Ice skating season is not over yet so get your skates on! Here is a guide to the ice-skating rinks in Vaud and Geneva. Entrance prices vary and all rinks have skates that you can hire. The links below will all take you to the relevant website for prices, locations and opening and closing times. […]
Archives for February 2015
Moms on Mars – in space you can hear no one scream
Dear organisers of the Mars One Mission (M.O.M.) It has recently come to my attention that you are planning to establish a human settlement on Mars, and I would really, really like to volunteer to be a part of it. You may wonder why I – a very tired 40-something mother of two small children […]
Why it’s hard to be a working mum in Switzerland
It is never easy being a working mum. In some countries it is harder than in others. According to a recent Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report, Switzerland has room for improvement. Firstly, the OECD suggests increasing the availability of childcare and reducing its cost. Childcare costs in Switzerland are high, even relative […]
Swiss choose immigration quotas over EU bilaterals
Close to half of the Swiss polled in the recent Vimentis survey would chose to introduce immigration quotas even if it meant the cancelation of European Union (EU) bilateral treaties – 45% held this view. By contrast only 41% would put preservation of the EU bilateral treaties ahead of immigration quotas. 14% were undecided on […]
Hidden health hazards in children’s birthday cakes
Do you plan to buy or bake a birthday cake for your child’s birthday? They might look similar but appearances can be deceptive. Understandably most parents want to wow their children with an eye-catching birthday cake and these days shops, supermarkets and patisseries offer a bewildering array of fantastic looking cakes. Add to this the […]
The real problem with whistleblowing
The recent chapter in the drama of the HSBC Geneva Swissleaks saga has brought whistle blowing back into the news. In this article Yasmine Motarjemi explains the real problem and what the world should focus on. The Council of Europe defines a “whistleblower” as anyone who reports or discloses information on a threat or harm […]
Are natural cosmetics really better for you?
Natural cosmetics sales are booming and organic skin care is more popular than ever. According to market researcher Kline, the global market for certified natural cosmetics was at over 13 billion dollars in 2014 with Europe accounting for more than 20 percent of the sales and Germany, France and Switzerland being the top three highest-selling […]
Why James Bond would approve of Leysin’s fire drink
Some drinks are social in nature and have the power to create strong bonds and memories. Where I come from, we have one such drink, and I guarantee it will make a vivid impression on you, your friends and your guests. In Leysin, a small ski resort nestled in the Swiss French speaking Alps, we […]
Chinese New Year 2015 – sheep, goat or ram?
Today is the first day of the 2015 Chinese New Year. This year the confusion of lunar and solar movements is combined with the ambiguities of the Chinese language and gives insight into the language and the challenges of international communication. The Chinese character yang refers to all animals in the Caprinae subfamily that includes […]
American Sniper
AMERICAN SNIPER *** A huge box-office hit in the US, with each showing often sold out, this latest Clint Eastwood film, about the real Navy Seal elite sniper Chris Kyle, is a red-blooded, all-American tale of a war hero. As that, it is a gripping tale of a driven, dedicated man, brilliantly directed, edited and acted, with Kyle […]