BUCKNACKT'S SORDID TAWDRY BLOG We should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive & well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate, bier or wein in hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WHOO-HOO, WHAT A RIDE!!!!!!"
Showing posts with label Switzerland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Switzerland. Show all posts
18 July 2025
TRAINS, SOLAR PANELS AND LITTLE GIRLS
03 June 2016
Sound The Alphorns: World's Longest, Deepest Tunnel Is Officially Open 1JUN16
THIS really is amazing, and the Swiss are to be congratulated not only for building this tunnel but also that the Swiss people, as a nation, agreed to pay for this with an additional tax knowing it will benefit the entire nation. From +NPR .....
Sound The Alphorns: World's Longest, Deepest Tunnel Is Officially Open
Bloomberg via Getty Images
Swiss engineer Carl Eduard Gruner first imagined it in 1947: a massive tunnel, unprecedented in length, buried a mile and a half under Switzerland's symbolic Gotthard mountain range.
Nearly seven decades later, after redesigns, political disagreements and the long, slow work of drilling beneath the Gotthard massif, as it's called, Gruner's dream is complete.
The Gotthard Base Tunnel — a record-setting 35.4 miles long, and farther below ground than any other tunnel — was inaugurated Wednesday. The occasion was marked with a celebration that promoted "Swiss values such as innovation, precision and reliability," as the tunnel's website puts it.
The $12 billion project was completed on time, The Associated Press notes.
Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images
The most eye-catching part of Wednesday's ceremony was an extended modern dance sequence — featuring stony-faced dancers dressed in orange construction gear and boots, dancing on and around a flatcar.
Another sequence featured dancers in white briefs and one figure with wings and an oversize head, while yet another sequence had people covered in suits resembling a cross between a pompom and a hay bale.
The spectacle represents the mythical significance of the Gotthard massif to the Swiss (more on that below), and the achievement of the new tunnel, according to swissinfo.ch
The inauguration of the tunnel also featured alphorns, an interfaith blessing of the tunnel and a tunnel theme song. Leaders from across the EU — including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, according to the AP — were in attendance.
This weekend, tens of thousands of people are expected to participate in a public festival with events on either side of the tunnel — and, of course, the option to ride the train beneath the mountain range.
Peter Klaunzer/AFP/Getty Images
When it opens for commercial service in December, the tunnel will remove thousands of polluting trucks from roads through pristine Alpine landscapes, as NPR's Eleanor Beardsley has previously reported. The high-speed rail running through the tunnel will make the train trip between Zurich and Milan about 45 minutes shorter, cutting it to 2 1/2 hours.
From first blast to opening celebration, the tunnel took 17 years to complete; nine people died in the process. "Engineers had to overcome crumbling rock and underground rivers they found along the way," Eleanor says. "The entire Swiss nation was captivated by the project, following it every step of the way."
The world was watching, too.
Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images
Six years ago, when the massive boring machines met each other in the middle of the mountain range, JJ Sutherland waxed philosophical here on the Two-Way:
He noted the importance of the Gotthard crossing, writing that the conquest of that mountain range was significant in the history of Europe:
24 February 2016
The 23 cities with the best quality of life in the world 22FEB16
NOT one American city made the top 23. Maybe if spent more on upgrading our infrastructure, spent more on investing in new technologies in clean energy and conservation and system wide mass transit, spent more on education and health care and research, spent more on improving the lives of people AND less on increasing the war profiteering of the military-industrial complex, AND PASSED STRICT GUN CONTROL LAWS just maybe we would have American cities in the top 23. Keep voting for tea-baggers, repiglicans and third way democrats and we'll continue our slide to becoming Third World America. From +Business Insider ......
ReutersA visitor drinks beer on the first day of the 182nd Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, September 19, 2015.
Every year Mercer, one of the world's largest HR consultancy firms, releases its Quality of Living Index, which looks at which cities provide the best quality of life.
The ranking is one of the most comprehensive of its kind and is carried out annually to help multinational companies and other employers to compensate employees fairly when placing them on international assignments, according to Mercer.
Looking at 450 cities across the world, Mercer takes into account the following metrics to judge which cities made the list for the best quality of life:
- Political and social environment (political stability, crime, law enforcement)
- Economic environment (currency-exchange regulations, banking services)
- Socio-cultural environment (media availability and censorship, limitations on personal freedom)
- Medical and health considerations (medical supplies and services, infectious diseases, sewage, waste disposal, air pollution)
- Schools and education (standards and availability of international schools)
- Public services and transportation (electricity, water, public transportation, traffic congestion)
- Recreation (restaurants, theatres, cinemas, sports and leisure)
- Consumer goods (availability of food/daily consumption items, cars)
- Housing (rental housing, household appliances, furniture, maintenance services)
- Natural environment (climate, record of natural disasters)
Mercer made a list of 230 countries and Business Insider took a look at the top 23 in the world. And no, New York and London did not make the cut.
23. Montreal, Canada — This city is one of five Canadian cities that made the overall rankings. The French-speaking city has established itself as a centre of commerce, finance, and technology.
22 (joint). Perth, Australia — Australia has some of the highest quality of living worldwide. The Western Australian city is home to some of the country's most beautiful beaches, and its inner region has a super-low unemployment rate of 4.1%.
22 (joint). Brussels, Belgium —The political centre of Europe is considered incredibly safe and clean and is filled with museums, national parks, and high-end restaurants.
20 (joint). Stockholm, Sweden — The capital is considered one of the best places in the world for a good quality of living due to its balance of work, life, safety, and environmental issues.
20 (joint). Luxembourg — The tiny European country, which borders Belgium, France, and Germany, is incredibly wealthy and violent crime is very low. Some of the wealthiest people in the world bank in the picturesque city-state due to its secretive finance laws.
18. Hamburg, Germany — The major port city in northern Germany is the second largest of its kind in the country. It has become a centre for media and industry and is home to the world's second oldest bank: Berenberg Bank.
17. Ottawa, Canada — This city is considered the most educated in Canada with its wealth of post-secondary, research, and cultural institutions. It also has low unemployment and is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
16 (joint). Melbourne, Australia — The coastal capital is considered one of the best places in the world for education, healthcare, research, and development. Its thriving tourism and entertainment sectors also keep the city wealthy.
16 (joint). Toronto, Canada — Home to the iconic CN Tower, Toronto is Canada's financial capital. It is also home to some of Canada's five largest banks. It is growing its entertainment scene and hosts the famous Toronto Film Festival every year.
14. Bern, Switzerland — The city is considered by Mercer to be the second safest in the world. It's rich in agriculture as well as traditional industry, and also has a low unemployment rate at 3.3%, making the region attractive to live in. Its growing tech sector is also drawing in new talent.
13. Berlin, Germany — The country's capital is counted as having an excellent mix of quality of life — with good employment opportunities, a high standard of housing, good personal safety, and tonnes of recreational activities.
12. Wellington, New Zealand — The Kiwi city is high up on the list and has sublime weather. It is the country's political centre and is the second most populous area in New Zealand.
11. Amsterdam, Netherlands — It is one of the financial centres of Europe and also famous for its high standard of living. The cosmopolitan city combines modern and urban life with relaxed attitudes toward recreation and leisure.
10. Sydney, Australia — The city represents 7% of the country's economy, with finance and financial services the largest employer with 22% of all workers. The natural environment, weather, and growing cultural scene boosts Sydney up the list.
9. Copenhagen, Denmark — The city was recently dubbed one of the happiest places to live on earth, and it's not hard to see why. Originally a fishing village, Copenhagen has grown into a city with strong urban and cultural development and is famed for its work-life balance.
8. Geneva, Switzerland — The city is seen a the global centre for diplomacy and is home to some of the richest people in the world. It's incredibly safe and its population is highly educated.
7. Frankfurt, Germany — The commerce-centric city is home to some of the world's most famous trade shows, including the Frankfurt Motor Show.
6. Dusseldorf, Germany — The city in western Germany is known for its fashion industry and art scene and nearly tops the list with its good balance of Mercer's 10 analytical measures.
5. Vancouver, Canada — The city is among Canada's densest, most ethnically diverse cities, with 52% of its population having a first language that is not English.
4. Munich, Germany — Munich is Germany's powerhouse and regularly near the top of Mercer's list for having the best quality of life.
A visitor drinks beer on the first day of the 182nd Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, September 19, 2015.
3. Auckland, New Zealand — The city is based around two large harbours and nearly tops the list again with its well-balanced economy, idyllic environment, and high levels of personal safety.
2. Zurich, Switzerland — The city is known as the country's economic and cultural hub, which regularly tops not just Mercer's list, but others as well for being one of the best places to live in the world.
1. Vienna, Austria — This city tops the rankings for the seventh consecutive time. East of the Danube River, Vienna is the seventh-largest city by population within city limits in the European Union and is rich in culture.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)