BAJR has just added a PM (private message) system...

here you can have conversations with people directly on the board. No emails needed

You can access it from the menu above... or click the name of the person and then PM them ...

This is just the first of several improvements to the system..

Another day another WSI?

What happened to the BAJR mini poll? Covering topics from the serious to light hearted it was a brillant poll of the profession..

Love it or hate it? What are your views??

Reading some of the posts on other threads it occured to me that there is a difference in approach to how those working for contracting units and those working for consultancies deal with setting fieldwork projects up (ie costings, proj design etc). I know that this is where the two branches of the proffession overlap and I wonder if anybody had an idea of roughly how many fieldwork jobs (in percentage terms)actually involve archaeological consultants?

There is no alterior motive for this querie, it was just something that occured to me. Personally the unit I work for I would think gets approximately 25 - 30% of its jobs through sub-contracting to consultants.

This is not an invitation to slag off either consultancies or units it is a genuine question.

I see that 'archpeople' are now advertising on their site for site assistants and supervisors at below bajr minimum rates. How can this be a good thing? And how as they claim does it 'provide competitive rates of pay and promote archaeology as a profession to be proud of'? The only people getting a good deal out of this arrangement would appear to be the employers and 'archpeople'. Stick with bajr people.

Any of you working in sand/gravel quarries where there is some provision for recording/sampling finds and deposits of this period? Looks to me that most PPG16 conditions seem restricted to the later period archaeology.

Just reading an article in today's Times about employers who are wholly embracing the World Cup by allowing their employees to watch games that fall during "working hours" rather than risk mass absentism and wondered if any archaeological units had plans to do the same?

Could be a potent recruiting perk over the next 5 weeks!

I have noticed that there are a lot of "people" joining with what appears to be the intent of promoting various web pages, the content of which may not be appropriate or may be purely commercial.

These members are characterised by inappropriate occupations, not giving a location and similar.

There have also been a number of messages which consist of the message "Message".

Action on these will be taken in due course. In mean time I would suggest that a degree of care is taken when looking at members websites or recommended links.

For the avoidance of doubt none of these remotely relate to archaeology or metal detcting.

Peter Wardle

As it's a sunny Friday afternoon (and to drown out the sound of padlocks being closed on a few topics ) shall we have some fun?

What are the "best" heckles you have had? I shall start with:

"Are there any dinosaurs in there?" (two foot under a car park in a city centre)

"If you find five pounds in there, it's mine. I lost it yesterday" (I don't even [u]understand</u> that one, yet so many people yell it! And think they are original..)

"Have you found any gold/Romans/dead bodies?"

"Have you found ANYTHING?"

I'm only an amature digger (until a week on Monday [8D]), so I'm sure that there will be some good ones out there......

Can anyone explain the rules/regulations governoring an organisation achieving chartered status?

Is there, for example, a body one goes to to apply?

What is the criteria?

thanks

Can I remind everyone about the AUP.

Can everybody be on their best behaviour while David is on holiday?

If I see anything that I think breachs this I will remove it and forward it onto David for his decision on what should and should not be allowed to be posted.

Peter Wardle