Is there anybody there?

[Cassandra]

I'm afraid it's going to be a case of use it or lose it. The forum has been slowly falling into disuse. The domain name comes up for renewal early January. If usage continues to be as low as it is now I see no point in renewing it and this forum will close.

A great and true shame and I too will miss it. Unfortunately it seems to me that many folk back home have now reached a stage of absolute apathy in just about everything, now resulting in disbelief and inertia.

I would never return to the other place, so I suppose I will contain my activities 'Stateside'.

Thank you Klon for your endeavours and effort, appreciated I'm sure by many ...

[Ruthio]

When you say you would never return to the other place was there bad blood?

[JBR]

When you say you would never return to the other place was there bad blood?

Not for me to answer, of course, but I wonder whether he left the UK because it is now on a distinct downward slope.
If I were younger, I'm sure I would, though I'm not sure about America because I understand that health insurance can be very high, especially for one like myself who have existing health problems.
Sorry for butting in, Cass.

[dextrous63]

I suspect Cass was referring to the mothership and not old Blighty.

[Cassandra]

When you say you would never return to the other place was there bad blood?

I don't care for the owner/moderator and left there three years ago following a coquettish post from  a man who single handedly made the place insufferable for many to tolerate.

November 18, 2023, 08:21:58 PM

I suspect Cass was referring to the mothership and not old Blighty.

Yes absolutely. My mother was American and I had dual nationality from an infant. I rationalised that I not only got a far bigger bang for my buck in my 'adopted' country but that the lifestyle was far less stressful. Of course with 'Federal' laws out here one has to know the structural framework. That said my State is not one of the notorious Blue ones like New York or god forbid California, so common sense and decency still prevail in Michigan.

As nothing lasts forever I considered what I had left of life was better passed from where I am and only regret I didn't move 5 years before.

I have adequate Health Insurance, paid for by the massive savings (60%) I make on Energy and Taxation issues.

I use a private Doctor much as my parents did until The NHS appeared courtesy of the Socialists a few years after I was born.

I mourn for England as I watch and listen to it's sad decline. I will never return. I made the mistake of visiting 'Ilford' in Essex the place of my birth to bid my parent's farewell the week before I migrated. I never want to see, or recall it, as is is now - ever again.

[dextrous63]

That's a shame Cass, but I don't blame you.  At least memories are fixed in time.

[Michael Rolls]

Ilford - there's a memory. I was shortlisted for a job there, Susan, my first wife, and I drove around the town over the weekend - this would have been sometime in the 70s. First thing Monday morning I phoned up and withdrew my name!

[dextrous63]

I spent a day there trying door to door selling of a carpet/upholstery service ( must have been very early 1980's when I was trying to get a job prior to going to uni).  One day was quite enough of that thankless task.

My best man came from Billericay.

Personally, I'm a Chiswick lad, born and bred.

[JBR]

November 18, 2023, 08:21:58 PM
Yes absolutely. My mother was American and I had dual nationality from an infant. I rationalised that I not only got a far bigger bang for my buck in my 'adopted' country but that the lifestyle was far less stressful. Of course with 'Federal' laws out here one has to know the structural framework. That said my State is not one of the notorious Blue ones like New York or god forbid California, so common sense and decency still prevail in Michigan.

As nothing lasts forever I considered what I had left of life was better passed from where I am and only regret I didn't move 5 years before.

I have adequate Health Insurance, paid for by the massive savings (60%) I make on Energy and Taxation issues.

I use a private Doctor much as my parents did until The NHS appeared courtesy of the Socialists a few years after I was born.

I mourn for England as I watch and listen to it's sad decline. I will never return. I made the mistake of visiting 'Ilford' in Essex the place of my birth to bid my parent's farewell the week before I migrated. I never want to see, or recall it, as is is now - ever again.

Firstly, I apologise for my mistake.

However, I applaud your decision and can well understand the advantages of financial benefit and also the reduction of stress.  (The red v. blue bit initially made me think for a second, but of course yours are 'the wrong way around', aren't they.  I, too would avoid NY and California!).

Another matter which I admit I had never realised, regarding health insurance v. tax and energy costs, gave me pause for thought.  I had assumed that the former would be seriously disadvantageous to me (were I to emigrate), but it is very reassuring that the lower taxes, etc. make up for this.  Certainly, your health service is far better than what we have now which, in fact, is rather worrying these days as you may well have heard yourself.
There's also the attraction of my having relatives over there as well, in New England.

Too late for me now, unfortunately, but if I'd known then what I know now about the UK, I'd have been off!

November 18, 2023, 10:18:50 PM
I should add that at least we've made some additions to the number of posts on here, and I sincerely hope that this forum does continue to exist next year.  In many ways better than the mother ship, and I wish there was some way of encouraging more posts and more posters.

I wonder whether the forum could be advertised, though obviously not on the mother ship!

[Raven]

This place is becoming like the "Mary Celeste" in the evenings.

[Diasi]

I'm afraid it's going to be a case of use it or lose it. The forum has been slowly falling into disuse. The domain name comes up for renewal early January. If usage continues to be as low as it is now I see no point in renewing it and this forum will close.

Well in that case I'd better start making up the numbers.

November 20, 2023, 09:08:03 PM

I wonder whether the forum could be advertised, though obviously not on the mother ship!

That's a good point, there must be people who would like this forum if they knew it existed.

Even though I've been away for a while, I still regard it as a lifeline.

[Michael Rolls]

me too - nice to hear from you again, Phil

[Diasi]

me too - nice to hear from you again, Phil

I didn't intend to be away for this length of time but things just tend to happen & I've had to snap out of it.

Anyone know where Jacqueline is?

She's been away since the 23rd August.

[Raven]

Would it be possible to change the forum name? We know "Pensioners Forum" is easily found so use  something like "Pensioners Forum Chat Club" then it would maybe come up beside PF in a Google search.

[Diasi]

Would it be possible to change the forum name? We know "Pensioners Forum" is easily found so use  something like "Pensioners Forum Chat Club" then it would maybe come up beside PF in a Google search.

Or even Pensioners' Chat Club as it's the word Pensioner that the search engine's grab first.

Klondike changed the name to Let's Chat Club to be fair to Pensioners Forum but I don't see why he should owe it anything.