Today, I was shocked and awed to learn that in Brazil, ATMs still close at night. It reminds me of the old Brazilian joke about the restaurant that closes for lunch.

I was still living there when this was first done, as a temporary measure to save energy during a brownout. Then after the energy crisis was over, the banks decided to keep it a little longer, because of the interesting Brazilian phenomenon of the "flash kidnapping": criminals will pick up someone who looks like they have money (preferably drunk), take the person to the ATM, and demand a ransom. Ah, the wonders of technology; in the old days you'd have to wait days for a ransom, and go to the trouble of having a place to store the hostage, feed him, all that unending mafan...

Now seriously. I can understand this as a temporary solution. But it strikes me that places everywhere else in the world still have ATMs, and they don't close at night. And really, what are ATMs for, if not for getting money when the banks are closed? The logic behind this measure amazes me. Freedom for security? Apparently, we're willing to throw in comfort, convenience, heck, even logic!

Well, bank agencies get robbed, so let's not have banks anymore.  And let's fill all dark alleys with concrete and build over all squares so that drug dealers have no place to work anymore, why not?

Hey wait a minute, I have a brilliant idea! What about we don't have CORNERS anymore??? Think about it! No prostitutes, no traffic accidents...

Oh man, and people say China is hardcore.  And people ask me when I'm going back!  Care to take a guess?