post what you didn't like about 2011 here

[Playa Status]

I should've never went to burning man. I'm afraid that any event, festival, party will be nothing in comparison. Fuck...

[Sail Man]

I'm bummed the weather sucked so much. Not even 1 decent dust storm!! And I paid good money dammit!

[moonrise]

I registered to post this. This was my fourth year.

During the Trojan Horse burn, I saw a man in his twenties start to have a seizure in the crowd. Seconds later, he stood up and pulled a metal prong (with a tazer line still connected to it) out of his back. He wasn't having a siezure. He was just tazed with a tazer gun, the kind that shoots prongs across short distances:



It was, quite frankly, horrifying to me that someone would spend hundreds of dollars to come an inclusive event, walk through the crowd, and taze a random person. We look around but could find no one.

That's pure evil. I have a serious, tricky/touchy low back condition, something like this could cripple me for life!

I only had one run in, with an E'd out dude (or something else?) in the men's urinal potty around 8:30 ish area (he started it, I finished it)
Other than that, I think my size and stature may have deterred viloence against my person. Shit, do we have to grow eyes behind our heads now?

I had a wonderful burn; but was I just lucky due to safety in numbers?

[atomicray]

Moon...it would be a great circumstance if such a shock fixed your back!

Bad sadly I suspect it would not.

The thought of using a tazer in an open crowd, this is the sort of thing that baffles me.

Where in world would someone think this is the place a for a random tazer hit? In the frat house, just before the completely hetro brothers tie you up, grease your neither regions, and blindfold you...sure I could see a tazer hit, that or some roofies...

But not on the playa...maybe the answer is to reduce the number of people and not increase it.

Twice a year with a 20-25,000 person cap?

Crazy.

I would tazer that guys balls or tie his hands/feet, pants off, gagged/blindfolded, ass up, with a "free rides" sign on his back.

Atomic Ray

[jodyNcolumbus]

Also, I know this is probably my own issue, but why don't West Coast people know where Ohio is? I am pretty sure everyone in Ohio knows where California is. (People - it is the fictitious location of GLEE!) I had one guy guessing my state - here are the hints: Below Michigan - it has 4 letters - First and last letters are the same - has HI in the middle. And he STILL did not get it! OMG - I will say it had to be the alcohol because it was stunning to me that he couldn't guess it!

That little interaction gave me my motto for the week, "Burning Man is where Smart people go to get Stupid"!

Obviously you've never watched Jay Walking. A more accurate motto would have been "Burning Man is where Stupid people go and are still stupid". I would never admit I was from Ohio. There's a reason GLEE is set there.

I actually like being from Ohio and I LOVE GLEE! Whatever... I suppose you are entitled to your opinion. Just like polack jokes are not indicative of all the polish people, not all Ohioans are Red neck imbeciles. My city is very diverse, growing and quite tolerant. I'll tell you this, our gay pride parade is wildly fabulous! I checked out the pride parade on the playa and it was the most depressing display of lame I've ever seen. Geez, I guess the whole week is gay pride, so the parade is no biggy, it was like a funeral.

In addition to my original post about all the professional photog with the naked models... One more thing I hate about the big burns is all the camera noise, especially at the temple burn. Can we have a section that is no cameras or at least 10 minutes of quiet without all the irritating buzzing and clicking? I am just trying to take it in and be in the moment and all the noise gets my panties in a wad.

[Savannah]

I ate very well in Columbus, Ohio. Ethiopian and Asian Fusion.

[AntiM]

One of my SILs rents cabins in Hocking Hills. Nice ones, one has been in the family since the civil war.

[curiousgnate]

easy solution to the unwanted noise at the temple burn is......... mp3 player with a few amazing tunes that suit the moment. I didn't do it this year but susre as hell will next!

[atomicray]

GLEE is the bomb...love it.

[jkisha]

My recollectioms and stark reminders of what Ohio is like based on infrequent trips back to visit family cause me to believe you have probably never lived outside the Midwest.

Also, I know this is probably my own issue, but why don't West Coast people know where Ohio is? I am pretty sure everyone in Ohio knows where California is. (People - it is the fictitious location of GLEE!) I had one guy guessing my state - here are the hints: Below Michigan - it has 4 letters - First and last letters are the same - has HI in the middle. And he STILL did not get it! OMG - I will say it had to be the alcohol because it was stunning to me that he couldn't guess it!

That little interaction gave me my motto for the week, "Burning Man is where Smart people go to get Stupid"!

Obviously you've never watched Jay Walking. A more accurate motto would have been "Burning Man is where Stupid people go and are still stupid". I would never admit I was from Ohio. There's a reason GLEE is set there.

I actually like being from Ohio and I LOVE GLEE! Whatever... I suppose you are entitled to your opinion. Just like polack jokes are not indicative of all the polish people, not all Ohioans are Red neck imbeciles. My city is very diverse, growing and quite tolerant. I'll tell you this, our gay pride parade is wildly fabulous! I checked out the pride parade on the playa and it was the most depressing display of lame I've ever seen. Geez, I guess the whole week is gay pride, so the parade is no biggy, it was like a funeral.

In addition to my original post about all the professional photog with the naked models... One more thing I hate about the big burns is all the camera noise, especially at the temple burn. Can we have a section that is no cameras or at least 10 minutes of quiet without all the irritating buzzing and clicking? I am just trying to take it in and be in the moment and all the noise gets my panties in a wad.

[Quaneshia Honeycooch]

Wheel

of

Fortune.

[trilobyte]

I don't think the poor geography is specific to west coasters, there are a lot of people out there who can't find a lot of states (or countries). California's pretty easy for most to find, it's a more 'name brand' state, plus it's got a corner spot on the coast.

[jodyNcolumbus]

My recollectioms and stark reminders of what Ohio is like based on infrequent trips back to visit family cause me to believe you have probably never lived outside the Midwest.

Maybe Ohio wouldn't suck so much if all the cool people like you didn't abandon us.

[jkisha]

Well that's flattering even if not true. But my advice to you is to get out now, while you still have a chance!

My recollectioms and stark reminders of what Ohio is like based on infrequent trips back to visit family cause me to believe you have probably never lived outside the Midwest.

Maybe Ohio wouldn't suck so much if all the cool people like you didn't abandon us.

[graidawg]

OhiO is a state? seriously i couldnt tell you with any certainty where DC is and i looked at it on a map last week. besides what i couldnt find in loondon is embarrasing enough without adding america.

[atomosk]

as to photographers who do not ask first this is NOT ACCEPTABLE in the least!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! one almost got his creepy ass punched by my friend who decided to dance topless, she screamed at him told him that it was not ok, made him show her the picture and then delete it, and took his tag number and reported it! Do not do it! and if you do prepare to get the shit beat out of you! whew sorry for the rant!

This would frankly piss me off if I was a woman. But I do think there's an over reaction here. It's the social norm to ask before taking an intimate portrait, and it's just the only polite way to take a photo when you're that close to a person. But when the person is distant enough to be scenery or part of a room shot that social norm falls away. Regardless of how impolite it is, the law is always fully on the photographer's side. You need not ask permission to take a picture of anyone if they're in public, and your Burning Man ticket states you must agree that your image may be captured on film and video without consent or compensation. You're also completely in the right to express anger over a picture taken of you and to ask a person to delete it, but I think that we can be civil about those things. The photographer is obeying the law and perhaps may have offered an apology on their own if asked.

It's less fun, but I would advise people not to be naked all the time if they have any problem with a picture being taken of them, or to always be on good behavior if they absolutely cannot have default world associations seeing random pictures of them online. If you're going to dance topless, look around for cameras first. If you're taking a picture of a single subject, always show the picture to the subject so they have an opportunity to ask you to delete it, retake it, etc. The critical tit's parade has done a lot to keep photographers away, with varying degrees of success, but it is sad that it seems to have had it's last year due to excessive voyeurism.

[Drawingablank]

Quite frankly, everything I didn't like about Burning Man was self inflicted. Not intentionally, but self inflicted nontheless although I hate to admit it. It all boils down to being in a state of fitness insufficient to the demands of the playa and I got to see / visit about 1% of what I had planned to because of it.

1. I am in fairly good shape for my age (aside from a beer belly). I regularly hike ten or more miles in mountainous terrain. I'm also not adverse to walking to work when necessary. I really thought that would be sufficient.

2. I hadn't been on a bike in about 8 years and thought my state of fitness would make bike riding a snap, after all I used to ride 60 miles a week. Wrong - aside from balance issues, my calves were on fire after 30 minutes on the bike and I had such a case of playa ass that after Tuesday I just found it easier to walk everywhere.

3. I brought cheap boots instead of the 200.00 boots I normally hike in - blisters started early in the week and I will not make that mistake again.

Our entire burn was picture perfect - except for mobility (and darkwads). No drama, great neighbors, pretty much excellent from start to finish. My son (21 YO) had no issues at all.

If any aging Birgins are reading this, my best advice is to be in at least twice the shape you think is sufficient, get a comfy bike seat, practice a lot with the bike, and bring a quality, well broken in pair of shoes.

[jkisha]

Sage advice.

Quite frankly, everything I didn't like about Burning Man was self inflicted. Not intentionally, but self inflicted nontheless although I hate to admit it. It all boils down to being in a state of fitness insufficient to the demands of the playa and I got to see / visit about 1% of what I had planned to because of it.

1. I am in fairly good shape for my age (aside from a beer belly). I regularly hike ten or more miles in mountainous terrain. I'm also not adverse to walking to work when necessary. I really thought that would be sufficient.

2. I hadn't been on a bike in about 8 years and thought my state of fitness would make bike riding a snap, after all I used to ride 60 miles a week. Wrong - aside from balance issues, my calves were on fire after 30 minutes on the bike and I had such a case of playa ass that after Tuesday I just found it easier to walk everywhere.

3. I brought cheap boots instead of the 200.00 boots I normally hike in - blisters started early in the week and I will not make that mistake again.

Our entire burn was picture perfect - except for mobility (and darkwads). No drama, great neighbors, pretty much excellent from start to finish. My son (21 YO) had no issues at all.

If any aging Birgins are reading this, my best advice is to be in at least twice the shape you think is sufficient, get a comfy bike seat, practice a lot with the bike, and bring a quality, well broken in pair of shoes.

[fratboy]

Wow the playa is entirely flat. its the easiest place to bike I can imagine.

[fratboy]

and if you do prepare to get the shit beat out of you! whew sorry for the rant!

Id have told her to go fuck herself. Shes a psychotic freak with anger issues.

[atomosk]

and if you do prepare to get the shit beat out of you! whew sorry for the rant!

Id have told her to go fuck herself. Shes a psychotic freak with anger issues.

"Aren't they all?" is what I thought when I read that. Absolutely true though. There was an insane number of persons out there this year who were 'prepared' to fight 'if they had to' or going out of their way to talk about respect and that they just might be pushed to teach respect to others. It's cliche but violence shouldn't be an answer, no one needs to learn any lessons (except how to calm down), and people who are always thinking about defending themselves or their honor are the people who find an excuse to fight.

[Parasitoid]

My best friend (and wife) broke her leg in five places by tipping over on her bike (sober) on tuesday just before noon.

Most of our time was spent in Reno Renown hospital this year :-\...

But she got really great treatment both on and off the playa, will make a full recovery, is looking forward to next year.

She did manage to come back for Friday through the end of the burn despite just getting 13 screws and a metal plate in her leg. I thought that was pretty badass.

But ya... it was a bummer for sure and not exactly the best burn ever for us this year.

[lucky420]

damn Parasitoid your wife is a badass! Sorry for her pain and injury, hope she is feeling better and on a good mend. Next year will surely be better!

[curiousgnate]

said girl doesn't have anger issues. when a photog is given their tag they are told to ask first! said guy saw my friend, ran up to about three feet from her and took said pic with camera pointed directly at her tits. fuck him! quite frankly i think she dealt with the situation very well and in a non-violent way, i think she should have slapped him. maybe its me with the anger issues, but oh yeah i haven't gotten in a fight in over 25 years.

[Simon of the Playa]

THREADS LIKE THIS.

[junglesmacks]

THREADS LIKE THIS.

+50000

[Raymaker]

easy solution to the unwanted noise at the temple burn is......... mp3 player with a few amazing tunes that suit the moment. I didn't do it this year but sure as hell will next!

I must admit I made a noise at the Temple Burn this year, it was my first year, and it just effected me that way, it's dark and exciting and you just don't notice that everyone around you are sitting and being silent, we met a guy out there who was way too much wasted (in a joyful way) and that helped hype us up in a inconsiderate noisy way. Thankfully someone told us off, and we all went quiet, it was only at that point I looked around and saw what everyone else was doing. so apologises for that and we won't be standing and being noisy like that next year.

[Bob]

When I say the Temple is dead to me, I don't just mean the rather sad absence of campfire songs and marshmallows.

[DrYes]

I didn't like snorting pixie dust (literally, that sugary stuff that comes out of the pixie sticks you probably had as a kid) off some random girls lovely, decorated breast. That -hurt- and fucked up my nose for the next day. Didn't consider how much citric acid is in it before saying YES.

--Dr. Yes.

[Sic Pup]

You ought to try it with Pop Rocks (not!)