Times Square Civility

Geez, when I arrived in New York in 1995, 42nd Street was wholly shut down as Mayor Guliani was set on cleaning up Times Square. Next thing we knew, the Disney Store opened, followed by an endless array of national retailers... from Applebee's and Madame Tussauds Wax Museum to McDonald's and Regal Movie theaters. Hello, Cleveland! This ain't news, but it is fascinating to see how civilized Times Square is now, with bistro tables and chairs set up along Broadway and Seventh Avenue. It's just downright bizarro.