I keep thinking that New York -- the city that never sleeps -- needs to turn in to a 24 hour city. It ought to put its proverbial money where its proverbial mouth is. Why do we bother having locks on our store doors? The doors ought to be open all the time. Why should they close? How many times do you spend hours looking for a 24 hour pharmacy, or a restaurant that is open as late as when you get out of a show? Why do bars have "last calls"? Here are 10 reasons I came up with, off the top of my head, for why stores and businesses in New York should not close.

1) You will be able to get anything you want at any time. What excuse does a resturant have for closing at 11 PM? Why shoun't everything be always available? I want my services all the time.

2) More Jobs. If all stores and businesses were always open, they would need to be staffed. That will force them all to hire more people. They can spread thir staff ouver the course of 24 hours, so it won't triple the staff, but it will increase it.

3) People will be able to work on a more comfortable schedule. Why get up at 7 AM to get to work by 9 AM? Just get up when is comfortable, and work out a schedule that works for you. Day people can take day jobs and night peopel can take night jobs.

4) No rush hour. People will be getting to work at all hours, thus spreading the traffic out throughout the day. Deliveries can come at any time, and there will be no time consttraints. Hence there will be less traffic. Parking will be easier too.

5) Stock markets in other countries will always be watched. There will be no worrying that the change will affect some company. There will be people there monitoring it all the time. All financial companies will be awake all the time.

6) Stores will have shorter lines. People will all be on such different schedules that they will shop and see movies and do other entertainment things at different hours. Lines will be a bit shorter.

7) No Jet-lag for tourists. I am sure they will appreciate just continuing on their schedule. (Good attraction.)

8) Safety -- If the streets will always be used, at all times, they will be safer. Is many people start work at say, 2 AM, then there will be many people about. That has to increase safety.

9) School facilities can be used round-the-clock. It will make more efficient use of the existing buildings, and relieve overcrowding.

10) If everyone works the same hours then, as anyone who had to work and pick up a package from their home post office knows, things are twice as hard to get done. How can you accept delivery of something if you are at work? If UPS and you work the same hours, then one of you has a real problem. Imagine all the hassle that would be saved by never shutting companies down.

This is something that should lefinitely be encouraged. Maybe the mayor should announce a new NY-24 campaign -celebrating the city that never sleeps.