The standard of maintenance on Swiss trains is falling.
On my last visit to Zurich, I noticed that one of the electronic display systems on the train between the Hauptbahnhof and Wiedikon was on the blink (not working at all).
And, on the same day, on the SBB's IC train, cables were hanging out below one of the seats opposite me.
Wednesday 22 February 2012
Wednesday 8 February 2012
Swiss regulator stepping up watch on real estate bubble in Switzerland
That's what the following story claims:
http://www.foxbusiness.com/news/2012/01/25/swiss-regulator-steps-up-focus-on-housing-market-boom-survey/#ixzz1kZ9LBQm9
As you might expect, the story talks about risks building up in the Swiss economy and other such nice and interesting things, without tackling the key question that real estate prices are shooting up in the principal cities such Geneva and Zurich mainly because foreigners are bringing in cash for the purpose.
http://www.foxbusiness.com/news/2012/01/25/swiss-regulator-steps-up-focus-on-housing-market-boom-survey/#ixzz1kZ9LBQm9
As you might expect, the story talks about risks building up in the Swiss economy and other such nice and interesting things, without tackling the key question that real estate prices are shooting up in the principal cities such Geneva and Zurich mainly because foreigners are bringing in cash for the purpose.
Thursday 2 February 2012
Switzerland's decline now reaching the level of the UK in at least one respect
Due to the apprenticeship system, the quality of work that one got in practical things (mechanical and technical matters, gardening, cooking, sales and marketing, IT matters, medical help from nurses etc) used to be very high - perhaps the highest in the world. And, due to the influence of the Bible and the influence of a close community, the level of honesty and reliability was also at least one of the highest in the world.
When I first came to Switzerland on a more-or-less long term basis (at that time we did not have any idea how long we would stay), all this had, we now realise, just started eroding.
I have been documenting the evidence of the erosion in this blog.
Yesterday, my son told me that he had approached 4 different companies to come and look at a cistern that was giving trouble, and which his colleagues, he and the house caretaker could sort out between them. Of these 4 companies, two companies declined the work. One said that he would ring back but never did. The fourth said that he would come, and set a date and time, but then simply did not turn up (no explanation, no apology). Fortunately for my son, he and his housewart and colleagues continued to struggle to understand what was wrong, and to experiment, and finally worked out a solution.
This reminds me of the situation which had already begun to develop in the UK by the 1970s (no idea if it is better or worse today - but, frankly, I would be extremely pleasantly surprised if it is better).
Cultures can be relatively easily and quickly eroded, but they take a long time to build up again.
Swiss politicians, looking at symptoms of decline of their society (such as the erosion in the work ethic), and seeking to solve that by importing people who have no allegiance to the core values of the country, have clearly either ignored, or not even thought of, the consequences of their policies.
When I first came to Switzerland on a more-or-less long term basis (at that time we did not have any idea how long we would stay), all this had, we now realise, just started eroding.
I have been documenting the evidence of the erosion in this blog.
Yesterday, my son told me that he had approached 4 different companies to come and look at a cistern that was giving trouble, and which his colleagues, he and the house caretaker could sort out between them. Of these 4 companies, two companies declined the work. One said that he would ring back but never did. The fourth said that he would come, and set a date and time, but then simply did not turn up (no explanation, no apology). Fortunately for my son, he and his housewart and colleagues continued to struggle to understand what was wrong, and to experiment, and finally worked out a solution.
This reminds me of the situation which had already begun to develop in the UK by the 1970s (no idea if it is better or worse today - but, frankly, I would be extremely pleasantly surprised if it is better).
Cultures can be relatively easily and quickly eroded, but they take a long time to build up again.
Swiss politicians, looking at symptoms of decline of their society (such as the erosion in the work ethic), and seeking to solve that by importing people who have no allegiance to the core values of the country, have clearly either ignored, or not even thought of, the consequences of their policies.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)