Amselspitz Or No Amselspitz?

We live in a world full of uncertainty and contradictions. Yesterday, I saw a glimmer of hope in farming. However this morning, when Toño brought the newspaper to the bed (while I made some coffee), I had to read that Swiss milk production run into the pork cycle - in other words: there is too much milk. Nevertheless, half an hour later, when I showed up at our bakery to get some Amselspitz yoghurt for the Müesli, all flavoured yoghurt were sold out.



Although we have the luxury of a bakery just around the corner, I hardly shop there. It's probably the worst bakery in town. The baker has a wild passion for American cars, which allows little space for the ardour of savoury bred. The frequency of my visits at the bakery only started to increase, when I serendipitously discovered these Amselspitz yoghurt.

Amselspitz are produced without preservatives and artificial ingredients. It's the freshest yoghurt, I've ever eaten. You can't amass them, because they have to be eaten within a few days.

Tomorrow there supposed to be a new delivery. Shall I camp in front of the shop?

Crimson Tide

When today's Dow drop reached 777 points and my personal daily loss went deep into the five digits, Toño hinted that I should be even (my italics) nicer to my farming brother since the self-sufficient economy seems to be a valuable option - i.e. the only silver lining on the bloody horizon.

Charmed

Last week, we indulged ourselves with two concerts: R.E.M. and Julieta Venegas. Maybe you think they have not much in common. But I can tell you that both Julieta Venegas and Michael Stipe dressed up for the occasion. Michael wore suit and tie and Julieta a lovely violet dress.

Most charming about R.E.M. was that they avoided sucking up to the crowed during the first hour, playing for their own (and my) enjoyment*. Contrarily to Michael Stipe, I did humiliate myself by wearing an R.E.M. T-Shirt, I bought 20 years ago during their first visit to Zürich.

Julieta Venegas came with (if I counted correctly) 15 musicians and charmed everyone with her songs about amor y desamor. There were no sad faces when leaving the venue.

* I'm not really a fan of "Losing My Religion", however, I since I have a tremendous crush** on Michael Stipe, we made it trough that crisis.
** read Casey Spooner's kiss and tell in BUTT 4 on going further***
*** and Michael Stipe's reply in BUTT 9.

Happy Birthday Bundesordner!

Today we can proudly celebrate the first 100 years of the Swiss Bundesordner (federal arch files) - a mayor cornerstone of the widely praised Swissness.



Read some trivia related to the Bundesordner or the laudation by Federal Councillor Samuel Schmid.

Cider Bar

Somehow I will never make it past wage slave - that is, I failed again with a money making scheme. I was no going to make money for myself (I know, what a fool) but for The Rover Company. We were running a Cider Bar at the . This was kind of open-air festival for boy and girl scouts older than 16. Having thousands of adolescents on site and selling them alcohol seems like a pretty save plan. But who were we to know that exactly last weekend summer said goodbye, temperatures dropped like the stock market and a storm front was raging across Switzerland. The rovers did party and had a good time, but they were just not as thirsty as teenagers can be.

However, we also had some fig leaves, such as freshly pressed apple juice and the stunningly delicious alcohol-free Saft vom Saft.

Do I Really Bear No Risk?

Last night I red-eyed back from India*. Toño is at wine fair in Sierre, thus I was only welcomed at The Residence by a pile of newspapers and the post****.

Since weeks if not months the Swiss newspapers run the boring story about the (now) former head of army who passed security clearance despite being investigated for coercion** - and the cowardly handling of the case and public lying by the anyway hopelessly useless minister of defence***.

In the mail there was letter from the Swiss DoD who informed me that the periodic screening of me resulted in the conclusion that I bear no security risk. Bearing in mind the slightly doubtful reputation of the DoD regarding security screening I'm asking myself if I can really depend on me?

* Cool down the sympathy, I had received a complimentary upgrade to first class. I'm typing this in a Lufthansa pyjama.
** He was accused to have sent randy suitors to the address of his former girlfriend. Truly a creative version of stalking
*** He is despite being hardly able to move his buttocks also minister of sport.
**** and blossoming primroses

Among Giants

Madonna has been on heavy rotation here at The Residence lately. However, suddenly I had the desire to listen to They Might Be Giants. I could not be bothered to get my turntable out so I went on YouTube and found some of my favorites to instantly satisfy my desire.

Ana Ng



Don't Let's Start