A special thanks to Labour....

[mcquiggd]

I don't even have one. Dropped out twice. I should be deported to make room for a Romanian gypsy.

I was socialising with a top manager from Motorola and he was bragging about having been to Harvard. I casually mentioned 'I spent 4 years in Oxford' (which is true), and his attitude changed. 'Good school' he said. I agreed.

He went on to ask for me personally whenever he needed IT advice. The only connection I had with Oxford University was chasing the female students, crashing a few parties, and working for the University Press. It was the perception that mattered.

[AtW]

It was the perception that mattered.

Sounds like you are a good NL Party material...

[threaded]

It was the perception that mattered.

That's why I charge so much. If I was to charge less I wouldn't be in so much demand.

[mcquiggd]

Sounds like you are a good NL Party material...

Nope, but I made a good contractor (Temporarily having a rest as a permie).

[mcquiggd]

That's why I charge so much. If I was to charge less I wouldn't be in so much demand.

'Reassuringly Expensive'. I like that. Must update my CV....

[ASB]

You guys (and girls) don't know squat on what corruption can really be like. Ever been stopped by the police for passport checking whole purpose of which is to get a bribe out of you?

Yep. 2 weeks ago leaving the metro in Moscow. Going rate seems to have gone up too he tried for 1,000 rub and got 200. Didn't usually use to go for foreigners but seem to all the time now. Hardly worth driving on a Friday now until the police have got their pocket money, just get stopped and "fined" every 3 blocks. Hardly suprising though in a city where a decent wage is 300 USD PM and rent on a 100sq m western apartment is 6-8,000.

Thankfully I don't go more than once a year, it's a right royal pain trying to get my employer to accept "bribe" on the description of expenditure on the expenses.

[AtW]

Wages in Moscow are much higher than 300 USD, they are just unofficial, no tax paid cash in envelope. Rents in Moscow certainly gone nuts - just like property prices, at least in this country they cant jack up rent because of market environment.

Its strange they went after you - they try to focus on non-whites (assuming you white here) as they are most likely not having all papers in order. But dont feel being discriminated against - in Russia its all fair: when I walk in Moscow I keep passport with me just in case they want to check documents, they actually look if you specifically REGISTERED in Moscow, an anti-constitutional measure that in Soviet time was designed to prevent people coming to Moscow, its still in place just under different name.

What are you doing there anyway?

[mcquiggd]

But dont feel being discriminated against - in Russia its all fair

Nice to see the world still follows the British model of democracry...

[Churchill]

Nice to see the world still follows the British model of democracry...

I christened the team that work for me here as "Team Stella".

[AtW]

How is life in Tenerif?