Previously discussed on this forum is how great Swiss tools are and especially the famous Victorinox. Now we can engrave our favourite tools – check this out:
http://www.swissarmyexpress.com/

On a different note think how Switzerland leads:
It is famous for the following-
Best chocolate
Stylish wristwatches
Very good firearms (Glock and the Steyr Oug)
Excellent knifes
Geneva Convention

Am I the only one who noticed this? <img src="images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

>>>Very good firearms (Glock and the Steyr Oug)

I believe these are Austrian <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Burak

And I think Belgian chocolate is better <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />...

And the Geneva Convention is for the movies <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Burak

They don't even have their own language,which can come in handy to know. My idiot ex boss bought a damaged Mercedes on EBAY. I smelled a big rat from the start. We went to pick it up and making small talk they said they were swiss. While my boss was bonding with the car they started talking.They realized I was behind them and apologised for speaking in swiss. I replied back in 'swiss' that I never realised russian was part of the same linguistic group. <img src="images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

OK, Chris. WHAT HAPPENED??? <img src="images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

chris you speak russian ?

I took a basic correspondence course from the University of California while in Alaska. With that and talking with the fishing fleet I can be very polite or swear like a russian sailor. I wouldn't try reading War and Peace with my skills. My boss wouldn't listen to me, bought the mess and left. I'm standing on a remote coastal canyon waiting for the tow truck in the morning fog. Tow truck shows up with NO ROOM in the cab and left me there. Right after they left several black and whites ( police cars) rolled up. I stepped back into the fog. It turned out they were dealing in resurrected wrecks, false registration etc. and were russian mafia. I didn't feel like getting involved and using my finally honed EQUIPPED TO SURVIVE skills hiked the canyon down to the beach. Called my boss with the good news and had a beer and fish for lunch.

I used to work for a ground-handling company that was run by the Swiss and we had many Russian customers. I have spent lots of time loading and off-loading the remains of the Aeroflot (or Aero-Flop as we called it) fleet. I have dealt with Ilyushins, Antanovs, Tupolevs, Yakovlevs and Mi helicopters. The stories we have about them are un-speakable. You can change the maximum take-off weight (say + 3 tons) of an IL-76 only for $50 with in seconds. I remember many times tearing the load-sheet that I prepared and had a new one prepared and signed by the captain because I didn't want to take the responsibilty. I also remember once we were only able to move the tail-jack of an AN-12 with a tractor as it was over loaded although the weight figures given to me by the captain said the aircraft was around 1 ton underload.

What makes me sad is that these men and women are mostly well educated people who likes literature and listens classical music. But they had to survive. When CCCP went down they all came here selling what ever they have in markets sleeping in cars etc. That was a big frustration for all of us who reads Dostoyevsky!

Burak

Reinhardt,

One of my favorite shops is the Swiss Army Knife Shop which can be reached at [url= [url=http://www.swiss-knife.com/EN/SK/swissknife_index.html]http://www.swiss-knife.com/EN/SK/swissknife_index.html] [url=http://www.swiss-knife.com/EN/SK/swissknife_index.html]http://www.swiss-knife.com/EN/SK/swissknife_index.html[/url]

They have a broad selection including many models I have had difficulty finding elsewhere. Prices and shipping are very reasonable, and they also engrave free.

John