The blurred lines of Livestrong - the spin bike sham

[Sanitiser]

Your last line is the whole point. THEY AREN'T A COMPANY. THEY ARE A NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION WHOSE BUDGET AND FUNDING COME DIRECTLY FROM DONATIONS. They don't 'earn' penny number one. All you see there comes from donations (either directly from parties or paid for by money donated by people).

The previous LAF HQ (at least at one time) consisted of donated office space, furniture, and equipment. That seemed like a reasonable and frugal way of running a non-profit organization. Now they look like some type of hip, over-hyped, high tech start-up, which I guess makes sense as those companies often burn up venture capitalists' money that is not their own, much like the LAF burns through money given to them in good faith by donors.

So sad and wasteful.

That may very well be but that would of been a short term donation with presumably outdated equipment etc. The office looks like any new modern office complex, the furniture looks to be distinctly middle of the road.

If it was an office from the 1980's you'd be like, 'Look Lance travels in his jet while he the workers live in ****'. No charity is going to win in that case. The guy gets a pass from me on this one.

 

[BotanyBay]

One IPO investor that I know used to personally visit the HQ of the internet start-ups that he had his eye on. He'd just walk in the door and walk around. And he'd count the number of Aeron chairs that he saw. If he counted too many, he'd abandon his plans.

Reminds me of Doug Coupland's "Microserfs" where they did investing homework by seeing how many cars were in the parking lot on Sunday.

 

[jimbob_in_co]

That may very well be but that would of been a short term donation with presumably outdated equipment etc. The office looks like any new modern office complex, the furniture looks to be distinctly middle of the road.

If it was an office from the 1980's you'd be like, 'Look Lance travels in his jet while he the workers live in ****'. No charity is going to win in that case. The guy gets a pass from me on this one.

As my dad used to say to me 'way back when',

"This is like trying to describe the color yellow to a blind man."

(Kudos to my late father for sharing a statement with me that is so oddly fitting in this instance.)

I assure you the previous LAF HQ space, while not up to the 'Google Playland HQ' standards, was quite nice, functional, MORE than adequate, and a MUCH MORE EFFICIENT USE OF DONATED FUNDS.

 

[Sanitiser]

Do you know the whole story? Maybe they had to relocate because the lease expired. There are so many variables it's hard for me to make a 'Lance is wasting cancer money' call.

 

[Polish]

You guys are going overboard, the large room looks to be a conference room slash eating area. The cubicles look normal and unflattering http://ow.ly/i/1MaB

It looks normal for a modern company.

+1

Nice, normal and modern.
The fight against cancer 21st century style.

Opulent? c'mon.

If you want your blood to boil and your head to explode,
Google up some images of the Red Cross World Headquarters yikes.

Just kidding, the Red Cross is a GREAT Charity.
Livestrong should strive to be as good

 

[BotanyBay]

Do you know the whole story? Maybe they had to relocate because the lease expired. There are so many variables it's hard for me to make a 'Lance is wasting cancer money' call.

You're right. I mean, there is such a shortage of commercial office space these days...

 

[thehog]

I did some work for a charity way back when. The computers didn't work properly, the furniture was mis-matched because it was donated, the carpet was a little worn, the tea-room was just that - a tea room with tea bags stuffed into tin that somebody brought in from home. The salaries were low a guy would come in from the local university and fix the computers. My god there was spirit there. They really believed. The people were there because they wanted to contribute to the cause. They didn't expect the office space of a corporate they preferred the money better utilised. I didn't know it then, I was naive but that's how a charity operates. No one expects a charity to always be like I described but please don't use donations for such opulence. Take it from a grant or Armstrong's TDU fee but not from the people.... and he has the gore to criticize Floyd about taking money from innocence people.*it's a little sick.

 

[Velocentric]

To be fair LAF did get a very good price for the building as they promised to help regenerate the area with their presence.

However, when you consider how much this Charity brings in every year I do think (compared to other groups within the same field) that this was a very over the top development.

If I could be bothered I'd dig up the purchase price for the building and find the expenses associated with the re-design but to be honest I've got enough going on with all the other fluff associated with Livestrong.

Suffice to say, this development, did not surprise me.

 

[fatandfast]

The Livestrong branded kiddie chairs, the ornate slate, the designer beanbags and artwork hanging from the walls is all within the spirit of a charity? Yeah right.

http://ow.ly/i/30ZT

http://ow.ly/i/2mmh

There is still time to get a big Bob Ross up there. And those right above Ikea play chairs can be retrofitted with a couple of bucks worth of un matching plastics caps. I would say you are right 1000 dollars worth of bean bags is excessive. They should have got some used folding chairs from a out of business Denny's. Nothing says you are valued as an employee or visitor like no/end furniture. I have seen the inside of Red Cross,Children's Aid Society and a really cool spot Ralph Lauren Center in Harlem all of them put this place to shame. Armstrong should buck up and spend some real money like everybody else..maybe a whole wall of Bob Ross would be a start.. Would more of a gulag look be more fitting?

 

[yourwelcome]

Good to see the Cycling News forum working hard in the fight against doping by discussing office furniture.

 

[Sanitiser]

Step up or step down from discussing Sheryl Crowe lyrics?

 

[jimbob_in_co]

Step up or step down from discussing Sheryl Crowe lyrics?

Sheryl Crow

Given she was engaged to LA during the time period which is part of this 'FDA' investigation. Her possible knowledge of LA's doping program seemed a valid topic here.

 

[Velocentric]

Sheryl Crow

Given she was engaged to LA during the time period which is part of this 'FDA' investigation. Her possible knowledge of LA's doping program seemed a valid topic here.

You forget that for the Pro-Lancers there is no such thing as a valid question or topic.

 

[Polish]

I did some work for a charity way back when. The computers didn't work properly, the furniture was mis-matched because it was donated, the carpet was a little worn, the tea-room was just that - a tea room with tea bags stuffed into tin that somebody brought in from home. The salaries were low a guy would come in from the local university and fix the computers. My god there was spirit there. They really believed. The people were there because they wanted to contribute to the cause.

Did you at least clean up a bit before any World Leaders stopped by?

 

[BotanyBay]

I did some work for a charity way back when. The computers didn't work properly, the furniture was mis-matched because it was donated, the carpet was a little worn, the tea-room was just that - a tea room with tea bags stuffed into tin that somebody brought in from home. The salaries were low a guy would come in from the local university and fix the computers. My god there was spirit there. They really believed. The people were there because they wanted to contribute to the cause. They didn't expect the office space of a corporate they preferred the money better utilised. I didn't know it then, I was naive but that's how a charity operates. No one expects a charity to always be like I described but please don't use donations for such opulence. Take it from a grant or Armstrong's TDU fee but not from the people.... and he has the gore to criticize Floyd about taking money from innocence people.*it's a little sick.

There's church...

And then there is the "Image Church"...

Which temple do you think Lance wants to be worshipped in?

 

[CMDiva]

Looks like crime scene tape around the offices

love it... so appropriate

 

[jimbob_in_co]

Did you at least clean up a bit before any World Leaders stopped by?

And we have another instance of the "but look at all the good [they] have done" card being played.

How unsurprisingly unoriginal and predictable.

 

[Hugh Januss]

I think it does what it is supposed to do. It certainly has raised awareness.

It has certainly raised my awareness of the fact that this "raising awareness" gig would have been a good thing to get into. Well other than the part where you go to jail and/or hell.

 

[la.margna]

"knowledge is power" what a joke....bet LA gets a laugh everytime he reads that.

D'ya think he has a portrait of Goebbels somewhere

probably he is referring to the advanced knowledge of fourthcoming doping tests during his 7 tour victories.

 

[Benotti69]

probably he is referring to the advanced knowledge of fourthcoming doping tests during his 7 tour victories.

i actually think he is referring to trying brainswash 'the knowledge' of cancer awareness via Lie$trong into joe public's mind and the power of the $$$$$ that come rolling in...

 

[onefastgear]

Fort Worth-based RadioShack Corp. has donated $4.6 million to Austin-based Livestrong.

Read more: RadioShack gives $4.6M to Livestrong | Dallas Business Journal

Also worth noting that back in Oct, the CEO of RadioShack joined the Livestrong board.

This gets murkier all the time, or is it just me?

 

[JMBeaushrimp]

Fort Worth-based RadioShack Corp. has donated $4.6 million to Austin-based Livestrong.

Read more: RadioShack gives $4.6M to Livestrong | Dallas Business Journal

Also worth noting that back in Oct, the CEO of RadioShack joined the Livestrong board.

This gets murkier all the time, or is it just me?

Not bad... You can't fault anyone for wanting to feather their nest.

Although some sort of 'conflict of interest' commission might find that questionable. I'm not sure if anything like that exist in America, though. Based on the last couple of years, the global economic apocalypse, the buyouts, the 'too big to fail' reasoning, etc etc, I'm not sure anything like that actually does exist.

Damn, I should've got my MBA...

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Fort Worth-based RadioShack Corp. has donated $4.6 million to Austin-based Livestrong.

Read more: RadioShack gives $4.6M to Livestrong | Dallas Business Journal

Also worth noting that back in Oct, the CEO of RadioShack joined the Livestrong board.

This gets murkier all the time, or is it just me?

That appears more PR BS- as it is the customer who adds the donation to their purchase - it is not a direct 'donation' by RadioShack.

To make things even murkier- how much of that 'donation' was given unwittlingly by people when they purchased something in RadioShack?

James went into Radio Shack determined to make a purchase without getting stung by the forced $1 Livestrong donation some customers say they're finding on their receipts. He even joked with the clerk about the phenomenon. Then when he looked at his receipt, sure enough he found out he was an unwilling donor.

 

[Race Radio]

That appears more PR BS- as it is the customer who adds the donation to their purchase - it is not a direct 'donation' by RadioShack.

To make things even murkier- how much of that 'donation' was given unwittlingly by people when they purchased something in RadioShack?

In the trade it is called "Cramming".....one of the oldest tricks in the book.

 

[Ferminal]

That appears more PR BS- as it is the customer who adds the donation to their purchase - it is not a direct 'donation' by RadioShack.

To make things even murkier- how much of that 'donation' was given unwittlingly by people when they purchased something in RadioShack?

... and what is Lancey and the boys earning from "fees" associated with the deal?