Friedman & the Greening of America

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/15/magazine/15green.t.html?_r=1&ref=magazine&oref=slogin

just breezed through this article, Friedman's sounds like he has nailed it again. Be curious to see what you think.

Bica Cafe=Carbon Neutral

From my quick read, only when sustainable/renewable energy is scalable to carbon/petro will it make the quantum leap that it most certainly can. This, to all those fucking neo-cons, will require government intervention (i.e. higher taxes in fuel, incentives for alternative, ect.)
Just image if the mighty hand of capatalism could be wielded on developing alternative energy sources. That would radically change shit.

From Field to Object

I'm all hung up on space. What does the space of this cafe provide for? What unanticipated things can unfold? Been reading this cat (Stan Allen), an architect who design in this way. His whole thing, boiled way down, it that form doesn' matter as much as the space between form. Basically, how do you design a scaffold/support for multiple interactions to occur. Think about spaces that are successful? These spaces are NOT strickly programmed for one purpose. One use. One way of being in it. A interesting and alive space allows for its enironment to seep in and then watches the multiple users, forces, players, interact and create something new. Think central park, a good multi-use trail (bikers, hikers, a guy with a cross-bow). Its a space that is not closed off, but porous and open. When we look for spaces we should think like this and think about the different activities from the community that can take place. (one idea I had was a small "warm-up" room, maybe a trainer, couple weights, riders could warm up (or cool down) with a spin and a bica)

here's a link to his website (it's fairly cryptic) and an article that he wrote . . . check it . . . .

http://www.stanallenarchitect.com/v1/
http://www.hum.ku.dk/visuelkultur/efteraar2002/DIGVIS/allenfieldcondition.html

A Philosophy

We should start by asking a series of questions.
What is our philosophy/misson?
What is the best location?
What kind of people do we want to attract?
How do we plan for something that we never done!
How can I get a new bike out of this (OK not related but always thinking).

So maybe we come up with a list of questions, or models from other cafes we have been to, menus, food types, ect. and just start dumping them into different posts (we can create a post for each category to organize ideas, like you should probably do a food one my brother, oh and definately a post of past/present/future rides with pics . . .)

Let's just use this as a place to get ideas down and go from there . . . . .

Who belongs at Bica Cafe?

Role call!

Are you a Cologno-ridin', Assos and Rudy Project-wearin', Hybrid SUV-drivin', Starbucks skim double shot cappuccino with sugar-free vanilla-drinkin', local-seasonal-organic "I'll have what Michael Pollan is having" omega-3 and antioxidant-eatin', Colbert Report-watchin', Onion-readin' liberal (but not the freaky, radical kind) who is ready to upgrade from the bobo-metro-globo-gastro-pseudo-jocko lifestyle? Ask yourself if it is worth doing if nobody will ever know. Are personal heroics worth it if the price is eternal societal anonymity. Red pill, blue pill, beeotch.