from New York Magazine, November 11, 2002

The New Public Offerings
by Vanessa Grigoriadis

In today's online economy, anything -- and everything -- is legal tender.

A laptop for a lap dance? New York isn't Buenos Aires, where some residents have established an all-barter economy. But with online stock trading no longer quite the thrill it used to be, more and more New Yorkers are on craigslist.org swapping cargo pants for CD burners, filing cabinets for cell phones, and just about anything for "a massage." A sampling.

Teach me how to invest in Real Estate/massages 4 u
Male entrepreneur needs to learn the ropes of buying investment property and will give massages in trade. prefer a female teacher.

I can make a cheese cake
that weighs more than your head! Will trade for movie tickets.

Tiffany & Co. diamond pendant for fur coat -- no, really
Trade me a fur coat for a 1/3 carat brilliant cut diamond pendant from T & Co. I like fur; I don't like my ex-boyfriend, and the necklace reminds me of my ex-boyfriend. See?

Free Apt. Cleaning for...
Hi, I am a responsible, dependable male in my mid-thirties who would like to clean for you once a week. All I ask in return is that you let me wear my maid's outfit.

Swap your books for my tv
20-inch Quasar, no frills but good picture and a working remote. You must pick up from Washington Heights. Looking for Pynchon, Tolstoy, Joyce's Ulysses, Beckett, Rushdie, Burroughs, Bukowski, anything really . . .

I'll give you a haircut if you offer me something good so, i am not a professional hairstylist or anything. i just like cutting hair, and i can't afford to go anywhere to have my hair done so i figured there have to be similar people out there. people tell me that i'm good. i'm not looking for money but books, clothes, canvas.

Dominatrix Barters Play for New Laptop
Young, blonde Pro-Domme will trade you play time for a new laptop. We will go to Circuit City . . . purchase it and play in the same day! . . . I will consider a pre-owned laptop that is under a year old (Dell, IBM, Sony and Compaq only). No Macs. P.S. last week's barter landed me a new CD Burner and a new DVD player so I am set with that stuff guys.