[SpaceCowboys-Announce] Gift Economy in Recession (Beyond the Fence, Space Cowboys on the playa, Mixes for your ride!)

[Space Cowboys Announcements]

Hello Friendly Person: 

You’ve  seen the headlines splashed across newspapers, illuminated on news TV,  
and scrolling down your news feeds. The economy is fucked, maybe even  
double-fucked, and only the people who see light at the end of the  tunnel also 
still happen to believe in Santa Claus. Yessir, the economy  is skinnier than a 
Burner hoola hooping in a Cheerio. And this  double-fucked economy doesn’t just 
mean less jobs, more foreclosures,  and a free falling stock market. It also 
means a big dive in the Gift  Economy. That’s right, the Gift Economy is also in 
a recession. 


Maybe  you’re one of the lucky few who has a steady flow of gifts in their  
life. But a sad majority of people in this country haven’t gifted in six  
months, nine months, maybe even a year. In some extreme cases, people  can’t 
remember the last time they gifted. Oh, humanity (and I don’t say  that 
lightly)!

Now  Burning Man is before us. In more prosperous days, gifting flowed like  
water from the fountain and the Esplanade was paved with gifts. So, it’s  
natural that now’s the time of year people should become morose and  desperate 
about the lack of gifting in their lives. Some will retreat  into a hole of self 
pity or shame. They’ll be too embarassed at their  plight to show their face on 
the playa, pockets empty, nothing to give  and nothing received. But others will 
turn to more desperate means --  the Gift Sharks -- those gift shylocks of the 
playa who make gifting  loans to those left with no other resources. It may seem 
like a fine  idea at the time, because most gifters don’t see their improvished  
circumstance as permanent, and they think they’ll be able to pay off the  loan 
in no time. Others forget about the dreaded Gift Shark’s gift  juice -- the 
unreasonable compound interest that accrues from the moment  the gift loan is 
granted. Watch and see how the medic tents on the  playa slowly fill with the 
broken and battered frames of those  unfortunates who couldn't pay the loan 
back, and who received a  leg-breaking visit from the Gift Enforcers. 


In  this time of scarcity, when so many have so few, is to forgo the  
traditional gifts of the playa. Instead, just bring condiments and  plastic 
sporks. They’re much easier to come by; just pull into a Burger  King or KFC on 
your drive out to the playa, order a coke (no ice) and  then stuff your pockets 
with packets of ketchup and pepper. And if you  take more than you need, you can 
always gift them to the restaurants on  your way back home. Win win.

Best,
8B

### UPCOMING EVENTS ###
Saturday, August 21st - Beyond The Fence (trunkshow with DJs) at Mighty
Our  4th annual trunk show highlights over 30 local independent designers  
showcasing designs for both on and off the playa. Enjoy an intimate  shopping 
environment while listening to some of SF's finest DJ's.  Delicious drinks will 
be available. Playa bike decoration station  provided!

Dr. Cory will be talking about how to keep yourself healthy on the playa!

Dj's:  8 Ball (Space Cowboys), Anthony Mansfield (Green Gorilla), Kramer  
(Distrikt), ViaJay (Angels of bAss), and a suprise or two..:)

The designers are...
Bad  Unkl Sista, Bamboo Couture, Boneflowers, Bunnywarez, Dreamtime,  Ethereal 
Elements, Fluidance, Ghetto Goldilocks, Gibbous Designs,  Hipster, Invisible 
Heros, Jan Hilmer, Kayo Anime Clothing, Medium  Reality, Minerva's Antenne, 
Miranda Caroligne, Miss Giggle Monster, Miss  Velvet Creme, Moda Sandrita, MUFF 
Me, Promise's Parasols, S & G  Clothing, Silver Lucy Design, Sefirah Fierce, 
Steam Trunk,  SuperSugarRayRay, Tamo Design, Tess Felix Hair, Tooth Gems by 
Foxy!,  Tricky Vikki and more tba!
Mighty - 119 Utah - San Francisco
1-7pm
free
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=143836072306635&ref=mf

###

Monday, August 30 - Saturday, Sept. 4 -  SPACE COWBOYS ON THE PLAYA
Many  of you have probably already seen the hilarious YouTube video of the  
frank conversation between two burners and if you haven't, anyone that  has ever 
waffled about going to Burning Man should see it: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6WAi0ssLGs

Roemer's  video had more than a few things right, and the Cowboys and the Unimog  
*will* be riding again into the dusty desert, with plenty of things up  our 
sleeve. Below is a tentative s...chedule of the Unimog's approximate  locations 
and times... remember, we'll be on playa time! :P More  detailed set times will 
be posted on the Cowboy fanpage and website very  soon, so stay tuned!

The beloved Black Rock Hoe Down will be at the Temple of Flux this year, whom 
the Cowboys' very own PK was on the design team.

8/30 Monday: 10pm @ Kate Raudenbush's sculpture, Futures Past
8/31 Tuesday: 12pm @ 4 & Esplanade - Day party at Cowboy Camp
9/1 Wednesday: 11am @ 9 & F - Space Cowboys @ DISTRIKT
9/1 Wednesday: 10pm @ TBD - Unimog @ Dust City Diner
9/2 Thursday: 7am @ Outer Playa - Unimog @ Moonshine & Sunrise
9/2 Thursday: 3pm - Chinchilla's Lingerie Show
9/3 Friday: 10pm @ Temple of Flux - 11th Annual Black Rock Hoe Down
9/4 Saturday: 1pm @ Disorient's Art Car Wash
9/4 Saturday: 12am (Sunday) - TBD

### NEW MUSIC ###
In  case you haven’t been keeping up with the RIPEcast, we’ve got a series  of 
great mixes from Aaron Pope, Deckard, Benchun, and 8Ball that offer  you 
something different to listen to either on your drive up to the  playa or while 
you’re chilling in your shade structures during the day.  These August mixes 
include some fantastic downtempo, hiphop, midtempo  funk, and other stuff you 
won’t likely be hearing much of during your  wanderings around the playa. 
Download ‘em now for your trip!

8Ball's Whoreable Summer BBQ Mix, a two-hour, 63-track mash-up of just about 
every genre imaginable.
http://soundcloud.com/spacecowboys/8ball-bbq-mix
benchun's Pattern Language- a gorgeous, soothing downtempo mix, is now available 
on Podomatic, iTunes and 
SoundCloud.http://spacecowboys.podomatic.com/entry/2010-08-10T09_38_49-07_00

Deckard’s My Definition of Chill (Volume 
2)http://spacecowboys.podomatic.com/entry/2010-08-03T12_11_29-07_00

Aaron Pope's Route 21
http://soundcloud.com/spacecowboys/apope-route-twenty-one