LUX • VERITAS • LARDUM

RITES OF PASSAGE SETTLING DOWN EDITION WED AUG 31, 2011 VOL VII, NUMBER III 1:30 @ CENTER CAMP WWW.BLACKROCKBEACON.ORG

ART ATTACKS By Ocean A Square Horse in a Round City lidified once the first drawing was submit- A number of art pieces on the Playa have been van- ted by Jay of the Banft Center in Alberta, dalized this year. According to Bettie June, manager of Canada. “It was a drawing of a bird-like the Art Department for Burning Man, here are a few

photo by Taymar creature, dainty,” tall and done in a cubist that have been harmed: style, said Bevin. The style was adopted Nit Whips by Vincent Leclerc. This series of light and it gave an old story a modern shape: structures with long tendrils were designed to be played the polygram cubist form. with, however four of them have already been so badly From the project’s inception, it attracted broken by vandals that they had to be removed from “incredible talent, diverse, eclectic mix; the Playa. young, old, young at heart,” said Bevin’s Another Door by Calen Barca-Hall. Calen was pres- partner Alaya. Merely a year later, she co- ent while the piece was being vandalized, but his re- ordinated the installation’s arrival by con- quests to stop harming the piece were ignored. necting minds, bodies and passions across Aurora by Charlie Gadeken. This 30-foot tall tree borders, cities, and the desert. with 4,100 handmade metal leaves is being damaged by There were many players involved in people climbing it, ignoring requests to stop harming this instillation. Erik, aka Homer, was re- the piece. sponsible for much of the theatrics and A Light Hazing by Matt Gilio-Tenan. The centerpiece Dan Swain was the architect who made an of this installation, a screen emitting beautiful light, was astounding first contribution to the Playa. destroyed by vandals who used paint to graffitti it. It Dan Fox, the construction coordinator, cannot be repaired and will likely have to be removed. keeper of the beast’s facts, shared the logis- The artists create these pieces for our community to tics of the stairs of the behemoth. “It’s 48 enjoy and they need our help protecting them. If you feet from the foot of the Playa to the tip of see someone harming an art piece in any way please ask the head, weighs 28 tons, each wheel weighs them to stop. Tell others about this issue so that more 2,600 pounds and the wheels are 14-inch di- people in Black Rock City can be on the lookout for ameter tube steel at $5,000 apiece.” vandals. Can you get inside the horse? Yes, as You can check with the Artery to see which pieces a matter of fact you can! You can enter can be climbed without being harmed. through the rear to enjoy absinthe in a If you want to volunteer to help repair broken pieces lounge inside the belly of the beast every stop by the Artery and ask if they need help. night from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. until Friday, when it burns. This leads us to the burn: The horse will Police Station Zebra be pulled by more than 300 volunteers, By Space Hookier followed by “players” dressed in togas, all proceeding to Bevin’s conduction from I was able to make it out to law enforcement camp the base’s rear steps. The ceremony will yesterday to interview Rollo, a Burner like any other: occur on Friday at 6 p.m. when the horse dusty, wearing bright colors and calmly musing on the is dragged by ropes about 100 yards to its nature of the universe while keeping a diligent eye out firey destination. for moop. Except this Burner’s universe is law enforce- Alaya beautifully explained the one-time ment for Black Rock City. adaptation of the Trojan Horse story. “The Rollo Mendez heads the Bureau of Land Manage- human power is true to the original story, ment team tasked with patrolling the Playa, coordinating the myth. It’s not an art car, it’s an instal- law enforcement and emergency services. to create a piece for Burning Man after his latoin. It’s a blend of old and new, never By Darcy Doodle Mendez said he likes to think of himself as a zebra: previous art installation, an electronic piece, meant to be a reenactment of the story, a metaphor for the tension between the social expec- As mischief and the Playa go hand in called Horus the Agressor. The idea of a there are no rules with it. It’s a blend of ev- tations undergirding outside law enforcement and the hand, the rumors flying around Trojan Horse horse emerged, “seeded from random casua eryone’s interests and passions and hopes purposefully “atypical” environment in Black Rock City. are as consuming and intriguing as the dust. banter: Horus, sounded hoarse.” The ap- of finding fulfillment in their role. Every- “I come wanting to believe I’m a zebra, and though I’m Composor Douglas Bevin was inspired proach stuck, and the form’s concept was so- one contributes.” not, when you recognize me as a zebra, I’m excited. At the end of the week, I hope it’s no longer necessary to dress as a zebra.” tional definitions of art and infrastructure. (For the record, Mendez does not actually dress as a You Can Walk to an Oasis of Calm The artists are not burning the structure zebra: he wears a typical park ranger-like uniform, cov- this week, and if all goes well, will be back ered by an orange vest.) By Azalea built completely without nails, glue or metal again next year. Thus far travel to the oa- A city of Black Rock’s scale and diversity comes with Deep Walk-in Camping is the new Deep fasteners. sis has not seemed to disturb the campers the same problems as any other metropolis, but Men- Playa: Otic Oasis provides calm amidst the It is impossible to fully understand the in the walk-in area — yet if the structure dez insisted that the natural tension between law en- chaos. mathematical design and concept without receives the popularity it deserves, it will forcement and participants is not insurmountable. “My In the walk-in camping area at 2:30 far be- spending time with Greg. His own house on be interesting to witness whether such art role is to facilitate this environment so that nobody is yond L, there is a new Black Rock City expe- the Playa is art in and of itself, and provides projects change the dynamic and feel of purposefully harmed,” he says. ‘We all have individual rience waiting. It almost did not happen this a window into the sheer intellect, creativity, deep Walk-in Camping. choices to make, and my default is that each decision is year, yet through happenstance, luck, and a and functionality of his design ideas. His per- independent, and that the individual is simply trying to timely connection, Syn, the conceptor, joined sonal sleeping area runs diagonal to the city Opening ceremony: Wednesday @ 6pm – sunset be a zebra.’ with Greg, the artist, to create Otic Oasis. grid, and the oasis he and Syn have created Meditations: daily at sunrise, sunset and possibly The burning question of course: what can you get ar- The name ‘otic’ (pronounced Oh-tik) is truly runs on a diagonal between our tradi- midnight rested for? “I tell my staff to focus on education and pro- an anatomical term referring to the ear. It moting de-escalation to solve things at the smallest, most is certainly an art piece, yet it is also a civic local level possible,’’ said Mendez. “This is an atypical en- structure. vironment, but we all come knowing that some choices Syn conceived of the idea a year ago, with Photo by jim A count as real crimes that will carry consequences.” the intent to create something akin to a silent version of Center Camp. Born of her own need for a quiet meditative space, and tired Sheriff Storyteller of being repeatedly forced back into the city side of the trash fence by policing types, she By Durgy originally thought of placing a simple com- The Black Rock Beacon ran into Richard Machado, munity tent out in walk-in camping. the new sheriff of Pershing County, in Wadsworth on Yet the stars aligned this year for much Saturday. Sheriff Storyteller, to use his Playa name, more. The structure aims to increase audi- seemed upbeat about the event. tory diversity in the city by offering an en- He wished for Black Rock citizens to have fun this vironment to regroup in a quiet, meditative week, but to be safe. He also hoped that people would state, a need not currently filled by existing remember the reality of their situations, even in this un- civic structures. real place. The oasis was built entirely within the rules It also would be good if Burners were reasonable in of walk-in camping, specifically, without the any interactions that they may have with law enforce- use of motorized vehicles. Resisting the urge ment, he said. to go rogue in the night, 12 people hauled in Machado, a former Lovelock Police sergeant, defeat- 1,400 individual pieces cummulatively weigh- ed long-serving Sheriff Ron Skinner in a close election ing approximately 20,000 pounds. The struc- last year, according to the Burning Man website. ture itself depends solely on geometry, and is BLACK ROCK CITY Population as of 12:00 pm Tuesday | 30,352 Question of the day: • How high are you? Sorry Bacon-lovers. We’re Taking Bring answers to the Beacon City Desk, tomorrow off. NEXT PAPER FRIDAY 1:30 @ Center Camp. Black Rock Bee acon The Power of Rock and Roll designer, did the website (www.arsoniccreations. Boston Burningtruck, but testing was canceled costume out of someone’s garbage. When he By Nathaniel Page com) and provided inspirational pyromania. because of weather. Instead the Beacon was gave it to them he insisted that in exchange for it An artwork called Rock Inferno comes to Chris works at a shop making road signs, and treated to a video of a guy in a Winnie-the-Pooh they videotape someone playing the game while Black Rock City in 2011 by way of Danbury, he just finished welding school. He came up costume schredding the hell out of Foreigner’s wearing it. Eventually the team got a video of Connecticut. “This is Rock Band with flame with the Rock Inferno concept and built parts “Juke Box Hero.” Camp Here campmate NotKnox in the Pooh throwers,” said Jeff, one of five pyromaniacs of the piece, including the climate-controlled, Rock Inferno’s huge sound system can belt suit, playing the guitar behind his head and do- who designed and built the piece over the past dust-proof electronics box. Dennis and Jeff are out hundreds of ing Angus Young 15 months. “We’ve had surprisingly few mis- the programmers. Away from Rock Inferno Jeff decibels of liq- stage gymnastics haps. No burns, no explosions.” runs computerized boilers, and his expertise uid metal and the with a wall of flame For legal reasons, the team usually calls the parlayed into making flames blast out of chim- team expected in his face. flame throwers “poofers.” The poofers form a ney pipes at the tap of a button. He smokes a their neighbors Amongst his line atop a spandex screen onto which is pro- lot and speaks concisely. The electrician Ray in- to fear and loathe Playstation games, jected Frets on Fire, an open-source knock- cluded his participation in Rock Inferno on his the rock-blasting, Dennis has Rock off of the video game Rock Band. The player resume, which got him a job from an employer fire-breathing de- Band, Guitar He- stands underneath the projector in another who was understanding enough to grant time vice — but they roes I, II, and III, frame that flashes multicolored lights as he off to attend Burning Man. Lizzy is able to hold were wrong. “Ev- and Guitar Hero plays. Every time the player hits the right note onto a chew toy while being swung in circles eryone has been Aerosmith. “Den- in the game, a colored light goes on and a blast through the air. very supportive,” nis plays Dance of flame shoots from the corresponding poofer. This year is Jen and Chris’ first at Burning Jeff said. The Pooh Dance Revolution When the player schredds a dark, heavy chord Man, and Rock Inferno’s second. The 2011 costume came from in expert mode,” or a wailing solo, a wall of flame dances above model improves vastly upon the previous, one neighbor, a Jen said. But not the screen. though, thanks to a Black Rock City honorarium hard-drinking Viet- everyone in the The Rock Inferno team consists of Jen “Jen- grant. Though the team funded the Rock Infer- nam veteran and team is even into Swan” Swanson, Chris “Smokey” Lavelle, Den- no prototype themselves, the grant helped to get garbage man who Rock Band. “I nis “Zoo Money” Lambe, Jeff “Valence” Sweet- expensive parts like the propane solenoids and came over one day don’t even really man, Ray “Neutral” Somers, and a pit bull mix 15,000-volt transformers in the poofers, and the to play. “He’s a like it,” Chris said named Lizzy. All team members — save Jeff hundreds of gallons of propane they expect to better Burner than as he drilled a hole and Lizzy ­— are heavy in the poi dancing scene. ‘poof.’ any of us,” Dennis in Rock Inferno’s All members of Rock Inferno helped bring The Beacon visited the Rock Inferno crew on said of the man. projector box. the piece to fruition. Jen, who is also a handbag test night before the piece was loaded into the Perhaps he got the

Best Brews for Black Rock City TheBlackRockGazette BRAINTEASERS BY DURGY ? by red nikki somewhat floral refreshing aftertaste. The 10 Years Ago Playa dust affects the palate. Beers that are re- perfect Playa beer. N E T R A G R E D N I K freshing in the Default World can be syrupy in LAGER: In the worst case, lager is inof- Thursday, August 30 Black Rock City, while brews that seem too in- fensive and provides a welcome change. In O E N O I T A U D A R G tense at your corner bar are the perfect antidote the best case, however, it provides the sense “Art Vandals’’ chronicled a to Playa heat. of refreshment of an IPA without the bitter wave of defacings of Playa proj- I D C G Y A D H T R I B Here is an analysis of how each beer style per- intensity. Great after a hot afternoon stalk- ects. “It happens every year,’’ said T A Y R A U T I B O D R forms in Black Rock. Keep this list on hand as ing the Man between dust storms. For best Ranger Beavis. “In a crowd like you pack for next year. results, seek out a double-hopped lager. this, you will have 5 percent who A N T U O G N I M O C I HEFEWEIZEN: Its pale color may make are assholes. This year it seems to THAT BEER YOU BOUGHT FOR $5 A it seem like a perfect Playa companion, but be more like 7.5 percent.’’ I A N N I V E R S A R Y CASE: Take water and mix in a little piss, and don’t be fooled. This beer features all of the you get these. Try harder. downsides of a stout, filling you up in half a Western Fetishists pervade T L H L A N I M I L V I STOUT: The beer that drinks like a meal. In the bottle, yet tastes pallid and unsatisfying. Black Rock City. “The Wild Wild Default World, a rich stout seems like it would PORTER: Heavier porters have all the flaws West’’ found camps like Dismal, I P A I M P U D E N C E be the perfect Playa beer. But no plan survives of a stout, but the lighter versions capture all Nevada, a half-dead mining town; contact with the Playa. The dust damps down of the charm of a Default-World stout with- The Laughing Stock, purveyors N S J A N L A R E N U F the flavor and amps up the richness, leaving the out the weight. of a herd of motorized horses; I E J J O U R N E Y T G stout-drinking Burner feeling bloated after half AMBER: Much like porter to stout, a good Naughty Cowgirl Ranch, more or a can. amber ale takes on all the features of a la- less what you’d think; Spaghetti These words are in the grid: I.P.A.: IPA stands for India Pale Ale. In the ger and cranks them to 11, its Western Camp, Asian Princess ANNIVERTheseS wordsARY, BIR THDareAY in, C OMINGthe grid: OUT, DIVORCE, ENGAGEMENT, 1700s, this beer style was developed so casks deliciousness penetrating Ranch, and the Space Cowboys, ESPLANADE, FUNERAL, GRADUATION, HAJJ, IMPUDENCE, INITIA- of beer could be shipped in a dank, dirty hold even the thickest depos- helped round out the posse. for six months from England to India and still its of Playa dust on your TANNIVERSARY,ION, JAIL, JOURNEY, KIN BIRTHDAY,DERGARTEN, LIMINAL COMING, OBITUARY OUT, DIVORCE, ENGAGEMENT, be drinkable at the end of the trip. If it could tongue. Slightly weightier “Freckles’’ will not form on ESPLANADE, FUNERAL, GRADUATION, HAJJ, IMPUDENCE, INITIATION, JAIL, withstand that journey, it can survive nine hours than a lager, amber is per- skin that has not been exposed TheJOURNEY, leftover letters KINDERGARTEN, form another word related LIMINAL,to a rite of passage. OBITUARY in a car trunk on the way from Reno, and if it fect for hanging out in to sunlight. On the other hand, was good enough for British soldiers languish- camp, although it might ultraviolet radiation from sun- ing in India, it is good enough for the Playa. The be a bit heavy for deep light, plentiful on the Playa, The leftover letters form another word related to a rite of passage. hoppiness cuts through the dust, leaving a crisp, playa roaming. brings them out. ALMANAC

Wednesday Thursday Help the Beacon Hands Around First light: 5:54 a.m. First light: 5:55 a.m. Hey BRC, hope you’ve been enjoying our Sunrise: 6:22 a.m.. Sunrise: 6:23 a.m. seventh year of Playa newspapering. We The Man Sunset: 7:33 p.m. Sunset: 7:31 p.m. could use some help in two disparate ways: On Saturday, at 11:11 a.m., Twilight ends: 8:01 p.m.. Twilight ends: 8:00 p.m. Sunday distribution. If you are sticking Phil Osophical will attempt to Moonset: 8:45 p.m. Moonset: 9:22 p.m. around on Sunday, we need some people create a semi-spontaneous circle to distribute our Exodus edition. We have of hands around the Man. He Space Station Fly-Over: Burns: All 23 CORE routes inside the city, and you can also say and several other organizers will 9:47 p.m., North by projects, 9:00 p.m. goodbye to Burners waiting patiently to be aim to gather approximately 400 Northwest Space Station Fly-Over: 8:50 p.m., North pulsed out of the city. It’s a great chance to people and have all join hands. rock your favorite daytime costume (or lack Why? “We will be celebrating Friday thereof) one last time. our own personal and collective First light: 5:56 a.m. Mac Magician. We produce the Beacon Rites of Passage,’’ Osophical Friday sunrise: 6:24 a.m. on a fleet of venerable G3 Blackbirds. If said. “Come join us.’’ Lombard and Pismo mean something to you, The moon rises after the sun Rangers Beauty and Rat Bastard have been coming to you could help us rejuvenate our electronic on Wednesday and Thursday. Black Rock City for a long time, and they’re still smil- pals with new PRAM batteries and some part “No man should ing about it. Beauty is an 11-year Burner with 10 years replacement from non-functioning models. be allowed to be Source for astronomical information: www.sunrisesunset.com of Rangering experience and 9 years as a minister To give us a hand with either of these president who does not in the Universal Life Church, so she can officiate at tasks, please drop by to see us in Center Playa weddings. Rat Bastard is a 9 year Burner, 8 year Camp at the 1:30 position. Mac types could understand hogs.” Ranger, and Zebra 5 on the Leal Team. also email us after the event at questions@ —President Harry Truman blackrockbeacon.org.

Semi-Legal Mumbo Jumbo Copyright © 2011 The Black Rock Beacon, Perpetrators of The Black Rock Beacon... Mitchell Martin, editor emeritus in training. Mike Durgavich, doer of stuff. a not-for-profit corporation organized under the laws of the state of Washington and located at 32657 9th PL S, Federal Way, Wash., 98003, some rights reserved. You Angie Zmijewski, stunt double. Susan Williamson, Riso master. Larry Breed, coping editor. Taymar, webmeister. Ron Garmon, co-camp are free to to copy, distribute, display, and perform the information and images contained manager in absentia. Suzanne Zalev, hot mama. Carry Tveit and Deb Prothero, gone ice fishing.Wee Gee, overseas minister of photography. herein, to make derivative works, and to make commercial use of this work under the Rod Allen and Brian Train, sunset prevention editors. Edge, eminence grise. | Design goddess/bitch wrangler: Lena Kartzov. Beacon following conditions: You must attribute the work to the Black Rock Beacon and, if you alter, transform, or build upon our material, you may distribute the resulting work only bitch/illustrator: Shado. Illustrator: Diana Acosta. Monkeyshines: Zaius. Photographer: Jim A. Transpo: Bellboy. City Desk: Red Nikki. under a license identical to this one. These conditions may be waived if you obtain permis- DisReps: Duane, Gordo, Sharona, Jim, Jeremy, Angie, George, Tara Maki, Ocean, Cat, Rumor, Mrs. Lucky, Little Jack, Brigit, Evelyn, Paul, sion from The Black Rock Beacon. Visit our website at www.blackrockbeacon.org or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/BlackRockBeacon. Jane and Camp Grrr. Copy Editors: Sepia, Pam, Puss and Sister Crystal. Writers: Aleeza, Andrew, Genie Gratto, Mary Jane, Red Nikki.