Brit expat.. Its nice to hear from someone with an I.Q greater than his or her shoe size. I welcome your comments, as well as anyone else who is educated and intelligent. You are correct. The "economic downturn" has turn in to a full fledged recession, But i digress.... I assume you are a gentleman of British decent. with that being said, you can relate to my Darwinian work ethic that has been instilled in me since i was a child. Here in Qatar, it seems as long as you know someone, or you are willing to work for cheap , that qualifies one for employment!!