Placement Newsletter #9
In this issue:
1. Bars on playa
2. Please do not steal street signs, pass it on…
3. Promote your Theme Camp activities on BMIR
4. The DEEP Thinker Series…
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Hello Fine People,
Welcome to probably the last Newsletter before Burning Man 2014!
What a great season we've had already - and really the best is yet to come. The bins are out, the lists are getting shorter and the count down is leading to that great feeling of excitement.
Members of our beloved Placement Team are departing for BRC in the coming days! We want to be bright-eyed and acclimated when we greet you in the dust. And we want to shake hands with the hard working Flaggers who are out there right now, hand-placing each little blue flag into the ground, just for you!
If our email drops off, it is because we are en route, or on-playa. There is wifi out here, but hopefully everyone can get their stuff sorted in the next few days.
I likely won't be able to meet all of you this year - although I might try, it's been great knowing that you behind the scenes pouring your heart and souls into our city. What a unique pleasure to be a part of this considerable endeavour that each of us manages to pull of with such grace and style each year. I hope everyone can take a moment for reflection and celebration before we fall into the dust and it all blurs right past us.
Three cheers for each and everyone one of you! Hurray! Hurray! Hurray!
- Answergirl and the Placement Team
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1. BARS ON THE PLAYA
Local law enforcement would like to see us continue to address the potential issue of underage drinking at our event. Though we, the organization, are not offering alcohol to anyone and are not responsible for bars at Burning Man, there are possible consequences for camps with bars and us if we do not address this concern. Please read the following to make sure you are fully informed.
We do not believe that there are any rampant problems with underage drinking at our event that would merit investigation. Unfortunately local law enforcement does not agree with us. Therefore, you should be aware of Nevada laws on underage drinking. Here are some useful facts:
- It is a misdemeanor to serve alcoholic beverages to anyone under 21 years old in Nevada. The law still applies if the alcohol is gifted as opposed to sold. Theme camps are considered public space and subject to enforcement of this law. (NRS 202.055) In 2001 the Nevada State Supreme Court limited the application of NRS 202.055 to only servers who had actual or constructive knowledge that the person seeking the alcohol was under 21. This means that you must card someone who looks underage. Conversely, if someone looks of age you are not required to card him or her.
- It is a misdemeanor for a minor to consume or possess an alcoholic beverage in a public space (e.g., theme camps, open playa, center camp, etc). (NRS 202.020)
- It is a misdemeanor for a minor to pass him or herself off as being of age. (NRS 202.040)
- Misdemeanors carry the following penalties: Up to 6 months in county jail, and/or a fine up to $1,000. Alternatively, community service may be sentenced in lieu of, or in conjunction with jail time and fines. (NRS 176.087)
- If a minor loiters in a place where alcoholic beverages are consumed (besides a food establishment) then the minor could receive a fine up to $500. (NRS 202.030) Also, if the person in charge of the "tavern" allows the minor to loiter then he or she could be fined up to $500 also. (NRS 202.060)
Enforcement of the laws is either done by carding the person outright, or through undercover sting operations. None of this is new and not terribly different from most other state laws.
But what can you do to #1 Avoid illegally serving minors?, #2 Avoid being cited, or #3 If cited, demonstrate the due diligence against serving minors you used when operating a bar on the playa?
- Don't serve anyone without ID, who appears underage.
- Ask for ID for anyone who appears underage. Learn to read it properly and determine by the date of birth if the person is old enough to drink.
- Post "No Minors Allowed - No Minors Served" signs to discourage minors from committing a misdemeanor by loitering, requesting, or consuming alcohol at your bar.
- Do not allow minors to loiter at your bar: ask them to leave.
- Confer with a co-server -- get a second opinion -- when a patron appears "youthfully" over 21.
- Work together - if you have refused to serve a patron because they do not appear to be of legal age, notify all your bar servers of your decision. There may be undercover operatives working with local law enforcement that attempt to be served more than once.
(NOTE: Federal and local law enforcement priorities differ on one or more of these issue. If you find yourself in an unfortunate encounter please get a badge number and/or name and note what agency you are dealing with. It might come in handy.)
Bottom line: NEVER, NEVER knowingly serve alcohol to a minor! It's illegal and it's not cool.
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2 Please, Do Not Steal Signs. Please pass it on…
An official word from the BMORG:
Emergency Services rely on street signs to navigate our city when responding to emergencies and participants count on them to find their way around. All signs must remain in place through the Temple burn on Sunday night. Seriously folks, we need your help combatting the rampant theft of street signs early in the event. Recently signs are being stolen right when the gate opens. If you see this happening, say something!
And a love letter from BeeLine:
Hi there! I am the "administrator" for our camp and I have a request. I just spent the last four days volunteering at the Burning Man work Ranch at the sign shop. So much work goes on out there and so much work goes into creating and making the signs. It really is fun and so amazing. We all know the signs get stolen every year. The problem, that I don't think is thought through in the moment, during the act of, is that these signs are important for Medical Services to use in an emergency. We also know that more of the city is populated by theme camps than not, and theme camps get newsletters. I think getting the word out might be helpful. If theme camps spread the word about the importance of keeping the signs up and why, it might help. Theme camps located on corners could take ownership of their street sign and try to keep it standing at least till the end of the event! The sign shop folk don't mind that people get to take home such a cool souvenir, but it should be done when you're going home, at the end of the event! As the admin for our camp, I know I read the placement newsletters and pass on the info to my campmates, so I hope others do too. This community is a smart and productive one and I don't think anyone of us would want any of our campmates to have to wait any longer than necessary if they were in need of serious medical attention. So, my request is that maybe this could be put into a newsletter and see if we can't change the trend of when the signs get taken!
Thank you for all of your hardwork. I know from being on the inside of one the departments and volunteering over the past 15 years how much work goes into making the best city in the world happen!
Christine Hawthorne
Aka BeeLine
PlayAground
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3 Promote your theme camp and events with a promo on BMIR!
BMIR, Burning Man Information Radio (94.5FM on the playa and http://bmir.org on the internet) is the best way to let the citizens of Black Rock City know about your theme camp, art installation or events. Now that you know your playa address it's the perfect time to create a promo telling every one all about it. BMIR would LOVE to have them in hand before they leave for the playa so they can start running them on the air ASAP.
BMIR is going to start running theme camp and event promo announcements as soon as you can get them to us. You can tune in to BMIR via the internet and hear about what the playa has in store for you. Many people now stream BMIR on their smartphones during their drive to the playa. We'll be live from the playa sometime on Wednesday 8/20 and will be where you want to be listening to find out about the weather, late breaking news you need to know and info on how the city is coming together.
If someone in your camp is an audio whiz they can send us your promos at anytime. Not sure how to record something ahead of time? No worries! J Kanizzle, BMIR's Co-Station Manager, has put together this handy tutorial that shows you how to download and configure Audacity, a free audio recording program. The tutorial then takes you through the basics of creating your very own announcement.
Once you have something recorded, or if you have any questions, please email before August 20th to : BMIR@Burningman.com
Remember to let people know the basics : what, where and when. Please keep announcements under 60 seconds and send them to us in .mp3 format. Please record at 320kbps. Please don't send us 10 announcements for all of your individual events. Most camps send 1 announcement.
Can't make the August 20th deadline? You can also put your announcements on a CD or flash drive and hand deliver them to BMIR on the playa. BMIR is located in Center Camp, 1:15 and Rods Road, right between Ranger HQ and The Earth Guardians.
Now if you just can't pull this off, no worries. The BMIR Production Studio will be open every day from 12N to 4PM during the event. You can come in and we will help you record an announcement right on the playa.
Thanks and don't forget to bring an FM radio.
Burn bright!
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4. THE DEEP THINKER SERIES
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FRIDAY AUG 29 @ ASHRAM GALACTICA: The Burning Nerds Cocktail Soiree. Researchers and scientists unite for cold beverages! Celebrate the Census, the writers, and the thinkers of our culture over a cocktail. This year the Ed Consortium will collaborate in making the Soiree even more interactive. 2:30-5 PM
*ASHRAM GALACTICA- E & 6:15
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The Center Camp Cafe Speaker Series: 'Psychical nomadism'
Morning Talks: Spoken Word Stage, Monday-Sunday 9am-11am. These talks will be brief, well-structured and intimate. Talks will be 5-15 minutes, followed by a short moderated Q & A.
Sample Talk titles include: 'Strangers have the best candy,' 'Use your body to end your suffering,' 'How to Make and Eat pickles,' 'Our future is female, how women (and men) will save the world,' 'Robots and morality, How technology is used for and against humanity,' and many. many more.
Afternoon Talks: Longer form talks on the Performance Stage, Tuesday-Sunday 4-5pm.
Talks will be 45 minutes, followed by a short moderated Q & A.
*CENTER CAMP CAFÉ- CENTER CAMP
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EVERYWHERE PAVILION- Esplanade @ 6:20 (11:00 on Rod's Road)
Burning Man is not just a week in the desert - it's a thriving culture that is manifesting year-round across the world. Join Burning Man organizers and affiliates for panel discussions and Q&A's about their global work with artists, regional, non-profit and community groups. Want to expand our culture's reach and have a positive impact? Come be a part of the conversation!
Daily Burning Man Q&A:
Monday, August 25th- Friday, August 29th, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Monday, August 25th 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. From the Playa to the Planet What does Burning Man have to offer the world? How has Burning Man changed the way you live? Let's crowd source ideas to affect change and keep the fire burning year round!
Tuesday, August 26th 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. [freespace] Around the GlobeWhat happens when you get a building for $1 and give it to the community?... [freespace] The experiment started in June of 2013 and has quickly spread to cities on 4 continents. Anything goes as long as it's both free and inclusive. [freespace] co-founders and organizers will discuss their model with Q&A.
Friday Aug 28th 11:30am - 12:30pm Grants for Interactive Art Worldwide! Since 2003, the Black Rock Arts Foundation Grants to Artists program has supported interactive, community-based art projects around the world. Hear from a panel including past grantees and review committee members about successful strategies for creating playa-like art experiences in the rest of the world, the rest of the year. This is also a great opportunity to ask questions about applying for a grant for your own work.
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- The 2014 Placement Team:
Abdullah, Answergirl, BlackJack (and the Flaggers!), Bravo, GetRich, Happy, HepKitten, Level, Machine, Muppet, Panty Free, Papa Bear, Retro, Rev. Bloodshot, SparkleBalls, Swampy, Sweetthang, The Governess, and WhatsIt.
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