Where's George?

There he is!

I've been meaning to blog the next post for quite a while... I've been too busy these last weeks (living in NYC offers many opportunities, hey, I'm not complaining!)

About two months ago, I was about to spend this $10 bill on a coffee and muffin when I noted a strange purple stamp on it. Normally, I wouldn't take any further notice but since I have all the time in the world now (relatively speaking) I decided to take a closer look... the stamp read, "Track this bill - www.wheresgeorge.com".

So, I did. Turns out my $10 bill started its journey in a bank at Pleasanton, California, 1 year, 75 days, 15 hours and one minute ago. See for yourself at this link. This website has been created by people curious to find out where their dollar bills have been and where they will end up... well, at least their location. You wouldn't want to find out the specifics of their whereabouts - I think most people would never want to touch paper money again if they knew where it has actually been. Anyway, fun site...

If you're planning to start a same tracking website for your country's currency, make sure you do not violate any laws on illegal defacement of money... For example, according to Title 18, Section 333 of the United States Code, "whoever mutilates, cuts, disfigures, perforates, unites or cements together, or does any other thing to any bank bill, draft, note, or other evidence of debt issued by any national banking association, Federal Reserve Bank, or Federal Reserve System, with intent to render such item(s) unfit to be reissued, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both." Hmm, cement together? Mutilate? Disfigure? Sounds like something the mafia would do when their omerta code has been broken... not sure though who would want to cement money together. Well, if there's anyone out there with such a vicious plan, it's a relief to know that there's a law against it!

Guarding The Art

Change the channel please...



A museum guard is watching a modern art installation at the American Art Museum & Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C. I suspect she already looked for the remote control in vain.

I wonder if these guards are in a type of "rotation system", allowing them to switch museum rooms every 2 hours or so. I do hope so for them - imagine watching the same art day in, day out, for weeks, months, years... even van Gogh must seem boring if you have to stare at it long enough. At least this modern artist (I'm sorry, I didn't write down the name) was thoughtful enough to make use of today's most powerful relaxing tool, a little magic box at which a human being can keep staring for eternity - even if nothing is on - aaah, TV!

Washington D.C.

There ìs a world outside of New York!

It has been a while... my apologies. To reward your patience, here are some pictures of our recent trip to Washington D.C.

Washington D.C. is almost the opposite of New York City: very clean (at least that was our impression), more open spaces and less high-rise buildings, feels younger and more European, very modern infrastructure (in comparison, the metro system in New York is ancient history... really) and everything goes a bit slower than in New York. As a side note, while in Washington D.C., four people asked us for directions... either we are integrated at last or people could tell that we are used to finding our way in bigger, more complicated cities (or maybe it was the map sticking out of Ward's back pocket?).

Still, I'm happy to be back to good old New York City!