"Should The Creepy Times Square Costumed Characters Be Regulated?" by the Gothamist Blog

As I write about Times Square, I like to draw inspiration from other related blogs.  I came across a blog that I love to read on a daily basis called, the Gothamist.  The Gothamist is a great interactive blog that is updated on a daily basis about all types of news and events happening in New York City. 

Lo and behold, today there was a blog post about the Costumed Characters in Times Square!  I recently posted about the same topic in a post called, Behind The Mask, so I found this blog post esepcially intriquing

On Sunday, a man dressed as Cookie Monster allegedly shoved a child and cursed at his mother when she didn't tip fast enough.. The situation has attracted so much media attention that now regulation is being considered.

 
 Check it out:  Gothamist .  This blog was written by Sophie Keelman, an avid Gothamist blogger.  She writes,

"Super Mario groped the woman...Elmost was ranting anti-Semitic things, Spider-Man punched a woman int he face.  Now a kid was attacked my Cookie-Monster.  And those are just ones where there's been an arrest!"

While these characters are supposed to be harmless and all in good fun, this situation is actually very frightening.  It even made the front cover the NY Post.  Cover of NY Post

Even though I have felt bad for the people that are forcred to work as a costumed character, there is no excuse for this type of behavior.  In fact, I'm glad I have become aware of what is going on.  It's sad that people have to ruin such a fun and enjoyable part of the Times Square atmosphere.  Kids get so excited when they see their favorite character, and they should never be victimized to any sort of this distrubing behavior.

I hope immediate action will be taken and there will be regulations for these characters from now on.

Did You Know...

Seeing as New Years was just upon us, it only seemed right to write about New Years Eve in Times Square.

Did you know an estimated ONE MILLION people gather in Times Square to watch the famous ball drop?  People from all over the world start lining up early in the morning and wait around all day for the countdown.  For those who don't want to freeze to death, another ONE BILLION people from around the world watch the ball drop on TV.  This has been an ongoing tradition since 1907.

I don't think many people realize the amount of SECURITY this event entails.  The NYPD take New Years very seriously (as they should).  

Police use barriers to prevent overcrowding and checkpoints to inspect vehicles, enforce a ban on alcohol, and check all personal items.Not only do you see uniformed officers, but many officers in plain clothing will patrol the streets, keeping an eye out for any suspicious behavior.  

Many officers wear palm-size radiation detectors designed to give off a signal if they detect evidence of a dirty bomb, an explosive intended to spread panic by creating a radioactive cloud.  There are also bomb-sniffing dogs, Rooftop patrols, and NYPD helicopters circling Times Square.  

The bomb squad and another unit specializing in chemical and biological threats sweep hotels, theaters, construction sites and parking garages. They also patrol the Times Square subway stations.

The NYPD also will rely on a network of thousands of closed-circuit security cameras carpeting the roughly 1.7 square miles south of Canal Street, the subway system and parts of Midtown Manhattan.

Another piece of information I never knew myself:  The NYPD always seals manhole covers and removes mailboxes to prevent anyone from using them to conceal an explosive or other device.

Bet ya didn't know that ;]