A New National Anthem For Switzerland; Dot Swiss Domain Starts; 3D Artist Turns Claraplatz into Canvas; Basel Comes in Second...For Swiss Earthquake Risk

News On 15 September 2015     Near the end of summer you probably noticed petitioners roaming the streets collecting signatures for something having to do with the Swiss National Anthem.  If you were unaware that the Swiss were contemplating a change to their anthem, the story goes like this: On the first of January 2014, The Swiss Society for Public Welfare launched a competition to elicit ideas for a new Anthem, responding to the public's criticism that the existing one, unofficially known as The Swiss Psalm is overly archaic, religious and out of touch with modern Swiss values.  The rules for valid submission required only that the entry take inspiration from Switzerland's constitution which refers to themes of freedom, democracy, solidarity, openness to the world and responsibility to future generations.  By June of 2014, there were 208 entries, of which 6 were selected, translated into the four official languages of Switzerland, and put to a public vote to select the best one.  The winning song, composed by Werner Widmer from Zollikerberg was announced last Saturday.  Now, a formal federal referendum will be required to decide if the song should replace the existing anthem.  In the meantime, you can hear previews in your preferred official Swiss language by going to YouTube.   ************************************

The new "dot Swiss" domain has gone on-line and the Swiss Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) is now accepting applications for those that wish to have one for the internet domain.  The new top-level domain names are not intended to replace the existing .ch, they are the result of a decision in 2011 by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (or ICANN) to liberalize generic domain naming conventions.  Responding, the Swiss government sprang into action and applied for the .swiss domain which was approved by ICANN in October 2014.  OFCOM is now responsible for managing the applications and maintaining the register of valid .swiss domains.  Before your ambition gets ahead of you with thoughts of owning such prized domains as chocolate.swiss or ski.swiss, be forewarned that the application process created by OFCOM has stringent use requirements - no cybersquatters welcome!  Applicants during the first phase running until 9 November of this year are only for those with established trademarks in the ICANN trademark clearinghouse and you must also be a private or public organization registered with a Swiss Register of Commerce.  The second phase of applications will open in January early next year, and will be open to any operation that has a base in Switzerland, and the name must relate sufficiently and specifically to the activities of the applicant.  Applicants will need to apply to OFCOM via a commercial Registrar in their canton.

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If you've ever walked any of the promenades of the world's capitals in recent history you've no doubt come across the work of the artist Julian Beever.  The 58 year old Englishman, known as the asphalt Picasso, is famous for his 3D illusions rendered in chalk and pigment on sidewalks and then lacquered to provide some resistance to the outdoor weather.  Commissioned by the fiber-optic cable internet service provider Wingo, Beever has been working in Basel since last Wednesday on one of his illusions in Claraplatz.  After four days the work was done and it depicts an opening in the paved sidewalk revealing ancient ruins, pipes and cables.  According to brand director Yann Steulet of Wingo, the promotion's idea is to draw attention to the underutilized fiber cable underneath Basel.  Apparently Basel has one of the densest fiber service coverages in Switzerland and its operators hope the artwork will attract interest to their latest promotion of the service.  For the artist Beever, this is not his first time working on a commercial commission, having worked with the Levi's, Coca Cola and DHL brands, to name a few, it is however, his first public exhibition in Basel.

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An article published in the site LeNews.ch reports that The Swiss Seismological Service (SED) at ETH Zurich recently completed ten years of earthquake research. Their new model shows that earthquakes are a serious hazard for Switzerland and the natural hazard with the greatest potential for causing damage.  The SED published a model showing possible future earthquakes and the associated ground movements, which vary by location. The newly-published, seismic hazard model uses new and more exact data and improved predictive models. It replaces the model from 2004. Experts will use the new model to make decisions regarding earthquake mitigation and risk management.  Estimates of the hazard level in individual regions have changed only slightly since 2004. Valais remains the region at highest risk, followed by Basel, Graubünden, the St. Gallen Rhine Valley, and central Switzerland. Only the canton of Graubünden, and in particular the Engadine, has higher risk estimates than previously assumed.  The largest earthquake in Switzerland’s recorded history occurred in Basel in 1356 and measured 6.6. This quake and nine other notable ones since are shown in red on the SED map below. The major tremor closest to Lake Geneva occurred in Aigle in 1584 and measured 5.9. The most recent occurred in 1946 in Sierre in Valais and was registered at 5.8.  SED estimates that an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 to 7, like the Basel quake of 1356, will occur every 1,500 years. Such a quake would cause damage more than 100 kilometres from its centre. Several thousand deaths and tens of thousands of injuries would result. Property damage could run as high as CHF 50 to CHF 100 billion. According to SED, the most likely locations for such an event are the Alpine and Basel regions.