Oh, I am not defending Switzerland, per say. I am an American and I have the ideal that people define themselves. We may not like it but there you go. Now if my government would just stop trying to run other countries...

I don't think that is valid comparison. London is ancient and although Zurich is no spring chicken there is a difference between the way they have been "lived in" over the centuries.

But to me any comparison is invidious. Where else in the world do you get small cities that are quite tidy and clean. (excepting cigarette butts, of course ) I mean seriously, what is the guy saying? Don't forget that grubby has many implications. He could mean that Zurich is loosing its polish and doesn't look as refined as it once did. I wouldn't know. I thought that it seemed fairly nice when I was there last spring.

<Edit>
OK, I finally read the article.
While most of it true after a stilted fashion. It is irrelevant. Switzerland survived before the banking secrecy laws and will probably continue to survive after them. The author seems to writing in a style of, Switzerland is too Swiss, oops, now it isn't Swiss enough. Oh, now it is too Swiss again... Etc, ad nauseum."

What the author needs to realise is that whilst his musings may have factual basis, they are irrelevant to the people of Switzerland. I am sure that the Swiss would be the first to point out that his living here for a while doesn't and won't ever make him Swiss.

Last time I checked Switzerland doesn't need some two bit Hack to validate it's existence. Nor does it matter what the EU thinks as Switzerland is a sovereign country and will continue to wield that sovereignty with jealous authority. Truly, this is the one thing on which I wholeheartedly agree with the Swiss.

Brian.