Cycle Jerks

Words via BikeDenver.org…

“BIKE DENVER CALL TO ACTION!
The Bike Denver Board asks you to take time out of your schedule to attend an historic event Wednesday, January 14. Denver is poised to become the first U.S. city to introduce a large-scale permanent bike share program. Please come out, with your friends, family and co-workers, to support Mayor Hickenlooper as he announces plans to launch Denver’s Bike Share Program this summer!! Ride your bike and/or bring your helmet to identify yourself as a BikeDenver supporter. We need your participation to help demonstrate that citizens support key initiatives like this that will increase ridership and improve infrastructure for cyclists in Denver. Time and place below. . . .

See you at 11:15am on Wednesday!

The BikeDenver Board of Directors:
Gary Rossmiller, Lise Neer, Brendan Leonard, Malia Campbell, Aaron Henry, Robert Clark, Will Handsfield, and Dennis Lima

_____________

You’re invited to Denver B-cycle Launch Event!
Join Denver Mayor Hickenlooper as he kicks-off Denver B-cycle! The Mayor will hold a launch event at the Wellington Webb Municipal Building to kick-off the Denver B-cycle pilot program for city employees as well as announce plans for the Citywide Bike Sharing program which will begin Summer 2009.

Location: Wellington Webb Municipal Building’s 14th St. Entrance
201 West Colfax Ave.
Denver, CO 80202

Time: Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 11:15 a.m. (NOTE – the date and time has changed from the previously scheduled time of Tuesday at 1 p.m.)

Bike on down and join the launch of Denver B-cycle!”

)I just found this video on the Fabric Horse blog after I bought a new hip pouch/ fanny pack. Fucking rad. They’re having a sale right now, go buy something! Support small business!

“Sponsored by this new social activism group in SF called Virgance, the project aims to use collective consumption to influence business. Not a brand new idea, sure, but by staging real events where tons of people meet up and buy things all at once, Carrotmob increases awareness of the cause while building evidence for this new strategy.” From Fabric Horse.

Carrotmob Makes It Rain from carrotmob on Vimeo.

Go buy a bicycle ride encouraging, handmade gift for a friend!

Hope everyone’s Thanksgiving was pleasant and filling. You’re at the Bike Soccer Tournament right now at Civic Center Park, right?

A friend of ours sent this our way. If you’re down for the cause head over to Denver District Courthouse at 1437 Bannock (adjacent to Civic Center Park) on Saturday morning. You can find info on what Proposition 8 is here.

“This Saturday from 11:30-2:30 in City Hall, there is going to be protest against California’s passing of Prop 8 (the defense of marriage amendment). Obviously, there was not a similar initiative on this year’s Colorado ballots, but our state does have a sad (and recent) history of passing anti-gay constitutional amendments. With the success of Prop 8 in California, it is likely that similar initiatives will be placed on our ballots in the next round of elections. One of our best hopes to reverse the damage done by Prop 8 is to pressure our state and federal governments to take action. Personally, I don’t think protests always do that much to influence government, but at the least they raise an issue to the public’s attention and can serve as a energizing focus to launch a campaign.

So if you’re interested, and if you’ve got friends that are interested, in some old fashion drunk ass screaming with a bunch of queers… get on down to city hall this Saturday round 11:30. Ok, most everyone else probably won’t be drunk, but that doesn’t mean the messengers have to be sober.”

Oh, drunken messenger stereotypes. It’s funny cuz it’s true.

My best friend Kath of The Animal Protection and Rescue League (APRL) of San Diego has been working for animal rights our whole lives. For over the past year she has been working to pass Proposition 2, to ban gestation crates (cages for mother pigs), battery cages (for chickens), and veal crates (for calves), in California. Details on the benefits of this Proposition here.

I just want to congratulate all the people who worked so hard in California to get this passed!
If you live in San Diego go visit the APRL Thrift Store at 5497 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.,San Diego, 92117, call them at 858-541-0240
Hours: 10am-8pm Mon. - Sat., and 11am-6pm Sun.

If you missed the first meeting now’s your chance to get involved! Run down to Pablo’s later today to meet with Gary and some other rad people interested in making our cycling community larger, stronger, and more sustainable.

“To whom it may concern:
There will be a second meeting of the proposed Frame Building Collective
This is wide open to all.
We had a great meeting last week and have proposed that this meeting deal with:
- the creation of a unified vision among all collective members.
- the articulation of individual needs as they relate to the nature of our collective.

This is an exciting time in cycling and in the history of our planet. We feel people are ready to create lives that realistically evolve around using a bike for work and pleasure. Please join us as we articulate; how, what, where, and when all of us can share equally in an entity that will have far reaching positive consequences for our village/community and our needy world.

What to bring: A notebook, your dreams, vision, energy, and something to write with.

Time: 7:30
Date: Sunday, October 19th
Location: Pablo’s Coffee
www.pabloscoffee.com
630 E 6th Ave
Denver, CO 80203
Map”

Sen questions to burdenistic[at]gmail[dot]com

To all interested people:


Proposed intent to create a bicycle frame building collective

This is a call to ALL interested. You need not be a; frame builder, bike mechanic or have any current knowledge regarding the aforementioned.

This is the initial meeting and we are completely starting from scratch so all are welcome to attend.
The one requirement is an open mind and a commitment to cycling, global change and healing. If you are riding a bike already for transportation that would be nice; but not required to attend.
This will be a meeting for all interested parties to assess; the viability, vision, and mission involved in the creation of a bicycle frame building coop.

This will NOT be a lecture or presentation. This your meeting to explore the viability of the creation of a frame building collective by you, the attendees.

There will be people in attendance with experience in collectivism, welding, frame building and bike repair.

The initial frames proposed will be as follows:

A bicycle frame made of steel designed to be used in the city. Braze-ons for racks, panniers, fenders, and disc brakes will be necessary as well as frame geometry that will afford easy maneuverability in traffic and a riding position suited for city riding.
A bicycle designed to carry goods from groceries to building materials. To wit a bike to viably replace a car or a truck.

Structure of the collective

The collective will be a decentralized collective for profit. A place to work full time, or part time, paid or volunteer. Benefits and compensation to be determined by YOU!
The purpose of the structure is to circumvent: the disparate; pay, class/skill structure that develops within a capitalist entity. Capitalism always places financial levels where there are few ruling the work of many while the many that do the work reap the least of the benefits. I reject this model in a society where as humans we all have the same value and basic needs and can collectively create a high level of quality that is; valuable, robust and competitive in any marketplace. A completely egalitarian structure: We all work, we all make the same, we all have the same voice, and we all share in liability of our products and services.

This collective will not be supported nor will it accept donations or goods in exchange for marketing. Logo[ing] or co opting from any organizations that run a foul of our core principals. Our frames are for sale, we are not.

A proposed vision and intent

People, this is an exciting time in cycling and on our planet. Everyday more people are rejecting the current powerless destructive world view and yearn deeply for societal structures that eliminate pollution at all levels; air, water, spirit and mind. I graciously invite your; visions, your ideas and your commitment to a creating a collective that will be a realistic example of commitment and collectivism based on the principals of egalitarianism, cycling for life, car elimination and the generation of sustenance and profit.

I have not one iota of doubt of the possibilities and the favorable outcome of our efforts. It will be hard work, long hours and low pay to begin with. However, we all work very hard now; why not dedicate to something we can put our whole souls behind with manifold benefits that will infuse all with the power to change our world here and now.

Proposed Collective functions

It is proposed that the following goods, services and features be included:

-Frame building workshops
-Frames built by qualified collective members for sale to the public.
-Community outreach to persons in need.
-Frame repair.
-Community activism regarding cycling issues.
-GLTB community outreach regarding frame building and cycling issues.
-Frame alteration and re-augmentation to meet specific needs. i.e. Commuting, long term loaded bike touring and the alteration of existing frames recreated to haul and carry loads.

A special note regarding issues of: Race, age, nationality, native language, gender and sexual identity: ALL ARE WELCOME TO CELEBRATE A COLLECTIVE VISION THAT INCLUDES ALL IN ATTENDANCE TO PRACTICE; RESPECT, KINDNESS AND COMPASSION FOR EVERY CREATURE ON THIS PLANET.

IT IS PROPOSED THE ENTITY BE INTENTIONALLY RICH IN DIVERSITY AND REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL PEOPLE FROM EVERY CORNER OF THIS PLANET AND EVERY CULTURE IN EXISTENCE.

One last note: If you are fearful of; chaos, disorganization, compromise, consensus, patience, respectful reasoning, egoless coalition building, open mindedness, forgiveness, change, cognitive evolution, freedom, and compassion: LEAVE YOUR FEAR AT THE DOOR AND GET OVER IT, we got work to do!

What to bring: A notebook, your dreams, vision, energy, and something to write with.
Time: 5:30
Date: Sunday, October 12th
Location: Pablo’s Coffee
630 E 6th Ave
Denver, CO 80203
www.pabloscoffee.com
Map

Any questions may be directed to Gary at burdenistic[at]gmail[dot]com

“On September 26, we will watch the first presidential debate of this election.
The next day, the candidates will watch us.”
- From GreenJobsNow.com

Next Saturday, September 27th, 1Sky.org, GreenJobsNow.com, and WeCanSolveit.org are hosting a rally and bike ride to bring awareness to the need for more green jobs! Below are details about the event and what the organization is going to accomplish. Please read and come out to show your support next week! The rally is at 10am, speakers at 11am and the ride to Washington Park is at 12pm. Bring your friends! Bring your mom! Bring your boss! We need as many people there as possible! Come and show your support for the environment and the need for green jobs!

Check it out before going to the Track Shack Grand Opening that day!
trackshackdenver.com

If you believe in the following message you should come:
Urge our elected officials to invest in creating millions of green jobs and a Clean Energy Corps. We can’t drill and burn our way out of the current crisis. We can invest and invent our way out. We can create new pathways out of poverty and curb global warming at the same time. We will do this by retooling our factories, rebuilding our communities, and repowering America with 100% clean and renewable electricity. It’s time to build an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty.

There are events going on all over Denver (Highlands, 5 points, Cheesman Park) and the rest of the US.
Find an event where you live by searching here.

1Sky’s PSA:

The following text is care of BikeDenver.org:
—-

The 1Sky campaign (www.1Sky.org) is a new national campaign that pressures the presidential candidates to take bold federal action on global warming. Our goal is to make global warming a priority and get real solutions passed. America needs solutions based on science and justice that match the scale of the problem of climate change. The 1Sky platform includes global warming emission reductions 25-40% by 2020 and 80% by 2050, a moratorium on new coal fired power plants and investment in clean and renewable technology, and the creation of 5 million new green jobs as pathways out of poverty. Transportation amounts to almost a third of global warming emissions, and supporting bikes and cyclists to make riding safe and easy is the easiest way to start reducing those emissions!

To jumpstart this campaign, there is a National Day of Action for Green Jobs. As part of the campaign, we’re going to make the National Day of Action for Green Jobs a success. Below are the details for the event. We need everyone to get involved come to these event in order to send a clear message to our leaders in Washington. The Rally starts at 10 and needs to be a visible presence of 100 people from diverse communities in order to get the media’s attention. We’ll have action booths, sign-in photo petitions, and letter writing. At 11 we’ll have three short speakers and media coverage, and at 11:30 we’ll head off to Washington Park on the Cherry Creek path and bike around Washington Park. It’s really important to have people from the ride also at the rally in order to get the visibility of how many people are involved, so please come for both!

*What: Green Jobs Rally and Ride
When: Saturday, September 27th at 10am
Starts: The Alliance Center, 1536 Wynkoop, Denver
To: Washington Park
Who: www.GreenJobsNow.com*

Climate change affects us all in some way, whether it be the health of our communities, the enjoyment of our wilderness, or the simple belief that Americans deserve an equitable and sustainable future. We need Green Jobs in order to transform us into the new green economy. Please RSVP to eleanor@greencorps.org or call at 773-750-7845 so we can know how many to expect. We hope to see you there!

Eleanor
Green Corps Field Organizer
eleanor@greencorps.org
773-750-7845

This is amazing!

The Aquaduct won this year’s Specialized/Google Innovate or Die contest’s grand prize. A five-person design team from Menlo Park, California designed this pedal-powered water filtration device to improve (and save) lives in developing countries. Read more at www.treehugger.com.

Text stolen from Urban Velo.

A small group of bikers are riding from Vancouver to Mexico for a cause, called Bike or Bust. They are working with the outreach group cityWILD to raise money for at risk teens. Donate to their cause here!

The Sierra Club (”America’s oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization.”) put out this short quiz to rate your daily cruise’s environmental impact.
Take the quiz! I rated a 95 out of 100… not baaaad.

Found on BikeDenver.org.