Helvetica uber alles

My very hip and with-it expatriate mother sent me some links so that I may keep up with the news in our adopted country of Switzerland. Which means, as I get more and more excited about my distant holiday in Zurich, I'll be posting all about such important things as Gruyere, watches, and digging tunnels through mountains.

Anyway, the point of this particular post is that the Swiss, upon hearing of the Katrina disaster, began preparing a shipment of 50 tons of medical supplies, blankets, tarpaulins, tents, and hygiene kits to ship to Louisiana. They also planned to send 8 Swiss experts in logistics, medicine, and water.

Switzerland was informed, along with 121 other countries who offered aid, that while their offer was generous, it would not be needed (this is of course after initially accepting the offer and having them prepare the shipment. charming, no?).

Full article on Swissinfo.

Now, call me crazy, but letting Swiss logistics experts help out with the recovery effort seems to be the best idea ever, especially when all the people in charge for a good chunk of time were complete fuck-ups. For those who have never been to Switzerland, know that it's a tiny country that is organized perfectly. Their rivers run straight, Alpine runoff is potable, and no city of theirs would likely find itself under water. Granted, they're way, waaaaay above sea level, but still. These are people that check the floors of their train stations DAILY for cracks in the tile. You won't catch them using 50-100 year-old water pumps. They repave the roads in Adliswil, where Fam T. Mohan currently resides, literally every summer.

I have said for years that we need a couple of Swiss to come on over here and fix up our trains and show us how to run an effective recycling program (not to mention teach us how to play a kickass game of tennis). They offer to come over and help fix New Orleans for FREE, and we turn them down?

Look at them, packing everything in neat little crates. Who can argue with that?

Why are we such swaggering cowboy jerkfaces?