Yes, the USA is Indeed a Third-World Country; the Internet Bank Case
In much of the reporting and comments on New Orleans right now, the anarchical situation is described as if it all happened in a third-world country.
Indeed, some writers even say that it’s _worse_. (Swedish writer Peter Kadhammar says that he – when reporting from countries such as Kosovo and Iraq – has never seen corpses lying around unattended for as long as they did in New Orleans: Aftonbladet: Lämnad att dö på vägen)
I don’t have much to add as of the Louisiana disaster (yet, but wait until I get there!). That is of course a very particular and extreme scene right now.
But I have to say that the USA does have elements of being an under-developped country, something which frequently surprises me (since it is so modern in other respects).
Here’s today’s observation. Nothing to do with hurricanes. It’s about bank transfers.
I made a payment through my Swedish Internet bank (SEB). The money will be transferred into the recipient’s transfer account (a “plusgiro” account in another bank) _tomorrow_, September 4. Even though that’s a Sunday.
At least, that’s what the site said. I and my friend on the receiving end hope she can get that money through an ATM in Paris tomorrow. Or perhaps on Monday.
Then, immediately after, I paid a bill through my American Internet bank (Chase Manhattan). This was an important payment: my apartment rent.
But the site said it “could not process” this payment until _September 13_!!!
This is insane – a difference of no less than 9 days!? Somebody, please explain.
Chase never deposits directly into the recipient’s account (the European way?), they send a paper cheque_ through _regular mail_! A cheque that he or she _has to cash her/himself, by going to the bank! That’s insane, too.
They recently re-made the site, and I actually thought that would speed the process up, not the other way around. Perhaps the transfer time will be shorter in reality, only the banks won’t guarantee it in advance? One can only hope.
In any case, slow transactions really are a huge obstacle to the economic efficiency in any country, and something the USA should deal with. Immediately.
/Gunilla
in Stockholm
Hmmm, hyran är helig…så fort en är betald väntar nästa!
Kul med en blogg, borde fixa en själv. tänkte att du nog var på väg till New orleans, själv ska jag leta fabriker i Baltikum för att spela in läckra ljud. Härligt.
/Maria
Comment by M Holm — Sunday, September, 4, 2005 @ 06:29:am
Hej Maja!
Du har rätt, hyran är helig…och så fort den är betald väntar nästa! I detta fall tyvärr två, tre stycken, så det blir rätt tufft med mina obefintliga (fasta) inkomster…
Baltiska ljud, kul! Fixa genast en blogg!
/Gunilla
Comment by gunillakinn — Sunday, September, 4, 2005 @ 13:34:pm