Victor, Suspect you meant Pedal Party....the one where they wanted to create power generating spin bikes for outdoor use.  That one, like so many others, clearly showed no prior planning.  Just a "hey they're giving away money, lets try to get it" perspective. If you read the comments I offered on their "page" clearly it blew my mind too. Left on their contest page: "While I like the overall idea, typically it is a not well thought out do good response to a much larger issue. Just from the onset, why complicate the issue, buy existing used (or get them donated) Indoor cycling bikes.  Save the cost and time of welding "trainers" to the bikes.  That way you avoid some of the potential liability issues as well. Then there is the matter or maintenance, and that is not on just the "bike" portion? Who will be responsible for this aspect in terms of both actually doing it and financially as well? You don't my vote, because clearly you have not thought this out fully. Better luck next time.

Actually though, if time were to permit, I would have read many others, because the more I read, the fewer were worth any consideration.  Most struck me as some one trying to sell their services.  Others were dreaming out loud.  And a few were just variables on the theme, but not well thought out in one of many ways. 

I'm a tough critic of myself and others.  I've sat on tourism boards, legal commissions, consumer advocacy agencies.  I've created from an idea travel companies, marketing agencies, fitness companies and much more.  Its not that I am tooting my own horn, as I have been on the wrong end of success plenty in life, including right now.  But along the way, I have learned a lot.  Amongst those things; there is no such thing as free money generally.  The only free money, if it does exist, is that created out of efficiency, good will, and integrity resulting in win-win transactions.  Guilt is a lousy motivator. 

I have two small for profit businesses right now.  One is created out of my desire to do something similar on a much larger scale.  Getting people healthier.  The other has been a part of my life for more than 28 years.  Each of these has created an opportunity for me, to not only make money, but to help others, seriously.  The venture I'm working on, as I mentioned will fuse the two, and see a new product introduced into the US, which will compliment the service.  Its an outgrowth of the bicycling world, of which I have been seriously addicted to since I was about 8 or 10...and believe me that was a long while ago.  

A small fractional part of that is, I do outdoor "Spin" like classes.  Its not so easy to envision those simply by nature of being there, creating a party like outcome.  Granted the participants can get pretty rowdy at times...but that is only because they just mimicked to Tour De France in place and lived to enjoy it. 

When it comes to getting American's to move their butts, it takes some leadership and marketing, not just $5000 and an idea.  Clearly half the contest ideas had perhaps one idea or some leadership, but few had both, let alone any real organization. 

Biking is enjoying a wave in our nation, and yet we seriously lag so many other nations.  Our infrastructure while improving is still lacking.  Bike sharing is going big, only because we are turning the bikes into rolling billboards, which is just plain wrong and sad.  Bike co-ops fascinate me in all the good they have the opportunity to do.  Educate, recycle, skills training on numerous levels, employment, volunteerism, bridging barriers from gender to age, to race and certainly religion.

Forgive me for stating the obvious, but imagine if instead of going to a theater and turning a night out for nearly a 100 people into a horror show, if instead the shooter, and intelligent person clearly, had taken a bike apart, put it together in some unique way, and gotten his aggression out by ripping apart a road coarse or bike trail? 

There really is not way to measure the "Good" that can come of biking or many other such activities.  We need to dedicate so much more funding and research to that idea.

Thanks all for allowing my violation of the think take rules and allowing my thoughts to wander about.  I'll stop babbling now.  And thank you Victor for your responses and kind thoughts.  You are right, I wanted to check the others out, and did before I wrote. 

Safe Rides Everyone!

Live Well!  Be Well!  Ride On!

Matt

-----Original Message-----
From: plan b NOLA Bike Project <nolabikeproject@gmail.com>
To: The Think Tank <thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org>
Sent: Tue, Jul 24, 2012 4:41 pm
Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Please help if you can.

Matt, Thank you for being so thoughtful and erudite in your response. It's vastly appreciated. If you really want to shake your head, you should check out the "Pedal Power" initiative. That one made me really blow my top, being insidious because it seems to fit the category, but when you read the summary, it has nothing to do with it. Go on, you know you want to check it out!

Thanks again!

-Victor

On Tue, Jul 24, 2012 at 2:38 PM, <mfen651@aol.com> wrote:
Victor,

Pleased to be able to offer the support in the form of a vote.  Thank you also for your time to respond and clarify your stance where your competitors are concerned. 

If you look at the comment sections of each of the top four competitors, including your own organizations, you'll see I made my view points known.  You were clear from the start, and I mostly agree with you, which is why in part you got my vote.

As an entrepreneur and long time business professional, I have learned to look at things in a number of ways, not the least of which is efficiency.  

As I read the explanation of the Garden Growing organization, it was clear they where not using the funds if they'd won for the stated purpose, but rather to cover indirect costs.  Granted, it still helped them reach the intended goal, but not efficiently. So they lost my vote.  Plus there are many such programs run on a much more organic level that would better use the funds, and also, not replicate the effort.

When I looked at the Epitome Project, I could only shake my head.  And I have a lot of back ground in the arts, particularly the music and theater world.  On so many levels, that project just is not....period.  That is all I'll say about that.

That brought it down to both your organization and the first ascender organization. On so many levels you are both needed, and excellent.  If I had been able to split the vote, I might have done so.  (I might point out at this point though, that I am a die hard cyclist and therefore without a doubt prejudiced.)

However, the idea of embedding early on human powered transport, and in general providing transport is a practical aspect that your program provides that rock climbing does not.  

At the same time presenting the opportunity to discover, learn or otherwise become aware of mechanical aptitude is also a problem solving skill and one badly needed in our nation, that may well translate into an occupational skill, some thing else that rock climbing does not directly offer, though it may well enhance similar skill sets.  And at the end of the day in the US of A...the ability to earn a living, and have a "job" is what it is all about, no?

I am in the midst of planning a new and much lower key venture than I've taken on in a long time.  I call it a cycle-centric fitness venture, as it fuses both health and fitness, and my love of cycling.  Following the "think tank" of bike collectives has also gotten me to thinking of somehow incorporating a bike co-op aspect to my plan.  Not sure just how yet, but I am interested in learning more to make it happen. 

So keep doing what you are doing, and you seem to be doing it well.  Enjoyed wandering about your web site too.  Simple, clean and very nice.  Particularly like the way who ever did it, went out of their way to explain the Friday "sissy" night theme.

Thanks again, and best of luck with the contest.

Matt  




-----Original Message-----
From: Plan B <nolabikeproject@gmail.com>
To: The Think Tank <thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org>
Sent: Tue, Jul 24, 2012 3:08 pm
Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Please help if you can.

Matt,

Thanks for the vote. I was talking about the Epitome project, specifically. It's an outdoor social justice grant and while theirs (The Epitome Project) is a noble cause, it's definitely mis-categorized, having to do with the arts, specifically. There are other grants, some even larger that they could apply for. Also, as I stated in the earlier email, "I really don't mind if the garden project or the rock climbing project win", I was talking about first ascenders specifically, they definitely have a good idea and it would be great if they won.

I'm the type of person that never even cheats at Scrabble or Monopoly. If the win isn't pure, it's not deserved and all fair competition is welcome; I'm also the first to cry foul when I perceive something off in a competition. The same topic about having a mis-matched project to the competition has been brought up in the Epitome Project's comment post section.

Thanks for the insight. Since we're a local project, we can only hope to impact the underserved in our area, although we are always trying to increase our outreach, we've only made a small dent in Jefferson Parish (county, to you, probably), and a slightly larger one in St. Bernard Parish, which is suburban/rural with a rapidly growing bike-infrastructure.

Our constant mission is to keep our stand time and tool use free, which we have been successful at accomplishing for over a decade. Also, no one is ever turned away from a class for lack of funds. At the same time, we do need to recognize that some have inherent privilege over others due to perceived race or class, etc. We try to have constant awareness and combat social injustice in it's myriad incarnations, including economic disparity, which crosses all lines.

Thanks again for your vote and allowing me to clarify a few things. The initial email may have been unclear.
 
Victor Pizarro
Project Organizer
Plan B, The New Orleans Community Bike Project
On 7/24/2012 1:40 PM, mfen651@aol.com wrote:
Victor, (and Everyone).

Please excuse me for a paragraph of two if I use this public forum to respond to Victors request. 

First Bravo for finding this opportunity and then reaching out to the community to close the gap.  You got my vote for those two reasons alone. 

I had a hard time to be honest and almost went with firstacenders.org. 

I wish you and your organization the best.  You'll see I also wrote a comment on the site after I voted.  I hope you'll read it and consider it as you continue to move the organization forward. 

No longer can we assume geographic location is an indicator of need or lack of need, risk or lack of risk.  The services of organizations like yours and the other, are as needed today in suburbia as they ever were in the inner cities. 

Wish all a very successful, safe and wonderful summer season.

Thanks,

Matt Fenichel




-----Original Message-----
From: Plan B <nolabikeproject@gmail.com>
To: The Think Tank <thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org>
Sent: Tue, Jul 24, 2012 12:55 pm
Subject: [TheThinkTank] Please help if you can.

Okay y'all, here's the deal.
 
http://outdoors.maker.good.is/projects/bikeproject

We're in the running for a $5,000 vote based grant. If we get it, we're giving away 100 re-cycled bikes along with lights, patch kits, and a basic maintenance class. We're teaming up with our local advocacy group ( www.bikeasy.org )for the selection process to make sure it goes to the needy and underserved of New Orleans. We have been fluctuating between #1 and #4 out of 115 entries. The grant is supposed to be for "Social justice in the outdoors". Not to shit talk, but currently in first place is "The Epitome Project", which is noble, BUT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE OUTDOORS. I really don't mind if the garden project or the rock climbing project win, but the fact that project to fund musicians on the other side of the planet is in a dead heat with projects that do work with much larger local impact (and actually fit the grant competition category) is a little bothersome.

Could you vote for us (or whoever you think will do the most good with the money?) The easiest way is with facebook. Doing it with email is fine too, but you have to confirm your vote afterwards.

Here's the link again.  http://outdoors.maker.good.is/projects/bikeproject

Their website can be a little sluggish at times. Please be patient.

Also, if you could spread the word, I'd really, really love y'all for it! Just cut and paste on your Facebook platform!

See you at BikeBikeX in New Orleans 2013!!!!!!!!

Thanks so much for reading this!!!!
-- 
Victor Pizarro
Project Organizer
Plan B, The New Orleans Community Bike Project
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--
Victor Pizarro
Project Organizer
Plan B, The New Orleans Community Bike Project

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