Channel 10’s EPG is missing in action. Channel 7’s is just 12 hours late. The time code says 10.30pm, but Now On says ‘10.30 Seven Morning News’. Apparently there’s nothing ‘Coming Up’ – that bit is blank.

Yet again one wonders, whatever the marketing hype about digital TV and HDTV, how on earth us poor mugs are supposed to know what actual programs are on and when.

Channel 7 is launching Tivo soon. If they cannot produce a reliable basic EPG it shreds one’s confidence in their ability to run the infinitely more complex programming dataset required by Tivo.

Channels 7 and 10 have launched their HD channels but how in heaven’s name are you supposed to find out what’s on? The HD programs are not in the newspaper tv guides. Nor are they on the digital guides – indeed 10’s guide seems to have vanished altogether. I did find program info on a tv listing web site but that’s not exactly convenient.

The tv channels have made a big marketing fuss about HD but it’s hard to take them seriously when no one has any idea just what programs are available.

Had to happen. The Nigerian scammers have discovered Skype.

Deck extension all done, low voltage lighting in and working, plus fabulous fig tree and mulberry in the back corner (fig is BIG, loads of fun moving and planting).

So we go to Gold Class at Jam Factory last night to see Enchanted with the kids. We have to ask 3 times just to get someone to take our food order. They start the movie 10 minutes late because they are so far behind.

Tired old excuses – ‘we’re short staffed’. Do the maths: 42 degree day, New Years Eve, too hot to take the kids to town for fireworks, duh, do yer think families might like to go to the movies? And I booked yesterday morning, with the seating plan showing the cinema already close to full. No excuse for not knowing demand levels.

One hour after the movie starts still haven’t got any food or drinks. Staff member approaches, they’ve run out of EVERYTHING on the main menu. But we can have our choice of a hot dog or ‘gourmet’ greek pizza. But no worries about the dessert I ordered.

Another 30 minutes later food arrives. Gourmet greek pizza looks and tastes like someone poured a tin of chopped tomatoes over a frozen pizza base and sprinkled 4 olive halves and 5 shreds of fetta. Oh and my bottle of water arrived after reminding the staff again. By which time the movie was nearly finished.

We’ve been to Gold Class several dozen times, makes me wonder why we bother spending all that money just to receive zero benefit. I get so tired of the endless excuses for poor service whenever it manifests – which is constantly.

Never did get my dessert either.