b-Log: Remember the venerable b-side of 45 rpm records? The place where bands were permitted a little breathing room to try something new; something a little outside the family friendly, made for radio boundaries. My favorite b-side is by the Turtles. Frankly I don't remember what's on the a-side, some Utopian hit single like “Happy Together”, but on the b-side is “Buzzsaw” with a lot of eyebrow-raising distortion and shrill vocal enthusiasm with that single palpable lyric that gives the song its title. To me the b-side is where you get to know the band a little better. Whether it's rough, or tacky, or a great new departure it's usually where the band feels a little less like an untouchable icon and more tactile human.
As with a band, organizations like Worldbike can have that same unapproachable feel. The glossy brochure and the happy endings tell a story of infallible professional mystique. Often there is the facade of perfected development theory matched to deftly executed “interventions” that leave behind “compliant” “target populations” that are on the trajectory to health and prosperity. I call these narratives a-Logs and like a-sides they are polished products manufactured for public consumption. With our commitment to open-source design and participatory project implementation Worldbike also brings you the b-Log. This is the behind the scenes footage; our mistakes, our successes, our experimentation, our misconceptions... our shrill vocal enthusiasm. It's your backstage pass to meet Worldbike in the flesh. You are encouraged to critique, ask questions, help us problem solve, and be the inspiration to our work. Please, put your feet to the pedals because we want you to be part of this ride.
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