Althouse: "'Fun Times Square' said no New Yorker ever...."

January 19, 2026

"'Fun Times Square' said no New Yorker ever...."

‘Fun Times Square’ said no New Yorker ever...
— Seán Ono Lennon (@seanonolennon) January 17, 2026

43 comments:

wildswan said...: I guess Grok has been reading the top search returns for Times Square + fun and has concluded that Times Square is fun.

Example:
Your Brooklyn Guide
https://yourbrooklynguide.com › things-to-do-in-times-square
28 Fun Things to do in Times Square! (+ Hidden Gems)

newyorkdearest.com
https://newyorkdearest.com › nyc-things-to-do-times-square
20 EPIC Things to Do in Times Square (Fun for First Time

The Tourist Checklist
https://thetouristchecklist.com › things-to-do-in-time-square
25 Best & Fun Things to Do in Time Square -; 1/19/26, 7:03 AM
Eric the Fruit Bat said...: Maybe Times Square isn't fun but it's only seven minutes from the archway of The Dakota and that's a blast.; 1/19/26, 7:04 AM
NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...: Two stops for coffee scheduled but didn't schedule any pee breaks. Only fun he's going to have in Times Square is looking for a restroom.; 1/19/26, 7:12 AM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: AI Answers: Richard Feynman frequently explored the mathematical and physical nature of time :

"Time and Probability: In Quantum Mechanics, Feynman utilized the concept of "squaring" values—specifically squaring the length of probability "arrows" (complex numbers) associated with the time a photon takes to travel—to determine the probability of an event."

To coffee or not to coffee.; 1/19/26, 7:16 AM
Sean Gleeson said...: Of course he wouldn't mention pee breaks. Anywhere you can stop for food or beverages will have restrooms, so those are already factored into his trip.; 1/19/26, 7:16 AM
Leland said...: Making road trips great again.; 1/19/26, 7:18 AM
rehajm said...: Mister Lennon’s pithy comment expresses a big AI problem- an inability to identify and discount propaganda.; 1/19/26, 7:23 AM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Tesla trucks are eyes catchers. A lot of businesses use them as billboards here in GA.; 1/19/26, 7:27 AM
Joe Bar said...: From New. York City
Where a diamond hard surface of glitter and froth hides a pulsing miasma of heartbreak and shame.

From New York City
Where armed debutantes hold the middle classes at bay.

From New York City
Where "Trust" is just a name on a bank.; 1/19/26, 7:30 AM
rehajm said...: Dark Fruit Bat has joined the comments…; 1/19/26, 7:30 AM
narciso said...: Paging snake plissken; 1/19/26, 7:34 AM
WWPaulKlee said...: First, what about programming in sites and time for charging the battery?
Second, I didn’t get to the mattress post, so I’ll add this here. The mattress tags say not to be removed except by the consumer. So I often take them off. Problem is, our brand had a recall for certain models/years. Ours qualified, but without the tag, I couldn’t take advantage of the warranty terms. So it goes.; 1/19/26, 7:35 AM
Jaq said...: My lease comes up in a year and a half, if it works as advertised, and that becomes the consensus at that time, it would be worth a chunk of change. As I age, I can feel that my reflexes and ability to quickly assess complex situations and make rapid judgements accurately is declining. My risk-reward calculations have changed.; 1/19/26, 7:46 AM
John henry said...: I learned yesterday that NY gov hochul called out the NY state national guard in 2024 and it has been patrolling the NYC subways ever since.

Another fun fact about new york city!

John Henry; 1/19/26, 7:52 AM
Joe Bar said...: Another "Fun" city.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oZzgAjjuqZM&pp=ygUXY2xldmVsYW5kIHRvdXJpc20gdmlkZW8%3D

Although, I admit Sean has a legit beef with the town.; 1/19/26, 7:53 AM
Dude1394 said...: Just purchased a Tesla about a month ago in preparation of my ( and spouses ) declining reflexes. I haven’t “driven” anywhere in a month. Amazingly stress relieving to not have your head on a swivel analyzing what everyone is doing 360 degrees. I also am not jockeying for position, planning the path through traffic or making sure I make the turnoff. It has been pretty damn amazing. It was the right move I believe in my dotage. It is also thr most traffic law abiding car on the road it appears.; 1/19/26, 7:59 AM
Larry J said...: I see self-driving cars as potentially a great thing for the handicapped and the elderly. I’m not there yet, but I can see my wife and I giving up our cars and getting one self-driving car in 5-10 years. It’ll give us the freedom to maintain our independence while being safer for everyone.; 1/19/26, 8:09 AM
rehajm said...: Those instructions. …so Grok, what is the name of the bus driver?; 1/19/26, 8:15 AM
Howard said...: To all of you people who want the car to drive yourself and right now are using the map program to get you everywhere you want to go, say hello to accelerating your diminishing mental capacity and motor skill reflexes.

Civilization has resulted in a progressively piecemeal decline in the skills and activities that human beings evolved to accomplish. Driving is a long way from taking a long walk in the woods looking for some antelope to kill.

However it's one of the things that we still do ourselves. You keep taking away these types of activities what you're actually doing is giving up. In a way you are living like you are dead already.; 1/19/26, 8:20 AM
Louie the Looper said...: Remember Mayor Lindsay’s campaign to label NYC “Fun City”? Johnny Carson had a lot of fun with that.; 1/19/26, 8:21 AM
Howard said...: The Sean Aston Ono comment reminds me of the arrogant folks from the bay area of California who insist upon calling San Francisco The City and cringe when tourists call it Frisco or San Fran.; 1/19/26, 8:23 AM
Howard said...: I keep saying more and more cyber trucks around in center Mass. However I have never seen a cyber truck kitted out for work; 1/19/26, 8:23 AM
rehajm said...: …and whatcha gonna do when it starts raining snowing fogging half way to your destination?; 1/19/26, 8:24 AM
rehajm said...: …the trades coming to my community have a few of them, one is wrapped but none kitted out, only stuff in the bed. I thought not having to kit them out was part of the point of the design?; 1/19/26, 8:28 AM
Howard said...: rehajm: it's not a van where you can mostly hide all of your tools and equipment.; 1/19/26, 8:42 AM
narciso said...: Mamdani’s equity czar faces backlash over deleted anti-white X posts: ‘Tax them to the white meat!’ | The Post Millennial | thepostmillennial.com https://share.google/25aew5Qx0Sr6ZEM2N; 1/19/26, 8:43 AM
Dude1394 said...: Ah, driving isn’t the be all, end all for cognitive functions. It’s just a fact that your relexes and ability to stay ever diligent in a very large metal object with many more metal objects who are texting and not paying attention swirling around you will diminish. Until one day your kiddos will take your keys away.; 1/19/26, 8:53 AM
Howard said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/19/26, 8:57 AM
rehajm said...: tiktok cyber work truck; 1/19/26, 9:00 AM
Marcus Bressler said...: Aww. I bet a lot of tourists that visited Times Square thought it was fun.; 1/19/26, 9:05 AM
Limited blogger said...: Sean seems like a decent chap.; 1/19/26, 9:50 AM
Lazarus said...: In the future, your parents will download their personalities and upload them into your car so they'll always be with you, just like in Jerry Van Dyke's sitcom.; 1/19/26, 9:55 AM
Peachy said...: It's not fun anymore. Bring your bhurka; 1/19/26, 10:29 AM
Joe Bar said...: Howard said...
"However I have never seen a cyber truck kitted out for work"

I saw two last week with ladder racks. One had a bunch of plywood and tools, and the other had a half pallet of stone bricks.; 1/19/26, 11:12 AM
JK Brown said...: It's been more than 30 years since GPS and "nav" programs have been out in the public. Surely people should know by now, that you can't trust the magic box.

Early on, it was boaters dropping the waypoint in the middle of the boat basin and setting course without seeing if they needed to go around the breakwater. So many boats hit....land.

Routing is a problem solving skill and AI isn't good at solving problems, just in running scenarios real fast. But in the end, you, the human have to apply some intelligence. Or you can just ride the machine to the crash site.; 1/19/26, 11:27 AM
john mosby said...: Joe Bar: “ I saw two last week with ladder racks. One had a bunch of plywood and tools, and the other had a half pallet of stone bricks.”

Were they headed for a riot? CC, JSM; 1/19/26, 11:48 AM
John henry said...: Howard, I agree about GPS and slide rules.

In the 68 Navy I spent 4 weeks in prep school for the Nuclear power program. Everybody did. Basic math, algebra, chemistry and some other stuff. Also 2 hours a day, 5 days a week, learning how to use a slide rule.

You can't use a slide rule without having some idea of the answer before you even start. You can't use a slide rule without being able to set the math out on paper first.

If you think the answer should be between 50 and 75 but your calculation comes out 2,037, you know one of them is wrong and go back and check. It gives you a feel for the math you will never get from a calculator or computer.

Nuclear reactors run on math, not atoms. In the Navy, that meant a bunch of HS grads manipulating slide rules.

Ditto maps. I love my GPS when I am traveling. But I never have any idea of where I am or even which direction I am heading. I like to have a map with me.

Son, grandson and I went to Zion National Park last year. We came out the back entrance and lost GPS. I knew we could get to Hurricane and back on the Interstate from there cuz id done it before. But without a map we could not figure out how and there was nobody to ask.

Finally, after an hour, we went back to the park, drove through again, and eventually got back to the Interstate.

John Henry; 1/19/26, 12:40 PM
John henry said...: In 92 I tried to give my Navy slide rule to my daughter as she headed off to engineering school. Ohhhhhh nooooo..... DAD!

She had to have a fancy-schmancy $300 graphing calculator.
Ditto granddaughter when she went off to eng school a couple years ago. A slide rule? Not on your life. She had to have a top of the line I-Pad. (Yeah, I bought it. I'm a softie)

She did call me one day last year to tell me that one of her older profs had brought a slide rule to class and she was the only one who knew what it was.

John Henry; 1/19/26, 12:45 PM
rrsafety said...: For visitors, Times Square makes for a very memorable visit.; 1/19/26, 1:53 PM
Jaq said...: I used to get a kick out of how many calculations I could pile on top of each other with that slide rule. I wish I still had it. Three moves equals a fire, as the Chinese proverb has it.; 1/19/26, 2:28 PM
Jaq said...: As I recall, the professors were very ambivalent about calculators, and kind of encouraged us to use the slide rules, which was fine with me, I didn't have $75 whole dollars, a month's rent, for a machine whose only improvement on the slide rule were a few extra digits in the answer that were of no real utility anyway.; 1/19/26, 2:32 PM
Fritz said...: My wife and I were both science majors back in the 70s. Learning to use a slide rule was part of our first chemistry class. One Christmas, my parents bought us a simple electronic calculator that could add, subtract, multiply and divide. That was kind of cool.

Come the next Carrington Event, those of us who know how to use them will be in demand.; 1/19/26, 3:53 PM
Beasts of England said...: ’Sean seems like a decent chap.’

I follow him on X and he has some very reasoned takes on most topics. It has to be difficult to approach normalcy from such a notable background and surname, but I give him credit for doing so.; 1/19/26, 6:08 PM

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