Opinion – Page 383
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Ready money
There are still chances out there to make big bucks, it seems, from trillion-dollar salaries to a sure thing on the racetrack. But if nothing works out, you can always drown your sorrows in a roomful of gin
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Wonders & blunders
Prue Leith’s spirit is uplifted by the billowing roof and sense of fun in Richard Rogers’ airport terminal in Madrid. But Oxford’s John Radcliffe hospital makes her sick
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Your solution is the problem
A good way to enrage someone who’s in trouble is to offer to help, then stamp on their foot … which is what the government has done to those working on education schemes
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Refuting all charges
Caroline Buckingham (13 March, page 36) accuses Cabe’s schools design panel of not giving fair assessments to designs for ǿմý Schools for the Future (BSF)
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What troubled waters?
Your report “RIBA in turmoil as faction presses for ‘radical change’” (27 March, page 13) is a surprising appearance of fantasy journalism in an otherwise excellent magazine
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All change
Let’s not be naive. Consulting on ways to improve the energy performance of existing buildings is essential in identifying practical solutions in the fight against climate change (“Energy junkies”, 20 March, page 35)
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Can you help?
In December 2003, my son Sebastian launched a campaign to fundraise for a purpose-built facility that would provide much-needed respite for families with seriously ill children
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A horror story
But what really infuriated the colleges and their teams is that the organisation continued to push them to spend their own money on projects that were effectively doomed
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Business doctor: advice on staying afloat
So ǿմý got a panel of experts together to tell them how to make it through the recession. You might want to get yourself a drink and listen in
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Another month another set of "worst ever" new orders figures
The February figures for new orders were worse than the January figures which were the worst monthly figures ever recorded.There is perhaps little to add to the comments made last month other than to say if you are looking for optimism, perhaps the social housing sector may offer a few ...
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Contractors optimistic despite being trapped in mire of recession - says CIPS
The buyers' body CIPS remained muted about the prospects for construction despite a slight lift in the construction industry.The main construction index published by CIPS rose to 30.9 for March up from a series low of 27.8 in February. That means that things were not getting as worse as quickly ...
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Nationwide springs pleasant surprise for house sellers and builders
The latest analysis by the Nationwide of house prices suggests that this spring has brought with it an unexpected 0.9% bounce in the price of houses. This will add some more cheer to those currently enjoying the blue skies, sunshine and abundant blossom.With so much to feel good about in ...
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Homeowners turn their backs on using their homes as a bank
I was intrigued by the response from the surveyors' body RICS to the latest Bank of England figures for Housing Equity Withdrawal.The figures show a continuation in the rapid repayment of housing debt, as the graph below shows, and this will have had a major impact on the recent decline ...
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Brown shoots are the new green shoots
At a meeting recently I was chastised for being rather too glum, so I have been casting around of late for more colourful topics in these black times for construction.Positives are rather hard to find, but I had an interesting conversation this morning with an industry contact who has been ...
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About time, too
It may not float everyone’s boat, but the arrival (finally) of fresh QS Rules of Measurement is pretty exciting for cost managers. And they’re looking good, says Richard Steer
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Wonders & blunders: Keith Bradley, Feilden Clegg Bradley
Keith Bradley loves his hometown of Bath. The old city of pleasure, with its meandering crescents, that is. Not the faux-Georgian monstrosity of the Southgate shopping centre
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Don’t lose your balance
Affordable housing may be one of the few lifelines for builders at the moment, but we must make sure we don’t fall back into the trap of creating ghettos for the poor