Soft Skull, with the Help of Upoc.com, Creates Ground-breaking New Hybrid of Technology and Political Action!
Revolutionary media organization Soft Skull today announces the launch of "The Resistance" a community group on Upoc.com, the site that creates community through simple text group messaging to wireless devices. "The Resistance" is set to become an essential communication tool at upcoming protests against Bush's inauguration on January 20th, in Washington D.C. Historically, this will be the first time a group of protestors in the street will be able to communicate with each other using new wireless, group email technology.
According to the description at <http://www.upoc.com/group.jsp?group=resistance>http://www.upoc.com/group.jsp?group=resistance", all wireless device users can now join a group that broadcasts and provides a platform for "Updates on breaking-news, community activism and new forms of political action in New York City and beyond." The description goes on to point out, "The cell phone had historic importance at last year's protests against the WTO in Seattle. Mobile devices empower spontaneous social, cultural and political community. Use of The Resistance will debut at the protests against the Inauguration of Bush in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 2001."
Soft Skull's founder and CEO Sander Hicks today said,
"Unlike the wired internet, wireless group messaging is human interaction in a kinetic, exterior world. This is communication blended with street wisdom, it's new technology combined with the spirit of adventure, real life, action, movement, and spontaneity."
Hicks and Soft Skull are currently working with radical political coalition Direct Action Network with plans to join an estimated 10,000 others to protest what many feel was the unfair election of George W. Bush.
"When we're on the ground in DC, we'll be able to communicate en masse and report to each other what's going on, and where. When I heard that the authorities in DC have made groups of more than 25 illegal, that struck me as unconstitutional, paranoid and wrong. I want the people taking a stand for real democracy to be able to communicate and organize," said Hicks.
The group was launched at 3:30, yesterday, 1.8.01. Only two hours later, 10 people had signed up to receive messages.
"This is a wing-doozer of a wireless group, watch out," said Casey Van Maanen, Senior Manager, Business Development at Upoc today. "Soft Skull is an ideal grassroots case for the Upoc platform, having the kind of devoted following and intelligent content so crucial to any community."
To join the group, you only need a cell phone, or any other wireless device, such as Palms, Visors, or 2-way pagers. Anyone can see the group's description and sign-up page at: <http://www.upoc.com/group.jsp?group=resistance>http://www.upoc.com/group.jsp?group=resistance"
About Soft Skull- http://www.softskull.com
Soft Skull won "Outstanding Independent Press of the Year" this past June at the Firecracker Alternative Book Awards. Soft Skull's hip-hop activist title, "No More Prisons" by William Upski Wimsatt also won the FAB for Best Book: Politics. Soft Skull was the subject of media celebration last year for its controversial decision to republish "Fortunate Son: George W. Bush and the Making of an American President" by J.H. Hatfield.
About Upoc- http://www.upoc.com
Upoc is a mobile communications platform for the creation of group messaging using any wireless device. Incubated at Ericsson Cyberlab and founded by Gordon Gould, former President and COO of Silicon Alley Reporter and Digital Coast Reporter, Upoc has Assembled more than 40 professionals in wireless technology, branding, market research, new media business alliances and ad sales from respected companies such as MTV, iTurf, Organic, Time Magazine and France Telecom.