tirez = pull. and other metro musings.

contrary to popular belief, the word tirez in french, written on the doors to the metros, actually means pull and not to push (poussez). the reason people get confused, though, is because all the doors on the metro are more easily pushed than pulled, despite the tirez command. so americans get confused.

in other metro related news, today i watched two boys, about 17, as one boy used cotton and scotch tape to make the other a white beard that he kept unsuccessfully attempting to attach to the other's face. i have no idea why. but it was pretty amusing to watch.

also, as i was walking in the champs elysées metro today, glancing at the violinist playing in the tunnel while turning my ipod volume up higher to hear the decemberists sing about the champs elysées, i thought about how ipods and tuning-outedness has affected those subway musicians' careers. i mean we've thought about the effect mp3's have had on the music industry, but what about street musicians who get ignored, and probably even get some nasty stares, as the metro walkers force the volume on the music in their earbuds higher to ignore the noise? what about them.