- TheThinkTank - lists.bikecollectives.org

bike talk on killradio.org live
by bike talk 14 Mar '09

14 Mar '09

Hey! listen in please and call. we're live now (213) 252-0998. topics: is the expo line cancelled? bike summit, the lance armstrong ride, sprinting, muscles, feel my legs ride, artcycle -- please let me know if you want to be taken off this list. Hear Bike Talk! on kpfk: http://www.kpfk.org/programs/170-bike-talk.html or see what's new with us at biketalk.us

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Anyone with Paid Staff have Health Insurance?
by Rich Points 14 Mar '09

14 Mar '09

Hey All, The staff at CC has recently grown to three people. In the interest of taking care of the folks who do such a good job of taking care of the shop we're starting to look into health insurance. I haven't done one Google search yet but I thought I'd check in here first. Let me know if anyone has some leads on health insurance for a small staff. Thanks -- Rich Points Community Cycles Director http://CommunityCycles.org Rich(a)CommunityCycles.org 720-565-6019 Donate your old car to Community Cycles

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Bike Collective Database Project - PHP/MySQL programmer NEEDED!
by R Points 14 Mar '09

14 Mar '09

Hey All, As some of you know I've started building a web based database project that I call the Bike Collective Database Project (BCDP). When complete this system will help facilitate * Stronger program support * Stronger volunteer coordination * Stronger member/donor communications * Stronger fundraising * Stronger administration * Stronger inventory management * Stronger development * Stronger service * Stronger reporting/board communications * Transportable to other collective sites At this point I've built the system out as far as my skills allow. To finish the project I need a PHP/MySQL programmer. I've done several craigs posts here locally and no one has stepped up. If you or someone you know is good with PHP/MySQL and has some free time please get in touch with me. Thanks -- Rich Points Community Cycles Director http://CommunityCycles.org Rich(a)CommunityCycles.org 720-565-6019 Donate your old car to Community Cycles

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Bike Collective Database Project - PHP/MySQL programmer NEEDED!
by Rich Points 14 Mar '09

14 Mar '09

Hey All, As some of you know I've started building a web based database project that I call the Bike Collective Database Project (BCDP). When complete this system will help facilitate * Stronger program support * Stronger volunteer coordination * Stronger member/donor communications * Stronger fundraising * Stronger administration * Stronger inventory management * Stronger development * Stronger service * Stronger reporting/board communications * Transportable to other collective sites At this point I've built the system out as far as my skills allow. To finish the project I need a PHP/MySQL programmer. I've done several craigs posts here locally and no one has stepped up. If you or someone you know is good with PHP/MySQL and has some free time please get in touch with me. Thanks -- Rich Points Community Cycles Director http://CommunityCycles.org Rich(a)CommunityCycles.org 720-565-6019 Donate your old car to Community Cycles

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What information do you track monthly?
by Carl Voss 12 Mar '09

12 Mar '09

Hello from chilly Des Moines! The Des Moines Bicycle Collective is just about to hit its first anniversary. Miracle of miracles, we're still above water. What have you experienced collectives learned is important to track regarding shop activities? We think these things are key (especially for applying for grants): *bikes received *bikes given away *bikes sold *Earn-A-Bike completions *bikes recycled/sent to scrapper *tires recycled/sent to scrapper *volunteer hours Are we missing anything? A couple board members want to create an entry for each bike received (record serial number) and track hours spent on fixing, parts/tires invested. Seems a bit over the top when we're still scratching and clawing for volunteers. But, willing to listen to the voices of experience. Carl carlvoss(a)mac.com Mobile: 515-210-0237

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Managing cash
by Mark Rehder 11 Mar '09

11 Mar '09

How do folks deal with the cash issue? We currently just have a metal cashbox in a desk drawer, and only staff have access to it. But we've doubled our staff over the past year, and have new ones coming on board. Our bookkeeper is a bit concerned about so many people having unchecked access to the cash, especially on busy nights when there can b a couple hundred dollars in small bills. (The box is put away after each shift in a hiding place, and excess cash removed on a nightly basis during the busy season.) Our transactions are currently just written into a book, but it's looking like having a cash register is going to be the smart way to go, both for security as well as tracking transactions. We currently are cash-only, no Interac or Visa. Mark Rehder - Director re-Cycles Bicycle Co-op http://re-cycles.ca

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Networking and Parts
by donaldo donaldson 11 Mar '09

11 Mar '09

Hey yalls, Bike Works in Seattle has a super awesome position in our org. the Recycling & Reuse Coordinator!! Thats me..donald. Its a new position as of a year ago. Ive had the privilege of developing this potion and having a super fun time doing it. Basically i keep track of every and all donations that come through Bike Works. Whole bikes to misc. parts and accessories. When donations come in, i do a evaluation of each bike and box of misc. parts and then decide where its gonna go with in the org., with in the city, or beyond...as of present B.W. has been sending bikes and things to Africa through the Village Bicycle Project. An excellent outlet for our beefy MTB's(Next, Murry,Huffys,Verticals) some cruisers,those bikes and parts that just dont make the cut for our youth programing or the shop and the crazie amounts of knobby tires. As for keeping it local, I send goodies over to the Bikery!! Our buddy down the way.(thebikery.org) We send our bunk tubes to a local bag making company, Alchemy Goods.And If its an unusable metal waste, theres a local hero by the name of Carter who i call up and he comes by to pick all of our taco'ed wheels and busted up frames. Anyways, ive been day dreaming for a year now about how awsome it would be if i could do even more sharing of goods. I spent 4 years of my life in the amazing undergrounds of BICAS in tucson where next to nothing went wasted. If there was a way to get some of the sweet cruisers and excellent art materials to them or some one closer i tottally would..well i guess what iam sayin is, hey Bike Works has a lot of cool stuff, were here if you need us!!! But how we going to move all this great stuff from point A to pioint B? BIKE LOVE FOREVER Donald Villarreal Recycling and Reuse Coordinator Bike Works 3709 S. Ferdinand St. Seattle, Washington 98118 www.bikeworks.org (206)725-9408 Building sustainable communities by educating youth and promoting bicycling. --- On Mon, 3/9/09, veganboyjosh(a)gmail.com <veganboyjosh(a)gmail.com> wrote: From: veganboyjosh(a)gmail.com <veganboyjosh(a)gmail.com> Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Networking and Parts To: "The Think Tank" <thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org> Date: Monday, March 9, 2009, 4:45 PM the moving of bikes and parts is expensive, since they're either packed very densely, and heavy, or not packed very densely and also not packed efficiently. the idea of sharing parts and things has crossed my mind, and while i do think there's a place for it, i think some centralized body that coordinates and/or moves the things is a bit out of our reach at the current state of the bike collective network (if indeed that is who is going to oversee this...) what about some sort of message board or something that is for things like this? some sort of "items wanted/items offered" freecycle style thing that's just for bike collectives? On Mon, Mar 9, 2009 at 4:14 PM, Rigel Christian <rigelc(a)gmail.com> wrote: well, the idea we had discussed/daydreamed about was along the lines of having an organization/network whose task was to coordinate parts transfers to and from co-ops in different regions or even countries. it seems like having a way to move parts whose logistical burden is not borne by the shops would be helpful in getting new donation-based co-ops started up, as well as help filling in the gaps for shops that are experiencing lean times, as parts donations go. On Mon, Mar 9, 2009 at 2:43 PM, Tom Anderson-Monterosso <tommonterosso(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Hi Bike Kitchen! > > I used to work at the Oberlin Bike Co-op in Oberlin, Ohio. We had friendly > relations with Ohio City Bicycle Co-op in Cleveland (35 miles away). Being > in the center of a metropolitan region, they generally received more and > better quality donations than did our co-op. On more than one occasion we > hauled off a pick-up truck load of their surplus three-speeds and > coaster-brake bikes. These bikes were typically of more use in our small, > flat college town than in their big, not-completely-flat city. No money > changed hands; it was all good will. (Thanks, Jim!) We also worked together > on Co-op-to-Co-op Rides. > > More sought-after bits like suntour barcons would probably keep their > assigned monetary value in an exchange, but we wouldn't hesitate to call and > see what they had in their bins. > > Keeping other co-ops in your region aware of any especially large parts > surpluses is a great idea. I suppose just saying, "hey, we're here if you > need us," is a good place to start. > > Tom > > On Mon, Mar 9, 2009 at 4:33 PM, Rigel Christian <rigelc(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> >> Hi, >> >> Me and some of the mechanics at our co-op (www.bikekitchen.org) were >> talking about advocacy, the proliferation of bike collectives, and of >> course as bike geeks tend to do, parts. >> >> I know some collectives have more parts or material resources of a >> certain type than they can handle, and others have less. Are there >> already parts-sharing agreements between co-ops in other areas of the >> world? If another co-op from 50+ miles away called you up asking if >> you had, for example, some suntour indexed 7-speed barcons, how would >> you handle that? >> >> It's just a thought experiment, but I'm curious to find out how other >> groups already share, or if there are ideas on how to more efficiently >> share the parts donations that come in, so as to maximize the >> allocation of available resources. >> >> Cheers. >> _______________________________________________ >> Thethinktank mailing list >> Thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org >> To unsubscribe, send a blank email to >> TheThinkTank-leave(a)bikecollectives.org >> To manage your subscription, plase visit: >> >> http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… > > > _______________________________________________ > Thethinktank mailing list > Thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org > To unsubscribe, send a blank email to TheThinkTank-leave(a)bikecollectives.org > To manage your subscription, plase visit: > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… > > _______________________________________________ Thethinktank mailing list Thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org To unsubscribe, send a blank email to TheThinkTank-leave(a)bikecollectives.org To manage your subscription, plase visit: http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… _______________________________________________ Thethinktank mailing list Thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org To unsubscribe, send a blank email to TheThinkTank-leave(a)bikecollectives.org To manage your subscription, plase visit: http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.…

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The relative height of Dutch people vs. Immigrants in Holland
by Wendy Monroe 11 Mar '09

11 Mar '09

> My observations on immigrants and Dutch bikes: > > Dutch people are the tallest on average, in Europe. The smallest > adult womens' bike I have seen parked on the street in Amsterdam, is > 50 cm. > There is much unspoken peer pressure to ride these archetypical 45- > lb. black 1- or 3-speed bikes. I am guessing that immigrants > wishing to integrate will try extra-hard to conform by trying to > ride these bikes.. which I suspect is a lousy experience for > them.... no wonder they prefer to take the bus! > > Moroccan immigrants are about my size, 5' 1". They are hard-put to > even reach the pedals on these black bohemoths. > So, they find themselves either stretching ridiculously far to ride > a 50 cm. woman's black bohemoth... or riding kids' bikes with 20" or > 24" wheels. > > Furthermore: I have been tasked with adjusting the entire fleet of > childrens' bikes that the Moroccan immigrant women are riding in > their bike lessons... > NO one was doing this, before I came along, apparently... they had > been learning to ride on bikes with squishy tires and rubbing > brakes, in some cases... > > They have also been learning to ride on bikes with rock-hard €3 > narrow plastic saddles, and ( typically) about 10 lbs. of tire > pressure. No doubt they have been wondering how anyone could > possibly enjoy such an experience as bike riding... if only I could > communicate easily with them...! > > My Dutch is not that great yet, and a lot of the Moroccan immigrants > in our neighborhood are still learning to speak Dutch themselves... > so most of my insights on bike riding among immigrants come from > riding with my Moroccan friend Mina Menaffi, ( whom I met in Dutch > Language class) and who speaks English.. > > I built up a cute little one-speed bike with 20" wheels, a > comfortable womens' saddle, and a coaster brake for Mina. > > We went out riding in Amsterdam... at every intersection she would > be very nervous, and tell me that it was very dangerous. > > Now, I know Mina is a smart person.... I explained that the > mortality rates for cyclists in the Netherlands are the lowest of > any nation in the world... and point out that the system of parellel > bike roads in Amsterdam insures ultra-safety for cyclists, at least > compared to what I was used to in California... Hell, even that Auto > drivers in Amsterdam are deathly afraid to hit cyclists, as the > accident is automatically their fault unless they can prove > otherwise, according to Dutch law. > > None of these arguments helped her feel more safe, however. So > whenever we got to an intersection where cars were present, we > walked our bikes across. And we made sure to ride in some of the > big parks in Amsterdam, such as the Amsterdamse Bos, and > Vondelpark. And we had a lot of fun. As far as I could tell, the > idea of being hit by a car, is what keeps her from riding her bike > to ..Centraal Station from her apartment. There are a lot of > intersections to walk one's bike across... better to take the tram. > > There is the whole learning-to-balance aspect of why immigrants are > reluctant to ride bikes, but that is something that once overcome, > is not a problem ever again. (right?) > > The bike lessons are taught out of the neighborhood community > centers... every neighborhood has one, and where women congregate > there for a lot of other activities.. get-togethers, lessons of > various types... even an Obama Election party.. which I happened > upon, in which the Turkish and Moroccan women were celebrating by > making Turkish Pizzas and dancing to Rai Music! > ... bike lessons are presented as just another fun activity.... > > About coming to visit us in Amsterdam... It appears that my Dutch > consultant and I have found a neighborhood shop space for the bike > center.. it is still tentative at this point... but I am hoping it > would be possible for you and your wife to crash there, if worst > comes to worst... By the time the weather turns warm, we would have > a lot more information... > > We're invited streams of friends and relatives to visit us from the > U.S., and some of them are actually coming... but not sure exactly > when... etc. so I can't extend any promises on space in our > apartment... more info coming soon, hopefully, on shop space an > availability... > > As to whether we are permanent here... > > I am writing a business plan to show to Dutch Immigration... if they > approve it we get to stay for another year. Meanwhile I am laying > the groundwork for setting up a Dutch non-profit corporation... > which is unspeakably complicated, compared to doing the same thing > in California... there is no Nolo Press book to guide a person with > that here. > > Short answer... we are doing our damndest to stay here long-term. > However Dutch immigration policy may be affected by the so-called > 'Krediet Crisis'... we will have to see how bad it gets. > > Regards, > > Wendy > > > > Op Mar 10, 2009, om 6:33 AM heeft Rigel Christian het volgende > geschreven: > >> I think that the mobility thing is precisely what the religio- >> cultural >> proscriptions are trying to avoid. kind of like japanese foot- >> binding. >> its not particularly logical, i guess, but there are certain barriers >> to entry for both driving an automobile as well as use of public >> transportation, that a bike just doesnt have. this makes the latter >> form the most difficult to control. >> >> i'm at a disadvantage here without knowing the lay of the cultural >> land, but i think that if you could find a major women-only cultural >> activity to hawk your bike wares to, so to speak, then that might >> be a >> better sell. the american analog of what im trying to get at would be >> going to the sewing circle and saying "hey, we have bikes for you to >> use if you'd like." maybe that's been tried, but i tend to think that >> ethnic woman-specific cultural activities dont have a whole lot of >> visibility in the broader culture. >> >> incidentally, regarding your earlier invite to show us around, the >> wife and i were talking about our trip tonight and we really dont >> have >> the money to do the trip we'd like. if you have some crash space, >> where we could sleep in a garage or something (we have air >> mattresses, >> sleeping bags, etc) for four or five days, we might be able to >> actually do a ten day europe trip. the cost of housing being what it >> is, even hostels, its otherwise pretty untenable for us at this >> point. >> we might still pull something off, but its gonna take a lot of >> charity >> and couches. >> >> do you two plan on coming back stateside anytime soon? i mean, is >> this location temporary for you or permanent? >> >> On Mon, Mar 9, 2009 at 9:25 PM, Wendy Monroe <wendy.monroe(a)usermail.com >> > wrote: >>> HI Christine, >>> Thanks for the links... they are certainly food for thought. >>> Would it show >>> cultural insensitivity on my part to try to win the immigrant >>> population of >>> Amsterdam Noord over to the cycling lifestyle? >>> One thing I have personally observed... the women who show up at >>> the bicycle >>> lessons are not really enthused about the cycling itself. It is >>> more that >>> they get a chance to hang out and mingle together outside their >>> homes. >>> This research result ( In the German study) does not surprise me: >>> 'Even after comprehensive training and instruction, cycling is for >>> many of >>> them an “uncanny,” “dangerous,” and also “weird” activity >>> predominantly >>> reserved for the ethnic Dutch' >>> Yup, that would explain a few things... >>> I used to think that, given the vast sums of money spent by the >>> Dutch >>> government .. tens of millions of euros each year!!... to encourage >>> immigrant women to ride bikes, a more effective campaign might be >>> to instead >>> send teams of cyclists to rove around major cities in Holland, >>> handing out >>> 20 euro notes, to each woman seen riding along with a head scarf >>> on...every >>> single day. >>> I am also wondering how well an earn-a-bike program might go over >>> in a youth >>> population of Moroccans,... ' where the bicycle has a bad image >>> and little >>> status value..' >>> Would they even show up for such a program? >>> I'm thinking an earn-a-bike program might be a tough sell, unless >>> it is >>> marketed as job-training of sorts, for a future career of >>> repairing scooters >>> and cars. It is a sorry state of affairs, to those of us who came >>> from a >>> California-style bike culture. But it may be the social reality >>> here. >>> Oh Noooo... I just started reading the second article...( thanks, >>> Google >>> Translate!) >>> "The latest controversy reported by the website Elaph.com >>> "(29/12/207) is a >>> sad illustration, verging on the ridiculous, as was the fatwa on" >>> nursing >>> major. "Indeed, the last discovery of a fatwa that forbids Muslim >>> women to >>> practice cycling, because according to the religion that spread, >>> "straddle >>> the saddle of the bicycle engender women as sexual arousal, and >>> the bike >>> becomes this point of view, a prohibited object. " >>> My first reaction being, ' Oh damn, now Men know our Secret!!' >>> (Just kidding.) >>> I don't even know what to say, after reading THAT. I guess I will >>> sign off >>> and read the rest of that article... >>> cheers, >>> Wendy >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Thethinktank mailing list >>> Thethinktank(a)bikecollectives.org >>> To unsubscribe, send a blank email to TheThinkTank-leave(a)bikecollectives.org >>> To manage your subscription, plase visit: >>> http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… >>> >>> >> >

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Job at Bikes Not Bomba
by arik grier 10 Mar '09

10 Mar '09

JOB OPENING at Bikes Not Bombs: YOUTH PROGRAMMING DIRECTOR Please submit a cover letter and résumé to hiring(a)bikesnotbombs.org before March 23rd. Target start date is May 4th. www.bikesnotbombs.org MISSION Lasting peace and social justice require equitable and sustainable use of resources. BNB provides community-based education and assists development projects with recycled bicycles, related technologies and technical assistance, as concrete alternatives to the militarism, over-consumption & inequality that breed war and environmental destruction. Our organization is part of a worldwide movement for peace and responsible stewardship of the earth. HISTORY BNB began in 1984 as an environmentally conscious campaign in support of social change in favor of the poor in Nicaragua. In 1990, BNB began to pursue its mission in Boston’s most impover ished neigh bor hoods. Today, we operate a thriving Bicycle Recycling and Youth Train ing Center where we offer six unique, high-quality programs that empower and orga nize youth and their families to work towards long- term change. Our programs create real com mun ity, with long-term, positive relationships built across lines of age, race, and class. POSITION Bikes Not Bombs (BNB) seeks to hire a Youth Programming Director to oversee our youth programs. This is a full-time, salaried position with benefits. Salary range is $30,000 – 32,000. The Youth Programming Director reports to the Executive Director. RESPONSIBILITIES * Manage ongoing development of youth program curricula to ensure programs are best fulfilling and strengthening the organization’s mission of youth development, environmental stewardship, and social justice. * In collaboration with Youth Program Team, develop annual goals and objectives for youth programs, and develop and implement tools for effective program evaluation. * Supervise, evaluate, and support the professional development and growth of adult youth program staff (currently one full-time staff member). * Identify volunteer and intern staffing needs for youth programs. Manage volunteers and interns. * Oversee Youth Instructor Program: recruit, hire, supervise, evaluate and support the professional development and growth of youth staff (6-10 during the school year, 12-20 during the summer). * Design, implement, and evaluate Youth Instructor training and leadership opportunities: implement three weeklong training sessions per year. * Oversee recruitment of youth for Vocational Education program; support retention of youth in the program. * Connect teen leaders and program participants to service, opportunity, and support resources inside and outside of BNB. * Oversee use and maintenance of BNB equipment, space, tools, and parts for program activities. * Plan and facilitate regular team meetings. * Build collaborations with fellow youth workers and community organizations in order to maximize programming resources and impact. * Build BNB's collaborations with Boston area schools and community centers, connecting cycling and mechanics to students' academic success, physical and emotional fitness, and sense of civic engagement. * Work with fellow community organizations to host events that further youth empowerment and overall BNB mission. * Plan and coordinate periodic Youth Programs events to further youth development and build the BNB youth community. * Facilitate exchange and interaction between Youth Programs and other BNB departments. * Develop annual budget for youth programs and monitor expenses. * With the Executive Director and other development staff, identify, draft, and report on grants. Help to develop strategies for new revenue streams (e.g., fee for service activities). * Represent Bikes Not Bombs to funders, allied organizations, parents, and the general public in collaboration with development and youth program staff. * Report regularly to Executive Director on program results and needs. The ideal candidate will have the following characteristics and experience: * Ability to be both a creative, strategic visionary and a practical thinker * Self-motivated, highly organized, systems oriented * Strong written and verbal communication skills * Excellent interpersonal skills (one-on-one and in a group format), cultural competency, strong listening skills * Experience in program management and staff/volunteer supervision, with the ability to mentor, motivate, prioritize, and set clear expectations * Experience with and interest in developing youth organizing component of programming. * 2+ years experience working directly with 10-18 year olds * Deep knowledge of Boston neighborhoods, schools, and resources, including the dynamics of the neighborhoods surrounding BNB * Understanding of and commitment to positive youth development * Strong bike mechanics skills and knowledge of safe urban riding * Demonstrated commitment to inspiring environmental stewardship and social justice * Ability to be a compelling advocate for youth both within and outside BNB * Facility with Macintosh computers, and experience using MS Word and Excel * Experience developing and managing budgets * Strong collaborator, able to work with a team and adapt quickly to changing situations * Skills in program evaluation and curriculum development * Must be willing and able to work after-school program schedule and some Saturdays * Multilingual/Bilingual (Spanish, English, Haitian Creole and/or Cape Verdean Creole) candidates highly preferred * Must love bikes! Please submit a cover letter and résumé to hiring(a)bikesnotbombs.org before March 23rd. Target start date is May 4th. Bikes Not Bombs encourages applicants of diverse age, ethnicity, gender, nationality, physical ability, religion, and sexuality. Women and people of color highly encouraged to apply. ------------- Bikes Not Bombs www.bikesnotbombs.org 617-522-0222

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Re: [TheThinkTank] Managing Cash
by Wilbur Ince 10 Mar '09

10 Mar '09

After reading Dave's excellent account of their exploits, I realize what links their experience with ours. You need dedicated talented righteous volunteers to tackle and conquer these projects! Thanks Dave and the many others that have come before us so that we can stand on their shoulders and see farther than we ever have before! Wilbur

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