Bit of a giggle to start the week......a good friend and colleague of mine sent me this (amongst others) and I thought it would be the perfect opener for this thread...

On finding food in the Middle Ages, Carenza Lewis said on Time Team Live "you`d eat Beaver if you could get it"

..knowledge without action is insanity and action without knowledge is vanity..(imam ghazali,ayyuhal-walad)

Hello all,

Just had an e-mail from Prospect would you believe asking me to take part in a young members questionnaire. I thought id like to broadcast this as, as well as still being considered a young member, is the first w*****g thing ive had from them in four years; not a bad return for my fiver a month eh?

This wonderful document can be revealed on http://www.prospect.org.uk/survey/youngmembers2006.htm

I would advise all 'young members' (those who know how to use the e-mail machine) to unleash the dogs of war. Im going to have a few beers later and concentrte on the additional comments section.

G

Now that Troll isn't posting much I thought it was time for someone else to start a good ranting thread. Has anyone else spent time doing crappy little jobs inside Scheduled Monuments and been a bit horrified at the way things get done. My own personal favourites have been:

Going to a major castle every couple of years to watch yet another service trench being dug, often by machine and frequently next to the area you last saw and therefore trashing the archaeology in liitle narrow, difficult ot interpret, strips.

Doing a watching brief on an extension to a house (no surprise there) but within a water filled medieval moat (Scheduled of course). All done by machine and in entirely the same way as if it had been an ordinary site.

Digging evaluation trenches!!!! in the courtyard of a medieval hospital with some standing remains to see if there is any archaeology (I would add more exclamation marks but they would never be enough).

Many of these jobs have left me and colleagues saying 'but it's a Scheduled Ancient Monument'. I'm sure other will have there own jolly little horror stories to tell.

Am quite intrigued by how archpeople works and if it really pays the amounts it claims.

Has anyone got a job through them? And if so are they any good?

Got mates all over the place and noone has actually worked for them or is in a company that uses them - is the company opperational? I know one bajr they say they are but im unconvinced

Am tempted to sign up but an still very wary this is someone with big ideas and no actual client base

Mate in Eire just got demoted (from supervisor)after taking three days leave to attend an archaeology course in the UK. Anyone know the legal standpoint on this?

Are many BAJRites going to the IFA Conference next week? I know that you're speaking Mr. Hosty. I will be there - anyone else? I'm looking forward to lots of furtive and shifty glances at the wine reception as we try and figure out who everyone "is"...?

Looking at this latest advert
http://www.bajr.org/Employment/UKEmploym...sp?ID=1711

I am aware that there are very few conservators about... why it this.... is it the same with other specialists?

by the way.... if there are any conservators out there.....

Another day another WSI?

Well now.... I have been sending people to Arch Opportunities for a while now, but see that the site has not been touched since 2004.... I have tried to get in touch with Sarah, but the email bounces as well.

I am considering helping out - but want to speak with her.

Any ideas where I can find her.... a phone would be best

email me OFF LIST

CLICK HERE TO EMAIL ME

cheers - Where are you Sarah

Another day another WSI?

Pardon any tetchiness over the past couple of days - I have stopped smoking....

Yes you... ya ####rd I'll f...kn rip ....and kjsdf'lid stuf* disdd in adasdadad %%* with a lubricated crowbar .... dasd!

Thanks
[:p][:p][:p]

Another day another WSI?

Does anyone know the present legal position with the Working Hours Directive? I ask because I have noticed vacancies popping up on the BAJR list that effectively stipulate compulsory overtime: one requires a 6 day working week, and the other (from memory) had a 7 day working week. Both offered enhanced rates for weekend working.

Is this legal? If so, is it desirable, or an indication that insufficient time has been allowed (not necessarly the fault of the unit of course)?

We owe the dead nothing but the truth.