i have just received a stunningly beautiful brochure for a fascinating book, DAS WELLNESS-PRINZIP by the Swiss-Austrian couple who are Olympic athletes, Jacqueline Walcher-Schneider and Jörg Walcher. I see that their very impressive biographies are available at: http://wellbeing24-7.com/biographie/jacqueline_walcher_schneider/index.html and http://wellbeing24-7.com/biographie/joerg_walcher/index.html
Published by Draksal Fachverlag in Leipzig, the brochure publcises chapters titled "WellBody", "WellThink", "WellFamily", "WellJob", and "WellMoney".
That seems pretty comprehensive to me, and I am looking forward to reading it.
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
Situation on the road between Zurich and Basel
My son told me yesterday that someone driving from Basel to Zurich to see him was delayed by an hour for the appointment only because of how busy the road (there is one principal road) has become!
I don't think that road was ever particularly efficient but now seems to be impossible.
Even though I oftn draw attention to the deterioration of public transport in Switzerland, it is still one of the best in the world: boats, buses and trains are more or less regular and reliable - and the scheduled travel time is only 53 minutes between Basel and Zurich.
Driving in Switzerland is increasingly unjustifiable except in the more remote areas which may not be so well served by public transport. But even there, one must value travel time very low to be able to justify driving, or value mere convenience more than overall efficiency and productivity.
I don't think that road was ever particularly efficient but now seems to be impossible.
Even though I oftn draw attention to the deterioration of public transport in Switzerland, it is still one of the best in the world: boats, buses and trains are more or less regular and reliable - and the scheduled travel time is only 53 minutes between Basel and Zurich.
Driving in Switzerland is increasingly unjustifiable except in the more remote areas which may not be so well served by public transport. But even there, one must value travel time very low to be able to justify driving, or value mere convenience more than overall efficiency and productivity.
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Swiss Train Maintenance
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.
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, 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.
Saturday, 31 December 2011
On the SBB's planning for stations
I have long been irritated by the fact that the town in which I live has some 10,000 inhabitants but the "new" station has "pick up and drop" facilities that provide parking for only TWO cars. Moreover, those cars have to be Smarts or some such very small car to actually fit into the parking space provided. If a car is any larger, it does not fit into "its" space and creates problems then for the 2nd car that might theoretically fit into that space. That also creates problems for the taxis that are supposed to be parked contiguously there (again, two spaces only) as well as for the continuously parked public buses!
I notice also that all (or at least many) "new" SBB stations are being built without drinking water fountains. No doubt this may be very good for vendors of bottled water and other drinks, but it is bad for customers who don't want to be forced to buy plain water that is provided at very good quality on the basis of taxes that we already pay.
I notice also that all (or at least many) "new" SBB stations are being built without drinking water fountains. No doubt this may be very good for vendors of bottled water and other drinks, but it is bad for customers who don't want to be forced to buy plain water that is provided at very good quality on the basis of taxes that we already pay.
Tuesday, 6 December 2011
Trains continue to be late
Yesterday morning, the regular service for Zurich which should have arrived at Weinfelden Station at 9.26 a.m., saw the train arriving instead at 9.31.25 a.m.
There was no pre-announcement regarding the delay, no explanation for the delay, and no apologies.
There was no pre-announcement regarding the delay, no explanation for the delay, and no apologies.
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