Deja Vu: Undiplomatic Community

Once again we find people with CD plates don't really care about other people - it makes you wonder how they are able to do their job, or perhaps why they even bothered to apply for it in the first place.  Our undiplomatic community raised its head again. Bizarrely the person leaning on their horn this time was the replacement for the woman who leant on the horn last time, same country, same apartment. Perhaps that's how you bagsy a parking space in their home country.

I noticed in my last post on this subject that I suggested the rule of law had managed with some competency for the last 500 years, and I marvel at my credulity to believe that the law actually did anything in this town. Whilst it may have been competent for much of the last 500 years, in the past year, it hasn't been that great. Since my last post on this subject I've witnessed three of my friends get mugged and the cops declare they didn't care; my neighbours flat get broken into and the police refuse to send someone out; and a police force decide to work to rule. That could be a whole other post.

Breakfast with the Swiss Ambassador to the UN

I had breakfast with the Swiss Ambassador to the UN, Dante Martinelli, on Friday. Mr Martinelli was talking about Switzerland's role as a host of the UN. The picture he painted made it clear just what hosting the UN means to the Swiss economy. The organisation works as a magnet for all kinds of UN agencies, international organisations, NGOs and ultimately commercial companies. Core to the UN in Geneva are, apparently, organisations such as WHO and UNAIDS.

Health insurance - depends what your plan is

The bill from last weekends sirens and flashing lights came in on Friday. Just about all I can say is the excess for both of us for the year is now covered. We can get busy visiting doctors like a hypochondriac with webMD on twitter feed.

Undiplomatic community

It was about 7.30 pm, the girls were down, dinner was in the over, and I was taking my chance to do the crossword, when all of a sudden a very loud car horn sounded outside.  Our flat is on a small side road, but at the end of the road is a set of lights to which few cars respond with alacrity, so horns aren't unusual. Typically I don't concern myself with car horns. Whilst people tooting at night is rude, as long as it doesn't go on, I don't really care. However, the hooting went on and on.
Turns out it wasn't someone hooting a codger at the lights. Half turned into the car park of our building, right below my daughter's window, was a shiny new car with a CD plate, hooting like crazy. Some poor diplomat couldn't get between a parked car and a parked scooter a space a bus could have gone through, so for over two minutes they leant on the car horn.
When I tapped on the window a look of fear crossed her face, the sort of fear and concern I've experienced myself in developing countries when hawkers and randoms tap on the window of your car. It's an understandable reaction in places where car jackings are common and the social divide is kept safely on the outside of a compound. However, in a city like Geneva, where law has ruled with some competency for over 500 years now, it revealed much about the poor woman's experiences in her homeland.  After I told her she's woken my daughter I took pity on her and offered to help her through the space.
At that exact moment, the mother from the ground floor flat appeared, presumably to find out what was waking up her little boy. She helpfully moved her car and the situation was resolved, but my thoughts on the whole scene could be summed up by saying; don't try to claim diplomatic immunity from irate parents, none will be granted.