Wintermute format
Yesterday I formatted Wintermute and reinstalled Gentoo. I had just made some upgrades to it before I left, so I figured this was a good time.
Phoenix Festival 2005
I made it back from PhoenixFest. It was good fun. The days were hot, but bearable and the nights were cool. During the day, we hung out in the shade with our neighbors Jeremy and Dale, who were coffee camp. Most everyone stopped by at one point or another for coffee, so we met a lot of people.
My favorite performance of the whole festival was the 999 Eyes of Endless Dreams Carnival Sideshow of the Damned. Tina and I saw them three nights in a row.
As far as music, there wasn’t really a schedule, so I have no idea who I was seeing and who I liked. I can say that the Combustion stage (mostly psytrance) and the Ambient Room (who’s geo-dome Tina and I setup) were my favorite places. Dragontech was good, too.
Pictures are up here. I didn’t take a lot, since during the night it was too dark and I think flashes ruin the vibe. There is a bit of video, though. It’s all PG. If you want to see topless women lighting their breasts on fire, you’ll have to go next year.
A lot of the burners there seemed to think that PhoenixFest was superior to Burning Man because it was smaller and calmer – more of a community. I was hoping for a little more visual art from Phoenix Fest, like you see in pictures of Burning Man, but Phoenix ended up being mostly a five day rave.
Speaking of alternatives to the playa, I also found out about the Shambhala Festival in B.C.. Apparently a lot of folks who think Burning Man is too corporate now are heading up there. Perhaps I’ll go next year.
All in all, it was an excellent Festival. I plan on going again next year.
Next stop: Mutant Fest.
The Book of the Law
Yesterday I started and completed reading Aleister Crowley‘s The Book of the Law (also known as Liber AL vel Legis)– although I really shouldn’t say it is Crowley’s since, as the story goes, it was dictated to him by a spirit called Aiwass.
The book describes the philosophy of Thelema and is something of a holy text to two cults that I’ve been looking into recently: the Ordo Templi Orientis and Argenteum Astrum.
It ended up being your basic cult material. The basic theme of the book is the one law, “do what thou wilt”. All peaches and cream, right? Well, it would be, but they’re not a big fan of folks who don’t subscribe to Thelema.
Refuse none, but thou shalt know & destroy the traitors... Them that seek to entrap thee, to overthrow thee, them attack without pity or quarter; & destroy them utterly. Swift as a trodden serpent turn and strike ! Be thou yet dealier than he ! Drag down their souls to awful torment : laugh at thei fear ; and spit upon them !
Let the Scarlet Woman beware ! If pity and compassion and tenderness visit her heart ; if she leave my work to toy with old sweetnesses ; then shall my vengeance be know. I will slay me her child : I will alienate her heart : I will cast her out from men : as a shrinking and despised harlot shall she crawl through dusk wet streets, and die cold and an-hungered.
With my Hawk's head I peck at the eyes of Jesus as he hangs up the cross.
I flap my wings in the face of Mohammed & blind him.
With my claws I tear out the flesh of the Indian and the Buddhis, Mongol and Din.
Let Mary inviolate be torn upon wheels : for her sake let all chaste women be utterly despised among you !
Not a friendly bunch, eh?
But the keen and the proud, the royal and the lofty ; ye are brothers !
And it ends with this, The Comment:
Do whalt thou wilt shall be the whole of the law. The study of this Book is Forbidden. It is wise to destroy this copy after the first reading. Whosoever disregards this does so at his own risk and peril. These are most dire. Those who discuss the contents of this Book are to be shunned by all, as centres of pestilence. All questions of the Law are to be decided only by appeal to my writings, each for himself. There is no law beyond Do what thou wilt. Love is the law, love under will. The priest of the princes, ANKH-F-N-KHONSU
A Language Older Than Words
Today I finished reading Derrick Jensen‘s A Language Older Than Words. I’m not sure what to say about it, other than it’s the best book I’ve yet to read.
Go. Read it.
Outdoor Theater
I went down to the outdoor theater and saw most of Twelfth Night and all of Three Musketeers. Twas good. Very good.
AngryShirts
AngryShirts is crazy. I placed an order on 7/12 at 4:08PM. It shipped the same day at 7:58PM and I received it today. That’s faster than New Egg.
Freetekno
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freetekno
Freetekno is a cultural movement present in Europe and North America. Freetekno soundsystems or tribes form in loose collectives, frequently with anarchist philosophies. The soundsystems gather in warehouses, fields, abandoned buildings, forests, or anywhere else that a party can be rocked. Freetekno parties are often held on abandoned private property or in city centers. This sometimes leads to clashes with the police, as was the case at the 2004 Czechtek festival, and many smaller parties all around the world at various times.
Come to the Autonomous Mutant Festival! Be a Gypsy.
Mass arrests made in Milan swoops
The BBC is reporting that 142 people have been arrested and 7,000 have “undergone preventive police checks.” Apparently they’re deporting 52 Gypsys. Sad stuff.