Short answer; the wealthy people in the world are changing places with the poor people in the world and we won't like it much.

I had a delivery of supplies for my big printer today, so that is all up and running. I shall now print the calendars for the local Post Office/Shop

From whence is our Government borrowing the money it says it is going to make available to the banks?

Really?

Who has 1/2 a trillion for the UK and 0.7 trillion for the US?

When we have the answer to that, I want to know how that organisation/person/nation earned it?

Tuesday 7th October 2008

08:45
I caught the postman this morning and sent out a Ferguson Tractor Worshop Manual, which was ordered by abay last night.

18:31

When building society goes bust, the Government guaruntees the depositors' savings
For it to go bust, investors must have valued it at zero, as evidenced by the fact that no-one will buy the shares.
Therefore the shareholders have lost their investment.
The the receiver comes in and sells the very risks and assets which drove it bust.
One would hope the buildings belonging to the business must have some value. So, fine!
From the fact that no-one wanted the shares, it's fair to assume that out of the billions on loan to home-owners, the shareholders and everybody else must have all thought that the likelyhood of getting their monies back were zero, on average throughout the business. NO LOSS THERE THEN

If, at that stage the tax-payer is going to be dragged in, why not nationalise the outstanding mortgages, and in the hope of getting the investment back, just ask the home-owner to pay ONLY the capital sum. That makes it an interest-free mortgage. Or, alternatively, how about BASE RATE interest? We all know that the interest is much mmuch of the cost of the repayments, surely the remaining capital sum will be manageable plus 5% (or maybe not) The chances of default are dramatically reduced.
My point is that so-doing will reduce the risk, thus rendering the asset of some useful value to the tax-payer.

I am fully aware that doing this will benefit every mortage holder who has a mortage with a BS which has gone down the drain, but why ever not? If these were ordinary businesses, the receiver would take posession, flog off the easily realised assets, extract temselves from the liabilities, under existing bankruptcy law, just like I suggested, and spread the remaining assets amongst the creditors (taxes, staff wages, suppliers and so on) in an orderly manner. It happens every time any business goes down. Several times every day!

I see that some jealous types would want to make a condition, of the new re-payment plan, that the property could not be sold until the capital had been paid of, and that other conditions may be applied out of the terror that any re-distribution of wealth is "not fair". Indeed, such churlish nonsence could become conditions of acceptance of the beneficial arrangement. Would it be SUCH a terrible thing if a few tens of thousands of people, who were, on average, unlikely to be able to afford their own little bit of a home, were to get that bit closer to their aspiration (the ownership of shelter for themselves and their families)? Are we so terribly jealous that we would, in all concience object to a little bit of good fortune for some poor people? If so, it's a wonder that Inheritance tax is only 40%!

What about the poor investors who have lost all their investment?
They've lost them anyway!

Why should the tax-payer pay for privately owned housing?
Look at it this way, Bank of England (that's the tax-payer) lends money to Mortgage companies for 5%. Said Mortgage Companies (hang on! MORT=death GAGE=measure!) lends it to would-be home-owner for 15% (profit 10%). Home-owner renaiges (due to earning too litle to afford to own a bit of shelter as well as food and heating at mortgage company rates) and the whole thing falls apart.

Why have these banks and building societies got into such a fix?
I suspect them of borrowing "funny money". "A" Building Society lends money to "B" Building Society who lends it to "C" Building and "C" Building Society lends it to "A" Building Society and they all lend what they've borrowed from each other to 3 young couples aged 18-23, just married with a baby on the way. The mother has to have time off work to give to and subsequently mind the baby, the father can barely earn enough to pay for food and nappies, let alone the mortgage interest and there you have it! Remember, there wasn't any money there in the first place. It's all just numbers in a book. What's happened now is that the banks have been been found-out!

The receivers get the family home and the couple, with child, get split-up and go into B&B at public expense. The 21-25 year-old boy (this all took a year or two) looses his job, for being distracted and useless at work due to worry and financial misery and another baby is ill-raised. Is that not worth trying to help to prevent?

Lest we forget, the B.S. shareholders have lost the lot already, and Gvt. has backed private savings, anyway! No change there Just blessed relief to the fortunate mortage-holders.

PS
I am not a mortgage holder. I'm one of those renters and wouldn't gain a penny from this. That does not mean I'd begrudge it for those who would benefit! Added to that, I would feel my invested tax were safer if it were more affordable for the kids to have a mortgage.

Listen!
Some people inhertit a home and never have to have a mortgage.
The family home of other people is split between 3 siblings, leaving only enough for deposit.

Some people never inherit a bean and their only hope is a mortgage or the same amount as a motgage in rent.
Does that sound fair?
It's not about fair, it's about accident of birth. This is about accident of Bank-ruptcy. What's the difference?

Monday 6th October 2008

Today has been another very quiet day on the telephone. I did have a call from Austrailia asking about oil changes and flushing for a Ferguson TE A 20. That went well, as far as I can tell.

I have printed a delightful photograph, taken at Disney World in America, to be framed and hung.

Sunday 5th October 2008

It would seem a time to remind people that I can, not only, print your personal and business stationary, books, brochures, leaflets, clothing and all manner of other things, but that I can also deal with your web site. There are plenty of folk out there who would like to have their own web site, but just don't exactly know how to do it. There is no reason on earth why your business or personal "corporate identity" should not carry over into your web site. If you need help with it, the cost of my time is £10 per hour (recently halved in response to global economic conditions).

The cost of a web hosting and domain name registration is very low. I am very happy to teach as well as to do the job for you. That way you can become independant of me quickly, if you so desire.

Saturday 4th October 2008

I've got three book advertised on ebay. The prices are the same as on my www.Fergusontractor.co.uk web site for books. The only difference is that it costs me more to sell them. Anyway, the first of them is about to end, so I have printed all threee, for want of something else usefull to do. I'm not sure why people put a "buy it now" sale in their "watch" list, but they all have watchers. I don't auction these books. I just retail them on ebay on a 'buy it now!.

Earlier I printed some more brochures for Opies ... The Stove Shop. That took me most of the morning.

Friday 3rd October 2008

This mornings orders amounted to one Corwood Saw Instruction Book and one Mouldboard Plough Instruction Book. They are both ready for the postman, when he calls.

I've got a doctor's appointment later, so if I don't answer the phone, please leave a landline number so I can call you back. Mark is going in to Norwich to collect wide format printer paper, between shifts at The Hill House Inn. That will mean I can print the Wall picture tat has been ordered. It's a very colourful one of a child at Disney World. Quite an inovative gift, I reckon!

I'm cold in the study, here, so I hope to get some goey stuff to seal the window frame near my desk. A draught has opened up and I don't like to be quite this cold in ealry Autumn. It bodes ill for Winter.

I have had a lot of enquiries about diaries and calendars for Christmas time and a lot of interest in Tee Shirts and Mouse Mats for use as presents. But no orders. I hope that doesn't men I have little to do now and too much to do cum the run-up to Christmas.

I heard today from the caller with the carburettor problems. He has identified some rubbery particles in the system and has fitted an in-line filter to prevent them from getting to his new carb. The tractor no linger floods, but is still not running well. I led him through some pointers to do with setting the Main Jet, Slow Running Jet, Butterfly Stop and so on. Then I introduced the possibility that some of the poor running might be to do with ignition timing. I expect he will be buying a couple of the books, which Mark & I have written, which will describe the solution to his problems in great, step by step, detail.

Thursday 2nd October 2008

Over the past few days I have had one or more books or booklets about Ferguson tractors or Ferguson tractor implements to print. Those orders should now all be with their customers.

I have also printed the 1st mouse mat for another customer, and a few Tee Shirts.

Tractor enquiries have been interesting. One in particular has fired my mind. On the face of it, it is a simple leaking carburettor float valve. What is odd is that the caller said the he had tried installing a brand new Zenith Carbuettor from Sparex and had experienced the same symptoms. Since the Sparex carb is made by Zenith on the same machine as they were back in the 50's and to the same high standards, I am fascinated to know if my first guess has paid off. I asked the caller to let me know, but still await another call. I really would like to know about this one. If you read this, Caller, please get back to me?

Today I am doing an advertising poster for my self and continuing work on a brochure. I have been on that case for a week now. It's incredible just how much work such a simple thing takes, when you have to author it, price the goods, lay it out and print it. I am no-where near printing it yet.

As always, I welcome telephone enquiries.

It has come to my attention that a theft of a TE20 has been reported on the Friends of Ferguson Heritage web site. It reads as follows:-

STOLEN: A 1949 Grey Ferguson TVO conversion, engine No S56046E was stolen from Braunston Daventry Northampton during the night of September 30th 2008. The tractor had an early Ferguson finger bar mower attached to it. It is in excellent condition but the mower has not been restored. Most of the serial plate is unreadable, but you can just make out the A. If anyone has any information or is offered the tractor or mower, please contact the Police or Chris Massinham

Chris's e-mail address and telephone number are on the www.FoFH.co.uk web sitesite. Just click the link.

Saturday 27th September 2008

The day has started well. I printed a Ferguson TE 20 Workshop Manual 1st thing this morning and it is now ready for despatch to it's e-bay customer.

I have an optitians appointment at 9:30. Maybe we can make some progress there then? Mark will mind the shop, as it were, whilst I am out.

I had a very nice man on the phone yesterday enuiring how to stop his carburettor leaking. I gave him a few suggestions, and invited him to call me again if those don't work, with a view to going on to the next step. He says he already has a Workshop Manual and Parts book.

I have been living with Repetative Strain Injury in my right (mouse) arm for months now. This morning I splashed out on a Pen Mouse n the hope that it might ease the pain. I have not looked forward to a toy so much for ages!

OH! Blessed relief! I hope

Thursday 25th September 2008

Following Mark's trip to Cleveland yesterday and an intense evening in setting-up, we can now add die sublimation printing to our repertois. That's Tee shirts, Mouse mats, coasters place mats, bar mats - the list is only governed by imagination. As an idea of pricing, think in terms of a very nice Tee shirt for about £5.00, personalised with any image you like, printed on the back or the front. It's extra for back AND front.

I am resting my eyes from contact lenses or a couple of week and am hoping to collect a pair of reading glasses from the optitian later today. In the mean time, Mark is having to do all the 'seeing' jobs.

We already have enquiries for 100 Tee shirts (for next summer), a large set of specialised table mats and coasters for one customer, tee shirts for another, and a mouse mat for a third.

I have had a delivery of special image-polymer for simple tee-shirts, we have a small stock of various sizes of Tee shirts and a few other items. We have some flock-image-media for tee shirts and I ordered more gold, green and blue foil today.

Wednesday 24th September 2008

Today's addition to the product range of Catseye Private Press is Wide format printing. The machine will print up to 2 feet in width. Prices are, as all things from here, very reasonable. The actual cost depends upon which paper you choose. 90 gram matt comes out at only £1.00 per meter (x 2ft wide) and 240 gram glossy or silk, at the other extreme is £8.50 per meter run (x 2ft wide).

This systm is extremely popular for large format event posters, at the cheaper end, up to photo reproductions at the other end. We use different inks for diffrnt demands. However, do not forget that any and all media can be adversly affected over time, by UV light. Framing behind glass, for pictures, and keeping them out of direct sunlight will make a dramtic difference, as indeed it would to an "old master".

Mar is in Cleveland today colelcting a heat press, which prints on tee shirts and other fabric or large flat objects, like plaques and the like.

Our vinyl cutter arrived yesterday, and we now await the arrival of suitable software. This has been ordered and is supposed to be here already, but we have to learn patience, do we not?

Today I have printed a Ferguson TE 20 Workshop Manual and a Parts Manual. They are ready to post when the cheque arrives. I was assured they would go in the post last night. :-)

Sunday 21st September 2008 (Autumn Solstice)

As you will recall no doubt, we get a solstice once every 6 months. Summer and winter. Then we get an equinox twice. The summer solstice is mid-somer's day. This being that Autumn equinox, is it not mid-autumn's day? If so, why is BBC News promoting it as "The End of Summer"?

I was on Opies ... The Stove Shop Brochures yesterday, and I hope to be completing them today, if the customer gets copy to me in time.

It's 1pm and I have also printed a Diesel tractor Instruction Book and two Reversible Plough Instruction Books.

Thursday 18th September 2008

It's Internaional Talk Like a Pirate Day Don't miss out on the fun! Go on! Give it a go! Go on, go on, go on!

I had a very odd day, yesterday. We had a visitor in the evening, so it was good to have the time to do some domestic stuff, but I did not have one business or tractor related phone call or one bussiness e-mail. That is so unusual as to verge on the weird!

Back on the subject of cattage industry for a moment.

A home-based business, of small size, has a number of challenges as compared with the "Tescos" of this world:-
We canot buy big, so our input prices are very high.
We don't have a high street shop-front, so we have to spend more to be seen by prospective customers.

On the other hand:-
We can offer a much more personal service,
we don't have the overheads.
We don't need to travel to work
We can be "open for business" for many more hours in the week
We have to apy a greater proportiion of our profits in personal taxation
As people become more adept at claiming their rights, our risks increase. Laws laid down to protect against big business and their sharp practices, effect every little business as well as the big boys.
Above all they can't yet torture us with cigarette withdrawal in our own homes.

The benefits are great, and the downsides are almost equally great. Overall, we have a number of edges that the High Street Shops don't have, but they are mainly balanced by the down side. The upshot is that we can offer prices that are still competative, without actually becoming rich, we can still earn a living, in some cases, whilst providing a sound service for our valued customers at competative rates.

GOOD NEWS
Today I had a phone call, completely out of the blue from Absolute Signs of Stalham asking if I want their Poster Printer.

Guess what? I said yes please and went to get it. It's here now and all set up.

It prints on a 2ft wide roll. so posters and banners up to two feet wide are now on the menu here at Catseye Private Press.

Thursday 18th September 2008

My customer for a Ferguson TE20 Workshop Manual, whom I was expecting yesterday, did not turn up. I guess I must have got the wrong day. Never mind, it's here for him when he does arrive.

I had a moment of madness last night and bought another press, for Tee-shirts and other fabric and ridged-surface printing. I also bought a 2ft plotter, for cutting the edges of the images in order to made sure of a clean finish. That service will be added in a little while, once it's all installed and up & running.

I need to send a pallette to Cleveland for this press, aong with a roll of pallette-wrap, so the vendor can easily prepare it for collection. He seems nervous about that, but I'm sure he'll cope. It's not rocket-science and he seems to be just a normal responsible person who is worried to get things right. I hope to chat with him on the phone later to calm his conserns.

The only reasons I want it collected rather than go get it is that it's a 500 mile round trip, which is a very long way and the fuel cost and carbon footprint of the trip would be quite mad in the current situation.

Mark was planning to go to Norwich today to collect some paper for me, but his shifts, today, make that difficult. I must try to make certain we have it tomoorow thagh, as I expect to need it over the weekend.

The postman took the calendars for G&R Building services of Bradford. He should get those tomorrow.

I did not yet get the cheque for the Sales Manual and Workshop Manual, which I printed a couple of days ago, in the post this morning, so they have not left here yet.

Mark has gone to take David and his dog to the vet's at Stalham. No doubt he will be back soon, because they are planning to walk home.

We have a friend visiting for a meal and a few drinkies this evening. That doesn't mean I can't answer the phone though.

Wednesday 17th September 2008

I am expecting a visitor today, who is coming to collect a Ferguson TE20 Workshop Manual. It's all ready for him. I am not sure what time that will be, but that isn't important.

Otehr than that, I sold another Workshop Manual on e-bay last night. That is ready to post when the cheque arrives.

I need to order more cream card for Prism Calendars.

I also intend to order some gold, silver and coloured foil when I get a moment.

Once all that is done, I have a form to complete to buy a batch International Standard Book Numbers for book-publication customers. I am almost ready to launch that service oficially, but could take orders now.

Wikipedia desribes a cottage as:-
In the United Kingdom, the term cottage tends to denote a rurally- (sometimes village-) located one and a half storey property, where on the second (upstairs floor) ....

Wikipedia desribes Cottage Industry as:-
A cottage industry (also called the Domestic system) is an industry – primarily manufacturing – which includes many producers, working from their homes, typically part time. The term originally referred to home workers who were engaged in a task such as sewing, lace-making or household manufacturing. Some industries which are usually operated from large centralized factories were cottage industries before the Industrial Revolution. The business operators would travel around, buying raw materials, delivering them to people who would work on them, and then collecting the finished goods to sell, or typically to ship to another market. One of the factors which allowed the industrial revolution to take place in Western Europe was the presence of these business people who had the ability to expand the scale of their operations. Cottage industries were very common in the time when a large proportion of the population was engaged in agriculture, because the farmers (and their families) often had both the time and the desire to earn additional income during the part of the year (Winter) when there was little farming work to do.

The use of the term has expanded, and is used to refer to any event which allows a large number of people to work part time. For example, eBay is said to have spawned a cottage industry of people who buy surplus merchandise, and sell it on their auction system.

That leads me to the conclusion that, since our home fits the description of cottage quite perfectly and Catseye Private Press fits the description of Cottage Industry, that's the description of the way of life I lead. It is always good to find one's identity, or place in the world order in ways like this.

Tuesday 16th September 2008

I had a quiet day yesterday, with a couple of calls from tractor owners who we were able to help with advice over the telephone.

Today I have produced a little piece of art-work for a card, which I can use to further advertise what I do. I know these little things produce a fair return of new customers, so I will have to be careful not to send out too many.

This morning I printed three Ferguson Publications:- Workshop Manual, Parts List and Sales Manual, all for one customer.

Them bankers seem to have got themselves into a fix, don't they
Pardon me if I gloat a little:-) They'll be fine as long as they realise that what's a-happening to them now is no different to what has happened to most of us, to their profit previously. No jumpin' out of windows, you lot! Just draw in your horns and live like normal people for a bit.

I've had a nice little order tonight for 50 Prism Calendars. Most are already printed and I'm chatting on the phone with the customer as I type. I really do love to talk.

Saturday/Sunday 13th/14th September 2008

Today Mark and I completed some more invitations to the Exhibition of Art in Pall Mall and got on with some more brochures for Opies ... The Stove Shop.

I have been working on the foiling techniques with my Hot Foiling Press. Regular readers will remember that we acquired this some time ago and might have noticed that I have been using it to gold foil the Ferguson Manuals, but little else. It's about getting a quick turn-around on the set-up of this press, fom one job to another. This now achieved to some extent, I am happy to offer a foiling service to some customers. Foiling can be a time-consuming process, so I shall have to limit how much I undertake to start with.

The UV reflective and Hologramatic processes are achieved on the same press, by a very similar, but subtly different process. The materials are quite hard to acquire, and the process may or may not involve the Digital Printing process, depending on the detail of the design.

Thursday 11th September 2008

There is only 1.3 meters of depth left in the well. The rest filled in with sand during yesterday morning. I had lined it with a plastic liner to 1.3m, but it just goes to show that there is more to obtaining water from sand than there is from gravel (my previous, sucesful attempt.

Another hole and another try is called for Opies ... The Stove Shop. We perf'd the tear-out page on the new perfing machine.

I am looking forward to printing the desk calendars for G&R Building Services when that order comes in.

I think I am expecting a visitor, who is coming Wednesday to buy a Ferguson TE20 Series Workshop Manual.

Hole-Dudes are coming agin later in the week to bore anothr attempt at a well.

I'm rather pleased with a foiling process on which I have been working, which has a number of very fine advantages. I have been playing with it for a couple of ays now, and it really does do some smashing quality work. I am hoping to buy various colours of foil to do it on Monday (Oh! That's tomorrow already!) It's not terribly expensive.

Wednesday 10th September 2008

Yesterday we had friends come and bore a well-hole for us. This morning t is full of wonderful dresh water. Wooopie! Now to work out how to keep the sand out. I am thinking the the pump can be submerged well into the water and surrounded by gravel, which will act as a filter.

The new well was bored to a depth of around 2.7 meters. The water level, this morning is about 1.3 meters below the surface. What I don't know it the rate at which it will fill. What I do know is that at this moment, just past 8 in the morning, we have 1.4 meters depth of water in about a 3" diameter hole. I have reason the believe that most of the water has come from about 1.3 meters beow the surface. The material is sand mixed with clay. It is very like brick clay. I have very little doubt that this was laid down on the sea floor, long before the area was re-claimed from the sea.

I have put together a proof for a customer this morning and e-mailed it to him. This is a screen-shot of one face of a prism-shaped calendar.

I have pasted one side of a TriFold brochure I printed today for Teme Valley Fruit, who sell the most glorious apple juices, thatching straw and honey.

I'm playing with the well again this afternoon. I am running a trickle of water from the tap to dislodge the sand from around the suction pipe, so that more area is exposed at the bottom of the bore-hole. I will then tipp a small amount of gravel down the hole to keep the sand away from the suction hose, once the flushing is completed. I have no certainty that any of this will work, and the supply at the moment seems quite limited, so we press on with the flushing and, therefore, with the expanding of the area exposed. This in the hope that the greater the exposed area, the greater the supply of well-water.

Tuesday 9th September 2008

This morning I am a little cross!

33 years ago I qualified at City & Guilds Advanced Level, with Credit in Letterpress and Photogravure Printing, following a 5 year part-time, day-release course..

This morning, I called City & Guilds to ask to be told the modern equivalent of that qualification. I was put through to their "Archive" department. Their answer is that they cannot (That appears to me to mean will not) tell me because that information is chargeable!

I have just heard from a lovely woman at C & G, who has offered to find for me, the answer to my question. For that I am very grateful. I regret that I have felt so strongly about this issue, but retain my belief that I was justified in being offended. Their customer services solution is perfectly acceptable.

I now await the arrival of the appropriate form.

Monday 8th September 2008

Today I printed 1 x Ferguson TE 20 Tractor Workshop Manual and 1 x Parts book; a batch of 5 Ferguson Sales Manuals and a Plough Manual. They are allready for the post, 1st thing in the morning. Sadly, our postal service no longer has any kind of a collection in the afternoons.

Those customers should get their books in Wednesday's post.

Sunday 7th September 2008

I delivered to Opies ... The Stove Shop this morning.

I have spent this afternoon altering some art work for Teme Valley Fruit. It's a tri-fold in full colour. I have bleached out a photo of some apples and used it as a background. I feel ready for a glass of apple juice, just looking at the leaflet.

I am now in the middle of plucking hundreds of hops from a Hop Plant that was cut down, by Mark and David, yesterday. It will re-grow, all the better for it's experience, next spring. I can add it to our barley for the manufacture of free beer, all being well.

Here are a se;ection of jobs I have done in the last few weeks, other than Frguson tractor books.

Here are some of the range of book covers I have available for self-publishing, Desk Diaries, and specialist books of all kinds.

These can be foil printed, in most colours, to order.

Saturday 6th September 2008

I have just taken an order for brochures for Opies ... The Stove Shop The customer would like those by Monday.

Friday 5th September 2008

Mark very kindly went into Norwich this morning for me, to collect stock. He then went into Stalham to take a friend, who needs to go there. Now he's at work at The Hill House, till 7pm. It's Mark's birthday today, so he is doing more than would I, were it my birthday today.

I am, today, printing more invitation to the Exhibition of Art at Pall Mall for Belinda Opie.

Once printed, I then have to trim them all, ready for delivery. They number 2000 in total, printed both sides; one side of which is in full colour.

I have just printed a large batch of booklets about Ferguson Tractors for Sparex. I have ordered more card for the covers, but that may not be ready till Tuesday morning. That'll be another job for Mark. I'm glad he seems to like gadding about in his car.

Thursday 4th September 2008

I have been very busy printing books about Ferguson Tractors; one of which is the Desk Diary. I have not printed one of those for ages and found that I need a pack of linen channels for binding the spine. I expect that to arrive tomoroow or Monday. The rest have all been Manuals and Parts lists, mainly.

Oh! Thanks to all those who so kindly enquired. I am recovered from that fall.

I have also been printing invitations for an exhibition at a London Art Gallery in both sides, the front of which is in full colour, on a bright white, hard card. Size A5. I hope to have some of those completed tomorrow.

Monday 1st September 2008

I went out to let the chickens our of their coup this morning, tripped over the wire fence that contains them and crashed head first into to floor. My neck hurts, my foerhead is sore and I'm bruised. I hate it when things like that happen! I know it is worsened, if not openly caused by being over-weight. I lost 4 1/2 stone a while ago and a 1/2 sone has crept back on, due to lack of excersise. It's back to the morning walks for me; boring as they may be.

Sunday 31st August 2008

Those of you who know me will be aware that I have some little interest in the political scene, and that, now and again, I make a comment on that subject. Often I rant. Not this time!

As far as I see it, if The Chancellor of the Exchequer says things are going to be financially difficult, we are truly in for a rough ride. This guy has made it abundantly clear that we are in deep water; that must mean that, what I expected to happen at some time towards the tail end of my life, is upon us already. Woops!!!!

Don't worry about immigration
Nobody will want to come here soon. It's not a matter of loosing YOUR job. It's just a matter of doing what it takes to do well in difficult times. Just don't do it at the expense of your neighbour.

Don't bother to demand wage or salary rises
Any you get will be gobbled up by inflation caused by the very rises achieved.

As a nation, we have been over-spending for decades
Cut out everything that is not necessary. When recovery comes along, every penny saved now will count for a pound! Think very careful about your idea of necessary! When recovery comes along, every penny saved now will count for a pound! Oh! DID I RUB THAT IN?

Don't worry about the value of any home you own.
It will still be worth the same value, relative to the value of any other house.

If you have a mortgage, pay it off NOW
Do it by any means you can manage. Ask family, if you have to.
If you really cannot pay it off, then think of the repayments as rent and be grateful that, although it will cost you more than rent, in a little while, the house may be yours one day. See RENTING, below

If you don't own your own home, don't worry.
Put the rent as the third priority in your life. 1st Water, 2nd Food, 3rd Shelter, 4th heat; you will be able to afford those four things; but precious little more.

Obtain low-cost warm clothing whilst you can.
This will cut down your demands on carbon, which is the one thing that will cost the most.

If you need to travel:- Reduce the distance you need to travel,
even if that means working from home or changing your job. buy a bike for short-distance journeys, that are a bit too far to walk in the time alloted.

Pay off all credit cards as soon as possible
All monies spent on credit coud well be saved or used for your 4 vital priorities or saved for the day it all comes good.

Stop buying unecessary things,
like trinkets and toys, labour-saving devises, fashion-wear, new or bigger cars and all luxuries. They will all wear out in no time and leave you with nothing to show for them and no money. This is not your last chance to get that special 'this or that'. That time has passed

Cut food consumption by 40%.
If we could do that, on average, that equates to internal self-sufficiency, and with it, some little extra security, and it would help the balance of payments.

Shameful as it is, the world now sees the UK as one of the the world's big bankers and insurers.
Think very carefully and efficiently about what we could do that may be more beneficial to planet Earth. Then do it, practice it and get very good at it.

Do these things and we will fare better than most
and MIGHT even end up near the top of the pile. Fail to do that and England must, most cetainly, become a third-world nation, quite quickly. Her peoples will, therefore become starving and displaced. They will die in misery, starvation and poverty as certainly as The SS Titanic had to sink, once holed as she was.

We have it in our powers, as individuals, to guide our own destiny, either way. Our chances are slim and depend upon our own inteligence, fortitude and determination to 'ride it out'.

Wednesday 27th August 2008

Mark had a day off yesterday, so we borrowed a friend's boat and had a day on the Norfolk Broads. Jolly good excersise it was too, and very enjoyable! Thank you for the boat, Lance.

Before leaving I sent out a parcel with a Ferguson Tractor Manual, a Plough Manual, a V.O. Tractor Instruction Book and Parts list. Earlier, the Postman had taken another, smaller, package with 2 Ferguson Instruction Books in it.

I do have another order undespatched, for a Fergusop Workshop Manual and a Parts List. I await the cheque for that.

Tuesday 26th August 2008

Just a note to say that I now have the new perforating machine here. It will run paper or card up to two feet wide and as long as I can handle. I have re-posted a picture of a very similar machine below (mine is a slightly lighter Hammerite grey, having just been completely re-furbished). It has 4 perfing wheels and 2 scoring wheels so far, although more can be arranged quite easily. Of course, with 2 workings it will do 8, or I can perf 4 down and 4 across. Good eh?

I have printed 2 Ferguson TE 20 Workshop Manuals and 2 TE 20 Parts Lists today. Other book orders have also arrived. I intend to print those tomorow.

The two hens and the cockeral in the photo a day or so ago are the little baby chicks, born at Easter this year.

Monday 25th August 2008

It's odd to me that I have had only one phone call over the Bank Holiday Weekend. Indeed, I rarely do. Since so many of my customers are domestic users, I cannot see why they do not call me when they are off work. I do not take Bank Holidays off (as I am not a banker) and get bored silly as a result.

I did have one call yesterday, just in the few minutes that I had a visitor. I asked that the caller ring me back, but he did not. I regret having to ask for a short delay. I hope he will ring today.

Mark and I opened The Firehouse & Clink Museum in Stalham, on Staurday morning for a couple of hours. That is a fascinating place!

I am trying to get some barley to sprout! I did a little test sample, which set off in only a couple of days. This, larger batch has been over a week and will not sprout. I've put it on a heater pad now, to try to get it going. No luck so far!

I had thought that maybe it needs to feel a chill, as though a winter had happened, but no, that cannot be it because the test sample didn't have that treatment.

Thursday 21st August 2008

For those interested in the domestic front, the fish and the chickens.

For those interest in the printing things, all orders in hand have been despatched.

For thsoe interested in the tractor books side of things, I continue to give advise and care to Ferguson tractor owners, especially those new to the hobby.

Tuesday 19th August 2008

My delivery arrived at 2:15pm and I am up and running now, at 2:30pm. Following adjustments and balancing, my digital pressis printing beautifully. I am just so impessed with modern,high quality technology. OK, so it's very expensive, but by jingo! It's gorgeous!

1st up are brochures for a wood-burning-stove company. They are running now, as I type. Wood for fuel is certainly the way to go in this day and age. Get your Ferguson tractor turning tree-trunks into wood-for-fuel and bingo! This is the way to do it! Free fuel (well, almost, if you don't count the labour) and very carbon-friendly! It's all about the carbon cycle.

Treat yourself! Have a look at http://www.opie-woodstoves.co.uk/

20:00hrs

I've just completed 5 Ferguson tractor/Implement Instructions Books, 1 Ferguson Sales Manual, all the printing, folding and perfing for a run of 50 x 20pp leaflets in gorgeous colour, 10 calendars for a local shop and a re-proof (found the missing corporate identity) for a local packaging company. In between, and whilst that little lot were running on the press, I did a quick design/proof for an invoice set for somebody who is usually a tractor books customer.

Desp[ite all the above, I now have a clear desk, ready to start fresh tomorrow; except for a little collating and stitching job, which I will probably do whilst on the phone to someone. I get bored with hand-collating unless I have something useful to think about.

Monday 18th August 2008

I have designed a new corporate identity for a fairly long established, local business which does not seem to have had one before. I am taking him proofs this morning, a little later.

I have ordered another set of consumables for my digital press, so that I have stock as soon as anything runs out. The thing is, that I only fitted a new magenta drum and a refill on Friday, and then re-filled again on Saturday, and have run it out already; that's how busy it is here! They represent about a 30,000 run on various jobs. I have confirmed that will arrive here tomorow, along with the full set of spares.

I spoke with a tractor customer this morning, who wants piston rings for her TE D 20. She is now approaching Dave Garner on 01553 828 330. He will supply all her needs. I have offered her a Workshop Manual, for when she needs it, along with my support during her re-build - as always comes with my Ferguson Workshop Manauals and Parts Lists.

I have had a customer who has not had delivery of his Rear Mounted Mower Instruction Book, despatched (fisrt class mail) 10 days ago, drop me a line. He is just checking with his local postman, and if it cannot be found, I will send him another.

Tomorrow I have a decent run of Full Colour Brochures, the Compliments Slips mentioned above, and a couple of other odds and ends to do. I need to foil some more covers for Ferguson tractor Parts Lists and Workshop Manuals today. I have enough in unprinted covers in stock to do that, and will order more today. The brochures had a tear-out page for customers to reply, so they will need to be perforated. Pending the arrival of the new machine, I shall do that by hand, this one last time. After that, for next week, I should have the new machine.

Mark has to have a new twist-grip for his electric bike. That's £25.50, I've just discovered and is available from stock. I will check with Mark before ordering.

LATER

In between phone enquiries and such like, we have been servicing our Digital Printer, ready for a complete new set of consumables, which I have added to my order and which are due to arrive tomorrow. I did a page - count and saw that we are nearing service time, so we decided to do it, whilst we have a bit of down-time waiting for a delivery. As always, Mark has been a hero!

Sunday 17th August 2008

I have a number of printing jobs to do, when I get a replacement part for the digital press on Tuesday (just a consumable that I ordered on Friday). All customers concerned seem happy with this.

I am posting off a few books in the morning. Then there will be no book orders outstanding - and none of those going in the morning are yet outstanding.

The last of the chickens, which was broody, now seems back in form. I removed here (rotten) egg today. One of the baby ones bit my hand this evening as I fed it. I gave it one last chance!

I expect the perforating and creasing machine either at the end of this week or the beginning of next.

I now have stocks of art paper, postcard board, ivory board (for business cards), bond, smooth cartridge, cream smooth paper and grey card for Ferguson books, NRC (CB & CF whites), all in both A3 and SRA3.

Monday 11th August 2008

I posted 2 manuals, a little Instruction Book and a Parts List this morning, all for Ferguson tractors.

Mark took some wonderful photos over the weekend and I made some of them into post Cards, for sale through local retail outlets.

I just ordered the special card for more Post Cards, some more card for Business Cards, some art (glossy) paper for Brochures and some more smooth cartridge for many other little jobs. It should all be ready for me tomorrow. Mark will collect it.

I mst, very soon, order some more paper for manuals. I have nearly got through 5000 sheets and there is some doubt as to whether they are still doing it.

Here's a little political issue for you to consider

I just had a trade magazine arrive, which conatins an article about identity fraud and the printers' resposibilities and obligations. In it there is a list of ways in which a suspicious order or customer can easily be identified. It reads, roughly, as follows:-

Residential address
Personal collection
Urgency of supplies
No company name or registration
Reciepts or invoices not requested
No contract for repairs or servicing
No quibbling over price
It urges:- Always carry out a credit or identity check on customers.

WHAT THE BLAZES ARE WE COMING TO?

That description fits me to a tee! Does that make me a suspect in crime? Is it reasonable to suspect a valued and respected customer, to the exptent of identifying them by credit or identity check? How very rude!

I'll predict the steps involved in this political procedure:-

1. Raise concerns in the community
2. Request a volutary code of conduct by professionals invloved in the trade or profession concerned
3. Inform the community that "Some Unscrupulous Operators" are failing to observe the volutary code of conduct.
4. Threats to enforce a compulsory code of conduct
5. Imposition of legislation compelling record-keeping
6. Crimilisation of failing to keep records and imposition of fines where the courts find such failure.
7. PERSECUTING THE INNOCENT FOR THE MIS-DEMEAOURS OF CRIMINALS
8. Volutary licensing of the trade in question
9. Compulsory licencing of the trade or profession involved. 10. Criminalisation of non-licenced persons involved in aforesaid trade or profession

Rest assured, there are a number of trades and professions already in that onerous position.
We had printing de-classified as a licenseable profession or trade SEVERAL millenia ago, when The Church were found to be operating a cartel of sorts, involving Indulgences and the restriction of disemination of knowledge or opinion (ggrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! How dare they?). I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS NATION TO GO THERE AGAIN QUIETLY!

Before I sign off on this one

I just spoke to a wonderful woman at the Metropolitan Police Department which deals with all this, and can confirm that I believe that they are working with the very best of intentions.

My only problem is that they are MAKING THINGS MUCH WORSE.

they are just giving these idiot crims' an idea and a challenge. What happens when you challenge people? They rise to the challenge!

FIRST CURE POVERTY. Then the need to be criminal will reduce!

Saturday 09th August 2008

It's been a funny old week! I've spent far too long preparing for a print job that I may never do, but the excersise is good.

Today I had 3 tractorbooks to print and a few brochures. That's kept me quiet for a while! They look gorgeous! All collated, folded, stapled, invoiced and to be delivered this evening. Now that's an excuse to slip up to the pub, where I shall meet the holidaymaker who ordered them.

Tuesday 05th August 2008

Here is the perforating machine I have coming in a couple of weeks.

I have taken orders for a few post cards for our local village Post Office and General Stores and for a Harpist, this evening. Orders for calendars are about due.

I have sold my Log Splitter and have an equiry for my topper.

I sold an instruction bbok about grass topping yesterday.

I just spent £200 on new drums for my new printing machine. that means it must have run at least 30,000 since new. Quality is fantastic, but I won't let it drop for the sake af replacing consumables.

I have no outstanding orders for Ferguson tractor books.

Sunday 03th August 2008

Well now! I've ordered a perforating/creasing machine and expect delivery some time in the next 3 weeks or so.

I have been busy preparing to produce some shingled ID taggs for a company for whom I print the odd job. The perforating machine will come in handy for that.

Ferguson Tractor Book sales have been steady, if a little slow during the week. I have sent out about 1/2 a dozen of one type or another.

Enquiries for caledars are coming in thick and fast. I think that's going to be quite a steady trade in the run up to the end of the year.

Tuesday 29th july 2008

I tried the bunch of 100 LED's on the bike last night (all wrapped in 1/2 a tonic water bottle, lined with foil and wrapped in tape), and they are a great improvement on the LED Garden Spotlight. I was able to cycle home at full speed and see where I was going the whole way. Despite that I have wired up a big motor car spot lamp ready to try out on a 12v motor cycle battery. What I need to establish is whether or not a 12" square pv cell will replenish the power drained by the trip form the pub, back home again in one day of charging.

Print news? Not much to report really! I printed 2 books this morning and they are all ready for the postman to collect. One is a Mouldboard Plough Manual and the other is a Rear Mounted Mower Instruction Book.

Monday 28th july 2008

Crikey! The end of the month draws in. In a few days it will be August!

Mark & I went out at 10 last night for a pint. We met someone we know and he wants some Compliments slips, for his daughter, who is a musician and some Prism Calendars for his own packaging business. Woopie!

On the way home from our pint, I tried out my newly fixed head lamp on the bike. What a dissapointment! We could hardly see a thing on the dark lanes. It's much more dangerous to ride a bike on country roads at night than it is to drive with a couple of pints inside you. Oh well! Must persevere. Summer won't last for ever and I really would like to solve this little problem, now I've started. This morning I have bunched together some 100 LED's and stuffed then into half a plastic tonic water bottle. The lamps are powered by a small solar cell. I then took them into our dark room and switched on. Hmmmm! Not a good result. Yes, sure! It lit up the darkroom wall, but not enough light to ride a bike by! I obviously need more powerful LED's. That will mean more powerful solar cells etc.

As it happens, Steve has given me a couple of quite big solar (pv) cells. I shall now have to get the light emitting diodes and see how we go from there. On the other hand, with a PV that big, I may be able to power someting quite a bit bigger. Maybe even a proper light bulb! I'll think about that next!

Sunday 27th july 2008

Yesterday evening, I went for a little ride on my bike and the new solar lamp, which I had taped onto the handle bars fell off onto the road. Hrphh! It turned out that the stem, which used to be stuck in the ground when it was a garden spot-lamp, had snapped. Above that is an adjustable bracket, with a bolt through it, tightened by a wing nut. I have whittled a piece of ash to a suitable shape, bored a hole through with a screwdriver, and bolted the upper (main) part of the lamp to the handlebars thusly. That's better! Illuminated again, for night riding!

What a quiet day it has been! here we are at nearly 5:30pm and only one call about tractors. The owner had a little electrical problem. Well! Actually he had two. The fact there were 2 problems sort of distracted simple diagnosis. Problem now solved!

I thought I was expecting another call from another person who has been having carburettor problems. I hope that will come soon, as I expect to be able to cure that too. What I don't want to do is to predict the solution until I have asked a number of questions to clarify the symptoms.

Saturday 26th july 2008

I am writing this on Friday just to let you know that i am planning to go to Stalham FireHouse Museum some time tomorrow for a couple of hours to open it to the public.

No! I will not be getting my hose out or wearing my brass helmet!

I di din fact open the firehouse museum, with Mark, for a couple of hours. We had a few interested visitors.

There is an experience, which I won't tell you about, but the news I will tell you is of a tractor-colelctor, who has had half a dozen different tractor photos used on postcards for sale in the family guest house. These were his own photos of his own tractors and are, apparently going down a storm with guests and other visitors. He ordered another 550 (100 of each of 5 of them and fifty of the least popular). He has already sold out of most of the first batch and his season is only just strting. He has asked if I can do notelette sets, which I will look into on Monday. He Post Coards are set to be despatched on an next-day carrier on Monday.

I produced an estimate for 1500 compliments slips for another tractor-related business of Friday and hope to recieve the art-work on Monday, some time. If I do, I should be able to despatch next morning. The only possible drawback may be that the customer is doing his own art-work, and sometimes I have to suggest changes to avoid extra costs and technical difficulties. The changes usually improve the general appearance as well as making the job cheaper and easier.

I have both Worhop and Parts Manuals in stock ready to post First Class, in the event of an order turning up.

Friday 25th july 2008

Well now, this is a new page on the print side. I have been writing a news page on my tractor site for years, but here we go with PRINT NEWS. Readers of my Tractor News Page will know that I always add the next day to the TOP of this diary of events. So start at the top, with the most recent date and read down, into the past; when there is a past about which to read. In the mean time, the past is at:-
http://www.fergusontractor.co.uk/infofiles/blog.asp.

First let's get you all up to speed with what's been going on here at Catseye Private Press.

I started out here, with an Albion, an Imperial (converted for hot foiling), a little treadle Cropper and a small A4 colour digital press (you will notice that I didn't mention the inherited Adanas?). I know the differing eras seem to test the imagination a bit, but that's just the way it is. There is a wide range of lead type in the composing room, a good stock of standard papers in the paper store, a plentiful supply of hard book covers, of various kinds and sizes, in the finishing department and all is well with the world. I have specialised, for some years, in producing books and booklets for the Ferguson TE 20 series tractor and it's implements, for enthusiasts. I also have a very smart binding press for the hard-backed books.

I have now added a 4 colour A3 digital press, a folding machine,, a ring-binder, an A3 laminating machine, a paper drill, a guillotine and a much more modern foiling press, on which to foil book covers for my Ferguson Tractor Books.

For years I have been a jobbing printer and have been doing occassional jobbing work when asked. Now I am doing more and more of this general printng. You can see the sort of things I am doing on my PRICE LIST page [just click the link at the top there].

I try to live a gentle life-style out here on the North Norfolk Coast. We have chickens in the garden, goldfish in the pond and peace in our hearts. My partner, Mark, works as a barman at our local pub and so he is home some unusual hours and at work even stranger hours. There ae pros and cons to that. The best pro is that I get an excuse to visit the local pub, if only to see him, most evenings. That is a pleasure.

I have always delighted in printing. I started when I was only 12 or 13 years old, whilst still at school. I achieved a GCE-equivalent Bookcraft Qualification at 16 years old and still have some of the work I printed in those days. Then I went on to apprentice with a printer in Pinner Green, Middlesex and qualified to City & Guilds Finals standard. More than anything, I have printed all my adult life, on and off and been called as an expert witness in London's High Court, in my younger days, in forgery cases. I have done many other things besides, but for the purposes of this site, that's all that counts for now.

We are both interested in the way things are going in the world of 'Green' technology. That's not to say we think the world is about to burn up, just because the polititians tell us so. Indeed, like most people we know, we doubt it mainly on the grounds that we are being told so by Government. We don't really trust them very much! However, we do rather enjoy our electric bikes, whilst, at the same time, enjoying the luxury of motoring, when we can. We both have cars. My latest bit of fun has been installing a small headlight on my bike, powered by solar energy. It was something that came with our home, when we moved in and I have just strapped it to the handle bars. The idea of 'free electricty' kind of appeals! I have to admit harbouring a dream of building a solar furnace to power a steam engine of some kind, but that is almost certainly a pike-dream! Not that I wouldn't know how (I have built a few new ones and restored a few old ones, in my day) but I have no idea how I would afford the materials needed.

Mark has had a prervious life as a vintage tractor mechanic, amongst a myraid of other things and yet seems to prefer life behind the bar at our local pub (odd really, because he never drinks at work). He has recently passed the exam for his Personal Licence, so the world is his oyster now! Despite that, Mark is the mainstay of the engineering department of Catseye Private Press. It is he who erects the presses, repairs the electronics and assembled the guillotine, this week. He can turn his hand to anything mechanical or electrical (erm! That maybe should have included electronic and electrical).

This is the 6 colour digital Press I would love to own one day, if I could afford it. I never want to have to work hard enough to pay for one though. These things get through paper like I get through cornflakes at breakfast, or faster! My back would never stand the expenditure of effort! But what a wonderful press!

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as of 17:45hrs 27/07/2008