Private Decompression

Somewhere in front of a mansion in Pacific Heights, what... could that be the sculpture "I.T." by Michael Christian ? I asked, and was informed that it was a "block party." Of course, I developed a bad attitude about the whole thing because I wasn't invited.

It appears I.T. received some funding from BMorg in 2006 (see info link). Here's Michael Christian's site, and yup, I see a fair number of other sculptures there that appeared at the block party. Seems MC and The Crucible have a friend on the hill. Hell, I don't know, does he live there ? Other pictures (link)

Fox in the Henhouse

Chicken John and once-convicted campaign financier Norman Hsu toodle arond the playa in Chicken's gassified coffee ground-driven truck, while an unknown woman goes along for the, uh, ride.

(sorry all, I couldn't resist that great photo op)

All phone companies uncaring assholes?

Since AT&T did that bizarrely complicated paperwork shuffle to get me a DSL modem at no charge (which I would have gotten at no charge in the beginning had I known my old one wouldn't work), I've been keeping all my old invoices just to compare (some discounts were supposed to expire in 6 months or a year).

Anyway, this month's bill was bumped up $3, so I hunted down the change; was an increase in my long distance plan. I called, sat on hold for about 20 minutes (thank god for speakerphone and a nearby newspaper), and the guy explained that the cost for the 300 minute plan went up 2 dollars (but $3.50 after taxes?). Anyway, to get it back to the old cost, I stripped back to the 120 minute plan. I'm sure the 120 minute plan will charge me 5 times as much if I go over 120, but I'll never do that unless they count the time I spend on hold trying to talk to them !

Someone had mentioned to me that a corporate strategy is to intentionally make things as convoluted as possible so you won't question every time they jack up the price here and there, and their long hold time insures that you get discouraged when trying to actually find out what's going on.

I told them I know no one at the company actually cares, but if he could register my comment with someone that the next sneak-rate-raise would result in my looking for another carrier. (I eliminated my one-year contract with the last round of b.s. they shoveled my way... yes, I suppose I'm tilting at windmills).

p.s. just ask ! Last time I was on hold forever, I asked them to credit some minutes towards my bill; regardless of whether any minutes are actually deducted from the account, they will often give you credits, and they really should pay you for the time you spend tracking down what money-gouging inconsideration they're trying to sneak onto your bill.

Burning Man 2007

The oil derrick sparklies and explosion were wonderful. Otherwise, the fireworks on the man were a bit over-done, and the event as a whole seems to be slumping towards some resemblance of spring break for college kids.

Now the Hare Krishnas are out recruiting acid-soaked youth, and the music is decidedly worse. I say that as an old person, who never warmed up to rap nor really bad techno. By bad techno, I mean techno with no more than 3-4 chords, repeated with thumping bass, and no musical value, just repetitive rhythm. I've heard good techno, but not 2007 at Burning Man. The music got decidedly better on Sunday, when the major rave domes packed up and left.

There were moments of genius, certainly. The guy who made an electric guitar out of a shovel, and sequentially laid down tracks in a repeater until he had a full-bodied, very nice piece of sound and sequence. There was some nice art. But in general, not as much anger, irony, and the kind of angst that makes for art as a really creative outlet and commentary.

I had never seen Mutaytor, and heard they were really good. What I saw was interesting, but more like a happy, thrill the tourists Vegas show than a gritty Burning Man performance. As the announcer got the crowd pumping its arms in the air, that was the moment I felt I was at a spring break performance, not Burning Man.

While everyone fretted about the commercial aspects of inviting corporations to participate, the real issue was fading of the "no spectators" notion, and an increasingly complacent crowd; wealthier and more comfortable, who can afford ever more expensive ticket prices.