'Flash mob' craze spreads

The craze for "flash mobs" -- where jokers gather en masse at a moment's notice, perform an inane activity and then disperse quickly -- is spreading across Europe. Arranged via Web sites and e-mails, flash mob members voluntarily and simultaneously converge to the venue mentioned in a general e-mail and then collect detailed instructions for the event. They partake in a silly and harmless activity and then disperse at a given time. The phenomenon's creator is reported to be someone called "Bill," who began the trend by e-mailing 50 people and asking them to gather at a shop in downtown Manhattan.