How people die in Switzerland.

[mecch]

I was reading the freebie daily on the train ride home tonight.  Not sure why, but I was struck by the stories about deaths.
Here they are page by page.

p. 2
A 58yo died in a hang gliding accident, in the Oberland Alps near Zurich.  In Lauterbrunnen, a 51yo Spaniard died base jumping. A famous adventurist in his country, he once dated the daughter of King Carlos.

p. 2
Early Sunday morning, in the highlands of the Jura Mountains, two Swiss young men, 18 and 19, were speeding too fast in their car, lost control, went into the fields, then back into the road and died instantly in a head-on with a Portuguese driver going the other way, who was seriously hurt, but his life is not in danger.

p 3
A British hiker, age 76, fell 30 meters to his death in the Valais alps near Saas-Fee. His companion tried in vain to save him from his injuries.

p. 7
An Austrian alpinist reported lost 15 July, was found on the north face of the Eiger, dead from an apparent fall.

p. 7
A Bulgarian aged 30, was walking along a busy highway early Saturday morning in the Grison Alps, having spent the night in a campsite with friends. She was struck and killed by a heavy truck.

Foreign deaths were reported, too, such as the 24yo Australian eaten by a crocodile when swimming across the dangerous Adelaid River. (Body has not been found, despite the police killing several crocodiles looking for it.)

Rest in Peace, all these people.

I guess one thing I was struck by, is the typically Swiss way of reporting deaths by "impudence" - doing something dangerous. 

As they say, "I could get hit by a truck tomorrow."

[skeebo1969]

  Most of them died doing something they enjoyed for the most part.  In Miami the news was usually along the lines of:  Woman shot and killed while pumping gas, newborn in backseat was not injured.  Nearby witnesses said bystanders stole her purse and Big Gulp from her bloody hands.

[Dachshund]

I would have guessed boredom.

[mecch]

The front page was an adorable heart-warming story of two boys who saved a 3-month old fawn, whose leg was caught in rocks.
http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/vaud/story/-Sans-le-coup-d--il-de-ces-enfants--le-faon-y-passait--30082244

The second video has the boys' commentary while one of the dad does the work. Kids speaking french and the tender way of expression in that language...

There were some random and gruesome acts of violence.  There was an all night family fair of some sorts, in a sleepy beautiful village in the Jura, and a couple was stalked and seriously stabbed.  Shocking everyone including the children present.

Below that was the low-down dirty priest who stole thousands from the meals for the poor kitty.

Im giving some lessons on mass media and journalism in summer school, so I guess I was paying attention.

We watched different reports on the Christopher Lane murder today, and discussed race, class, and guns in the US.

[buginme2]

I would have guessed boredom.

Today in huffpo is an article that in Zurich they are introducing drive through sex boxes.  Funded by the city, places to go to be with a prostitute quick and easy. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/26/zurich-sex-boxes-drive-in_n_3816099.html

Boredom? No way.

[Jeff G]

Today in huffpo is an article that in Zurich they are introducing drive through sex boxes.  Funded by the city, places to go to be with a prostitute quick and easy. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/26/zurich-sex-boxes-drive-in_n_3816099.html

Boredom? No way.

We have Jack in the Box here .

[mecch]

Yeah funny you should mention
That came up in class today, too!  They've got a lot press. They aren't boxes per se, as you can see. Its like a self car wash bay... Its supposed to be more secure on a number of counts.
In Geneva the Red Light district has exploded in recent years. There are 24h whore houses with plate glass windows with the ladies sitting in sorta of chic, modern, neon lit decor. 

[Miss Philicia]

Aren't there any meth labs?

[oksikoko]

I guess one thing I was struck by, is the typically Swiss way of reporting deaths by "impudence" - doing something dangerous. 

As they say, "I could get hit by a truck tomorrow."

Non, non. Getting hit by a truck is interdit. As is everything in Switzerland.

[mecch]

Swiss has a huge pharma industry and there has long been rogue / black market producers of pseudoephedrine supplying all the world's cartels.  So I guess its easy to source a meth lab here, as well.