On Thu, 15 Jun 95 11:20:14 CDT Sean Stueber <SStueber@aol.com> said:
>This reminds me that on the day I joined this list everybody was talking
>about burning magnesium.  I missed out on how all of that got started.  Can
>someone fill me in?  Burning magnesium is most excellent and I'd like to know
>what you guys were all talking about.

it is a time-honored tradition, in the wilds of california, that during
certain paganistic ritual gatherings, particularly near the Summer Solstice
and the Venereal Equinox, a specific yet non-descript offering be made unto
those deities deemed appropriate.  The latest fad, among time-honored
traditional pagans, seems to be that of burning Virgin Ores, or the closest
local equivalent.

the beginning of this tradition is clouded in the murkey past, and, because of
rather bad record keeping and the inherent inaccuracies of unwritten vocal
history, especially when enhanced by the introduction of mass quantities of
low-yield alcoholic pagan-ritual-enhancers, the Truth may never be known to
the Outside World.

suffice it to say, that should you come upon one of these pagan rituals in
the full swing of excitement, usually evidenced by a closely gathered group
of Volkswagen Microbuses, Buses, Vanagons, and Eurovans, coupled with various
forms of tenting, lawn chairs, ice chests, and all manner of strangely dressed
humanoids, you should cautiously approach only after eye-contact is made, and
some for of verbal or gesticular approval has been made by one or more of the
assembled pagans. because of the central importance of Fire to these pagan
gatherings, the wearing of polyester is not advised.

joel