The New York Times magazine has produced its second annual year in ideas, and Ben Hammersley is rightly chuffed that Warchalking, which he championed after it was thought up by the highly clueful Matt Jones in the summer, made the final list. That was a very fun idea, but I think the magazine's entry on "Smart Mobs" is an excellent summary of a more important and longer-term trend. It's all about how instant, mobile communication is allowing individuals to come together in swarms - to ogle at Princes, protest, topple governments or go on a murderous rampage. If you're going to read one piece on the concept, make it this one...