Free Pussy Riot!
Photo by Igor Mukhin
Three members of the Russian art/protest collective & punk rock group Pussy Riot-Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, Maria Alekhina, 24, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 29 , also known as Nadia, Masha and Katya-have been thrown in jail following an anti-Putin protest taking place in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, and face up to 7 years on charges of “hooliganism,” which sounds like some Dennis the Menace shit and a bullshit charge, if you ask me.
“We show the brutal and cruel side of the government. We don’t do something illegal. It’s not illegal, singing and saying what you think.”
Tiny Fix is about bikes and beers and chaingrease, alleycats and tattoos and not being able to coast, yes. But we’re also about being women. Women, that despite our cute colorful little dresses and youth, are incredibly powerful and badass and have the ability to fearlessly change the world for the better. And that’s why we stand behind Pussy Riot.
The Cathedral protest that the 3 imprisoned members were arrested for
They’re an incredible inspiration. Why is the Russian government afraid of ten young women armed with nothing but balaclavas and guitars? Because standing up for what you believe in means something. Because voicing your opinions in a culture of fear and silence has the power to change hearts and minds, a terrifying prospect for any dictatorship.
Things you can do:
Catch up on the Pussy Riot story behind their protest and imprisonment.
Follow along with trial/mockery of justice.
Donate to the Pussy Riot Defense Fund.
Tell the Russian government to FREE PUSSY RIOT!
Read MoreVote Cupcake&Trippz for Messenger Prom King&Queen
Every year Chicago’s bike kids spit in their hand, slick back their hair, and try to remember how to tie a tie for Messenger Prom. This year the festivities take place at 8pm Saturday, August 4th at Groovemaster Studios (1719 S Clinton) in conjunction with Chicago Cycle Messenger World Championship.
For the 8th year running, one lucky couple (who’s not afraid to call in some favors) is voted Messenger Prom King and Queen. Here are some reasons why it should be Cupcake and Trippz. (Repeat after me: it should be Cupcake and Trippz. You will vote for Cupcake and Trippz.)
Trippz has been a bike messenger for 10 years. He’s no skinny-legged rookie. He didn’t move here six months ago. He’s a bitter old man who was killing himself in the salt&slush of Minneapolis, Boston, & Chicago when you were still trying to figure out skid stops. Give some respect where respect is due and pay tribute to someone whose day has come.
Homeboy’s had a rough month (the courier company he worked for was bought out and he got laid off). You can’t change that. But you can vote him King for a Day, and I think it would really mean a lot to him to get some validation from the city he’s been giving his guts to for four years.
Cupcake, well, where do I start? (tosses hair) (freshens lipgloss) Listen, I maybe give half a shit about being prom queen. I mostly want to make the person I love really happy.
OUT OF TOWNERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD: You probably don’t know us. But you have to vote for someone, and it might as well be us. Also, if you went to the Tiny Fix X CMWX BBQ, I’m the one who cooked you all that food.
CHICAGO: If you vote for me, I will be there to support any bike event you ever want to throw. Tiny Fix will promote it, I’ll be an extra set of hands, I’ll checkpoint for you, whatever. I would have done all the shit anyway, honestly, and I’ll do it with a smile even if we lose, because I honestly love all of you. Why do you think I write & throw events for Tiny Fix, or show up at everything, or bring vegan polenta to your Chili Night? Dumb, misguided affection. It would mean a lot to me to see some of it back; again, not so much for me, but for my favorite bike messenger, Josh Trippz.
CUPCAKE & TRIPPZ FOR MESSENGER PROM KING & QUEEN 2012
Read MorePatron Saint of Bicycles Tattoo: Part 1
Hey so in addition to being short girls who ride fixed gears, all of us girls in Tiny Fix have some tattoos. So Cupcake’s request, I’m sharing with you the tattoo I got this past weekend. It’s just the linework right now, color and shading will be in two weeks (I would have loved to have had it totally done by the time all the CMWC qt’s come in to town this weekend, but that’s another story). As someone who went to 13 years of catholic school, as is therefor no longer catholic, I spent way too much time being creeped out by the whole patron saint cult thing they’ve got goin on, specifically the stained glass images inside of old churches. And I’ll go into my reasoning for why I stumbled upon the fact that a patron saint of bicycles exists in a future post, but now every time i want to superstitiously make the sign of the cross after almost getting hit by a car while biking, I’ll have the Madonna del Ghisallo on my arm keeping an eye out for me. Also I now amusingly have a tattoo of a woman on both of my upper arms, a saint on one side, and a pin up girl pulling up her skirt so she can sew her hem on the other. And I’ll go into all the blah blah blah religious symbolism that got tweaked to be more bike centric once I get it colored in.
PS: I could use a date to Messenger Prom too ;P
Read MoreLast CMWC Fundraiser! At B&L, Suckers.
Tomorrow! CMWC Fundraiser, Monday 7/30/12 7:00pm until 2:00am.
Read MoreCome by Bangers and Lace (1670 W Division) at 7pm to hang out and drink some Ska beer. Cans will be a mere $3 and all proceeds go to CMWC. We will also be raffling off a handbuilt wheelset courtesy of Tati Cycles. Come find us for $1 raffle tickets before 9:30pm!
This is the final fundraising event for the 2012 CMWC. We hope to see you down at the Soldier Field South Lot (either racing or cheering racers on) for the main event on August 4th and 5th. Check out chicagocmwc.com for the schedule and more info.
Tiny Fix X CMWC Welcome to Chicago BBQ
Hello, messengers, dirty bike kids, roadies, scrappy scumbags, nerds, muddy dirtbags, foodengers, and couriers from every corner of the globe, to Chicago. Chicago, that surreal wonderland of encased meats where every winter we celery salt our sidewalks and claim dibs on dug-out parking spaces with immense sport peppers. Chicago, cut in half by a river of Mälort that runs red during pagan holidays with the blood of our enemies. Welcome to our city.
We are Tiny Fix. We are four girls under five foot two who ride bikes in Chicago and like to throw rad bike parties. We want to be your friend. So we cooked you a bunch of food.
Meet up at Eckhart Park (W Chicago Ave and N Noble) at noon. Squid will lead you all over the city and eventually to the BBQ at 6.. The ride will include a stop at a licorería to pick up some booze, and please do; our budget went towards getting a delicious, varied menu for everyone from vegans to meat eaters, and we can’t buy your drinks. BYOB, yo.
Due to space constraints, we have to ask that you only come to this BBQ if you’re invited by an admin or you’re riding in/affiliated with CMWC. If you really want to come anyway: anyone bringing the hosts bourbon will be greeted with open arms and cupcakes.
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