locked up tight as a drum

That's what the United Nations is when the General
Assembly is in session (as it was recently—I saw both
Obama and Quaddafi drive by). There are police
everywhere, and they actually remove the mailboxes
for several blocks around the UN. These trucks were
stationed at 2nd Ave. and 42nd Street. You couldn't
go east of here on foot or in a vehicle unless
you had UN ID. I did manage to get through, so I
must be special (or invisible).

who goes there?

I came up out of the subway on 42nd Street this

morning just in time to see this cavalcade head

east toward the UN. Two cops on motorcycles at

the front, 12 or 15 cars, then an ambulance

bringing up the rear.  There wasn't a flag on any

of the cars, which made me think it was Ahmedinejad.

It's a huge pain for NY whenever they have the General

Assembly.  Cops everywhere, traffic tie-ups (they had to

clear several blocks of 42nd St. just for this little

parade), a security nightmare.  They even removed

mailboxes!  On the other hand, my colleague at

work did see M et Mme Sarkozy going into Cipriani 
the other night.  Big doings in the Big Apple.