festival that was started for artists, by artists, and continues to be a major cultural and technical interchange despite the Sparkle Ponies.
I'm not surprised. BM is a festival that you have to plan out your water, food, and etc for the week. I usually plan out with a group of people that coordinate shade and kitchen infrastructure. You already have the structure and communication in place to deal with these type of events.
People have been using the phrase "JOMO" regarding Electric Zoo this year. The Joy Of Missing Out. Congratulations! :)
Yeah, I feel upset for people too. The reason I'm interested in seeing what happens at these festivals is because I've been burned by incompetent organizers plenty of times before, though luckily never to the point of danger, or completely wasted money. In the past few years I've found a couple small festivals that are perfectly run, and I'll hold on to them for dear life before giving another penny to festivals that try to control everything you do and still don't run things smoothly or keep people safe.
I feel like the severity of negligence/crime from some of these companies is ignored or doesn't get enough attention, because it's "just music" or "just for fun." Some of the situations are genuinely dangerous and egregious though, or at best, seem like fraud because they charge people thousands of dollars and don't deliver a reasonable experience in return.
Do you mean like... the sex act... or does this mean some sort of other thing?
I mean the sex act. There were reports of a couple engaging in the act in the middle of the crowd while Griz was playing at EDC. As someone who really likes Griz, that was hilarious to me since I can't imagine that behavior at any of the smaller festivals or shows I've seen him at.
It really painted a vivid picture of the energy at that festival!
How does one have cell service at burning man? I didn't have service in the Delaware Water Gap which is located within a handful of miles off one of the most populous area in the northeastern USA! Impressive! Glad he's doing well as well as the rest of the burners. Always on my bucket list but doubt I'll ever get to it. Not being able to burn the man would be a massive downer, that's kind of the whole point. I've heard it's super spiritual.
From the website
But maybe they work a little bit, enough to get a text through sometimes?
The site has Starlink antennae and portable cellular as I understand the situation. Exchanging texts was noticeably slower than usual, though.
Spouse and I haven't made it to Burning Man yet, either. I've been to smaller regional festivals, like Starwood, and just can't bring myself to feel enthusiastic about that size of crowd times 10 for the number of people.
Status update: https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/03/us/burning-man-storms-shelter-sunday/index.html
The Burning Man organizing team has brought in additional cellular trailers and is opening up public Wi-Fi access so people can communicate and make arrangements to handle transportation and return to work delays. They're making busses available for people who've chosen to walk away from the playa to the neighboring town, and getting ATVs in to handle medical emergencies. All respect for their good coordination, flexibility, and emergency planning.
Death investigated at Burning Man while 70,000 festival attendees remain stuck in Nevada desert after rain (CNN)
…
It’s weird reading how news outlets report on this. I’m Scandinavian as is most of my camp and our main worry was missing the flights, since we didn’t know how long it would take before they opened the roads again.
Compared to how it was presented though it was truly beautiful to see how most people really did everything they could to help each other out. The main challenge was not knowing how things would turn out. Most camps had both water and food, and the portapotties were serviced pretty much as usual. Had the rain lasted for more than two days it would have been a bigger challenge as I expect most camps could probably ration food and water for four or even five days if necessary. Thankfully it didn’t come to that, but it was a genuine worry there for a while when the rain continued on Saturday and a bit on Sunday.
Just heard from my brother; he joined the Exodus this morning. About 4 hours to get out to I-80, which is actually pretty routine. No harm, no foul all the way around, and again thanks to a well-organized Burning Man committee and attendees who took care of each other. He's still driving, and I expect to hear all the details when he arrives home on Thursday.
My brother and his fiancee got so lucky - he had a single work call that he couldn't miss that was early Friday morning, so the two of them drove to Reno on Thursday night to spend one night at a hotel there so he could use the hotel wifi. After they saw the rain come in, they decided "y'know what, that's enough", and flew home.
Diplo and Chris Rock hiked then hitched a ride out. Diplo even got to his gig in DC on time!
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