Free hairstyling at a favela community event: life does go on

The Games could come as a welcome respite to so much tragedy, in Rio and beyond Rio. They may inspire unity, sportsmanship and optimism, rare just now. They may pass relatively unnoticed, as the country noisily seeks solutions to political, social and economic gridlock. Or, the way things are going, God forbid, even worse catastrophes than have already befallen the Marvelous City could come to pass.

After last week’s holiday cycling path collapse, killing at least two, locals managed to laugh in the darkest manner: someone online suggested that ISIS could ignore Rio 2016 and just let events play out naturally.

Listening to revved-up chamber music at the Morro dos Prazeres, by the Camerata de Laranjeiras

An Olympic official, asked a few weeks ago about the general lack of enthusiasm, said cities always experience a last-minute mood change, he’s seen it over and over again. OK…