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Thursday, April 30, 2009

Snoutbreak Suspicious-Looking Pig Seen Outside Madrona School

Posted by Christopher Frizzelle on Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 3:30 PM

The doors to Madrona K-8 have signs on them explaining why the school is closed (you can read them here and here). That's the school in the background. Across the street from it, this pig is cavorting with a panther. They are part of a sculpture by Richard Beyer called "The Peaceable Kingdom" that sits in the grass outside the Madrona-Sally Goldmark Branch of the Seattle Public Library. An employee of the library, asked if she's worried about swine flu considering she works right across the street from the site of a probable case, said, "My boss just told me we're not able to comment on it."

Back outside, as that KIRO van was going past, someone rounding the block shouted to her friend, "KIRO still got their ass here? Shit, they've been here since 9 this morning! There ain't no news here!"

The PI is reporting that two siblings of the 11-year-old Madrona school student whose illness forced the closure of this school now likely have the flu as well. The possible number of cases in King County is now 13. Eight of them are children. According to the AP, 300 schools are now closed across the country.

Comments (10) RSS

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They'll learn more from this vacation then they'll ever learn in school.

Posted by Mr. Poe on April 30, 2009 at 3:40 PM

You guys are ludicrously overplaying the swine flu story.

Posted by yuiop on April 30, 2009 at 3:42 PM

Yeah, this coverage stinks of desperation.

Posted by Poo Flinger on April 30, 2009 at 3:55 PM

That is the ugliest public art in the city, no doubt about it. It is a pig and a panther hanging out together.

The back story: Madrona library used to be Madrona fire station. Black Panther Party headquarters was right around the corner. Panthers would snipe at and otherwise try to prevent the fire trucks from doing their jobs when Panthers set firebombs in the neighborhood. This sculpture is supposed to suggest that with time came reconciliation between "pigs" (ie the government) and panthers. Interesting idea. But still kinda weird looking.

Posted by Trevor on April 30, 2009 at 5:02 PM

Its not bad, I thought it was strange at first but its perfect for what it is--the kids love it. Also the reason the BPs would target the firehouse (a few incidents max) was that the police would surveil the group and neighborhood from the firehouse, using the phone and facilities as a staging ground. Remember this was the time when the fire departments of every major city were called out to break up peaceful protests with their potentially lethal hoses--which was done in Seattle fyi. Not that I supported the BP's or hate the firemen for doing what they probably were ordered to do..but the BP's were doing a hella lotta good in this neighborhood with the lunch program and keeping the drug dealers out--way out. Which is not the same now unfortunately...

Posted by Senior, 40 years(!) in the central area on April 30, 2009 at 5:53 PM

that triple metal art sculpture by the paramount that was removed a little bit ago was pretty horrible...ST needs a new art director and that shit needs to land in another state.

Posted by boo yeah! on April 30, 2009 at 5:56 PM

That sculpture is excellent for children, at least it is art you can touch and climb on unlike other unnamed art here.. and its a gathering place..the firehouse still has the bullet holes above the big new window sorta patched over from when the Dixon brother's gave em a little warning heh heh..

Posted by Brought to you by art you can touch. on April 30, 2009 at 6:00 PM

Goldmark, Frizzly, not Holdmark. thank you.

Posted by scary tyler moore on April 30, 2009 at 7:06 PM

@6 the sculpture is only gone temporarily. it will be back in about a year when they finish preparing the ground under I-5 for the light rail tunnel boring machine.

Also, it's the Madrona-Sally Goldmark library...not Holdmark.

Posted by cuyahoga on April 30, 2009 at 7:24 PM

fixed.

Posted by Christopher Frizzelle on April 30, 2009 at 8:39 PM