Feathers.

[ygmir]

while there's a feather thread going on ......

I have been wondering if they feel the same way about the feather extensions you can get in your hair. They are clamped in, and they don't "shed" or whatever, they don't produce moop..

Any feather can become brittle and lose the tiny "branches" off the quill. Even those pretty pretty ones nobody thinks will be MOOP. They can, given the right conditions, and I'm thinking the playa is just that place.

That's one trend I'll be glad to see go, the birds die to give them those hair extensions. I don't mind eating chickens, but don't like that they die for vanity.

I just wonder if Gate is going to need sheers this year...

you're assuming those intelligent and oh so good looking Gate folks don't already have them, or, a leatherman.

[shmalerie]

I should have included a link to what I was referring to exactly.. sorry.

http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/47631 ... erent.html

it's actually not even real feathers, for the rooster enthusiasts out there.

[AntiM]

I should have included a link to what I was referring to exactly.. sorry.

http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/47631 ... erent.html

it's actually not even real feathers, for the rooster enthusiasts out there.

Those are synthetic, but most are real feathers from dead birds. Kinda sad.

[Drawingablank]

I don't mind eating chickens, but don't like that they die for vanity.

Not that I want to see feather moop, but the two things are not mutually exclusive. Most feathers sold are a by product of food production. The feathers are removed before butchering / eating anyway.

The same way they don't throw away the beef just because they wanted some leather.

Actually, I think she's talking about those hair extension things that come from roosters. The roosters are usually not eaten. It's some sort of fad thing, and even fishing shops are getting depleted by people dressing their hair up with saddle feathers.

Hmm, that article is interesting, but they seem to have an axe to grind. I find it hard to believe that any farmer would just harvest the skins and go to the expense of disposing of about a quarter million pounds of chicken meat. Although roosters are not commonly sold for human consumption in the US, I think it would be a safe bet that most of it goes into pet food or some other use such as the manufacture of chicken stock.

[trilobyte]

My girlfriend made a couple pieces that used feathers a few years ago, and was mindful about the potential for MOOP. She hand-picked some quality feathers (no idea what bird), then hand-stitched the quill end into the rest of the piece she was working on. It was a windier than usual year (or so it seemed), but her attention to detail paid off and there weren't any issues.

That is, until one of our cats discovered them and nibbled little bits off each piece.

Looking back at both the extra effort it took per feather, plus the added stress and anxiety of constantly checking to make sure nothing was amiss, and it's not something she's interested in doing again. Considering how easy it would be for someone to lose some (if not all) of them, and how much of a pain that's got to be for cleanup crews, the ban is completely understandable.

[jkisha]

I've grown to hate birds. Starting from the time I was eating lunch in an outdoor restaurant with a boyfriend who chose the occasion to break up with me and a minute later a bird shit right on my head! There are so many birds in the back yard that we can't leave the grill uncovered for 2 minutes without it getting covered with bird shit. I've been shit on numerous times while grilling, walking in the park, etc. Not to mention they are extremely noisy in the morning. If that old Chinese saying were true, I should be the luckiest guy in the world; instead, I'm just full of shit!

Those are synthetic, but most are real feathers from dead birds. Kinda sad.

[thirt33n]

There are rules for not peeing on the playa and the reason for this is that they don't want 50,000 pissing on the playa and making muddy, sloppy pee puddles all over the place all week. Most everyone abides by this rule and uses the porta-potties, but there is that one time during the week where you are a mile from the potties and your bladder is going to burst.
Rules are there for a reason, but there can be some flexibility. The feather rule is for the dopes who bring their pink boas to the playa and flap them around and let the feathers fly off. Securing large, hard feathers to a hat, and making sure that they're tightly fastened is not what the feather ban is all about.
I know that as this event gets larger and larger, there is the need to keep the masses in line. We all get that glazed look in our eye as we repeat the obedience mantra, "if it not from your body, don't put it in the potty". While there is a huge reason for it, we are becoming managed sheep.
This hat that's being made, is not what the feather ban is all about. There, I said it!

i concur

[rubenruben]

you don't need feathers to make you beautiful. i love them too though.
i am worried about my pillow now. it's full of feathers!
i vote for no feathers at buringman. save it for decomp!

[OregonRed]

The item I picked up more than any other when picking up MOOP this year was feathers. I picked up more feathers than cigarette butts.

There is no way to make certain that your feathers will not break off after being exposed to such hot, dry conditions. In 2012, leave your feathers at home. They do NOT biodegrade, all they do is create a mess.

Shambala wrote:

Rules are there for a reason, but there can be some flexibility. The feather rule is for the dopes who bring their pink boas to the playa and flap them around and let the feathers fly off. Securing large, hard feathers to a hat, and making sure that they're tightly fastened is not what the feather ban is all about.

I am going to respectfully disagree with you. There is no flexibility with the no feathers rule. They dry out and break off and become a MOOPy mess. I have two MOOP bags full of feathers, several of which are pieces of large, hard feathers which broke off and were left to blow about the playa for eternity.

Leave your feathers at home.

[C.f.M.]

The item I picked up more than any other when picking up MOOP this year was feathers. I picked up more feathers than cigarette butts.

There is no way to make certain that your feathers will not break off after being exposed to such hot, dry conditions. In 2012, leave your feathers at home. They do NOT biodegrade, all they do is create a mess.

Shambala wrote:

Rules are there for a reason, but there can be some flexibility. The feather rule is for the dopes who bring their pink boas to the playa and flap them around and let the feathers fly off. Securing large, hard feathers to a hat, and making sure that they're tightly fastened is not what the feather ban is all about.

I am going to respectfully disagree with you. There is no flexibility with the no feathers rule. They dry out and break off and become a MOOPy mess. I have two MOOP bags full of feathers, several of which are pieces of large, hard feathers which broke off and were left to blow about the playa for eternity.

Leave your feathers at home.

This.

Anybody who thinks feathers, beads, coined shit, etc. aren't harmful needs to spend a few hours a day mooping (not just around your camp).

[Ano]

Anyone see the guy with the huge peacock bike this year? All real peacock feathers, all huge...

edit: here's the reddit thread with it. he says he's been going 15 years and his shit never breaks?

http://www.reddit.com/r/BurningMan/comm ... cock_bike/

[AntiM]

Anyone see the guy with the huge peacock bike this year? All real peacock feathers, all huge...

edit: here's the reddit thread with it. he says he's been going 15 years and his shit never breaks?

http://www.reddit.com/r/BurningMan/comm ... cock_bike/

Don't tell anyone, but peacock feathers hold up better than most other feathers out there. Not perfectly though, never perfectly.

[junglesmacks]

Don't tell anyone, but peacock feathers hold up better than most other feathers out there. Not perfectly though, never perfectly.

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh don't encourage them!

[pinemom]

Or they could get real creative Like BIGCOCK and Make their feathers out of awesome colored Duct Tape! His headress and rooster tail is BE'AAAAA of the Utiful!

[RedHeaven]

[quote="OregonRed"][color=#FF0000]The item I picked up more than any other when picking up MOOP this year was feathers. I picked up more feathers than cigarette butts.

There is no way to make certain that your feathers will not break off after being exposed to such hot, dry conditions. In 2012, leave your feathers at home. They do NOT biodegrade, all they do is create a mess.[/color]

Shambala wrote: [quote]Rules are there for a reason, but there can be some flexibility. The feather rule is for the dopes who bring their pink boas to the playa and flap them around and let the feathers fly off. Securing large, hard feathers to a hat, and making sure that they're tightly fastened is not what the feather ban is all about.[/quote]

[color=#FF0000]I am going to respectfully disagree with you. There is no flexibility with the no feathers rule. They dry out and break off and become a MOOPy mess. I have two MOOP bags full of feathers, several of which are pieces of large, hard feathers which broke off and were left to blow about the playa for eternity.

Leave your feathers at home. [/color][/quote]

Thank you for informing us. I always got the impression that big ones were OK. Thing is, they are feathers, meant to take air and fly.

[gaminwench]

Perhaps a campaign to get all of the 'official' photographers to shun feather wearers... If no one takes your picture BECAUSE you're wearing banned items, maybe you'll stop...
and then the world, looking at beautiful representations of our city, won't get the mistaken impression that feathers are acceptable...

[jella]

Perhaps a campaign to get all of the 'official' photographers to shun feather wearers... If no one takes your picture BECAUSE you're wearing banned items, maybe you'll stop...
and then the world, looking at beautiful representations of our city, won't get the mistaken impression that feathers are acceptable...

+10

[theCryptofishist]

Thread drift. Just when I figure out that that avatar of Junglesmacks is a button on a tongue, he changes it...

[Corbin]

Feathers -5
I picked up feathers throughout the week, more-so in the mornings after sunrise. They create super annoying moop because even with the slightest breeze the feathers are on the move and running sucks at times. If you're going to moop, make it something interesting and easy to pick up like a hat, goggles, backpack, whisky, or other mystery-fun-baggies. Why leave some crappy feather, glowstick, or cigarette butt.... have some heart people.

[shmalerie]

well, I was all concerned because I had feathers and I really quite liked them, but now I don't have to fret because I have dreads. Hopefully those don't fall out and become moop.