We have three tongues, each is 10 feet long; would you need porn in my position?

Weeellll, Tove was from the Swedish side of Finland, just don't mention that around Finns. Besides, the stories themselves are much more in line with the Finnish way of approaching life than the Swedish. This is rather nuanced though. The Moomin stories/movies are rather dark and the antithesis of Disney. I find them rather scary, even as an adult.

And CH is not terribly similar, save maybe in the very large picture sense that it's a country, filled with people.

In that position I'd have trouble seeing it...

well, for me its quite simple, if u dont like it...u know where to go!

seems like you like your freedoms and want to be as free as possible, which is why you like switzerland. so, did you know that switzerland has banned to construction of a particular shaped tower that is used by some of its citizens for religious purposes (aka minarets)? and that they are considering banning a particular garment which some of their citizens may chose to wear (aka burqa)?

i realize these may not bother you at the moment, but nevertheless its an indication that your freedoms can be taken away from you easily if the majority of swiss voters chose so. this cant happen in the USA as you have a strong constitution that protects the minorities rights against the majority. this is a hard earned american freedom that you may not appreciate at the moment...

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz I should have stayd at work

Being from Switzerland, you don't

1. have to pay taxes in Switzerland if you move abroad
2. have to pay taxes to the Swiss government if you renounce your Swiss citizenship
3. get groped and sexually harassed at Swiss airports

And Switzerland does not

1. have a weak currency that is on the verge of failing completely
2. have a government which is on the verge of total bankruptcy

I agree with you about the tower-building and clothes-wearing. I agree with you that the Swiss are moving, just like most countries, in the wrong direction in this respect. This is why I emphasized clearly that the Swiss must retain the values that made them prosper. Sadly, they seem to be on the wrong track. I find it sad that in a democracy, 51% of the people can so easily take away the rights of the other 49%.

The US is also on the wrong track. In the long run I have faith in the US -- because of its constitution and roots in liberty -- but in the short term it will first have to collapse before it can start rebuilding itself.

So in the short run, I am forced to look upon Switzerland as the best choice. But don't worry, the US will prosper in the long run too, given that it sticks to its Constitution, which it is nowhere close of doing these days.

Being the secret bankers of Nazis, various war lords, and drug cartels?

So in the short run, I am forced to look upon Switzerland as the best choice. But don't worry, the US will prosper in the long run too, given that it sticks to its Constitution, which it is nowhere close of doing these days.[/QUOTE]

Could you possibly be more self-contradictory? Oh, and why is it the people most critical of an institution that they profess to love are always the least likely to stick around and try to make things better? 'Oh...I'll monitor things from afar and encourage you all to do better! Won't that be fun?!'

Erm...you need to do your homework at bit better. If a referendum result is 51% / 49%, the 51% side very often has to negotiate and compromise with the 49% side or they risk losing the next time there is a repeat referendum on the same subject.

Cheers,
Nick

Dont worry, John Boehner and the "boys" are going to sort it all out

First point...this might not happen in Swiis airports but it happened to me on the train when crossing the border, they were looking for receipts and practically took my purse without asking...Second point, that might not be such a good point for companies who operate from CH.

A strong franc is good for a cheapie-cheap holiday to the US, though...

I am already packing

I still don't believe the first decent bicycle was made in SCOTLAND of all places

Can you breathe through your ears?

Not any more....




/sorry

Yes, this is true.

Tom

Would it not be more correct to say "bears similarities to.." rather than "influenced by..."?

Hallo???! Nee!
It was made in NL by a Meneer Fiets (aka Viets)

EDIT: it was a joke, I think Mn Viets was the first one to buy one in NL

I grew up on having them read, great stories, you can find a lot of them books here in Payot. The films are too dark for a 4yr old, though, I have one that is just a giant storm. Not scary for me, since these have trained me



I will fish out some thread we have here on Scandinavia, need to get rid of my pink glasses..

You will go to no man's land if you don't stop the unsightly text speak, thanks.

So, what have we concluded on the ode to CH?

__________________
"L'homme ne peut pas remplacer son coeur avec sa tete, ni sa tete avec ses mains." J.H. Pestalozzi

“The only difference between a rut and a grave is a matter of depth.” S.P. Cadman

"Imagination is more important than knowledge." A. Einstein