In most of Europe the day is placed before the month when writing out a date. Makes sense logically if you think of it as being read in ascending order of time (day, month, year). In Japan, this date might be written 04/12/18. While really confusing to non-Japanese it makes logical sense too.

International Standard ISO 8061 spells out the date pretty clearly in descending order: the year is spelled out in four digits, the month and day then follow. So December 18th, 2004 would be written numerically as 2004/12/18.

And that's my useless trivia for the day! ;-)

MT

Well I wasn't in the actually gallery space long as they were doing a happening outside and anyone around got invited out. The whole art event lasted non stop for over 24hrs I think, they had a main gallery as focus. The gallery had film, photography, drawing, painting sculpture and objects as well as a table with drinks and food but art works mixed in. It was extreamly informal and freindly and it was difficult to understand if some parts like the table with food were being exhibited or offered.

Outside at the rear of the ICA there is an impressive square with old buildings (the ICA is just down the road from Trafalgar square). The ICA rear door is just off that square and a dozen black london cabs drew up under two high mounted strong arc lights (it was 9pm in the evening).

The cabbies left the front lights on and opened the doors so the insides lit up a soundtrack started up which seemed to come from everywhere, maybe they had rigged the cabs? The soundtrack was difficult to discribe, a sort of soundscape with words and sentances about technology, I have it recorded so maybe I can put some of it on the net. It maybe felt like some sort of public broadcast in Russia or China that had been hacked.

The cabbies themselves seemed to add to the spectacle, one danced in the cabs lights when the sound came on, many stop around looking confused a few tried chatting up the Lithuanian women. It was really odd, it was like the cabs had driven in from another world like spaceships, they all gleamed and glowed. It would be very difficult to put my finger on just how it all felt at the time, certainly exciting and outlandish.