a spirit
of creation born
from chaos
of humans
of machines
dancing to death
night and morn'
some laws
applied
some not
riding the seasons
casting small spells
weaving short tales
with kindred spirits
sowing seeds
meeting needs
rolling together
over
community's
fertile ground
our mass
bodies and bikes
safe and unsafe
we must act
direct
to
direct
our fates
we do what we like
and we won't
stop
the future
is ours
ride till you drop
so come
roll with me
safe as you see
fit
in this year
two zero
one
three
Monday, January 7, 2013
Thursday, April 5, 2012
March-April
This happened:
Streetsblog has been ignoring this story for a long time, but I am glad they picked it up.
Kudos to Time's Up for putting together the footage and getting it out there. Kudos to all Critical Mass participants who still dare to ride.
But dont' worry...the end is near. CHECK IT!! BIKE CHECK!!!
I hope y'all can come out. STRIKE EVERYWHERE! BIKE EVERYWHERE! #A27 and #M1GS
BUT until then, why not enjoy some leisurely, family-style Critical Mass in south-central Brooklyn?
Ditmass <3 Rides is a local, grassroots Mass that happens nearly every Friday 7pm in front of the Cortelyou Branch of the Library in Ditmas Park.
Of course, tomorrow is also 1st Friday, so cyclists are free to meet at Union Square North at 7pm and ride somewhere together. I am not sure what I am doing yet, but I am feeling the leisure of staying in Brooklyn. Perhaps 1st Friday Critical Mass can meet us at Grand Army Plaza in Brookyln at 8???
Bike Safe, Bike Love, Bike Everywhere, Strike Everywhere! But especially, my bike love, ride with all due care!
Streetsblog has been ignoring this story for a long time, but I am glad they picked it up.
Kudos to Time's Up for putting together the footage and getting it out there. Kudos to all Critical Mass participants who still dare to ride.
But dont' worry...the end is near. CHECK IT!! BIKE CHECK!!!
I hope y'all can come out. STRIKE EVERYWHERE! BIKE EVERYWHERE! #A27 and #M1GS
BUT until then, why not enjoy some leisurely, family-style Critical Mass in south-central Brooklyn?
Ditmass <3 Rides is a local, grassroots Mass that happens nearly every Friday 7pm in front of the Cortelyou Branch of the Library in Ditmas Park.
Of course, tomorrow is also 1st Friday, so cyclists are free to meet at Union Square North at 7pm and ride somewhere together. I am not sure what I am doing yet, but I am feeling the leisure of staying in Brooklyn. Perhaps 1st Friday Critical Mass can meet us at Grand Army Plaza in Brookyln at 8???
Bike Safe, Bike Love, Bike Everywhere, Strike Everywhere! But especially, my bike love, ride with all due care!
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Post #M17 arrest inital reflections
Spring is here!
Of course I can not yet divorce my perspective from my privilege as a white, educated, cis-male from this experience, but I hope these sincere words fall upon open ears & hearts. My apologies if anyone is offended. There are many complex nuances to be processed.
WATCH! Livestream of events leading up to what might be considered a police riot
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/21181713
Myself and 17 others were inexplicably released with our charges dropped at 3 am on Monday. Dozens of others remain in custody and are only just now seeing a judge, including people seriously injured who were denied medical attention and placed in solitary and/or highly abusive conditions for much of our 27+ hours of detainment in the "justice" system. Please do what you can to offer support in jails, courts, and show solidarity in the streets and your communities.
LOVE TO ALL MY BEAUTIFUL BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
Down with Bloomberg & Kelly!
Demolish the prisons!
All out May Day! No Work, all play!
Everyday since has been utter magic, spiraling outward, into the streets, spiraling inward, into our hearts.
All I can really say at this moment is I am humbled by the place and moment in time I exist. And I am not likely going to give up.
Of course I can not yet divorce my perspective from my privilege as a white, educated, cis-male from this experience, but I hope these sincere words fall upon open ears & hearts. My apologies if anyone is offended. There are many complex nuances to be processed.
WATCH! Livestream of events leading up to what might be considered a police riot
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/21181713
Myself and 17 others were inexplicably released with our charges dropped at 3 am on Monday. Dozens of others remain in custody and are only just now seeing a judge, including people seriously injured who were denied medical attention and placed in solitary and/or highly abusive conditions for much of our 27+ hours of detainment in the "justice" system. Please do what you can to offer support in jails, courts, and show solidarity in the streets and your communities.
LOVE TO ALL MY BEAUTIFUL BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
Down with Bloomberg & Kelly!
Demolish the prisons!
All out May Day! No Work, all play!
Everyday since has been utter magic, spiraling outward, into the streets, spiraling inward, into our hearts.
All I can really say at this moment is I am humbled by the place and moment in time I exist. And I am not likely going to give up.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
MORE FUN PICS! #NYPD #BikeNYC
R.I.P. Mathieu. And too many others.
NYPD fall guys, claiming they don't have the resources to enforce traffic laws/
Susan Petito, Assistant Commissioner (to absent Ray Kelly) reaches down to snatch your civil rights with legal mumbo-jumbo and take away any chance at justice through sheer incompetence!
February 2012 Critical Mass NYC: 13 NYPD motor vehicles, 5 cyclists. Police were present for two hours at a minimum, did not give chase to the cyclist horde. Number of foreign tourists who came to check out Critical Mass: 3. WELCOME TO NEW YORK!
Friday, February 24, 2012
#FTP #CriticalMass #BikeNYC #OWS 7pm tonight
Okay, so I am finally posting. I was having trouble expressing myself on in 140-or-less on my Twitter account (@critmasspanic). Also my pathetic plea to my facebook "friends" to accompany an "invite" for "F*ck Ur Cliques & Ur Scenes - Lets ride!" (Critical Mass, obviously) just was not coming together right. Lastly, I promised myself I would at least drop a mass e-mail to let folks know the cool shit going down. Or potentially going down, with a little participation in creating the world we want to see, from you, dear readers. So without further ado, a brief rant, and some suggested events you might attend.
The NYPD have been in the hot seat a lot lately, especially following last week's city council hearing on the utter failure to hold anyone accountable for traffic "accidents." I tried (but mostly failed) to speak eloquently on the record about the utter waste of resources, the (further) corruption of police culture, and the failure of NYPD leadership, as the embodied by Critical Mass. I kinda just rambled for a spell (as I am clearly wont to do), instead of stating the facts: On February 3rd, 9 NYPD vehicles were deployed to follow 7 cyclists. One week earlier on January 27th, 15 NYPD motor vehicles were deployed to Union Square to intimidate 5 cyclists.
Yet NYPD can't muster the resources to take murdering motorists off the streets. It is revolting.
Trying to depict the inner beauty of the NYPD at the hearing.
So what can we do to it? The Critical Mass story is no longer noteworthy. Its normal. Just like the racist stop & frisk, racist unconstitutional spying, senseless murder, brutality, rape, lying, ticket fixing, kettling, etc etc etc. I for one, refuse to accept it as normal. Fuck this creeping facism.
But how can we get accountability from Bloomberg's private army? If we keep waiting for the Mayor or Governor or the Feds to fix this, we are gonna be waiting a long time. Lets take a cue from OWS and make our own media, tell our own story, until it can no longer be ignored. Many dedicated folks have documented NYPD at Critical Mass over the years, but we can push it even further. I know we can make this effort massive. In solidarity with the communities of color, with the families of victims of traffic violence, with the Muslim community, with women. I am ready to say fuck the bikes, lets just get masses of people. Everyone is welcome to Union Square on the last Friday of the month, because everyone deserves to be safe in New York City. OUR CITY.
Which is why tonight is a time to come out. Its gonna be a little rainy. Its not gonna be a bunch of people ready to ride bikes. It will, however, be a bunch of NYPD goons wasting our money to serve and protect the flow of automotive traffic. Let's highlight this disproportionate use of force. Lets document the shit of this waste. Keep hitting that blue wall until it finally cracks and breaks.
That, or lets ditch the pigs and ride and have fun.
NYC Critical Mass - 7pm Union Square North
Okay, well I am glad I got that off my chest. Here are a few other happenings I would highly recommend you bring bike, body, and buddies to.
Sunday 2/26
Occupy Town Square III: Tompkins Square Park - 11 am to 5pm WE MAKE IT TOGETHER!
Monday 2/27
Seed Ball Bike Ride - 2pm Zuccotti Park - Will definitely be a fun part of F27: Occupy the Food Supply!!
Wednesday 2/29 LEAP DAY!!!
Shut Down Corporations on #F29 with #OccupyWallStreet - 9am Bryant Park - This day will see actions across the country. Bike Bloc definitely encouraged.
Follow me on twitter for the latest from all these happenings @critmasspanic, use hashtags #F27 #F29 #BikeBloc
Alright that is plenty. Ride with love in your heart, solidarity in your mind, and courage through your whole body!
Peace,
Mellow Yellow
The NYPD have been in the hot seat a lot lately, especially following last week's city council hearing on the utter failure to hold anyone accountable for traffic "accidents." I tried (but mostly failed) to speak eloquently on the record about the utter waste of resources, the (further) corruption of police culture, and the failure of NYPD leadership, as the embodied by Critical Mass. I kinda just rambled for a spell (as I am clearly wont to do), instead of stating the facts: On February 3rd, 9 NYPD vehicles were deployed to follow 7 cyclists. One week earlier on January 27th, 15 NYPD motor vehicles were deployed to Union Square to intimidate 5 cyclists.
Yet NYPD can't muster the resources to take murdering motorists off the streets. It is revolting.
Trying to depict the inner beauty of the NYPD at the hearing.
So what can we do to it? The Critical Mass story is no longer noteworthy. Its normal. Just like the racist stop & frisk, racist unconstitutional spying, senseless murder, brutality, rape, lying, ticket fixing, kettling, etc etc etc. I for one, refuse to accept it as normal. Fuck this creeping facism.
But how can we get accountability from Bloomberg's private army? If we keep waiting for the Mayor or Governor or the Feds to fix this, we are gonna be waiting a long time. Lets take a cue from OWS and make our own media, tell our own story, until it can no longer be ignored. Many dedicated folks have documented NYPD at Critical Mass over the years, but we can push it even further. I know we can make this effort massive. In solidarity with the communities of color, with the families of victims of traffic violence, with the Muslim community, with women. I am ready to say fuck the bikes, lets just get masses of people. Everyone is welcome to Union Square on the last Friday of the month, because everyone deserves to be safe in New York City. OUR CITY.
Which is why tonight is a time to come out. Its gonna be a little rainy. Its not gonna be a bunch of people ready to ride bikes. It will, however, be a bunch of NYPD goons wasting our money to serve and protect the flow of automotive traffic. Let's highlight this disproportionate use of force. Lets document the shit of this waste. Keep hitting that blue wall until it finally cracks and breaks.
That, or lets ditch the pigs and ride and have fun.
NYC Critical Mass - 7pm Union Square North
Okay, well I am glad I got that off my chest. Here are a few other happenings I would highly recommend you bring bike, body, and buddies to.
Sunday 2/26
Occupy Town Square III: Tompkins Square Park - 11 am to 5pm WE MAKE IT TOGETHER!
Monday 2/27
Seed Ball Bike Ride - 2pm Zuccotti Park - Will definitely be a fun part of F27: Occupy the Food Supply!!
Wednesday 2/29 LEAP DAY!!!
Shut Down Corporations on #F29 with #OccupyWallStreet - 9am Bryant Park - This day will see actions across the country. Bike Bloc definitely encouraged.
Follow me on twitter for the latest from all these happenings @critmasspanic, use hashtags #F27 #F29 #BikeBloc
Alright that is plenty. Ride with love in your heart, solidarity in your mind, and courage through your whole body!
Peace,
Mellow Yellow
Monday, October 24, 2011
Well it has been forever, but I am finally bored enough...
...to update this blog. I hope you voted using my fancy new widget at the top of the page. It is some hot fresh, free code courtesy Google and Princeton which will no doubt further aid in our quest to #OCCUPY our future. If you are curious about what the hell I have been up to I would reccommend getting out of the stone ages and getting on twitter, or at least google @critmasspanic to see what I have been up to. My youtube channel has gotten a few uploads and hella views as I #OccupySanJose...
There is so much I want to tell you, dear internet: about my creative desperation while working with my father at the start of the year, or about how awesome bike month was in NYC, the WORLD NAKED BIKE RIDE in NYC (wnbrnyc.tumblr.com), or about how that shit got postponed, then pwned by NYPD, but we fuckin outlasted them until they had to give us permission to run the red lights. Or about how nuclear radiation is killing us all more quickly now, despite Time's Up!'s massive banners. I'd love to go on and on (with pics and video) about my amazing bike tour with @nyctimesup volunteers down to North Carolina which was pretty much the best way to spend August without a doubt. OR HOW OCCUPY WALL STREET and the subsequent globalrevolution (livestream.com/globalrevolution) has eroded my cynicism and given me hope in the future. I won't really get into how Bike Party has basically replaced CM in the Bay Area as the awesome place to smoke pot and ride with a thousands of other cyclists, but I can confirm that I LOVE DUBSTEP now because of it. I wish I could mourn the lives unneccesarily lost to automobiles in NYC. But all I can say is Fuck the NYPD. Don't let Ray Kelly become our next mayor or FBI director. See the widget above to learn how you can help without leaving your couch while the internet porn or the fucking episode of Gossip Girl buffers. Or get down to wall street. Anyhow. The future continues to become the present which continues to be incredibly fun and interesting if you just decide to stop being a tool and a fool sometimes, so I probably wont get into detail on any of the above until I retire at age 35. Buy my book!
Lastly, I should mention that the biggest fucking Critical Mass that NYC has seen in 7 years is happening this Friday 7pm Union Square north. Scary costumes, scary masses, scary cars, and of course, over-worked, scary police, followed by a crowded and scary after party at C-Squat by Times-Up! Be there with mask and lights, and know your rights we will occupy the streets like nobody can do business.
On a final note, if you are a billionaire, (corrupt) politician or (abusive) cop, be sure to gaze into your future and check out the sad fate of Muammar Gaddafi on the YouTube!
OMG i almost forgot I sold out and you can friend me on FACEBOOK now. Just decode this hippy song to find out my name!
There is so much I want to tell you, dear internet: about my creative desperation while working with my father at the start of the year, or about how awesome bike month was in NYC, the WORLD NAKED BIKE RIDE in NYC (wnbrnyc.tumblr.com), or about how that shit got postponed, then pwned by NYPD, but we fuckin outlasted them until they had to give us permission to run the red lights. Or about how nuclear radiation is killing us all more quickly now, despite Time's Up!'s massive banners. I'd love to go on and on (with pics and video) about my amazing bike tour with @nyctimesup volunteers down to North Carolina which was pretty much the best way to spend August without a doubt. OR HOW OCCUPY WALL STREET and the subsequent globalrevolution (livestream.com/globalrevolution) has eroded my cynicism and given me hope in the future. I won't really get into how Bike Party has basically replaced CM in the Bay Area as the awesome place to smoke pot and ride with a thousands of other cyclists, but I can confirm that I LOVE DUBSTEP now because of it. I wish I could mourn the lives unneccesarily lost to automobiles in NYC. But all I can say is Fuck the NYPD. Don't let Ray Kelly become our next mayor or FBI director. See the widget above to learn how you can help without leaving your couch while the internet porn or the fucking episode of Gossip Girl buffers. Or get down to wall street. Anyhow. The future continues to become the present which continues to be incredibly fun and interesting if you just decide to stop being a tool and a fool sometimes, so I probably wont get into detail on any of the above until I retire at age 35. Buy my book!
Lastly, I should mention that the biggest fucking Critical Mass that NYC has seen in 7 years is happening this Friday 7pm Union Square north. Scary costumes, scary masses, scary cars, and of course, over-worked, scary police, followed by a crowded and scary after party at C-Squat by Times-Up! Be there with mask and lights, and know your rights we will occupy the streets like nobody can do business.
On a final note, if you are a billionaire, (corrupt) politician or (abusive) cop, be sure to gaze into your future and check out the sad fate of Muammar Gaddafi on the YouTube!
OMG i almost forgot I sold out and you can friend me on FACEBOOK now. Just decode this hippy song to find out my name!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Bike Massive WINNING!!!
It is my solemn duty and honor to inform you that this Friday is the last Friday of the month of March, which makes it Critical Mass around the world. 7pm Union Square North.
"Why would I want to do a bike ride that is guaranteed to be harassed by the NYPD?" You might be thinking...well, the truth is that now is the time to revive NYC CM because cyclists are, after many years of battling for the right to ride safely, we are finally WINNING!
Ray Kelly and the NYPD have taken their bicycle bias a bit too far, publicly demonstrating their utter incompetence. They are now on the defensive...
The Haters of safer streets like Prospect Park West have been called out by the cycling clowns at Time's Up, shaming them only slightly more than they had already publicly shamed themselves...
And the heavy-weight, washed-up politicians are running scared from the image their inside dealings has wrought...
Ride Solidarity! with the cyclists of Porto Alegre...
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY...
Spring is here and the world is most beautiful when we ride our bikes together with peace, love, and respect for all.
Reclaiming Critical Mass from the NYPD with lawful & respectful riding in huge numbers WILL break the bikelash!
I am just sorry I won't be there to see it. And it is supposed to be raining in San Francisco :(
BIKE LOVE,
Mellow P. Yellow
Cyclist
Please spread the word if you believe we can change the world together.
"Why would I want to do a bike ride that is guaranteed to be harassed by the NYPD?" You might be thinking...well, the truth is that now is the time to revive NYC CM because cyclists are, after many years of battling for the right to ride safely, we are finally WINNING!
Ray Kelly and the NYPD have taken their bicycle bias a bit too far, publicly demonstrating their utter incompetence. They are now on the defensive...
The Haters of safer streets like Prospect Park West have been called out by the cycling clowns at Time's Up, shaming them only slightly more than they had already publicly shamed themselves...
And the heavy-weight, washed-up politicians are running scared from the image their inside dealings has wrought...
Ride Solidarity! with the cyclists of Porto Alegre...
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY...
Spring is here and the world is most beautiful when we ride our bikes together with peace, love, and respect for all.
Reclaiming Critical Mass from the NYPD with lawful & respectful riding in huge numbers WILL break the bikelash!
I am just sorry I won't be there to see it. And it is supposed to be raining in San Francisco :(
BIKE LOVE,
Mellow P. Yellow
Cyclist
Please spread the word if you believe we can change the world together.
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