🚀 go-pugleaf

I'm hearing that a substantial section of US population had 
the value of their decades of investment & saving in pensions,
wiped out over a few days.

If this is true, how will it effect the attitude towards saving
for future generations?
We see already that the 1920's experiences have drastically 
effected the German attitude to economics.

The current, shorter term problem of forced austerity causing
unemployment, is a different issue, which I'm NOT discussing
here.

It's starting to look as if the Mediteranians had the right idea
to NOT 'save and live within your means', because we who
did so, just had our savings looted.   Better just enjoy life.

As a 3rd world resident, of Swiss parentage, I'm a Swiss citizen
by Swiss law.  So I volantarily contributed to the Swiss
national [AHV] pension for several years.

As South Africa degenerated into political chaos, in the 90's 
and foreign exchange restrictions made it impossible for me
to get my pension payments to Switzerland on time, the 
AHV saw the opportunity to "cancel my membership",
and loot my contributions. 

Documentation dating back to the 90's revealved that the
AHV accounts were under strain then.  Apparently, working
on statistical principles, if they could disqualify, and loot the
contributions of sufficient victims, the AHV could improve
its situation. Members like me who would soon be eligible
for benefits were particularly profitable victims.

The most unethical part is perhaps, that when the AHV
invited citizens to PAY, via 'adverts' from their foreign
embassies, they had no problem in communicating in English.
But after they decided to loot the victims, they could not
understand English, and all official correspondence to the
effect, repeatedly, of <you have 30 days to appeal> was
delivered in German LEGALESE which I had to pay to get
translated.

Since my contributions and corresponding benefit entitlments
were low, my situation is not disasterous. But I consider it my
civic duty to publicise this matter, and point out that if the Swiss
government department/s are so unethical, this may reflect 
a national charcteristic, and I'd advise anyone against dealings
with Swiss businesses which leaves them vunerable to 
situations like I've described.

Perhaps the nazi-looted-Jews case confirms my point.

== C.R. Glur.