[quote user="tleefox"] Depends who you work for surely? There are still companies, although very few, who are picking up work.  I had a 10% rise before Xmas, and have been told that bonuses will be paid at the end of this tax year, but at a slightly reduced rate. [/quote] The smart money says you work for RBS ...

Ah yes, retentions. I wonder how many contractors actually hold retention monies is seperate, bonded accounts, where they are safe.  (Well, when I say safe...................) As opposed to simply holding them in their priciple (overdraft) accounts...........................

Whats wrong with "those kind of threads"??????????????????????????????? Apart from the risk of going blind.

I completely misread this thread and though the last word was laid.................................................

This is an easy one to sort out.  Simply play "buzzword bingo". The rules are simple and designed to shame the user into NEVER uttering such drivel again. Whoever hears a trendy buzzword in the middle of a conversation is compelled under the rules to let out an audible but garbled "cough" which should be blended to ...

[quote user="Groucho"] Banks lending overseas did not cause the current economic crisis. Preventing them from doing so will not improve things for either the domestic or global economy. [/quote] Perfectly true.  Banks lending money they didnt actually have, to people that had no way of paying it back is a major contributor ...

In my experience government departments are the WORST at settling accounts. At least with main contractors we have mcd to help grease the wheels, although its seldom applied. One of my favourite coments from a main contractor to a sub-contractor....................... MC; (an indignant) You seem to owe us money! SC; Why's that then? MC; ...

[quote user="House Martin"] What on earth is the government doing? The Government doesnt know what the Government is doing. Construction on its knees, and Brown decides the best thing to do to speed up house building is put the councils in charge. Councils in charge?  Time to emigrate. A couple of years ago, grants were being ...

[quote user="Janie Stamford"] A dyslexic man walks into a bra... [/quote] Ah, the humble brassier.  How pertinant that it should crop up on a construction forum. A marvel of modern engineering. Capable of supporting many times its own mass, frequently inversley proportional to the construction materials used. Also ...

[quote user="Janie Stamford"] I never understood why abbreviation is such a long word. [/quote] Or why Dyslexic is so hard to spell. Which reminds me, did you hear about the Dyslexic devil worshipper who sold his soul to santa?