Last month I received an email from a band promoter, asking me if I wanted to be on the list for a show at “Nike.” I thought, “Hmm, is that a new club I didn’t know about? Or perhaps … an illegal club?”

What then? Do I write a little post for the Richmond magazine website, mentioning Nike and possibly exposing it to a shutdown, or just keep the secret? The point was moot when I Read full story

Stuff. We all have too much of it, but most of us want more of it anyway.

Enter Richmond Freecycle: The ultimate online swap meet for junk lovers, an e-mail listserv modeled on similar groups all over the country, where clearing the attic — while simultaneously filling the garage — gets a digital assist.

But Freecycle may have another purpose: social barometer. Remember how Beanie Babies used to ignite near-riots at Hallmark stores? Now they’re free.

Skeptical that Read full story