Fantasy Basel Shatters Attendance Records; Bank App Glitch Prevents Payments; Art Basel Returns, Absurd Prices Follow

News For 31 May 2022

The Fantasy Basel expo, which started in 2015, shattered previous attendance records last week.  In its first year, the combination ComicCon, Cos-Play and Gaming confab drew 20,000 attendees.  According to the organizers of the event, there were over 62,000 people in three days last week and over 450 exhibitors.

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Almost one week ago, clients of Basler Kantonal Bank and Bank Cler that use the banks' Android operating system smartphone app started experiencing problems that prevented access to their accounts.  Most customers trying to use the app found it impossible to log-in to their accounts, and were left having to call an assistance hotline or visit a branch to conduct their transactions.  Bank Cler is a subsidiary of the Basler Kantonal Bank and both institutions use the same software for their Android E-Banking system.  The bank hopes services will be restored in the coming days.

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Art Basel will be returning with live events for the first time since the Covid19 Pandemic started.  Of course, it wouldn't be one of the world's premiere commercial art fairs, if prices for everything, but especially lodging in Basel, weren't also rising as the event approaches.  Case in point: a crafty Kleinbasel shop owner, is offering to let a bed in his shop window at the stratospheric price of 3,300 Swiss Francs per night.  Apparently, Les Trois Rois, Basel's most posh hotel, and host to many celebrities during the art fair chimed in when hearing of the offer to suggest their Napoleon Suite as an alternative.  If you or a friend are interested, the minimum stay in the shop window is 3 nights - and be forewarned! In case you find this price absurd, the shop owner claims to already have interest from a prospective client via the AirBnB app on which the property is listed.