Normal Island

[Jives Miguel]

>be American
>get shot

[highlandmac]

On 11/04/2024 at 18:00, Sherrif John Bunnell said:

Normal Southern Ireland

 

I'm behind his sentiments 100%,though

[highlandmac]

3 hours ago, SH Panda said:

Due to US legislation my company is now required to publish US salary ranges on its internal job platform.

Which confirmed what all of us kind of knew, for the exact same job UK Vs US our salary would at the very least double, and could well triple. Bonus percentages are also significantly higher and medical health insurance fully covered.

The downside is the reduced annual leave but they also seem to treat their staff better in terms of flexible WFH policies (and they do a 9 day fortnight).

The economist published an article recently saying the UK is now closer to Slovenia than it is Denmark (never mind the great chasm to the US).

My work do a lot of outsourcing to Poland which they are rolling back because the salary differential is so low it is no longer worth it.

If you are young and can get out of the UK you probably should - I haven't lived there since 2016 and no intention of going back!

Of course,being a car wash,there's always the possibility that money laundering is going on...

[Bert Raccoon]

26 minutes ago, highlandmac said:

Of course,being a car wash,there's always the possibility that money laundering is going on...

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

On 04/04/2024 at 10:18, ICTChris said:

A few months ago, this advert got a lot of attention. It’s for staff at a car wash in Texas.

An assistant general manager of a car wash paid about the same as an NHS consultant. I mean, I’m sure those salaries might not be typical for working in a car wash in the US but damn.

I think a manager at In-n-out burger also gets a six figure salary too. There are jobbing police officers in New York state making more than a very high ranking police officer here makes (circa £110k for a cop in New York and circa £85k for a Chief Superintendent/110k for assistant chief constable). Doctors make about 3/4 times the money too. 

On 04/04/2024 at 12:41, GHF-23 said:

This is something I've been looking into quite a lot recently, as we're currently in the process of getting me a green card so we can move to my wife's hometown. The cost of living, particularly in major cities, is frighteningly high, but for us it looks like moving over and doing the same jobs at the same level of experience we'd end up with a lot more disposable income than we do in the UK. The flip side is that means retirement/saving a deposit for a home is more or less starting again for us in our early 30s, which is a bit of a worry. 

The difference in purchasing power has been quite eye opening when her relatives have visited here or we've been over there. Obviously there's a lot more to standard of living, much of which (cost of healthcare and access to public transport being big ones) are poorer there. As those things are getting worse and worse in the UK, as you point out, it doesn't feel like as much of an issue as it maybe would have been previously. 

What city you talking? There are some in the states id happily live in, Nashville, Savannah, Austin, San Clemente or Utah as a whole. But some like Miami, Tampa, DC, San Diego, Memphis, Houston, Atlanta and St Louis etc you couldnt pay me enough to live in. 

[Leith Green]

13 hours ago, Inanimate Carbon Rod said:

I think a manager at In-n-out burger also gets a six figure salary too. There are jobbing police officers in New York state making more than a very high ranking police officer here makes (circa £110k for a cop in New York and circa £85k for a Chief Superintendent/110k for assistant chief constable). Doctors make about 3/4 times the money too. 

What city you talking? There are some in the states id happily live in, Nashville, Savannah, Austin, San Clemente or Utah as a whole. But some like Miami, Tampa, DC, San Diego, Memphis, Houston, Atlanta and St Louis etc you couldnt pay me enough to live in. 

We have neighbours from the US (renting, she is doing a Masters degree here) and their son just applied to be a Chicago cop.

My neighbour said even he was a bit surprised at just how good the money was. 

I suppose there are other things to consider in the USA though, top line cash is fantastic, and if you have health care it feels golden when you are working.

But health care once you retire? No sure how that works, I do know that pay as you go is prohibitively expensive.

Also (again, the neighbours chat) the cost of University Education if you have kids is stratospheric, thats why there are so many yanks here (and in Glasgow where my son is studying) and happy to pay for it.

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

1 hour ago, Leith Green said:

We have neighbours from the US (renting, she is doing a Masters degree here) and their son just applied to be a Chicago cop.

My neighbour said even he was a bit surprised at just how good the money was. 

I suppose there are other things to consider in the USA though, top line cash is fantastic, and if you have health care it feels golden when you are working.

But health care once you retire? No sure how that works, I do know that pay as you go is prohibitively expensive.

Also (again, the neighbours chat) the cost of University Education if you have kids is stratospheric, thats why there are so many yanks here (and in Glasgow where my son is studying) and happy to pay for it.

I think some jobs or unions allow you to continue to be attached to healthcare plans even after you retire though, mate who’s a contractor electrician for Ford through a union has healthcare til he dies basically, which is good cos as much as i love him hes aint a healthy guy. I think if you go to a state college then tuition isnt as wild as others. But agree our tuition is a steal for foreign students, in Glasgow there’s very little goes back into the local economy from this. 
Yeh chicago cops get paid a fortune (actually one of the few that would hire with a green card and not citizenship), but tbf they have it hard. The townships in New York state near to the city on long island etc where they are raking in over $250k a year easily. 
But even engineering jobs, electricians etc make a fcuking fortune. When you consider the tories are talking about a delay and decrease in the UK state pension despite paying record levels of taxation and actually nothing getting any better you have to wonder where the money is going? Something isnt right. 

[Judy Murray]

14 hours ago, Inanimate Carbon Rod said:

I think a manager at In-n-out burger also gets a six figure salary too. There are jobbing police officers in New York state making more than a very high ranking police officer here makes (circa £110k for a cop in New York and circa £85k for a Chief Superintendent/110k for assistant chief constable). Doctors make about 3/4 times the money too. 

What city you talking? There are some in the states id happily live in, Nashville, Savannah, Austin, San Clemente or Utah as a whole. But some like Miami, Tampa, DC, San Diego, Memphis, Houston, Atlanta and St Louis etc you couldnt pay me enough to live in. 

You wouldn’t live in Miami? A family member stays in south beach and it is fantastic

[Cosmic Joe]

29 minutes ago, Inanimate Carbon Rod said:

Yeh chicago cops get paid a fortune (actually one of the few that would hire with a green card and not citizenship), but tbf they have it hard.

Are they finally cracking down on shooting black people with impunity?

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

3 minutes ago, Judy Murray said:

You wouldn’t live in Miami? A family member stays in south beach and it is fantastic

Didnt feel safe in Miami, low murder rate but rated more unsafe than New York etc. plus Miami beach etc, very tacky, $25 to park your car just to walk about. The hurricanes and flood risk just aint worth it, i know the sunshine etc is a big draw but its not for me. Id maybe look at West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale/jupiter if i was a multi millionaire but if i was moving anywhere in Florida id look at Winter Park or Winter Garden near Orlando. Tbh if money was no object (and it would have to be for me to move to the states) id hypothetically have a house in the Outskirts of Nashville, incredible city. 

[velo army]

5 minutes ago, Inanimate Carbon Rod said:

Didnt feel safe in Miami, low murder rate but rated more unsafe than New York etc. plus Miami beach etc, very tacky, $25 to park your car just to walk about. The hurricanes and flood risk just aint worth it, i know the sunshine etc is a big draw but its not for me. Id maybe look at West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale/jupiter if i was a multi millionaire but if i was moving anywhere in Florida id look at Winter Park or Winter Garden near Orlando. Tbh if money was no object (and it would have to be for me to move to the states) id hypothetically have a house in the Outskirts of Nashville, incredible city. 

I think if I were to move to the States it would have to be somewhere they didn't have life threatening weather. Tennessee absolutely loves a tornado, and they'll get worse with climate change. 

Boulder, Colorado for me Clive.

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

1 minute ago, velo army said:

I think if I were to move to the States it would have to be somewhere they didn't have life threatening weather. Tennessee absolutely loves a tornado, and they'll get worse with climate change. 

Boulder, Colorado for me Clive.

I dont like the snow so id struggle being there 6 months of the year, gorgeous part of the world granted. Aye they do get Tornados but i suppose theres a bit of a trade off, so long as you prepare etc.

[Fullerene]

7 minutes ago, velo army said:

I think if I were to move to the States it would have to be somewhere they didn't have life threatening weather. Tennessee absolutely loves a tornado, and they'll get worse with climate change. 

Boulder, Colorado for me Clive.

I was in Nashville when it was hit by a tornado.  One street severely damaged, adjoining streets totally unharmed.

Apparently it was the same street the previous time.

If I wanted to buy a house in Nashville I would make sure it wasn't on that street.

[MazzyStar]

1 hour ago, Inanimate Carbon Rod said:

as much as i love him hes aint a healthy guy. 

Most Americans aren’t 

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

24 minutes ago, MazzyStar said:

Most Americans aren’t 

Honestly a nicer guy you could not meet, but he unfortunately lives up to certain physical stereotypes. I worry about him that way. Genuinely lovely person though, nothing like the trumpers etc. 

[GNU_Linux]

FLEGS

[GHF-23]

On 12/04/2024 at 20:50, Inanimate Carbon Rod said:

 

What city you talking? There are some in the states id happily live in, Nashville, Savannah, Austin, San Clemente or Utah as a whole. But some like Miami, Tampa, DC, San Diego, Memphis, Houston, Atlanta and St Louis etc you couldnt pay me enough to live in. 

Sorry mate, missed this until I looked in the thread again now. Portland, Oregon for us. I've only otherwise been to NYC and New England so don't have a lot to compare it to. It's obviously in the news a bit the last few years for homelessness and connected issues, but there's a lot of specific circumstances which have coalesced to create that. Besides, it's not as bad as I expected in the times I've been over so far, and they're taking steps which are already improving it. 

I think it's a great place tbh. There are problems consistent with most American cities - having to make sure you've your health insurance sorted, high property prices and poor public transport (although it's better than most, with trams and light rail and a decent bus network). But a lot of the other public services - parks, libraries, public works etc, seem really good from what I've seen. As an example, the city run art centre down the road from my in laws offers pay what you want classes in everything from piano to advanced woodworking, which seems like something you'd struggle to get in most British cities these days. A lot of cool pretty bohemian neighbourhoods, not too sprawling, bands all have a show there on tours, and the pacific 90 minutes one way and the Cascades 90 minutes in the other. Weather's about the same as ours but they don't get as dark in the Winter and there's proper summer temperatures for 2-3 months. I'm excited to move - there's a few reservations for sure but of places in the US it seems pretty great. 

You seem to have travelled a lot in the states.

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

1 hour ago, GHF-23 said:

Sorry mate, missed this until I looked in the thread again now. Portland, Oregon for us. I've only otherwise been to NYC and New England so don't have a lot to compare it to. It's obviously in the news a bit the last few years for homelessness and connected issues, but there's a lot of specific circumstances which have coalesced to create that. Besides, it's not as bad as I expected in the times I've been over so far, and they're taking steps which are already improving it. 

I think it's a great place tbh. There are problems consistent with most American cities - having to make sure you've your health insurance sorted, high property prices and poor public transport (although it's better than most, with trams and light rail and a decent bus network). But a lot of the other public services - parks, libraries, public works etc, seem really good from what I've seen. As an example, the city run art centre down the road from my in laws offers pay what you want classes in everything from piano to advanced woodworking, which seems like something you'd struggle to get in most British cities these days. A lot of cool pretty bohemian neighbourhoods, not too sprawling, bands all have a show there on tours, and the pacific 90 minutes one way and the Cascades 90 minutes in the other. Weather's about the same as ours but they don't get as dark in the Winter and there's proper summer temperatures for 2-3 months. I'm excited to move - there's a few reservations for sure but of places in the US it seems pretty great. 

 

You seem to have travelled a lot in the states.

Oh aye Portlands def one of the most similar to us cities. Although im a fairly liberal guy id probably find it a bit too liberal for me, but ive heard the food scene is incredible up there. Climate looks wet but good and like you said plenty of bands coming through, it does seem to be a stop they all make. Good sports offerings there too! Definitely a better standard of living than we have here. I just think the UK is becoming an increasingly worse place to live. Aye we like travelling about the states etc, i think we’re starting to look a bit further afield with Japan and South America creeping into the plans.

Edited April 16 by Inanimate Carbon Rod

[Salt n Vinegar]

James O'Brien has just quoted some bloke responding to a statement by Liz Truss.  Apparently she was complaining about unelected people having far too much power in Britain.

Says a woman who was appointed by a hereditary monarch to govern a country without recourse to an election.

[MazzyStar]

19 minutes ago, Salt n Vinegar said:

James O'Brien has just quoted some bloke responding to a statement by Liz Truss.  Apparently she was complaining about unelected people having far too much power in Britain.

Says a woman who was appointed by a hereditary monarch to govern a country without recourse to an election.

As much as he’ll deny it, James O’Brien is a Thatcherite just like Liz Truss.