Business news both on the international and domestic front is extremely intense. So as investors in the United States gear up for the Federal Reserve’s policy decision on Wednesday and earnings from major companies including Pfizer, Airbnb and Starbucks, we thought it an excellent opportunity to lighten it up a little.
Mother’s Day, Cinco de Mayo & the Derby!
This week will experience a triple-header as these three events take place. Personally, the Kentucky Derby is always a favorite. We were lucky enough to go twice and it does not disappoint. We provide a complete synopsis of everything you need to know below in our Travel Section.
Punxsutawney Phil vs. Zurich Boogg
In the United States there is an eccentric tradition of having a groundhog try to predict the end of winter each year. Punxsutawney Phil is the groundhog and central figure to the celebration held in Pennsylvania every year on February 2nd.
Since 1887, Punxsutawney holds a festival with music and food. During the ceremony, which begins well before the winter sunrise, Phil emerges from his temporary home on Gobbler’s Knob. According to the tradition, if Phil sees his shadow and returns to his hole, he has predicted six more weeks of winter. If Phil does not see his shadow, he has foretold an early spring. If you have ever seen the movie Groundhog Day staring Bill Murray, then you are aware of the event which has caused this local tradition to get national attention.
Not to be outdone, the people of Zurich have their own tradition to mark the end of winter when they blow up an 11-foot-tall snowman whose head is filled with straw, cotton and dynamite. This traditional spring festival occurs on the third Monday of April (this year it was held April 25th) and is called Sechseläuten, or “Sächsilüüte” as it is known in local dialect. The event is marked by a parade and climaxes in the burning of ‘Winter’ which takes the form of a snowman called the Böögg. The Böögg’s head is packed with fireworks and the exploding head makes a makes a stunnning finale to the day. The origins or the festival go back to medieval times.
One final interesting note, in 2006, the Böögg was abducted by leftist “revolutionaries”, who thought the holiday to be a capitalist celebration. Since then, no chances are taken and duplicate Bööggs are held in reserve with the main one stored at a bank – talk about cancel culture.
