The 
Private Schools Become More Popular; Swiss Franc Finally Weakens; Student Creates Basel Schools Info App; Swiss Cows Cause Noise Complaints
The Swiss National Bank or SNB, responsible for managing the monetary policy of Switzerland, may finally be getting its wish to see the value of the Swiss Franc decline. You may recall that the Franc has been on a tear since the global financial crisis of 2008-2009. The SNB first having pegged the Franc at an exchange rate of 1.2 to the Euro, was forced to abandon the peg last January, when it was put in the position of having to buy an unsustainable quantity of Euros. The Franc then continued its rise as an exit by Greece from the European union seemed inevitable and sent the hordes to buying Francs to protect their loot. The upshot of course is that Swiss industries and economic activity are hurt by a steadily rising Franc, which makes their goods less affordable abroad. Well, there may finally be a parting of the clouds: Greece seems to have secured yet another bailout - leaving the Euro intact, and recovering strength in the US economy is also calming those seeking a safe haven for their assets. The dollar is finally approaching parity again with the Franc and the Euro is now stabilized roughly 10% below the level the SNB had been trying to peg for years. The news couldn't come early enough for Swiss tourism in that bookings at hotels by foreigners had been down 2% for the first 6 months of 2015 compared with the period in the prior year.
*************************************
a 16 year old Basel school system student will receive a perfect score for his self-directed studies project. His accolade is the result of his having developed an App, now available for iPhones and Android devices that provides information on the general school system, class schedules and the ability to communicate with teachers and school administrators. With the help of a fellow student, Dario taught himself the necessary skills using tutorial videos available on such websites as YouTube. Called the "Dalbe App", it is being reviewed for endorsement by the school system as well - for providing easy to access school information from anywhere via a smartphone. Dario was further lauded by the St. Alban school he attends for having spared no additional effort required to complete the project and having invested many voluntary hours to achieve the goal.****************************************
As many expats to Basel quickly learn upon arrival in Switzerland, one of the cardinal rules of the local culture is respecting quiet hours. Surprisingly, some Swiss cows in the Zurich Oberland have been found guilty of failing to abide by these rules. What's more, the offending noise has been coming from the traditional cowbells the animals were wearing when they were put to pasture in a small hamlet in the canton. The case has attracted national attention and began four years ago when the offended residents asked the farmer to remove the bells once the animals were put in the pasture. The farmer, insisting his animals might wander off and be lost without the bells, appealed the order the municipality to remove the bells at night. Last week, after the local court organized an on-site inspection, a ruling was handed down ordering the cows to remove their bells. The farmer has not disclosed if he intends to appeal again, possibly landing his case in front of the Swiss Supreme Court which would have to rule on the rights of tradition over tranquility.