Hey Sourdough, personally I try not to get too riled up by anyone. I believe everyone is entitled to their point of view as everyone's situation is not the same and neither is their perception or understanding of it. More often than not I try to listen to what is being said, consider my thoughts on the matter, try to consider the basis for the train of thought that the other individual has on the matter and then compare the two and decide where I stand. Generally, I find that regardless of the outcome, the end result is an opinion and only an opinion. I will be smarter and better informed as a result of it and possibly have a broader understanding of it and hope the same can be said for the other person. Working situations can be slightly different as they have the potential for impacting the safety and well-being of someone or possibly the financial well-being of an individual. In those cases I certainly understand that individuals will have their own specific beliefs as I do myself. I believe and could be wrong, but the industry that you have been involved in is somewhat of a last frontier type of industry. I don't believe that it follows the rules of most of the jobs and industries that many others are involved in. I also believe that it takes a certain sort of person to be successful in that situation, it is not for everyone. You appear to be suited to it and thrive on it. Whether I agree or disagree with you Sourdough, I'd still sit down for a beer and a B.S. session. You never know someday that might happen. Regards, Allan

Here is a little gem to put on the bottom of the invoices: Discount 1/2% 10 Net 30 Most companies will take the discount. Another thing is to threaten to file a Mechanics lien against the clients property. Drilling Company is working for Gas Company, The lien would be filed against the Gas Company's property. If you check the equipment rental places like Sunbelt, United, this is put in all their contracts. Check with an attorney but get it in all contracts you execute. If not and the driller goes tits up you are stuck. With that in the contract you can make life difficult for the gas company because you tie up their real estate. Now they have more money than you, but it causes legal hassles out the wazzoo for the company. I have a client who was getting shafted by a contractor he was subcontracted to working for a major pipeline company. The guy he was working for told my client to take a hike he was not getting paid. The local pipeline people told him they were only paying once and they had paid the prime and he had to take it up with him. Threats, begging, phone calls, to no avail. Mechanic Lien papers were drawn and the pipeline company met him and his lawyer on the court house steps. Paid him in full and paid his lawyer. Could they have beaten him? Who knows. But when gas and oil companies start getting clouded titles to property, they can play ball.
BABRT's

SD, sometimes the problemis in the fine print. My buddy trims the trees along the phone lines for the local phone company. The contract states that they will pay when the project is completed. This doesn't mean when He is done trimming, it means when the line is in service. If a new cable gets used somewhere else to repair storm damage, the project doesn't get completed for 6 months or more. They wright the check within 10 days of completion, AND TAKE THE DISCOUNT. And it is all legal.