"intestinal/cranial efistula" have their dreams too...

Still I wouldn't want to shake their hand or anything.

>>It just makes it funnier that so many are mad about it! You can't charge someone for arson for burning something early. That would make it even funnier. <<

If you go to any city's fireworks display on July 3 and set it on fire, I guarantee you will be charged with arson.

"But you would have to get witnesses to attest that they were in danger."

Which would be really hard to do, I'm sure. </sarcasm>

I was trying to read through this whole thread before I chimed in, but I guess I'm failing here...

Danger Angel's comment was "The reason it's funny is that it was the man. Irony, people!"

Have you, Danger Angel, or all of the other snarky geniuses in this "Tribe" realize the difference between "irony" and "reality"?? Irony is something where you can casually sit back and toss spit-balls and/or fireballs into a conversation, just to see what kind of effect it has. It's fun, it's recreational, it's mostly harmless.

However, confusing irony with real life is potentially dangerous, and often destructive. The questions I've got for you Danger Angel, are:
1) were you even at Burning Man this year, or are you just casually tossing spitballs at a situation you just know about second- or third-hand.
2) did you get a chance to hang out in the space under the man as it was intended to be-- i.e., before it was selfishly destroyed?

Of all my playa experiences this year, the one that is taking on the brightest glow for me is the hour I spent with my virgin friend under the man, talking, singing and laughing/loving the moment with other people-- about 2 hours before the fire. It was a beautiful, connected, connecting place. They had essentially set the space up as nothing more than just a giant fire circle at night and shady place by day-- where you could sit on benches encircling the man-base and talk with people, or just hang around under a giant shade structure and talk and connect with people. Or wander around and talk to the people who had-- literally-- spent the last YEAR creating the technology and/or exhibits that were on display under there. They weren't commercial, and they weren't even necessarily all that "professional" looking. They were simply the gift of people who cared enough about the theme to respond to it and create information and experience for other people to share. It was beautiful.

Yet, because of this act of monumental selfishness and stupidity, here's what happened:
1) the people who had spent so much of their resources-- time, energy, money, employment, passion, etc-- had their art destroyed, too. They had to move their exhibits out, they were not even allowed back into the space until late in the week to (re)set-up, and when they got back in it was jury-rigged and disorganized. Contributing to not only their dis-jointedness, but the disjointedness of the whole experience. Instead of talking about their great ideas, the conversation moved on to the who-what-why-when-where of a single dumb-fuck.
2) The great, vaunted, evil, BMOrg was distracted from many of the things they had intended to do-- complete setting up the photovoltaic array that was supposed to power the man-base, for example.

This stupid, selfish act changed the plans and priorities of many, many people who were suddenly shifted from "done, and now I get to enjoy the fruits of my labors" to "OK, problem-solving time again." It's to the immense credit of the capability and committment of an amazing group of people that they were able to salvage their experience and contribute to the salvaging of a group experience for other people-- the Festival (remember the festival??), instead of just saying "fuck this person and fuck this place, I'm outta here."

Many of these people, by the way, are masters of irony. Get them to sit down and relax, hand them a beer, and an hour later you will leave with your ribs and cheekbones hurting from laughter. But they understand that irony is icing on the cake-- but first you have to build the cake. You have to contribute and participate. It is not enough-- in fact it is NOTHING to sit back and criticize, snark, or burn something that you had no role in creating, or in fact you wish to destroy.

If Paul Addis was so upset with how things have been going with Burning Man, he could have done many things-- he could have gone to Bali for vacation, for godssake. Instead he chose someone else's party to destroy as a way to get the attention he needs, without ANY care for anything, especially anything that he babbled about.

The legal definition of arson varies in different states and countries, but in simple terms it can be defined as the act of intentionally burning property. And the fire art that he burned prematurely, and the things under it, were NOT his property. Plain and simple. Sounds like arson to me.

And Reckless Endangerement, definitely. And, by the way, I don't think that they will have any problem getting witnesses to attest that they and/or their property were endangered by this stupid monkey.

And, while it's not a legal definition, consider the dangers of Reckless Irony. True, it's just words, and we're all really good with words. Individually, on a person-to-person basis, it's also true that "sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me." But words can be thoughtless and provoke acts of stupidity. And while it may be others that commit those acts, we should all consider how our words may contribute to the process, and if it always needs to be about how "funny" we can be.

Peace out-- thanks for listening
Respectfully,
Chris

Mango wrote:
"it was way beyond inconsiderate and dangerous. it was the exact opposite of a burner."

No - it's the exact opposite of the Rainbow Family. Wrong festival.

Rev. Al (LA Cacophony) filled one of those oversized inflatable crayons will oxy acetalyne, and as it exploded into a flaming mass scattering people everywhere, while wiping a piece of flaming plastic from under his eye, Boggmann asked him, "Why did you do that?" and Rev Al replied "I read the directions and it didn't say not to!"

THAT IS BURNING MAN.

Saying Paul Addis is the exact opposite of a burner is blatantly ridiculous. Who exactly are burners? Since the festival started as a CACOPHONY SOCIETY EVENT - then I would say the people run the gamut from hippie pranksters to pyro gearheads. That includes manic performance artists with spy fantasies. Paul Addis is a burner - he went to freaking BM and did his thing. Maybe to some of you his art was dangerous, derivative and unkind, but he expressed himself and someone else came in and fixed what he broke. It wouldn't be the first time (for expressions with less impact).

What you should be up in arms about is the fact that PEOPLE KEEP THROWING STUFF IN THE PORTA POTTIES!!!!
That is what is really ENDANGERING THE FUTURE OF YOUR EVENT.
Dumbass burners. If you can't get a porta potty company to haul away YOUR bodily waste, there will be no festival.
Fuck Paul Addis and his contribution - IT'S YOUR CONTRIBUTION OF BABY WIPES THAT'S FUCKING UP BURNING MAN FOR EVERYONE ELSE. I swear. This tribe is so ridiculous.

lets all send paul flowers....or something worthy of his actions.
members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member.aspx

Wow. Way to fall on your sword there, that's showing 'em, Chris.