holy shit, the Man burns early

i mean really really on fire, originally uploaded by Focal Intent.

If you're like me and not going to be on the Playa this year, but still want to see what's going on, check this out:

http://laughingsquid.com/burning-man-2007-remote-access-through-photos-video/

Some interesting stuff has already happened, such as an arsonist setting fire to the Man during last night's lunar eclipse (for those of you not familiar with the event, the Man is supposed to be burned at the END of the festival, not the beginning). Luckily the explosives and fuel used for the final burn had not been attached to the Man yet. The fire damage was too severe to repair, so apparently the plan is to construct a replacement Man over the next 72 hours in time for the final Burn.

More photos from Focal Intent are here.

Edit: This just keeps getting weirder:

Joe Garofoli from the San Francisco Chronicle has reported that the person arrested in connection with the arson is Paul Addis, who portrays Hunter S Thompson in the one man show Gonzo, which is currently scheduled to tour the west coast starting next month.