Just a quick review of where we seem to be in archaeology.

Feel free to disagree - but in general I see a range of projects taking place across the UK with enough work for everyone.... yep... everyone I have talked to ( except a couple of medium sized companies) agree that work is not just picking up - but consistent and growing. Hence this is the time to recognise a boom in plenty of time and act like grown ups. £50 watching Briefs damage us all. cut price evaluations create cut price archaeology and devalue our best chance to be seen as a professional group that is worth a bit more than current rates.

I seriously hope that as BAJR and the IfA create a fair pay system. that everyone follows this route. leaving those that want to charge next to nothing - after all.... " a job's a job! " looking like the archaeological equivalent of a pound shop.

Don't put up with second rate. -- My request for a new year resolution with bite

There is no need to skimp on the conditions either. Where there this is accommodation and/or travel and expenses. Be reasonable and don't think a 5* hotel is what is demanded, but think of a workforce that is well rested and appreciated rather than a disposable commodity that is there only to make up numbers and shift soil. And the workforce should work with the company, bot see it as an enemy who only wants to fill a bank balance in Switzerland - in the main, this really is so far from the truth, that management are often - in real terms - worse off than site staff for more stress and longer hours. Let 2014 be the time we work together.

In short. 2014 has the potential to be the year we changed commercial archaeology for the better. I have worked 15 years for this. and many others have put in similar dedication. Now is the time ... Have a Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year

:face-kiss:

The first Annual Student Archaeology conference at York in June was a huge success with around 80 students in attendance from as far afield as Aberdeen and Southampton, and 24 speakers, 8 posters, tours of York and a meal in the programme.

I would really like to ensure that this important event for students is sustainable and continues to grow in the long-term, so I am setting up an annual national committee where one student (either undergraduate or postgraduate) represents their university and promotes the ASA conference series to their fellow students, as well as offers opinions on the overall direction of the series and review applications from students to host the following year’s conference. This will be a flexible role and there will only be one meeting for committee members to attend which will most likely be at the conference each year. Therefore, this will hopefully be a fantastic opportunity for students to rally for student involvement in archaeological research and debate, and have influence over a national conference, without being responsible for actually organising it or having to spend much time in order to see results (the idea being that speaking to course mates and posting about ASA on internal Facebook groups, etc. is very helpful to ASA and not difficult for members to do).

Students who are interested in sitting on the national committee should email contact.asaconference.org and if they are the only student from their university to express an interest then they will join straight away, though if there are multiple students from a particular university interested in joining, the members who joined straight away will ask those remaining to email a short statement of interest and they will review those to select one person.

In addition to the national committee which oversees the general direction of the conference series, there will be the conference organising committee which works separately to organise the year’s conference, including facilities, the programme and abstract and poster submissions. This committee requires a more hands-on group of students from a single university where the conference is to be held. Application forms are available from the ASA website (www.asaconference.org.uk) and any interested groups of students should fill them in with answers that demonstrate the viability that their university has facilities to host the conference and as individuals they have the work ethic and skills to carry out this demanding yet fulfilling task.

The deadline for both opportunities is 12 January and the email address to use is contact.asaconference@gmail.com.

Survey of current non-users and users of Research Frameworks for the historic environment sector in England

English Heritage has commissioned an evaluation of the role, impact and value of Research Frameworks for the historic environment sector in England (including, but not limited to, archaeology and the built environment).
To inform this research it is vital we obtain the views of current non-users, as well as users, of Research Frameworks.
We would therefore like to invite your feedback in response to an online questionnaire – available via the link below:
www.pyetait.com/researchframeworks
The questionnaire should take no more than 10 minutes to complete for non-users and no more than 20 minutes to complete for current users of Research Frameworks.
_________________________________________________________________
Your views will be treated confidentially and reported anonymously by Pye Tait Consulting under the Data Protection Act 1988 and the Market Research Society (MRS) Code of Conduct.
Further details about the research are provided via the survey link.
Thank you very much for your time. Pye Tait Consulting (on behalf of English Heritage)

One of two NEW courses just added to the BAJR Course finder system. ( cheers Linda for that)

http://www.rau.ac.uk/study/undergraduate...nservation

Post-doctoral contract - CNRS (archaebotanical and archaezoological remains)
CNRS, National Museum of Natural History

Paris
N/A
31/01/2014
http://www.bajr.org/Employment/UKEmploym...sp?ID=9147

I found this.... should I be worried?

http://news.ls.wisc.edu/announcements/su...o-digging/

Secret to sucess revealed!

Come on... admit it... you know you need to know!

http://conormchale.blogspot.co.uk/2013/1...dream.html

Well well... Thanks to David Mennear for getting Part 1 out of me ... Ever wondered what happened to make BAJR sentient at 12:05 EST ? Find out : http://thesebonesofmine.wordpress.com/20...-connolly/

Anyone know of other sites exposed/covered or even damaged?

http://www.berwick-advertiser.co.uk/news...-1-3230157

One for the detectorists to find... and report... somebody must know... and they are making all detectorists look bad... (even if that is unfair)

http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/10870436._/

Now law-abiding metal detector users have branded the activity ‘abhorrent’.

“All our members abide by the Metal Detecting Rules and National Code of Practice,” said Martin Brown, chairman of the Kendal and District Metal Detecting Club.