 | | | 
12.01.2009, 03:30
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ticino
Posts: 3,087
Groaned at 96 Times in 67 Posts
Thanked 4,068 Times in 1,619 Posts
| | Re: Little known odd "facts" about Switzerland
Did you know that just after the First World War 80% of the population of Vorarlberg (Austria) voted in favour of negotiations to become part of Switzerland. The whole project came to nought as the French-speaking part of Switzerland was less than enthusiastic about a significant increase in the size of the German-speaking part of the country.
| This user would like to thank Snoopy for this useful post: | | 
12.01.2009, 08:05
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Lausanne (Previously)
Posts: 763
Groaned at 7 Times in 6 Posts
Thanked 1,107 Times in 500 Posts
| | Re: Little known odd "facts" about Switzerland | Quote: | |  | | | The Swiss invented the cuckoo clock in 56,000BC.
| | | | | Ok... if you insist... | Quote: | |  | | | when a potential daddy cuckoo and a potential mummy cuckoo meet, they don't realise what each other are and so cannot mate. | | | | |
I'm not even going to start on that one... | Quote: | |  | | | Clockologists | | | | | Clockologist?... Seriously?... Sure you don't mean Horologist? | Quote: | |  | | | The male clock cuckoo builds an elaborate clocklike nest in an attempt to attract a mate, who will lay her eggs inside the nest after mating. Both sexes in the pair feed the young until they leave the nest via the little door thoughtfully constructed by the male parent. | | | | | Ok. Everything with a pince of salt, I suspect...
Nice stories all the same...
| This user would like to thank sharkey for this useful post: | | 
12.01.2009, 09:10
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Zürich
Posts: 4,521
Groaned at 18 Times in 16 Posts
Thanked 2,208 Times in 1,248 Posts
| | Re: Little known odd "facts" about Switzerland | Quote: | |  | | | The whole project came to nought as the French-speaking part of Switzerland was less than enthusiastic about a significant increase in the size of the German-speaking part of the country. | | | | | Ok I'll bite: There also was international pressure to respect Austria's territorial integrity after it was defeated in World War I.
| The following 2 users would like to thank Nathu for this useful post: | | 
12.01.2009, 11:08
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ticino
Posts: 3,087
Groaned at 96 Times in 67 Posts
Thanked 4,068 Times in 1,619 Posts
| | Re: Little known odd "facts" about Switzerland | Quote: | |  | | | Ok I'll bite: There also was international pressure to respect Austria's territorial integrity after it was defeated in World War I. | | | | | I'm not a historian and it is something I remember from a project I did at high school, many, many, many moons ago. The ravages of age may have led to some data loss. Many thanks to Nathu for this additional tidbit of information! | 
12.01.2009, 15:37
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: canada
Posts: 6,913
Groaned at 182 Times in 142 Posts
Thanked 6,191 Times in 3,404 Posts
| | Re: Little known odd "facts" about Switzerland | Quote: | |  | | | Did you know that just after the First World War 80% of the population of Vorarlberg (Austria) voted in favour of negotiations to become part of Switzerland. The whole project came to nought as the French-speaking part of Switzerland was less than enthusiastic about a significant increase in the size of the German-speaking part of the country. | | | | | Thanks god it didn`t came true ,I am in no mood to learn austrian  
Last edited by cannut; 12.01.2009 at 19:16.
| 
14.01.2009, 23:13
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: England
Posts: 5,273
Groaned at 15 Times in 14 Posts
Thanked 5,284 Times in 2,568 Posts
| | Re: Little known odd "facts" about Switzerland
I just spotted this on SwissInfo: | Quote: |  | | | In Ticino, the restaurateur "must provide water free of charge when serving a main meal". | | | | | Everywhere else you can expect to get charged for it.
Here is the link to the full article: http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/front/Fr...0&ty=st&ref=nl
Basically, outside Ticino, anyone may charge for tap water. I was offered it free a couple of times when I was in Zurich recently. I didn't ever request it so I don't know how common that is.
In the UK, I would guess that more places would charge than offer tap water free. Some justify this by saying that you are paying for the service and washing up, not the water!
__________________ "I'll say I can't tell you when, But if my spirit is strong, I know it can't be long, No questions I'm not alone, Somehow I'll find my way home" Rod
Last edited by jrspet; 14.01.2009 at 23:33.
| This user would like to thank Deep Purple for this useful post: | | 
14.01.2009, 23:31
| | Re: Little known odd "facts" about Switzerland | Quote: | |  | | | Not really....
If you are talking about what used to be Sulzer, they are now owned by a Finnish company "Wartsila". The part of the company that used to be Sulzer are mainly involved in the 2-stroke engine business and don't actually manufacture much in Winterthur anymore <snip> | | | | | Going back to my youth in the textile manufacturing part of Yorkshire, Sulzer weaving looms were regarded as the very best that money could buy. | Quote: | |  | | | Ethnically, the Amish are among the most genetically pure Swiss Germans in the world. Their native tongue is a low-German dialect, and they use high German in church and school. | | | | | Several months ago I watched the film "Witness" which features an Amish community. I was very surprised when some of the German bits sounded so like Swiss German. This explains why.
| This user would like to thank for this useful post: | | 
15.01.2009, 00:52
| | Re: Little known odd "facts" about Switzerland | Quote: | |  | | | In the UK, I would guess that more places would charge than offer tap water free. Some justify this by saying that you are paying for the service and washing up, not the water! | | | | | When I was a post-student chemical adventurer, some of my more impecunious companions would frequently ask for - and get served - a pint of tapwater for nothing.
Of course, we all knew they were angling for a sympathy pint of bitter from those of us who were actually working for a living, but nevertheless, their requests were always met.
They explained that pubs were obliged to provide free tapwater for their guests, and they also occasionally wittered on about straw for hansom cabs, too.
Haven't a clue if any of this is true, but I just thought I'd share. | This user would like to thank for this useful post: | | 
15.01.2009, 01:51
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: canada
Posts: 6,913
Groaned at 182 Times in 142 Posts
Thanked 6,191 Times in 3,404 Posts
| | Re: Little known odd "facts" about Switzerland | Quote: | |  | | | I was going through this article ( http://www.how-to.com/Operations/angel-investor.htm ) and came across this : In 1471, in Basel, Switzerland, a chicken laid a brightly colored egg and was put on trial for being "a devil in disguise." After being found guilty, the chicken was burned | | | | |
we over here in canada call it BBQ
Last edited by Scott; 15.01.2009 at 09:12.
Reason: Fixed quote
| 
15.01.2009, 11:58
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Zürich
Posts: 4,521
Groaned at 18 Times in 16 Posts
Thanked 2,208 Times in 1,248 Posts
| | Re: Little known odd "facts" about Switzerland
It was an egg-laying cock that was burnt at the stake in Basel in 1471. ( Source among many others)
| 
15.01.2009, 13:02
| | Re: Little known odd "facts" about Switzerland | Quote: | |  | | | Basically, outside Ticino, anyone may charge for tap water. I was offered it free a couple of times when I was in Zurich recently. I didn't ever request it so I don't know how common that is. | | | | | In the Baden area, whether a legal thing or not, I have been repeatedly told that it is acceptable to request a glass of tap water without charge while you read the job adverts in the bar provided newspapers. On occasions, I have asked for a glass of water myself and got it free of charge, although I've only done this in places where I am a regular paying customer.
One local bar which is frequented by quite a few unemployed used to do this until the day when a group of customers were sitting there all afternoon, all nursing their glasses of free tap water. This was quite rightly considered an abuse of the place's hospitality and they started charging.
All the places I usually frequent are quite happy to serve a free glass of tap water together with a cup of coffee. Some places automatically include a glass of water with a coffee anyway.
| 
15.01.2009, 21:38
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: England
Posts: 5,273
Groaned at 15 Times in 14 Posts
Thanked 5,284 Times in 2,568 Posts
| | Re: Little known odd "facts" about Switzerland | Quote: | |  | | | we over here in canada call it BBQ | | | | | | Quote: | |  | | | It was an egg-laying cock that was burnt at the stake in Basel in 1471. (Source among many others) | | | | | Burnt on a stake sounds more like spit-roast to me | This user would like to thank Deep Purple for this useful post: | | 
16.11.2010, 21:19
|  | Junior Member | | Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bern
Posts: 59
Groaned at 6 Times in 4 Posts
Thanked 27 Times in 17 Posts
| | Switzerland Fun Facts
Resource: http://hubpages.com/hub/Fun-Facts-about-Switzerland
The population is 7.785.806. Swiss provinces are called “cantons.” 70% of Switzerland is covered in mountains. There are palm trees in Switzerland! The landscape ranges from 643 feet above sea level in Ascona to 15,199 feet above sea level in The Dufour Peak. They are 43 miles apart. Switzerland has more than 1,500 lakes.
You are never more than 10 miles from a lake!
You can’t turn right at a red light.
There are more banks then dentists.
Switzerland does thing differently. They have no national flower, animal or motto.
The first “Bond Girl” Ursula Andress was Swiss.
60% of Switzerland’s electricity is produced by hydroelectric power. The Swiss rail system extends some 3,100 miles. Swiss rank second behind Japan in relying on trains.
Women are expected to live 6 yrs longer than men.
In 1471, a chicken in Basel was found guilty of laying a brightly colored egg and it was burned at the stake!
It was once against the law to slam your car door! I think that is a good law! You can’t mow your lawn dressed like Elvis!
Freddy Mercury and Queen bought a recording studio on Lake Geneva. There is a statue of Freddy on the shore!
There is also a statue of Charlie Chaplin! Charlie died there in 1977.
The song “Smoke on the Water” is about the smoke from a casino fire when Frank Zappa burned down a casino in Montreux.
The average Swiss eats 23lbs of chocolate per year compared to the 11.7lbs consumed by Americans.
James Bonds mother is Swiss.
Only one-quarter own their own homes. Most homes have bunkers, a result of the Cold War concerns of nuclear war.
Albert Einstein was working as a clerk when he proved his Theory of Relativity.
The typeface “Helvetica” was created in Switzerland.
Swiss army knives are red so they can be seen in the snow.
Every citizen is required by law to own a bomb shelter or access to one.
As a landlocked country they do very well in yachting events including the America’s Cup.
Holes in Swiss cheese are caused by carbon dioxide gas given off by the bacteria and also provided flavour and fermentation. Fondue was originally a peasant meal that used up old bread and cheese.
Arthur Conan Doyle brought skiing to Switzerland.
There are over 40 shipwrecks in Lake Geneva! Including 6 railway cars!
Switzerland has the highest consumption of soft drinks in the world!
There is only one Swiss astronaut named Claude Nicollier.
Switzerland has the most hospital beds per 1000 people. 5.8 beds.
FM radio stations are on both even and odd frequencies.
| 
16.11.2010, 21:31
| Forum Legend | | Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Vaud
Posts: 2,894
Groaned at 97 Times in 46 Posts
Thanked 1,932 Times in 921 Posts
| | Re: Switzerland Fun Facts
Fun facebook group:
You know you’re living in Switzerland when:
You see people on the streets wearing either black or grey....or black .
Your tap water tastes so clean and crisp like it just came from the fresh mountain source... Well that’s because it did.
You receive an invitation to pick up a registered letter at the post office before the letter actually arrived.
You get yelled at in the clothing store when you put back the hanger facing the wrong way.
You are terrified of going to any clothing stores.
You get your hangovers cured, by just breathing in the outside air in the morning.
The public bathrooms have their own automatic cleaning robots.
Your downstairs neighbor buys you slippers as a gift so that you don’t make too much noise.
You see kids on the streets with a fauxhawk on top and a mullet in the back .....trying to act tough.
Even the garbage doesn’t dare to pollute. I once saw a tic tac box that was thrown into the lake, and it was just floating at the source, refusing to go into the lake.
You ask a secretary for a request on the phone, and get a “sorry that will be impossible” before you even finish your sentence.
You get charged 200CHF for an “administrative fee” when you fill out paperwork ..... so basically paper.
You get a BIG smile on your face when you receive your pay checks.
You feel like you’re spending SO MUCH money, but still have TONS left over at the end of the month.
You wait in line at the grocery store not because there’s alot of people, but because the check out lady is chatting it up with one of the customers.
Did I mention that the check out lady gets to sit in a comfortable chair, doesn’t help you with anything, and yells at you if you dare putting heavy items on the rolling rug.
If you don’t receive good enough grades in the ninth grade to go into higher education it’s OK you still have the option of becoming a secretary OR a construction worker.
Did I mention that secretaries and Construction workers have to be certified and probably have a bigger salary than you do.
You’re not allowed to build any minarets.... of course you’re not! you can’t even hang curtains in your apartment without a formal written permission from your landlord....
and you get a fine if you hang your clothes from the balcony.... It just does not look good.
There are more hospitality schools here than there is actual hospitality.
Pollution? What’s that?
If you leave your house in sweatpants, people stare at you as if you just came out of an institute.
People drive slowly in the fast lane and slower in the slow lane.
When you order wine at the bar they fill it up to a specific line that’s on the wine glass...and a beer will cost you the same price as a keg. Just drink at home then!
If you’re in a hurry to get things done, you might as well move out then because as they say here “there’s no fire on the lake!”
| The following 3 users would like to thank Anthony1406 for this useful post: | | 
16.11.2010, 21:36
|  | Junior Member | | Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bern
Posts: 59
Groaned at 6 Times in 4 Posts
Thanked 27 Times in 17 Posts
| | Re: Switzerland Fun Facts | Quote: | |  | | | Fun facebook group:
You know you’re living in Switzerland when:
You see people on the streets wearing either black or grey....or black .
Your tap water tastes so clean and crisp like it just came from the fresh mountain source... Well that’s because it did.
You receive an invitation to pick up a registered letter at the post office before the letter actually arrived.
You get yelled at in the clothing store when you put back the hanger facing the wrong way.
You are terrified of going to any clothing stores.
You get your hangovers cured, by just breathing in the outside air in the morning.
The public bathrooms have their own automatic cleaning robots.
Your downstairs neighbor buys you slippers as a gift so that you don’t make too much noise.
You see kids on the streets with a fauxhawk on top and a mullet in the back .....trying to act tough.
Even the garbage doesn’t dare to pollute. I once saw a tic tac box that was thrown into the lake, and it was just floating at the source, refusing to go into the lake.
You ask a secretary for a request on the phone, and get a “sorry that will be impossible” before you even finish your sentence.
You get charged 200CHF for an “administrative fee” when you fill out paperwork ..... so basically paper.
You get a BIG smile on your face when you receive your pay checks.
You feel like you’re spending SO MUCH money, but still have TONS left over at the end of the month.
You wait in line at the grocery store not because there’s alot of people, but because the check out lady is chatting it up with one of the customers.
Did I mention that the check out lady gets to sit in a comfortable chair, doesn’t help you with anything, and yells at you if you dare putting heavy items on the rolling rug.
If you don’t receive good enough grades in the ninth grade to go into higher education it’s OK you still have the option of becoming a secretary OR a construction worker.
Did I mention that secretaries and Construction workers have to be certified and probably have a bigger salary than you do.
You’re not allowed to build any minarets.... of course you’re not! you can’t even hang curtains in your apartment without a formal written permission from your landlord....
and you get a fine if you hang your clothes from the balcony.... It just does not look good.
There are more hospitality schools here than there is actual hospitality.
Pollution? What’s that?
If you leave your house in sweatpants, people stare at you as if you just came out of an institute.
People drive slowly in the fast lane and slower in the slow lane.
When you order wine at the bar they fill it up to a specific line that’s on the wine glass...and a beer will cost you the same price as a keg. Just drink at home then!
If you’re in a hurry to get things done, you might as well move out then because as they say here “there’s no fire on the lake!” | | | | |
Funny n informative | 
16.11.2010, 22:19
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Glattbrugg
Posts: 18,978
Groaned at 332 Times in 257 Posts
Thanked 11,715 Times in 6,858 Posts
| | Re: Little known odd "facts" about Switzerland | Quote: | |  | | | I doubt either Lederhosen or Cuckoo clocks were in vented in Switzerland. They are both Bavarian... | | | | | The Cuckoo Clocks are NOT Bavarian but from Baden-Württemberg
| 
16.11.2010, 23:49
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Zürich
Posts: 8,691
Groaned at 383 Times in 263 Posts
Thanked 13,067 Times in 4,475 Posts
| | Re: Little known odd "facts" about Switzerland | Quote: | |  | | | The Cuckoo Clocks are NOT Bavarian but from Baden-Württemberg | | | | | And you are anal rententive...
| 
17.11.2010, 00:03
| | Re: Little known odd "facts" about Switzerland | Quote: | |  | | | The Cuckoo Clocks are NOT Bavarian but from Baden-Württemberg | | | | | Yet somehow the first documented descriptions of "the cuckoo clock" (in Saxony) significantly predate the establishment of clockmaking (never mind cuckoo clocks!) in Baden-Württemberg
Let me guess - the Baden-Württemberg ones are also time-machines | Quote: | |  | | | | | | | | And to make such a statement on a CH-oriented forum makes for unnecessary tautology, methinks | 
17.11.2010, 00:17
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Romandie
Posts: 2,552
Groaned at 26 Times in 23 Posts
Thanked 5,008 Times in 1,828 Posts
| | Re: Little known odd "facts" about Switzerland | Quote: | |  | | | Yet somehow the first documented descriptions of "the cuckoo clock" (in Saxony) significantly predate the establishment of clockmaking (never mind cuckoo clocks!) in Baden-Württemberg 
Let me guess - the Baden-Württemberg ones are also time-machines  | | | | | Shhhh! Don't mention time machines around Woli! | This user would like to thank Mud for this useful post: | | 
17.11.2010, 09:37
| Newbie 1st class | | Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Finland
Posts: 10
Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts
Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts
| | Re: Little known odd "facts" about Switzerland
When someone mentioned me for the first time that Switzerland has a navy, I found it funny. Of course it just seems to consists of small patrol boats so it makes sense.
Regarding the air force, must be also interesting to fly with a jet plane since it takes a commercial airplane around 20 minutes to cross the country (in the max. extension).
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Thread Tools | | Display Modes | Linear Mode |
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | All times are GMT +2. The time now is 00:51. | |