After this issue of Extracts was completed, we learned of the death of Bob Wallace. Bob died on September 19th at his home in San Rafael, California. Bob was a very good friend of Fire and mine and his Promind Foundation was responsible for nearly half of Erowid's funding over the last two years.

Bob was an avid participant in Burning Man and we often spent time together discussing and planning absurd costumes, contraptions, vehicles, flame throwers, and structures to bring to the desert.

In 1996, Bob and his wife Megan started Mind Books, a bookstore offering publications about mind expanding plants and compounds. He and Megan also contributed financial support to many projects in the Psychedelic community, including DanceSafe, EcstasyData.org, the Heffter Foundation, MAPS, and the Black Rock Arts Foundation.

Bob's first donation to us came as a complete surprise, and it was through his encouragement and financial support that we were able to eventually make Erowid a full-time project. I'm glad we were able to maintain our strong friendship despite adding the potential complexities of a financial relationship.

There is much I want to say about him, which comes mostly from the sense of emptiness where my expectations of being able to talk, play, plan, and work with him in the future used to be.

He was a quirky, intelligent, curious, manicly energetic, hardworking, exploring, unique, and sometimes exasperating fellow, and we loved him. Into the collective, fertile void we all return.

Thanks for your part in the journey, Bob.

Earth (& Fire)