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Real estate prices plummet

Now here's a surprise. Apparently empty offices are all the go in America's skyscrapers following the 11 September destruction of the Twin Towers in New York.

According to the latest figures, up to 15% of high-rise offices are without tenants - with key buildings (read: potential targets) like the Empire State Building particularly hard hit.

And, the higher the office, the less likely it is to be rented - something to do with most of the casualties from 11 September being on or above the impact point of the aircraft. Funny thing that.

If you were thinking about setting up a business in the Good Ol' US of A, then big city rents have dropped from $500 a square metre to $350, however you can pick some up for as little at $250. A veritable bargain in anyones language.

Now, people wanting to let their offices have been doing extraordinary things to either attract, or keep, tenants, which is fair enough. With workers being so scared, the bright sparks have introduced metal detectors at the entrances.

Okay, Einsteins, that may stop a gun-toting high-school kid, but how is it going to prevent planes flying into them?

How's this instead. How about big Spiderman-like nets around the buildings? Or very large foam mattresses glued to their exteriors? Or how about just getting real...

If there is something that has really got up your nose, let Grumpy Old Coot know at grumpy@webwombat.com