Train chaos and demise of a pineapple

Yesterday, a train derailed and knocked down a power line on one of Rio''s few and appallingly bad train lines (hilariously called the SuperVia). Our handyman, plus another 599,999 people, were without this transport option for 11 hours. Many of them, including Ronaldo, walked a long way down the tracks to get past the accident and eventually make their way to their workplaces.

Subsequently, the State Transport secretary and the train line president met on the line and blamed decades of abandonment (i.e., blaming previous administrations), promising a final solution for....2016, when new trains will start operating. Surprisingly, they met with hostility from the ex-passengers.

This country imposes one of the highest tax burdens in the world and gives precious little in return - public health care and education are a disgrace, transport systems, roads and general infrastructures pathetic and corruption monumental. So now we'll have the World Cup and the Olympics - if we manage to get ready in time. The government is definitely working on the panem et circenses principle. Sometimes I wonder why we still love it and why we're still here - I guess you can love a country and the people (well, most of them) and still hate the politicians, corrupt officials and fat cats.

And the pineapple in the corner of the paper? My mini-pineapple, tragically decapitated by an unknown hand. I'm very sad.