Life in New York, 2002: I was planning to head downtown tonight, but with all the cop presence on the streets (two of them hunkered down in my co-writer’s lobby alone — trespassing, but who ya gonna call?) I figured the bus would likely be blockaded from getting there, and that would put me on the train at 3am or so. In other words, more cop presence on the streets makes me less safe. And considering my political views, I don’t think anyone should be surprised. (Think that’s extreme? They’re asking random pedestrians for ID. Somehow I don’t think they’re going to accept my ACLU membership card.)