I noticed an entry about the BURNING MAN Festival on the RAG BLOG today...

I've been reading a number of web-sites that are talking about the upcoming BURNING MAN festival that takes place this coming week.

A few friends have e-mailed me thinking we're not that far from Black Rock City, Nevada. Well in fact, we're about 11 hours from where the celebration takes place. Some years ago we headed up there for the event - our assessment was that it's a place for people to run around naked - acting pretty crazy while under the influence of alcohol (and drugs sometimes), and nothing more than another example of just how loose-moraled people who (in the name of art), find a way to essentially create an excuse to party and get snockered for an entire week.

It makes money for the area and those who've organized this event since 1986 when it originated in San Francisco. I've seen postings on blogs that indicate people are willing to come in from all parts of the United States just to attend the event. I've read comments about how much it's going to cost the individual and their companion. I've noted many are going to come in by plane. After that, they have to trek to the site.
There are no tickets at the start of the event; all tickets have to be pre-paid, and cost between $200 to $300 (each) to experience this 'wild-life' event, which trulyhas puzzled me for years.

Now that I have a blog to 'speak' about that puzzlement, I'm mentioning this just to get it off my chest.

With the high cost of gasoline; the high cost in food, and all the irritations of flying the 'not so friendly skies' today, I think it's a complete waste of time and money.

We citizens of America need to settle down; focus on the important issues of our nation. There's entirely too much 'party hearty' money being funneled into short-term fun and games. I can't imagine how many credit cards are burdened with such frivolous entertainment expenses - we are a nation given to vanity and greed.

If we lose this wonderful country to bankrtupcy and become no better than a 3rd world country, then the BURNING MAN festival (where there is no housing; hotels - you camp and bring your own water), will prove to be only a high-cost 'training ground' for the millions of us in the future. I say 'high cost' because after you buy the entry ticket; get all the equipment you need to camp - drag all of that to this 'festival', and pay for any air-fare that you had to add because you lived too far to drive, you've spent hundreds - or thousands - of dollars for a few days of milling around with half-dressed people; all sweltering in the triple-digit temperatures.

Still, in fairness to those who find this celebration of interest, here is a web-site you might want to check out:
http://www.burningman.com/blackrockcity_yearround/#top
This link is not the direct link to the event's page, but more of a historical accounting of what has taken place as well as photographs and dialog about the area as well as the annual celebration.