LOL - Customs nonsense

And by this I mean Lord Of Light. I'm glad I read it now rather than years ago. It features beings with god-like powers who change bodies, are virtually immortal, who struggle with any of the same struggles as my Vaneer and Hazeer. So once again some of my ideas, while new and original to me, have been thought before, if thankfully in a very different form and style. LOL wasn't the easiest read but I expect the second time through will be easier and better. I shudder to think what familiar paths are trod by the remaining classic sci-fi books I still have to read.

Ho hum. At least those classics don't have my puerile, Harvard Lampoon slant on things. At least I still have my still-somehow-adolescent angle to speak from. Yeah, that's reassuring.

Babel-17 has started in a fairly annoying style but I'll stick with it. Haven't had a lot of time these last few days, manic baby rushing around. He has two speeds - full on or zombie telly-staring. Book editing starts in earnest soon. Must look at those short pieces and see how much work they'll be. If it keeps on being sunny, any work is going to be a drag. Getting towards last SOS 'big review' - from this month's Lyra-8 it'll be modular only.

Monday, finished Babel-17 (Samuel L Delany) but can't say I enjoyed it. I'll put it aside and maybe return to it one day but not with relish. Next up is either The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu or Hyperion by Dan Simmons. I suspect I'll leave Hyperion to the end as my spider senses tell me it's the better of the two.
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Struggling to get UPS to understand the concept of a repair enough to escape charges for it.

Ring ring
UPS here, we have a shipment from DSI. It is being held in customs for you.
Ah great, that'll be my replacement main board for my synthesizer.
It's a new item?
I presume so, or another one they repaired already. It will make my synthesizer work again. Yay.
A new item will incur charges.
Why?
If they send you a new item, it incurs charges. Because it's new.
Look, it's a repair job. I have a synthesizer with a fault. My options were to send the whole synthesizer to the States and be without it, send the PCB to the States and be without it, or to have a circuit board sent to me then I return my old one on receipt. You're telling me that last option incurs charges?
Yes. You're sending the old board back?
I am.
Then you can claim the charges back later, with form C285
Sigh. It's a repair. This is how repairs are done these days. It's a fixed fee $25 dollar repair, which will probably entail replacement of a few dollars worth of components on a circuit board. This circuit board could be one from a synth that got the same treatment. How much are the charges?
I'll calculate and send you an email.
....
Hello,
Charges are
Duty £1.26
Vat  £17.66
Dan  £11.25
So about £30 because the VAT is calculated on the shipping costs, or something.
The secret, if anyone wants to know, is to send your old board first. Yes, it means you're without your synth for longer. DSI will send a replacement on receipt. As far as Customs are concerned, pretend it's the same board repaired - then the extra charges are not incurred. Sigh.
Tried paying online (a different amount than quoted, natch) but the website crashed twice. I'll ring 'em... have at least found the online claimback form.