biggish data

QUOTE (Lansbury @ Aug 24 2007, 06:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't think there is a need to put a reason, certainly I think it is important to put a date. We just put a date about 6 weeks after we returned packet 3 and got the interview a week before the travel date we put. We had no set plans to travel that day, it was just a target date in reality we went a week later.

I think if you don't put a date your interview is arranged around the available dates left when they have tried to accommodate others.

ah thanks for that - good tip - we don't want to go before november 5 as that is our 2 year anniversary and i want an unconditional card - but we don't want to go after november 6 as i won't have been in country 5 years when i am 65 and want medicare.. a very narrow window of 2 days...

They can't really accept that as a reason, but Carolyn will be unemployed by then and anxious to keep her resume up to date - so they might help with that as a reason.... we can only try...

I bet the interview date is 2nd November - then it will be a real decision as to whether we book the flights and car and hope the interview goes ok and the courier delivers on time

It's all anxiety isn't it ! Never mind, soon be over. Anyone got any idea how long to packet 3 after it leaves nvc ? ours left nvc yesterday.

alan

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-08-24 12:49:00

QUOTE (TracyTN @ Aug 24 2007, 04:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Or possibly the packet 3 forms were sent in first, and then the checklist.

Actually, thinking back to my K1 days when I was young and optimistic and convinced everything would be alright, (2005), I do remember putting forward some ridiculous plea and 'jumping the queue' -something like Carolyn's cats were missing me and wouldn't eat.

I remember feeling bad for the rest when I got an early interview date

ok I will get inventive and tell them my biological clock is ticking or something - that should fox em.
Second thoughts they might conclude I was a danger to the public despite the medical results..

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-08-24 11:06:00

QUOTE (essjay @ Aug 24 2007, 03:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Alan

The dates sometimes vary wildly for a number of reasons. Sometimes people return packet 4, but don't have all the paperwork ready eg police certificate. Some people specify a travel date and some don't. Some have weddings booked or they have sold their house.

The Embassy are pretty good at looking at each case individually and working with your dates. Our case was completion on our home, and they gave me an interview with one week's notice. Someone else might wait six weeks if there is no immediate need to travel.

Hope your case moves quickly now you are out of NVC clutches

I wonder if they would have me in the army ? they would have to wait for the attack until I found my glasses ! I have to go Nov 5 or 6 so i get medicare at 65 - NOT a good excuse ! - still might squeak it though and working on some pathetic plea right now.....

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-08-24 09:48:00

QUOTE (samwatts @ Aug 24 2007, 02:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We put in for expedite as future hubby being deployed very soon, that why our interview come up very quick

sam xxx

ah hah ! Carolyn's nephew was deployed last year.....

hope you make good use of the time

oh well that explains one of them but the dates are all over the place so I can't see a pattern... hum well if the Embassy staff are back from summer holidays and the students have got their visas then it might shorten.... cross fingers

thanks for that

alan

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-08-24 09:07:00

Good Luck Dawny&Tommy tomorrow

QUOTE (Nagishkaw @ Aug 15 2007, 03:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I KNOW you will be approved. I can't wish you luck as I do not believe in it, so all I will say is God is with you ! You'll see.

Hey that is a coincidence - I don't belive in God but I do believe in luck !

so thats twice as good !

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-08-21 04:52:00

UK Healthcare

QUOTE (robinklake @ Aug 28 2007, 12:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (saywhat @ Aug 27 2007, 05:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

and you dont really need teeth to eat em... or a pint of Timothy Taylor's fine championship ale every friday night for 30 years !

Now do I want to sit at home for 30 years flashing those sparkling tussy pegs and making the cat blink, or go down the black bull and get my free pint for 30 years...

its all decisions

Well, I did suggest we extract them all and replace them with a wooden set to save money........

Yes but it would have to be a nice wood - Georgia white oak. When I was in Boston looking round the 'USS Constitution' battleship, they explained that it was made from Georgia white oak and it is springy and the British cannon balls bounced off. At the end of the tour, the guide said - 'Do you all know why we were able to beat the British ? '

I shouted 'because their cannonballs bounced off ?' and he said ' NO ! it was because we loved freedom and we were fighting for it ' and the crowd applauded

Carolyn dragged me away before I said something else like 'cheating Georgia white oak' .

Anyway bike versus teeth ? we now know why hells angels have no front teeth - it was a choice thing.

Well I have my blocked left ear appointment on Friday - they said they would not see me unless I had been pouring oil into it for 2 weeks.
I reckon it was an infection as every time I poured oil in it got painful and worse (my detractors would say it was pouring out the other side). It's a lot better now - they know they can save 80% of appointments by putting you off a couple of weeks until it mends itself.

When I was a kid, my mother would 'send word' to the doctor, and a couple of hours later he would walk into the house without knocking and treat you in 2 minutes and walk to the next house.. We still had ration cards for food then, but the Doc was able to do that - now in the midst of our affluence, it is not longer possible.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2007-08-28 03:47:00

He was initially seen by the EMT who came to their house after his mom called 999. They were the ones who told him to go to the hospital and have it seen by a doctor, hence the start of the wait when it was determined that he'd have to be seen by a plastics doc.

We didn't live and sleep there, but we were told each day to come at 8 am, and that he wasn't allowed to eat or drink anything after midnight in case they determined he needed to have surgery. We didn't sleep there only because he lived close. That wasn't the case for the three other people in line behind him who had the same wait in store for them but lived further away and had to take the train. One of them did sleep there at least one of the nights if I remember correctly.

We the people can't repeal anything. We can vote for those who can start the process (an uphill battle from what I'm hearing anyway - at least to fully repeal it), but I wasn't aware that 50% of the population aligned themselves with those who say they are going to repeal it.

Yep the election looks very close and the republicans are sworn to repeal the affordable care act - so although 50% of the people don't want to repeal it, they are going to vote for a party that does want to repeal it because of other issues such as guns and Kenya and condoms etc

Re the fingers - I understand now that it was the plastic surgeon that was unavailable. I couldn't imagine that immediate emergency care would be unavailable.
My daughter crashed her car sideways into a lamp post and cut the car in half. Luckily she wasn't wearing her seat belt and was thrown out. The Police said she would have been killed if she had been wearing it and took no action. I called the hospital and they said I couldn't speak to her as she was with the plastic surgeon. Panic - and my mind was imagining all sorts ! Turns out she had a cut on her cheek and he was fixing that. That was within 15 mins of her arriving in hospital and it was an inner city hospital. I can only imagine that your horror story was one of those rare events that are reported every now and then. It was totally unacceptable. I would have been obnoxious and probably got arrested.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-19 10:53:00

I could list as many horror stories about my family/friends in the UK and their NHS experiences as you did good ones - it's the inequality of the care that gets my ire up when people start talking about how wonderful the NHS is. Yes - it has wonderful things about it, and I'm HAPPY to hear experiences like the ones you've listed. I just don't understand why all Brits can't have those same experiences. That dichotomy alone means it is a system with it's own subset of problems.

I am an American, and I criticize the NHS based on what I have seen with my own eyes struggling for 4 days to try and get my (then) fiance seen by a doctor after nearly cutting off two of his fingers - and also from what my husband and his family have told me have been their personal experiences over the years. I do not criticize it based on what US institutions have 'told' me. I am not suggesting that my perspective makes me some kind of NHS expert, but I also do not criticize it blindly.

FWIW I can't think of any American in my circle of 'influence' who doesn't think our healthcare system is badly broken.

An emergency visit to a hospital resulted in a four day wait ? I can't imagine anyone living and sleeping in the emergency ward waiting room for four days - that must have been horrible

Hope you are right on that last one above because 50% of people are going to vote to repeal health care reforms in the US - but that is politics.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-19 10:13:00

I had scores of years of NHS experience, well 2 and a bit anyway.

Like I said my personal experience was poor, and with aged parents and grandparents I spent a lot of time in NHS Hospitals.

I have not lived in the UK for 8 years, it is interesting that every time I go back the perception I get is greater and greater dissatisfaction.

The reasons, well the main one you have aptly described. There are many others.

Its not commonly known that people can use any hospital. I went into the emergency room at Leeds hospital (inner city) as I had breathed in dust which could have been asbestos, and there was a long waiting time. Usual inner city winos and hookers and police with prisoners etc. I drove to Harrogate (20 minutes) and was seen immediately in plush surroundings. My residence came under Bradford at that time.

We will be visiting the UK next month and not taking out travel insurance because overseas visitors are treated free for problems arising during the stay.

We will use a 'nice' hospital if needed.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-19 09:41:00

The NHS as we currently know it will not survive, what will it move to is interesting, it is collapsing now despite all the extra resources being pumped into it.

I disagree with your historical view, I am not sure if there is any point discussing it. The NHS survived quite well before mass immigration.

Taking a greater and greater share of the national cake is one thing in an era of prosperity, in an era of decline is another.

I am no great fan of the NHS, my personal experiences have not been good, I would agree that the US has bigger issues.

My personal experience of the NHS is extremely positive.

It does vary by post code and the Bradford hospitals are like a bad area in Kabul

However, North Yorkshire, eg Harrogate is totally different experience. The Americans are told that if a Brit is over 50, they are given an aspirin and sent away. That is propaganda put out my the health care industry to protect their profits made on the suffering of the sick

My mother fell down the stairs at age 72 and sustained extensive brain damage. She received fantastic care for years until she moved to a residential home in her 80's. The residential home was Local Authority owned and was like a really nice hotel. It has big light rooms and lovely gardens and a big conservatory etc. It was all free.

She had many accidents over the years, broken arms, broken femur, and then when she was 92, she was diagnosed with a huge ovarian cancer that was benign. She had a full hysterectomy at age 92 so hah to you American propagandists !

She continued to have her health maintained until she finally caught pneumonia and died at 95 two years ago

From age 72 to age 95 she received all this great residential care and many hospital generations and it did not cost her anything

The NHS and the systems in France and Germany are wonderful and the predatory Doctors in the USA are a disgrace

They rammed me full of all sorts of unnecessary junk and unnecessary tests for years and as soon as I stopped seeing them I felt much better

My weight is down 12 lbs and my blood pressure is now 124/82 instead of 150/95

The NHS is the real jewel in the crown of Britain and the people who work there do it for the patients and not for the money gouging as is the case in the US. My hospital in the US employes a person to stand at the door, and as I leave they say "Have a nice day". That is their job. They also have an electric golf cart and try and make me take a trip in it to my car. I am walking just fine and they try and scoop me up into their silly cart.

It really is a 5 star hotel business and nothing to do with caring for the sick

Take profit out of helping sick people is what I say, and Americans - don't criticize the NHS until you have had scores of years of experience of it - don't go on US Insurance company propaganda or the occasional horror story which pops up in any country

Edited by Ashud Cocoa, 19 July 2012 - 09:09 AM.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-19 09:07:00

Not true and I do not understand why a foreigner could not understand the concept.

we do and money of course does matter.

What Bevan had in mind and the current situation is completely divorced.

I am not sure if you are serious, the Uk is a Constitutional Monarchy btw.

So it is not a Democracy!

Probably, and a few other countries.

For an American to understand that even they have the right to free immediate treatment with zero formalities and zero contributions and zero insurance, is hard - as hard as it is for a Brit to understand the American system of "lose your house and all your savings"

The UK is run by the Commons and the upper chamber and the Queens consent is a formality and a custom (not like the president of the USA) - and that was settled by the English Civil wars in the 1600's. The Queen is only there to attract tourists and it is a very successful operation and nothing to do with politics.

If the Monarchy was dissolved tomorrow, it wouldn't have any effect upon whether the UK is a democracy or not (It is). It would not change anything
You seem be suggesting that only a country at the beck and call of the mob could be called a democracy and that referendums of the mob should decide things. In John Adam's words " A mob is still a mob - even of it's on your side". I don't want the mob to decide my future, I want to elect an intelligent leader.

Bevan had exactly this situation in mind. People are people and sick people are sick people - just as in 1948. His concept is timeless.
A huge number of doctors and nurses in the NHS are immigrants and it could not operate without them. The NHS operates a superb system at a fraction of the cost of the US. To add a massive entitlement admin system like the US would cripple it with cost. Bevan said so. keep it simple and cheap, treat everyone, foreigner or not.

It could be argued that only a flow of young working immigrants can ensure the ongoing success of the NHS

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-18 20:32:00

The UK and for that matter the US are not Democracies, it would be interesting to see what the general populace would decide.

But putting that to one side they did Democratically decide, and the courts overturned them. So that is a bit of a dead end.

Like I said there is no good solution, so which would be the less bad.

I would start by deciding how many the Country can absorb, then allocate that number between the various categories, work family etc. I would favour souses and children rather than siblings and parents, perhaps a percentage limit by country and a ban on benefits as has been mentioned until Citizenship has been obtained. Perhaps a compulsory premium towards NHS services dependent on age and medical history?

Just a thought.

re bolded..looks like I could get in easily !

The thing about the NHS that no foreigner can understand is that it is free at the point of need and no contribution record is required and no payment

It was deliberately constructed like that. We Brits don't leave people to die and the money doesn't matter. It's a very foreign mind set to that in the US.

No American can understand that without reading "In Place of Fear' by Aneurin Bevan who conceived and implemented it

The UK is a democracy because the elected MP's are not representatives - they are elected to follow their own conscience - direct opposite of a referendum style government. The will of the people is expressed by the people they elect and their MP's are not robotic voting machines

There would be majorities for public hanging of paedophiles which is why referendum style decision making was always avoided and MP's are leaders, not servants of the people who voted for them. That is good given the base tendencies in most populations. The behavior of the mob in the French revolution is proof of that.

The money thing is a red herring and this legislation is about stopping the flood of people from Pakistan but it cannot be drawn so narrowly for political reasons

It really is that simple.

Edited by Ashud Cocoa, 18 July 2012 - 08:01 PM.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-18 19:59:00

In this case, what responsibility would you have separated from the right of family? The responsibility to be self-supporting? To not take from the public coffer?

What is stopping the Coalition from just saying that migrants can't access public funds for five years (or whatever time they DEMOCRATICALLY decide) and just leave it at that? Then mark everyone's passport as such? And develop clear national guidance for every Social Security and Housing Executive in the land so that staff understand when someone is subject to immigration control? What is stopping the Coalition from just STOPPING access to benefits, rather than stopping families from being together?

I have said from Day One of this fiasco that I could not care less if they stopped me, as an immigrant to the UK, from drawing benefits. I have the suspicion that most other legitimate domestic partners would feel the same.

Absolutely correct and therefore the reasoning they have put forward is spurious.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-18 17:56:00

I can think of many many more since then, relatively speaking the 20th Century was pretty quite even allowing for the Great Depression.

In the 900's almost half the country spoke Danish and had Danish law. England was christian and the Danes were pagan. There was ethnic cleansing where whole communities of civilians were killed by order of the leadership on the basis of their ethnicity alone.

The big difference of course was that the two communities were racially almost indistinguishable much like Bosnia which is currently like England in the 900's in some ways.

What England has now is pretty tame in comparison, and in the absence of racial absorption as in Brazil or Portugal, the future will be most interesting. Pity I wont be around to observe it.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-18 09:05:00

I think there was a picture of the consequences of that earlier in the thread.

You end up with a divisive society and all the nasty consequences of that.

I used to say it will end in tears, now it is ending in tears.

Nothing new, not the first time it has happened, will not be the last.

Last real divisive society was during the Danelaw in the 900's

I reckon my mother side is from the Danelaw and my Dad's side is Mercian Angeln

If it produced me, it cant be bad

Pagan +christian produces atheist --- so it turned out all right in the end

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-17 18:42:00

Not really. The only thing that changes is the immigrant feeder-country that gets hated on.

Correction of my last post - I meant to say that the economy moves in the same direction as immigration

For instance Japan has no immigration and their economy has been stalled for 12 years

The US has substantial immigration and is doing better than most other economies

The UK needs young immigrants

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-13 20:26:00

And since 1950?

Times change.

Exactly - the economy moves in inverse proportion to immigration ...

They are a pool of cheap labor and that improves the competitiveness of the economy

The British Government tried really hard to import Pakistani labor in the 1960's while the mills were open

Now it is oriental nurses and Indian doctors

The demand is always changing

They are always poor at first

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-13 20:01:00

Between the 1890's and 1950's, the US took in so many immigrants that 100 million americans can trace their roots back to them. A huge number were ragged and almost penniless. Didn't seem to do the US any harm economically

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-13 19:50:00

Although I get what they are saying, I really dislike the emphasis on the "rights of Black and Asian communities." This hurts not rich but not struggling white people in equal measure.

Absolutely - if anything the law hits the 'native' population more, because they were not the target in the first place and are collateral damage.

They are suffering with the black and Asian population and sharing their load and taking the consequences for a situation that they were not the authors of

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-11 19:36:00

I did the test on the Guardian web site, all the questions I asked fell into the Pub Quiz level of general knowledge.

Q Which pub did Oliver Cromwell's army drink dry the night before the battle of Marston Moor in the English civil war ?

A The black bull in Otley

Posted Image

Edited by Ashud Cocoa, 09 July 2012 - 07:31 PM.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-09 19:30:00

So........today is the day the Coalition shuts it doors to about 48 percent of British citizens who would like to sponsor a non-EEA spouse.

A sad day that the people who invented the NHS should contract a case of callousness

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-09 17:54:00

Though I passed (just), all the ones I missed were indeed medieval history ones. ####### -- we're supposed to know all carpenters were home-grown back then?

I'm going with Trompe's questions.

Q What time does to pub shut on bank holiday
A October

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-05 12:43:00

Here's some sample questions - historians of the middle ages should pass with flying colors

http://www.guardian....itizenship-test

I would prefer questions along the lines of

1. Who is Phil Mitchell
2. Who do you support when England play Germany (the correct answer will depend on the country of residence)
3. What will the weather be like on a bank holiday

Yanky wife didn't know what I meant when I said "half as much again". The percentage representing this should be a question

Also a translation of "taluv" which was said to her in every shop in Leeds !

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-05 12:21:00

I think a much better fact would be about bonfire night and WHEN the effigy on the bonfire changed from the Pope to Guy Fawkes...

Those sorts of facts reveal changes in societal attitudes rather than how many people sit in the Welsh Assembly, which has no cultural 'meaning' and no more relevance to understanding the host community than learning how many otters still remain in Norfolk

Edited by Ashud Cocoa, 05 July 2012 - 08:31 AM.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-05 08:30:00

No one likes a ging-er.

Hey I have married 2 so far (delete the "so far" coz that's my bag limit)

By sheer good fortune my kids are blond

everything they say about gingers is true

everything they say about blonds is true

Hope that isn't too follically pigmentalist

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-01 16:32:00

Some of the sample questions I have seen is what is the percentage of the population that are muslim and how many people are under the age of 18.....which really isn't different from what percentage of people in Yorkshire have red hair.

Not much red hair in Yorkshire nowadays...

Posted Image

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-01 13:30:00

Considering you need to know how many people are in the Welsh Assembly to be considered integrated into British society that's not so far fetched

...and what kind of shellfish, the fishermen of the Island of Mull prefer to eat

..and what percentage of East Yorkshire people have red hair

I mean - don't people know anything about the UK - it's not a very big place so what's the problem ?

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-01 12:12:00

There's lots of interesting/funny comments on that article. This is one of my favorites.

Then I had to learn the first verse of God Save the Queen, because I was supposed to sing it when I went to take my oath of allegiance. I looked it up on YouTube, where the first few entries are all the Sex Pistols version - I wonder if anyone ever gets confused and learns that.
I didn't know that I had to learn only the first verse, so I learned the whole thing including the bit about scattering enemies and confounding their politics and sod them and their knavish tricks, which I assumed referred to the French given your history, but Wikipedia says it's probably about the Gunpowder Plot. Anyway, you don't have to sing that, which is a shame because it's a badass vers

"and her fascist regime" excellent choice !

The whole deal appears to be a blocking tactic and I am just surprised they don't require you to sing the national anthem backward and in Welsh while performing a morris dance while dressed in mummers costume

Posted Image

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-07-01 11:49:00

The figure comes from the benefit system.

If a UK citizen has £16K in savings, that eliminates them from a couple of goodie benefits. Housing Benefit and Income Support, I think.

So that's where £16K comes from.

The multiplication of 2.5 comes from the 2.5 years until the non-EU citizen would file for their second leave to remain. The theory being that you are a lazy scrounger who has no intention of seeking a job in the UK and have only immigrated for the benefits. Your wad o'cash in the bank will prevent you from drawing benefits.

There's a couple of things wrong with this, not the least of which is the nonsensical notion that someone with that kind of money is LAZY. It's also NOT like beneifts for the normal UK family, because the £16K alone would stop benefits.

But wait, it gets stupider because they expect you to show them the money three times. Once when you enter; at 2.5 years when you file for Further Leave to Remain; and at 5 years when you file for Indefinate Leave to Remain.

Any shortfall from the $18600 annual income requires a savings "take up". The base will always be $16K plus 2.5 times the shortfall.

Think of it as quals for the I-864 (but at 2.5 times income shortfall instead of three) with a £16K layer on top.

Definitely a tall order for the kind of people who are young and would be a benefit to the UK economy. It is more defensive and aimed at benefits rather than UK growth promoting

Yet it is no hurdle for gimmers of my ilk. I have 3 private pensions in payment guaranteed 100% by the UK government, and the lowest is more than 18,600. Also I have quite a wad which would easily reach the line. Yes, I can spend into the economy and no I wont be claiming benefits, but the country doesn't need older people who are not working, and when I die, my yankee wife will hoof it back to the US and spend my wad there, so they aren't going to get rich on my spending!

That, plus the ease with which determined immigrants from close knit communities who work together (you know the ones) will get past this using shady agents, while young valuable 1st world candidates from the US/Australia/NZ/Canada etc etc will be excluded

Conservatives always pander to people like me who can flash their check book and go round it. That's no good and they need to be cleverer and fairer and try and imagine what being human feels like.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-06-29 15:54:00

I have studied these rules but I haven't paid very close attention to breaking down the figures. What made them come to the conclusion that we need 18,600*2.5 + 16,000? If the amount you need to earn per year is 18,600, surely all you should need is 37,200 for any size family? Where does this additional 16,000 come in to it?

The gov moves in mysterious ways

Perhaps they just tacked it on gratuitously

My mother used to give me a final slap "for next time"

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-06-29 14:41:00

For a total of £62,500

correct - its the calculated excess plus the base amount of 18,600

Have to sell a few 'big issues' to raise that - or a kidney

That's a lot of curry but I reckon the regs will be circumnavigated by those motivated to do so - and who have semi-literate victims to exploit

Trapping people into these debt circumstances promotes human trafficking

Edited by Ashud Cocoa, 29 June 2012 - 02:27 PM.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-06-29 14:26:00

I know, it's just ridiculous!

Basically, for them to ignore income and assuming you had no income (zero) , you would need 18,600 minus zero --

times 2.5 = gbp 46,500

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-06-29 13:39:00

Exactly. Remember the baked bean "war"? It was possible to live on about 15p a day!

£5 isn't a lot these days, if you are resourceful you can get by on that. Living on that would give anyone the incentive to find a job!

The government can't prove it, all you need is "uncle dave" to say you are employed at £20,000 a year for washing his car. All this does is keep out the honest people who don't want to get caught lying. Apparently the conservatives want to encourage people to lie and be dishonest.

That is a very American concept - cherry trees - hands on heart - oaths
The Brits don't mind lying at all if they think they are entitled to whatever - and they are
If I didn't lie about some of the emails I get from ex girlfriends, I wouldn't be here to contribute to VJ

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-06-29 12:46:00

£16,000 is more than enough for a couple to live on, there are families who live on less! As they can't claim any benefits they have no choice but to find employment.

The only good thing that has come out of this is my dad, who has been a staunch conservative voter all his life, has been converted! I never thought I'd hear him say that he won't be voting conservative again. I will hold him to this when election time comes around.

When I was unemployed for a year in 1995 , my food budget was £5 per week - easy.

My point is that the government can't prove it isn't a loan

Most people from the 1st world will be able to raise 16k as a 'gift' from their family - and the third world too if they use loan sharks

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-06-29 12:26:00

I love this comment from the DM article:

I am British with a dual nationality son, living in the US with my American wife. We are considering returning to the UK but this is making us think again. I earn well over the amount here, and did when I worked in the UK but now, they would want me to return, get a job that pays the amount - because for some reason they assume that my wife, an accounts controller for a multi-million dollar firm of architects will be content to sit at home, twiddling her thumbs watching 'Loose Women' before hot footing it down to the benefits office.

I reckon anyone with a good job abroad and small pot of money should be able to pass the entry test with that, rather than the income test.

iii.
Cash savings above £16,000 (the level generally disqualifying a person from income-related benefits) can be used to meet all or part of the financial requirement, if they have been held by the applicant’s partner or the applicant for at least six months prior to the application and are under their control. The cash savings can have originated from a third party as a gift, but they must not be a loan.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-06-29 12:05:00

re co sponsors

No need

You simply borrow the capital sum from a loan shark

OR

Get a contract from a relative/friend to employ you as a Coronation mug seller at 20k and give him the money back when you see him in the pub

Problem solved

It really is that easy to get round and the people who this legislation was REALLY aimed at, have already figured it out - you can be sure of that

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-06-29 10:11:00

That sucks. Glad she has a job she enjoys at least. My husband has a job he enjoys, I feel terrible telling him we have to move before the end of the year. If I wasn't expecting we would stay here for sure. I can't imagine how travelling with a newborn around Christmas is going to be. Thanks Theresa May.

She hates her job but it pays mega bux - so we need to wring the last bit of advantage out of that while we can..

You will be fine at xmas - that guy in Bethlehem traveled at xmas and he was fine too

heck it might be the second coming - watch out for stars !

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-06-28 18:19:00

A middle aged friend of mine was charged $400 for a pregnancy test... even though being pregnant was probably impossible.

This country is insane when it comes to this stuff. It feels like they are quicker to hand out pills as well because the government isn't footing the bill. But pills aren't a cure all. I was given anti inflammatory medication for a shoulder injury with no real advice as to exercise or recovery. The tablets didn't work and I had to play google doctor. My own doctor would have probably have told me about the condition and referred me to a physiotherapist. The american one didn't even tell me about my injury except for it's name.

I laugh when people here tell me healthcare is better in the US. All you have to do is look at the league tables and bankrupt sick people. My husband's auntie had $40,000 bills for the same cancer treatment my mum had in the UK.

Fair enough :-) I have no job so nothing to lose!

Her US income will count in the 18 grand threshold under the new rules, she doesn't need a UK job offer if you are applying from the US.

My mother fell down the stairs at age 72 and fractured her skull and had brain damage
She had fabulous treatment and eventually got into a beautiful local authority residence with patios and gardens and summer houses. I have been in worse 4 star hotels.
At age 92 she had a FULL HYSTERECTOMY
At age 94 she broke her arm and later her femur
She died surrounded with great carers when she was 95

Then I turn on the telly and some Republican is lying through his teeth saying in the UK you will be left to die over age 50 and they give you an aspirin and send you home.

The Americans aren't stupid - they are just lied to and don't know the truth

The total cost for my mother - all health care and all residency costs from age 72 to age 95 - NIL - NOT ONE CENT !

My red passport is my lifeline

Edited by Ashud Cocoa, 28 June 2012 - 04:32 PM.

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-06-28 16:28:00

My Husband got his settlement visa two days ago. We got in under the old rules. Apply before july 9th and you can get ILR in two years, not 5.

The new rules were very worrying, we applied before they were officially announced. It's horrible that they are doing this to real couples. They make out it's to reduce numbers but the marriage settlement visa numbers are pretty low anyway. If they based it on the immigrant's earning potential rather than the citizen it would make more sense seen as I can still claim benefits on my return. I don't want to, but I could. However the visa says on it "No recourse to public funds" so I really don't see where they are coming from on this. Tighten up the benefits system.

Then again I really don't think Theresa May really thought it through. A lot of people in the UK have stereotypes about immigrants taking from the government when they probably don't even know any. I know an immigrant from Pakistan who has worked more in the past 6 years than my own mother has, and she was on benefits for 20 years! This man works 6 days a week 9-5! It's like an easy attack on foreign people rather than fixing what is wrong in UK society.

Would do but she is hanging onto a really good job in the US

By sods law, she will lose it soon after the deadline

Captain Oates

Male

England

2012-06-28 16:15:00