Mob(b)log

2003-08-04T11:01:00.000-07:00

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I think it's time for me to give up this blog, now that the phenomenon has reached the New York Times (page A4, w/photo, in today's edition): "What: Mob Scene. Who: Strangers. Point: None." (*And* CNN.)

I've got other stuff to do, and besides, there are so many other blogs out there devoted to mobbing now. Anyway, it's been fun. See you at the next mob!

2003-08-02T17:12:00.000-07:00

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New Tinseltown Mob: first event slated for September.

2003-08-02T17:01:00.000-07:00

New Gateway Arch Mob

[Note: The link to "A picture" below did not work when I tried it.]

To: mobblogger@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2003 21:04:28 -0500
Subject: St. Louis Mob

Just wanted to pass on some information for reporting to the world. St.
Louis had it's first ever MOB last evening at a popular, local record
store. Approximately 40 people met and entered the store to aimlessly
search the $4.99 bargain bin until the phrase, 'Found it' was announced.

Store patrons and management were bewildered at best. For the first MOB
event in St Louis, the precedent has started. More are in the works . . .

More information at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stlmob/.

A picture:
http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/groups/g_10703579/STLMOB+%231+-+Vintage+Vinyl.jpg?bcd_JK_AaeV7piZ8

-The Legend

*****

Photos of St. Louis Mob #1
Estimated turnout: 40

2003-08-02T16:52:00.000-07:00

Instructions for and Coverage of Boston Mob #1

Harvard Coop greeting-card mob: "Ode to Bill." Instructions here.

Claudia, "Mob pictures," August 1, 2003 (w/photos)

Bradley's Almanac, "The First Boston Flash Mob : Ode to Bill," July 31, 2003 (w/photos, including stills of local TV coverage; plus links to other blog coverage)

bitter-girl.com, July 31, 2003 (w/photos)

wackyfun.net, "Boston Flash Mob #1: Ode to Bill," August 1, 2003

The Sacrifice Zone (!), July 31, 2003 (w/photos)

2003-08-02T16:32:00.000-07:00

Coverage of Minneapolis Mob #2
How to walk, chew gum, and ride an escalator, all at once

Fimoculous, July 30, 2003 (w/photos and scan of on-site instructions)
Estimated turnout: 170

The Perks of Being a Democrat, July 30, 2003 (w/photos)
Estimated turnout: 200

2003-08-02T16:11:00.000-07:00

New Lone Star Mob: "downtown, umbrellas, synchronized crosswalk";
first Austin mob to convene August 14th.

2003-08-01T11:41:00.000-07:00

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Manhattan Mob #6 Coming Your Way

Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2003 22:07:11 -0700 (PDT)
From: The Mob Project
Subject: MOB #6
To: themobproject@yahoo.com

You are invited to take part in MOB, the project that
creates an inexplicable mob of people in New York City
for ten minutes or less. Please forward this to other
people you know who might like to join.

FAQ

Q. Why would I want to join an inexplicable mob?

A. Tons of other people are doing it.

Q. Can I wear a costume to the mob?

A. Please don't.

Q. If I am a reporter, can I write about the mob? I
am aware that many articles have already been written
about the mob, and yet I feel that the world needs
another.

A. Feel free to write about the mob. Press builds the
mob, and anything that builds the mob is pro-mob.

Q. Does the Mob Project take requests?

A. The Mob Project will take precisely one request.
Write an email describing your dream mob and send it,
under the subject heading "My Dream Mob," to mydreammob@yahoo.com.
Entries must be received by August 15th. The winning entry will be
used as the basis for a future mob. (Note: New York City ideas only.)

Q. The last mob didn't have enough spectators. I want
to be seen whilst I mob.

A. Alright, then.

INSTRUCTIONS - MOB #6
Start time: Thursday, August 7th, 7:18 pm

(1) At some point during the day on August 7th,
synchronize your watch to
http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5/java/java.
(If that site doesn't work for you, try
http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5.)

(2) By 7 PM, based on the month of your birth, please
situate yourselves in the bars below. Buy a drink and
act casual. NOTE: if you are attending the MOB with
friends, you may all meet in the same bar, so long as
at least one of you has the correct birth month for
that bar.
January, February, March: Hamburger Harry's, 145
W. 45th St. (just east of Broadway). Meet by the bar.
April, May, June: Connolly's Pub, 121 W. 45th St. (between 6th
Ave. & Broadway). Meet in the back, by the window to the kitchen.
July, August, September: Charley O's, 218 W. 45
St. (just west of Broadway). Meet by the bar.
October, November, December: Howard Johnson's,
1551 Broadway (at 46th St.). Meet in the back to the
left, by the bar.

(3) Then or soon thereafter, a MOB representative will
appear in the bar and will pass around further
instructions.

(4) In particular, the instructions will specify when
to disperse. Make sure that two minutes after the
specified time, you are no longer at the mob site. The instructions
will also specify a short window of time — two to three minutes — when
we ask that you not take photographs of the mob, or interview
participants or bystanders.

(5) After the mob, return to what you otherwise would
have been doing. Await instructions for MOB #7.

*****

2003-07-31T10:34:00.000-07:00

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Get a Gander of Minneapolis Mob #2

Mitchster Minneapolis Mob Photo Gallery (35 pics, including one of the on-site instructions)

2003-07-31T10:25:00.000-07:00

Revolutionär Potenzial: German weekly hops aboard mob juggernaut

Der Spiegel, "Wenn dir plötzlich Hunderte applaudieren," July 28, 2003 (w/photos) [English translation here]

Are They Predators, or Volunteers?

New Nashville mob

2003-07-31T09:43:00.000-07:00

Logo: Go, or No-Go?

Readers of Naomi Klein will appreciate -- or detest -- this "Flash Mob" logo from Germany

posted here.

2003-07-31T09:35:00.000-07:00

How Many Mobs Does It Take to Make a Mob of Mobs?

Flash Mob, "Flashmob an mehreren Orten gleichzeitig!", July 28, 2003 [English translation here]

Note: This same site also has links to an astonishing 21 mobs in Germany (Berlin, Bremen, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hannover, Heilbronn, Karlsruhe, Klagenfurt, Köln, Leipzig, Mannheim, Munich, Münster, Nürnberg, Ruhrpott, Saarbrücken, Stuttgart, Wolfsburg, Würzburg), four in Austria (Graz, Linz, Salzburg, Vienna), and one in Switzerland (Zurich). The German-speakers have gone Mob-wild!

2003-07-31T09:04:00.000-07:00

Caveat Lector

Suspicious-looking site self-dubbed "Flash Mob Central"

2003-07-31T08:55:00.000-07:00

Manhattan Mob Coverage "Freedom"-Style

Le Monde, Paris, "La mode des 'flash mobs,' " July 29, 2003 (w/photo) [English translation here]

Reuters Piles On

"New Yorkers become a mob for fun," July 25, 2003 (w/photo)
Note: Photo links never last long on Yahoo.

2003-07-31T08:36:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Mr. Rheingold and his team for the following:

New, mile-high mob

INSTRUCTIONS - DENVER MOB #1
Start time: Monday, August 11th, 5:43 pm
Duration: 10 minutes

1. On the morning of August 11th visit the following site to
synchronize your watch:
http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Mountain/d/-7/java.

2. By no later than 5:30 pm arrive at one of the following locations
based on the first letter of your last name (or the last name of the
tallest person if you are traveling to the MOB in a group).

A, B, C, D – On 16th between Tremont & Glenarm

E, F, G, H – On 16th between Glenarm & Welton

I, J, K, L, M – On 16th between Welton & California

N, O, P, Q – On 16th between California & Stout

R, S, T, U – On 16th between Stout & Champa

V, W, X, Y, Z – On 16th between Court & Tremont

Upon your arrival, find a place to relax in the median of the mall
(between the two mall shuttle lanes). Act casual and enjoy some of
the cities finest street performers.

3. Shortly after 5:30 look for the person carrying balloons. This is
the MOB representative. The MOB representative will hand you a small
slip of paper with the final location and instructions.

4. Memorize the instructions and place the slip of paper in your
pocket. Do not throw this paper away and do not carry this paper
visibly to or at the MOB site.

5. Walk or ride the Mall Shuttle to the MOB location arriving in the
final location no earlier than 5:37 pm.

6. The MOB action begins at the designated location at 5:43.

7. At 5:53 you should disperse.

###

2003-07-31T08:09:00.000-07:00

Still Blogging -- For Now

Since late last night, when I made my last posting, I have already received two e-mails urging me to stick with it. So I will slog on, for the time being, at least.

Minneapolis Mob Coverage

The Twin Cities Capo di Capi reported a "great turnout" last night for the group's second event -- something to do with a cooking class and an escalator.

There is now a full photo album online of Minneapolis Mob #1 (56 pics).
Note: You have to register to view the album, but it is free of charge.

2003-07-30T18:52:00.000-07:00

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I just went to Howard Rheingold's site, and to be honest, it makes me want to give up. With all those bloggers he's got working for him, there's no way I could ever cover as much as he does. And I am not going to devote my life to this phenomenon. I just think it's fun, that's all. So perhaps this blog is no longer necessary. Let me know what you think at mobblogger@yahoo.com.

2003-07-30T18:42:00.000-07:00

Mundane Mob Announcement

Say the inexplicable San Franciscans: "MOB #2 will take place on Saturday, August 9th at 2:00 pm." More later.

2003-07-30T18:32:00.000-07:00

(Corrected) Instructions for First Beantown Mob

Subject: MOB #1 (Corrected - 7/29/03 11:08)

You are invited to take part in MOB, the project that creates an
inexplicable mob of people in Boston for ten minutes or less. Please
forward this to other people you know who might like to join.

FAQ

Q. What was the purpose of a Yahoo group?

A. We set up the Yahoo group in order to find like-minded individuals
interested in the Inexplicable Mob phenomenon. We think we've done
that.

Q. Will the Yahoo group be closed down?

A. No. The group will remain open to all, but there will be no more
ability to post comments, we're just not interested in running a
forum. We have an e-mail address if you wish to speak with us.

Q. How will I find out about the MOB projects?

A. If you signed up for our group you will receive updates and/or
email.

Q. Can people still sign up?

A. Yes. You can continue to sign up so you will receive future
invites. Those already on the list will continue to receive invites.
The group is located at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bostoncitymob/.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MOB #1
Start time: Thursday, July 31st, sometime after 7:03 pm
Duration: 10 minutes or less

(1) At some point during the day on July 31st, synchronize your watch
to: http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5/java/java.
(If that site doesn't work for you, try
http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5.)

(2) By 6:43 PM - 6:57PM, based on the month of your birth, please
situate yourselves in these locations below.

NOTE: if you are attending the MOB with friends, you may all meet in
the same location, so long as at least one of you has the correct
birth month for that location.

January, July: Au Bon Pain (near Harvard Square), the window table
nearest the bathroom.

May, October: Border Cafe (Church St) by the main bar.

June, August, December: The Garage. First floor by the tables near
Ben & Jerry's.

March, September: Daedalus (Mt. Auburn Street) near the
brick wall directly opposite the front door.

November, February, April: John Harvard's Brew House, by the
stained glass windows to the left as you enter at the far end of the
bar.

(3) Then or soon thereafter, a MOB representative will appear in the
bar and pass around further instructions. The instructions will
specify the mob site, the start time, and the duration. The
instructions will give you what you need and then some.

(4) In particular, the instructions will tell you when to disperse.
Make sure that two minutes after the specified time, you are no
longer at the mob site.

(5) Prepare for MOB #2 by getting together a plastic shopping bag and a ...

Fo Sho,

Bubb Rubb & Lil' Sis

*****

Pardon me for being a nitpicker, but isn't this actually a Cambridge mob? My apologies for posting the instructions so late.

2003-07-30T18:15:00.000-07:00

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Mob Reaches Readers Down Under (and nonprofit managers too)

The Advertiser (Adelaide), "They really are a weird mob," July 29, 2003
(also featured today on the Idealist)

New Mob for New-branded Birmingham, England

the.mob_stirs (they work in "grey" office buildings)

2003-07-30T15:17:00.000-07:00

Dallas-Fort Worth Mob Ready to Take to the Streets

Received by mob(b)log today:

You are invited to take part in MOB DFW, the project that creates an
inexplicable mob of people somewhere in DFW for ten minutes or less.
Please forward this to other people you know who might like to join.

INSTRUCTIONS – DFW MOB #1

Date: Thursday, July 31, 2003
Time: Sometime shortly after 7:30 PM
Duration: 10 minutes or less

(1) At some point during the day on July 31, synchronize your watch
to http://www.time.gov/ (central time, of course).

(2) By 7:15 PM, based on the month of your birth, please situate
yourselves in the locations listed below. Do not acknowledge anyone
else who you think may be a mobber, in order to maintain the
anonymity of the group until the appropriate time. NOTE: If you are
attending the MOB with friends, you may all meet in the same
location, so long as at least one of you has the correct birth month
for that location. Here are the locations:

January, February, March: Virgin Megastore, Mockingbird Station, 5307
East Mockingbird Lane, Dallas. Feel free to browse around, but stay
close to "Movie Central."

April, May, June: Cafe Express Mockingbird Station, 5307 East
Mockingbird Lane, Dallas. Order a drink, and blend in. Keep an eye on
the north side of the dining room with the star lights on the wall.

July, August, September: Margarita Ranch Mockingbird Station, 5321
East Mockingbird Lane, Dallas. Order a drink and blend in. Keep an
eye on the large palm tree.

October, November, December: Trinity Hall at Mockingbird Station,
5321 East Mockingbird Lane, Dallas. Order a pint and make your way
out to the patio.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL OF THESE LOCATIONS ARE AT MOCKINGBIRD STATION IN
DALLAS. THIS GIVES US QUICK AND EASY ACCESS AND REGRESS TO ALL OF
DALLAS.

(3) Shortly after 7:15 PM, a MOB DFW representative will appear in
each location to present you with further instructions. Look for
someone wearing a red hat and a white shirt. Approach this person,
and say, "I'm here for the fun!" They will give you a small slip of
paper with the instructions for the remainder of the event. Commit
the instructions to memory, and put the paper in your pocket. DO NOT
DROP THE PAPER ON THE GROUND OR FLOOR, AND DO NOT LEAVE IT AT THE
MEETING LOCATION. Once you arrive at the MOB site, none of the papers
should be visible.

(4) At the appropriate time, make your way to the MOB site. If you
arrive at the site before the appropriate time, stall nearby. NO ONE
SHOULD ARRIVE AT THE FINAL MOB DESTINATION UNTIL THE GIVEN TIME.

(5) When the given period of time for the event has passed, quickly
disperse from the site. MAKE SURE THAT TWO MINUTES AFTER THE
SPECIFIED TIME, YOU ARE NO LONGER AT THE MOB SITE.

(6) Return to your normal activities, and await instructions for DFW
MOB #2.

If you plan to attend MOB #1, please RSVP by sending an e-mail to:
imgonnabetheredfwmob@hotmail.com with the words "I'm gonna be there!"
in the subject line.

2003-07-28T13:06:00.000-07:00

|
Mob Blows Into Windy City
New Chicago mob

A Mob Apart
Craig's List, "variations on the MOB Project," July 20, 2003

Global Anti-Mob Project?
Writes one ambitious member of the Minneapolis mob (in an e-mail dated July 24, 2003):

"Hi ... The methods of the Mob Project don't particularly appeal to me, as I am not a group person nor do I like scripted behavior. Yet the concept has started me thinking and I have created the Antimob Project which to succeed, will require the participation of everyone on the planet.

"The concept is the opposite of the Mob Project. In Antimob, we all agree not to be at a certain location for a brief period of time. If all humanity participates, the sudden ghost town appearance of a place like Grand Central Station or the Motor Vehicle Bureau in Chicago will be stunning. Antimob requires little of its participants, so that billions of people, without even knowing of the non-event, will be participating in this first example of non-performance art.

"So I'd like to invite all members of the Minneapolis Mob to become part of the Antimob. For details see:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/antimob

"Whatever you decide to do or don't do, I hope you have continued fun with your activities in Minneapolis. I was happy to read that things were very mello at the MOA event."

2003-07-28T12:33:00.000-07:00

Mob #5 Hits Wires

Agence France Presse, "It's not your party, but we'll come if we want to," July 28, 2003

2003-07-28T10:41:00.000-07:00

Second Minneapolis Mob in the Making

Earlier today I received an e-mail whose text was as follows:

The invite for Mob Event #2 is available and on the Internet as of July 28th.

MOB #2 - "Going uptown, going downtown"
Locations: TBA (To be announced)
Start time: Wednesday, July 30th, 7:18 pm
Duration: 10 minutes

Invitations can be acquired by emailing MinneapolisMob@hushmail.com or locating the invite on the Internet. A few blog sites and other sources will have the invite posted.

Note: The MinneapolisMob@hushmail.com utilizes a Spam protection feature that will require you to validate your email address.

If you do not wish to use the Hushmail feature, start looking! Invites are available on the Internet.

MM

*****

Note: I got mine by e-mailing the hushmail address. Here it is:

-------------------------------------------------------------
--- Minneapolis MOB Event #2 ---
-------------------------------------------------------------

You are invited to take part in a MOB, the project that creates an inexplicable mob of people in Twin Cities Area for 10 minutes or less. Please forward this to other people you know who might like to join. If you don't participate, please forward it to a friend anyways!

MOB #2 - “Going uptown, going downtown”
Locations: TBA (To be announced)
Start time: Wednesday, July 30th, 7:18 pm
Duration: 10 minutes

(1) At some point during the day on July 30th, synchronize your watch at http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Central/d/-6/java.

(2) The day of the event, you can get a detailed script for the event by meeting at the following locations at 7:00 PM based on the month of your birthday.

NOTE: if you are attending the MOB with friends, you may all meet in the same bar, so long as at least one of you has the correct birth month for that location.

Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr.: Uptown Bar & Cafe, 3018 Hennepin Ave (Bar) May Jun. Jul. Aug.: William's Pub, 2911 Hennepin Ave (Lower level) Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec.: Famous Dave’s – Calhoun Square (Bar)

(3) Then or soon thereafter, a MOB representative will appear and provide event details. Look for an individual in a “PRADA” shirt or a "MOB" button. He or she will provide you a slip of paper, on which two important pieces of information will be printed: (a) the MOB site, and (b) secret event details.

Commit these details to memory and put the slip in your pocket. ONCE YOU ARE AT THE MOB SITE, NONE OF THESE SLIPS OF PAPER SHOULD BE VISIBLE.

(4) Leave the bar and walk to the MOB site. If you arrive near the final MOB destination before 7:18, stall nearby. NO ONE SHOULD ARRIVE AT THE FINAL MOB DESTINATION UNTIL 7:16.

(5) Find the site and begin the objective. Be animated and follow the intended script.

(6) At 7:28 you should disperse. NO ONE SHOULD REMAIN AT THE MOB SITE AFTER 7:30.

(7) Return to what you would otherwise have been doing.

Have fun,
----

To the press: Please do not report on the event to the public prior to the actual event time of 7:18 pm CST on the day of the event. If you wish to report on the event please save your interviews until after the event activities are completed and the mob has begins to leave. If you would like to verify this script, email the auto-responder at minneapolismob@hushmail.com. This is an unmanaged account and only responses after validating an account. No email will be read at this account.

2003-07-26T09:28:00.000-07:00

Foreign Mob Update ("I be pleased enormous")

Italian mob homepage: "Flash Mob: che fenomeno!" [for English translation, "cliccate qui"] (including seven links to coverage of the first Rome mob, which took place July 24th, w/photos and video -- Italians are so *good* at clapping and cheering; it's 'cause they're raised on soccer, I think)

New Austrian mobs: Vienna (July 25th) and Linz (July 29th) [English translation here] (w/photos and video of the Wienermob, at what looks to be a clothing store)

Boing Boing, "Flashmob in Vienna today, with an eco-Dada theme," July 25, 2003

New London mob

New Montreal mob

New Domestic Mob

Phoenix, Arizona

2003-07-26T07:39:00.001-07:00

Belated Coverage of Past "Inexplicable Mobs"

Blogs

Happy Robot: photo collage of MOB #4

The Official Record, July 18, 2003: video of MOB #4

Interlocutor: Is this like the weirdest thing you've ever done in your life?
Young Woman: Ah, no. Probably not. But you know, it's one of those New York things.
Interlocutor: You gotta say you were there.
Young Woman: Yeah, you know, I [garbled] say I was there. I don't have to, but I probably will.

Web sites

Slashdot, "Flash Mobs: Peaceable Assembly for Spontaneous Fun," July 24, 2003

Newspapers

Boston Globe, "Shock tactics," July 25, 2003

Orlando Sentinel, "A mob scene just made for being there," July 24, 2003

New York Post, "It's Mob Rule! 'Stupid Human Fun' Is E-mail Project," July 21, 2003

2003-07-26T07:39:00.000-07:00

On-site instructions (Bourbon Street) for MOB #5 in Manhattan:

*** MOB #5 ***

The Site:
Central Park — near 81st & Central Park West. Enter at 81st St. on the south side; turn right down the first path, then turn right again between the wooden benches. Climb the ridge and stand atop it, facing Central Park West.

Start time: 7:18. Duration: 8 minutes. Disperse at 7:26: no one should remain at the mob site after 7:28.

*(for those interested in graphics, this "bullet" was actually a chevron-style check mark) Stand still and stare straight forward. For the first three minutes, make as little noise as possible. If you can make a realistic bird call, you may occasionally do so.

* By 7:21, you may all make bird calls, unrealistic or no.

* By 7:23, you may also mumble "bird noise."

* By 7:25, you may also call out, "Nature here! Come get some nature!" to passersby.

* At 7:26, chant "Na-ture" for 20 seconds; cheer, and disperse.

* (camera icon) Please do not take photographs at the mob site until 7:23.

* (speaking-person icon) Please do not interview anyone at the mob site until 7:26.

**********

Coverage of Manhattan MOB #5

Fred's Journal, July 24, 2003 (w/photos; see also entry for July 25)

cheesebikini? July 24, 2003 (w/photos; also reports on other flash mobs, including Europe's first, in Rome)

Satan's Laundromat, July 24, 2003 (w/photos)

Fancy Robot, July 24, 2003 (w/photos)

Moist and Tasty (photos only; pix from MOB #3 still up beginning at http://www.moistandtasty.com/mob_2.html)

Strange Radiation, July 24, 2003 (text only)

glowlab news, July 25, 2003 (w/photos; including one of NY1 TV crew)

The Official Record, July 25, 2003 (w/audio! listen to it here)

2003-07-24T09:04:00.000-07:00

Mobbed by the Media

After all the media attention paid to the Minneapolis mob -- before the mob even took place -- MM, the Twin Cities spearhead, wrote yesterday:

"If we posted on the invite that we did not want the press to divulge any details prior to the event, do you think they would oblige? I think it could be that easy. Sure, these events may be news worth, but due they need to uncover the entire event. If we make the simple request, they might just skirt the location and details enough to still be a success. We will try this for event #2." [all spellings sic]

Minneapolis Mob Seen (and heard)

Minnesota Public Radio, Morning Edition, "Flash mob shows up at Mall of America," July 24, 2003 (direct link if you don't want to visit the Web page)

Fimoculous, "flash mob," July 24, 2003 (w/photos -- shot using a phone/pda)

Brinkster (more photos of Minneapolis Mob #1 -- though as of this posting, the site's bandwidth limit had been reached for the day, so I wasn't able to look at them)

Salon, "Mob scene," July 24, 2003 (since I'm not a subscriber, I couldn't get the full story, even when I clicked on the Sprint logo to get a "day pass," but maybe you'll have better luck than I did)

2003-07-23T16:13:00.000-07:00

New Dallas-Fort Worth mob

2003-07-23T16:05:00.000-07:00

More Manhattan Mob Coverage (can you say "media saturation"?)

The Dallas Morning News, "Succumbing to mob mentality," July 22, 2003 (includes info on "swarming" and the "Santarchists")

The Journal News (Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam, NY), "Mobilized by e-mail, participants in the New York City Mob Project gather at a public place, loosely act out a script according to the organizer's instructions for five to 10 minutes, then quickly leave the scene. The Manhattan Mobs have attracted so much attention, folks in San Francisco, Austin and Minneapolis are jumping on the bandwagon, too." (Yes, that is the headline.) July 20, 2003

2003-07-23T15:46:00.000-07:00

Minneapolites Mob MOA;
TV Trumpets Event; Police Along for Ride

Yesterday was the first edition of the Minneapolis mob, held at Mall of America. E-mails from participants in the event have been pouring into my inbox.

Apparently, the event -- dubbed "Mob of America," or "Robots and a Movie" -- consisted of two brief, separate mobs, one in front of Sears, and one in a home-theater room at a Bose outlet. There was a visible police presence, and an announcement of the event -- including a shot of the invitation -- ran on the Twin Cities' Channel 4 yesterday afternoon, about six hours before the scheduled start of the mob.

Minneapolis Mob #1 Coverage

Minneapolis Star-Tribune, "Show up, strike a pose, hit the road," July 23, 2003

The Saint Paul Pioneer Press, "'Flash Mob' Mentality Arrives," July 23, 2003

Minneapolis Mob Event #1 - Mob of America (the official homepage of the MM; w/photos)

Joe Gratz's blog, July 22, 2003 (includes scan of on-site directions)

2003-07-20T07:43:00.000-07:00

ABC on em-oh-bees

ABC News Cybershake, " 'Flash Mobs' Use Tech to Gather for Fun," July 18, 2003

I'll See Your Boston and Raise You Rome

New Boston mob

Primo Flash Mob a Roma: Invito / First Flash Mob in Rome: Invitation
[Thanks to Sean at cheesebikini?]

Last -- and Least

Ventura County Star, "Vacationing Brain Cells," July 1, 2003

2003-07-19T14:31:00.000-07:00

Instructions for MOB #5

Date: Fri, 18 Jul 2003 09:16:19 -0700 (PDT)
From: The Mob Project
Subject: MOB #5
To: themobproject@yahoo.com

You are invited to take part in MOB, the project that
creates an inexplicable mob of people in New York City
for ten minutes or less. Please forward this to other
people you know who might like to join.

FAQ

Q. Can there be more photographers at the next mob?

A. There seemed to be plenty at MOB #4.

Q. I was being sarcastic.

A. "Sarcastic"...?

Q. Meaning that my real question is the EXACT
OPPOSITE of that question. Can there be *fewer*
photographers at the next mob?

A. In general, people should feel free to take
photographs at the mob. But at certain times in
certain mobs, photography dampens the effect. From
now on, the instruction slips for each mob will specify
when and where NOT to take photographs during
that mob.

Q. OK. Hey, how about an uptown mob?

A. Are you being "sarcastic" again?

Q. No.

A. Well, then: sure.

INSTRUCTIONS - MOB #5
Start time: Thursday, July 24th, sometime after 7:15 pm
Duration: 10 minutes or less

(1) At some point during the day on July 24th, synchronize your watch to
http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5/java/java.
(If that site doesn’t work for you, try
http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5.)

(2) By 6:55 PM, based on the month of your birth,
please situate yourselves in the bars below. Buy a
drink and act casual. NOTE: if you are attending the
MOB with friends, you may all meet in the same bar, so
long as at least one of you has the correct birth
month for that bar.
January, February, March: Dublin House, 225 W.
79th St. (just east of Broadway). Meet in the back by
the jukebox.
April, May, June: McAleer's, 425 Amsterdam Ave.
(between 80th and 81st). Meet in the back, by the
enormous television set.
July, August, September: Bourbon Street, 407
Amsterdam Ave. (between 79th and 80th). Meet in the
back, by the even more enormous television set.
October, November, December: 420 Bar and Lounge,
420 Amsterdam Ave. (at 80th St.). Meet in the back,
near the constrained tree.

(3) Then or soon thereafter, a MOB representative
will appear in the bar and pass around further
instructions. The instructions will specify the mob
site, the start time, and the duration. The
instructions will give you what you need
and then some.

(4) In particular, the instructions will tell you when
to disperse. Make sure that two minutes after the
specified time, you are no longer at the mob site.

(5) Return to what you otherwise would have been
doing, and await instructions for MOB #6.

2003-07-19T13:15:00.000-07:00

Mob Till You Drop

San Francisco Examiner (front page): "A dose of the surreal: Hundreds spin across Market in mob project," July 17, 2003

Will Femia of MSNBC's Weblog Central weighs in on the mob phenomenon with an entry titled "The New Mobsters," July 17, 2003. (Femia, unlike most others who have reported on this suddenly oh-so-hot topic, actually attended MOB #4 in Manhattan.)

The Herald, of Glasgow, Scotland, heralds coming of mobs to U.K.: "Internet craze for 'flash mob' mass performance art about to arrive in Britain," July 17, 2003

New Dutchess County, New York mob sets up shop

New Web site for San Francisco mob

2003-07-17T13:20:00.000-07:00

Flash Crowds Defined

from The Word Spy

flash crowd

noun. A sharp and often overwhelming increase in the number of users attempting to access a Web site simultaneously, usually in response to some event or announcement.

Example Citation:

"Among other problems, the approach deals with events like 'flash crowds' on public Internet sites. This is where incidents, such as the US lingerie firm Victoria Secret's Webcast fashion show, or a surge of stock market activity, generates unforeseen activity levels."
-- Alison Classe, "A Question of Balance," Computer Weekly, June 24, 1999

Backgrounder:
This phrase was coined back in 1971 in a short story called "Flash Crowd" by science fiction writer Larry Niven. In the story, flash crowds occur when thousands of people from the future teleport back in time to witness major historical events. (If you want to find it, it's part of a short story collection called "The Flight of the Horse.")

2003-07-17T10:43:00.000-07:00

Mob Scene

Here is an article -- "Cell Biology: Like the Bee, This Evolving Species Buzzes and Swarms" -- about smart mobs and the phenomenon known as swarming, from the Washington Post, July 31, 2002.

Rotten Tomatoes: Matrix Reloaded Flash Mob in Osaka, June 15, 2003 (w/photos and video)

MOB #2 Coverage (continued): Mobs in Translation

Tiscali Tecnologia: "Flash Mob", la nuova moda del Web, no date [English translation here] (this piece makes a passing, and I think appropriate, comparison of mobs to the mass nude photographs of Spencer Tunick; it also includes a link to a report on the Macy's mob on the Italian blog Ander Costrukscion, June 20, 2003)

Mehrzweckbeutel: "Dada-Demo," June 24, 2003 (w/photo) [English translation here]

kilpoldir: "C'ero anch'io: i flash mob," July 7, 2003 (w/photo) [English translation here]

2003-07-17T09:22:00.000-07:00

And Then There Were Four

Luckily for me -- and for you, if you are reading this -- many bloggers have beaten me to the punch in their coverage of MOB #4 in New York. My aim is thoroughness rather than speed, so that's all right by me, and besides, it means you get to see photos.

The on-site instructions handed out to mobbers yesterday evening at Bleecker St. Bar read as follows:

*** MOB #4 ***

NOTE--New Duration:
5 minutes (Gather at 7:18; disperse at 7:23.)

The Site:
Otto Tootsi Plohound
(273 Layfayette, just north of Prince).
Leave Bleecker St. Bar by 7:12.

You Are:

* On a bus tour from Maryland. You are excited but also bewildered. It is as if the shoes were made in outer space.

* If you have a cell phone, dial a friend. Say, "Guess where I am." After a pause, say, "In a SoHo shoe store." Or: "In one of those New York City mobs."

KEEP THIS SLIP HIDDEN
MOB #5 IS NEXT THURSDAY

**********

MOB #4 Coverage

Moist and Tasty (photos only)

Satan's Laundromat, July 16, 2003 (w/photos)

Fred's Journal, "Flash Mob #4," July 16, 2003 (w/photos)

cheesebikini? July 16, 2003 (w/photos; plus "Snapshots from the First San Francisco Flash Mob")

The Official Record, July 16, 2003 is promising to upload video of MOB #4 soon, and includes a link to an article from BBC News Online, dated July 15, 2003, and titled "Technology meets the mob."

Fancy Robot, July 17, 2003 (w/photos; including one of the obnoxious New York Times photographer)

Strange Radiation, July 17, 2003

Happy Robot (a single photo)

**********

To be honest, MOB #4 disappointed me. Not because we didn't get in the store -- in a way, it was more interesting to be on the outside looking in -- but because there was no joint action planned for the group, no moment of "bonding," no act of coalescing. Maybe the people on the inside felt differently, but from where we stood -- which was just in front of the doors, as the sweaty-faced and clearly harried but not impolite manager decided enough was enough and stopped letting mobbies in -- the profusion of clicking cameras was extremely distracting.

I was just behind that Times shutterbug, and I will never forget the shrillness of her voice as she feverishly repeated the name of her employer as if it were some kind of open sesame. In the end, even though the manager was insisting he would only let more people in when some of the others came out, she and her assistant elbowed their way in, of course. (Once inside, she set up this little white metal stepladder and stood at one end of the store taking pictures. After the mob "dispersed," she set up the ladder again, across the street from the store, to get the "after" shot.)

I wish I could say more, but I'm really not moved to. The only other observation I have is that, on entering the store after everyone else had left, I looked at one pair of shoes, just to see how much they cost. A men's pair of sandals, selected entirely at random, were marked down to $100 from $160. They were having a sale, after all.

P.S.

I don't care too much about it, but I feel obligated to point out that these are not "flash" mobs. A flash mob is one that assembles suddenly, with instructions communicated by fax or cell phone on the spur of the moment. Not to be a hair-splitter, but it seems to me the fact that instructions are passed out in advance of these mobs disqualifies them from the appellation "flash."

2003-07-15T13:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, wary of disseminating instructions for the latest Manhattan Mob through a channel other than the one the organizers chose, I posted, then unposted, instructions for MOB #4 on this blog. Since then, I received a response from the Mob Project to my query on the matter. It read as follows:

"As on most of these doctrinal questions, the Mob Project takes a pragmatic stand. The idea was always that people would forward it around through email. But once people started blogging the instructions, it seemed not in keeping with TMP to ask them to stop. The idea of TMP is that it sends out instructions and the rest is up to you.

"I think the new system, in which the slips with the final site get handed out right before the mob, takes care of concerns about disruption, in either case.

"I would draw the line if someone set up a site whose only purpose was to disseminate mob instructions. But the Mob Project will be over by then."

So here are the instructions for MOB #4:

Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2003 16:40:21 -0700 (PDT)
From: The Mob Project
Subject: MOB #4
To: themobproject@yahoo.com

You are invited to take part in MOB, the project that
creates an inexplicable mob of people in New York City
for ten minutes or less. Please forward this to other
people you know who might like to join.

FAQ

Q. Why would I want to join an inexplicable mob?

A. Tons of other people are doing it.

Q. Why did the plans to MOB #3 change?

A. The National Guardsmen with machine guns had
something to do with it.

Q. What should I do with my MOB $1 bill?

A. Spend it, if you like. But you may be asked to
make another, for a future MOB.

Q. Can we do a MOB downtown, for a change?

A. Sure.

INSTRUCTIONS - MOB #4
Start time: Wednesday, July 16th, 7:18 pm
Duration: 10 minutes

(1) At some point during the day on July 16th,
synchronize your watch to http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5/java/java.
(If that site doesn’t work for you, try http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5.)

(2) By 7 PM, based on the month of your birth, please
situate yourselves in the bars below. Buy a drink and
act casual. NOTE: if you are attending the MOB with
friends, you may all meet in the same bar, so long as
at least one of you has the correct birth month for
that bar.
January, February, March: Puck Fair, 298
Lafayette St. (just south of Houston). Meet just
inside the front door, to the right.
April, May, June: 288 (a.k.a. Tom & Jerry's),
288 Elizabeth St. (just north of Houston). Meet
in the back to the left, by the jukebox.
July, August, September: Bleecker St. Bar, 58
Bleecker St. (at Crosby). Meet in the back to the
right, by the jukebox.
October, November, December: Pamela's Cantina, 1
W. 3rd St. (just west of Broadway). Meet near the
right side of the bar, by the television sets.

(3) Then or soon thereafter, a MOB representative will
appear in the bar and will pass around further
instructions.

(4) If you arrive near the final MOB site before 7:18,
stall nearby. NO ONE SHOULD ARRIVE AT THE FINAL MOB
SITE UNTIL 7:17.

(5) At 7:28 you should disperse. NO ONE SHOULD REMAIN
AT THE MOB SITE AFTER 7:30.

(6) Return to what you otherwise would have been
doing, and await instructions for MOB #5.

2003-07-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Mob(b)log, your one-stop source for news in the Summer of Mob.

It's a Mob's Mob's Mob's Mob's World

Thanks to my blogging of their event, I have been kindly invited to Minneapolis Mob #1, titled "Mob of America," taking place July 22. Unlike New York's Mob Project, the Minneapolites have a Web site, operated through Yahoo Groups: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/minneapolismob/. (For those interested in arcania, this mob is dubbed a "flash mob," apparently inspired by Larry Niven's concept of "flash crowds," as noted here.)

Minnesota's Mobsters are already expecting more than 100 people to show up for their first foray. The instructions, which I've decided not to post until after the mob has happened, can be found elsewhere on the Web, together with instructions for the Mob Project's MOB #4, slated for July 16 in Manhattan, and the first "flash mob" in San Francisco, due to take place the same day.

Beantown affirmative-action mob: The Guardian, "Boston ambush," July 11, 2003

New Twin City mob: Minneapolis–St. Paul Star-Tribune, "Manhattan inspires Minneapolis arts mob," July 8, 2003

Gawker whines: July 8, 2003

MOB #3 Coverage

Chicago Tribune: "All in a flash: Meet, mob and move on," July 11, 2003

Wired: "E-Mail Mobs Materialize All Over," July 5, 2003

USA Today, Whitney Matheson: "Hip Clicks," July 8, 2003

Satan's Laundromat, July 2, 2003 (w/photos)

The Official Record, July 2, 2003 (w/photos)

Fred's Journal, July 1, 2003 (w/photos; click on the link that says "More ...")

Strange Radiation, July 2, 2003

Moist and Tasty (photos only)

Fancy Robot: "Flash Mob Redux," July 3, 2003 (w/photos)

Tonight was MOB #3, and it was a smashing success, even though -- or perhaps because -- the site was changed at the last minute due to concerns about National Guardsmen. Originally intended to take place at Grand Central Terminal, instead the third MOB was relocated to the lobby of the Grand Hyatt on the south side of GC, on 42nd Street.

Instead of following the original protocol, we each received a slip of paper that read as follows:

*** MOB #3 ***

Change of Plans

If you are reading this, we have decided to change venues.

(1) By 7:02, walk out to 42nd St. and look for the main entrance to the Grand Hyatt. Enter and take the escalator up one flight to the main lobby. Loiter until 7:07.

(2) At 7:07, start taking the escalator and elevators up one floor, to the wraparound railing overlooking the lobby. Stand around it, looking down. Fan out to cover as much of the railing as possible. If asked why you are there, point down to the lobby and say, "Look."

(3) At 7:12, begin applauding. Applaud for fifteen seconds, then disperse in an orderly fashion.

(Note: the exit on that floor is not a pedestrian exit.)

It all went, as far as I could tell, entirely according to plan. The balcony was *full.* That is to say, there were people lining every inch of it, 360 degrees, and in some spots the downlookers were significantly squished. Clare said she counted 75 or 80 people on the long side of the balcony across from her. Multiply that by two, and add in the mobbies on the two shorter sides, and we're talking over 200 people. (I will update this info once I get a more credible count.)

The security staff did not appear overly concerned, though they were definitely on their walkie-talkies while we were on the balcony, and on my way out the front door, I heard one uniformed fellow say into his squawker: "Yeah, they're leaving now. No, I don't know where they're going."

The best part was definitely the applause. Some 30something blonde in a black fashion T-shirt and short (red?) dress had just come in when we all started to clap (a minute or so early, by my watch), and was standing at the welcome podium, talking to a hotel staffer. She looked up quizzically, shrugged, and then did a curtsy -- as if to say, "I have no idea why you're clapping for me, but seeing as you have bestowed on me this gracious honor, it is only fitting that I acknowledge your generous adulation." Absolutely charming.

Congratulations, Bill, on another MOB well done.

MOB #2 Coverage

All Things Considered, NPR: "Mob Email," June 20, 2003
Michele Norris talks to Mike Epstein, a software engineer who runs a personal photo log on the Web, about the "Mob Project." [Actually, the interview is conducted by Robert Siegel.]

Wired: "E-Mail Mob Takes Manhattan," June 19, 2003 (this article also blogged on Arts Journal.com, June 20, 2003, "The Art of Mobbing")

sp!kded online: "A mob for no reason," July 3, 2003

Metafilter: "The Love Rug," June 18, 2003 (from cheesebikini? June 17, 2003, with links to other pages with photos of MOB #2)

Satan's Laundromat, June 17, 2003 (w/photos)

The Official Record, June 17, 2003 (w/photos)

MOB #2

Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2003 22:16:49 -0700 (PDT)
From: The Mob Project
Subject: MOB #2
To: themobproject@yahoo.com

You are invited to take part in MOB, the project that creates an inexplicable mob of people in New York City for ten minutes or less. Please forward this to other people you know who might like to join.

At the very least, please forward this to all those to whom you sent the invitation for MOB #1, because someone seems to have gotten the wrong impression about the MOB. I am thinking, in particular, of whoever saw it necessary to tell the store and/or the police department about MOB #1, causing SIX POLICE OFFICERS AND A PADDYWAGON to be sent out to disrupt it. Let us call this person "Squealy."

SQUEALY FAQ (all others may skip to INSTRUCTIONS - MOB #2)

Q: I am uncomfortable with innocent fun.

A. It seems apparent.

Q. Couldn't the MOB have gotten out of hand?

A. No. I assure you: the MOB will always be respectful, no matter how large it gets, or what it might chant, etc.

Q. Despite this honest assurance, my stifling fear of the unknown dictates that I squeal again.

A. Unfortunately, I have been forced to take this possibility into account in the instructions for MOB #2.

INSTRUCTIONS - MOB #2
Location: ???????
Start time: Tuesday, June 17th, 7:27 pm
Duration: 10 minutes

(1) At some point during the day on June 17th, synchronize your watch to http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5/java/jaVa.
(If that site doesnít work for you, try http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5.)

(2) By 7 PM, based on the month of your birth, please situate yourselves in the bars below. Buy a drink and act casual. NOTE: if you are attending the MOB with friends, you may all meet in the same bar, so long as at least one of you has the correct birth month for that bar.
January, February, March: Blarney Rock, 137 W. 33rd St. (between 6th and 7th Aves.) Meet to the left of the jukebox.
April, May, June: Holiday Inn, 49 W. 32nd St. (just east of Broadway). Walk into the hotel lobby and make a left into the hotel bar; meet around the bar to the right, near the framed prints of the elephant and the leopard.
July, August, September: Blarney Stone (not to be confused with Blarney Rock), 106 W. 32nd St. (between 6th and 7th Aves.). Meet in the back by the jukebox.
October, November, December: Jack Demsey's, 36 W. 33rd St. (between Broadway and 5th Ave.) Meet downstairs, near the bar behind the pool table.

(3) Then or soon thereafter, a MOB representative will appear in the bar, wearing one of the "trucker hats" that is so stylish these days. He or she will pass around slips of paper, on which three important pieces of information will be printed: (a) the MOB site, (b) a particular item at the site, and (c) a secret phrase. Commit all three to memory and put the slip in your pocket. ONCE YOU ARE AT THE MOB SITE, NONE OF THESE SLIPS OF PAPER SHOULD BE VISIBLE.

(4) Leave the bar and walk to the MOB site as quickly as possible. It will take you longer to get there than you think. If you arrive near the final MOB destination before 7:27, stall nearby. NO ONE SHOULD ARRIVE AT THE FINAL MOB DESTINATION UNTIL 7:26.

(5) Find the item and stand around it. Unlike in MOB #1, where the participants were not to acknowledge one another, here you should greet even those you do not know. Talk among yourselves about the item and its relative merits and demerits. Only if you are blocked from seeing the item should you stray to examine other merchandise at the site.

(6) If you are approached by a salesperson, explain that everyone present lives together, in a huge converted warehouse in Long Island City, and that you are there looking for a "[secret phrase]." Explain that you make all purchases as a group.

(7) At 7:37 you should disperse. Thank the salespeople for their help, but explain that the item has been "voted down." NO ONE SHOULD REMAIN AT THE MOB SITE AFTER 7:39.

(8) Return to what you would otherwise have been doing. Await instructions for MOB #3.

* * * *

SPECIAL NOTE: A few people may be allowed to learn the three secret facts in advance. Those interested should write an essay of precisely 50 words on the subject of
"Why I Am Not a Squealer," and send it to themobproject@yahoo.com.

MOB #1 Coverage

The Next Big Thing, WNYC: "Mob Art?" (week of Friday, June 6, 2003)
An email circulates inviting people to take part in an “inexplicable mob.” Writer Liza Featherstone and Dean Olsher were there. Produced by Michael Kavanagh.

MOB #1

Date: Tue, 27 May 2003 17:46:01 -0700 (PDT)
From: The Mob Project
Subject: MOB #1
To: themobproject@yahoo.com

You are invited to take part in MOB, the project that creates an inexplicable mob of people in New York City for ten minutes or less. Please forward this to other people you know who might like to join.

FAQ

Q. Why would I want to join an inexplicable mob?

A. Tons of other people are doing it.

INSTRUCTIONS - MOB #1
Location: Claire's Accessories (Broadway between 8th and 9th Sts.)
Start Time: Tuesday, June 3rd, 7:24 pm
Duration: 7 minutes

(1) At some point during the day on June 3rd, synchronize your watch to http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5/java/java. (If that site doesn't work for you, try http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5.) If you have a digital watch, or a cell phone with an alarm, please set it to beep at 7:31 pm.

(2) The mob should form at precisely 7:24 and not beforehand. As such, we will need to divide evenly among the paths by which the site can be approached. Based on the month of your birth, please walk toward the site as follows:

- January or July: up Broadway from the south
- February or August: down Broadway from the north
- March or September: 8th St. from the east (Astor Place)
- April or October: 8th St. from the west (NYU)
- May or November: 9th St. from the east
- June or December: 9th St. from the west

By 7:20 pm, please position yourself on the street or in a store one to two blocks away from the site. Begin walking toward the site at 7:22. NO ONE SHOULD ARRIVE AT THE SITE BEFORE 7:23.

(3) At 7:24, you should arrive at Claire's Accessories and enter in an orderly fashion. Walk to the back of the store so others can enter. Look at merchandise. If the store is already full, or if you are turned away at the door, mass around the front of the store, facing its window. You will see people you know, but please keep chatter to a minimum.

(4) If you are approached by a salesperson, say you are "just looking." If you are asked why you came, say that you "heard a mob was going to be here." If you are stuck outside, you can yell or chant, or not, depending on the vibe. (Possible chants: "[clap clap] Acc-ess [clap clap] o-ries"; or, simply, "Mob.")

(5) At 7:31, when the alarms begin to beep, the mob should disperse. Walk away from the site as fast as possible, in as many directions as possible. NO ONE SHOULD REMAIN AT THE SITE AFTER 7:33.

(6) Return to what you would otherwise have been doing. Await instructions for MOB #2.