Catapult Blog

Not just any refund…

ben — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:09:18 +0000

When VAT in the UK was temporarily reduced to stimulate the economy the clever people at Marks and Spencer decided to leave their pricing the same and make the reduction at the tills.
Now this works fantastically, and I for one, still get the sense I’m getting an extra discount whenever I buy anything from there.
However, there is a flaw in their systems when it comes to refunds & exchanges as the new item doesn’t show the VAT discount and this money therefore ends up in the pockets of M&S.
My particular transaction, exchanging a £6 (£5.88 net) childs swimsuit for a £5 childs swimsuit only resulted in a 9 pence error (new item should have been £4.91 net), but whilst most of us won’t miss 9p, M&S are possibly making £ thousands from this admin error…bit of a charitable donation might redress the balance I think.

Change of Business?

ben — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:21:58 +0000

We don’t use this blog much any more (follow us @catapultdigital.com) but wanted somewhere to post this great letter that landed in our inbox

Rt Hon David Miliband MP Secretary of State. Department for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA),
 Nobel House
 17 Smith Square
 London  
SW1P 3JR
  16 July 2009   

Dear Secretary of State,

  My friend, who is in farming at the moment, recently received a cheque for £3,000 from the Rural Payments Agency for not rearing pigs.. I would now like to join the “not rearing pigs” business.  In your opinion, what is the best kind of farm not to rear pigs on, and which is the best breed of pigs not to rear? I want to be sure I approach this endeavour in keeping with all government policies, as dictated by the EU under the Common Agricultural Policy.   I would prefer not to rear bacon pigs, but if this is not the type you want not rearing, I will just as gladly not rear porkers. Are there any advantages in not rearing rare breeds such as Saddlebacks or Gloucester Old Spots, or are there too many people already not rearing these?   As I see it, the hardest part of this programme will be keeping an accurate record of how many pigs I haven’t reared. Are there any Government or Local Authority courses on this?   My friend is very satisfied with this business. He has been rearing pigs for forty years or so, and the best he ever made on them was £1,422 in 1968. That is - until this year, when he received a cheque for not rearing any.   If I get £3,000 for not rearing 50 pigs, will I get £6,000 for not rearing 100? I plan to operate on a small scale at first, holding myself down to about 4,000 pigs not raised, which will mean about £240,000 for the first year. As I become more expert in not rearing pigs, I plan to be more ambitious, perhaps increasing to, say, 40,000 pigs not reared in my second year, for which I should expect about £2.4 million from your department. Incidentally, I wonder if I would be eligible to receive tradable carbon credits for all these pigs not producing harmful and polluting methane gases?   Another point: These pigs that I plan not to rear will not eat 2,000 tonnes of cereals. I understand that you also pay farmers for not growing crops. Will I qualify for payments for not growing cereals to not feed the pigs I don’t rear?   I am also considering the “not milking cows” business, so please send any information you have on that too. Please could you also include the current Defra advice on set aside fields? Can this be done on an e-commerce basis with virtual fields (of which I seem to have several thousand hectares)?   In view of the above you will realise that I will be totally unemployed, and will therefore qualify for unemployment benefits. I shall of course be voting for your party at the next general election.     

Yours faithfully,  
   Nigel Johnson-Hill

we:recycle

mac — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 11:35:25 +0000

Take your old phones along to the flagship nokia store on regent st, and get a warm fuzzy feeling in return. Also available at nokia service centres.

scirroco studios

mac — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 11:33:40 +0000

Nice pop-up gallery (specially commisioned art works by VW, inspired by the new scirroco),
Like a mayfly it will be gone by saturday 6th september. enjoy. LINK

not another crap xmas

mac — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 12:21:13 +0000

new from us for C.A.L.M.
free and exclusive MP3s every day from some top artists and some new talent mixed in too.

chocolate week

mac — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 09:18:34 +0000

It’s chocolate week next week (october 15th) and Paul A Young has opened a new shop in royal exchange, nearest tube bank. Its like stepping back in time - a real treasure trove of chocolate’s in an 1800s pharmacy

Devil May Cry Anime

dele — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 13:06:22 +0000

Being a fan of both Computer games and Japanese cartoons. this is a godsend! follow the adventures of Dante in 12 action packed episodes - set a short time after Devil May Cry 3 and featuring a few well known faces, Simply wow is all I can say - check it out for yourself.
here

infinite bubble wrap

mac — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:28:12 +0000

PuchiPuchi (プチプチ)

only in japan - from bandai - electronic bubble wrap.

what next, fingernail candy? actually thats not a bad idea!

http://www.kilian-nakamura.com/blog-english/index.php/portable-bubble-wrap-toy-from-bandai-asovision-puchipuchi/

ice cream

mac — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 15:59:13 +0000

Scoop has just opened in shorts gardens.

With 20+ amazing italian flavours to savour. It’s going to be a tasty summer!

oxfam oyster cards

mac — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 12:15:03 +0000

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Oxfam-Shop

at last someone has done some ‘unbranded’ oyster card holders that look cool.

well they are oxfam ‘I’m in’ branded which is a good thing - also anythings better than oyster ‘blanding’.

and its all for charity - apparently they are giving them away if you sign up with chuggers in central london next week.