aidan80

I work full time 5 days a week and have been giving more and more thought to returning to school over here in the US. So far I've only sat exams at a test center at a local college, not actually taken any classes nor converted anything from back home into any type of college/class credits over here.

I'm sure this is a question that's been asked a million and one times by now. How do I convert my certifications e.g. NVQ's, EDCL ect that type of stuff into credit over here? Assuming those types of vocational qualifications are even worth anything in this part of the world? I have a few certifications from my time in the US which it seems some colleges will accept as credit and other's wont?

Is there a body out there that can take an NVQ 3 for example and say ok this is worth x amount of credit hours or take a US issued Microsoft/CompTIA certification and say this is worth y number of credit hours. Or is this a State by state thing, college by college?

This guy pulled in at the same time as we did at the gym today. We watched him and jokingly said "he will probably park in the fuel efficient spot".

Not only did he park in the fuel efficient vehicle spot, he's hanging over into the HOV spot. It was one guy.

Why do people have to try so hard to live up to stereotypes?

Dbag.

I'm not much for stereotypes although I admit at times there is a few ounces of truth to them lol. Looks like that guy has the need to over compensate for something. I don't hate hummer drivers or those that arrive to work/gym/store etc in a large over-sized vehicles then can't park it properly. Having said that I've seen quite a few smaller sized cars parked all over parking spaces. I mean parking isn't rocket science. Line up the car or in this case the "mini bus" that is a hummer with the lines and park straight ahead. I'm afraid to think how many people in the US would fail an Irish or UK driving test on just parking/reversing maneuvers alone! lol

I just wanted to make a personal post, after reading all these articles and all this anti-illegal immigration banter back and forth. I had some personal questions for the people who support the AZ immigration bill who claim they're not "racists" and that racism against latinos wasn't a motivator in the bill.

I've seen some of the racist posts here and honestly was shocked at some of the filth coming out of some people. We're on an immigration message board, most of those with the racist comments have or at least had immigrant wives/husbands yet appear so anti-immigrant? It's little wonder to me why some had to shop outside America to find a partner that would taken them.

From what I can see this so called law is only going to do one thing cost the tax payer in AZ more money! It'll fill up the courts, fill up the jails and more importantly fill up the lawyers wallets with all kinds of lawsuits as peoples rights will without a doubt be violated. So what do we think AZ is going to do once it finds one of these evil illegals?.. Take them to court.. jail them for how many months, years at tax payer expense then what! Beg USCIS/ICE to come ferry them to the border?

It's more or less the same as your OP article.

I am very frustrated with the food business in the US. It's better in the UK where people seem to be more informed on additives and substitutions (for example there are no hfc's in most products) but it's still not good. People should demand that we concentrate more on producing products and ingredients that promote health not that satisfy artificial cravings. It's mad.

I agree the food business here is scary to say the least! I miss the food from back home there was what 8 or so ingredients in a loaf of bread.. I can't even try to pronounce half of the 30 or 40 that are in the same thing here! I'm cautious about what I eat mainly because of the amount of junk that goes into food. Who really needs high fructose corn syrup in every other edible product there is? I'd like my tongue and mind to make up it's own mind if something is nice or tastes like shite. Money comes first in this place, health and whats good for you secondary!

We get what we pay for in this day and age. The problem seems to be everyone wants so much for so little! Seriously though I seen a woman a few months ago in a brand new (least it looked new) BMW stop and look at the fuel prices at wal-mart before mumbling to herself that it was still too expensive! lmao The average unskilled worker out there has what to look forward to? $7.50 - $8.00 an hour with little or in many cases no real options for health care. That isn't anywhere near enough for the average person to live on.

I think our options are clear, profits take a cut and workers get paid what they deserve or prices for products and service go up. Either way even being "legal" it seems a bitter struggle to keep a foot on the ladder if your at the bottom. I can only imagine how shite life has to be and how much more of a struggle it is to make a living without the correct documentation.

A big part of the reason I ditched cable was how advert heavy the programs were and the cost paid just to be hammered with adverts. On the other hand I like Hulu as it's basically free and has little in the way of adverts compared to cable. Asking for $9.99 may well work but I'd not pay it if the number of adverts increase. What would be the point? These companies need to wake up to the fact that there are many people out there fed-up paying only to be fed adverts 5 minutes of adverts every 10 - 15 minutes.

The USCIS server is down!

This is all Al Gore's fault... first he giveth us the interwebs now he taketh those interwebs away!

For a doctor you'd expect he'd been smarter than that?

I think that's sick.. if you commit the crime do the time or find other ways to avoid getting knocked up that don't involve killing the unborn.

Why is sodomy a crime?

In my personal opinion it should be a crime that's an exit only!

Although to be honest those that are into that sort of thing, who am I or anyone else to judge your actions behind closed doors.

The US has in my opinion terrible mobile phones, the costs are nothing short of robbery next to what I had with O2 back home. Over here I use Virgin (I don't have a SIM Card lol) you can topup buy minutes, data and texts. $20 gets you a couple hundred minutes per month $5 gets 200 texts (yes they charge extra for international texts lol). I don't use any data as I just need a basic phone. Google Virgin Mobile USA and see what they have you might get something there?

An idea might be to get the prepaid phone and Vonage which all in inc taxes costs close to $40 a month. I set it up so it'll forward to my mobile. I've also setup a virtual number back home so the person on the other end can call a local number over there and it'll ring at my home then in turn bounce out to my mobile. All in all it works perfectly for me. Although I should mention a few times while I had cable internet and Vonage it wasn't good at the weekends. I switched to DSL and it's clear, no lag and no lost calls perfect.

I don't know if that would work for you. It's that or maybe find a good deal on phone cards? I'm sure others on here will have a lot of good suggestions!

oh no.. two ho's got to the press i only scored 43 I'd hate to be famous!!

Suppose if the goat was horny he went to the right place!

Next they are going to blind fold everyone and handcuff them to their seats with a bucket between their legs.

Don't say that.. your only giving Ryanair idea's!

Interesting, good to see there's a slight majority that see murdering an innocent unborn child as "morally wrong". How about making it a crime to murder the innocent?

The horny b@stard!

It's 11:33, don't you have somewhere to be?

Bed would be a good place lol!

Sure you may as well add us

Steven - Dublin - Emily - San Diego, CA

Move here last summer after getting our greencards. Still adjusting and getting mad a the complications of doing tax returns here and in ireland and seems like Irelands wants me to pay tax on my US income and US on my Irish income before the move and apartment rental income. its infuriating.

Anyway, hey!!

Welcome!

I don't own property or have any generated income from back home only what I make here in the US. I did read before about there being a law that means if you live and work in the US you are only taxed by the US on that income not both countries? I'm not sure how that works if you are still generating an income back home? Logically you'd think you'd pay the tax man over there or maybe not if your spending it here? lol I'd do some googling around or maybe ask on the board here?

Good luck!

Jesus.. after bush you'd think people would learn to stop supporting the village idiots like palin!

Seems logical enough to me? If a person takes up additional space and is carrying excessive weight compared to the average passenger why not have them pay extra? I'd hate to sit 8, 10 or more hours next to someone that's spilling over into my seat or have to fight to get past them to get out to the bathroom etc. We pay extra for overweight bags or additional bags.. limits are set on those why not on passengers?

I say blow up the houses of parliament!

Oh, wait...

I second that idea!

I would seriously consider getting citizenship before leaving. That way, if you and the wife ever reconcile, or whatever...you have options.

That is funny!.. The wife is now an ex all options are as dead as the marriage that was dissolved! Although citizenship would be handy I suppose I'll have to figure out what to do. Anyway no pressure I've a decent and stable (I hope!) enough job for right now so all is well.

sounds like a good idea to just annex the place.. why not.. stability for the people and an end to corrupt governments plus somewhere further south than Florida to send the "snow birds". There's no bad points to be had there.. is there? Well unless the Chinese partner up with someone down there and setup their own little naval base or put missiles on the island. Although didn't this happen before in an island not so far away?

Thanks again everyone I am weighing up my options. I think going on my trip back will help me figure out what to do and also let me visit people again then I can rethink it all. Who knows I could go back and love it or I could come running back here and think.. maybe I should check out somewhere further north lol.

I was looking at jobs and I do have to say there are more IT jobs (that are in my lines of work) in and around Belfast than I've seen posted in and around Orlando and the pay rates are decent enough too. It is tempting alright because it does seem like the IT industry is in a boom even though there's still a recession or the ends of it at least. My only worry is that boom is another bubble that would bust.

There's a lot to weigh up just when I thought I had all the pros and cons nailed down I think about it all over again and there's been many good points raised here in this thread. One of the many benefits of querying the hive mind of a message board.