Happiness Meme: Day Four? Whatever...

So I'm sitting here reading LJ, with the window open because it's a hot night, and something bounces off the screen (the window screen, not the computer) a couple of feet away from my head. Whoa! It's a hummingbird moth. Here's a photo.

Isn't it gorgeous? I hatched one out once. Its larval form is that humongous green caterpillar that chomps on your tomato plants. I moved it around so it didn't do any important damage to the plant and, luckily, I was there when it crawled down and started digging in the dirt. I put it into a dirt-filled jar. After a few days I dug it out gently and looked at the cool chrysalis. Then I reburied it and kept it (with holes in the jar lid, yes) until it hatched out into a lovely moth that could be mistaken for a hummingbird if it's after dark (which is when they're active) and you can't find your glasses.

I haven't seen one of those in years. Yay for nature!

I'm going to bed now. Goodnight :)

Torchwood Season One, Defective Disk(s)

Well, %#$%*&#! (No, this is not part of the Happiness Meme.)

So I purchased the Torchwood Season One DVD box set in January of 2008. You'd think that after all the trouble Hubby and I had had with the Dead Zone DVDs, we'd have known better, but no -- we assumed everything was fine and, for various reasons, didn't start to watch it until recently. We popped in disk one and cued up "Everything Changes." Mmm, beautiful picture, awesome sound quality, and no cuts (eeeeww, more blood!). I was bouncing on the couch with happiness, annoying Hubby a little. Jack and Gwen headed down to the cells to see Janet, and, well, everything changed. Gwen pixilated, the sound went funky and the player stopped dead. 

So we reloaded, went through the chapters -- do de do de dum -- and watched the scene again. Gwen pixilated. Again.

After a few tries, something different happened. Instead of just stopping, the DVD player went back and reloaded on its own. Evidently it was as irritated as we were. Still couldn't get past that spot. Grrrrrr.

We removed the disk and studied it under strong light. There were odd markings on it, not really scratches, more like rub marks. They didn't clean off. Just for the heck of it, I examined the rest of the disks. Two, six and seven had similar markings.

Barnes&Noble.com has a two-week return-or-exchange policy. I tried anyway. They said sorry, no can do.

karaokegal  has suggested that since the merchandise is defective, they should be required to help me out. That would be nice. Does anyone know any legalese I can quote at them?

Alternatively, maybe the manufacturer (2 Entertain Video Limited) or the distributor (Warner Home Video) would be willing to exchange disks. Has anyone dealt with these companies? (Their websites are uninformative, to say the least. I may try emailing them anyway, when I feel more coherent.)

I've been trying to decide which season of New Who to buy with my Barnes&Noble gift card. Maybe I should buy books or CDs instead, and go to Best Buy -- I hear they're pretty good about exchanging defective merchandise -- or Amazon.

Crossposting to torch_wood  and doctorwho.

(Edited for a grumpier icon.)