burning man

In case anybody's interested, I posted a brief
photo tour on my blog...

http://lumma.org/microwave

-Carl

Carl Lumma wrote:
> In case anybody's interested, I posted a brief
> photo tour on my blog...
> > http://lumma.org/microwave

Cool! Did it really attract a mere 35,664 people? That's only
half the capacity of Ashton Court! I suppose people don't want
to travel into the desert...?

Graham

--- In metatuning@yahoogroups.com, "Carl Lumma" <clumma@y...> wrote:
> In case anybody's interested, I posted a brief
> photo tour on my blog...

Thanks Carl, really glad you got to go. I had heard great things about
this year from friends, and always delight in each person's telling of
the experience. Beautiful photos. I love that the Temple was
constructed out of the expendible pieces of wood left over from
stamped-out wooden toys (IIRC). I know last year's BM had its
tragedies, but I still have a great hope in my heart knowing that
gatherings like this can still take place as they do, full of positive
and creative energies.

Again, thanks!

Cheers,
Jon

> > In case anybody's interested, I posted a brief
> > photo tour on my blog...
> >
> > http://lumma.org/microwave
>
> Cool! Did it really attract a mere 35,664 people? That's
> only half the capacity of Ashton Court! I suppose people
> don't want to travel into the desert...?

I'm not familiar with Ashton Court, but the desert was
certainly no where near capacity. The festival gets bigger
every year. It started as just a handful of friends on
Baker beach in San Francisco.

The conditions are very harsh. The weather is unpredictable.
It can rain, it can be 110 degrees F in the day, 40 degrees
at night. Windstorms can come out of nowhere. The lakebed
is covered with unlimited quantities of fine "alkali" dust,
which sticks to everything, irritates your skin, eyes and
lungs, and makes for whiteout conditions in a windstorm. The
sun is merciless, there's no water or shade anywhere. No
electricity grid and no wireless phone coverage.

-Carl

> Thanks Carl, really glad you got to go. I had heard great
> things about this year from friends, and always delight in
> each person's telling of the experience.

Thanks for reading.

> Beautiful photos.

I hasten to add I took exactly none of them.

> I love that the Temple was constructed out of the expendible
> pieces of wood left over from stamped-out wooden toys (IIRC).

I heard the same.

> I know last year's BM had its tragedies, but I still have a
> great hope in my heart knowing that gatherings like this can
> still take place as they do, full of positive and creative
> energies.

This was my first year, and I heard rumors of a death this
year, and a few last, but did not confirm.

-Carl

--- In metatuning@yahoogroups.com, "Carl Lumma" <clumma@y...> wrote:
> > Beautiful photos.
>
> I hasten to add I took exactly none of them.

OK - good photo selection! :)

> This was my first year, and I heard rumors of a death this
> year, and a few last, but did not confirm.

Hadn't heard any this year, I knew last year there were two (both
accidents) and that it was the first year where they had some problems
with bad behavior, etc. This year sounds good again. The master
electrician at Symphony Hall goes each year, and I'll look forward to
his photo shoot and stories.

Thanks for posting...

Cheers,
Jon

> > > Beautiful photos.
> >
> > I hasten to add I took exactly none of them.
>
> OK - good photo selection! :)

Thanks!

> > This was my first year, and I heard rumors of a death this
> > year, and a few last, but did not confirm.
>
> Hadn't heard any this year, I knew last year there were
> two (both accidents) and that it was the first year where
> they had some problems with bad behavior, etc. This year
> sounds good again. The master electrician at Symphony Hall
> goes each year, and I'll look forward to his photo shoot
> and stories.

One thing I didn't mention in the blog post, but which
nonetheless made an impression on me, was that I didn't
see so much as an argument the entire time. I gradually
became aware of this as the week went on. At one point,
I heard someone say angrily, "Fuck you!", and then
another voice, "Oh yeah? Well fuck you!" I turned
around to find they were joking.

-Carl