Deep in the Art of Texas
Greetings Flipizens!
The Combustion Chamber would like to invite you to the Burning Flipside Fall Town Hall!
We’ve been burning for twenty years. Come get hyped for the celebration!
Saturday, September 23rd, at Lloyd the Burning Flipside Warehouse, 3106 Industrial Terrace.
Tailgating starts at noon; Town Hall will start at 2:34 p.m.
Not much news. Slow but steady progress on getting the laser cutter prepared for use.
[no RCs present]
Beachside: went really well. There were 214 people who signed in, but as many as 500 who passed through. There were a few thefts. Weather was beautiful. Everyone had a really good time.
About 4200 lb of trash was collected.
[no AFs present]
Izzi points out that we need to clean up all the stuff lying around post-Flipside. We need everything cleared away before Burning Man load-in.
Stuff returning from Burning Man will have 2 weeks for pick up before it is deemed abandoned.
Burner Explorers is what used to be known as Burner Scouts, which has existed for about 10 years. This was created in the Burning Man community to get kids tied in to the BM volunteer infrastructure.
Becky is working on a local version. Her interest is in figuring out how to connect minors to our departments at Flipside, and enable kids to make use of the Warehouse.
Patrick: We’d like to pattern the warehouse use by minors after the existing approach to minors at the event: the parents are responsible for the kids, and the parents need to accompany the kids.
We need to let the Leads set limits for their departments. We probably won’t have minor firefighters, for example.
Henry: There’s some stuff that kids can do for the effigy, using hand tools, painting, etc, and kids have a different perspective that is valuable.
Kati: My kid can be with me for a lot, but not when I’m on a medical shift, because you don’t know what you’re going to encounter. Her kid is comfortable with rules, but a lot of kids are not. Also, a lot of people are not comfortable with kids at burns at all. I would feel comfortable with kids of 15 shadowing on Safety shifts, but not younger.
Monkey: Different departments have different training/competence requirements, regardless of age. There are plenty of departments where a minor would be able to do the job as well as an adult. Recommends considering expertise rather than age as the criterion for letting people signing up for shifts, and allow parent + kid to sign up for a shift as a single unit.
Izzi: Parents need to accompany their kids at all times, and there are some situations that can arise, e.g., for Ranger shifts, where the parent cannot bring their kid in due to inappropriateness. This means that neither adult nor minor is really filling a slot for that shift. What we’d wind up doing is having a parent + kid ride-along on a Ranger shift. In some departments this would not be an issue. Do not want to tell leads that they need to accept kids, or accept them on specific terms. Daft had specific projects for kids.
Becky: Daft didn’t want any children around the warehouse at all during the last few weeks before the event.
Adam: My concern specifically with Safety departments is that there would need to be different training for minors, which would create extra work for the leads to develop. Given the very small number of minors at the event, this may not be practical.
Beth: Ideas proposed by Austin Burning Parents: Have a child-size work station. Talk to Austin tinkering school. Have safety training for kids.
Kati: We talk about radical self-reliance a lot, but kids are still kids, and there are all kinds of possible issues. When we look at liability questions, we need to ensure the sustainability of the experiment, and sometimes we just need to say No to letting kids do stuff.
Problem: At BRC, the Rangers have one team dedicated to walking around with kids, so they can avoid putting kids into hot situations. So many departments could probably find a way to integrate kids.
Wrinn: I love kids, and I’ve used kids for cleanup. But I get nervous having kids doing stuff sometimes. Kids may get bored and distracted. Can the Lead tell the kid they’re not doing their job when the parent is (should be) right there?
Henry: Safety training can be accomplished by having a separate training at the Warehouse pitched to minors. Kids have a shorter attention span and could be signed up for shorter shifts, and it should be up to the lead.
Tina: If they can’t handle the Safetyside training, they shouldn’t be allowed on shift. There should also be clarification up front that a lead can talk to the parent if the lead is uncomfortable with the kid.
Monkey: Kids can handle a lot of stuff. We don’t need to solve a lot of problems with policy when those problems may not even exist. What recommendation should the CC make to the LLC or AFs about how to handle these situations?
Kati: One thing we need to enshrine is that if a person in a leadership position asks the kid to be removed from the situation, for any reason, the parent needs to respect that. Parents can be touchy about other people criticizing their kids, and we do need to get in front of that.
To potentially take an adult away from a volunteer shift so they can accompany their minor on the minor’s shift could deprive us of another badly needed volunteer.
Becky: Agrees that the presence of kids should be the Leads’ decision. Doesn’t think kids need to go to Safetyside. Thinks that kids would not be filling regular shifts, but doing 2-hour ride-alongs (for example).
Beth: We need to trust the parents and the leads to make this work.
Monkey: This is not a “consent” issue. It’s not “consent” if a Lead say they don’t want minors present, that’s a management issue.
Kati: “Consent” may be the wrong word. Sometimes it can be difficult for a lead or shift lead to talk to a parent about their kid misbehaving.
Monkey: We need a different word. This is a safety or operation-effectiveness issue, not a consent issue.
Beth: Parents can be more defensive of their kids than themselves. Volunteers should have some backup if they need to talk to a parent about their kid.
Monkey: How much is it going to really be a problem that a shift lead has a problem with a kid, and then has a problem with their parent? A couple of times?
Kat: Maybe we should expect that parents have previously volunteered in a given role before their kid does it so they can make an informed decision about their kid doing it.
Becky: Burner Explorers is going to need to have their own rules, which may come into conflict with other rules, parental expectations, etc.
Monkey: We should finish out the discussion of event-related issues.
MOTION: The CC recommends to the LLC and AFs that AFs and Leads legitimately consider any requests to have accompanied minors on volunteer shifts.
Beth: friendly amendment: “Continue to consider” Some Leads have taken minors on.
Monkey: strike “legitimately” As much as anything else, this is to let Leads know that they can consider having minors on shift.
REVISED MOTION: The CC recommends to the LLC and AFs that AFs and Leads continue to consider any requests to have accompanied minors on volunteer shifts.
SECONDED AND PASSED.
Beth:
Becky: Burner Explorers around Austin doesn’t have the kind of legal documentation that would support a troop leader being treated in loco parentis, the parents are still responsible for the kids. At BRC, Burner Explorers is directly under the auspices of Burning Man, and that won’t work here.
Patrick: We’ll talk to the lawyer, but the way this is probably going to come down is that the parents need to take responsibility for their kids.
Becky: Parents will need to be in visual range if their kids are doing something at the Warehouse as far as Burner Explorers are concerned.
Monkey: So are we recommending a change in the policy?
Izzi: No.
Monkey: So should I recommend a motion that the CC recommend the current policy on minors at the Warehouse be continued?
Patrick: That seems a bit redundant.
Sam would like to put his name in as a candidate to be a CC member.
Henry: Will the laser be taking up 1/3 of the room? Will the whole room be locked up to secure the laser?
Patrick: The laser will be pushed up against a wall. It will be hooked up to a password-protected computer to limit access.
Monkey: Why is this a bigger risk than our other various tools?
Patrick: Bodily safety is an issue, and you cannot see the beam. Some metals can reflect light into your eye, or into the laser. PVC can create chlorine gas in the laser.
And we do have policies about how you can use the table saw, for example.
Monkey: So what can the CC do in terms of setting policies here?
Patrick: What if someone wants to use the laser for their business? What if someone is on it 8 hours a day? The issues the CC can address relate to ensuring that the tool benefits the community, not one individual at the expense of the community.
Kat: The CC also has an ambassadorial role to play here, which is another way the CC can help.
Monkey: I would not be too upset if we had a general policy that the use of the warehouse was for non-commercial purposes.
Kat: I don’t know about saying that if you used the warehouse to make something that you cannot sell it ever.
Beth: There could be gray areas here. What if someone wants to work on a commercial project at our space with their own tools? We’ve hosted EAST events at the warehouse. There’s a line between using the Warehouse and abusing it.
Henry: Maybe you could develop a prototype at the Warehouse, but production should be done outside the Warehouse.
Izzi: What we’re talking about is fairness of use. We already need to schedule use of the Warehouse. I’m wondering if it is fair, or desirable, or abhorrent to schedule use of the laser. As long as everyone gets access to it that wants it is fair.
Kat: Many of our community members don’t have access to tools. Making it harder for them to get access to tools might be meddlesome. We don’t want to be standing in front of the laser with a clipboard interviewing people about how they’re using the laser.
Henry: We already have some policies relating to this in the Warehouse policies.
Izzi: That’s true for WH use, but not for specific tools. So the question is whether the laser is a special tool that would merit special handling.
Kati: I anticipate this tool will get a lot of attention. If there’s space, then it’s no problem.
Problem: I don’t think we’ll be interrogating people. We’ll know abuse when we see it. In the past, AAR has been comfortable allowing community resources being used as an incubator for art, including commercial art. Sky Candy is one example. So I don’t have a problem with some commercial use, but where do y’all come down on this?
Henry: Prototyping is fine. Commercial use is another thing, and they should find another way. We should always encourage art whenever possible.
Beth: is trying to write an announcement about the laser that reflects the community’s interests and the principles
Monkey: Put a sign on the laser that says “don’t hog the laser.”
Adam: Let’s not make a rule until we need a rule.
Problem: Just as a cautionary tale: both Hackerspace and Tech Shop have had people get into fistfights over people going 10 minutes over their laser time allotment.
Monkey: Motion to recommend the first thing we cut on the laser is a sign saying “Don’t make me make a rule.”
Not enough CC members here. Let’s find a willing producer on list.
Your Community Needs You!
Are you passionate about Flipside and its community? Does learning how Flipside happens sound interesting? Do you enjoy listening to/discussing/debating the finer points of Community with your friends/camp mates/fellow burners? Would you enjoy talking about crucial matters in this community all year long? Do you know someone else who fits this description?
The Combustion Chamber is seeking new members. Please take a few minutes and submit your application or nominate that person who would love this gig at:
https://www.burningflipside.com/contact/cc-nomination
But wait…what is the Combustion Chamber? The Burning Flipside Combustion Chamber (CC) is the eyes and ears of the community. Do you have a concern? Touch base with us! Wonder why something happens the way it does? Ask us. If we don’t know, we’ll find out or at least point you to the person who can answer your question. We also act as a sounding board for the event organizers (aka AAR, LLC). The CC typically meets every other Monday evening for approximately two hours, at Lloyd the warehouse.
Does this sound like the right way for you to help your Flipizen community? Click the link.
https://www.burningflipside.com/contact/cc-nomination
To learn more about the Burning Flipside Combustion Chamber, click here:
http://www.burningflipside.com/organization/cc
As always, we’d like to remind folks that Combustion Chamber membership is not limited specifically to those that live in the Austin area, so if you’re in another city, but could make regular meetings, feel free to apply.
The deadline for submissions is July 24th, at 11:59PM.
After that, we will ask you to give us feedback on all the CC candidates. We want to make sure your voice is heard! We’ll post the link and you speak up by August 7th, at 11:59PM.
Interested in seeing the CC in action? We encourage the participation of all Flipizens. Our next meeting is Monday, July 10th, 7:42pm, at Lloyd, the Burning Flipside Warehouse.
Best,
The Combustion Chamber
Still haven’t had the AF debrief, so we don’t have all the stories on Flipside ready. Neither of the AFs present have any horror stories to report.
Six red spots on the moop map
Overall, participants did a damn good job on LNT.
Topics:
Date assignments. Owners shown in [brackets]:
Post Burning Flipside Restoration event – Saturday June 3rd.
Burning Flipside 2017 was awesome! It is not quite over yet though. We still have a lot of infrastructure on land that needs to get to the warehouse and Restoration efforts to conduct. If you enjoyed your burn, please come out and help us ensure we put things back together.
That will happen this Saturday (in three days – 6/3/17) at Apache Pasture’s starting at 10am. Some participants may gather at the warehouse at 9am for ride-sharing.
While we need help on land, we also could use some fresh bodies at the warehouse to help out load later that afternoon. Exact times are TBD depending on how long it takes out there so just look for up to the minute posts on FB.
Thank you for making this one excellent year, please lend a hand so we end it on that same excellent note!
Load-in starts at 10:00 AM at the Warehouse. We’ll be filling up a bunch of box trucks with event infrastructure and the effigy, and then taking them out to the event site.
This is an all-hands operation. We’ll need people at the Warehouse and people out at the land starting a little later. Be there! We’ll post updates on Saturday as work progresses.
Looking for an unconventional opportunity? Flipside doesn’t end when the effigy burns Sunday night; there are teams of volunteers just like you that work hard after the event to make sure that we leave the land better than we found it. Exodus is looking for volunteers to help Flipizens leave the city safely and smoothly and we’d love your help. Work on Monday and stay overnight. Signups are open on the Pyropolis wiki, so head over and volunteer!
Heya Flipizens! Do you know that Flipside is 100% volunteer driven? As in, unlike even Burning Man, there are no comp tickets, paid workers are limited to a small number of people who do not enter the event, and there are no third-party donations?
Did you also know that it takes approximately 6,000 person-hours to make Flipside happen? If you’re not doing your two hours, that means that someone else is picking them up. And woudln’t it be nicer to be as close to 3,000 people doing two hours a piece rather than a few hundred doing thirty hours a piece?
Now, you may ask, how do we make the event go? Well, there are a wide variety of jobs out there. And if the below is too much, may I humbly suggest using our custom-built “choose your own adventure” style volunteer quiz, here: https://secure.burningflipside.com/fvs/index.php
Pre-Post is the team that shows up before the event starts and moves all of the infrastructure out after the event ends. You can sign up for pre-post here: https://wiki.burningflipside.com/wiki/PrePost
Flagging is the team that shows up on land before the event and marks off theme-camp and infrastructure boundaries. To work flagging, please sign up here: https://docs.google.com/…/1vkCrdgzYVT8-F6cqLYJiREtzje…/edit…
City signage creates and installs all of the road and path signs that tell you how to get around the city. You can sign up here! https://wiki.burningflipside.com/wiki/CitySignage
DaFT are the people responsible for building the effigy, and they still need help now, during pre-op, and during the event. If interested, contact Misty Nickle, or Seph Reed, our DaFT leads
Fuel makes sure that the generators and carts on site are properly fueled and ready to go. If you want to work Fuel, please contact the Fuel lead, Nyla Walker
Echelon manages radio assets on-site for the safety teams. To sign up for Echelon, please go here: https://wiki.burningflipside.com/wiki/Echelon_Volunteer
Cartelle manages radio assets on site for the not-safety teams. To sign up for Cartelle, consult the wiki here: https://wiki.burningflipside.com/wiki/CartelleShifts
Guardians guarantee that the event is free from people who do not have tickets. They ensure event sustainability. You can sign up with Guardians here: https://docs.google.com/…/1B2Kd4ulaiNOy36KShBkzgF3sWq…/edit…
Volunteer Assistance Squad Serves two purposes — to disburse information onsite, and to provide on-site volunteer coordination and transport. You can sign up to work VAS here: https://wiki.burningflipside.com/…/Volunteer_Assistance_Squ…
Greeters are around to help with enculturating people to Flipside, and to help remind people what they will need to survive five days in the city. You can sign up for Greeters here: https://wiki.burningflipside.com/wiki/Greeters
Parking makes sure that cars end up in the parking area so that we can freely move around and so that we aren’t all living in a parking lot. You can sign up for parking here: https://wiki.burningflipside.com/wiki/Parking
Zone Greeters are around to help theme camps find their place to set up their camps and maybe to meet some of their neighbors. You can sign up for Zone Greeting here: https://docs.google.com/…/1mEEBqQU8na8ky3TgcpqcqqWxwN…/edit…
Shaven Apes are the helpers that provide extra hands and aid to people who need some hands for their art or camps. If you need help, an Ape can probably do so. You can sign up to work Apes here: https://wiki.burningflipside.com/wiki/Shaven_Apes/Schedule
Ice is the one place at Flipside where money exchanges hands! If you want to help with ice sales, you can sign up here: https://wiki.burningflipside.com/wiki/Ice
Exodus is around to help Flipizens smoothly leave the land when the event is over. If you would like to work Exodus, please sign up here: https://wiki.burningflipside.com/wiki/Volunteer/Exodus
Recycling collects Flipside’s recyclables and makes sure that they are properly recycled. They are not here to sort your trash, or to handle your MOOP. If you would like to work recycling, please sign up here: https://docs.google.com/…/1F3wj87DyjE4PJIu92djWjTGq0j…/edit…
Sound Marshalls are a team of volunteers that ensure that amplified sound is kept within approved levels. Remember that we have already lost land due to sound violations, so this is critical. If interested, please contact Veaux Kelly at sexydaddyveaux@gmail.com
Earth Guardians are a team that roams the land and educates flipizens about the leave no trace policy at Burning Flipside. If you would like to help them, sign-ups are here: https://wiki.burningflipside.com/w…/Volunteer/EarthGuardians
Clean-Up comes in after the event and makes sure that the land is in the same state or better than it was found. If you would like to work clean-up, sign up here: https://wiki.burningflipside.com/wiki/Clean_up
So whether you are interested in educating people, doing work with your hands, working on a large art project, or just simple helpfulness, there is something to do at Flipside that is both rewarding and fun. And it gives you a chance to take ownership over the event and to say “hey, I helped make this happen”
So, what’s stopping you? If you have any questions, please contact our Volunteer Coordinatrix, Dahling Sweetiepoo-Schmooley on facebook or via volunteerinfo@burningflipside.com
The keen-eyed among you may have noticed that the Survival Guide shows parking on the other side of County Road 428, the road by which you reach Flipside (the space freed up by what used to be parking will give City Planning more flexibility in laying out Pyropolis). The map above should give you a good idea of how we’re changing the traffic flow to accommodate this.
A couple of important points:
If you need to leave Flipside during the event with the intention of returning, do this:
Burning Flipside is wrapping up its second round of ticket requests.
As of now, no additional ticket requests can be created.
If you’ve already created a request, please send in your request form and money order right away. We must receive any outstanding requests no later than May 1 in order to have time to process them before the event: if we receive a request after that date, we will not issue a ticket for it, and we may not be able to return the money order until after the event due to constraints on volunteer time.
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