If you dropped off your Burning Man recycling at one of the free 24-hour drop off centers in Reno-Sparks, perhaps you’re wondering what happened to your cans and bottles? Here is a summary of the free drive-thru recycling project operated by Save Mart in the Reno~Sparks area for burners during and following the week of Burning Man.

The total amount of recyclable materials dropped off in ‘08 was about three times larger than in 2007.

Sadly, we’re told that although lots of aluminum was dropped off, a large chunk of this valuable metal was stolen from the parking lots one night. Other metals deposited amounted to 6-7 times as much as in 2007, however, so the project raised $633 overall — and Save Mart is matching that amount, meaning that $1366 will be donated to the Nevada Discovery Museum in Reno for maintenance of their solar energy installation, which is soon to be built by Black Rock Solar.

All aluminum and metals went to Solid Waste Reduction Services, plastics to Earth First Recycling, glass to Waste Management, and cardboard and plastic bags remained in-house with Save Mart’s regular recycling. All bicycles have gone to the Kiwanis Bike Project. Garbage deposit was also apparently a big help to burners — eleven 30-foot dumpsters were filled.

Here is the breakdown of the most notable recyclables totals for 2008 (and in parentheses, for 2007). Unit of measurement is one bin, 4′x4′x3′.

Plastics — 183 bins (55)
Aluminum — 9 (18)
Other Metals — 7 (1)
Glass — 34 (12)
Cardboard — 64 (24)
Bicycles — 61 bicycles (7)

(Note: although Whole Foods in Reno also operated a 24-hour dropoff recycling project this year, its scope was not quite as large and exact numbers of recyclables were not tracked; we are however told it was also a successful operation and the two stores may partner for this project in 2009.) We would like to thank both these stores and the Reno area burners who helped with this project for keeping these recyclables from turning into trash…and thank YOU for separating your camp’s trash and being sure to recycle at Burning Man 2008 — and, we hope, all year long.

Here's Poi Basics: Week One! Use the tabs of the players to browse through the 7 videos. Week 2 coming soon, but we'll post it on a different video-hosting site, so make sure to come here to find it. If you like the videos, tell your friends!

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Geoff Hudspith, UK inventor and steam enthusiast has built a steam powered gramophone to play records at the various steam fairs he attends. Powered by a small Stuart single cylinder double-acting steam engine, the gramophone took four years - between other projects - to complete. Water is fed into the boiler by a hand pump and [...]

In other exciting news: I have begun uploading our beginner series: Poi Basics. Here are the first few videos. The rest will follow as soon as I can get a microphone to record some missing bits of audio. Note that we will not put them all on youtube. Instead we'll use a few different video hosting sites, to encourage people to come to playpoi to watch! Enjoy, and tell your friends!

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Today I joined the more than 300 bikes for the annual Pink Ribbon Ride in support of breast cancer awareness and research. The weather was perfect, and everyone gathered outside Old Parliament House for coffee and snacks and a good look at some excellent machines. Registration was $10 per person with proceeds to breast [...]

That’s ok.

Checkmate.
( insert side glance, eye brow raise and one fierce look of ..”ohh really”)

In all fairness, what did I expect? It is the internet after all.

So, so you think you can tell Heaven from Hell,
blue skies from pain.
Can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
And did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage?
How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We’re just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have you found? The same old fears.
Wish you were here.

-Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here