- TheThinkTank - lists.bikecollectives.org

Great Job! (Re: 3rd Ward on Now)
by Eric Estlund 18 May '07

18 May '07

Great little clip on the #rd Ward Bike Shop in TX on PBS, mostly highlighting the Earn-A-Bike. Good job getting the message out! Eric SLC Bike Collective

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Re: [TheThinkTank] We need your addresses for Bike Bike
by davebauer＠mfire.com 18 May '07

18 May '07

Recycle Bicycles 7196 S. Poplar St. Centennial, CO 80112 Thanks! > Hello Bike Bikers!! > > Pure excitement is coming your way!!!! The bee-yoo-tiful > posters that we have printed for the Bike! Bike! > conference are hot off the silkscreening press and ready > to enter your mailbox (along with other information). > And we ain't talking about your virtual mailbox, we're > talking about that one with the little red flag, that a > real person delivers mail too. Therefore we need your > shop's address. If it is in the BOOP directory, we > already have it. However, if you have moved or or not > listed in the directory please e-mail it to us ASAP. > Please send all addresses to freeride(a)bike-pgh.org. Sorry > to individuals on the list, but we only have the > resources to send the posters to shops or bike > organizations that can publicly display the poster. > > The poster package will also include registration forms > and a workshop proposal form. These can also be found > online at bikebike.org. > > As for folks who may want one of the posters for > themselves, you're going to have to wait for the > conference when we'll have more available. > > Our Hills Await your Wheels, > Free Ride! Bike Coop > > > _______________________________________________ > thethinktank mailing list > thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org > http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.…

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Interbike Registration now open
by Jonathan Morrison 17 May '07

17 May '07

All, It is free if you register before the deadline, $25 per person afterwards. http://www.interbike.com -- Sincerely, Jonathan Morrison Project Coordinator Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective 2312 S. West Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84115 w: 801-328-2453 c: 801-688-0183 f: 801-466-3856 www.slcbikecollective.org

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volunteer solutions compiled and posted online
by rachael spiewak 16 May '07

16 May '07

I put everyone's suggestions on the bike collective wiki here<http://www.bikecollectives.org/wiki/index.php?title=Volunteers> . feel free to edit the content and formatting! anecdotal info would be a good addition, too! enjoy! rachael

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Re: [TheThinkTank] [community-bike] getting and holding onto volunteers?
by rachael spiewak 16 May '07

16 May '07

our bicycle blender was completed tonight, which led to improved volunteer morale. i think it had something to do with the rum.. love, rachael

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getting stuff (volunteers and bikes)
by depot 15 May '07

15 May '07

for volunteers, i cheat - we get kids from highschool work-experience programs all through the school year, and full time volunteers for 3 months at a time from katimavik, a canada-wide youth volunteer program (the bike dump could probably get on this). with so many young, energetic bodies in the workshop, community volunteers come in and are blown away by how much is going on. they like the social aspect of it (jonathan was right on), enjoy being in the shop and come back. we invite them to parties, drag them out to critical mass, encourage them to bring in music, etc. as for stuff, after running around after donations for years we're stacked to the tits and having to turn people away. after a while, enough people know about what you're doing and want to support it that storage space and processing becomes a bigger problem than sourcing donations. but in the interim, churches and schools (bike drives), universities (end of year student clear out), large appartment buildings (they clean out their bike rooms once every couple of years), bike shops, community groups (the knights of columbus helped organize a bike drive for us last year and we got 450 bikes in one day), are all good sources for donated bikes. hope that helps, omar bhimji project manager pedal bike depot p. 604.708.4992

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Sopo Bikes Delivers First Adult Trike, Rider on Road to Wellness
by rachael spiewak 14 May '07

14 May '07

Sopo Bicycle Cooperative FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Rachael Spiewak Tel: 404-392-4597 Email: rachael(a)sopobikes.org TRICYCLE DELIVERED, RIDER ON ROAD TO HEALTH, HAPPINESS May 14, 2007 -- Last Sunday, Sopo Bicycle Cooperative volunteers Rachael Spiewak and Jason Deck delivered a bright green refurbished adult tricycle to Marie Fievet. According to her doctor, Fievet's life depends on whether she begins to exercise. Weight and a limited range of motion prevented Fievet from getting started. Now, atop three wheels, and sporting her favorite color, Fievet is pedaling towards wellness. Fievet's doctor told her to take small steps towards exercising each day, which is "easier said than done," according to Fievet. Income also limits her options. Fievet tried riding an ordinary bicycle, but balancing was a challenge. Fievet reached out to Sopo, and when the organization agreed to help, she exclaimed, "I don't know how I will ever be able to thank you for caring enough!" Building this tricycle was a community effort. The frame was found on McClendon Avenue and traded to Sopo for a set of wheels, which were used for a float in peace demonstration. The frame was painted by Tito Sands, and the head badge was printed by IFO Signs. Many Sopo volunteers, including 10 year old Sophie Deck, turned wrenches, repacked bearings, and rubbed rust from the metal. Jason Deck, who is working on Sopo's second tricycle for his teenage son, put on the finishing touches and helped make the delivery. Visit www.velospace.org/node/3100 for pictures. Sopo Bicycle Cooperative is developing a sustainable alternative cycles distribution program. Sopo is seeking community partners for this project, including human services agencies, advocates, and motivated individuals. Sopo is also seeking more shop volunteers who can be present during regular shop hours. Sopo Bicycle Cooperative is a 501(c)3 nonprofit bicycle workshop. Sopo's mission is to create equitable access to bicycling by providing low-cost bicycle maintenance services and education. The shop is located in the East Atlanta Village at 465-C Flat Shoals Avenue, which is situated behind the main strip of shops. Operating hours are Tuesday and Thursday nights from 7 pm until 10 pm and Saturday afternoons from 2 pm until 5 pm. Visit www.sopobikes.org for more information. END

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youth bike program curricula needed!
by rachael spiewak 09 May '07

09 May '07

hiya, everyone! the good news is that sopo will be hosting a free teen night for our kids this summer.. with funding! we've got most things sorted out, but what we could really use are your curricula if you've got 'em. it would be easy to run through the list of basic to advanced bike maintenance skills over the course of the summer, but if you've developed something more creative and/or effective, and you're willing to share, that would be spectacular. of course, we'd acknowledge you in all communications about the program (on our website, in press releases, etc). likewise, if anyone wants a copy of the proposal we wrote, i would be happy to email it to you. two wheels good, rachael

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4th Annual Pedal Pusher Film Festival
by Jonathan Morrison 08 May '07

08 May '07

The *4th Annual Pedal Pusher Film Festival* is coming to town. Tell your friends, tell your neighbors, tell your Great-Aunt Dora. See what happens when cutting edge directors meet up with the people who push pedals- fixed gears, road bikes, cruisers, mountain bikes, and more. The movies are intense and the bike work is incredible. This is an event you don't want to miss. *Where:* The Depot <http://www.depotslc.com/> * (at the Gateway) *When:* May 19th, Doors open @ 7:30pm *Tickets:* $10 Advance or $12 Day Of (Purchase tickets at The Depot<http://www.depotslc.com/>or the Community Bike Shop <http://www.slcbikecollective.org/content/view/14/27/>) *Valet Bike Parking:* Free! So ride your bike down! A benefit for the Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective, The Fourth Annual Pedal Pusher Film Festival will include an exclusive preview of the short films that have packed the houses in Tokyo, New York, AND San Francisco. Followed by local musicians, track stand competitions, give-aways and the biggest party of the summer. *More info:* www.slcbikecollective.org or call *801-FAT-BIKE*

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Wiki Spam: Solution?
by Jonathan Morrison 06 May '07

06 May '07

The Joy of a wiki is that no one needs to log in to make changes, the downside is that no one needs to log in to make changes. Recently on the Bike Collective Wiki people some [insert politically incorrect term] has been messing up the content and adding wiki-spam. Gibberish that helps sites rank and be stumbled on by unsuspecting vicitms. While this is easy to clean up, it is time consuming to keep on monitoring it. So I propose we mandate a log on for the wiki, anyone can create one, but that will prevent scripts from auto-inserting into the pages. What does everyone think? http://www.bikecollectives.org/wiki/ -- Sincerely, Jonathan Morrison Project Coordinator Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective 2312 S. West Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84115 w: 801-328-2453 c: 801-688-0183 f: 801-466-3856 www.slcbikecollective.org

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Re: [TheThinkTank] youth bike program curricula needed!
by BICAS 05 May '07

05 May '07

Hey Rachel, I would be happy to send you our build-a-bike curriculum and yes, I would be interested to get a copy of your proposal. A teen night? I love it! We are working on getting funding for a teen riding group, doing bike tours, and some races and such. What's your mailing address? Take care, Daniela love, peace, and bicycle grease~ your friends at B.I.C.A.S. http://www.bicas.org ----- Original Message ---- From: rachael spiewak <rachael(a)sopobikes.org> To: The Think Tank <thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org>; community-bike(a)yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, May 4, 2007 2:42:21 PM Subject: [TheThinkTank] youth bike program curricula needed! hiya, everyone! the good news is that sopo will be hosting a free teen night for our kids this summer.. with funding! we've got most things sorted out, but what we could really use are your curricula if you've got 'em. it would be easy to run through the list of basic to advanced bike maintenance skills over the course of the summer, but if you've developed something more creative and/or effective, and you're willing to share, that would be spectacular. of course, we'd acknowledge you in all communications about the program (on our website, in press releases, etc). likewise, if anyone wants a copy of the proposal we wrote, i would be happy to email it to you. two wheels good, rachael _______________________________________________ thethinktank mailing list thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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Diamonds
by Eric Estlund 05 May '07

05 May '07

Diamonds!!!!! http://www.bikecollectives.org/wiki/index.php?title=Diamond_Handlebar_Wrap Thought this might be fun for folks. Plus there are a few glamor shots of my sexy left hand and arm.... Eric of the SLC

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labor pool party
by Tom Anderson-Monterosso 30 Apr '07

30 Apr '07

Hi everyone, Jonathan Morrison recently added a job postings board to the Bike Collective Network website. Bike projects with specific openings and bike people looking for work may submit ads using the form on the site. I think this is a great new feature and hope it proves useful. Thanks again to Jonathan for getting it up there. Here's the link: http://www.bikecollectives.org/component/option,com_classifieds/ Cheers, tom a-m

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Help a small town with a yellow bike project
by Andy Dyson 25 Apr '07

25 Apr '07

Here's something some of you might be able to help with... Mark Carlson from the Montanan town of Choteau (pop 1500) called because (believe it or not) they are interested in having a yellow bike program in their town which is about 50 miles north west of Great Falls. These bikes would be used by the locals and by tourists, and they want to know what is involved in setting up this sort of thing. I said that we at NBW hadn't done that, but we had provided bikes for a couple of programs such as the one at the Bryn Mawr Library, for a dorm at Haverford college and and at a college in NJ. I suggested he call people in Missoula because that's a big bike town, and he said he already had and was waiting for someone to get back to him. Any of you have any experience with Yellow bike programs? If so, please contact Mark if you have time, because this is a chance to get some people on bikes who are reaching out to the bike culture. I'm not able to take any more time on this right now. Mark Carlson (406) 590-5438 forwardscout1991(a)yahoo.com Peace, Andy -- Andrew C. Dyson Executive Director Neighborhood Bike Works 3916 Locust Walk Philadelphia PA 19104 (215) 386-0316 (215) 873-6695 (Cell) (215) 386-7288 (FAX) www.neighborhoodbikeworks.org

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Re: [TheThinkTank] BICAS Hiring !
by BICAS 17 Apr '07

17 Apr '07

it might be nice to send this out to the collective and ask people to send it out on the other listservs they are part of...just an idea. love, peace, and bicycle grease~ your friends at B.I.C.A.S. http://www.bicas.org ----- Original Message ---- From: Ellie Kaszniak <misselliek(a)hotmail.com> To: thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org Sent: Monday, April 16, 2007 4:54:10 PM Subject: [TheThinkTank] BICAS Hiring ! BICAS (Bicycle Inter-Community Action and Salvage) hiring new staff member to join our collective. Looking for self-motivated, creative, and organized individual with a specific interest in our bicycle art programs. Teaching experience a plus. Please inquire for specifics of position or more information about our organization. 520-628-7950, www.bicas.org, bicasunderground(a)yahoo.com _________________________________________________________________ Get a FREE Web site, company branded e-mail and more from Microsoft Office Live! http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/mcrssaub0050001411mrt/direct/01/ _______________________________________________ thethinktank mailing list thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.… __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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Re: [TheThinkTank] QBP Accounts
by troy neiman 16 Apr '07

16 Apr '07

we here at bicas had first a JandB account and now have a QBP account. we have been using almost strictly the QBP for the last year or so. the benifits of JB are that its easier to get an account and i think the free freight minimum is less than QBP, also they have good deals and generally are a bit cheaper. the benifits of QBP are that they have almost everything you could need for parts and tools. i have had good experiences with both companys. troy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jonathan Morrison" To: "The Think Tank" Subject: [TheThinkTank] QBP Accounts Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2007 12:44:47 -0600 Who has one? -- Sincerely, Jonathan Morrison Project Coordinator Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective 2312 S. West Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84115 w: 801-328-2453 c: 801-688-0183 f: 801-466-3856 www.slcbikecollective.org _______________________________________________ thethinktank mailing list thethinktank(a)lists.bikecollectives.org http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.…

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BICAS Hiring !
by Ellie Kaszniak 16 Apr '07

16 Apr '07

BICAS (Bicycle Inter-Community Action and Salvage) hiring new staff member to join our collective. Looking for self-motivated, creative, and organized individual with a specific interest in our bicycle art programs. Teaching experience a plus. Please inquire for specifics of position or more information about our organization. 520-628-7950, www.bicas.org, bicasunderground(a)yahoo.com _________________________________________________________________ Get a FREE Web site, company branded e-mail and more from Microsoft Office Live! http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/mcrssaub0050001411mrt/direct/01/

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QBP Accounts
by Jonathan Morrison 16 Apr '07

16 Apr '07

Who has one? -- Sincerely, Jonathan Morrison Project Coordinator Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective 2312 S. West Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84115 w: 801-328-2453 c: 801-688-0183 f: 801-466-3856 www.slcbikecollective.org

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bikebike bulletin board - help us plan!
by Jessica McPherson 13 Apr '07

13 Apr '07

Hey everyone, So, we want to try out a new forum for planning and discussing the BikeBike conference. Jonathan Morrison has created an online bulletin board as part of the website. You can reach it here: http://www.bikebike.org/index.php?option=com_joomlaboard&Itemid=34 and through a link on the front page of the www.bikebike.org website. its exciting contents currently include... * WORKSHOP PLANNING - A major purpose of the forum is for long-distance collaboration on workshop planning - so take a look & please contribute your ideas to the "proposed workshops" topic. * GENERAL SUGGESTIONS FOR BIKEBIKE! - if you have ideas for content that isn't a workshop, logistics, format, extra-curriculars, pretty much anything else about the conference, suggest it here. *GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT BIKEBIKE! - can be posted under this heading on the bulletin board. So come help us plan! It's gonna be great! Just to be clear for folks who have been tracking the conference for a few years now- in the past there has been an email list. We have one again this year - bikebike(a)lists.bikecollectives.org. We plan to use it mainly for announcements, and use the bulletin board for actual discussion because it is a more organized forum. We will send all announcements to this list (thethinktank) as well; the bikebike list is for people who ONLY want bikebike info. thanks! Jessica, Free Ride! Bicycle Collective ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for earth-friendly autos? Browse Top Cars by "Green Rating" at Yahoo! Autos' Green Center. http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center/

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call for workshops, bike!bike! 2007
by Jessica McPherson 18 Mar '07

18 Mar '07

Hey everyone, we are sending the call out to plan workshops for Bike!Bike! 2007 - forward as appropriate! -Jessica, Free Ride Bicycle Coop WHAT IS BIKE! BIKE!? Bike!Bike! is, an annual gathering and conference of Community and Non-Profit Bike shops and projects. In 2007 the fourth annual Bike!Bike! Conference will by hosted by the Free Ride collective in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It all started in New Orleans back in 2003 when the Plan B Coop invited 50 or so people from across the country to gather and discuss, network, collaborate, brainstorm and all around geek out about their recycled bike projects. It has since grown, attracting bike projects from the U.S. and Canada. This year we at Free Ride! hope to expand the conference to be beneficial for both small bicycle cooperatives that are just starting up, as well as larger recycled bike organizations that are well established. At this time new community bike projects are starting up all across the continent and bringing new ideas and energy to the field, but there are also well-established projects with the benefit of years of experience. We hope for Bike!Bike! to provide a forum for cross-pollination to the benefit of all. For more information, see: www.bikebike.org. WHAT ARE WORKSHOPS? As in years past, this year the Bike Bike agenda will be a collaborative effort from those involved in community bike projects all across the country. We seek volunteers to lead workshops, discussions, and skill-shares on all aspects of community bike project work. To create the vibrant exchange of ideas that BikeBike has historically offered, we need a diversity of voices from different geographic regions, experience levels, organizational models, and program focus areas so step up and get involved! Topics can range from programs, community engagement, administration, fundraising, bike mechanics, etc.. Some sample ideas from the Free Ride planning committee: Youth Employment, Incorporating Arts Education, Sending Bikes Globally, Collaboration with bike advocacy organizations, Earn-A-Bike programs-(funding,curriculum etc), Bicycle Education in Schools, University Collaborations, Non-Profit Status, mechanical skills workshops (3-speeds, trailers, welding, etc.), and more. Free Rides workshop space and tools will be available. The first day of the conference will be Bike Project 101, geared towards those who are just starting out in the endeavor of building a community bike project. It will include basic workshops on topics such as: finding a space, introduction to programs (earn-a-bike, adult or kids classes, etc.), fundraising, models for organization (collective, co-op, volunteers, etc), and legal questions (insurance, non-profit affiliation, etc.). We seek members of established projects who are willing to facilitate an introductory workshop on some aspect of bike project organization on this first day of the conference. If you or your program does something particularly well- share that with the country! If theres a challenge, innovation, or issue you think is particularly relevant to bike program work- study up and offer to lead a workshop! Workshop format is at the discretion of the organizer; it may range from facilitated discussions, participatory skills-sharing, or more formal presentations by an individual or group. Please plan at a minimum to be prepared to facilitate a group discussion, and well-informed on the subject. This year we are also looking beyond the bicycling community to bring in expertise we can benefit from in community bike project work. Topics might include anti-racism training, working with youth, legal aspects, etc. Please contact us with any suggestions for topics or individuals who might be expert presenters/facilitators for such workshops. HOW DO I SUBMIT A PROPOSAL? To propose a workshop, send a brief description including subject matter, workshop format, and any facilities preferences by May 15, 2007. Please submit your name, the organization you are representing (if applicable), full contact information, one reference (professional or personal), and a short biography of yourself and/or your organization. Please submit early, so that if we have duplicate/similar proposals we can connect folks and encourage collaboration. Please send in your proposals via email to workshops(a)bike-pgh.org, and include the word Proposal in the subject line. If electronic submission is not possible, please use the mailing address listed below. Free Ride! will compile the agenda and notify people regarding the status of their proposals by July 1. Free Ride! Bike!Bike! Workshop Committee 214 N. Lexington Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15208 OTHER CONFERENCE PLANSGET INVOLVED! There is a bulletin board set up on the www.bikebike.org site for discussion & collaborative planning across the miles for this years conference, please visit! Free Ride!s planning committee has a short list of ideas already: a professional Anti-Racist Training, a Think Tank to work on a community bike shop presentation for Interbike, a Think Tank to work on the Community Bike Shop wiki, a hands-on project to take advantage of the convergence of good mechanics all in one place, a merch swap, and extra-curriculars like bike rides, movies, and parties. If you are interested in organizing or helping out with any of these activities, please email workshops(a)bike-pgh.org with your interests, or call Free Ride! at 412-731-4094. If you can offer help with conference basics such as food or publicity, email freeride(a)bike-pgh.org. Thanks and we look forward to hosting yinz! (thats Pittsburh-ese for you-all), Free Ride Recycled Bike Coop ____________________________________________________________________________________ Expecting? Get great news right away with email Auto-Check. Try the Yahoo! Mail Beta. http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/mailbeta/newmail_tools.html

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us social forum .. presentation by bicycle co-op/collective folks?
by rachael spiewak 15 Mar '07

15 Mar '07

so the us social forum <http://www.ussf2007.org/> is being held in atlanta, and i just got an email about the deadline for proposals being extended. i thought, i'll run that by the bike co-op/collective folks and see if all y'all want to come up with something. if not, no worries. just thought i'd put it out there. by the way, if you're coming to the forum, you can crash with me. here's the info i got: USSF Proposals now being accepted Deadline Extended to April 27, 2007 People world-wide know that another world is needed. The Social Forum movement believes that is possible. At the US Social Forum people from all over the country will gather to think about what kind of world is needed and how we can get there. The US Social Forum is a very special kind of gathering: one that has never taken place in this country up to now. It isn't a conference with an agenda and a program of events; it's a gathering whose participants produce our own agenda and our own programs. Please help us to organize the United States Social Forum. To be successful, the Social Forum needs you, your energy and your creativity. We need you to develop a presentation, involve as many people as you can in organizing it and then explain and submit it to the Program Committee. We explain the details in the Call but keep one thing in mind: Even if you have doubts about whether an event will be approved or meets the criteria, go ahead and talk about it and try to get other organizations involved with it and then submit. The mere process of planning, thinking, talking and preliminary organizing will move you, the people you're working with and the rest of us forward. The moment you think of an idea, you are already participating in the Social Forum. Español http://www.ussf2007.org/en/node/add/content_ussf_2007_session_propos -rachael

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sopo invades berlin
by rachael spiewak 03 Mar '07

03 Mar '07

yesterday i met with the girls who are working on creating a bike cooperative in berlin. the economic and governmental structures are different, which means different things for the way they will collect money and how they may or may not register themselves, but the principles, values, philosophies, and politics, as well as the decision making processes and concerns about privilege and power reflect what i think a lot of us are more or less experiencing (not that i can speak for everyone, but i think it is a reasonable generalization). it was really great to share with them, and i am trying to convince them to come to bikebike. also, there is a european bikebike kind of thing happening this spring in italy i think. it seems that what is helpful to people i meet who want to know about sopo is to tell the whole story of how things happened (and i know that my version of the story is different from that of the other organizers), so i am thinking about writing my version down and maybe collecting the stories of others and then assembling it into a zine or some other publication. anyone got friends at ak press? haha. anyway.. i just wanted to share that we are everywhere, doing good, and making the world a better place. hooray! two wheels good, rachael

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National Bike Summit
by Jonathan Morrison 26 Feb '07

26 Feb '07

I signed up to go, is anyone else going to attend? -- Sincerely, Jonathan Morrison Project Coordinator Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective 2312 S. West Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84115 w: 801-328-2453 c: 801-688-0183 f: 801-466-3856 www.slcbikecollective.org

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New Site design
by Jonathan Morrison 22 Feb '07

22 Feb '07

The Bike Collective Network just had a face lift.... http://www.bikecollectives.org/content/view/16/44/ -- Sincerely, Jonathan Morrison Project Coordinator Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective 2312 S. West Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84115 w: 801-328-2453 c: 801-688-0183 f: 801-466-3856 www.slcbikecollective.org

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Collectives and Power Inequality
by Graham Stewart 20 Feb '07

20 Feb '07

I know many shops and projects out there have a policy of trying to eliminate barriers based on race, gender, age, class, etc. Part of this approach is often using a collective and consensus based decision making process. Some of this is stuff the Bike-dump is dealing with and some of it is purely hypothetical. Also, my opinions and concerns may not be the same as those shared by other people at the Bike Dump. Some questions to start discussion: 1. Who here tries to run a shop which eliminates power inequality by employing ideas like consensus based decision making within a collective? 2. How to you determine membership in the collective? How do you deal with the inside/outside nature of decision making? What if a person with an un-treated mental illness or serious addiction regularly contributes to the shop and wants to be part of decision making or be trusted with money? 3. No matter what structures exist, power heirarchies naturally seem to evolve. Often they are based on experience or skills and many people do not consider this totally bad. How do you distinguish between a power heirarchy based on experience and qualification versus one based on prejudices about gender, age, or percieved trustworthiness? Any thoughts or suggestions which fall outside my questions are welcome too. Graham at the Bike Dump

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