Tuesday, March 25, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
CLARK COUNTY ISN'T the only one with problems.
Look at what happened in Pershing County last Labor Day Weekend.
To understand, one must know a little bit about the area known as the Black Rock Desert -- often referred to as a desert's desert of "unique barrenness and beauty, solitude and plentitude, danger and freedom."
Many visitors to the desert have been awestruck by the shimmering mirages and the air of mystery that seems to pervade the atmosphere. It has become a happy hunting ground for rockhounds and history buffs. Hikers and dune buggies traverse the parched and rocky surface. UFO watchers claim to have glimpsed visitors from outer space and the desert maintains an air of sanctity for those seeking respite from a hectic world.
Recently the desert became the scene of a yearly event called "The Burning Man."
In his Nevada Handbook, Deke Castleman describes the affair:
"A 40-foot, 1,500-pound wood sculpture is erected on the playa each year over Labor Day weekend. The Man symbolizes 'a mockery of the busy-ness of society.' In other words, an enormous amount of energy and money are invested in transporting the materials to the Black Rock, attracting an audience, erecting the statue and celebrating life. Then the Man is burned. If he wasn't, the loose-knit group of Bay area artists and self-proclaimed crazies wouldn't have to do it all over again in a year. The symbolism is about construction and destruction, ambition and futility, and just plain getting wild on the playa."
It's a kind of wild and wooly Woodstock, and the citizens of Pershing County want no more of it.
Last year's party resulted in one dead, three severely injured and an Excedrin headache for law enforcement, depleting county funds needed for much more worthwhile activities.
Permission to hold the Burning Man celebration must come from the Bureau of Land Management. Pershing County officials have petitioned the BLM not to allow the recreational festival to be held in their county, but Northern Nevada rural counties have little faith in the BLM doing what is best for the country.
A new location has been requested by the Burning Man organizers. The site would be just west of a spot called Hualapai Flat and still involves public and private land in Washoe and Pershing counties.
At this time the BLM has announced that the organizers "have addressed all of our concerns," which probably means go ahead and burn, man burn.
Maybe we ought to invite the thousands who attend the spectacle to hold the ceremony at Yucca Flat.
This basketball fan will be going for the underdog to win the national championship.
I like Arizona. First, they represent the West. Second, Arizona coach Lute Olsen's wife is Yvonne Gragson's sister. You can bet Kenny Gragson will be joining me in rooting for the Wildcats.
Of all the modern conveniences I find most inconvenient, No. 1 would be the automatic telephone answering service.
I hate it when a disembodied voice starts with the touch-tone routine. If you want customer service, press one. Press two if you are still on the line. Press three when you become exasperated because you can't decide which number to press.
When things get too confusing, go back to plan A and start all over.
Remember the great days when a real, live person picked up the phone and asked, "Can I help you?"
I can even remember when you rang for the operator and that's what you got at the old telephone company.
The telephone operator was one of the town's most respected citizens. She -- it was usually a she -- knew everyone's business and kept it to herself. She knew how to find someone in an emergency and remembered everyone's birthday.
My first real job was the result of our family having a telephone. Many residents didn't. When a long-distance call came for someone in our immediate neighborhood, it was routed to our phone and I earned a quarter for delivering messages.
Life was simpler.
Phones are so complicated today it takes a rocket scientist to use one, and we are constantly reminded either by phone or mail of a new device or a new service that will save us hundreds of dollars and offer efficiency beyond our wildest dreams.
It's all too complicated for me.
Once again state legislators are toying with the idea of annual sessions or limiting each session to a certain number of days.
Both proposals have to be voted on by the people but probably will never get on the ballot.
A better idea than either of the above would be to eliminate legislative proceedings altogether. Look how much money the state would save and no one could repeat the old phrase, "Lord, help us. The Legislature is in session."
A SUN reader says the trouble with today's society is that people with the least principle draw the most interest.
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