Plans for two upcoming flash mobs have been announced.

Wake up, London, Tokyo and San Francisco. New York already scooped you on this; will you let Minneapolis beat you to the punch?

A group in Minneapolis is planning that city’s first flash mob ever, to take place July 22 at 6:25 pm. For more details visit the new Minneapolis mob homepage. (Thanks for the tip, Minneapolis Mob.)

New Yorkers are planning a third Gotham flash mob to begin July 2 at 7:04 pm; I’ve pasted the event announcement below, as it was e-mailed to cheesebikini. (Thanks for the tip, MOB project.)

Mob safely.

(If you’re wondering what a flash mob is, see this entry for an explanation.)

Here's the announcement for the next New York event:

Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2003 21:45:21 -0700 (PDT) From: The Mob Project To: themobproject@yahoo.com Subject: MOB #3

(Apologies to those who received an incomplete version
before.)

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. For a mob to be inexplicable, does it need to take
place in an otherwise empty space?

A. No.

INSTRUCTIONS - MOB #3: THE GRAND CENTRAL MOB BALLET
Location: Grand Central Terminal
Start time: Wednesday, July 2nd, 7:04 pm
Duration: less than 10 minutes

(1) During the day on July 2nd:
(a) Synchronize your watch to
http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5/java/java.
(If that site doesn^Òt work for you, try
http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5.)
(b) On the front of a $1 bill, write the word
"MOB" over the word "ONE" on the right-hand side. If
you are concerned about the legality of this, write in
pencil. Keep the $1 bill handy.
(c) Wear comfortable shoes.

(2) Arrive at Grand Central by 6:45 pm. By then,
representatives of the MOB will have stationed
themselves in or near the downstairs food court. They
will all be reading The New York Review of Books.
(NOTE: the covers of their copies might not be
visible. Please familiarize yourself with the fonts
and layout of that periodical before arriving at the
MOB.)

(3) Based on the month of your birth, specify one of
the following letters to the MOB representative:
A: January through April
B: May through August
C: September through December
You will be given a slip on which further instructions
will be printed. This slip is your "travel itinerary"
and may be consulted in public.

(4) MOB #3 consists of a series of short mobs. The
first will begin at 7:04. You may place yourself at
the MOB site up to two minutes beforehand -- i.e.,
anytime after 7:02. NO ONE SHOULD ARRIVE AT THE FIRST
MOB SITE UNTIL 7:01.

(5) Unlike in MOB #2, you do not know each other. Do
not speak to anyone, including other MOB participants.
If you are asked a question, limit your responses to
one of the following:

* "I am looking for my train"
* "I think these people may be taking the same train I
am"
* "My train is supposed to leave from down here"
* "When I saw all these people come down here, I
figured I should too"
* "I am taking a train to [suburban town] to visit my
[relative]"
* "I am taking a train to a mob"

(6) Based on the itinerary, the MOB will end and you
will disperse. NO ONE SHOULD REMAIN AT THE MOB SITE
MORE THAN TWO MINUTES AFTER THE MOB IS OVER.

(7) Return to what you would otherwise have been
doing. Await instructions for MOB #4.