September 3, 2008 by PT Rothschild.

CENTRAL CAST FACES HOSTILE WEATHER AT BASE CAMP

DCP Zone, CA – There are two things that are paramount to say when music or events are involved. The first ‘magic’ line is, “I’m with the band.” The second line is a question and must always be asked, so about two hours into our journey from our Fresno pitstop I turned and lazily gazed at ‘IPod’, the only female in our group, then I asked, “Do you have the tickets?” A curious expression flashed across her face causing me to further reiterate, “Tell me you have the tickets?!”  Four hours later we, IPod, Bumper, Capt. Tuesday, Mongoose, and myself, are back at the same place where I first asked THE question, breathing a sight of relief that the question wasn’t asked until at the front gate.

We’ll be rolling in a big, rented, white Ford pickup truck that is spotless. A week later on leaving the ‘Burn’, the Ford pickup will not have a spot untouched by dust, inside or outside, prompting a call for extra Mexicans at the detail shop. The reason? A twelve hour balls-to-the-wall ‘white-out’ of blowing ‘playa’ (plý-ya) dust. This is the really fine dirt dust that poofs up when you step on it at places like a fairgrounds or a carnival. It’s so fine and smooth with no rockage that it could be used in a sand dial.


The storm happened after we had gotten set up at our site address of 8:00 & Dart, or 8D. At Black Rock City, the site of the Burning Man, all the area this year is set out in a round clock pattern which runs from 2:00 to 10:00 in a laid back ‘C’ shape. At the center of the clock is The Man, the symbol of ‘the world’ and the Devil’s control of it through the use of systematic bureaucracies, be they governmental or religious. The Man sits approximately two miles from the closest inner edge of the clock rim where all the ‘city’ starts. This strip path is named Esplanade but could have also been named ‘Broadway’ because that is just what this main street is, a broad way for walking and riding. For a week, Black Rock City becomes the fifth largest city in Nevada; behind Vegas, Reno, Laughlin, and Carson.

We put up our two tents and met the Coffee Camp, comprised of Jermo, KB, and a doe-eyed Asian photographer named Kristen who hailed from San Francisco but had spent the last year with Jermo after meeting him at Burning Man last year. Jermo and KB both live in a small Oregon town and work at the super Wal-Mart there. The Coffee Camp (est. 2003) is a Mongoose connection. They start to fill us in on some of the history and hilarity of BRC. Word on the street and from the FM radio station that the city has tells us a dust storm is approaching with sustained winds. I ask KB what a dust storm looks like and he says that you see a puffy light colored cloud that grows until it covers the whole horizon, then it rolls in and covers you!

About noon the aforementioned cloud rolls in and the entire camp scene disappears. It reminds me of an Iowa blizzard except for the hot temperatures and sand (dust) instead of snow. For a minute as I almost blindly head to the tent for shelter, I think of the troops in Iraq now and the failed rescue attempt back in Desert Storm. Sitting in the tent I figure to take a nap until it blows over, I mean, how long can a dust storm last? Twelve hours. 12 hours!! I woke up after my restless sleep as dust continued to blow through the tent, after taking a nap while wearing a bandana across my face like I was a bank robber.

Outside through the howling wind I can hear a dribbling of people going to the row of porta-pottys by the sounds of the potty doors slamming shut. Capt. Tuesday, Mongoose, and Bumper have gone off in this mess to have their first gaze at the Man. I exclaimed them crazy for not waiting until the storm subsided but then I thought it wouldn’t last as long as it did. IPod and I start to debate on whether to pack it all in after she says, “What the fuck am I doing here?”

Finally after not seeing anything abating, we don our goggles, adjust our bandanas, and head out into a twilight zone setting, as we see other people dressed also in face masks and goggles walking and riding bicycles past us. I’ve been here less than a day and I’m covered with a year’s worth of dirt. I flash back to the Dirt Tour I covered a week ago and wonder if that was a premonition.

I’ve already seen some ‘magical’ effects happen in my life that seem to be tied in with this expedition. As the two of us stroll around the camp at night in the dusty darkness, IPod and I start to acclimate. The night-time camp scene has a different feel to it than the daytime scene. After a few drinks and a shot (complete with a souvenir shot glass) from several bars we’ve come across, we start to laugh about the day, sharing the experience with fellow ‘burners’.

A feeling of camaraderie starts to seep into our souls like the dust that coats us. We wonder, if America is all that matters, then this place is a piece of anti-matter, people by citizens that remind me of ‘Total Recall’ and ‘Blade Runner’, minus the rain. Already I’ve seen some very interesting exhibits being built and I wonder if this ‘city’ just might not be quite possibly be the freest societal spot on the planet, a place with rules to be sure, but a place where mutual respect rules supreme and ranks above morals.

To be continued… next: Is A World Without Commercialism A Day Without Sunshine? (Only If You’re Selling OJ)

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September 3, 2008 by Bill Gould, Publisher.

Temecula, California - Everyone is invited to Perks Coffee on Ynez Road this Friday to meet Chuck Washington, who is running for Re-Election to the Temecula City Council. The event starts at 530pm with some free snacks, coffee and a live musical performance. Shortly before 6pm Bill Gould will be speaking for a minute, letting people know why he believes that Chuck provides the type of leadership and vision Temecula needs and why he should be Re-Elected. At 6pm Chuck will speak to the crowd and answer a few questions, allowing regular everyday citizens a chance to hear from Chuck himself why he deserves your vote. This is a free event and it is at Perks Coffee, next to TJ MAXX, so it is all ages.

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August 30, 2008 by Bill Gould, Publisher.

	2008 Alert #16

Toll Road Public Hearing Scheduled for September 22, 2008 Please Attend and Request Time to Speak Background  The proposed Foothill-South toll road in Orange and San Diego Counties is one of the most environmentally destructive and unnecessary transportation projects in California history. The road would run 4 miles down the length of San Onofre State Beach, effectively destroying the interior of the park and the San Mateo Campground. It would also run right through protected habitat in the Donna O’Neil Conservancy and drive endangered species toward extinction. Alternatives exist. Earlier this year, at a momentous public hearing in Del Mar, the California Coastal Commission determined that the toll road was inconsistent with the federal Coastal Zone Management Act. The toll road agency has appealed this decision to the federal Secretary of Commerce. After much delay, the Commerce Dept. has finally scheduled a public hearing - once again in Del Mar. Action requested Please attend the hearing, along with your friends, family, and neighbors. We need to show how many people care about the state park and its wildlife. However, in order to speak at the hearing, Commerce is requiring the submittal of a written request in advance. Only letters will be accepted - no emails or faxes - and must arrive by Sept. 12. This is highly unusual but instructions and suggested talking points for your testimony are below. We hope you will elect to speak out. Date:  September 22, 2008 Location:  O’Brien Hall at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard, Del Mar, CA 92014 Directions:  http://www.sdfair.com/index.php?fuseaction=maps.home Time:  10:30 AM - 8:30 PM (suggest arrival by 10 AM) Parking:  On-site available at $9 Relax and travel by free chartered bus For further information, contact Robin Everett <robin.everett@sierraclub.org> and let her know your location. How to request an opportunity to speak  A letter must be received in Washington, DC no later than Sept. 12, 2008. Be sure to include all the information indicated below. Organization representatives must submit the request on letterhead. Please mail by Sept. 5, or use overnight. SAMPLE LETTER   ____________________________ August 28, 2008 Thomas Street NOAA Office of General Counsel for Ocean Services 1305 East-West Highway, Room 6111 Silver Spring, MD 20910 RE:  Federal Consistency Appeal by Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency Dear Mr. Street: I wish to speak at the public hearing on September 22, 2008 in Del Mar, California, and will be speaking as an [individual/representative of an organization/elected official]. Organization representatives add: I certify that the organization has authorized me to testify on its behalf. Full Name Title, if any (for elected officials, official title) Organization, if any (for elected official, name of public office) Address Thank you. Sincerely, ____________________________    Talking points for testimony (3 minutes for individuals, 5 minutes for organizational representatives and elected officials) Please personalize for relevance to you and your community. Please deny the TCA’s request to override the determination by the California Coastal Commission that the proposed Foothill-South toll road is inconsistent with the Coastal Zone Management Act.  The toll road is not of national significance. Rather, it is a local matter. Its purpose is to reduce local traffic. Thus, it does not advance the interest of the nation as a whole. The immense harm from this project far outweighs any marginal benefit. The toll road will, according to the Calif. Parks Dept., cause the abandonment of the popular San Mateo Campground and effectively destroy 2/3rds of San Onofre State Beach. With 2.4 million visitors per year, there is no evidence that the public has any need of the toll road for accessing our state park. The road has severe effects on endangered species and for this reason, the US Fish and Wildlife Service has recommended alternative routes. Due to erosion and sedimentation, it threatens a world-renowned surfing beach and the multi-million dollar industry it supports. Because the toll road ruins a sacred site, it will literally deprive Native Americans of their religion.  Reasonable alternatives are available.  These alternatives include widening Interstate 5 - the most logical way to relieve congestion on this route - or via “Central” alignments to the west. The displacement numbers for structures generated by TCA are wildly exaggerated, and according to the Army Corps of Engineers, “there are other practicable alternatives available to TCA that would achieve the overall project purpose.” Alternative approaches have been validated by the former design chief for the New York State Department of Transportation. The toll road is not necessary for national security. Rather, the toll road would be a permanent encroachment upon the training mission of the Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton.  According to General JL Jones of the Marine Corps, the toll road will “hinder our ability to prepare for war.”  The Marine Corps has also commented in writing that the toll road mitigation is not necessary for national security.  Thank you for participating in this campaign.  Please pass along!

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