i'd just seen Paul Addis a couple weeks before the event, have known him for years. he is brilliant and/ or mad. i had no inkling he was going to do it this year, but it has been a long-running joke to burn the man early, sort of the ultimate prank on the prankster culture that Burning Man is (among many, many, many other things...). there's long been a bit of backlash against the deification of the man anyway.

he timed it perfectly; did it on the first night (so they'd have time to rebuild, which they did in full in 2.5 days) and while everyone was engrossed in the lunar eclipse. it went up pretty good, too.

at first i, like so many others, was pissed; i remember my first burn night (try the acid, it's delicious) and didn't think it was fair to deprive first-timers the experience, but they got it fixed so ultimately no harm. as for no foul, well...he did fry it to the point they had to rebuild 60%+ of it.

still, kinda ironic to charge him with...arson! he posted $25K bail and was back on the playa in a day or two, with many supporters. i don't know if the org will press the charges (i could find out from my ex-wife, their communications manager) but i'll just wait and see along with everyone else. i think there'll be a community outcry if they do.

myself, these days i'm finding it pretty funny, actually.