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Over 40's Moving Back and Catching Up

Over 40's Moving Back and Catching Up

Old Apr 23rd 2011, 2:27 pm
  #1411  
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Default Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread

Originally Posted by bandrui
Happy St George's Day everyone!

I was going to post a video in celebration of the day but they were all either corny, political or about the England soccer team so my best wishes will have to do.

I just found out that's politically incorrect to say England anymore... now we have to say we're British or talk about the UK. Well that's just plain silly. I'm a proud Englishwoman and love England. Though I am very fond of the Scots, the Irish and the Welsh too, today I can and shall celebrate my Englishness.

Oh and Happy Birthday Shakespeare!
Agreed! I always have to think when I type and to say British or the UK. I never thought I was being politically correct? I'm going to follow you and from now on say England and English cause that is what I am. Thats were I was born. Now remember you started it!
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Old Apr 23rd 2011, 2:29 pm
  #1412  
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Default Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread

Originally Posted by cheers
I think of myself as a Christian but I don't think we made as big of a deal of Easter as they do in America. Comments anyone?
I was in Costco this morning and you would have thought it was Christmas by the mobs of customers who were in there and then coming home we passed by the Olive Garden restaurant and the parking lot was packed. Did someone say the economy was in the toilet? Not from what I see.
Thats because the big retail chains in America milk every single holiday all the way, they squeeze every little drop out of a public holiday or non public holiday, there good at it ---- they always have been, thats why over there Christmas starts in the big stores 6 weeks before Christmas day ---- hence squeezing every single red cent out of it they can, !!!!!
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Old Apr 23rd 2011, 3:10 pm
  #1413  
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Default Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread

Originally Posted by jasper123
Thats because the big retail chains in America milk every single holiday all the way, they squeeze every little drop out of a public holiday or non public holiday, there good at it ---- they always have been, thats why over there Christmas starts in the big stores 6 weeks before Christmas day ---- hence squeezing every single red cent out of it they can, !!!!!

The very little bit I know about this subject is that all manangement is under the gun to increase sales. If their sales go down then they are out of a job. Up at the top the CEOs have to perform for the stockholders or they get bounced. Think of it as a game that the kids play on their computers and they thrive to win. Well thats that side of the story looking at the other side. Employees are just a means to atchieve sales and they have to work hours at any time of the day This is a big thing to me that I remember in 'England' in my day that shops were closed on Sunday and this allowed people to get together as family and friends and plan for that day, now I'm afraid that the businesses want to be open 24 hours so as to increase sales again. Shops use to close at 5:30 or 6pm and the employees had a life! You should hear the Americans scream because they can't shop 24 hours a day in England like 'back home' its so inconvenient for them! I always think of the employee side. Sorry. Some shops use to close at 1pm on Saturday and the employees could go to the match or ?? I think that was a long time ago because they went to early closing on Wednesday so to be open all day on Saturday. My point is family and culture was important and unfortunately they are taking the American view that if your family gets in the way of your job then get a divorce!

OK vote for me if you agree! Family and culture is more important than materialism and convenience in shopping(higher sales).

I'm really not this hostile but I do have my opinions.

Yesterday we saw the hostility to Tesco in Bristol and I was caught in between because I hate, hate violence against the police and property period. On the other had we have Tesco who in my opinion go around and grease hands to open up all over, pay low wages (so I'm told) and they end up ruining towns and villages by closing down the neighborhood shops that people could walk to.

and furthermore its all Dunrovins fault
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Old Apr 23rd 2011, 3:13 pm
  #1414  
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Default Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread

Originally Posted by jasper123
Thats because the big retail chains in America milk every single holiday all the way, they squeeze every little drop out of a public holiday or non public holiday, there good at it ---- they always have been, thats why over there Christmas starts in the big stores 6 weeks before Christmas day ---- hence squeezing every single red cent out of it they can, !!!!!
I have been on the receiving end of this. Every day is another day to increase sales and you have to work!!

Rocky, if we lived in a democracy this wouldn't happen!
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Old Apr 23rd 2011, 3:28 pm
  #1415  
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Default Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread

Originally Posted by cheers
The very little bit I know about this subject is that all manangement is under the gun to increase sales. If their sales go down then they are out of a job. Up at the top the CEOs have to perform for the stockholders or they get bounced. Think of it as a game that the kids play on their computers and they thrive to win. Well thats that side of the story looking at the other side. Employees are just a means to atchieve sales and they have to work hours at any time of the day This is a big thing to me that I remember in 'England' in my day that shops were closed on Sunday and this allowed people to get together as family and friends and plan for that day, now I'm afraid that the businesses want to be open 24 hours so as to increase sales again. Shops use to close at 5:30 or 6pm and the employees had a life! You should hear the Americans scream because they can't shop 24 hours a day in England like 'back home' its so inconvenient for them! I always think of the employee side. Sorry. Some shops use to close at 1pm on Saturday and the employees could go to the match or ?? I think that was a long time ago because they went to early closing on Wednesday so to be open all day on Saturday. My point is family and culture was important and unfortunately they are taking the American view that if your family gets in the way of your job then get a divorce!

OK vote for me if you agree! Family and culture is more important than materialism and convenience in shopping(higher sales).

I'm really not this hostile but I do have my opinions.

Yesterday we saw the hostility to Tesco in Bristol and I was caught in between because I hate, hate violence against the police and property period. On the other had we have Tesco who in my opinion go around and grease hands to open up all over, pay low wages (so I'm told) and they end up ruining towns and villages by closing down the neighborhood shops that people could walk to.

and furthermore its all Dunrovins fault
Being that I have lived in the US since a small child...I do remember a time, when no store was opened on Easter, very few on Memorial Day, closed on 4th of July, closed for Thanksgiving and stores closing early on Xmas Eve and absolutely nothing opened on Xmas Day.
One didn't even put up a REAL Xmas tree no sooner than 2 wks before Xmas..most opting a week before. Xmas stuff at the stores didn't appear until AFTER Thanksgiving.
Like others here have said...it was/is corporations that have determined what has happened here with holidays. Halloween decorations are put out in the stores in late August! Just another way to bleed the pockets of plain, good, ordinary, gullible people, who most times don't realize they are being pulled about by corporate America...who have only one thing on their minds..profit, profit and more profit.
Personally I refuse to buy anything for the holidays until they are mostly upon me....problem is by that time...everything is massively picked over.
So Tesco is to England... what Walmart is to America and The World?

Chris

Last edited by chriswinter; Apr 23rd 2011 at 3:29 pm. Reason: typo
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Old Apr 23rd 2011, 3:33 pm
  #1416  
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Default Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread

Originally Posted by cheers
The very little bit I know about this subject is that all manangement is under the gun to increase sales. If their sales go down then they are out of a job. Up at the top the CEOs have to perform for the stockholders or they get bounced. Think of it as a game that the kids play on their computers and they thrive to win. Well thats that side of the story looking at the other side. Employees are just a means to atchieve sales and they have to work hours at any time of the day This is a big thing to me that I remember in 'England' in my day that shops were closed on Sunday and this allowed people to get together as family and friends and plan for that day, now I'm afraid that the businesses want to be open 24 hours so as to increase sales again. Shops use to close at 5:30 or 6pm and the employees had a life! You should hear the Americans scream because they can't shop 24 hours a day in England like 'back home' its so inconvenient for them! I always think of the employee side. Sorry. Some shops use to close at 1pm on Saturday and the employees could go to the match or ?? I think that was a long time ago because they went to early closing on Wednesday so to be open all day on Saturday. My point is family and culture was important and unfortunately they are taking the American view that if your family gets in the way of your job then get a divorce!

OK vote for me if you agree! Family and culture is more important than materialism and convenience in shopping(higher sales).

I'm really not this hostile but I do have my opinions.

Yesterday we saw the hostility to Tesco in Bristol and I was caught in between because I hate, hate violence against the police and property period. On the other had we have Tesco who in my opinion go around and grease hands to open up all over, pay low wages (so I'm told) and they end up ruining towns and villages by closing down the neighborhood shops that people could walk to.

and furthermore its all Dunrovins fault
Your first paragraph is right on the money. I would rather not comment on the job or divorce bit. Sometimes though, the shareholders and even the Board are powerless in the face of the megalomania of the CEO and sit back and enjoy what they think and hope will be a happy ride which turns out to be the contrary. Royal Bank of Scotland springs to mind.

As far as Tesco goes, I personally feel that the proliferation of large supermarkets on the edge of towns is the death of the heart of those towns in terms of retail and much else, HOWEVER it tends to be the older folks that want these stores there for the one-stop-shop deal and their general convenience.

This retail thing is a two-way street. Folks have to often work longer hours or even two jobs to make ends meet. Where is the time to shop? So supermarkets opening on public holidays and former days set aside for family peace, rest & quiet are now taken up with the once a week shopping and many shoppers love it that way.

America is a consumer society. Consumers want everything and they want it cheap and US retail, particularly Walmart and those of its ilk are there to accommodate. Admittedly, retail "festivals" such as Valentines, Easter, Labour Day, July 4th, Back to School, Thanksgiving and Halloween are there to be milked for all they're worth but they meet a consumer demand. Then there's Christmas!

Let's remember that almost everything is made in China and the more the distributors order from China the better the unit price, so everything is set-up for mass marketing and sales, and cheap is cheerful. Even when there is a 50% off sale there is still plenty of profit margin left.
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Old Apr 23rd 2011, 3:38 pm
  #1417  
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Default Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread

Yesterday and today have been so warm for England, today its now 78f and blue skies as far as the eye can see
What I have noticed here since I have been back is most of the big food chains here now have air conditioning in there stores, I was walking around Iceland and the co-op yesterday and I could feel it, and it felt lovely just like being in America in the summer, so thats a big improvement right?

If anyone is interested I have been home long enough now to report on the average utility bill costs now ----- thats if you take me and Mum as average,
Now these are for a 3 bedroom terraced house, ---- all the quarterly bills are in now with the latest coming in today which was the sewage bill, and so I have calculated all the bills down to monthly ---- cause thats how we pay our bills in the U.S. all these figures will be in GBP so you will have to roughly convert them to your currencies where you live,

Average Monthly Utility bills ----- 3 Bedroom Terraced, Hampshire, England.

Council tax/property tax (two people)
£121
Water & Sewage
£46
Gas & Electricity
£90
Phone & Internet (land line only) B.T.
£32
Total Per Month,
£289

Important Note,
Our Water & Sewege is on the Meter,

Now to all you House owners out there in other countries like OZZ or Canada or U.S. or else where ---- how do these figures compare to your own?

I guess these figures could help people returning home whether or not they rent or buy,
Hope this helps,
Rodney.
PS now as me and Mum split all bills in half then its quite affordable for each of us, ----- so if there are two people sharing all bills its much better in my opinion.

Last edited by jasper123; Apr 23rd 2011 at 3:41 pm.
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Old Apr 23rd 2011, 3:40 pm
  #1418  
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Default Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread

Originally Posted by chriswinter
So Tesco is to England... what Walmart is to America and The World?
Chris
In terms of being the largest retail operation Tesco is similar but Tesco is not known for being a predator in the same way that Walmart has legal actions against it for discrimination or union busting. Nor is Tesco known for consistently being the cheapest option as they don't have the pile 'em high sell 'em cheap code of operation or the sort of Amway mindset in their workstaff of we get our rewards at the end rather like a ponzi scheme.

Tesco is a very large supermarket chain which is now getting into just about everything from Banking/Insurance to Auto to everything you want to buy on the High Street.
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Old Apr 23rd 2011, 3:53 pm
  #1419  
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Default Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread

Originally Posted by Pistolpete2
In terms of being the largest retail operation Tesco is similar but Tesco is not known for being a predator in the same way that Walmart has legal actions against it for discrimination or union busting.
Point here. Tesco has been in Eastern Europe recruiting workers for low wages while people in England can't get work. It doesn't make sense. Yes it does really when you think 'bottom line'
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Old Apr 23rd 2011, 4:03 pm
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Default Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread

Originally Posted by cheers
Point here. Tesco has been in Eastern Europe recruiting workers for low wages while people in England can't get work. It doesn't make sense. Yes it does really when you think 'bottom line'
We talked about this on one of these BE threads the other day and I double-checked things. Apparently just about all the supermarket chains pay minimum wage and only Waitrose offers bonuses (being part of the John Lewis Partnership) so I guess that Tesco think they can get better quality at the minimum wage level by recruiting in Eastern Europe.

Since we are on the subject, its corporate pressure for low wages and labour supply, plus a bit of political meddling by New-Labour which in recent years has in no small measure contributed to increased immigration levels in the UK.
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Old Apr 23rd 2011, 6:31 pm
  #1421  
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Default Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread

Originally Posted by jasper123

If anyone is interested I have been home long enough now to report on the average utility bill costs now ----- thats if you take me and Mum as average,
Now these are for a 3 bedroom terraced house, ---- all the quarterly bills are in now with the latest coming in today which was the sewage bill, and so I have calculated all the bills down to monthly ---- cause thats how we pay our bills in the U.S. all these figures will be in GBP so you will have to roughly convert them to your currencies where you live,

Average Monthly Utility bills ----- 3 Bedroom Terraced, Hampshire, England.

Council tax/property tax (two people)
£121
Water & Sewage
£46
Gas & Electricity
£90
Phone & Internet (land line only) B.T.
£32
Total Per Month,
£289
Of those numbers, only water is higher for you than for me. For example, our property taxes are the equivalent of £600 per month, phone and internet is twice what you pay (but we have fast broadband for the business) and our utilities are so sky high I'm not even going to say. Thanks! Very helpful

Last edited by sallysimmons; Apr 23rd 2011 at 6:33 pm.
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Old Apr 23rd 2011, 6:47 pm
  #1422  
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Default Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread

Originally Posted by jasper123
Fish all the 36 years I lived in America I always thought it was years ahead of the U.K. ----- but over the years ---- look how the UK caught up with its wages for instance, on average there higher then in the U.S. and the standard of living in general in UK is far above the Americans, ---- we have not only caught up in the last say 25 years but we have far overtaken the US in so many things ---- especially technology,
On another subject the beach was lovely yesterday, hundreds of people sunbathing and swimming,
today just another beautiful day and me and Mum had our lunch outside in the garden siting on the patio, we both took pleasure in looking at all Mums plants and bushes and she was telling me the history of her garden, the last couple of weeks while the weather has been nice Mum has been spending a lot of time on her garden --- like weeding ---- and trimming the bushes, and replanting or repotting or whatever its called, anyway I offered to help but she just says no thanks --- IM used to it and I know what Im doing, ---- she knows Ive never owned my own house and so I dont have a clue on being a gardner, ----- but I could learn Huh !!!!
Rodney.
Thanks Rodney... I every much agree, I saw this happening many years ago, the UK are early adopters because they have the money to spend and want all this new stuff...

I see Mercedes pushing new technology here that Honda in the Uk has had for 4 years...

Im not much of a real gardner either, but Im great with a mower, some of the weeds look as good as the plants to me...

Your weather is blowing us away, First all that Snow, and now this....... Good for you Pal...
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Old Apr 23rd 2011, 6:52 pm
  #1423  
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Default Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread

Originally Posted by jasper123

Average Monthly Utility bills ----- 3 Bedroom Terraced, Hampshire, England.

Council tax/property tax (two people)
£121£99.70
Water & Sewage
£46£20.34
Gas & Electricity
£90 £60.37
Phone & Internet (land line only) B.T.
£32£35.80
Total Per Month,
£289£216.21

Important Note,
Our Water & Sewege is on the Meter,

Canada or U.S. or else where ---- how do these figures compare to your own?

.
For this home and my numbers are in red.
Over 40's Moving Back and Catching Up-img_0041.jpg

Last edited by cheers; Apr 23rd 2011 at 7:49 pm.
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Old Apr 23rd 2011, 6:56 pm
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Default Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread

Originally Posted by cheers
The very little bit I know about this subject is that all manangement is under the gun to increase sales. If their sales go down then they are out of a job. Up at the top the CEOs have to perform for the stockholders or they get bounced. Think of it as a game that the kids play on their computers and they thrive to win. Well thats that side of the story looking at the other side. Employees are just a means to atchieve sales and they have to work hours at any time of the day This is a big thing to me that I remember in 'England' in my day that shops were closed on Sunday and this allowed people to get together as family and friends and plan for that day, now I'm afraid that the businesses want to be open 24 hours so as to increase sales again. Shops use to close at 5:30 or 6pm and the employees had a life! You should hear the Americans scream because they can't shop 24 hours a day in England like 'back home' its so inconvenient for them! I always think of the employee side. Sorry. Some shops use to close at 1pm on Saturday and the employees could go to the match or ?? I think that was a long time ago because they went to early closing on Wednesday so to be open all day on Saturday. My point is family and culture was important and unfortunately they are taking the American view that if your family gets in the way of your job then get a divorce!

OK vote for me if you agree! Family and culture is more important than materialism and convenience in shopping(higher sales).
Im with you all the way, I was one of those 24 hour workers, I worked for Krogers for 16 years, its all about the $$$$$... I missed many a real Chritmas party here as I had to work at midnight on Christmas day...

The more Americanised the UK becomes the worse it will get, it will lose that Charm and English Family way of life that many of us love... Huhhhhh...
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Old Apr 23rd 2011, 10:02 pm
  #1425  
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Default Re: OVER 50's & 60's Chit-Chat & Daily Catch-Up Thread

Originally Posted by Pistolpete2
Your first paragraph is right on the money. I would rather not comment on the job or divorce bit. Sometimes though, the shareholders and even the Board are powerless in the face of the megalomania of the CEO and sit back and enjoy what they think and hope will be a happy ride which turns out to be the contrary. Royal Bank of Scotland springs to mind.

As far as Tesco goes, I personally feel that the proliferation of large supermarkets on the edge of towns is the death of the heart of those towns in terms of retail and much else, HOWEVER it tends to be the older folks that want these stores there for the one-stop-shop deal and their general convenience.

This retail thing is a two-way street. Folks have to often work longer hours or even two jobs to make ends meet. Where is the time to shop? So supermarkets opening on public holidays and former days set aside for family peace, rest & quiet are now taken up with the once a week shopping and many shoppers love it that way.

America is a consumer society. Consumers want everything and they want it cheap and US retail, particularly Walmart and those of its ilk are there to accommodate. Admittedly, retail "festivals" such as Valentines, Easter, Labour Day, July 4th, Back to School, Thanksgiving and Halloween are there to be milked for all they're worth but they meet a consumer demand. Then there's Christmas!

Let's remember that almost everything is made in China and the more the distributors order from China the better the unit price, so everything is set-up for mass marketing and sales, and cheap is cheerful. Even when there is a 50% off sale there is still plenty of profit margin left.
I agree with 99% of what Chriswinter and Pistolpete have to say on this subject but I would add that, rather than this be due to consumer demand, I believe consumers have been trained by the corporations to expect this. It's a huge subject with a long slippery trail.
Political power has shifted from the people and democracy to the greedy wealthy corporations. Rather than consumers saying this is what I want, or more accurately this is what I used to want, the corporations now dictate this is what you need, and what you need to want. The frustrating part of this for me is how the masses follow like a bunch of mindless sheep, never questioning the ramifications of the situation but complaining loudly when this system takes it's toll, as in the current economic trauma in the US.
When I entered the US in 1970 I noticed how much revolved around quantity, rather than quality, and was proud of how this was not the case in England. When I returned to the UK for my first visit after leaving in the early 70s and saw a Holiday Inn outside London, I was quite offended by this American invasive move. (Just telling like it was for me ). Since then, of course, it has been an ever increasing trend, not only in the UK but Worldwide. People buy into an image of the US, rather than the reality. It is my belief that this is destroying native cultures everywhere and yes, the heart of towns and villages, BUT I take faith that this will not continue indefinitely. I take great pleasure in seeing small groups of people coming to their senses. Gradually people are realising how important it is to support local agriculture, crafts and industry, even if it means paying slightly higher prices. I don't have a lot of disposable income but would much rather buy fewer quality locally produced items than participate in the feeding frenzy for mass-produced chemical-based Made-in-China products. I cannot remember the last time I went into a shopping mall.
Ultimately, with the ever increasing price of oil, and resulting increase in transportation costs, returning to locally-based solutions will be the only option. It is why I am so interested in living in an area that has local food production, supports local arts and crafts and has seen the writing on the wall (as in the Transition Town movement).
We need to be concerned for future generations and educate consumers in this regard.
Good job this is on the Chit-chat thread!

p.s. ... and this is only addressing the monetary costs! The costs to personal and environmental health are another huge part of this.

Last edited by bandrui; Apr 23rd 2011 at 10:12 pm. Reason: adding p.s.
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