Long Live the Globe Game

If you haven't played it yet, you're missing out. If you have been to our apartment, or some other fortunate home that has either purchased or has been given the ultimate of all interactive games, then you understand. Introducing.... the Odyssey 3, commonly referred to in our world as "The Globe Game," the most fun competitive game for anyone who wished they knew more countries in the world, but would never be caught dead browsing through an atlas or hanging out in a library researching global geography.

You can play with 1 to 4 players, and at the beginning of each quarter (like a football game) the guy's voice starts off by saying something like, "Find Italy" or "Touch Djibouti." There's no way to communicate the energy in words. See the images to really get the idea. It's the best $150 you'll ever spend on a gift, especially for anyone with kids (or any other North American with now clue about geography).

Wal-Mart Studies

Per a discussion with a good friend last night, we decided that it would be a good time to start a Wal-Mart studies program. We envisioned it housed at some university or college. (Another option is to create a Wal-Mart Studies Think Tank.) The size and breadth of Wal-Mart necessitates this type of attention. It would make me feel more comfortable to know that students and others are thinking about Wal-Mart's role in our society. Part of the curriculum could include issues relating to economics, urban planning, the environment, labor, etc...

I must admit that I am not an expert on Wal-Mart, so I am not taking a stance on what conclusions would result.

For example, a Wal-Mart studies course on environmental issues might weigh the benefit of reducing impacts to the air and water by having all products centralized in one shopping place with competing concerns such as urban growth, the products Wal-Mart sells, and how Wal-Mart builds its stores.

Having some of the best and brightest students and teachers addressing broadly all issues relating to Wal-Mart is crucial. At a minimum, it would be prudent for universities to have a faculty member solely devoted to issues relating to Wal-Mart. This professor could teach courses such as "Wal-Mart and Society" or "The Economics of Wal-Mart." We need to understand how this store is changing our lives.

Another idea: Replace the traditional book-club with the Wal-Mart club. People could convene once a month to discuss various matters relating to Wal-Mart. The internet could be a powerful tool to post the conclusions of that club.

Final idea: It could be an interesting project to have people from varying perspectives write about Wal-Mart's effect on their lives. I would be willing to write a short narrative about how Wal-Mart has influenced my life. In the upcoming weeks, I will try to carve out some time to draft this section and post it on AFM. Perhaps, others could post about the effects of Wal-Mart as well.

I welcome some dialogue on increasing discussions about Wal-Mart.

Two Weeks of Building for Free Culture

The last two and half weeks have been a whirlwind of excitement and hard work as I updated and performed my Free Culture show with collaborative participation and feedback in the spirit of the movement. After the initial rehearsal three weeks ago, the feedback I got was that there was a lot of interesting material, but it was unclear what exactly my message was. I decided to try it out without the intense 5 minute Idioteque video, and added a major contribution from DJ and friend Boon, who pulled together 11 popular music samples that get the audience involved early and brings a fun element to the show.

After two more dress rehearsals that helped tighten up the show, I drove out to Bryn Mawr on Saturday, February 19th for my first college show. I was happily surprised by energy of the local Free Culture group. Special thanks to Rebekah Baglini and Nicholas Bergson-Shilcock (from Franklin & Marshal) for helping to set up the space, including a wireless network that shared Creative Commons licensed music, photos, and videos. It was also great to meet Luke Smith, one of the original pair that sued Diebold, who said that he liked that my show demonstrated a positive vision for free culture. Overall, it was a good first college show.

After taking out a lot of the fat from the performance, the show felt a little short, especially on performance. Along with feedback from the Bryn Mawr folks, I had another session with friend and seasoned performer Kymbali Craig, who made a huge difference in taking the performance to the next level. We added a cover song in the beginning, moved Language of My Reality to the middle of the show, and most importantly, tightened up the transitions to maintain a solid flow throughout. Kymbali also joined me for the improv session (pictured below).

All this to say that the big NY show at the Bowery Poetry Club this past Saturday was one of the highlights of my life so far. It was packed, and the show went so well that the place was buzzing for 45 minutes after the show, with everyone I talked to inspired to participate in helping to build Free Culture in their own ways. You can watch the 45 minute unedited video of the show on the Internet Archive. I'd like to have an edited version to send to press, etc., but not sure if I'll have time before I leave next Thursday.

Thanks to all of you, including the folks here at freeculture.org, who helped set me up for the tour in a powerful way. I'm looking forward to heading out to Austin, TX for next Sunday's show at SXSW Interactive. I'll be posting frequently at the Free Culture Tour Blog through the next 5 weeks, so stay in touch and spread the word!