It's Official. Feathers are OK on the playa!

[Elderberry]

FEATHERS ARE BAD BAD BAD, RIGHT? WELL ... MAYBE NOT.

Back in the day, folks would show up at Burning Man with cheap feather boas, and they'd inevitably fall to pieces and blow all over the playa, get stuck on the trash fence, and generally be a super MOOPy pain in the butt for everybody.

So we've kept a warning in the Survival Guide for years to not bring feathers (primarily this was directed at cheap boas, as this predated the headdress and fedora fads), and even had the Gate confiscate feathers and boas and whatnot from people as they enter, to prevent a MOOPocalypse.

But here's the thing ... some feathers are super MOOPy and others, well, aren't. So use your head. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE YOUR STUFF DOESN'T BECOME MOOP.

Whether it's a costume, or a vehicle, or an art installation, your food, your camp, your bike, your trinkets, whatever, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE YOUR STUFF DOESN'T BECOME MOOP.

So be smart. Be self-reliant. Use good judgment and be careful about what you do and don't bring (and wear) to the playa. If you want to wear feathers, OK ... but make sure they're attached in way that won't fail, and if you can't do that then don't wear 'em, because it's on YOU if they become MOOP.

And that goes for anything you bring to Black Rock City.

[AntiM]

Er... so why does my current survival guide still list feathers as the first banned item?

[lemur]

who reads the survival guide anymore?

[AntiM]

Me.

[trilobyte]

That's from the latest JRS (volume 17 #30:7.20.13)

[Elderberry]

That's from the latest JRS (volume 17 #30:7.20.13)

Damn it! I specifically didn't want to mention where this came from so soon in the thread.

[TomServo]

So which brand of Pistachios are less moopy? WITH shells, that is..

[Elderberry]

We bring several bags every year. Pistachio shells aren't moopy, people being disrespectful of where they put their pistachio shells are moopy.

[TomServo]

Same with feathers. though I think feathers are a little too hippie.

[Bless]

There's a ton of good information in the latest edition of JRS

[Ugly Dougly]

IN: War bonnets
OUT: Feather boas

I see.

[mulch]

I have a hemispheric hat that spins about on my head and has one red and one white feather on top at its north pole that have mini L lighting glued up the shaft.

It gives off no molecules and its going.

[ygmir]

Gate, does not confiscate anything!! period.

you are told of things not allowed and or frowned on, and given option to deal with the situation.
Every thing you do is optional, knowing there are consequences/actions that may result from choices you make, at the gate.

[Elderberry]

Gate, does not confiscate anything!! period.

you are told of things not allowed and or frowned on, and given option to deal with the situation.
Every thing you do is optional, knowing there are consequences/actions that may result from choices you make, at the gate.

That sounds not only cryptic, but a bit threatening.

[ygmir]

Gate, does not confiscate anything!! period.

you are told of things not allowed and or frowned on, and given option to deal with the situation.
Every thing you do is optional, knowing there are consequences/actions that may result from choices you make, at the gate.

That sounds not only cryptic, but a bit threatening.

cryptic? how so?
and certainly not meant threatening. can you elucidate?

[ygmir]

oops

[Elderberry]

Gate, does not confiscate anything!! period.

you are told of things not allowed and or frowned on, and given option to deal with the situation.
Every thing you do is optional, knowing there are consequences/actions that may result from choices you make, at the gate.

That sounds not only cryptic, but a bit threatening.

cryptic? how so?
and certainly not meant threatening. can you elucidate?

Well, first you said: "Gate does not confiscate anything."
Then you said: "Every thing you do is optional, knowing there are consequences/actions that may result from choices you make, at the gate."
So, what might be the "...given option to deal with the situation." options be, generally speaking?

And frankly, since this was posted in the feathers thread, I could picture someone at gate not getting the memo and a very uncomfortable situation presenting itself.
And, just between you and me, I have heard stories of the gate confiscating things that later they were noticed enjoying.

I should also add that I have had no problem with gate personally, but then we always bring a six pack of beer in for them.

[CornMan]

The bright lights, lasers, loud music, and other factors have been causing birds to avoid flying over BRC during the festival resulting in a net lessor number of feathers deposited on the playa even when feathers discharged from costumes and decorative attire is taken into account.

[Eric]

Well, first you said: "Gate does not confiscate anything."
Then you said: "Every thing you do is optional, knowing there are consequences/actions that may result from choices you make, at the gate."
So, what might be the "...given option to deal with the situation." options be, generally speaking?

Not being GP&E, so this is just out my ass, my understanding is that they won't take something, but you're responsible to deal with it if it's not allowed. Say you bring an unregistered MV or motorcycle on a trailer, neither of which are allowed. Gate won't confiscate them, but your options are to either park them unattended in D Lot, or drive them back to Reno & find somewhere to store them. Those would be your options to deal with the situation, without GP&E confiscating anything. Attempting to bring them in anyway, after being told that you're not allowed, would probably mean involving the local sheriffs dept or the BLM. They might confiscate, not GP&E. Yggy (or anyone else on GP&E) can correct this if I have it wrong.

As for:

And, just between you and me, I have heard stories of the gate confiscating things that later they were noticed enjoying.

If that happens it should be reported, and feel free to use your ubiquitous camera phones to document the situation.

[Elderberry]

If that happens it should be reported, and feel free to use your ubiquitous camera phones to document the situation.

Yup, good advice. Personally, as I said,I have never had a problem with gate. They ain't greeters, but that's not their job. It's good to know what the procedures are though for handling violations.

[ygmir]

dang. I posted a reply, and it must have gotten eaten...........well, Eric has it dang close.

we do not confiscate anything.

say you show up with a chicken feather suit and a bucket of loose glitter.
we will inform you they are not allowed. And will deny you entry, for that moment.
at that point, we offer, or you ask, for options.

we can( but are not required to) offer to dispose of these things for you. if you choose to then give them to us, it's your choice. we will not demand you turn them over.
Or, (depending on attitude and such), we may instruct you to leave the playa and dispose/store of them properly, and then return.
if you react in a very mean, or aggressive manor, and or refuse to comply, entry can be denied.
if your contraban is a human, with no ticket, all tickets in the vehicle can and probably will, be voided, and you'll be asked to leave.

so, consequences are denial of entry and or ticket voiding, as relates to attempts to bring/sneak banned items or substances.
Along with this, it can escalate to LE.

but, we will not demand you surrender, and or confiscate anything. it's all choices and consequences, as presented.

I also may stand to be corrected, but this is my understanding.

[Elderberry]

Thanks Ygmir.

[5280MeV]

I'm happy about this decision. There is a simple way to make sequins, feathers, beads, etc essentially "un-MOOP-able":

640px-FiveMinEpoxy.jpg

The argument against well-secured feather that I always heard was that "even if your feather is well-secured, you are encouraging other people who might not know how to secure feathers properly". You could use that argument equally well against just about all forms of fire art.

Cigarette butts seem a bigger issue to me anyway, but try making Burning Man a no smoking event. (Actually, I would pay to see that go out in the JRS just to hear the reactions online)

[Elderberry]

Cigarette butts seem a bigger issue to me anyway, but try making Burning Man a no smoking event. (Actually, I would pay to see that go out in the JRS just to hear the reactions online)

Me too!

[lucky420]

Seems to me the restoration crew should be the final say if feathers are allowed in BRC or not as they are the ones who stay for a fuckin month or longer cleaning it up...

And is the powers that be now saying feathers are ok to justify all the sanctioned feather wearers (chicken lady) we seek pics now?

[FIGJAM]

Talking about feathers has ruined Burning Man.

[lucky420]

Oh I thought talking about plug and plays ruined burning man

[Elderberry]

Seems to me the restoration crew should be the final say if feathers are allowed in BRC or not as they are the ones who stay for a fuckin month or longer cleaning it up...

And is the powers that be now saying feathers are ok to justify all the sanctioned feather wearers (chicken lady) we seek pics now?

I think that was pretty clearly expressed in the original announcement. And call me naive, but I can't imaging the official BMORG announcement would have been made without taking the restoration crew into consideration.

Feathers, just like anything else you take to the playa, as the announcement stated, are just a matter of common sense. Just like all the warnings about bring glassware to the playa. I've been bringing stemware and beer mugs to the playa for years and have never had one break. Can't beet a beer out of a chilled mug, or a glass of wine served in the proper glass out on the playa. I supported chicken lady when I originally posted here about her. She was responsible with her costume.

I'm sure we have all seen people being more moopy with common things sanctioned by the BMORG--like food for example.

Thankfully, common sense has prevailed on the feather issue.

[lucky420]

Nope wasn't clear to me at all.

And how do you know she was responsible with her costume? Did you moop the area after she was done shucking and jivin?

Will respectfully disagree with you here jk

[Elderberry]

Nope wasn't clear to me at all.

And how do you know she was responsible with her costume? Did you moop the area after she was done shucking and jivin?

Will respectfully disagree with you here jk

When she was originally being attacked and had to defend herself and the costume, she offered, in detail, all of the steps she took to make sure the costume didn't moop the playa. All of which fell on deaf ears at the time.

And I think that her costume was truly a work of art and frankly, I would have rather mooped up any errant feathers from that costume than some of the trash that many more disrespectful people strew carelessly on the playa.

And that's OK if you disagree with me. Its also OK to be wrong.