Drews Sign It Pty Ltd Newsletter

Just a quick reminder that we'll be flying out to Christchurch on this coming Friday (the 10th) to start our yearly vacation. The business will be closed from close of trade on the 9th, and re-opening on the 26th. Hopefully the recent 7.2 earthquake in Christchurch will not force a late change to our plans.

Bob and Mary will still be taking phone calls in my absence though.

August had seen us doing record sales figures again, until the election was called, making it die almost overnight. It is one of two times that we experience a guaranteed drop in business. One is an election, and the other is a state or federal budget.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Blasemaster Fire Protection for giving us the opportunity to sign their new fleet of Ford Transit vans and Toyota vans and utes.

Australian owned,

Blazemaster are the industry leaders in Fire Protection systems, supplying all facets of Fire Protection sales and service. From the supply and servicing of Fire Extinguishers and equipment, to the installation of new fire systems for small factories or entire commercial developments.

Blazemaster are a quality driven company, and insist on quality materials when it comes their branding.

With the exception of the one way vision, a combination of 3M and Avery products were used on this project, all with a minimum 7 year warranty against fading, peeling or cracking.

A nappy with a difference

AUSTRALIA'S backyard chickens have moved out of the coop and into the house.

The backyard scratcher is now a pampered pet and to help with the transition, a Brisbane-based chicken entrepreneur has developed the latest must-have accessory for people who love their chooks.

It's called the chicken nappy, a design perfect for the animal that can never really be house-trained but likes to come inside anyway.

The nappy, based on a US design, is manufactured by a seamstress in The Gap who also makes small walking leads and harnesses for chooks who like to take it that one step further, and cross the road.
Ingrid Dimock's backyard breeding operation at the Gap - City Chicks - has grown from a small part-time practice into a thriving full-time business.

The nappies she sells are bought by families who encourage their birds inside to interact or for people in apartments or townhouses who keep birds but have limited space.

"Chickens have become incredibly interactive with people," Ms Dimock said.
"When you come home they are looking for you and run up to you. They make really good pets and are really social creatures."

The leads were developed because Ms Dimock said people wanted to take their birds with them when they left the house.

"People were telling us that they wanted to take their chickens to the park to have a scratch around while they watched their kids playing soccer," she said.

City Chooks also sells bling for birds, with funky wristbands used to identify birds who stray from the roost.

And for the hen who likes to stay in the coop, Ms Dimock also sells chicken chandeliers.

[Source Courier Mail]

One way to get the female vote...

A Venezuelan politician is holding an unusual raffle to raise campaign cash.

The grand prize? Breast implants.

For a little under $6 a ticket, donors get the chance to win the pricey operation free of charge.

Breast enlargement is widely popular in image-conscious Venezuela. In recent years as many as 30,000 women have had the operation annually, according to the nation's Plastic Surgery Society.

Gustavo Rojas, who is running as an alternate for the National Assembly in Sept. 26 elections, said there is a great demand for the surgery.

The prize for his fund-raising effort may be a little unusual, Rojas conceded, but he said it's like raffling off a TV set or a telephone

(Source AP)

Best one-line joke ?

A British standup comic is celebrating after delivering the "best" one-liner at the world's biggest arts festival.

Judges, commissioned by UK TV station Dave, sat through around 7200 jokes at the annual Edinburgh Fringe Festival and gave the accolade to Tim Vine, the British comic who briefly held the record for telling the most jokes in an hour.

His one-liner?

"I've just been on a once-in-a-lifetime holiday," Vine said. "I'll tell you what: never again."

(Source news.com.au)

Another Phone Scam

I have recently reported a scam to the Queensland Dept of Fair Trading & ACCC.

I support several 'community' publications, the latest being Police Legacy. Police Legacy are a legitimate Queensland Police Service publication that help raise funds for projects to help the police community, from sporting ventures to health. I think it is a good cause.

Problem is, and as I've recently found out, scammers are trolling these publications. One organisation is the people behind a publication called the National Emergency Relief magazine. The company is Adepto Publications with the ABN: 33091354522, operating from the Gold Coast in Queensland. They are well known to the authorities investigating phone scams.

I would urge ALL my Australian readers to take a quick look at this link as it goes into the exact same detail as I went through at work. It also mentions other publications that you may be contacted by.

If you get a call for confirmation of your advertising for the National Emergency Relief publication, or any other publication, with a similar 'story', and you have no recollection of authorising the advert, then you are about to be stung.

They also record your conversation. They are targeting small business and are trading illegally. The advice given to me is that they contravene the trade practices act section 64 and 52.

My conversations with the ACCC lead me to believe that it is widespread, and that you need to register a complaint if you get caught out.

I'll not be paying the account, but it does make you wonder how many people do pay it thinking they must have forgotten about it. Clearly it is a percentage game, which probably nets them a decent haul every time they do it. The recent announcement that the Gold Coast is the scam capital of Australia should be no surprise I guess.

A quote to remember

A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties. - Harry S. Truman

Every now and then, as a signmaker, you get one of those jobs that let you have a bit of freedom. The job pictured here was one such occasion.

One of my most regular clients asked if I could help make his grand-daughters party, with a Princess theme, a little bit special.

I jumped at the opportunity to 'let my hair down'.

My client said " I'll leave it to your imagination ". Not the best thing to say to the average sign shop, because most of us live for the day that some unsuspecting customer gives us 'freedom of expression'.

I think it is safe to say that my client and his wife were expecting something a bit smaller than the 3600mm high x 2400mm wide 'sign', made up of two sheets of 10mm thick material, when the castle landed on their door step the night before the party.

By all accounts the entrance to the back yard was a huge hit with the party guests, their parents, and the neighbours.

My client learned a valuable lesson that day: Be specific.

Until next time, take care

Shane Drew

3M Accredited Applicator - Silver Level, Certificate Number AUS102

Shane Drew
Drews Sign It Pty Ltd

4 William Street

Waterford West Q 4133