I seem to be having a bad few weeks for generalised manufacturing defects.

It was two weeks ago that I had that trouble with a misprinted book, and on taking it back found that other copies had exactly the same flaw. And today, I received my replacement copy of Babylon 5 season 3 on DVD, and discovered that two of the discs had not been properly pressed on to the spindles in the case, had rattled about in transit and had become seriously scratched – which was exactly what had been wrong with three discs in the first copy and had been why I'd sent it back.

I have since made matters much worse by interacting with Black Star in probably the most incompetent and chaotic manner I've managed in some time. They almost sent me two replacement copies by mistake due to my error in driving their website; then they got my apologetic mail and cancelled the second one; so on Monday I shall have to phone them and explain that now I need a second replacement copy on purpose. I also sent them several mails trying to explain the confusion, and brilliantly managed to send them in the wrong order (referring to one I hadn't yet sent in another). When I phone them on Monday, I shall have to explain carefully – and apologise profusely – that this incident is not a case of Simon having a bad Black Star customer service experience; it's a case of Black Star customer service having a bad Simon experience. I really have been appallingly inefficient and confusing. But then, I suppose, I was ill.