NOTE: All timestamps are in the future because WE are in the future. The care takers of Midnight Ridazz.com reserves the right to remove, edit, move or delete anything for any reason. None of the opinions expressed on these boards represent the Midnight Ridazz nor can anyone purport to speak on behalf of Midnight Ridazz.
I respect the fact that you own Midnight Ridazz (tm) and if anyone has a right to sell out Midnight Ridazz, you do. You can!
But just like posting that sax loop on every thread, there are some things that you CAN do, that many people will appreciate, but that undermine that sanctity of what this community is about.
But that's just my opinion. I hope The MR Brand thrives and makes you some income.
That was one of the cheapest shots I've seen in a while.
And with the wonderful analogy of Tortuga's own sax loop posting. genius!
I have no idea how the two are analogous
Seriously, I have no idea how making a store called "ibiketshirts", with like 3 midnight ridazz options and 12 i bike LA shirts.... is considered selling out Midnight Ridazz.
I suppose when RB collabs with Mattel for the Totuga Barbie, then we'll take serious RB's merchandising ventures and start thinking along the lines of selling out.
md2 responding to a comment by tortuga_veloce
08.5.10 - 7:57 am
the sax thing was funny when junes posted it. then it got old, and then tortuga started copying him because hes a truly boring person without a single creative bone in his body.
and no, we (tren way) dont want you to ride with us.
actually what's funny about the sax loop is that Tortuga believes his spamming the loop is analogous to RB selling MR t-shirts.
So either
1) Tortuga believes when he spammed the loop it was on par with selling out MR (or more broadly speaking, wrong), hence making him something like a hypocrite for calling out RB
OR
2) Tortuga believes when he spammed the loop it was actually okay to do so (given the fact he actually did it), therefore making his charge against RB all the more stupid.
either way, you get the idea that TV's posts above don't have much substance to them... he's trying, but in a way -- that's the best he has to offer for the moment.
yawn.
md2 responding to a comment by ruinedbyidiots
08.5.10 - 9:56 am
I have some high hopes for the store actually. I'd like to see it filled with stuff manufactured by the community. We have amazing artists and skilled screen printers amongst us.... It's small potatoes right now but maybe it will grow. Think of it as a co-op online shop.
You know Ian ... there is a great oversight on the list which is Midnight Ridazz is also not: "free".
Yes we use the website for free and there still no ads here.
But the bandwidth, programming, and maintenance of the site are not free.
How many of us have hit the support button since its been up there?
Because we all use Facebook and it feels "free" while culture vultures collect our consumer profiles and sell it to the highest bidder.
Not here though, you have been handed an opportunity to support Midnight Ridazz financially you can choose to donate and get nothing or donate and get a reasonably priced gift.
Most of us take for granted that Roadblock has been treating this as an unpaid job for over 5 years and payng for your sax loop posts with is time and yes money out-of-pocket. If this was a real non-profit, we would owe him at least $100k or more.
That's a lot of tee-shirts.
Of all people Ian you should understand this as you are one of the people who like to "push boundaries" here and create extra work for the admin.
Midnight Ridazz is free to use and participate in. But its existence is not free.
And it is not "commercializing" to offer people a way to support the thing they love so that it can last and grow and keep spreading bike love.
Its great to have the discussion.
But somebody as perceptive as yourself, should stop and think for a minute how much has gone into this project and how very far this thing is from looking anything like a for profit enterprise.
think on.
ride on.
trickmilla responding to a comment by tortuga_veloce
08.5.10 - 10:58 am
Good job RB! I love the site, and I for one will be supporting it. This is far from selling out or going "commercial" when the profits keep this site going, free of advertising, and helps co-ops that keep out bike community roll'n. +100000 Can't wait to see bike art on here too.
look, this isn't a million dollar operation I doubt it ever will be more than a part time gig. If we end up with a 1 day a week print schedule I will be stoked. It's also not meant to be a direct way to sustain the site other than it will help sustain myself and the ridazz who will be printing shirts and so forth which of course will make it easier to justify hosting and admining this website, but my love for LA bike culture kind of guarantees that I will find a way to host this site for as long as I possibly can whether people support it with money or not.
more than anything, I see this as a way to make some extra bucks and to provide people with stuff they want. I get hit up for shirts and schwag from time to time. this will be an orderly way of getting it out there. It will also be a way to offer things that actually do benefit the site and co-ops like the Bikery via items like the Medallions, ALC jerseys and so forth.
AIDS66 is preparing a lot of really cool shit you guys will be surprised. MidCity Misfixed is next. MR jerseys will be out there too...
next artists/rides I want to see in there:
ALEC SCHWARZ
FUZZBEAST
FUNDERSTORM
CRANK MOB
TACO TUESDAYS
FMLY
THE PASSAGE OF A FEW PEOPLE THROUGH A BRIEF MOMENT IN TIME
who else?
Roadblock responding to a comment by ToddAlmighty
08.5.10 - 2:44 pm
You started this, I didn't. You were on the first ride, you started the site, you put in the work. I know you're totally sincere about your reasons for doing this and I apologize for my tongue-in-cheek remark. Still, I do question whether this is crossing a line.
It's one thing to do a fundraising drive once a year to support the site, but this is something else. I can't help but see this as cheapening the culture that hundreds of people co-created. You don't have to agree with it, but I do want you to consider it.
I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but it doesn't get more commercial than selling a t-shirt.
you know, maybe im getting sentimental for the days when ridazz could not be bought; when it meant something to have a piece of ridazz clothing or a taco tuesday shirt.
maybe this is a good thing, but even if good comes out of this, i think it's hard to deny that we're losing something else.
Yea I agree with you on this one. I love being the only kid at my school wearing my Midnight Ridazz shirt and my I bike la. Other people that have bikes are always asking me where I got them. My answer: TOP SECRET
palucha66 responding to a comment by tortuga_veloce
08.5.10 - 11:57 pm
i mean, bobby is always asking about siku's MR jersey, but we keep telling him "you have to earn that!" i don't even wear mine because i didn't end up doing the ride.
Hi Roadblock, I've been wanting to get in touch with you re: shirt printing, but I didn't know how to contact you directly. Can you send me an email? tfunk408 at gmail dot com. This is Tong (gfunk/LBC), we've rode together on WPH before. Thanks.
How about you first figure out what's bugging you or what you see wrong the site. For now you're just being vague and blatantly calling RB out for selling out MR.
--------------------------------
Recap of Tortuga's case against RB:
I need street cred!!
ummmm, yeah RB, you're selling MR out, although I think it's okay for you to do it, but you have to admit it's like we're posting a sax loop on the forum, which people enjoy, but it destroys sanctity, right?
So basically are we crossing a line, right? Cause I think, well maybe I'm just being sentimental, because I've being riding since late 2008, when everything meant something. But maybe what you're doing is a good thing, even if we're losing something. And that's something we can agree upon.
Now let's think about Bobby.
----------------------------------
md2 responding to a comment by tortuga_veloce
08.6.10 - 7:59 am
Any guesses as to who might be the first celebrity in and out of rehab to be photographed by the paparazzi in a cool bedazzled MR tshirt? LOL.
But seriously, I like that MR is making itself accessible. When one is a part of something, he/she wants to share it with the world. Nothing wrong with that.
I've got to admit, some of those t-shirts are nice.... besides, This place is trademarked by one sole person and his name is roadblock so he can pretty much do as he wants......
I bought my La Noche des Bicyclettes Muertes shirt at Orange 20 for $20.
Double what they were being sold for on rides.
I was happy to buy it, I consider it a deal, and I rock it with pride.
Those shirts were originally used to fund All City Toy Ride's 1&2 I know for a fact that the Ridazz who printed them spent more out of pocket on the party than they made selling shirts.
The Midnight Ridazz token I wear every day around my neck was purchased at East Hollywood Art Cycle for $15 with the profits being spit by the Bikery in the Valley and MRDC.
Just the other day I showed my MR token to my grandma and explained "No Rida Left Behind" when she asked was a "Rida" was. That is something that just wouldn't have happened if RB had not allowed the production and sales of those tokens.
Yes it does make it "more special" if MR & Bike culture schwag is only for you and your friends. But this isn't about "you". This is about spreading the art and culture of Midnight Ridazz & Family around the world. So the world becomes a FUNner, happier, more bikeable place.
Thats what MR has always been about ... at least by the time it became a ride not composed of a small group of personal friends.
I've got more news for you.
The girl at the coffee shop smiles at a lot of people, not just you.
Get over it.
This is about spreading the art and culture of Midnight Ridazz & Family around the world.
ok, you've changed my mind. im happy to know that the store is a co-op that's open to all. i didn't realize that at first, and its definitely an important issue in my mind. maybe its even a selling point.
-->
Ridazz Roulette!
Commercialization is something different than selling t-shirts to help defray the cost of hosting this awesomeness we call MR.
I'm investing now before shares skyrocket.
Roadblock Are you Taking Submissions?
...