March 20, 2008
Scoop on the Pillow Fight Fight
The local blogosphere has been talking today about the fall-out (literally and figuratively) from last Sunday's flash-mob pillow fight in Ballard.
Apparently, the Parks Department was none too pleased about the mass of feathers left lying on the ground in Bergen Place (the small triangular park across Market St. from the Majestic Bay Theater). According to MyBallard.com, the Parks Department claimed they had to spend six hours cleaning up the feathers. They were so annoyed that they filed a complaint with SPD which was in turn trying to hunt down the organizers of the pillow fight.
Early this morning, Seattlest was contacted by Q13 Fox because they were planning a story on the brouhaha and wanted to know if we could put them in touch with the organizers. Though we were able to track said organizer down pretty easily with a quick Google search, we decided not to give them up to "the man." Instead, we asked for an interview on the problem, promising anonymity for all who requested it. Unfortunately we never heard back. However, we just got a call from the Q13 reporter who is on the story.
According to her, the Sunday pillow-fight organizer (and head of the Seattle Pillow Fight Club) spoke with Parks and agreed to do some community service to make up for not cleaning up the feathers herself (or making us participants do it). She also agreed to allow only foam pillows for all future fights. In return, the SPD was called off the case.
Also, we hear that this Saturday is World Pillow Fight Day and there's a big pillow fight planned for that evening. It's not a flash-mob thing; apparently it's a fight to the death.
For the full story along with interviews with the Parks Department and the fight organizers, watch the Q-13 news 10pm broadcast tonight. If you do, you'll also see Seattlest's own in-the-pillow-fight video footage.
Who knew pillow fights were such a big deal?
| 
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
email this
add to facebook
add to del.icio.us
[ report this ]
Honestly though, someone should have come back a while later and took care of the feathers.
Think of the birds!
[ report this ]
i thought feathers were biodegradable? shows what i know.
[ report this ]
I somehow doubt that all of the pillows used in the fight, or on most people's beds for that matter, are actually feathers these days.
[ report this ]
z33- They are probably chemically treated like everything else nowadays. Secondly, most food is biodegradable too but if someone dumped a garbage can full of half eaten crap all over your park, you'd still have to clean it up.
[ report this ]
Even if they're biodegradable, or the birds will eventually fly off with them to build nests (though I doubt Ballard has enough nesting birds to do so), the point is that there's an ugly mess left behind for others to see.
It's like the person who throws an apple core or banana peel on the ground with the idea it will decompose. Who really wants to see that day after day for the time it takes to break down?
All of which is lost on the self-absorbed organizers of this "spontaneous" event.
[ report this ]
As the organizer of the Pillow Fight, I can assure you, I am not self-absorbed :-) In fact, I spend hours organizing each pillow fight and do so for the joy it brings to so many people. (Just check out the smiles and laughter from participants as well as spectators, in the video footage)
We've never had 3 pillows burst in one fight. A pillow here and there, sure, but not 3. Usually, the feathers just float off and get busy nourishing the soil as they decompose. I agree, there were WAY TOO many feathers left behind on Sunday. In case you missed it, I've taken full responsibility for the mess left behind, personally apologized to the Seattle Parks and Rec, and volunteered 6 hours of my own time to do some community clean up. As of yesterday, I have 15 other pillow fighters joining me. That is a whopping total of 90 hours of free service for the City of Seattle. I've also, voluntarily, made the Club feather-free. We've always had a clean up crew (for bags, trash, pieces of pillowcase, etc.) It has doubled in size since last weekend. Is that enough for you, Bigyaz? Am I still self-absorbed?
There were not going to be any fines, any issues. When I spoke with The Mayor's office and Seattle Parks and Rec, they were absolutely supportive and surprised at the intensity of the negative press. They said they just wanted to chat... Dewey Potter (who filed the initial complaint) even told a reporter she was thinking about participating in a pillow fight :-)
As for the judgmental comments being tossed in my direction, the only person you're really hurting...my mom.
[ report this ]
Hahahah. I'm sorry but that last line about your mom is filled under "classic retort" now.
And I'm glad to see you ain't dogging the clean up. You truly have the pillow fightin' spirit.
And you're right, I've seen the aftermath of some pillow fights and they tend to leave behind about as many feathers as if two birds got in a tussle. I was pretty amazed at this one. I think perhaps a fighting couple had worked out some pent up anger?
[ report this ]
Can someone maybe do something about all the pigeons on Market street in front of Sonic Boom while they're at it?
[ report this ]
turns out it would have only been a $50 infraction anyway...
SMC 21.36.922 Civil infractions.
A. The violation of or failure to comply with any section of this chapter identified in this section is designated as a civil infraction and shall be processed as contemplated by RCW Chapter 7.80.
B. The violation of or failure to comply with the following section shall be a civil infraction and subject as a Class 1 civil infraction under RCW 7.80.120 to a maximum monetary penalty and default amount of Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00), not including statutory assessments:
SMC Section 21.36.420 (Unlawful dumping of solid waste)
C. The violation of or failure to comply with any of the following sections shall be a civil infraction and subject as a Class 3 civil infraction under RCW 7.80.120 to a maximum monetary penalty and default amount of Fifty Dollars ($50.00), not including statutory
assessments:
SMC Section 21.36.044 (Containers required -- Nonresidential)
SMC Section 21.36.082 (Commercial recycling required)
=================================================
SMC 21.36.410 Littering.
A. This section applies only to litter in the amount of one (1) cubic foot or less which does not contain hazardous substances.
B. No person shall throw, discard, or deposit litter on any street, sidewalk, or other public property within the City, on any private
property within the City and not owned by the person, or in or upon any body of water within the jurisdiction of the City, whether from a
vehicle or otherwise; except:
1. When the property is designated by The State of Washington or any of its agencies or political subdivisions or by the City for the disposal of litter or other solid waste and such person is authorized to use the property in such manner; or
2. Into a litter receptacle, garbage container or other solid waste container in a manner in which the litter will be prevented from being carried or deposited by the elements or otherwise on any street, sidewalk, or other public or private property.
C. No owner, tenant, or other person responsible for the condition of a construction site shall cause or allow any litter from the site to be deposited by the elements or otherwise on any other public or private property in the City. During such time as the site is not being used, all litter shall be stored or deposited in garbage containers or other solid waste containers in such a manner as to prevent the litter from being deposited on any other public or private property.
D. No person shall throw, discard, sweep or deposit any accumulation of litter from public or private property into any gutter or stormwater drain within the City.
=================================================
SMC Section 21.36.425 (Accumulation of solid waste)
SMC Section 21.36.430 (Unlawful use of City litter receptacles)
SMC Section 21.36.440 (Unlawful use of solid waste container on private property)
D. For purposes of RCW 7.80.040, the "enforcement officers" authorized to enforce the provisions of the Solid Waste Code are: (1) the Director of Seattle Public Utilities; (2) authorized representatives, assistants or designees of the Director of Seattle Public Utilities; and (3) commissioned officers of the Seattle Police Department and persons issued nonuniformed special police officer commissions by the Chief of Police with authority to enforce such provisions.
E. An action for a civil infraction shall be processed in the manner contemplated by RCW Chapter 7.80.
F. The City Attorney is authorized for and on behalf of The City of Seattle to initiate legal action to enforce this chapter as deemed necessary and appropriate.