>>>Upon further consideration, I have concluded this is nothing short of loan sharking.
>>>
>>>I work for the Federal Government here, and we have arranged many large national and regional conferences and had hotels gleefully set aside blocks of rooms at special rates without extorting interest-free deposits from the travellers.
>>
>>Hence your footnote?!
>
>Yup. I am one of the rarities in Fed Gov't that believes in smaller gov't, personal responsibilty, etc. [and not afraid to let it be known]. I have raised a few eyebrows in my time.

Mark,
good on ya, I'm doing the same ( big money motherfu..... ) in London
Regards
Pete Kane