September 17, 2008 by PT Rothschild.

“AND THE MEEK SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH”

DCP Zone, CA – By the way, for those who haven’t guessed it, DCP means DeComPression, because it’s back to being in the Default World, the ‘real’ world your teacher or minister or ‘rent would tell you. You know, the place where ‘reality real world’ shows are scripted and shot at the expense of what the Burning Man art festival/society holds most precious, our home, this planet, and something that we are ALL responsible for (see ‘TV Makes a Mess’ and sign the petition, I did). So it really came as no shock when upon showing several photos to a business neighbor close to my ‘day job’, I got the comment, ‘These people must all be on drugs,” as the neighbor stared at them wide-eyed. How the World is deceived, I thought to myself, when a regular customer to Bev-Mo, the largest and grandest alcoholic (and non-alcoholic) beverage establishment in Riverside County, looks at photos of art cars, sculptures, people riding hand-decorated bicycles, generally having a good time, and says, ‘they must all be on drugs’. This comment is coming from a culture that when you turn on the TV, almost half the ads are for ‘drugs’. Too fat, take a pill. Too thin, take a pill. Sneezing when you dust, take a pill. Not enough iron, take a pill. Not happy enough, worried, and depressed, take a pill. Kids don’t pay attention in school, give them a pill (Ritalin). Don’t want your dog or cat pregnant, crush up a pet birth control pill in their food, so they can have a sex life and not get preggo, just like regular folks. In the week that I was at Burning Man, I saw or heard of not one ‘Heath Ledger’ incident in a city of 49, 599 (official population as of Saturday, August 30^th – Black Rock Beacon) people. And Burning Man exists in a city. Black Rock City has an FM radio station (BMIR – Burning Man Information Radio – 94.5), a TV station, and a Post Office (Zip code 89412) though it looks more like a movie set. The clerks are friendly, engaging, and one of them led me to a symbol necklace that made IPod, when she saw mine, whisper in my ear while flashing me her ‘Lucky Charms’ gleam, “I want that pendant. I’m going to have to figure out a way to get it from you,” which drew a sharp, sudden gulp of air from me. (I wait with bated breath for the ‘con of Woman’, and really enjoy the fun and romance in swimming with these young sharks). Another aspect guiding the hustle and bustle of this ‘off-world’ city are the Rangers, whom I met one night with Goose when we joined up with the Capt. at the Ranger Station house that was down the street from the Black Rock Dinner, which served up free grilled cheese sandwiches but had no regular business hours of operation. Whenever you saw a crowd there you could get the free food. I fetched IPod a sandwich when the snacks Ranger Sasquatch whipped up for us didn’t quite iron out that stomach wrinkle, plus we were all the way across town. Sometimes IPod forgets to eat so she was extra hungry. You’d just know that the sandwich shop opened about 10 minutes after we were told about it. Yeah, Black Rock City is like that. The Rangers keep you out of trouble with the ‘law’ and the ‘undercovers’ that are roaming around, plus they make sure you are safe and will provide you with medical attention if you become sick or injured. There were 36 arrests for drug trafficking which is not bad for a city of 50,000 who are partying. Unlike many law enforcement agencies in the Default World, the Rangers really do ‘protect and serve’ rather harass and intimidate. They reminded me of the police during Kentucky Derby week in Louisville, Kentucky, and the police I met when I traveled in Canada, except the Rangers were more folksy and in the Spirit of Smokey the Bear. People who want to, imbibe in the privacy of their campsite. Also there are no DUI’s at 5MPH, the posted speed limit on all streets in BRC, because you are part of a team, either with the group you came with or the crowd you just met. If you really need to, you can take a scheduled bus back to the closest town for $5 round trip. There is also a place to bowl and a mini put-put golf range, so next time I’m taking my custom putter along with the one my ex-wife used to make stand up all by itself.

The history of Burning Man is explained through a timeline display and is symbolized by a logo theme found on the various sculptures and works of art, which numbered at 194 all scattered at various points in the Playa. The logo is also found on every piece of swag you collect pretty much and especially on the pendants you wind up with. Besides the one IPod has her peepers on, my favorite symbol pendant is the one I was gifted with from one of the crew as I sat and talked to my favorite bartender, B.A. (Bad Ass), in the shade underneath my favorite bar, the Tree Top Lounge aka ‘Raise The Bar’ on the Sunday morning after the Man burned. As the early Christians had their ‘fish’ symbol (Pisces) which though secret was known to each of them, so it is with the symbol of Burning Man. I won’t reveal its shape here, Dear Reader, but if you ever come to BRC, you will know it almost immediately. This symbol becomes a part of you. I have worn the symbol either as a patch or on a pendant every day since returning to the DW. It’s the one piece of BM that I keep close to my heart until I can go ‘home’ again. To glance at pictures of the festive BRC and sum it up to ‘drugs’ is why BM will never be ‘mainstream’. My grandfather used to say, “Son, in the Parade of Life, there are 3 kinds of people: people in the Parade; people watching the Parade; and people saying, ‘what Parade?” The Bible tells us that a third of Mankind will be lost but two-thirds will be on hand when Jesus returns. Those odds don’t sound too bad for surviving but the Bible also says that only 144,000 out of the millions left will be catching the first ‘up’ escalator. Everyone else will get a ‘do-over’ for a thousand years. Jesus himself said to go through the narrow gate. When I look at the society and city built, attended, and cared for by a population who ‘chose’ to take part and feel the abundance of love and a certain level of meekness generated by close to all the week’s inhabitants, people from different cultures, different countries, and people like myself who find themselves at BRC through unforeseen circumstances, getting the cheapest thrill from the biggest bang because it takes money to be able to live in a cashless society, you know a force which is not man-made has to be the magnet. Some churches and some religions may think they have the key to God’s front door and announce that they are the ‘chosen few’, made so by their holy decree, but I ask you the AC/DC question, “Who made who?” If we, Man, made God up as some say, because we needed a ‘god’ for our own good to help explain things, then indeed it is ‘us’ who will pick the chosen. But what if the Bible and all the other works on religion are correct, that there is an Intelligence, a
Will, and a Plan to what we call reality? We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the world, the Default World, as we know it, the one that Jerry Springer shows us, is nowhere  close to the reality of any metaphysical realm. The Bible comes as close as anything written to accurately describe ‘earth life’ and doesn’t feign the flowery language of some religions to do it. Though Jesus tells us not to look for his second arrival to be in the desert, the desert is where he was first tested. It’s where he chose to become the first inhabitant for a new world, a world yet to come into being. I would put forth the Burning Man and Black Rock City are a testing ground for a society for a new world, hopefully to come after the old world is swept away, as is foretold. BRC could be the blueprint for the meek when they ‘inherit the earth’. For though I saw raw sensuality and good-natured revelry, I never once saw or heard any aggression. Everyone had a natural patience and relaxed attitude toward one another, regardless of attire. Two days after I arrived in BRC, I named this series to be called, ‘The Burning Man Experience – Life After The Rapture. The nature of this BM culture demonstrates a lifestyle currently unattainable and unsustainable on a permanent basis in the world today though the technology exists to make it so. I consider it a miracle that BRC can even be present and real for a week. But in a new world, one without commercialism and money, such a city and population could forge and flourish in fun, when the meek inherit the Earth. To be continued… Next: ‘Burning Down The Louse’

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September 17, 2008 by Bill Gould, Publisher.

Denver, Colorado - ANIMO, Denver’s favorite pop-punk heroes recently released a 30 second teaser for the new video for the song ‘Left Out (between the sheets)’ off of the new CD ‘Blood in the Water’. The new CD was released this summer when the band was on Warped Tour and the video was filmed in Los Angeles and in Temecula at The Merc in Old Town. Check out the teaser and stay tuned for the full video soon!

Animo Left Out (Between The Sheets) Teaser

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September 17, 2008 by Bill Gould, Publisher.

Temecula, California - One of the hottest buzz bands on the scene today, Starving For Gravity, used to play cover tunes four hours a night. Scheduled to play the 14th Annual Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival, on September 20th, Starving for Gravity (SFG) have come a long way from those days.

Originally from Grand Forks, N.D., SFG worked as a cover band entertaining drunks, bikers, and girls gone wild. That gig financed their first album of original material; and, caught the attention of 79 Volts Management in CA. After signing a management contract and moving to the Golden State in 2007, SFG began pursuing their dream. In the process, these indie rockers transformed from a bar band to a buzz band. But, it didn’t come easy.

First, they experienced culture shock and the harsh realities of the music business. They learned that it was more than just about their music. Their performance, image, and even what they said on stage was scrutinized by industry. And, initially, they didn’t make the cut.

“We thought it was over,” the band members recall.

But their managers, Joshua Weesner and Alex Kravetsky, weren’t about to give up. They enlisted the aid of industry professionals and made them part of the team.

Just a few months later, things turned around. The band started winning contests that raised their profile, including the LAMN JAM Rock Music Contest and a worldwide competition for a spot in a Rock Against Diabetes concert in Las Vegas, NV. There, SFG got to play with rock stars and superstars, even joining Guns N’ Roses’ guitarist, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal on stage to play “Sweet Child O’ Mine.”

Thal praised SFG, “Seeing those guys playing their hearts out, and being there for the right reason, was inspiring… They were the positive spirit of the show.”

Now, Starving for Gravity will be gracing the stage at the Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival. Selected after a year-long showcase series, they’ll be performing in front of film and music luminaries, as well as their home town crowd. It’s been quite a journey for this young band; and quite a transformation.

For more information or to schedule an interview, contact:

Alex Karvetsky at 951-296-1016 or Akravetsky@gmail.com

Band Website: www.MySpace.com/starvingforgravity

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