Feathers

[MonkeyHub]

From what I've read, feathers are moopy. I'm looking at pix online however of costumes/clothing and I see feathers all over the place, not all over the desert but all over the people? So, are feathers ok or not?

[AntiM]

Feathers used to be banned, but now they are not. Why? Fuck if I know, I find them repugnant.

[Drawingablank]

Feathers SUCK - there is no way to make them non moopy. But for some reason they are no longer banned.

That won't stop vets and those who stay to clean up from giving you a lot of shit about them though.

[gaminwench]

The pretty, pretty playa chicken that was invited by the Org to do her very special temple dance on the playa is the reason they lifted the ban; if we're going to allow feather photos to be featured in Rolling Stone, we can hardly uphold a ban, now, amirite?

BUT: those on Resto will tell you that feathers are right up there in MOOP terms.

Most veteran burners will side-eye folk in plumage; we're so done picking up after the pretty people.

I loves me some feathers, in defaultia, but forego them in BRC cuz who wants to be 'that MOOPalicious mess'?

[danibel]

I will call you a playa chicken if you wearing feathers out there. Last year they were everywhere. Along with glo sticks. Leave those home too.

[Elorrum]

Take a walk and look at the ground, look for trash, and you will see bits of feathers within a short time. When you are being a responsible citizen, noticing MOOP (Matter out of place) will be second nature, and you will start to be infuriated by it, by the negligence of it. Feather bits floating about, don't stay put to be picked up easily, (yes, we all have to pick up MOOP, that is a requirement of getting the BLM to renew the permit... it stays clean.) Never let it hit the ground is the best rule, and you'll understand it when you are stooped down and hopping after bits jerking along beyond your reach. I suggest you do this little exercise, maybe on your first walk around in the daytime, bring a MOOP baggie, before you put on feathers, and see if you don't agree they suck.

[MonkeyHub]

Ok. That's settled! I'm glad I asked, thanks for the replies! I'll be featherless for sure.

[gaminwench]

Thank you.

I love this thread. let's keep it going

[BBadger]

And props to the topic poster for verifying the intrinsic MOOPiness of certain costume ornaments even if they're still technically allowed.

[Ratty]

The very popular online photo album 'pinterest' is my favorite spot to look at costumes. So many of the ones labeled Burning Man are moop factories. Ass hats glue together some feathers and sequins for their etsy store. It ends up passed around on pinterest. Young ladies imagine how beautiful they'll look in the dead bird quills. I usually think of sprinkling poultry dust over them to get rid of the mites. (I've had chickens all of my life.) Nothing says newbie like furry leg covers and a feather headdress.

[AntiM]

Nothing says newbie like furry leg covers and a feather headdress.

I may need this as my new sig-line.

[C.f.M.]

Thank you for not bringing feathers!!

My other HUGE pet peeve is those GD f'ing "belly dance" scarves. Yeah, we get it, you're so cute, look at your butt, and thanks for making more work for people who care.

I'll collect the coins by the handful, and hand them back to the people wearing them. "Oops, you dropped this." Never once had any lightbulbs go on.

[MonkeyHub]

Oops! So I won't be wearing my belly dance costume either, back it goes!!

What else do people wear that is moopy, but they missed the memo?

I've been listening to pod casts and looking at pics, etc. I really don't want to be a mooper in any way shape or form.

Also, on female pee devices- any recommendations? About to order the "go girl" w/extender.

[maladroit]

Much more useful than following a list of moopy items: determine what is moopy by way of thought and experiment.

Have a piece of clothing you think might have a chance of being moopy? Just fucking beat the fucking shit out of it against hard objects as fucking hard as you can.

If pieces come off, or your hands are covered in glitter, then it shouldn't be on the playa.

[Canoe]

have been shocked to see how many people donning war bonnets and feather headdresses to party in. Those of us who are Native feel hurt and disrespected by this behavior. Just like the Burning Man community would not tolerate people walking around in blackface or perpetuating other racist stereotypes, we think it’s important to address the issue of appropriation from indigenous cultures.
...
First, Native Americans in the U.S. and First Nations people in Canada have explicitly requested headdresses and war bonnets not be worn by people outside of the tribes that they come from. In Native communities, these items aren’t fashion choices, but rather are earned as symbols of respect, honor and achievement. As Dennis Zotigh of the National Museum of the American Indian says, wearing a war bonnet you didn’t earn is like tying a Medal of Honor or Purple Heart to your chest that you didn’t serve for.

Second, headdresses have a tendency to shed feathers, which is a major MOOP problem, so they probably shouldn’t even be at Burning Man in the first place.
...

http://journal.burningman.org/2016/08/p ... essing-up/

[C.f.M.]

Oops! So I won't be wearing my belly dance costume either, back it goes!!

What else do people wear that is moopy, but they missed the memo?

I've been listening to pod casts and looking at pics, etc. I really don't want to be a mooper in any way shape or form.

Also, on female pee devices- any recommendations? About to order the "go girl" w/extender.

Woohoo! My bitchin' had a positive result!

Those are THE moopiest. And boa feathers. Sequins. They break in half or come off the thread.

You need the Pstyle. It is the best pee funnel. I keep one on me and one in the tent. I'm like a missionary for them http://www.thepstyle.com/

Second runner-up is the Freshette. Little less practice needed, but takes up more space.

[smilemore]

So ... feathers are shite ... because they fall off.

Sequins ... much the same.

Astro turf ... fuck that!

But, what if you could do something to help reduce the likelihood of the feather falling off ... like using a specific type, or attaching it in a certain way, treating it with something, limiting the number used ... ???

I've read a fair amount about how there is an assumption that there is just no way of making a feather nonmoopish. I've seen a number of comments blasting those who do bring them as being ignorant, self centered or simply douchebags.

So here is the thing that I'm having a bit of a struggle with ...

I've seen some incredibly ingenious creations out on the playa (and much more on this site) ... surely there is a way to show off the beauty that is inherent in the feather in such a way that it is no more likely to become moop than the displayed peice of painted art, flowy garment, bicycle accoutrement or burn barrel blazing away?

Certainly, if it can be accomplished, then we (and perhaps I am opening myself up to much poo pooing here by including myself so soon in this group) burners are about as likely a group to create, design, discover a way to accomplish this as anyone.

... ok ... have at me!

[Elderberry]

I don't think there is anything wrong with it if you are conscientious about it. And it ain't like it's never been done before--and done right.

[Ratty]

I see those pictures and think mites. Wearing feathers is a personal choice. I'd be more likely to wear slabs of liverwurst.

[tatonka]

You can make a feather not moopish , you take clr 2" wide packing tape , and you cover both sides. Then trim the edges and you have a feather concealed in clr plastic tape . Put mine together in 2013 and it went thru 3 burns , no problem.

[gaminwench]

Yes, elderberry, pix 1 and 3 are the aforementioned playa Temple Dance chickens.

They are, no doubt, lovely.

My understanding is that they also traveled with minions who MOOPed.

[smilemore]

I see those pictures and think mites. Wearing feathers is a personal choice. I'd be more likely to wear slabs of liverwurst.

mmm, liverwurst ... it might even preserve well, coated in a layer of playa dust!

[lucky420]

I just see lots of dead birds

[Elderberry]

I see those pictures and think mites. Wearing feathers is a personal choice. I'd be more likely to wear slabs of liverwurst.

Didn't Lady Gaga do that already?

[Eric]

I've seen some incredibly ingenious creations out on the playa (and much more on this site) ... surely there is a way to show off the beauty that is inherent in the feather in such a way that it is no more likely to become moop than the displayed peice of painted art, flowy garment, bicycle accoutrement or burn barrel blazing away?

Here's the thing: moop is a really hard thing to keep under control, and people are inherently pigs. Once you get out there you'll see that jerks leave beers in the porta-potties (or beer cans just dumped around them) or in your camp, that there's trash blowing in the wind because people are too lazy to put things away when they leave camp (or didn't properly tie things down), that there is more mess than there should be.

All that mess has to be picked up and the playa left as close to natural as physically possible for the event to continue. The easiest way is to not let moop happen in the first place. 70,000 people "maybe" mooping a little is a mountain of trash after 8-11 days. Sure, feathers are allowed, but unless you can guarantee that they'll be moop-free, isn't better to find an alternative?

[smilemore]

Here's the thing: moop is a really hard thing to keep under control, and people are inherently pigs. Once you get out there you'll see that jerks leave beers in the porta-potties (or beer cans just dumped around them) or in your camp ...

I know that our last time in BRC we were wide eyed and awestruck virgins and all, but one of the things that really struck me was the near total absence of trash blowing about. In fact the first piece of trash that we stumbled upon was a can of beer sitting in street ... I stopped and picked it up thinking it was just trash only to discover that it was unopened and still cold. I looked around to see if I could pick out a potential owner who must have dropped it but saw no one. I cracked it open and enjoyed this wonderful little surprise! I've been to a few large events since and am finding it more and more difficult to get over the 'inherent' pigishness of so many people.

All that mess has to be picked up and the playa left as close to natural as physically possible for the event to continue. The easiest way is to not let moop happen in the first place. 70,000 people "maybe" mooping a little is a mountain of trash after 8-11 days. Sure, feathers are allowed, but unless you can guarantee that they'll be moop-free, isn't better to find an alternative?

I think it is probably easier to find an alternative to bringing an actual feather than it is to make a feather moop-free, but where is the fun in that? Ok, ok, I suppose there is probably a lot of fun in creating an alternative feather too.

I guess what I'm really trying to figure out are the actual reason behind the apparent inherent moopiness of the natural feather.

The science behind it all.

Cheers!

[BBadger]

The decision to allow those playa chickens and feathers in general, just to showcase some bullshit, Rolling Stone photo-op for even more unnecessary event publicity of the wrong kind, has got to be one of the most asinine decisions BMOrg has ever made. It's a huge slap in the face for the volunteers and anyone trying to help contain MOOP on the playa (i.e. practically everyone), . Fuck, why don't we just have a costume made of packing peanuts? Or beanbag chair filling? How about some Superbowl confetti during the man burn?

Sure, maybe those shambling heaps of MOOP had minions to help pick up every last piece of feather, but we can't expect that the average pillow-filling-wearing sparklepony is going to even bother to use enough glue.

Maybe the next photo-op will feature a lot of pet dogs, or maybe people shooting firearms or lighting their own fireworks, or excavating huge pits to make swimming pools or something.

[lucky420]

The decision to allow those playa chickens and feathers in general, just to showcase some bullshit, Rolling Stone photo-op for even more unnecessary event publicity of the wrong kind, has got to be one of the most asinine decisions BMOrg has ever made. It's a huge slap in the face for the volunteers and anyone trying to help contain MOOP on the playa (i.e. practically everyone), . Fuck, why don't we just have a costume made of packing peanuts? Or beanbag chair filling? How about some Superbowl confetti during the man burn?

Sure, maybe those shambling heaps of MOOP had minions to help pick up every last piece of feather, but we can't expect that the average pillow-filling-wearing sparklepony is going to even bother to use enough glue.

Maybe the next photo-op will feature a lot of pet dogs, or maybe people shooting firearms or lighting their own fireworks, or excavating huge pits to make swimming pools or something.

this +100

[smilemore]

... Sure, maybe those shambling heaps of MOOP had minions to help pick up every last piece of feather, but we can't expect that the average pillow-filling-wearing sparklepony is going to even bother to use enough glue. ...

I agree wholeheartedly in the hypocrisy of changing the rules just to suit the BMOrg's desire to showcase a particular talent or display ... 100 percent. But clearly there are those (tatonka) who had a desire to engineer something normally moopish in such a way as to minimize the likelyhood of mooping - and have accomplished just that.

I do struggle (hmmm ... I seem to do a bit of "struggling" on ePlaya don't I???) with the suggestion that one ought not do, create, build or wear something simply because other less prepared or committed people might witness that something and attempt to replicate it without first performing their own due diligence in the research, design and build (of which much should take place right here on ePlaya), before showing up on the playa with their version in tow. There are a lot of fantastic pieces of art, structures, performances and outfits on the playa that scream creativity and ingenuity that would not be there if people were too afraid to try something new because in the past it was attempted but didn't work.

I think I might be more inclined to approach someone like tatonka who said:

You can make a feather not moopish , you take clr 2" wide packing tape , and you cover both sides. Then trim the edges and you have a feather concealed in clr plastic tape . Put mine together in 2013 and it went thru 3 burns , no problem.

if I saw his feather(s) and inquire as to his moop mitigation methods, rather than simply pass him off as an asshat with no consideration of the LNT principle.

Keep in mind, if you wish, that my interest in this topic is not because I intend to walk around with an outfit that requires a gaggle of moopers - cuz that is just stupid. It is most driven by curiosity, the search for truth and, a little bit of healthy agitation, as is often present here.

[maladroit]

Yeah, everyone knows Chicken Lady couldn't handle the backlash, was connected within BMORG, and so they changed the rules to remove the most common "why are some chickens MORE EQUAL than others here" argument.

I haven't been playing this game very long so a lot of you will snicker, having had this moment long ago, but that was a fairly good eye-opener for me into the way BMORG is run. It's easy to automatically rely on someone who happens to be in a position of authority, but the BMORG cannot be relied upon to always make good decisions for the right reasons.