Swiss banking secrecy

Today I decided to attack the LIST of things to do. First one is my finances. Over the years I seem to have acquired a series of bank accounts in several different banks, none of which have much in them. Logically I need to centralize these in one place whilst I can still remember where they are and who I am. So off I go to the one of the main Swiss banks - the one with a three letter acronym that has been in the news rather a lot lately for a variety of reasons, not least to do with bank secrecy and whistle-blowers. They are currently looking to downsize there operations worldwide in order to cut costs (to pay the enormous fines they are subject to) - well they should start with our local branch. I am the only client in the bank this afternoon. There are two employees at the Advice and Safe rental desk giggling away in front of a computer screen. One of the two cashier desks is closed and at the other one a lady is deep in conversation with the cashier. She isn't a client but I can't work out whether the conversation is serious work-related or just gossip. Either way I patiently wait my turn between the gigglers and the gossipers. The only client in the bank being ignored by four employees. The person in front of me returns to her desk and I state my case to the cashier. She informs me that I need to talk to the Advice desk. So I move 4 metres to the left to the gigglers. I state my case again and they turn around and ask advice to the lady at the desk behind them (the one previously gossiping to the cashier). She requests that I move 4 more metres to my right and sit in front of her desk. I state my case again. I am then given the requisite information, I ask a couple more questions and then my business is done. I take great pleasure in informing them that I am closing my account. I dread to think what might happen if they ever get 2 or more people in the bank. They might actually have to work.

Following my plan of doing something new each day I attended a conference this afternoon on: A brief history of the scientific and cultural aspects of the brain, by an eminent professor from Lausanne university. Now how fascinating that was. I now know a lot about the evolution of brain science and research, and I had certainly never thought about the brain in a cultural sense, until today. I was a little horrified in entering the room where the conference was taking place to see that it was full of old-age pensioners (sshh - I know I am one now), with pink or blue rinses, crimplene tops, elasticated trousers and comfortable shoes, and a lot more women than men as there always seems to be at this stage in life.

I finished off the day at our local pizzeria for a meal with a young friend and a carafe of good red wine and some interesting conversation that doesn't involve rusty body parts.