04 Jul 2011

PorcFest!

Shameless Self-Promotion 11 Comments

Here is my report from the field:

What was really interesting at PorcFest was the advertisements and products designed for this particular demographic. For example, the first beer I purchased was from a girl wearing a shirt that said, “I don’t talk to police, I record them.” (She was advertising for CopBlock.org.)

Another guy (Japhet) gave me his card for an online game that he had developed, which (he claimed) incorporated insights of Austrian economics far more than the blockbuster competitors. While in my discussion at the Thai food tent, people were saying that as PorcFest continued to grow, and more and more food vendors blossomed, eventually it would be good to have some type of private rating agency. Perhaps someone with restaurant experience and whom everybody trusted, could go around and sign off (or not) on the safety of a given operation. Such a designation wouldn’t be a requirement for selling food at PorcFest; it would just be a useful thing for a new vendor to have, in order to attract customers.

In a related vein, another guy (Andre) was brainstorming about building some type of reputational online system for those who had moved to New Hampshire as part of the Free State Project. Since people involved with the FSP would be loath to use government courts, such a system (analogous to seller ratings on Amazon) would be very useful to minimize the vulnerability of the fledgling community to con artists and other criminals.

11 Responses to “PorcFest!”

  1. Jeff says:

    Can you put up a link to that online game you mentioned? I’d love to check it out, nerd that I am.

  2. Jeff says:

    Never mind, I see by following the link to Mises you link the game there.

  3. Brandon says:

    Have a link for the game, Bob?

  4. MamMoTh says:

    It sounds as exciting as a Star Trek convention!

    • Joseph Fetz says:

      I take it that you don’t do a whole lot of camping at outdoor festivals.

    • bobmurphy says:

      Except there were girls at this one.

      • MamMoTh says:

        From which planet?

  5. Joseph Fetz says:

    “I was reminded of this when I threw a handful of the dime cards in my bag, and then wondered if TSA would give me trouble. How could they? I’m just carrying a bunch of dimes in my bag.”

    Yes, that is usually less of a hassle than having a bunch of dime bags in your carryon.
    😉

  6. Sealander says:

    This was my first PorcFest, too. I also had a blast. It was odd feeling like a statist by comparison. Loved you at the roast.