Posted on 10/08/2012 5:35:18 PM PDT by Kartographer
Do the Swiss know something the rest of us don’t?
Ueli Maurer, the Swiss defense minister, has been making coy statements about the European crisis getting ugly – as in really ugly, like needing armed troops to deal with it. This sounds more like Greece, where the rioting is regular and increasingly scary, than anything in Central Europe, but where the whole EU furball is headed does seem less than clear of late.
The Swiss are famous for preparing for everything and having an absolutely huge army, relative to their population, to deal with any eventuality. They maintain their special military system, based on training for nearly the whole male population but a very small active duty cadre (plus a few, tiny UN peacekeeping-type missions abroad, since the Swiss have an actually defensive defense force): the Swiss can call up over 200,000 trained troops, which is but one-third of what was on-call twenty years ago – like everyone, they have downsized as the threat has receded since the fall of the Soviet bloc – but that’s still pretty huge in Swiss terms. In America, that would mean a mobilization strength of nearly 8,000,000 for the U.S. military (it’s a hair under three million, in case you were wondering).
(Excerpt) Read more at zerohedge.com ...
Preppers’ PING!!
cheese
How to make hot chocolate?
I don’t know Switzerland’s looking better and better all the time especially if Obamanation is allowed to stay on and finish his abomination the creates desolation.
I’ve been scoping Iceland.
I hear ya....folks are preppin'...I'm studying how to get a Visa into the Confoederatio Helvetica...
Icelandic is hard to learn.
True. I think they almost all speak English a second language. Citizenship takes 7 years or 4 if you marry an Icelandic chick. Plenty of time to learn. I hope they need electrical engineers...
English a second = English as a second
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I’ve been to Switzerland.
Zurich is a typical big dirty city. But where I stayed, in Bern, it was absolutely beautiful. People swim in the river that goes around the city. In July, the water temp. was 50deg F. Quite chilly. But I did it half a doz. times. The river flows really fast. And there are many sets of steps on the side along the river. So you go upstream and jump in and the river carries you really fast. I saw little girls doing it so I said what the heck I can do this. What a blast that was. But if you miss the last set of steps, you hit the dam where they get hydroelectric power! Not while I was visiting, but someone did die that way.
Swiss, on the other hand, is easy to learn.
I know Switzerland is made up of Cantons. What did they primarily speak in the one you were located in?
I love Switzerland. My home away from home. Every household is armed. The food is good, the people are nice.
The Swiss could teach us a lot of things. About healthcare, about the presidency (rotated there among canton leaders), about serving alcohol in coffee houses, about dogs in restaurants, about the ability of citizens to organize referendums and wipe out any laws, about how to make cheese and watches.
I’m one quarter Swiss and go there every now and then...
Yes, they are prepared but most are smug and rude...
They’d rather sell their oldest child than get involved in anything that doesn’t directly benefit them....
Just sayin’ ......
They are more federal than we are. The cantons are fully autonomous within reason, different holidays,etc. they speak German French or Italian and usually by the name you can figure out which language. Oh, yeah — they don’t exactly speak “high German” but a delightful Ebonics style dialect known as Schwiizerduuetch, in which somehow I became fluent.
Don’t do it...
Too damn expensive...
And the women are just as pretty.
I know a dude from Switzerland who speaks Swiss German. He has a French wife. It was fun to talk politics and business with them.
damned money always gets in the way...
Healthcare for SURE. their quality and hygiene are less than ours, and their doctors cant be sued so they are little gods, but their insurance system is far superior. I worked in human resources there. Best is that everyone buys their own insurance, it’s not tied to the employer. There are three tiers, really cheap so even an elderly pensioner can afford it, called “ward” — meaning your care is less but still “decent.” You are in a big room in the hospital, a ward. Then the typical semi- private level, with your typical middle class care for pretty much everyone. And of course a private level for the wealthy, or special circumstances ( say you have a very sick child - you could decide to give him private).
And they are geniuses when it comes to accident insurance. They have no cottage industry in ripping off employers, because employers pay for ALL ACCIDENTS. No need to figure out if it was work related. A broken leg skiing, the employer pays. No one tries to get anything “over” on their employers. There is not much you can sue for. So the amounts of accidents are far less, as most Swiss prefer to work than to shirk. Doctors routinely write sick notes or injury notes excusing workers for weeks, and just as routinely the worker shows up much sooner. Every missed day is paid, so they don’t have the drive to fake sick days. It’s a different mindset. People prefer to be thought well of, so often they work sick, even though they are fully paid when ill.
Cantonese.
Oh man, that was horrible!
Damn! Beat me to it.
Ping; don’t know if you’re on this ping list. This ZeroHedge article is worth checking out.
I was in Zurich years ago. One thing I did notice is that I actually saw dudes go into corner stores with a firearm.
“Shoot twice and go home.”
Lived between Zurich and Zug 2008-09. Nearly every home/apartment had a bomb shelter (law changed recently, new homes don’t have to have one). Beautiful place to visit - too expensive to live there.
The Swiss don’t know anything we don’t about the situation. They are doing as they always do. We are doing what we always do.
But someone got an article out of it anyway, so it’s all good.
>> “Swiss, on the other hand, is easy to learn.” <<
.
French, Italian, a little German...
And the always exciting Romansch.
>> “Yes, they are prepared but most are smug and rude...” <<
.
Arrogant is the word I’d use.
Sweet! Did you head to Lucerne too?
The Swiss know that Europe is coming down fast, and they have been planning for it for a long time; wishing for it too.
DNA studies have indicated that the Viking stopped in Ireland and picked up the women from there on their way to Iceland.
Male DNA is from further north and female DNA is from Ireland.
no offense to those that serve, but i will be in a militia before being conscripted and forced into the us army.
Folks, you can keep Switz. and Iceland, or Belize, or Outer Butthurt, or wherever you like.
I and countless others are staying. This is OUR land, OUR fight, and we will defend ourselves against Fedzilla, their EBT-card-wielding pawns, and all others who will make up the target-rich environment to come.
Whadda cutie :)
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