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Flash Mobs: Peaceable Assembly for Spontaneous Fun

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the better-than-reality-tv dept.

Schmendr1ck writes "The Orlando Sentinel is carrying a story on the growing trend of 'creating a crowd on a moment's notice for no particular reason' knows as a flash mob. Recent flash mobs (sometimes hundreds of people) have wandered into into an upscale NYC shoe store acting like confused tourists from Maryland, gathered at the Hyatt near Grand Central Station for 15 seconds of spontaneous applause, and converged on the Macy's carpet department to debate the quality of the rugs for sale. Check cheesebikini? for pictures and info on past mobs, as well as links to sites that organize these events. Sounds like a fun, harmless, and Constitutionally-protected way of blowing off a little steam."

12 of 543 comments (clear)

  1. Eww, Flash! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Can't they program the mob in proper W3 approved HTML instead of Flash? Until they do this, I won't want to join, even if it's a CowboyNeal fan mob.

  2. Constitution? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
    Sounds like a fun, harmless, and Constitutionally-protected way of blowing off a little steam.
    I thought they phased out that Constitution thing a few years ago.
  3. let me guess... by YllabianBitPipe · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... a lot of these people, especially the ones organizing on the web, are recently laid off techies, with copious amounts of free time on their hands.

    1. Re:let me guess... by YllabianBitPipe · · Score: 5, Funny

      No, execs do set up pointless gatherings, but they're called "off-site strategy meetings" and usually involve Vegas, bar tabs and strip clubs. Hardly the same thing as these flash mobs.

  4. Another name for it... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    People SPAM.

  5. Knowing the hardware is one thing... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...but people who think assembly is fun are just weird.

  6. back when WE were kids.... by grouchyDude · · Score: 5, Funny

    In the old days. This was our best approximation. Back when I was a kid we'd get one or two people on side of the road, and each "team" would pull on an invisible (virtual/imaginary) rope across the road. Most cars would slow down or stop thining there really must be a rope there, they just couldn't see it. Then we'd just walk away.

    I guess we should have tried recruiting other mine-wannabes.

  7. this isn't new by arashiken · · Score: 5, Funny

    flash mob, meet slashdot. ooo look! i see your server already knows us. don't worry, we'll be gone in 15 minutes.

  8. I hate to say this, by Daikiki · · Score: 5, Funny

    but it looks like the site has been. . .umm. . .flashmobbed.

    --
    I want the fire back.
    1. Re:I hate to say this, by danthedanish · · Score: 5, Funny

      or perhaps... flashdotted?

  9. Party at SCO's and RIAA associations home tonight! by zymano · · Score: 5, Funny

    BYOB!

  10. Re:Constitutional protection! Ha! by Heem · · Score: 5, Funny

    Would you mind it if a bunch of slashdoters came over and slashdoted your private property?

    I can just imagine the 4 guys peeing on your lawn, in the shape of the letters "FP"

    --
    Don't Tread on Me