Well...Tom wants a reply, so I better reply :-)

I've not yet got anything like a 'Burning man Face' on. Heck, it is December still!

The white board and push pin map ideas sound pretty cool. It would definitely be useful. If we go for a more solid shade structure we could cover a wall with whiteboard. That could be very cool-though it might just make things too complicated (I'm having insane thoughts of 4x4 posts and plywood walls, ala the space playa info creates. The issue is that DPW actually works their asses off for quite a while to create, and then to tear down, that space!)

Cyborg art review also sounds cool. OTOH, I feel like some of my hopes and whacked ideas for BM just don't match the reality of BM. For example, I'm really having doubts about any project that involves people interacting with a tradtional computer via a normal screen, keyboard, and mouse.

I'm happy to provide internet access-that was good this last year, but it just seems that having people look at regular computers at BM doesn't really work.

Having said that, I still want to collect GPS tracks, but I feel a need to do something different with them. Sadly, I'm not yet sure what that 'different' thing would be...

Shelter: It would be great to learn from last year as we construct our reality for next year.

I'd like to pull people using the public computers into our space. That would create more of a sense of place in our camp, rather then us being inside and them being outside. It would also shade the monitors to make it easier to see.

I'm prepared to cover any desired area with conduit and tarp structures like last year. I'm not sure if we had a good solid structure, or if we were just lucky to be tucked behind other structures. That is worth exploring.

Tables: I can bring at least two banquet tables.

Kitchen: I'm prepared to bring more or less what I brought last year. Were we missing anything important?

Camp Water: we had so much water...I don't think we really need to worry about it.

Grey water: amusingly, it seemed like we didn't generate very much. I would like to create at least a small scale model of a solar still, just because it seems like a good idea. Maybe we could proceed on the path of creating a small scale model/prototype for this year, then a larger version for the following year.

so...that's all I have to say right now.

Hey Nym!
I am involved with the ARTery, the department that not only encourages and supports participants brining art to the playa but also places them in their location.
Last year we expanded our GPS tech side of things. Once on the playa we worked with the Playa Map people (I'll get his name right now I can't remember it- they create the basic GPS event map that the DPW use to do the streets).
This year we are hoping to expand our GPS capabilities, work with the mapping people before hand and attempt to get more of our info available to interested participants. It sounds like we could useyour help in our tech team. It would be great if we could work together to create a viable and open system. We began having ARTery dept. meetings for the coming year already. At this stage we're still getting the core logistics down, but within two months the sub teams, like tech and field ops (who do the GPSing) will start to meet. Would you kids like to come play with us???

*steph*
aka serious from the ARTery dept.