disinformation | disinfo.con 2000: tents under pressure

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disinfo.con 2000: tents under pressure
by Preston Peet (ptpeet@cs.com) - March 10, 2001

Start of the day. Running late. We arrived at the Hammerstein Ballroom for Disinfo.Con 2000 (dubbed Cyberpalooza' by the media) extravaganza (February 19th, 2000), in plenty of time to just catch the end of Peter Giblin and Vyass Houston, but I didn't pay much attention, trying to get settled.

Then Richard Metzger gave the invocation for the day, informing us that 'They' have surrendered, with his take on the Counter-culture now being the source of mainstream culture.

Douglas Rushkoff continued in a similar vein, saying that 'They' take with their money what the 'Counter-culture' discovers, as in the Internet. Rushkoff also said it is now the World Wide Web, geared to "draw us to the 'buy' button." Very lucid speaker.

The same can't be said for Paul Laffoley. When he began describing lucid dreaming, and using it for time travel, I admit I was completely lost. His talk went right over my head. Then we had a viewing of the video expose of the Montauk conspiracy, which kicked off the first Disinfo Nation television series, shown on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom (January-February 2000). Much better than the Uncle Goddamn video that played later!

Downstairs, I casually entered the Dream Machine tent that the Disinfo.con team had considerately put up, ducking in for my first medication of the day. Without it I would be in agony by the end of an eleven hour event, so I'd made sure to go prepared. I seemed to be only one of a couple smoking the entire day, sharing a puff with the Presidential candidate R.U. Sirius, which was good for a laugh!

The conspiracy discussion chaired by Kenn Thomas was something I had personally been waiting for, and I really enjoyed it. I wasn't as impressed by the demonstration of 'alien writing' by Greg Bishop, as that is not one of those things I put too much stock in. I did find the slide show, by Michael Backes, concluding that bananas in ads and art equal some sort of weird alien breeding experiments, much more credible.

I probably shouldn't admit this here, but I'm not familiar with The Invisibles comic, so I had no idea who Grant Morrison was, but he was very funny, very drunk, taught us Magick, and sure that he had been on a ride with aliens in Katmandu, so he had my attention!

Adam Parfrey was as entertaining, and provocative as I had hoped he would be, demonstrating how various fringe religions have incorporated a sort of science into their philosophy, like the Red Heifer, and Farrakhan's Saucer.

Never having been a Kenneth Anger fan, I missed the beginning of his talk, as I was downstairs, momentarily in the Dream Machine tent again. I did catch a good bit of his interview, and the infomercial for his stop-smoking video, after which my girlfriend immediately said, "Oh, I should get that for you." Oh, no, I'll do my own hypnotizing thank you!

Mark Pesce and the Church of the Motherfucker definitely put on a good trip. Howard Bloom was present through the magic of video, speaking of the natural violence inherent in us all. Joe Coleman blew up his chest and Genesis P-Orrige tried to convince us he did not exist, but was certainly a very thoughtful non-entity. My girlfriend and I both liked his talk a lot.

Marilyn Manson also spoke via satellite of jock-rule, then the always gutsy Johnny Fox swallowed a number of long, sharp pointed objects. The blue and red painted Girls of Karen Black built the infamous Wall of Vaginas and Kembra sang that song from Titanic (better'n Celine Dion, too, but I digress).

I wish I had been able to see Robert Anton Wilson, but my body forced my surrendering to the night. Most important, we had fun!

Playboy: Digital Culture: The Con Floor
Not that I will ever admit to getting any of my culture tips from Playboy magazine, I still think they did a great job telling the world how much fun their reporter had, describing Cyberpalooza as a "gathering of the odd, a mixing of maniacal minds, and the perfect place for fans of conspiracy theories, Satanism, UFO sightings and anything else vaguely countercultural to wave a little propaganda, sell a few books, and bond with other outcasts." Can't you see this person staring in through the window? Be sure to click on the interviews at the bottom of the page!

Disinfo.con
This is by far the most honest review of anything I've read that wasn't written by me in a long time. Doesn't necessarily mean I agree with everything this youngster says, but he sure felt the need to say something. Worth a visit here, for a completely different perspective on the day. I don't know how he missed me, as I am nothing like a yuppie, and I have bright green hair. Oh, yeah, he was there for the speakers, and to get smarter, rather than for the audience. Which is kind of funny, because he mentions them a lot. Still, I like this review.

Disinfoto
See the infamous Wall of Vagina, along with many of the other speakers and semi-luminaries at the conference. Hasn't anyone else seen a vagina before?

The Revolution Party
Anyone who will practice what he preaches and is willing to sit and share a smoke of the natural with one of his future constituents, one he knows is a reporter by trade and still blatantly inhale in a crowded room has got my vote. I can't wait to write R.U. Sirius on the ballot, which if nothing else would show my utter disgust with the choices the Secret Team offered in 2000. Come check out one of the choices that you have besides the corporate puppets dancing across our idiot boxes!

Alien Implants, The 5th Dimension, and The Counterculture: Reporting Back from Disinfo.con
This Skinny Intertainment Network report (March 3, 2000) covers speeches by Douglas Rushkoff, Grant Morrison, Genesis P-Orridge, and the Consiracy Roundtable. Writer Scot Gelinas obviously had some fun in journeying to the Fifth Dimension!

Web's Unconventional Convene at Disinfo.con 2000
This Time Digital article (March 21, 2000) reviews the Disinfo.con 2000 convention, focusing on speeches by Grant Morrison and Douglas Rushkoff, and explaining the meaning behind the term 'Find The Others' which was used to promote the Counter-cultural festivities.

Kool Thing: Notes from The Underground: Disinfo.con 2000
These two girls had a good time, and wrote up a painting in words of their impression of the event, having not thought to bring their cameras. Lots of true feeling, and genuine affliction. Glad to know these people are around!

Subterraneans Make Sense of Cyberspace
"Today, if you don't send out a press release, it didn't happen," said Richard Metzger, in this surprisingly good review of the day, from the conservative Fox News. Could they be right? Are 'They' really 'Us' now?

Uncle Goddamn
I refuse to give this one the highest rating even though it seemed to get a fairly good response from the crowd at the conference. These are the kinds of people I have always had most trouble with, but of course I grew up in Florida, where this breed is far more common.

Pictures from Disinfo.con 2000
Moody and provocative pictures from Disinfo.con 2000: click on them to reveal some entertaining surprises!

Rambling Speeches, Mind Control, Fire Works, And The Future Of Humanity
While I don't agree with these ultra-cool types who just couldn't loosen up, I am enjoying their ragged attempts to put that frustration with not having had their kind of good time into words. This is the first review I've seen to mention the hilarious video showing agitprop icon John Safran's attempt to infiltrate McDonalds in Australia.

White Men in the Hammerstein Ballroom
Some people are just too cool to relax and have a good time, even if it bites them right in the ass! "With f(r)iends like these, who needs enemas?" to quote my friend in the Emerald City, Alex Burns.

Marilyn Manson Lectures At Alternative Information Conference
"Gary Baddeley, of the Disinfo.con sponsor Disinformation Company Ltd., said the program was designed to reflect thechaos of his company's website (www.disinfo.com), where fringe news and conspiracy theories are given a forum (and facts too don't forget)," wrote SonicNet's reporter, who was obviously taken with the satellite broadcast of Marilyn Manson. "Did we help shift enough radio-friendly units?" asks Alex Burns, piping up with an attitude from the Emerald City.

Marilyn Manson Speaks Out at Counterculture Conference
Otherwise, CDNow's JH doesn't have a good time, here. Just too cool. What a weight on one's shoulders to bear!

You Don't Know What You're Info
"The cultural stepchildren of William Burroughs throw a bash called 'Disinfo.con,' where conspiracy theorists meet new-media gurus," says this preview of the info-fest.

Marilyn Manson Live by Satellite: Disinfo.con 2000
Watch the satellite feed from Los Angeles, recorded in Disinformation's very own rented mobile video truck outside the Hammerstein Ballroom. RealVideo. 13 minutes.

Kenneth Anger
Filmmaker Kenneth Anger reviews his own career and gives a backstage tour. RealVideo. 40 Minutes.

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