Safe haven

On a recent trip to Brazil, Judy Green was reminded why foreign investors find the U.S. so attractive.

A waiter at an upscale restaurant in São Paulo used a special tie to lock Green's purse to her dining chair. After Green gave him a puzzled look, the waiter kindly explained that the measure was to prevent a thief from making off with her purse.

At the hotel where she was staying, Green was warned to stay close to the lobby and not to step onto the sidewalk while waiting for a taxi. That's because motorcycle-riding criminals have been known to roar up to unsuspecting visitors and demand their money and jewelry at gunpoint.