Cheers Sparky, I was thinking of the coincidence of us both posting about freelance.
I have a US CSR here and he drive me mad

At my last place, we were the United Nations.
I can't see us ever getting to stage where universal acceptance of international standards means that a US freelance can compete with a UK one, even working at home with broadband. Though I could probably pull a night shift, it's 9.45 pm and I'll be up until midnight, er, watching US dramas - House, Shark, CSI...
Cheers again