Thursday, July 14, 2011

A taste of Burning Man at Stonehouse - the Now-a-saurus

If you were driving through the Plaza(*) intersection in Nevada City about 8pm tonight, you likely spied something alien...
...wheeling around the Stonehouse parking lot, bearing a passel of small humans -


a mutant lifeform, the Now-a-Saurus.

Now-a-Saurus creator Chris Merrick gave the last Tech Talk of the series at Sierra Commons tonight, sharing pointers on how to build a Mutant Vehicle, one to pass muster with Burning Man's DMV. Recommendations: make it of steel, not wood or aluminum; powered with gas, not electric or solar; and hide all traces of the vehicle you built it from, or on top of, or something, since it can't look like a vehicle, unless it's something on the order of a 10xlife size shopping cart.
(or if it's pedal powered; the Department of Mutant Vehicles has no jurisdiction over human-powered ones.)

It was an entertaining talk; and there are some mighty fine Mutant Vehicles out on the playa.

(Kudos to Chris, Robert and Erika for putting this on.)

The Plaza is notable, not just for the odd alien lifeform, but also for the green building on the opposite side of Sacramento St., along Deer Creek.
It was co-owned (with another couple) by the Tea Party Patriots' Mark Meckler and spouse until last May, and houses 3 businesses - one living (Amigos Restaurant); one moved away a year or two back (Phillips School of Massage); and one Potemkin (called The Spot, with 12+ hour business hours emblazoned on the window, it's never open(*). Here's an article about it; to be taken with considerable salt.)




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